Sokov looked towards the dock and saw that it was crowded with people. There were civilians carrying luggage, soldiers carrying supplies, stretcher bearers carrying the wounded, and health workers following them.
Seeing this situation, Belkin was a little surprised and said: "What the hell, why are there so many civilians on the dock? Aren't there rumors that in order to prevent panic, the residents of the city were not evacuated?"
"Comrade Political Commissar, there are policies above and countermeasures below." Sokov turned to look at Belkin and said: "Although the superiors have stipulated that no evacuation should be carried out, there are always some well-informed citizens who will resort to evacuations in order to escape the coming war.
There are various reasons to leave the city. After all, the City Defense Committee has no reason to refuse citizens to visit relatives and friends in other cities."
When he said this, Sokov secretly thought in his heart: If you can leave, try to leave as many civilians as possible. Otherwise, in the ensuing street fighting, most of the civilians will die either from the fighting between the two sides or because of food.
Due to the shortage of medicines, they died tragically. And these dead citizens, even after the war, were just a series of confidential figures.
"Comrade Political Commissar, let's go and take a look." After Sokov finished speaking, he took the lead and walked towards the dock without waiting for Belkin to express his position.
The ferries on the Volga River give priority to the precious cultural relics that need to be transferred to the rear, followed by the wounded from the front. If there are still vacancies in the end, it will be the turn of the civilians who have been waiting on the pier for who knows how long. Of course, not everyone
In order for every civilian to board the ship successfully, they must present a pass issued by the district Soviet, and then the sailors on the ship will let them board the ship.
Sokov saw with his own eyes several old men carrying suitcases. After the cordon held by the sailors holding hands gave way, they immediately rushed towards the ferry docked at the pier at a speed that was inconsistent with their age.
However, because they did not have passes, the sailors did not allow them to board the ship at all. When they tried to board the ship, the sailors beat them with rifle butts to bloody heads and then threw them from the ship.
Before the old people who were thrown off the boat could stand up, countless residents waving passes in their hands stepped over them and rushed to the ferry that could take them out of the city.
The Volga River, like all rivers in Russia, has a steep right bank and a flat left bank. Sokov came to the river and saw many engineers digging holes on the cliffs beside the river. He squatted down curiously and observed them carefully.
work.
An engineer platoon leader saw two commanders squatting on the cliff, watching their work seriously, so he thought it was necessary to report to them. He climbed up the cliff from a nearby ladder and walked to the two men.
He raised his hands to salute them and reported: "Two comrades, the engineer platoon leader Second Lieutenant Sernikov is reporting to you! Our platoon is being ordered to build an air raid shelter on the cliff beside the Volga River."
"Comrade Second Lieutenant, what are you doing building an air-raid shelter here?" Belkin stood up and asked curiously: "You know, if our soldiers are hidden here, the enemy can easily occupy our position."
"That's right, comrade deputy battalion-level political commissar." The engineer platoon leader glanced at Belgin's rank and replied dryly: "We were ordered to build air-raid shelters here to provide space for those comrades who are carrying supplies at the dock, and
Used by civilians waiting to board boats."
When Sokov heard what the second lieutenant said, he stood up slowly, looked at the engineers who were still busy below and thought: "I didn't expect that the city defense committee had considered this matter very carefully. After the street fighting began, the German army tried to cut off
The Soviet army was in contact with the left bank of the Volga River and constantly sent aircraft to bomb the ferry. Without these air defense fortifications, when enemy planes bombed the dock, the soldiers and civilians gathered at the dock would suffer heavy losses."
"Two comrades, commanders," the engineer platoon leader asked respectfully after reporting to the two men: "Do you allow me to go back and continue working?"
"Of course, it goes without saying." Belgin waved his hand to the engineer platoon leader and said, "Go on to work."
In order not to affect the work of the engineers, the two of them looked at it for a while, then turned and returned to Mamayev Heights.
When he was still far away from the brigade headquarters, Sokov suddenly saw an armored vehicle and two jeeps next to the tent. In the open space between the vehicle and the tent, a group of commanders were standing. Sokov saw at a glance that they were passing through.
Khrushchev, who was in civilian clothes, quickly said to Belkin: "Comrade Political Commissar, the Military Commissar of the Front Army is here. Let's go over to see him quickly."
"Lieutenant Colonel Sokov." Seeing Sokov and Belkin trotting over, Khrushchev asked sternly at Sokov: "Where have you been?"
"Hello, Comrade Military Commissar!" Sokov quickly stood at attention, raised his hand and saluted Khrushchev, and replied: "I went to the 1077th Anti-aircraft Artillery Regiment with Brigade Political Commissar Comrade Belkin."
"What are you doing in the anti-aircraft artillery regiment?" Khrushchev asked with a frown.
"It's like this," Sokov saw that Khrushchev looked unhappy and quickly explained to him: "Today, an enemy reconnaissance plane was conducting a routine reconnaissance flight over Mamayev Heights. Who knew
However, the anti-aircraft artillery regiment suddenly opened fire on the enemy's reconnaissance aircraft, exposing the locations of at least five more anti-aircraft positions. I was worried that the enemy might launch an air attack on these exposed anti-aircraft artillery positions, so I made a special trip to the anti-aircraft artillery regiment."
"Lieutenant Colonel Sokov," Khrushchev heard Sokov say this and asked with a half-smile: "How did the other party reply to you?"
Sokov replied with a grimace: "He said that whenever he sees an enemy aircraft in the sky, he will order the anti-aircraft artillery to fire!"
"Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, the commander of the anti-aircraft artillery regiment is right." A burly general on crutches limped through the crowd and said at the same time: "As long as there is an anti-aircraft artillery regiment,
We absolutely cannot tolerate enemy aircraft hovering above our heads."
Sokov looked at the speaking general and thought to himself: "Who is this general? How dare you interrupt the conversation between me and Khrushchev?"
"Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, let me introduce you." Khrushchev pointed at the general, smiled and said to Sokov: "This is the new front commander General Yereomenko!"
Hearing that the person in front of them was the new commander of the front army, Sokov and Belkin quickly stood at attention, raised their hands in salute, and said in unison: "Hello, comrade commander!"
"Comrade Commander, let me introduce you to you. This young lieutenant colonel is Sokov, commander of the 73rd Infantry Brigade stationed at Mamayev Heights. And the person next to him is his political commissar Bel
Jin." After introducing Sokov and Belkin, Khrushchev leaned close to Yeremenko's ear and whispered: "He is the son of old Misha."
"Old Misha's son?" Yeremenko heard what Khrushchev said, and his attitude towards Sokov became enthusiastic. He reached out and held Sokov's hand, and said with a smile: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel
, I really didn’t expect that you are actually the son of old Misha. Your father is a great commander and the hero of our Red Army." He glanced at the medal on Sokov's chest, nodded, and continued, "
It seems that you have inherited your father's good genes and will become an excellent commander."
After the simple greetings, Sokov curiously asked Khrushchev: "Comrade Military Commissar, do you plan to move the front headquarters to the city?"
"We have this plan." Khrushchev nodded and said, "Placing the front headquarters in the city will help us better command the troops."
Sokov vaguely remembered that the headquarters of the Stalingrad Front was once located here at Mamaev Hill. Later, because of the critical situation, they withdrew to the left bank and handed it over to Chuikov. He did not want Yereomenko to
They set up their headquarters here, which will have a bad impact on the subsequent defense.
Therefore, he suggested to the two of them: "Commander, Comrade Military Commissioner, I think the department store building in the city is very suitable as your new headquarters. If you are interested, you can go and have a look."
