"Comrade Commander," Krelov, who was originally energetic, became a little stuttering after hearing the bad news: "How long does it take to stop shipping?"
"Five minutes ago, I called the meteorological force and asked similar questions." Yelemenko replied with a solemn expression: "At least two days, that is, on November 9, the transportation on the rivers on both sides may be interrupted due to the emergence of a large amount of floes. Therefore, in the remaining two days, the Volga River Fleet and Front Transport Team will increase the transportation efforts to increase your supplies."
After Krelov put down the phone, he reported to Cuikov with a bitter face: "Comrade Commander, General Yellemko just said that with the heavy cooling and heavy snowfall, a large amount of floes have formed on the river surface, and transportation on the river may be interrupted."
"Call the Logistics Minister General Lobov," Cuikov thought for a moment after Krelov finished speaking, and then told him: "Let him come here immediately. I want to ask how much materials stored in the city can last."
Lobov didn't know what happened. He heard Krelov's tone on the phone very sternly, and quickly handed over the work in his hand to his subordinates, and hurried to the headquarters. As soon as he entered the door, he heard Cuikov sitting at the table asking: "Comrade Minister of Logistics, I want to ask you, how long can our supplies last?"
Hearing Cui Kefu's questioning so abruptly, Lobov immediately realized that something might have happened. After quickly recalling the inventory situation everywhere, he replied seriously: "Comrade Commander, since we built a bottom pontoon bridge, the convoy could transport a large amount of supplies into the city continuously. So far, the grain, meat, dairy products, etc. we stored can last for half a month; the medicine can last for ten days. As for ammunition,..."
Cuikov called Lobof to the headquarters. In fact, what he wanted to know most was the storage of ammunition. Without food, people might endure hunger. If the guns had no ammunition, it would become a fire stick. When the enemy rushed up, they could only fight with bayonets. So when Lobof paused halfway through, he asked impatiently: "Comrade Minister of Logistics, please tell me how long can the ammunition we stock in the city last?"
"If calculated based on the combat intensity of the previous two days," Loboff replied in an uncertain tone: "It can only last for about five to seven days of consumption."
Cuikov did not speak, but turned his head to look at Krelov, as if asking the other party: Is there enough ammunition storage capacity? Krelov understood what Cuikov meant, shook his head slightly, and said, "Comrade Commander, I think the ammunition reserve for five to seven days is too small. If the shipping is interrupted for more than half a month, our soldiers will have to fight bayonets with the enemy."
Lobov didn't understand why Cui Kefu and the others were inexplicably asking about the inventory of supplies, so he couldn't help but ask curiously: "Comrade Commander, can you tell me why I asked about inventory today."
"Just just now when the Chief of Staff talked with the commander of the Front, he learned that due to the recent heavy cooling and heavy snowfall, a large amount of floes have appeared on the Volga River. As the number of floes increases, ship transportation between the two sides may be interrupted." Cui Kefu said this, paused for a moment, pointed at Lobof with his hand, and said: "Also, the underwater pontoon bridge that can pass through cars can also be unable to transport supplies."
After hearing what Cui Kov said, Lobov immediately understood why both Cui Kov and Krelov were worried. The relationship was that in a few days, the transportation of materials on the river would be interrupted by the obstruction of ice floating on the river. His brain was running quickly to calculate how to increase the existing transportation volume.
Unfortunately, after thinking for a long time, he felt that the daily transportation volume has reached saturation and there is no room for further improvement. Thinking of this, he shook his head gently and said to Cui Kefu: "Comrade Commander, I'm sorry, our transportation volume has reached its limit at present, and it is obviously impossible to increase it again."
"Comrade Logistics Minister," Cuikov was obviously dissatisfied with his statement, but did not get angry at him, but said with a serious expression: "We don't know how long the floes on the river will cause transportation interruption. If there is not enough ammunition and material reserves in the city, then we may face the situation of exhausting ammunition and food. Whether we can defend the city at that time is an unknown."
"Comrade Logistics Minister," Krelov saw Lobov's helpless look, raised his hand and patted him twice, and said to him: "While the shipping has not yet been interrupted, you can go to the middle of the sailors and the transport soldiers, talk to them, and ask them to make more contributions to stick to the city."
"Comrade Chief of Staff, sailors and transport soldiers have done enough to protect the city." Trikov was afraid that Krelov's words would arouse Lobov's disgust, so he came out to smooth things out: "The sailors braved the enemy's shelling and bombing and transported supplies and soldiers to the city for a moment. In just a few months, they had hundreds of ships of various types, sunk by enemy planes or destroyed by artillery fire. More than a thousand sailors sacrificed their precious lives, and we have no right to ask them to do more."
"But, Comrade Commander, if we don't have enough supplies and ammunition." Krelov was suddenly anxious when he heard Cuikov say this: "It is impossible to block the German attack at all."
"Comrade Chief of Staff, if the enemy still does not attack the factory area tomorrow and after tomorrow, the supply of ammunition and materials to each unit can be reduced." Cui Kefu said solemnly: "We must keep precious materials at the most critical moment."
After Cuikov said this, he suddenly found that Ivanov, Guchakov and others who were escorting the prisoners were still standing indoors. He walked over and asked Ivanov: "Comrade Colonel, have you heard what we just said?"
"Yes, Comrade Commander." Ivanov nodded vigorously and replied, "I heard it all. Don't worry, I will keep the secret and will never disclose this to anyone."
"Comrade Colonel, you can report this to Sokov." Cuikov waved his hand and continued: "Let him understand that our ammunition and material supply will soon begin to decrease due to the interruption of shipping, so that he can take measures in advance."
…………
An hour later, Ivanov took Guchakov and others back to Mamayev hill.
After sending Guchakov and others back to rest, Ivanov returned to the command center alone. Seeing Ivanov coming in from outside, Sokov quickly stood up and greeted him: "Comrade Deputy Commander, you are back! How about it, the commander is still satisfied with the gift we sent?"
"He was very satisfied, so he asked me to convey his gratitude to you." Ivanov said expressionlessly: "But there is another bad news, I want to tell you."
"Bad news?!" Sokov shivered suddenly: "What bad news?"
"The transportation line on the river may be interrupted in two or three days." Ivanov quickly repeated what he heard at the headquarters to Cuikov and Sidolin, and finally emphasized: "Comrade Commander, I think we should strengthen the reserves of materials and ammunition recently so that we will not be affected by the interruption of shipping."
"So it's this." After figuring out what happened, Sokov couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. He had been considering this matter more than half a month ago and even took some corresponding measures. Now that he saw that the shipping on the Volga River may be interrupted at any time, he naturally didn't have to worry too much: "Comrade, please don't worry, the reduction regiments in the division are all German equipment, weapons and ammunition supplements, which they can obtain from the battlefield by seizing them; as for the other three Soviet-style regiments, there is no need to worry too much. In any case, we have been operating the Mamayev hill for almost half a year, and the ammunition stored in the underground warehouse is enough to maintain the battle for half a month."
"It can only last for half a month?" Ivanov was anxious when he heard this. "Comrade Commander, should we immediately apply to the Army Command and ask them to supplement us with more materials and ammunition? Otherwise, I am worried..."
"What are you worried about, my deputy commander?" Sokov interrupted Ivanov with a smile before he could finish his words: "Are you worried that when our ammunition and materials are exhausted, the supplies on the other side will not be transported yet?"
"Yes, that's what I think." Ivanov did not hide his true thoughts at all: "If we didn't hoard enough supplies, I was worried that the situation of fighting bayonets with the enemy on the battlefield in the past two months would appear again."
"You are too pessimistic, comrade of the deputy commander." As a future person who knows the final outcome, Sokov said confidently: "Even if the transportation of the Volga River is interrupted due to ice floes, the time will not be too long. I estimate that our reserves will be able to handle all the situation in a maximum of one week."
"Comrade Commander, why are you so sure that you think that ice floes will only interrupt shipping for one week." Ivanov asked tentatively: "Is there any scientific basis for what you said?"
"It's very simple. Floating ice appears on the river because of heavy cooling and heavy snowfall recently." Sokov said lightly: "In the days ahead, I guess it will continue to snow, and the entire river surface will freeze. As long as the ice on the river surface can withstand the weight of the car, the transportation on the other side will be restored. At most a week, you will see supplies from the east coast continuously entering the city. And because of the increase in accessible areas, the amount of supplies in the city will be more."
Sidolin now has a blind sense of trust in Sokov. He believes that since the division commander feels that shipping will only be interrupted for one week, then in a week, the original transportation will resume again, and there is really nothing to worry about.
"Comrade Chief of Staff," while Sidolin was considering whether he should speak up to the division commander, he heard Sokov say to himself: "Although our existing reserves are enough to hold on until the transportation line returns to normal, for the sake of safety, you have recently asked the Logistics Department of the Army Group to ask for more supplies and ammunition to deal with the emergencies."
…………
Paulus informed Laize to come to his headquarters, but waited around, but never waited for the other party to arrive. He immediately ordered Schmid: "Chief of Staff, call the 29th Motorcycle Division and ask what's going on, why Laize hasn't arrived yet?"
Schmid did not dare to neglect Paulus's orders, and quickly called the headquarters of the 29th Motorcycle Division. Hearing someone talking in the receiver, he immediately identified his identity: "I am General Schmid, Chief of Staff of the Army, and let your division commander General Laize answer the phone."
After hearing Schmid's identity clearly, the other party quickly replied respectfully: "Chief of Staff, our division commander set out immediately as soon as you receive your order."
"How long has he gone?" Schmid asked instinctively.
The person who answered the phone thought for a moment and replied, "It's time to set off before dawn, and it may be seven hours now."
"I understand. If you see your division commander, let him call me immediately." Schmid said, put down the phone and walked to Paulus, and said with a worrying look: "Mr. Commander, I think something is wrong. It is said that General Laize has been around for seven hours, but we have never seen him. Did something happen to him?"
After hearing Schmid's words, Paulus was silent for a moment and said, "The wind and snow outside are too heavy, maybe Laize is trapped by the blizzard. Chief of Staff, immediately send a small fast force to search for it in the direction of Laize. If they are really trapped by the snow, rescue us immediately."
"I understand." Schmid nodded and replied, "I will send an armored platoon immediately to meet General Laize along the road."
Schmid left Paulus' room less than five minutes later, suddenly rushed in again and said repeatedly: "Mr. Commander, something is wrong, something is wrong!"
Seeing Schmid's disobedience, Paulus's heart was shocked and he thought to himself what had happened that would make the Chief of Staff, who had always been safe, lose his composure. He hurriedly asked, "Chief of Staff, what happened?"
"Our people just listened to the Russians' radio," Schmid said emotionally: "They said on the radio that they sent a small team behind our army, and on the way back to complete the mission, they successfully captured General Leser, the commander of our 29th Motorized Division, and his entourage."
"Hehe, how could Laize and his entourage become prisoners of the Russians?" Paulus was a little crazy when he heard Schmid's report. He decided to replace them by the 29th Motorized Division, which had outstanding military achievements. Now, before the troops of both sides began to change defenses, one of the division commanders became prisoners of the Russians.
After a heavy breath, Paulus slowly calmed down. He looked at Schmid and asked, "Where is General Laize now? Can we rescue him?"
"This is impossible, Commander." Schmid replied with a wry smile: "After the Russians on the east bank of the Volga River announced on the radio that they captured Leze, they immediately sent planes to Moscow. Even if we wanted to dispatch a small team to rescue General Leze, it would be too late."