Chapter 314 Preparations

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 something on my mind. Want to chat with you."

  Feeling Khrushchev's arm resting on his shoulder, and thinking that he was the leader of the Soviet Union a few years later, Sokov's body couldn't help trembling slightly.

Perhaps aware of Sokov's restraint, in order to relieve the other party's nervousness, Khrushchev first withdrew his arm, and then said to Sokov: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, it seems that what you said at that time was correct."

  Sokov was taken aback when he heard Khrushchev's nonsensical words, and then realized that he was referring to some of his views on the Battle of Kharkov at the meeting chaired by Timoshenko. He thought to himself: "Strange, didn't you say to check the tunnel fortifications, why did you suddenly bring up this matter?"

Khrushchev looked forward and said: "At the meeting at that time, we, the decision makers of the Southwest Front Army, believed that our plan was impeccable. When you proposed that the Germans might launch a counterattack against our army from the salient At that time, none of us listened to your words. On the contrary, I even thought that if the German army attacked from there, it would definitely be hit by our troops deployed there."

   As for Khrushchev's statement, Sokov thinks it is credible. According to the ideas of Timoshenko and Khrushchev, even if the German army really launched an attack from the Barvenkovo ​​salient, the 9th Army under the command of Kharitonov would be enough to stop their attack. But they never dreamed that the German attack would come so violently. The Ninth Army faced the German offensive and only supported it for one day before collapsing across the board.

"Lieutenant Colonel Sokov," Khrushchev stopped, looked at Sokov and asked, "I heard that you once said to others that our troops cannot prevent the Germans from rushing into Stalingrad, and that future battles will be difficult." In town. Did you say that?"

"Yes, Comrade Military Commissar. I did say that." Sokov nodded quickly when he heard Khrushchev's question, and replied affirmatively: "From the current situation, our strength and The German army is at a disadvantage and lacks solid and perfect fortifications, so it is very difficult to stop the Germans. Therefore, in the following battles, no matter how tenacious our commanders and fighters are, the front line will still move forward step by step. Stalingrad is approaching."

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 dangerous, and this is simply a defeatist argument. "

"Comrade Military Commissar," Sokov said without fear, looking at Khrushchev, "I'm telling the truth. The Germans will storm the city sooner or later, if we don't do all the defenses beforehand." , then the 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 to the Germans. What can you do? Stop the Germans from taking the 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 buy precious time for the soldiers and civilians who are building fortifications in the city, On the way to Stalingrad, we are going to fortify the ground."

   "Strengthen the wall and clear the field?" Khrushchev did not express his opinion on the suggestion mentioned by Sokov, but said noncommittally: "Keep talking."

Sokov thought for a while, then continued: "Residents who can be evacuated must be evacuated to the city from areas close to the front line. Destroy everything that cannot be transported away, and do not leave anything to the enemy. Let nothing be left behind that may benefit the enemy and strengthen the enemy's strength. Whether it is a factory that can be operated, or a field of wheat or livestock, things that cannot be evacuated, we will blow up and burn them all! Livestock also Drive away. In a word, leave nothing to the Germans."

"Evacuate the residents from the area close to the front line to the city of Stalingrad," Khrushchev said with some embarrassment to Sokov's proposal: "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, do you know that Stalingrad can accommodate How many people?" Seeing Sokov shaking his head, he continued: "According to our statistics, the residents evacuated here from other cities, plus the original residents in the city, have a population of nearly one million. Residents were evacuated into the city, and I am worried that they will not be able to accommodate them."

   The question mentioned by Khrushchev was never considered by Sokov. Although he knew that Stalin personally ordered not to evacuate the residents of Stalingrad in order not to cause unnecessary panic. But he still held a glimmer of hope and said to Khrushchev: "Comrade Military Commissar, I think the organization has evacuated the residents of the city. Otherwise, when the Germans rush into the city, they will not be able to evacuate even if they want to." gone."

As soon as he finished speaking, he saw Khrushchev pause, 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 The evacuation work will not be carried out in Stalingrad." When he said this, he seemed to think of something, so he specifically emphasized to Sokov, "Some things, maybe your judgment is accurate. But accurate judgment is one thing. Telling it or not is another matter. Do you understand?"

From the tone of Khrushchev's speech, Sokov guessed that the other party must be dissatisfied with his statement that the German army would rush into Stalingrad without authorization, so he nodded quickly and replied in a panic: "Don't worry, Military Commissar Comrade, I will pay attention to my remarks in the future."

   Said to refer to the underground tunnel fortifications, but Khrushchev kept wandering on the hillside to check the surface positions of the infantry brigade. When he came to the other side of the hill, Khrushchev saw the busy crowd at the foot of the hill and asked curiously, "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, can you tell me what they are doing?"

  Hearing what Khrushchev said, Sokov knew what the crowd at the foot of the hill was busy with even if he didn't look at it, so he immediately replied: "They are digging a tunnel, Comrade Military Commissar."

"Digging tunnels? I thought they were digging trenches." Hearing Sokov say this, Khrushchev showed a surprised expression on his face: "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, can I ask you who dug the tunnels?" What is the purpose?"

"Comrade Military Commissar, we have built deep underground tunnel fortifications on the north and south slopes of Mamayev Hill." Sokov introduced to Khrushchev: "I want to connect the two hillside fortifications through tunnels." We are now using two methods to excavate tunnels between two hillsides at the same time. What you see is the excavation method using the open cut method. The other method is the underground excavation method, because it is carried out underground, so you temporarily can not see…"

  After introducing the situation of the tunnel, Sokov tentatively asked Khrushchev: "Comrade Military Commissar, we have already seen the surface positions on the hillside. Next, should we go to the tunnel to see?"

Unexpectedly, after hearing this, Khrushchev raised his hand and looked at his watch, then shook his head and said, "It's getting late, and I have to go to the City Defense Committee, so I won't go there for now. I'll talk about it next time I have a chance." Let's go." After speaking, he extended his hand to Sokov, "Let's say goodbye."

  Khrushchev's haste came and went, which made Sokov very puzzled. He didn't understand what the purpose of the other party's trip was. They said they were inspecting the fortifications, but in the end they only took a brief look at the fortifications on the surface, and left in a hurry without even looking at the main tunnel fortifications.

In the evening, Ozor, who was temporarily called to a meeting of the City Defense Committee, brought back a freshly released document to Sokov: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, take a look, this is a newly drafted document by Comrade Khrushchev and the City Defense Committee." A letter to the people of the city."

  Sokov took the document in Ozor's hand, and took a closer look, only to see that it was written in standard print: "

  Dear comrades!

  Dear citizens of Stalingrad!

  Rampaging enemies have approached our dear city. Like 24 years ago, our city is going through tough times again. The **** German devils are going to break into the sunny Stalingrad and insult our great Russian river - the Volga River...

  Citizens of Stalingrad, comrades!

  We will never let the enemy take our dear city, never let the enemy destroy our house and dear family. We shall erect impenetrable barricades in all streets, and make every house, every block, and every street an impregnable fortress.

  Everyone come out and build barricades! Let's form a fighting team! Barricades were erected on every street... In the harsh 1918, our fathers defended Red Tsaritsyn. Let us also guard Stalingrad, which was awarded the Order of the Red Banner in 1942!

  Everyone go build a barricade!

  All who can take up arms rise up to defend our dear city, defend our homeland! "

  Sokov breathed a sigh of relief, and he thought to himself: It seems that what he said to Khrushchev has worked, otherwise he would not have issued this letter to the people of the city hastily. If the residents of Stalingrad were really mobilized and made full use of the many stone buildings in the city, it would still be possible to establish a complete city defense system before the German army rushed into the city.

After reading the letter to the people of the city, Belkin relaxed his frown, and said to Sokov with a smile: "Comrade Brigadier, with this letter to the people of the city, I believe no one will Ignore the orders of the city defense committee. The next time you go to the department store, the sandbags on the second floor may have been repaired, and anti-tank guns and machine guns may have been installed."

Now that Khrushchev is taking care of the construction of the city's fortifications, Sokov doesn't want to worry about it anymore. Thinking that the German army is getting closer to the city, he asked Ozor anxiously: "Comrade Major, what can I do?" I want to ask, when will the tunnel fortifications and tunnels be completed?"

"The progress on the south **** is faster, and it will be completed in about five days." Ozor opened his notebook and reported the progress of the project to Sokov: "On the north slope, the progress is much slower. But It can be completed in ten days at the most. In addition, there are tunnels, the one using the open-cut method has been completed two-thirds, while the one using the underground method has only been completed a quarter."

  Sokov clearly remembered that the two tunnels were started at the same time, but he didn't expect the progress to be so far apart. He frowned and asked, "Comrade Major, the construction of the two tunnels started at the same time. Why is there such a difference in progress?"

"Lieutenant Colonel Sokov," Ozor said, looking at Sokov with aggrieved expression, "Before drawing up the construction plan, I told you that the progress of excavation is the fastest. But you are worried Both tunnels use the open-cut method, which will be discovered by the German reconnaissance planes, and one of them uses the most time-consuming underground method."

"Okay, okay, Comrade Major, don't complain in front of me." Sokov didn't wait for Ozor to finish, and interrupted him: "If there is not enough manpower, I will transfer another thousand people tomorrow. .You must complete all the fortification work within five days. Do you understand?"

   "Complete the work within five days?" Ozor asked with some surprise: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, may I ask why it must be completed within five days?"

Sokov knocked on the table in front of him, and said impatiently: "Major Ozor, don't you ever read the battle report? The German army is getting closer and closer to our city, maybe one day their armored forces will make an assault , rushed to Mamayev Post, if the fortifications are not completed, how can we stop them?"

   "Understood," Ozor nodded, and said, "Don't worry, Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, I will definitely complete the fortification of Mamayev Post within the stipulated time limit."

   "That's really great." After Sokov finished speaking, he turned his head to look at Belkin and said, "Comrade Political Commissar, do you know the person in charge of military supplies in the city?"

   "I know a few, but none of them are the main person in charge." Hearing Sokov's question, Belkin immediately understood what the other party wanted to express. Although the troops carried double the ammunition when they drove over from Kursk, but if a war broke out, the consumption of ammunition would be an astronomical figure. If you don't hoard a batch in advance and wait until other troops retreat into the city, then the ammunition and supplies in the warehouse will not be enough for distribution. In order to save Sokov from worrying about the future, he took the initiative to say: "I will visit the leaders of the logistics department tomorrow and try to get a batch of supplies we urgently need from them."

  (end of this chapter)