Ivanov worked very efficiently, and his call was returned to Mamayev Gang the next afternoon.
He reported to Sokov: "Comrade Division Commander, we have successfully arrived in Luhansk. I called you from the post and telecommunications office in the city."
Sokov asked: "How many troops are there in the city?"
"There is a company of troops belonging to the Southwest Front Army." Ivanov said: "They were going to hand over the houses in the city to the Civilian Police Station this afternoon, but I stopped them."
"Comrade Deputy Division Commander, you are doing the right thing." Sokov knew very well that the police could maintain order in the city, but letting them fight would not be much better than the militia. "Before our troops arrive in Luhansk
, we cannot let this troop leave. Although their number is a bit small, if the enemy rushes towards the city, they can still be of some use."
"Understood." After Ivanov agreed resoundingly, he continued: "I plan to go around the city tomorrow to survey the terrain and choose the location for building fortifications."
Although Ivanov had not surveyed the terrain yet, Sokov still asked: "Comrade Deputy Division Commander, where do you think our defensive positions should be placed in the city?"
"It goes without saying, Comrade Division Commander." Ivanov replied: "The directions where enemies are most likely to appear are to the west and southwest. I think we only need to place defensive positions in these two directions.
"
"The best tactic of the Germans is to feign a frontal attack and detour from both sides." Sokov reminded Ivanov: "If our superiors order us to hold on to Lugansk, then the defenses on other sides must not be relaxed either."
Before putting down the phone, Sokov suddenly remembered another key thing and quickly told Ivanov: "By the way, Comrade Deputy Division Commander, you can ask the commander of the friendly forces later to see if there are any recently liberated people nearby.
A prisoner of war camp or something like that.”
"Prisoner of war camp?" Hearing Sokov say this, Ivanov couldn't help but be confused: "Why do you want to ask about the prisoner of war camp?"
"Even if our superiors give us additional troops, we will only have more than 10,000 people." Sokov explained to Ivanov: "If there are newly liberated prisoner of war camps, we can recruit a large number of people from the rescued comrades.
To enrich the troops. These commanders and fighters liberated from the prisoner of war camps are full of hatred for the Germans. They all hope to wash away their shame and repay their blood debts to the enemy through their performance on the battlefield."
"I understand." When Ivanov heard Sokov say this, he immediately remembered that the other party was a person who did not follow common sense. There were many commanders and fighters in the original drawdown regiment, all of whom were from liberation.
Recruited from the prisoner-of-war camp. He quickly expressed his position and said: "I will find out in the shortest possible time whether there is a newly liberated prisoner-of-war camp nearby."
When Sokov put down the microphone, Anisimov asked curiously: "Comrade division commander, why do you recruit people from prisoner-of-war camps? If your superiors knew about your behavior, would they criticize you?"
"Comrade political commissar, the commanders and fighters detained in the prisoner-of-war camp all have a certain degree of combat experience. As long as they are incorporated into the army, they will soon form combat effectiveness." Seeing Anisimov using it on himself, he was rescued from the prisoner-of-war camp.
When the commanders and fighters had different views, Sokov emphasized to him: "And they have all been inhumanly tortured by the Germans. Once they take up arms again and go to the battlefield, they will exert greater combat effectiveness than before. Through ruthless attacks
Fight the enemy to wash away your shame."
"Comrade division commander," Sidorin reminded Sokov cautiously: "There has been no new news from the front army headquarters. Could you please make a phone call to see if the vehicles transporting the troops are ready?"
If Sidorin had asked him to call Chuikov, Sokov would have immediately ordered someone to call the Army Headquarters without saying a word. But now he wanted to call the Front Army Headquarters. Sokov couldn't help but hesitate. He was worried that he
When the call came through, Rokossovsky was busy and had no time to answer his own call. So after hesitating for a while, he said to Sidorin: "Comrade Chief of Staff, don't be anxious. If we wait a little longer, we might get the news."
Already."
After Sokov finished speaking, he saw Sidorin's unwilling look and added: "Chief of Staff, let's wait another day. If there is still no news, I will call Rokoso
Do you think it’s okay to call General Vski or Chief of Staff Malinin?”
Now that Sokov's words have reached this point, Sidorin knew that it would be useless no matter how anxious he was, so he nodded and agreed with his opinion: "Okay, then we will wait another day and see the front army headquarters.
How did you respond to us?"
Early the next morning, Sokov was sleeping soundly in his room, but he was awakened by soldiers sent by Sidorin.
Seeing Sokov open his eyes, the soldier quickly raised his hand in salute and said respectfully: "Comrade division commander, chief of staff, please come to the headquarters immediately. Something serious has happened."
Hearing that something big had happened, Sokov was frightened out of his sleep. As he lowered his head to put on his shoes, he asked anxiously: "Tell me quickly, what happened?"
"I'm not sure, Comrade Division Commander." Unexpectedly, the soldier who came to call him didn't know anything about it. He could only keep saying: "Comrade Chief of Staff asked me to call you."
"Okay, okay, stop talking." Sokov quickly put on his boots, put on a military coat, and told the soldiers: "Let's go, let's go to the headquarters right now."
Arriving at the headquarters, Sokov saw Sidorin and Anisimov standing at the table at a glance. Whether it was Sidorin holding the microphone or Anisimov standing next to him,
There was an angry expression on his face.
"Comrade Chief of Staff, what happened?"
Sidorin handed the microphone in his hand to Sokov and said angrily: "Comrade division commander, this is the call from Lieutenant Samoilov. Please ask him to give you a detailed report."
"I'm Sokov." Sokov put the receiver to his ear and asked loudly: "Is this Lieutenant Samoilov?"
Samoilov's crying voice came from the receiver: "It's me, comrade division commander, I am Samoilov."
In Sokov's mind, Samoilov was a strong commander. Once his arm was injured, and the military doctor sutured him without anesthesia. He was in pain all over his head.
I was sweating coldly and didn't even make a sound. But today I spoke with a tearful tone, which must have meant something serious: "Comrade Lieutenant, what happened?"
"What, Comrade Deputy Division Commander died?" When Sokov heard the news, his vision suddenly went dark, and he fell softly. If Sidorin hadn't been quick to support him, he would have fallen to the ground.
.
"Come on, come on, come on, the division commander has fainted." Although Sokov was not heavy, because his whole body was sliding down like a puddle of mud, Sidorin and Anisimov, who came over to help, could not help.
Unable to hold him up, they had to call the staff and communications soldiers in the room to come over for help. Everyone hurriedly carried Sokov to the wall and placed him on the cot.