After learning that the artillery fire was about to begin before the attack, everyone in the command center cheered and shouted in unison: "Ula!Ula!!" The loud voice was so loud that it alarmed the soldiers standing guard at the door, which made them look inside, trying to figure out what made the commanders in the room so excited.
"Comrade Deputy Commander of the Front Army," and other command centers restored tranquility. Sidorin asked Golikov tentatively: "Do you need to inform all the commanders and soldiers of the division?"
"What's wrong with you, Comrade Chief of Staff?" Sokov saw Golikov's face. As the question changed, he guessed that it was not the time to announce the counterattack news. He quickly spoke before Golikov: "Our artillery preparation has just begun. If you can't wait to inform all the commanders and fighters of the division, aren't you worried about leaking the secret?"
After hearing Sokov's words, Sidolin immediately realized that he was too excited and ignored such an important matter. He quickly apologized to Golikov: "I'm sorry, comrade, deputy commander of the Front Army, I was not considerate and almost ruined the big thing."
"Okay, OK," Fortunately, Golikov was in a good mood and did not bother with Cidolin. He just waved his hand and said, "Forget it this time, I need to pay more attention in the future."
After Golikov finished speaking, he turned his attention to Sokov and asked, "Col. Sokov, if the attack of our front army goes well, can your troops take some measures to restrain some of the enemy's forces?"
Seeing that Golikov re-introducing the old story and urging him to counterattack the frontal enemy, Sokov couldn't help but hesitate because he knew very well that the conditions for counterattack were not met at this moment. If a counterattack was forcibly implemented, it would be equivalent to hitting a stone with an egg. After a fierce ideological struggle, he felt that he could not take the life of the commander and fighter, so he said righteously: "Sorry, Comrade, the deputy commander of the Front Army, the artillery preparations before the attack had just begun, and it was impossible to determine whether our army's next attack would be smooth. If we consider such unrealistic things too early, I think it would be inappropriate."
Seeing that Golikov's face showed embarrassment, Ivanov said to Sokov in order to help him, "Comrade Commander, I think you can try it. After all, Paulus's superior has given him an order. I think the German troops in the city will become empty today, which is a good time for us to launch a counterattack."
"Comrade Deputy Division Commander, you are so optimistic." Although the progress of the Southwest Front and the Don Front was smooth, and the Stalingrad Front's counterattack was about to begin, Sokov was always a little uneasy. He said cautiously: "When our Front troops launch an attack from the south side of the city, what measures will the enemy take? We still know nothing, and it is very dangerous to take action rashly everywhere."
"Comrade Commander." Ivanov was a little unhappy when he heard Sokov say this. He thought to himself why the commander was different from usual and became more cautious. This could easily miss the opportunity for war. He specifically reminded: "You have also seen the telegram intercepted by our army. Paulus' superior ordered him to transfer his troops to the Don River Basin to stop our army's offensive. As long as his troops were transferred away, the pressure on the defenders in the city would be greatly reduced. We could take some actions in some areas to attract the attention of the enemy."
"Comrade Deputy Division Commander, have you ever thought that after receiving that telegram, Paulus would really immediately mobilize troops to the Don River Basin to rescue the Romanian army that was defeated by friendly forces?" Sokov retorted: "If he intentionally delayed the mobilization time and continued to order the troops to attack the factory area, what fate would we suffer from when we leave the existing fortifications and fight against the enemy at this time? Have you ever thought about it?"
When Sokov and Ivanov had an argument, Golikov sat aside and listened quietly, while thinking about who said it more reasonable. When the two were almost arguing, he raised his hands and pressed down, and said, "I think Colonel Sokov's statement makes sense. The more we are, the more we should be cautious. If the Germans really did not follow the order of the telegram to mobilize the troops, but continued to attack the factory area, and we let the troops leave the position and carry out an attack, which is likely to bring unexpected consequences."
Seeing that Golikov actually agreed with Sokov's statement, Ivanov was very surprised: "Why, comrade, deputy commander of the front army, do you also agree with the division commander's statement? The enemy may still struggle to death?"
"It's not the final dying struggle, but the final madness." Sokov corrected Ivanov: "I think even if they want to attack, they may have one day today. As long as they can withstand their attack, the final victory will definitely belong to us."
Although Sokov had already said this, Ivanov felt that he was an alarmist. Just as he was about to refute a few more words, the phone ringing on the table rang. Sidorin picked it up and listened for a moment, then reported to Sokov in shock: "Comrade Commander, Commander Belkin, reported that the enemy in the barricade factory attacked them again."
Sokov took the microphone from Cidolin and asked straight to the point: "My political commissar, report to me immediately about your situation."
"Misa." Belkin said anxiously on the phone: "The enemy launched a fierce attack on us in the barricade factory. In addition to the enemy's 305th Infantry Division, there are also the 50th, 162th, 294th and 336th Engineer Battalions. The first battalion occupied several front positions last night through a night attack, and now it has fallen into the hands of the enemy."
When Sokov learned that the enemy had indeed launched an attack, he couldn't help but raise his heart in his throat. He was worried that if Belkin and the others could not defend it, the entire barricade factory would fall into the hands of the Germans, and the situation would become unfavorable to him. He said in his heart that if the barricade factory was really in a critical situation, then he ordered Lieutenant Colonel Papuchinko's 122nd Regiment to rush over to reinforce.
He calmed down and asked with a serious expression: "Can you keep it?"
"Can be able to defend." Belkin replied on the other end of the phone: "No matter whether our regiment is tenaciously fighting the enemy's attack, the friendly Lyudnikov division is also fighting fiercely with the enemy. I believe we will definitely be able to repel the enemy's attack."
Berkin said he had the confidence to keep it, but Sokov did not dare to take it lightly. He said to the microphone: "Comrade Political Commissar, if you have any difficulties, just call me and I will do my best to support you."
Seeing Sokov put down the phone, Golikov couldn't help asking curiously: "Col. Sokov, I seem to hear you call Commander Belkin the Political Commissar. What's going on?"
"When I was the commander of the 73rd Infantry Brigade, Comrade Belkin was my political commissar," Sokov explained: "Maybe I am used to calling him. Even if he became the regiment commander, I am still used to calling him the political commissar."
After explaining to Golikov, Sokov picked up the microphone again and asked the communications troop to connect to the 122nd Regiment headquarters. After hearing Papuchinko's voice, he immediately asked, "Lt. Colonel, how is your situation there? Is there any movement in the enemy?"
"It's very calm, there's nothing to do." After answering Sokov's question, Papuqinko asked back: "Comrade Commander, did you think the rockets of yesterday hurt the enemy so that they didn't have anything to do today."
"The enemy has no movement, this is really good news." Sokov continued: "The barricade factory on your right wing is now under fierce attack from the German army. You immediately draw Captain Shamrich's Marine Battalion and rush to reinforce."
"What, we will draw the Marine Battalion to support the barricade factory?" Hearing Sokov's order, Papuqinko was anxious: "Comrade Commander, if the Marine Battalion is transferred away, our defense will be weakened..."
Sokov had long expected Papchinko to say this, and then sneered and continued: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, the workers' new village that your regiment is sticking to, let alone transfer one battalion, even if there is only one battalion left, it can completely stop the enemy's attack. Moreover, the battalion I want to transfer was originally belonging to the Belkin regiment, and letting them reinforce the barricade factory is just a return."
Papchinko, who had originally wanted to argue with Sokov, immediately became honest when he heard Sokov's last few words: "I understand, comrade of the division commander. I immediately asked Captain Shamrich to rush to the barricade factory with his troops, but reinforced the Belkin regiment that was standing there."
Golikov waited for Sokov to put down the phone this time and asked curiously: "Col. Sokov, I don't understand. The barricade factory has the Lyudnikov division and the Berkin regiment, and you have to draw troops to reinforce. But you seem to be a little uneasy about the workers' village. Don't you worry about the enemy there?"
"Comrade Deputy Commander of the Front Army," before Sokov could answer, Cidolin took the initiative to say, "Please allow me to report to you!"
"Allow!" Golikov nodded and signaled to Cidolin: "Continue!"
"Although the surface buildings in the Workers' New Village have long been destroyed by the enemy's shelling and bombing." Cidolin said: "But our troops have built new positions using sewers and ruins. As soon as the enemy enters the defensive zone, they will be hit from all directions. After the enemy suffered several losses, they gave up the idea of ​​seizing the Workers' New Village..."
"So that's how it is." After hearing this, Golikov said thoughtfully: "I heard that the troops in the city use sewers to deal with the enemy, but the actual effect is not good. When the enemy attacks, they put grenades or explosives into the vertical shaft of the sewers, and blow the officers and soldiers hidden inside to death, causing great casualties to our army."
"Comrade Deputy Commander of the Front Army, you should be talking about other troops." Cidolin laughed and said, "For the sake of the convenience of attack, they all chose their hiding place to be at the exit of the shaft. In this way, once discovered by the Germans, the enemy would throw grenades or explosives into the shaft, killing the hidden soldiers, causing huge casualties to our army. Our division chose the hiding place deeper in the sewer. Except for a few people monitoring the entrance of the shaft, the rest of the soldiers hid far away. Even if the enemy drops bombs, the losses caused to us can be almost negligible."
"So that's how it is." Golikov turned his head and looked at Sokov, "This is probably the idea that Colonel Sokov came up with. If other troops learn from you, they will probably be able to eliminate more enemies."
…………
After the artillery preparations implemented by the Stalingrad Front, the troops of the 57th and 51st Army Groups south of the Red Army City were assembled, and launched a strong attack on the 6th and 7th Romanian armies that were defending this area. The Romanian army, mainly cavalry, was still fine in dealing with Soviet infantry without tanks and armored vehicles in the field, but in the face of the powerful offensive launched by Soviet troops with tank strengthening, these cavalry seemed unable to do so.
The 57th Army troops encountered the Romanian 20th Cavalry Division on the west side of the Red Army City. The battle lasted only five minutes. The division completely collapsed when less than 500 people died. The cavalry turned their horses and fled aimlessly, which made the Soviet commanders and fighters who had broken through the defense line feel a little confused and did not know which small fleeing force to pursue.
When the tank troops of the 57th Army were bypassing the Red Army City and preparing to continue to advance north, they encountered the 29th German Mojian Division who was urgently heading south. Since some time ago, General Leze, the commander of the Mojian Division, was captured by Sokov's subordinates, the soldiers of the division were full of anger and dreamed of competing with Sokov's troops. The shame of the Yixue Division being captured, but unfortunately Paulus never gave them this opportunity. Now he has received Paulus' order to go south to block the Soviet troops who were trying to go north. The German officers and soldiers are all like chicken blood.
When the 129th Battalion, as the vanguard, arrived near the Red Army City, the tank troops of the 57th Army of the Soviet Army defeated the Romanian cavalry and were trying to bypass the city north. The German battalion commander immediately ordered the entire battalion's tanks to unfold a wedge-shaped combat formation and rushed towards the Soviet tanks.
The Soviet tanks advancing north did not expect a German tank unit to rush towards him. Before they could form a combat formation, they were hit head-on. The German tanks stopped moving forward, aimed at the marching Soviet tanks, and destroyed them one by one like shooting a target, forcing the remaining Soviet tanks to turn around urgently and retreat in the direction they came.
Seeing that the Soviet tank troops were defeated, the German tanks started again, followed the fleeing Soviet tanks and rushed towards the breakthrough, trying to quickly block the gap abandoned by the Romanian cavalry and block the subsequent Soviet troops.
The tank troops without infantry cover directly counterattacked the Soviet army on the offensive defense line, which was a very risky tactic. But it might be that God was favoring the Germans and making the balance of victory tilt towards them. On the way the tank troops advanced, they did not encounter any counterattack. On the contrary, what appeared in front of them were trucks loaded with commanders and fighters. The German tank troops stopped again, like shooting a target, destroying the trucks that were heading towards them.
Chapter completed!