When Koida sent people to deliver the captured so-called new submachine guns to the headquarters, not only Sokov, Samyko and Runev were waiting here, but even Yakov was also there.
The reason why Yakov appeared here was Sokov's initiative. He told his two deputies: "Comrade Military Commissar, Comrade Chief of Staff, since Colonel Yakov comes from the Weapons and Equipment Department, he has every right to do so."
I have the right to see this new German submachine gun at the first opportunity.”
Neither Luniev nor Samyko raised any objection to Sokov's suggestion, so Yakov came to the headquarters as a matter of course and accompanied the three of them to wait for Koida's subordinates to deliver the weapons.
come over.
"Yasha," Sokov asked Yakov while he was waiting: "We will launch an attack on Kharkov in a few days. Whether we can successfully cross the Oud River depends on you."
Is it a hovercraft?"
"Misha, based on our relationship, I don't want to lie to you." Yakov said with a frown: "Originally, these hovercrafts were experimental products that had not yet completed testing. After this period of use, many problems were exposed.
.Especially when transporting troops through the forest yesterday, many hovercrafts collided with trees. If they are not repaired, they will not be able to continue to be used."
"Can it be repaired before the battle starts?"
"That's embarrassing." Yakov shook his head and said, "Many spare parts needed for maintenance need to be shipped from Moscow. With the current transportation capacity, it can be shipped here within ten days, which is relatively fast."
"Colonel Yakov," Samyko couldn't help but become a little anxious when he heard this: "If the spare parts needed for maintenance will have to wait ten days to be shipped here, plus the maintenance time, almost half a month will pass.
Now, do we still need to use the hovercraft then?"
"General Samyko, there is nothing I can do." Yakov explained helplessly: "I just told Misha that because you wanted these hovercrafts in such a hurry, we didn't do everything at all.
In testing, it is inevitable that there will be some problems.”
Seeing Samyko's anxious look, Sokov quickly persuaded him: "Comrade Chief of Staff, don't be anxious. No one wants to see problems with the hovercraft. But since it has not been fully tested, it has been handed over in a hurry.
If it is not used by troops, then we should be mentally prepared that the hovercraft will make mistakes during use."
"However, Comrade Commander, if our assault troops really do not have the help of hovercrafts during the attack on Kharkov, then they will have to use ordinary river crossing equipment to force the crossing of Ude under the hail of enemy bullets.
river."
"Comrade Chief of Staff, you have to believe that there are always more solutions than difficulties." Sokov comforted the other party and said: "Maybe by the time the offensive battle begins, the hovercraft can be used normally again. Even if it cannot be used normally, our commanders and soldiers can
Find other ways and brave the enemy's bullets to cross the Oud River."
Now that Sokov was speaking for Yakov, Samek knew that whatever he said would be of no use, so he shut his mouth obediently, sat at the table and looked down at the map in front of him, as if he wanted to find a path from it.
The road through the enemy's defense area.
"Misha," Yakov saw Samyko sitting aside and sulking, so he apologized to Sokov in a low voice: "It's not that I don't want to help you, it's because something unexpected happened and I can't do anything.
.”
"It's okay, Yasha." Sokov patted Yakov's shoulder with his hand and said reasonably: "I understand your difficulties. Even if your hovercraft is not repaired when the offensive battle starts, it doesn't matter much. We
There are completely other ways to break through the enemy's defenses."
Lunev, who had been silent at first, couldn't help but his eyes lit up when he heard what Sokov said, and he quickly asked: "Comrade Commander, have you thought of any good way to break through the enemy's defense line even without a hovercraft?"
?"
"Comrade Military Commissar, I think you should remember that the Guchakov Battalion took Yasha's hovercraft on my order and took a detour to the rear of October Town, right?"
This was something that happened not long ago. There was no reason why Lunev could not remember it, so he nodded and replied: "Yes, of course I remember. It was you who asked Colonel Yakov to use the hovercraft to send them back to the rear of October Town."
"Since you remember this, you should remember that I asked them to dress up as German troops. One was to cut off the connection between October Town and the enemy in the rear; the other was to sneak into the town and assist the troops of the 84th Division in capturing October Town."
"Remember, remember." Luniev said repeatedly: "I remember all these, but because they lost their way in the forest, they lost time and did not carry out the mission of assisting the 84th Division in capturing October Town."
"Comrade Military Commissar," Sokov said to Luniev with a smile: "Since we can disguise a battalion as a German army, can we also disguise a regiment, or even a division, as a German army?"
"Comrade Commander," Samyko, who was depressed, immediately stood up from his seat when he heard what Sokov said, and said with some excitement: "Are you planning to order any troops to dress up as German troops and then sneak into the German army quietly?
The depth of defense?”
"Yes, that's what I thought about." Sokov felt that it was very appropriate to order the troops to dress up as German troops and go deep into the enemy's rear to cooperate with the frontal attack troops: "Our troops will dress up as German troops and go deep into the enemy's rear.
By turning the enemy's lair upside down, you can reduce the pressure on the frontline troops in disguised form."
"Then which troop do you think can take on this arduous and glorious task?"
"How about the 98th Guards Division?" Although Sokov is the top military director of the group army, he never makes any remarks. For some important decisions, he will seek the opinions of his two deputies in advance, and this time is no exception:
"If you have no objection, call Colonel Chuvashov immediately and order his troops to prepare for departure."
But Sameko asked with some worry: "Comrade Commander, do you think they can complete such a task? After all, they have just merged from three brigades into one Guards Division, and the commanders and fighters of each unit still need a period of running-in and reconciliation.
A familiar process.”
"Comrade Chief of Staff, you don't have to worry about this." Sokov waved his hand to Samyko and said: "Although the 98th Guards Division was established not long ago, before the reorganization, the three brigades fought side by side many times.
The commanders and fighters are very familiar with each other, and I believe they have already gotten along well with each other. It is perfect to send them to carry out this mission."
After Samyko thought over Sokov's words several times, he finally nodded slowly and said: "Okay, Comrade Commander, now that you have made a decision, let's arrange for the execution of your order."
After speaking, he picked up the phone on the table and connected the division headquarters of the 98th Guards Division. Then he handed the phone to Sokov and said respectfully: "Comrade Commander, the phone has been connected. Chuvashov
The colonel is waiting for your orders."
"Colonel Chuvashov," Sokov, who took the call, said into the microphone: "I have an important task that I want to entrust to you to complete. This should be a test for your entire division."
"Comrade Commander, the commanders and fighters of the entire division are now holding back a strong desire to fight the enemy face to face. It is great that you can assign combat tasks to us now."
"Comrade Colonel, listen." Sokov explained his plan to the other party in detail, and finally said: "Your division will set off when it gets dark. You must find a way to pass through the enemy's defense line and enter the designated area."
The location of the attack."
"Comrade Commander, I just looked at the map." Chuvashov waited for Sokov to finish speaking and then offered: "If we want to go to the vicinity of Kharkov, we must pass through the town of October, Kazakhya
Luopan Town, Dergach and other places. These places are now under the control of the enemy, and I am worried that the troops will be discovered by the enemy when passing through these towns."
"Comrade Colonel, your news is out of date." Sokov said happily: "After the fierce fighting of our army, October Town and Kazakhya Compass Town were liberated by our army. Today, Dergach
We are facing threats from our army."
Chuvashov was very surprised to learn that October Town and Kazakya Compass Town had been liberated. He couldn't help but curiously asked: "Comrade Commander, when did this happen? How come I don't know anything about it?"
I do not know?"
"It's okay if you don't know." Sokov said with a smile: "October Town was liberated yesterday, and Kazakhya Compass Town was just liberated today. I haven't had time to get these two good news.
It was reported to the entire army, so it’s normal that you don’t know.”
"That's great." After confirming two huge pieces of good news from Sokov, Chuvasov also became excited. As a result, the chance of the troops he led being spotted by the enemy on the road increased.
It was greatly reduced. "Now that these two towns have fallen into the hands of our army, it will be very easy for us to pass through here."
"Comrade Colonel, although our makeup attack was unexpected by the Germans, we cannot be paralyzed by it." Sokov reminded Chuvashov: "You are deep behind enemy lines. If something unexpected happens, you will be attacked.
Your life safety is threatened."
"Don't worry, Comrade Commander." Chuvashov said to Sokov: "You once told us that the bite of a wounded beast will be more painful, and the Germans are this wounded beast."
"As long as you understand this truth, let the commanders and fighters prepare as soon as possible." Having said this, Sokov thought of another key issue. In any case, the 98th Guards Division now has five to six thousand people.
, if you want them to dress up as Germans, can they find so many German uniforms? He quickly asked: "By the way, do you have a sufficient number of German uniforms?"
"Comrade Commander, we only have about two thousand sets of German uniforms. But don't worry, I can only wrong those commanders and fighters who do not have German uniforms and let them pretend to be prisoners of our army, so that they can easily sneak into the enemy's military camp.
.”
"Comrade Colonel, you are very thoughtful." Sokov was still worried about where to mobilize so many German uniforms for the 98th Guards Division, but after hearing Chuvasov's plan, he couldn't help but cheered.
: "Real Germans, seeing that your army is escorting many prisoners of war from our army, will no longer doubt your identity, so that you can easily blend into the enemy's defense lines and prepare to meet the large forces.
"
He paused for a moment and then asked: "Do you still have any difficulties?"
"Yes, Comrade Commander." Chuvashov said on the phone: "There are two more things that I need your help with."
"Say it, Comrade Colonel." Sokov said without hesitation: "As long as I can do it, I will fully support you."
"Since we want to pretend to be the enemy, we must first change our weapons. Otherwise, as soon as we enter the German defense area, the enemy will see that all our soldiers are holding assault rifles, so why not betray them?" Chuvashov said: "Second
Second, before our troops pass through the friendly defense zone, I hope you can say hello to them to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings."
"Comrade Colonel, I will ask the logistics department to prepare a batch of German weapons for you immediately. Secondly, even if you don't tell me, I will greet the troops along the way to avoid conflicts between you and them due to misunderstandings."
As soon as he put down the phone, Sokov ordered Samyko: "Chief of Staff, call the director of the logistics department immediately and order him to prepare a batch of captured German weapons for the 98th Guards Division."
"Captured German weapons?" Samyko was just talking to Yakov and did not hear the exchange between Sokov and Chuvashov. He asked in surprise: "Comrade Commander, do you want to use these weapons?"
What are weapons used for?”
"Chuvashov told me that since they want to disguise themselves as Germans, the weapons they use must not be used by our army, so as not to be seen through the German defense lines."
"How many weapons are needed?"
Sokov thought for a while and replied: "I think fifteen or six hundred rifles and submachine guns will be enough. If you want to increase the firepower, you can also equip them with several MG42 general-purpose machine guns."
"We have made quite a few seizures in the past few months. With so many weapons in the warehouse, there shouldn't be much of a problem."
After receiving the order, Sameko quickly called the chief of the logistics department and told him about preparing German weapons for the 98th Guards Division. As for the questions raised by the other party, he did not answer at all, but said in a stern tone: "
Comrade Colonel, this is an order from the headquarters, you just have to carry it out, do you understand?"
The director of the logistics department did not dare to refute, so he could only bite the bullet and replied: "Understood, Comrade Chief of Staff, I will arrange manpower as soon as possible to deliver the weapons to the station of the 98th Guards Division."
"You have to be quick. The 98th Guards Division will set off in an hour or two. If your weapons are not delivered before they set off, you can wait to be dismissed."
Before the director of the logistics department could send someone to deliver weapons to the 98th Guards Division, the soldiers sent by Koida finally arrived. He handed the two captured "new submachine guns" to Sokov and said respectfully:
"Comrade Commander, this is the new submachine gun captured by our division. The division commander ordered me to send it to you."
Yakov picked up a gun and looked at it over and over for a while, then said to Sokov: "Yasha, this is not a submachine gun at all, it is a new type of assault rifle. But judging from its appearance, it seems to be incomparable.
