Chapter 918

   Captain Andre received a call from Sidolin, and after a long silence, he said, "Comrade Chief of Staff, I have a problem with your arrangement."

  Hearing what the other party said, Sidolin asked back somewhat dumbfounded: "Comrade Captain, what's your opinion?"

"That's right, Comrade Chief of Staff." Andre replied: "Other units in the division participated in the counterattack against the Germans. But our battalion? The order we received was to stick to the existing defensive area, soldiers. They are very emotional."

  Sokov heard Andre's voice from the side, and reached out to take the microphone in Sidolin's hand: "Comrade Captain, I don't think the soldiers have emotions, but you have emotions."

   "Hello, Comrade Commander!" Andrei didn't expect Sokov to appear suddenly, and couldn't help being taken aback.

   "Tell me," Sokov asked bluntly, "If you have any dissatisfaction with me, just say it."

"Comrade commander, no matter what, there are more than a thousand people in my battalion." Andre said a little unconvinced: "If we are asked to launch a counterattack, I dare not say anything else, I can definitely move the Central Station from Germany snatched from the hand of man..."

   "What about after taking it?" Sokov didn't wait for the other party to finish, and interrupted him: "What kind of force do you plan to use to defend the station?"

   "I can concentrate all the troops from other places at the station." Andre said confidently: "In this way, even if one or two battalions of German troops attack, I can still hold the station."

"Concentrate all the troops on the station, and then the defenses in other places will become empty. If the Germans find a loophole in your defense, they will not attack the station, but attack your weak defense." Sokov said nothing. Pointed out to him unceremoniously: "Once the rest of the area is lost, the troops standing at the station will become a lone army. If the supply is cut off by the Germans, do you think you can hold on for a few days at the station?" ?”

  Andre really didn't think about what to do with the defense of other areas after concentrating all his troops at the station, so he was left speechless by a series of questions from Sokov. After a while, he asked awkwardly: "Comrade commander, tell me, what should our battalion do?"

   "I asked you to stick to the existing defensive zone, not to passively defend." Sokov said in a slow tone: "You can still attack appropriately to consume the enemy's vital strength."

   "Then what exactly should we do?"

  Sokov considered that in the past few months, the commanders and fighters of the third battalion took advantage of the favorable terrain to deal with the enemy in the old city south of the city. However, the tactics at that time were mainly defensive. At this moment, when they suddenly want to switch to offensive, the commanders and fighters will definitely not be used to it, and someone must guide them.

  After much deliberation, I felt that I was the most suitable candidate, so I said into the microphone: "Comrade Captain, I will find time to come to your camp and teach you how to fight in the streets."

Knowing that Sokov was going to come to him, Andre was overjoyed. He knew that Sokov knew a lot of tactics, and when he came to teach his tactics, he would definitely be able to use them in the next street battle, so he kept saying : "This is really great, Comrade Commander, it is our honor that you can come here. On behalf of the commanders and fighters of the whole battalion, I welcome you."

"Comrade commander," the conversation between Sokov and Andrey was clearly heard by Sidolin who was sitting on the side. As soon as Sokov put down the phone, he couldn't wait to ask: "Are you really planning to go to the south of the city?" Old Town?"

"Yes, Comrade Chief of Staff, I plan to go to the third battalion." Worried that Sidolin would object, Sokov took the initiative to explain to him: "Now whether it is the three regiment positions in front of Mamayev Post or the The defense line of the reduced regiment on the right wing has basically stabilized, and nothing will happen in a short time, so I can just go to the third battalion to have a look."

"Comrade Commander." Ivanov worried that Sokov might be in danger if he went to the old city rashly, so he reminded him: "The defense lines of the enemy and us there are uneven. If you go, you may be in danger." .In my opinion, you should write down the method of how to carry out street fighting, and I will send someone else to send it there, so you don’t have to go there yourself.”

"Comrade deputy division commander, thank you for your kindness." For Ivanov's concern, Sokov thanked him, and then said: "Actually, Captain Andrei did not make a mistake in saying a word, and other troops are right. The German army launched a counterattack, and only the commanders and fighters of the third battalion stood still. It is no wonder that the soldiers were not emotional. I went this time, first to teach them the skills of street fighting, and second, to meet the soldiers and resolve their doubts. "

Now that Sokov has said this to this point, Ivanov knew that it would be useless to persuade him, so he reminded Sokov: "Then when you go, ask Samoilov to bring more people, so as to Make sure you're safe."

  After night fell, Sokov led Samoilov and the guard platoon, quietly left Mamayev Gang, and hurried to the old city south of the city where the third battalion was stationed.

  Although they have walked this road several times, Sokov and the others almost got lost this time. Some buildings that I could still see when I passed by last time have become ruins under the shelling and bombing of the German army. If it wasn't for a coincidence that they met the combat team of the third battalion, Sukov and the others would have wandered around the ruins for a long time. Even so, when they arrived at the command post of the third battalion, nearly three hours had passed since the departure time.

Andrei breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Sokov appearing in his command post. He said lightly, "Thank God, Comrade Commander, you are finally here. The division has called several times. They're all asking if you've arrived safely."

   Knowing that Sidolin and the others called to inquire about their whereabouts, Sokov felt that it was necessary to call them back, so he ordered the communications soldiers in the battalion to connect to the division headquarters. After hearing Sidolin's voice, he smiled and said, "Comrade Chief of Staff, I am Sokov, and I have safely arrived at the command post of the Third Battalion."

  Sidolin couldn't help secretly heaving a sigh of relief knowing that Sokov had safely arrived at the command post of the third battalion. However, he was still very curious about why Sokov took so long on the road: "Comrade commander, why did you walk so long on the road?"

"There were several houses used as reference in the past, which have been turned into ruins by the enemy's artillery fire and bombing." Sokov said with a wry smile: "Without these reference objects, plus marching at night, it is impossible to get lost. Strange. Fortunately, two combat teams from the third battalion were active, otherwise we must still be wandering around in the ruins. How is it, there is nothing going on in the division, right?"

   "No, Comrade Commander. Everything is normal." Sidolin replied, "I'm a little worried about your safety because I can't get in touch with you."

  After finishing the call with Sidolin, Sokov said to Andrei: "Comrade Captain, call the company commanders together, and I will give you a short meeting."

  The command posts of several company commanders are far and near from the battalion command office. Although the company commanders set off immediately after receiving the call, they still waited for half an hour before they all arrived.

  When Andrei called them, he only said that he would hold a short meeting to assign them the next tasks, but he did not say that Sokov was also at the battalion headquarters. When the company commanders arrived at the battalion headquarters, they couldn't help getting excited when they saw Sokov sitting there drinking tea. After they stepped forward to salute Sokov, they asked in one go: "Comrade commander, are you coming to us in person today, are you planning to let us participate in the attack?"

"Comrades company commanders," Sokov greeted everyone with a smile, and continued: "Your statement is right or wrong." Looking at the faces of the company commanders, they were all confused. He continued, "Since everyone is here, let's have a meeting."

"Comrades," Sokov said, looking at the company commanders who were sitting upright, "Looking at the other troops in the division, they launched a counterattack against the German army and achieved good results. But you are standing still here, I must be very happy." Are you uncomfortable?"

"It doesn't matter, Comrade Commander." As soon as Sukov finished speaking, Lieutenant Yegor, the commander of the eighth company, said unhappily: "In the past few months when the Germans attacked the city, we and Like other troops in the division, they are all engaged in arduous and outstanding struggles against the enemy. We finally waited until we were about to win and launched a counterattack against the enemy, but we had nothing to do with it. Not only did the soldiers have emotions, but even I felt Very uncomfortable."

   "Lieutenant Yegor," Sokov waited for the other party to finish speaking, and asked with a smile on his face: "Have you ever thought about why I don't let you take the initiative to launch a counterattack against the German army?"

  Andrei was about to speak when he heard Sokov's question, but Sokov raised his hand to stop him: "Comrade Captain, don't talk, I want to hear what Lieutenant Yegor thinks."

Yegor frowned and thought for a while, then asked tentatively: "Comrade commander, is it possible that there are too many recruits in our battalion, so we were not allowed to participate in the counterattack?" Before Sokov could answer, he went on to the The next said, "That's right, we have quite a lot of recruits, two-thirds of our company's soldiers are recruits. But their fighting enthusiasm is very high, and they will never waver in the face of the enemy. "

   "That's right, too many recruits is a problem." Sokov said, "But more importantly, your strength and equipment are far inferior to the enemy's. This is why I won't let you counterattack."

  In order to let the company commanders understand what was going on, Sokov continued: "Your battalion commander once told me that as long as I allow him, he can lead you to capture the Central Railway Station occupied by the enemy.

  I have no doubts about your ability to capture the train station. However, have you ever thought that if you want to defend the station, you must mobilize enough troops to defend it. In this way, your defenses in other sectors will become weak, and the Germans may break you one by one. Once the defenders at the station fall into the siege of the German army and become a lone army, what should you do? "

  The question asked by Sokov, even Captain Andrei hadn't thought about it just now, let alone these lower-level commanders. After being silent for a while again, Yegor gritted his teeth and said, "Comrade commander, don't worry, even if our troops are surrounded by the enemy, we will fight tenaciously to the last man."

"I don't doubt your bravery and heroism at all." Sokov continued: "But if all the defenders here are lost in the battle, then I have to send troops from other directions to replenish them." , This will make our already stretched troops even weaker."

  Egor was a little emotional because his superiors didn't arrange a counterattack mission for him, but he didn't expect the matter to be so serious, so he opened his mouth in surprise, not knowing what to say.

"I came here today to assign combat missions to you, so that you can launch a counterattack against the German army." When Sokov said this, he saw the faces of several company commanders showing joy, and hurriedly said He said with a straight face: "But this kind of counterattack is still different from the counterattack you understand."

   "Comrade Commander," Captain Guchakov, who had been listening to the audience, couldn't help asking, "I don't know what the difference is?"

"The offensive I asked you to launch is not based on how many buildings you occupy or how many streets you control." Sokov said calmly: "I ask you to do your best in the counterattack as much as possible." Excessive consumption of the enemy's vital strength."

"Consume the vital strength of the German army during the offensive?" Hearing what Sokov said, several company commanders including Guchakov widened their eyes in surprise. Everyone knew very well that in battle, the defensive side Casualties are usually smaller than those of the attacker. The division commander allowed himself to consume the vital strength of the German army during the attack. Maybe his own casualties would be even greater. It is really unclear who will eliminate who by then.

  Seeing the surprised expressions of his subordinates, Andre couldn't help laughing. When he heard Sokov say this just now, he was also at a loss. He felt that using an offensive method to consume the enemy's vital strength was simply a fantasy. But after listening to Sokov's tactic, he unexpectedly found that if he really followed this tactic to fight, he might really be able to achieve the goal of consuming the enemy's vital strength.

  Andrei smiled and said to Sokov: "Comrade commander, you should tell them what you think. You didn't see that they were sweating in anxiety."

   "Who is sweating in such a hurry?!" Hearing what the battalion commander said, Yegor, whose head was covered in cold sweat, retorted, "It's because the stove in the battalion headquarters is burning too hot."

   "In my command post, there is no stove at all." Andre said with a wry smile: "The coal for heating has long been burned out."

  It is a good thing that the subordinates have a harmonious relationship, but if they keep making jokes, this meeting cannot be held. Sokov patted the table twice with his hands, and said to them: "Quiet, quiet. Next, I will tell everyone what new tactics to adopt in the street fighting offensive."

  (end of this chapter)