Just as Sokov was about to lead the way, Khrushchev unexpectedly put an arm on his shoulder and said to him: "Let's go, Lieutenant Colonel Sokov. I still have some thoughts in my heart, I want to talk to you."
Feeling Khrushchev's arm resting on his shoulders, and thinking that he was the leader of the Soviet Union several years later, Sokov's body couldn't help but tremble slightly.
Perhaps he noticed Sokov's restraint. In order to relieve the other party's tension, Khrushchev first took his arm back and then said to Sokov: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, it seems that what you said at that time was right."
When Sokov heard Khrushchev's stupid words, he was stunned at first, and then understood that he was referring to some of his views on the Kharkov battle at that meeting chaired by Temuxinge. He thought to himself: "Strange, didn't you say you would check the fortifications of the tunnel? Why did you suddenly mention this matter?"
Khrushchev looked ahead and said, "At the meeting at that time, we, the decision makers of the Southwest Front, thought their plans were impeccable. When you suggested that the Germans might counterattack our army from the protruding department, none of us listened to you. On the contrary, I even thought that once the Germans attacked from there, they would definitely be hit by the troops we deployed there."
Sokov thought Khrushchev was credible. According to Temuxingo and Khrushchev's ideas, even if the German army really launched an attack from the Balvinkovo prominence, the 9th Army commanded by Kharitonov was enough to stop their attack. But they never dreamed that the German attack would come so fiercely. The 9th Army faced the German offensive and only supported the German offensive for one day, then collapsed across the board.
"Lieutenant Colonel Sokov," Khrushchev stopped and looked at Sokov and asked, "I heard you once told others that our troops could not stop the Germans from rushing into Stalingrad, and future battles would take place in the city. Have you said this?"
"Yes, comrade of the military committee. I did say this." Sokov heard Khrushchev's question and nodded quickly and answered affirmatively: "From the current situation, our strength is at a disadvantage compared to the German army and lacks solid and complete fortifications, so it is very difficult to block the Germans. Therefore, in the next battle, no matter how tenacious our commanders and soldiers performed, the front line will still approach Stalingrad step by step."
Khrushchev waited for Sokov to finish speaking, stared at him for a while, and then said, "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, do you know that your words are very dangerous. This is simply a defeatist argument."
"Comrade of the Military Commissioner," Sokov said without fear: "I am telling the truth. The Germans will sooner or later rush into this city. If we do not do all the defensive work in advance, then this city named after the Supreme Commander himself may fall into the hands of the enemy."
Khrushchev agreed with Sokov's statement: "You are right. We must not hand over this city named after the Supreme Commander himself into the hands of the Germans. Do you have any way to prevent the German army from occupying this city?"
"We must first build fortifications inside the city, arm the residents, and prepare for street fighting with the enemy." Sokov said carefully: "In order to gain valuable time for the military and civilians who built fortifications in the city, we must strengthen the walls and clear the fields along the way to Stalingrad."
"Strengthen the walls and clear the wilderness?" Khrushchev did not express his opinion on the suggestion mentioned by Sokov, but said without hesitation: "Continue to talk."
Sokov thought for a while and continued, "The residents who can be evacuated must be evacuated from the areas close to the front line to the city. Anything that cannot be transported will be destroyed, and nothing will be left to the enemy. Nothing that may be beneficial to the enemy and strengthen the enemy's strength will be left behind. Whether it is a factory that can be started, or wheat or livestock in the fields, or things that cannot be evacuated, we will blow them up and burn them! The animals will be driven away. In short, don't leave anything for the Germans."
"Evacuate the residents from the areas close to the front line to the city of Stalingrad," Khrushchev said with some embarrassment about Sokov's proposal: "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, do you know how many people Stalingrad can accommodate?" Seeing Sokov shook his head, he continued: "According to our statistics, the residents evacuated from other cities here, plus the original residents in the city, have nearly one million people. If the residents of the towns outside are evacuated to the city, I am worried that they will not be able to accommodate them."
Sokov never considered the issue that Khrushchev had never considered. Although he knew that Stalin personally ordered not to evacuate the residents in Stalingrad in order not to cause unnecessary panic. But he still held a glimmer of hope and said to Khrushchev: "Military Comrade, I think the residents in the city of the organization will be evacuated. Otherwise, when the Germans rushed into the city, even if they wanted to evacuate, they would not be able to evacuate."
As soon as he finished speaking, he saw Khrushchev pausing, then shook his head and said, "This is impossible, Lieutenant Colonel Sokov. According to the notice I received: In order not to cause panic in the city, we will not carry out evacuation work in Stalingrad." When he said this, he seemed to remember something, so he emphasized to Sokov specifically, "Some things may be judged accurately. But judging accurately is one thing, and whether it can be said is another thing. Do you understand?"
From the tone of Khrushchev's speech, Sokov guessed that the other party must have been dissatisfied with his unauthorized statement that the German army would rush into Stalingrad. He nodded quickly and replied in a panic: "Don't worry, comrade of the military, I will pay attention to my remarks in the future."
He said he was referring to the tunnel fortifications underground, but Khrushchev kept wandering on the hillside and checking the surface positions of the infantry brigade. When he arrived at the other side of the hillside, Khrushchev saw the busy crowd at the foot of the hillside and asked curiously: "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, can you tell me what they are busy with?"
Hearing Khrushchev say this, even if Sokov doesn't look at it, he knows what the crowd at the foot of the hillside is busy, and immediately answers: "They are digging tunnels, military committee members."
"Digging tunnels? I thought they were digging trenches." Khrushchev said this and showed a surprised expression on his face: "Lt. Col. Sokov, can I ask, what is the purpose of digging tunnels?"
"Comrade Military Commissioner, we built tunnel fortifications buried deep underground on the north and south slopes of Mamayev Hill." Sokov introduced to Khrushchev: "I want to connect the fortifications on the two hillsides through authentic tunnels. We now use two methods, and dig tunnels between the two hillsides at the same time. What you see is the excavation method using open excavation method. Another hidden excavation method, because it is carried out underground, you cannot see for the time being..."
After introducing the authentic situation, Sokov tentatively asked Khrushchev: "Comrade Military Commissioner, we have finished looking at the surface positions on the hillside. Next, should we go to the tunnel to take a look?"
Unexpectedly, after hearing this, Khrushchev raised his hand and looked at his watch, then shook his head and said, "It's getting late, I'm going to rush to the Municipal Urban Defense Committee, so I won't go for the time being. Let's talk about it next time I have the chance." After that, he stretched out his hand to Sokov, "Let's say goodbye."
Khrushchev's hurry and came and went, which made Sokov very puzzled. He didn't understand what the purpose of the other party's trip was. He said that it was an inspection of fortifications, but he simply looked at the fortifications on the surface, and the main tunnel fortifications, and he hurriedly left without even looking at them.
In the evening, Ozor, who was temporarily called to the Municipal Urban Defense Commission for a meeting, brought back a fresh document to Sokov: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, look, this is a newly drafted letter to the people of the city by Comrade Khrushchev and the Municipal Defense Commission."
Sokov took the document from Ozor, looked closer and saw that it was written in standard printing:
Dear comrades!
Dear Stalingrad citizens!
The violent enemy has approached our dear city. Like 24 years ago, our city is experiencing difficult moments again. The blood-awakened German devils are about to break into the sunny Stalingrad and to insult our great Russian river - the Volga River...
Citizens of Stalingrad, comrades!
We will never let the enemy occupy our dear city, nor will we let the enemy destroy our houses and dear families. We will build insurmountable barricades on all streets, and make every house, every block, and every street into an unpredictable fortress.
Everyone comes out to build barricades! Let everyone organize a combat team! Build barricades on every street... In the harsh 1918, our fathers defended the Red Chalizin. Let us also protect Stalingrad, which won the Red Flag Medal in 1942!
Everyone builds the barricade!
All who can take up weapons will rise up to defend our dear city and our homes!”
Sokov breathed a sigh of relief, and he thought to himself: It seems that what he said to Khrushchev has worked, otherwise this letter to the people of the city would not have been hastily issued. If the residents of Stalingrad were truly mobilized and the characteristics of many stone buildings in the city were fully utilized, it would be possible to establish a complete urban defense system before the German army rushed into the city.
After reading this letter to the people of the city, Belkin relaxed his frown and said to Sokov with a smile: "Comrade Brigade Commander, with this letter to the people of the city, I believe no one will regard the orders of the City Defense Committee as a breeze. The next time you go to the department store, the sandbag fortifications on the second floor have been repaired, and maybe anti-tank guns and machine guns have been installed."
Since Khrushchev is now inquiring about the construction of fortifications in the city, Sokov is not willing to worry about this. Thinking that the German army is getting closer and closer to the city, he asked Ozor anxiously: "Comrade Major, I want to ask when will the tunnel fortifications and tunnels be completed?"
"The progress of the south slope is faster, and it will be completed in about five days." Ozor opened his notebook and reported to Sokov about the progress of the project: "The progress on the north slope is much slower. It can be completed at most ten days. There is also an authentic one, which uses the open digging method, which has been completed by two-thirds; and only one-quarter of the digging method has been carried out by the hidden digging method."
Sokov clearly remembered that the two tunnels started construction at the same time, but he did not expect that the progress was so far apart. He frowned and asked, "Comrade Major, why are the progress so far apart when the two tunnels started construction at the same time?"
"Lieutenant Colonel Sokov," Ozor looked at Sokov and said with a grievance: "Before formulating the construction plan, I told you that the digging method is the fastest. But you are worried that both tunnels will be discovered by the German reconnaissance aircraft, and one of them will use the most time-consuming hidden digging method."
"Okay, OK, comrade Major, don't complain in front of me." Sokov interrupted Ozor's words before he could finish his words: "If there is not enough staff, I will transfer another thousand people tomorrow. You must complete all the fortification construction work within five days. Do you understand?"
"All completion within five days?" Ozor asked in surprise: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, can I ask why it must be completed within five days?"
Sokov knocked on the table in front of him and said impatiently: "Major Ozor, have you never read the war report? The German army is getting closer and closer to our city. Maybe one day their armored troops will attack and rush to the front of Mamayev's post. If the fortifications are not completed, how can we stop them?"
"I understand," Ozor nodded and said, "Don't worry, comrade Lieutenant Colonel, I will definitely complete the fortifications of Mamayev Tower within the prescribed time limit."
"That's great." Sokov said this and turned his head to look at Belkin and said, "Comrade Political Commissar, I wonder if you know the people in charge of military supplies in the city?"
"I know a few, but they are not the main person in charge." When Belkin heard Sokov's question, he immediately understood what the other party wanted to express. Although the troops carried double-base ammunition when they drove from Kursk, if a war broke out, the ammunition consumption would be astronomical. If they did not hoard a batch in advance and wait until other troops retreated into the city, the ammunition and material departments in the warehouse would not be distributed enough. In order to avoid Sokov's worries, he took the initiative to say: "I will visit the leaders of the logistics department tomorrow and try to get a batch of materials we urgently need from them."