After the meeting, the commanders who came to attend the meeting dispersed one after another.
At this meeting, some people were happy and some were worried. They were happy that they had another opportunity to make achievements, but those who were worried were worried that their troops were short of soldiers, weapons and ammunition. As the main offensive force in the battle, they might suffer huge losses.
When many commanders walked outside, Kurishenko, commander of the 41st Guards Division, lingered and refused to leave his seat. Chief of Staff Sidorin pulled his sleeve and reminded him in a low voice:
: "Comrade Division Commander, the meeting is over. Should we return to the army?"
Kurishenko glanced at Sidorin and political commissar Afanasi beside him. He originally wanted them to leave first, but then he thought about it. Sidorin and Sokov had a good relationship. If he was left behind,
, the request I make later may be approved by Sokov.
Seeing Kurishenko standing there without speaking, Afanasi also reminded him: "Comrade Commander, everyone has almost left, let's go back."
"Comrade Political Commissar," Kurishenko suddenly said to Afanasi, "The Chief of Staff and I still have something to do. You go back to the car first. We will meet you after we finish our business."
"Okay, Comrade Commander." Although Afanasi didn't understand why Kurishenko stayed, since the other party had said so, he had no need to stay, so he said casually: "I'll answer
The car is waiting for you."
Sokov was studying the map with Smirnov. When he accidentally looked up, he found that Kurishenko and Sidorin were still in the conference room. He couldn't help showing an unexpected expression on his face. He asked in surprise.
: "General Kurishenko, Colonel Sidorin, the meeting is over, why are you still here?"
Sidorin didn't understand why Kurishenko wanted him to stay. When he heard Sokov's inquiry, he could only turn his attention to Kurishenko and want to hear what he had to say.
Kurishenko had originally thought about raising the problems of his troops directly to Sokov later, but when he heard the other party asking him, he didn't know what to say for a while, and just stood there thinking about what to say.
How to speak without being too abrupt.
"General Kurishenko, don't be embarrassed." Seeing Kurishenko's delay in speaking, Sokov guessed that what he was about to say would be difficult to say, so he said jokingly: "Whatever you want to say, just say it."
Just say it, even if it is wrong, we will not blame you, let alone remove you."
Sokov's words aroused laughter from Smirnov and others. Even Sidorin, who was standing next to Kurishenko, couldn't help laughing.
"Comrade Commander," Kurishenko had regained his composure amidst the laughter. He walked twice as far as Sokov's position and said, "I would like to ask when our superiors will replenish our troops and weapons and equipment.
?”
"General Kurishenko, Comrade Commander just said at the meeting," Smirnov said in a stern tone: "Weapons and equipment will arrive at your troops in two days. As for the soldiers, you are completely
You can recruit local residents and incorporate them into your army."
"Comrade Chief of Staff," Kurishenko disagreed with Smirnov's statement. He argued: "Not long after a battle, all units were facing the problem of insufficient personnel.
Local recruitment has made it impossible for us to recruit new soldiers. Also, our division's weapons and equipment suffered a large loss in the battle that ended not long ago. If our superiors cannot replenish us in time, we will run out of ammunition.
, the weapons in the hands of the soldiers are not much stronger than ordinary wooden sticks when they reach the battlefield."
"General Kurishenko, don't worry." When Sokov saw that Kurishenko had brought Sidorin with him, he understood that the other party was worried that he would not pay attention to them in terms of replenishing soldiers and weapons and equipment. He quickly comforted him
He said: "The chief of staff and I have discussed it. Once the weapons allocated to us by our superiors arrive, we will give priority to replenishing your troops. After all, you are the first echelon of combat troops. If you do not have enough weapons and equipment, we will let you
Participating in the attack is tantamount to asking you to die."
Although Sokov had already said this, Kurishenko was still worried: "Comrade Commander, is everything you said true?"
"of course it's true!"
"When will the weapons and equipment arrive?"
Sokov did not answer the question immediately, but asked instead: "General Kurishenko, I want to ask you, how many manpower can your division spare to build roads in the defense zone?"
This question successfully diverted Kurishenko's attention. After thinking for a moment, he replied: "We have just recruited more than 400 new soldiers. I can send these people to build roads in the defense zone."
"Very good." Sokov nodded and said, "You hurry up and build the roads. Only when the roads are repaired can the convoys transporting weapons and equipment reach your defense area more smoothly. Okay, if nothing happens, you
Just go back first."
Seeing that his goal had been achieved, Kurishenko agreed loudly, then saluted Sokov, turned around and left with Sidorin.
"Comrade Commander," Smirnov said to Sokov immediately after Kurishenko and Sidorin left: "Did you call Colonel Yakov to see the weapons and ammunition given to us by our superiors?
, where has it been transported to now?”
"Well, you should ask." Sokov said, called the director of the communications corps, and told him: "Comrade director, please help me get through to the weapons and equipment department in Moscow. I want to talk to Colonel Yakov.
talk."
However, after the call was put through, the person who answered the phone was a stranger. After learning Sokov's identity, he said politely: "General Sokov, I'm so sorry, Colonel Yakov is not here."
"Not here?!" Sokov thought that Yakov was in a meeting or went to report work to Ustinov, so he asked casually: "When will he come back? I'll call him then.
"
"He may not be able to come back for a while." After the other party said this, he might be worried that Sokov would misunderstand, so he specifically explained: "He went to the front line, and it is still unknown when he will come back."
Sokov was surprised to learn that Yakov had come to the front line. He quickly asked: "When did he leave and which front did he go to?"
Due to the confidentiality period, although many people knew about Yakov's visit to the front line, many people did not know where he was going and what he was going to do. The same was true for the officer who answered the phone. Therefore, he waited for information
After asking, Cov politely replied: "I'm sorry, General Sokov. The whereabouts of Colonel Yakov are absolutely confidential to us, and I don't know where he went."
Since the officer who answered the phone had said so, Sokov knew that he would gain nothing by asking further questions. He thanked the other party gloomily and hung up the phone.
Seeing Sokov put down the phone, Smirnov couldn't wait to ask: "Comrade Commander, how are you? What did Colonel Yakov say? When will the weapons and equipment allocated to us by our superiors arrive?"
Sokov looked at Smirnov, shook his head and said: "Yakov is not in the weapons and equipment department now. It is said that he has come to the front line. But where he is on the front line, the officer who just answered the phone doesn't know."
"Colonel Yakov came to the front line?" Smirnov was stunned at first, and then said with surprise: "Comrade Commander, guess, did he personally deliver weapons and equipment to us?"
"Will he?" After hearing what Smirnov said, Sokov said in an uncertain tone: "If he really wants to come to the front line in person, why not inform me. In this case, I can prepare a reception in advance.
Prepare."
When Smirnov heard this, Sokov's words made sense. Based on his friendship with Yakov, if Yakov really wanted to lead a team here, he would definitely say hello to him in advance.
"Colonel Yakov can't be found now," Smirnov said with concern: "Then whether the weapons and equipment assigned to us by our superiors can arrive smoothly is a big problem."
"Yes." Sokov also had a headache about this matter: "I have made a promise to the troops to issue them new weapons and equipment before the attack. If this batch of weapons and equipment does not arrive as scheduled, then our
The offensive plan will have to be adjusted."
"Commander, Chief of Staff," Gorokhov, who has always been a little transparent, said: "There are still several days before the attack starts. Regarding weapons and equipment, no matter how anxious we are, we can't change anything. Our
The top priority is to repair the roads in the defense area so that the troops can quickly move to the starting point of the attack."
"Yes, road construction is our top priority at the moment." Sokov said to Smirnov: "Comrade Chief of Staff, you arrange for the troops directly under the group army to repair the roads we use to ensure that transportation and combat vehicles are safe.
Can pass smoothly."
As the order was issued, the troops near the headquarters took active action, cut down trees, and began to pave roads that could be used by vehicles and soldiers.
In the evening, Smirnov received a phone call and suddenly became excited. He quickly shouted to Sokov: "Comrade Commander, good news, good news!"
Sokov thought that the good news the other party said was related to the road construction in front of him, so he asked disapprovingly: "What good news? Is it that our troops have completed the road repair work near the headquarters?"
"No, no." Smirnov hurriedly waved his hands and said, "It's Yakov, Colonel Yakov is here!"
"Yasha is here?!" Sokov almost jumped out of his seat when he heard the news, but he still said with some suspicion: "Comrade Chief of Staff, who told you this news?"
"It was a call just now from Colonel Stiritz, the commander of the 116th Division." Smirnov said with a smile: "He reported to me that the hovercraft detachment led by Colonel Yakov, fully loaded with supplies, has arrived in their defense area.
, I’m currently resting there.”
When he learned that Yakov had arrived at the defense area of the 116th Division with a hovercraft unit loaded with supplies, Sokov could not sit still, so he stood up and prepared to walk out: "I'm going to see Yasha in the 116th Division."
"Comrade Commander, you don't need to go there." Smirnov quickly dissuaded him: "Colonel Stilitz has arranged a vehicle and will send Colonel Yakov over soon."
Hearing what Smirnov said, Sokov realized that he was a little out of control. Since Yakov had arrived at his own defense area, he would come to the headquarters sooner or later. There was no need for him to go to the 116th Division's defense area.
After more than ten minutes of anxious waiting, Yakov finally appeared in the headquarters, but he did not come alone, but Stilitz accompanied him.
Seeing Yakov arriving, Sokov stepped forward and gave him a warm hug, and then said in a reproachful tone: "Yasha, since you are coming to our place, you must say hello in advance, so that I can make arrangements."
Someone will pick you up."
"My visit to the frontier this time is confidential." Yakov replied: "In order not to attract the attention of the Germans, we all set out at night to prevent the target from being exposed."
After Sokov thanked Stilitz for bringing Yakov over, he took Yakov to the table and sat down. He asked with concern: "Yasha, I heard that you brought the hovercraft unit here again, and it is fully loaded.
Bring supplies."
"That's right," Yakov nodded and said, "Of the 25 hovercrafts I brought this time, 20 are transport ships."
"Based on a ship carrying eight tons, 20 ships are equivalent to 160 tons of cargo." Sokov asked tentatively: "Are these weapons enough to arm a division?"
"Misha, I forgot to tell you." Yakov suddenly said unexpectedly: "Today's hovercraft have been improved, and the load capacity has been increased from the original eight tons to twelve tons. In other words, the total load of 20 transport hovercrafts
The load capacity is 240 tons, which can completely equip a full crew."
"Great, this is really great." Sokov couldn't help but be overjoyed when he learned that the hovercraft's load capacity had increased. This meant that the same number of hovercrafts could carry more supplies each time. He paused for a moment and then asked:
"I wonder how many days it took you to get to us from Moscow?"
"Almost 60 hours." Yakov explained to Sokov: "Although I can shorten this time to 48 hours, this will have an impact on the life of the hovercraft, so I chose a slower speed.
.”
"Even if it takes 60 hours to get here from Moscow, it's still very fast." After Sokov learned about road and railway transportation during this period, he felt that Yakov's speed was very fast: "Yasha, because
Now is the spring thaw season, and the road conditions are very bad. It takes four to five days for both rail and road transportation."
"Misha, where should we unload the supplies?" Yakov said: "After unloading this batch of supplies, we will immediately return to Moscow and continue to transport other supplies."
"Comrade Commander," Smirnov quickly interjected: "I think the supplies should be unloaded near the headquarters. This will help us distribute weapons and equipment."
Sokov thought for a while, then shook his head and said: "No, Comrade Chief of Staff, the weapons sent by Yasha cannot be unloaded here. The weapons and equipment are piled here. When the troops come to receive them, they need to organize forces to carry them.
This is a waste. No, these weapons and equipment cannot be placed here."
"Since it can't be placed here, then where should we put it?"
Sokov did not answer the question immediately, but looked at Yakov and asked: "Yasha, do you have a weapons list in your hand? I want to take a look and then decide how to distribute these weapons and equipment."