The area controlled by the Sokov Division was only twenty kilometers away from the 23rd Infantry Division, which had rushed to join the division. However, due to the tenacious resistance of the German army, it took the 23rd Division, which was in charge of the attack, a full three days to barely reach the distance.
The 122nd Regiment's defense zone is only three kilometers long.
That night, Sokov received a strange phone call. The other party said loudly on the phone: "Hello, is this the headquarters of the 41st Guards Division? I am Colonel Sivakov, commander of the 23rd Infantry Division. Please call you.
Division Commander Colonel Sokov spoke.”
When he heard the other party announcing his home address and saying that he was the commander of the 23rd Infantry Division, Sokov's breathing became rapid: "Hello, Colonel Sivakov. I am Sokov."
"You are Colonel Sokov." Sivakov said with a smile, "That's great."
"Comrade Colonel," Sokov asked tentatively, "I would like to ask how long it will take for your troops to arrive and join us."
"Don't be anxious, Colonel Sokov." Sivakov continued: "I just convened a meeting with the commanders of each regiment to study tomorrow's offensive operations. We will launch an attack on the enemy's defensive positions at eight o'clock in the morning.
…”
When Sokov heard this, he couldn't help but interrupt and asked: "Do you need assistance from our troops?"
"No, no, no." Sivakov shook his head and said, "I went to the front today and saw that the enemy's defenses are all facing your side. If you are allowed to attack, I'm afraid you will suffer huge losses. I think it's up to us.
If we attack, just stay on the position and wait for the rendezvous."
"How can this be done, Comrade Colonel?" Regarding Sivakov's proposal, Sokov immediately rejected it: "How can we stay on the position and watch the friendly forces fighting the enemy while doing nothing ourselves?
The way I see it, half an hour after your attack started, we also launched an attack on the enemy's position. I think the enemy will not be able to sustain it for long if we are attacked from both sides. Our two troops can also fight in the shortest possible time.
Meet up within time."
"Okay, Colonel Sokov." Sivakov thought for a long time and finally replied: "Just do what you said. My troops will attack first. After half an hour, your troops will attack from the enemy's
Launch an attack from behind and attack from both sides."
After Sokov put down the phone and announced to Sidorin, Ivanov and others that he would join forces with the 23rd Infantry Division tomorrow, Ivanov said enviously: "Comrade Division Commander, you are so lucky. Infantry."
The position where the 23rd Division rushed over happened to be the defense area of the 122nd Regiment. How about we switch, you go to the 124th Regiment, and I will lead the 122th Regiment to join forces with the friendly forces."
"Comrade Deputy Division Commander," Sokov asked with a smile: "If friendly forces appear in the defense area of the 124th Regiment, will you allow me to exchange places with you?"
"No." Ivanov answered simply.
"That's right." Sokov said jokingly: "Since friendly forces appear in the 124th Regiment's defense area, you are not willing to exchange positions with me; then how can I join forces in the 122nd Regiment's defense area tomorrow?
What about your exchange?"
In order not to make Ivanov and Anisimov too disappointed, Sokov added after a brief pause: "Although this meeting with friendly forces is in the defense zone of the 122nd Regiment. But where are you?"
The defense areas of the 124th and 125th Regiments are not far from each other. You can definitely bring a battalion over each to join the rendezvous."
"What, we can each take a battalion and rush to the defense area of the 122nd Regiment to join forces with friendly forces?" Anisimov's eyes lit up at Sokov's words. In order to confirm that Sokov was not joking, he asked specifically
:"is this real?"
"Of course it's true." Sokov nodded and said affirmatively: "Joining forces with friendly forces is not only a matter for Lieutenant Colonel Papuchenko's 122nd Regiment, but also related to the honor of our entire Guards Division.
, so it is of great significance for each regiment to send troops to participate in the rendezvous."
"Comrade Division Commander," Sidorin asked a key question after Sokov finished explaining the mission: "I would like to ask, when will the enemy be able to join forces with friendly forces tomorrow?"
As soon as Sidorin's question came out, the room suddenly became quiet. Yes, although the two armies are only three kilometers apart, if they encounter stubborn resistance from the German army, they may not be able to join forces until dark. If this really happens
If so, it would be too embarrassing.
The sudden ringing of the phone broke the silence among everyone. Sidorin picked up the phone and said loudly: "I am Sidorin, where are you?...Oh, it's Comrade Commander, hello!...We
We are discussing the meeting of divisions here... Yes, I will ask the division commander to answer the phone right away."
With that said, Sidorin handed the microphone in his hand to Sokov: "Comrade division commander, the commander's phone number."
"Hello, Comrade Commander." Sokov took the phone.
"Colonel Sokov," Chuikov asked in an official tone on the other end of the phone: "The 23rd Infantry Division coming from the west is still three kilometers away from you. According to their report to General Batov, they will arrive tomorrow at the latest.
I can join forces with you."
"Comrade Commander, we have been waiting to join forces with friendly forces."
"I want to ask you," Chuikov asked on the other end of the phone: "How long do you think it will take for the two armies to join forces?"
"It's hard to say, Comrade Commander." Sokov replied cautiously: "It all depends on the strength of the German resistance. It may take a few hours, or it may take a day..."
"Don't give me such ambiguous words," Chuikov said dissatisfied: "The connection between your division and the 23rd Infantry Division is of great significance, so I need an accurate time."
Although Chuikov only said half of what he said, Sokov had already guessed what he meant. As the commander of the group army, he definitely wanted to go to the meeting site in person and chat with the commanders of the friendly forces. These are of great significance.
After thinking about this, Sokov silently calculated in his mind, and finally replied: "Comrade Commander, it is difficult for me to say the specific time. I can only tell you that I will try to shorten the meeting time as much as possible."
time."
Chuikov heard a hint of off-screen voice from Sokov's words: "Colonel Sokov, do you plan to launch an attack with your troops from another direction when friendly forces attack the German positions?"
"Yes, Comrade Commander, that's what I think about. Attacking the enemy from both sides is definitely better than attacking from one direction." Sokov reported to Chuikov: "I have discussed with Sivakov
It was agreed that his troops would attack the enemy's position at eight o'clock, and my troops would launch an attack half an hour later, giving the enemy a flanking attack."
Seeing that he could not get any more useful information from Sokov, Chuikov couldn't help but said with some disappointment: "Colonel Sokov, when you are about to join forces with friendly forces, remember to give me a call. I will rush to the meeting point in person.
Go and have a look.”
"Don't worry, Comrade Commander." Seeing that he had guessed what Chuikov was thinking, Sokov quickly replied loudly: "I will report to you in time before joining forces with friendly forces."
After putting down the phone, Sokov frowned and thought for a moment, then told Sidorin: "Chief of Staff, please call Comrade Ulbricht and ask him to come here."
Even though everyone is usually very polite to Ulbricht, but no matter what, the other party is German. Two Soviet troops are joining forces. Why do you want him to come? With this question, Sidorin asked in confusion:
"Comrade Commander, what are you asking him to do?"
"Comrade Commander wants us to join forces with Sivakov's division as soon as possible." Seeing Sidorin's confusion, Sokov explained to him: "I want to know what their propaganda about the German positions is.
Didn’t achieve anything?”
"What achievements can their propaganda achieve?" Anisimov said with disdain: "They shout at the enemy's positions every day, which is not as effective as putting a basket of bread and two buckets of red cabbage soup on our positions."
"Comrade Political Commissar, you can't say that." Seeing that Anisimov looked down on Ulbricht, Sokov quickly came out to smooth things over: "Our bread tactics were effective in Stalingrad against the beleaguered German troops who lacked food and clothing.
.But if we switch to other battlefields, this tactic will be useless at all. If we want the enemy to take the initiative to lay down their weapons and surrender, we still have to rely on anti-Faxi Temple comrades like Ulbricht."
"Okay, I'll call Comrade Ulbricht." Sidorin picked up the phone and asked him to come here immediately.
While Sidorin was on the phone, Sokov asked Ivanov: "Comrade Deputy Division Commander, I have something very important to ask you."
Seeing Sokov's serious look, Ivanov quickly suppressed the smile on his face: "Comrade Commander, if you have anything to do, please tell me."
"I would like to ask, where is the military flag?" Sokov was afraid that the other party would not understand what he was talking about, so he specifically added: "It is the military flag of the 41st Guards Division."
"The military flag has always been kept by the political commissar." After Ivanov glanced at Anisimov standing next to him, he immediately thought of the reason for Sokov's question and asked tentatively: "Comrade division commander, are you
Do you plan to use this flag during the rendezvous?"
"That's right." Sokov nodded and replied affirmatively: "Reunion with friendly forces is a matter of historical significance. Naturally, we must use the flag of our division."
"Comrade Political Commissar." Ivanov waited for Sokov to finish speaking, then turned to Anisimov and said, "Go and get the military flag. It will be useful when the troops meet tomorrow."
Before Anisimov could retrieve the military flag, Ulbricht quickly walked into the division headquarters. After nodding to Sokov and others, he asked curiously: "Comrade Colonel, what do you want to see me for?"
?"
"That's right, Comrade Ulbricht." Sokov did not talk in circles, but asked straightforwardly: "We plan to launch an attack on the enemy on the opposite side in the defense area of the 122nd Regiment tomorrow. I brought you here just because I want to
Let me know how your publicity work in that area is going?"
"We were in the defense area of the 122nd Regiment and shouted to the German troops on the opposite side for a week." Ulbricht replied: "Sixteen German soldiers came to surrender. But not in the past two days. I guess it was the German officers who found out.
Soldiers defected, so security was heightened to the point..."
Sokov was dissatisfied with Ulbricht's statement. If the German officers had really strengthened their supervision of the soldiers, then why did the number of German officers and soldiers who came to eat every night keep increasing? It seems that it was their propaganda.
The work was not done properly and the German army could not be persuaded to surrender.
Thinking that Ulbricht's propaganda was effective in dismantling the morale and morale of the German army, the smile on Sokov's face became perfunctory. He said to Ulbricht: "Comrade Ulbricht, tomorrow we will
To join forces with the 23rd Infantry Division coming from the west, would you be interested in attending our joining ceremony?"
According to Sokov's idea, Ulbricht would immediately agree without hesitation after hearing this. Unexpectedly, after he finished speaking, Ulbricht remained silent for a while, and then he said awkwardly: "
Comrade Colonel, I have a lot of things to do tomorrow, so I will not attend your meeting."
After Ulbricht left, Ivanov said dissatisfiedly: "What the hell, he didn't want to participate in such an important historical event as joining forces with friendly forces."
"Comrade Deputy Division Commander, you can't say that." Sokov understood Ulbricht's difficulties and felt that he should come out to help him at this moment: "No matter what, Comrade Ulbricht is a German. As a German
People, you must still have some knots in your heart when you participate in our rendezvous ceremony."
After listening to Sokov's explanation, Ivanov immediately realized that he had misunderstood Ulbricht. If he and Ulbricht had changed places, he probably would not have participated in such a meeting ceremony.
When Anisimov came back, he was followed by a sergeant, who was holding a long object wrapped in canvas. Anisimov introduced to Sokov: "Comrade division commander, I will give you
Please formally introduce me. This sergeant is the squad leader of the flag guard squad. He has five soldiers under his command. Their responsibility is to protect this military flag."
Sokov nodded at the other person and ordered him: "Comrade Sergeant, open the military flag and show it to me."
The sergeant placed the long object in his hand on the table and carefully opened the canvas covering it, revealing the bright military flag inside. Sokov could clearly see that the flag was mounted on a special flagpole and was dark brown in color.
, with a metal hoop at the top and two golden ribbons. He raised his hand to stop the sergeant's next action: "Okay, comrade sergeant, wrap the military flag around it."
The sergeant didn't understand why Sokov suddenly ordered him to wrap the military flag, but he faithfully carried out his order and carefully wrapped the military flag in canvas.
After the sergeant finished all this, Sokov said to the sergeant: "Comrade Sergeant, our division will join forces with friendly forces coming from the west in the defense area of the 122nd Regiment tomorrow. At that time, it will be up to you.
Hold this glorious Guards flag in person and go with me to join forces with friendly forces."
The sergeant, who was still a little disappointed at first, suddenly became energetic when he heard Sokov's order. He straightened his body and faced Sokov, and replied resoundingly: "Yes, Comrade Commander."
