Chapter 963 Reunion (Part 2)

  Sokov stood in the observation post, raised his binoculars and looked at the commanders and fighters who were approaching the enemy's position, secretly calculating how far they had to be from the enemy's position before they would be intercepted by fire.

   Soon, the tank that opened the way in front was only 150 meters away from the enemy's position, but the enemy still didn't fire, and could only hear the sound of guns from a distance and see billowing smoke.

   "Comrade Commander, what's going on?" Seeing that the enemy has not opened fire, Ivanov, who was standing next to Sokov, also looked at a loss. He asked in puzzlement, "Why is the enemy still not firing?"

  Sokov was also puzzled. He felt in his heart that the enemy might have some kind of conspiracy, planning to wait for the tanks on his side to approach their positions, and then let the anti-tank fighters destroy the tanks. As long as the tanks that opened the way in front are destroyed, the infantry behind will only be slaughtered. In the battle that took place in Holm at the beginning of last year, the German army used such tactics to defeat the Soviet army whose strength was several times larger than its own.

"Comrade commander, I don't understand, why didn't you understand that the artillery bombarded the enemy's position before the offensive began?" Political commissar Anisimov asked curiously: "You know, before our army launched an attack on the enemy's position , all bombarded with artillery fire first, and then dispatched tanks and infantry to attack."

"Comrade Commissar, we must use artillery rationally according to the situation on the battlefield." Sokov explained to Anisimov: "The violent artillery bombardment before the offensive can destroy some solid fortifications, but it can kill more enemies." But very few. Therefore, before the bombardment started, except for a small number of troops left by the cunning enemy to monitor our army, the rest retreated to the second line of defense to avoid our bombardment. When our bombardment ended and the ground troops began to attack, The troops withdrawn to the second line quickly returned to their positions through the traffic trench to block our army.

  We have a limited number of artillery shells today, and even if we bombard them in advance, the number of fortifications that can be destroyed will be very limited. Instead of wasting precious shells for some small targets, it is better to let the artillery advance to the front of the enemy's position. Once you find a firepower point that poses a threat to our attacking troops, just use direct fire to destroy it. "

  The three of them were talking, and the tank moved forward for tens of meters. The German trenches were still silent. Ivanov frowned and thought for a while, and then put forward a new view: "Comrade commander, do you think the Germans thought that we would not attack, so they transferred all their troops to the west and went to the west with all their strength?" Stop the attack of friendly forces?"

"I don't think so." Sokov shook his head, denying Ivanov's statement: "Even if the German army wants to deploy the main force to the west, they will definitely leave enough troops in the trenches to attack us. Be vigilant. But if you look at the other side, the enemy doesn't seem to be prepared at all."

   Just when everyone was making various guesses, something unexpected happened. But when the leading tank was more than 50 meters away from the German position, a white flag was erected in the trench where there had been no movement. Although no one could be seen, the white flag kept waving.

   "Damn, the Germans surrendered." Seeing this scene, Sokov exclaimed in surprise: "They surrendered to our army without firing a single shot. This is simply incredible."

In order to find out what was going on, Sokov went to the radio and asked the operator to connect to Bely, then he asked loudly into the microphone: "Colonel Bely, are the enemies in the trenches attacking you?" Waving the white flag?"

   "Yes, Misha." Bely said in bewilderment, "I also saw the white flag in the trench, so I sent a tank to check and find out what was going on."

"Okay." Knowing that Bely had sent someone to check, Sokov specifically told him: "Comrade Colonel, it is best to have someone who understands German in the tank you sent, otherwise it will be hard to figure out what the Germans want. What are you doing?"

   "Don't worry, Misha." Bely said confidently: "The commander of the tank I sent can understand German, and he will figure out what happened."

  Sokov returned to the lookout, raised his binoculars and looked into the distance. I saw that all the tanks of the tank brigade stopped advancing, and the infantry behind also slowed down, as if trying to figure out what happened ahead. After a while, a tank broke away from the formation and drove towards the enemy's trench.

  The tank came to a stop four or five meters away from the German position, but it did not turn off. The top cover of the turret was opened, and a tank soldier wearing a tank cap and a black one-piece tank suit leaned out half of his body. He first looked around and saw that there was nothing wrong, so he boldly got out of the turret, jumped off the tank and trot towards the position of the white flag.

   Seeing him disappear into the trench, Sokov couldn't help but raise his heart in his throat. He was worried about the danger that might happen to this unknown tanker. He was even pondering whether he should remind Colonel Bely to point the tanks at that position, and fire at the enemy immediately if there was any trouble.

  But what Sokov worried about didn't happen. He soon saw the tank soldier crawl out of the trench, ran to the tank quickly, and shouted at another tank soldier who leaned out.

  It didn’t take long for the tank soldiers with half of their body exposed from the turret to shrink back, when Sokov heard the radio operator calling himself from behind: “Comrade Commander, Colonel Bely wants to talk to you.”

  Sokov put down the binoculars, walked quickly to the intercom, took the headset and microphone, and asked, "Comrade Colonel, what's the situation there?"

"Misha, good news, the Germans have surrendered." After Bely said this excitedly, he might feel that he was not expressing clearly, and added: "My subordinates have asked, and all the German officers and soldiers in the trenches He often came over for dinner. Now seeing us attacking them, he felt that it was pointless to continue to resist, so he took the initiative to put down his arms and surrender to us."

"Great, this is really great." Knowing that the German army on the opposite side was willing to surrender voluntarily, Sokov couldn't help being elated, because he knew very well that no matter how much advantage he had, he had to seize the enemy's position and rush over to fight with the infantry. The 23rd Division joined forces, and the casualties of the troops may not be small. At worst, there will be two or three hundred casualties. Now that the Germans voluntarily surrender, they can avoid the casualties of the troops. For the German commander who made this decision, Sokov could not wait to award him a medal himself. "Comrade Colonel, let the enemy come out of the trenches, and let our troops take over their defense."

   "Understood." Bely agreed: "I will pass on your order immediately."

Sokov put down his earphones and microphones, returned to the lookout, and said to Ivanov and Anisimov: "Deputy division commander, comrade political commissar, I have received definite news from Colonel Bely that the enemy has already Surrender to us. Let the soldiers of the flag guard squad take out the military flag, and we will go there to join forces with the friendly army now."

   "Let's go now?" Ivanov looked at the German positions in the same distance, and asked with some concern: "But the enemy hasn't left the position yet."

   "Then wait a few more minutes." Sokov picked up the binoculars and looked towards the German positions in the distance: "As soon as our commanders and fighters take over the enemy's positions, we will set off."

  The tank soldier in charge of the negotiation jumped into the trench again, and within a minute, countless steel helmets appeared in the trench. Soon, the German soldiers in steel helmets crawled out of the trenches on hands and feet, with their hands raised high, and came to meet the Soviet infantry. Seeing that the enemy had come out of the trenches, the commanders and fighters in charge of the attack quickened their pace and went up to take over the prisoners and positions.

   "Okay, Comrade Deputy Division Commander." Seeing that the captives who surrendered were guarded by his soldiers, Sokov turned to Ivanov and said, "Let's go to meet our friendly troops."

   Sokov came here this time, only bringing Samoilov's guard platoon. When going out, Ivanov saw that there was only one guard platoon, and said with some regret: "Comrade commander, if we knew that we would be able to join forces with the friendly army so soon, we should bring more people over."

   "Isn't Seryozha in the 122nd Regiment?" Sokov suddenly remembered that in order to strengthen the anti-tank forces of each regiment, he specially asked Seryozha to lead a guard company and move back and forth within the defense areas of the three regiments. Now it's time to join forces with the friendly army, and it's just time for them to participate in this grand occasion.

  Seryozha has been in a panic ever since he learned that Sokov had come to the regiment command post. He knew that the meeting with the friendly forces could be realized today, and he wanted to witness this great historical moment with Sokov. But without receiving an order, he couldn't just go to the regiment command post.

Just as he was restless like an ant on a hot pot, suddenly a soldier ran over, saluted him, and said loudly: "Lieutenant Seryosha, the commander ordered you to gather your subordinates to participate in the meeting. "

   "What, go to join forces?" Seryozha recognized the other party as a soldier in Lieutenant Samoilov's platoon. Knowing that the news must be true, he still asked cautiously: "Is this true?"

   "Of course it is true, Comrade Lieutenant." The soldier said impatiently: "Master, they are preparing the banner for the rendezvous, and they are about to set off soon. Please hurry up."

   "The guard company gathers!" Knowing that Sokov and the others were about to set off, Sergey didn't dare to neglect, so he hurried out of the shelter, stood in the trench and shouted loudly: "The guard company hastened to gather!"

  Following the shouts, three platoon leaders ran out first, and they asked Sergesha in one go, "Comrade company commander, do we have any combat missions?"

   "Teacher Commander!" Sergey said loudly, "Let's gather immediately and **** the division leader to join the friendly army!"

"Hurrah!" The three platoon leaders cheered after hearing the mission clearly, and ran to the door of the shelter where their platoon was located, shouting at the inside: "Comrades, assemble, assemble. We will **** the division commander to meet The friendly forces join forces, and your movements should be quicker."

  The soldiers of the guard company, who had long been suffocated in the bunker, heard the good news from the platoon leader. How could they dare to be negligent, quickly put on their weapons, rushed out of the bunker, and lined up in the trench.

   When Seryozha rushed to the designated place with more than a hundred soldiers from the guard company, he found that Sokov and the others had already set off. I saw the Samoilov guard platoon and the soldiers sent by the regiment lined up in three rows, each with thirty people. Sokov, Ivanov, and Anisimov walked in the middle of the second column. A sergeant holding the flag of the Guards Division walked beside Sokov with his head held high.

   Seeing this situation, Seryozha quickly divided his guard company into four columns, and followed Sokov and the others obediently. Walk towards the area that is still fighting in the distance.

  Although the German troops on the position that the 122nd regiment was going to attack had all surrendered. But the German army in the distance was still blocking the attack of the 23rd Infantry Division. After they found Sokov and his party, they immediately bombarded them with mortars.

  A shell landed more than ten meters away from the team and exploded, stirring up a pillar mixed with snow powder and mud. Except for the snow powder and mud sprinkled on several soldiers, no casualties were caused.

   Seeing the German mortars bombarding the flag in the distance, the Soviet commanders who occupied the position immediately rushed to another German line of defense along the traffic trench, trying to destroy the enemy's mortars and ensure the safety of the flag.

  The German officers and soldiers who were desperately resisting the attack of the 23rd Infantry Division never dreamed that the troops behind them would voluntarily put down their weapons and surrender to the Soviet army without firing a single shot. Facing the Soviet army rushing up from behind, their morale was extremely low. After a burst of random shooting, some people began to put down their weapons and surrender to Sokov's troops.

  With the person who took the lead in surrendering, the officers and soldiers who had long wanted to fight next to him suddenly followed suit and raised their hands to surrender. The commanders and fighters of the 23rd Infantry Division, who had been suppressed by the enemy's firepower and were unable to advance, saw that the enemy's resistance had weakened or even stopped, so they got up from the ground one after another and bravely rushed to the enemy's position with weapons in hand.

  The enemy's resistance stopped. The troops of the 23rd Infantry Division and Sokov's troops were less than 100 meters away from each other.

   Sokov, who was walking forward beside the military flag, suddenly saw a bright red military flag raised in the opposite crowd. Around the military flag, there were also several commanders wearing big-brimmed hats. He turned his head and said loudly to the people on the left and right: "Comrades, Colonel Sivakov of the Great Friendship Army has come to join us. Hurry up, everyone."

  The commanders and fighters of both sides stopped in place, quietly watching the two small troops guarding a military flag, which were constantly approaching.

  When the two small troops were less than five meters apart, they all stopped at the same time. Sokov, Ivanov, and Anisimov walked out of the queue with the flag bearer holding the military flag high, and came to a colonel on the other side.

   Sokov raised his hand to salute the other party, and said with a smile: "Hello, Comrade Colonel, I am Colonel Sokov, the commander of the 41st Guards Division. Are you Colonel Sivakov?"

   "Yes, I'm Sivakov." After raising his hand in return, Sivakov opened his arms and said, "Heroes who stick to Stalingrad, let's have a hug."

  (end of this chapter)