Red Moscow

  Chapter 354 Cuikov takes office

On the second day after moving the brigade headquarters into the tunnel, Sokov received a depressing news from the front army headquarters: the German army broke through the junction of the 62nd Army and the 4th Tank Army in the Virgach area, cutting off the The connection between the 62nd Army and the Stalingrad Front was broken.

Sokov put down the phone and said to Sidolin: "Comrade Chief of Staff, it seems that the German army will rush to Mamayev Post in the near future. , Seize the commanding heights we occupy. Immediately call the battalion commanders together for a meeting, let everyone be vigilant, so as not to be caught off guard by the German surprise attack."

   Just as Sidolin was about to call to notify the battalion commanders of the meeting, the phone on the table rang first. He quickly picked up the microphone and said, "I am the chief of staff, Lieutenant Colonel Sidolin, where are you?...What, the City Defense Committee?...Yes, Comrade Brigadier is here...Please wait a moment, I will ask him to answer the phone. "

Sokov was sitting not far from Sidolin. Hearing that it was a call from the city defense committee, he quickly got up and took the phone in Sidolin's hand, and said politely to his ear, "Hi, I'm Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, do you have any instructions?"

"Hello, Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, I am Major General Sharayev, the city defense commander of Stalingrad." A strange voice came from the receiver: "You heard that the connection between the 62nd Army and the main force of the Front Army was cut off by the enemy. Is something wrong?"

   "Yes, Comrade General." Sokov quickly replied, "I have already learned the news from the Front Army Command."

   "According to the information we have obtained, the German army is rushing towards Mamayev Post after breaking through our defense line. You must strengthen your defenses so as not to be caught off guard by the enemy."

"Don't worry, Comrade General." Sokov waited for Sharayev to finish speaking, and then continued: "We have already made preparations for battle and are waiting for the enemy here. As soon as they arrive, we will Will give him a head-on blow."

"Since you are already prepared, I believe that before your perfect defense system, the Germans will not be able to take advantage of you." After saying this, Sharayev hesitated for a moment, and then continued: "Being defeated by the Germans A regiment of the 87th Infantry Division and the 35th Guards Infantry Division are retreating to your position while fighting, and I order you to immediately mobilize elite troops to meet them."

"What, to meet the 87th Division and the 35th Guards Division?" Sokov asked tentatively after listening to Sharayev's order: "Comrade General, I would like to ask, is this an order from you, or is it an order from the Front Army?" An order from the chief?"

   "Is there any difference?" Sharayev said domineeringly on the phone: "I am the city defense commander of Stalingrad, and I have the right to mobilize any army in the city."

   "I'm sorry, General Sharayev." Although Sokov would not do anything that would lead to death, he was unwilling to carry out Sharayev's unjustified order. Therefore, he said confidently: "My 73rd Infantry Brigade is under the command of the 62nd Army, and I only obey the orders of Commander Lopatin and the head of the Front Army."

   "Okay, Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, since you don't want to obey my orders." Sharayev gritted his teeth and said, "Then I will show you how powerful I am." After finishing speaking, he hung up the phone directly.

"Comrade Brigadier, what's going on?" Belkin heard that Sokov had a conflict with the person on the other end of the phone, but the specific situation was unclear. Seeing Sokov put down the phone, he hurriedly asked: " Who did you argue with?"

"It was Major General Sharayev, commander of the city defense," Sokov explained to Belkin: "He ordered me to send troops to meet the retreat of the 87th Infantry Division and the 35th Guards Division to Stalingrad, but I did not agree. he."

Belgin didn't say anything about Sokov's refusal of orders, but Sidolin, who once served as the director of operations of the 64th Army, was anxious: "Comrade Brigadier, you have caused a big disaster. You know Who is that Sharayev?"

   "I don't know, I don't know." Sokov shook his head and said, "I've never heard of it."

As soon as Sokov finished speaking, Sidolin stomped his feet and said: "This Major General Sharayev is from the 10th Division of the NKVD. He was appointed as the commander of the city defense not long ago. Comrade brigade commander, don't forget Yes, not long ago, the Supreme Command issued Order No. 227. If you refuse to carry out the order of your superiors, you will be dismissed from office and sent to a military court, or you can be shot directly."

   "My troops are under the command of the 62nd Army Group. If anyone can mobilize us, wouldn't it be a mess?" Sokov said firmly: "It doesn't matter, they dare not mess around."

   "Do I need to report to the Front Army Command?" Belkin suggested to Sokov: "In this way, even if there is any trouble in the future, the head of the Front Army can help us deal with it."

   Regarding Belkin's proposal, Sokov thought for a moment, then nodded and agreed: "Well, I think we can report this matter to the chief of the front army, so that they can also know what to do."

   While Sidolin called to inform the battalion commanders to come to the meeting, Sokov picked up the phone and called Khrushchev, reporting to him what had just happened in detail. After Khrushchev listened, he was silent for a long time, and then he said: "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, you are right. You are from the 62nd Army, except for your commander Chuikov, or me and Commander Yeremenko. No one has the right to mobilize your troops at will..."

  When Khrushchev was speaking, Sokov noticed a detail. When the other party mentioned the commander of the 62nd Army, he was not talking about Lopatin, but Chuikov. When he learned that Chuikov was the commander of the group army, he couldn't help feeling ecstatic, but he still tried his best to control his emotions, pretending to be ignorant and asked: "Comrade military commissar, the commander of the group army is not General Lopatin. Why, why was it replaced by General Chuikov?"

   "General Lopatin was dismissed by the Supreme Command because he commanded the troops to fight badly and lost confidence in the defense of Stalingrad." Khrushchev said: "Now General Chuikov will take his place."

   Knowing that Cuikov has officially served as the commander of the 62nd Army, Sokov's heart immediately improved a lot. He assigned the next task to the battalion commanders, and then informed everyone about it.

"General Chuikov is the commander of the group army. It's really great." Andrei, the commander of the third battalion who had dealt with Chuikov, couldn't help but smile when he heard that Chuikov took office in the 62nd group army: "I think we are under his command. It will definitely repel the enemy attacking Stalingrad."

"We not only want to repel the enemy's attack, but if possible, we also want to wipe them out here." After saying this, Sokov raised his hand and looked at his watch, announcing: "This is the end of today's meeting. , the commanders of each battalion went back to their respective units to assign tasks, and the meeting ended!"

   Just as the battalion commanders stood up and were about to walk outside, a few soldiers broke in from outside. Sidolin saw that the people who entered the door were all unfamiliar faces, so he raised his voice and asked, "Why did you break in without authorization? Don't you know that this is the brigade headquarters?"

"I know this is the brigade headquarters of the infantry brigade." A second lieutenant officer wearing a blue hat with a large brim scanned Sokov and Sidolin back and forth, and then asked, "Who is the brigade commander?" Lieutenant Colonel Sokov?"

"I'm Sokov!" Seeing that the top of the cap on the other party's head was blue, Sokov knew that the other party was from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, so he stepped forward and asked, "Which department do you belong to? What's the matter?"

"I'm from the 10th Division of the NKVD, Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, you blatantly disobeyed the military order, and I was ordered to arrest you." After the second lieutenant finished speaking, he waved to the soldiers behind him and ordered them to arrest Sokov. Catch: "Catch him!"

"I'll see who dares to touch our brigade commander." Seeing officers and soldiers from the Ministry of Internal Affairs about to arrest Sokov, Andrei quickly pulled out his pistol and stood in front of Sokov: "Who just took another step, I'll kill him."

  Andre's actions shocked the other battalion commanders. After hesitating for a moment, they also drew their pistols and stood in front of Sokov. Sergesha, who was staying in the next room, heard the movement here, and rushed in with a dozen soldiers, and surrounded all the officers and soldiers from the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

  Looking at the black muzzles pointing at him in all directions, the second lieutenant became a little anxious: "I warn you, our Ministry of Internal Affairs is carrying out a mission. If anyone blocks it, I will not be polite to him."

   "You're welcome, why are you so rude?" Sergey walked up to the second lieutenant, raised his submachine gun, pointed it at the opponent's chin, and asked viciously, "What are you going to do to us?"

   "Lieutenant Seryosha, and several battalion commander comrades, put down your guns." Sokov guessed that the reason why the Ministry of Internal Affairs wanted to arrest him must have something to do with his refusal to carry out Sharayev's order. He ordered his subordinates to put down their guns, and then said to the second lieutenant: "Comrade second lieutenant, since you are here to carry out the mission, I will not embarrass you, so I will go with you. But the war is coming soon, I hope you will not embarrass me These subordinates."

   "Don't worry, Lieutenant Colonel Sokov." The second lieutenant saw that he was under the gun of the opponent, and his tone softened a lot: "I am also following orders, please come with us."

  Just as Sokov was walking towards the door with the officers and soldiers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs under the watchful eyes of everyone, two more people walked in from the door. Seeing Sokov walking outside, the leader asked curiously, "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, where are you going?"

   After seeing the other party's face clearly, Sokov couldn't help being overjoyed. He quickly stood at attention and reported, "Report to Comrade Commander, they took me to the Ministry of Internal Affairs for investigation."

   "Investigate, investigate what?" Cuikov heard this, and turned to the second lieutenant of the Ministry of Internal Affairs with a straight face: "Second lieutenant, what are you going to take him to ask? I think it's better to ask here."

   "Comrade General," the second lieutenant replied in a panic, "We were ordered to take him back for investigation. I don't think it would be appropriate for him to be tried here?"

"It's nothing inappropriate," Chuikov said angrily, "The battle is imminent, and the infantry brigade commanded by Sokov is sticking to the most important part of Stalingrad. If he leaves, who will command here? Is it you or Your superior?" Chuikov's words made the second lieutenant speechless, and he could only stand there with his head down.

   Seeing that the second lieutenant was silent, Cuikov waved his hand and said sharply, "Since you have nothing to ask, you should leave quickly. If your superior has any questions, let him come to me."

  The second lieutenant didn't dare to refute, so he could only raise his hand to salute Cuikov, and left with his subordinates in despair.

  (end of this chapter)