When Sokov was about to go to bed, he received a call from Konev: "Comrade Sokov, I think you already know the destination of my call, right?"
"Yes, Comrade Commander of the Front." Sokov replied respectfully: "You are trying to send troops to reinforce the 69th Army."
"Just know." Konev asked cautiously: "I just understand how many troops do you plan to transfer to reinforce? Will the defense of the Pushol River be affected after the transfer of troops?"
Sokov knew very well that Konev would not easily agree to mobilize his troops before he figured out the specific situation. He quickly replied truthfully: "Report to the commander, I plan to transfer Colonel Koida's 188th Division to reinforce. They are deployed on the right bank of the Pushore River. Once transferred, the defense on the right bank will be led by Colonel Kokhlov's 182nd Division. They are fully capable of cooperating with the troops on the left bank and resolutely defending the defense line established by our army on the Pushore River."
When Konev received the call from Vatutin, he did not immediately agree to the other party's request. He considered that Sokov's 27th Army is now scattered in two areas. If the troops are divided, the strength will become weak. At that time, the reinforcements cannot help the 69th Army block the enemy. The original position is weakened and cannot block the enemy. The situation will not be very good.
After hearing Sokov's answer, Konev gently tapped the table with his fingers, thinking quickly in his mind. Since Sokov felt that after he had drawn troops to reinforce friendly forces, he still had the strength to defend his existing position, he could agree to Vatutin's request and send Sokov to reinforce the 69th Army.
After some trade-offs, Konev said to the microphone: "Comrade Sokov, since you think you should reinforce the 69th Army, I will contact Vatujing immediately, and you will also prepare for the troops to set off soon."
After Sokov put down the phone, he personally called the 188th Division Division headquarters: "I am Sokov, and I will talk to your division commander Colonel Koida."
After a while, Sokov heard Koida's voice: "Hello, Comrade Commander, I am Koida. What instructions do you have?"
"Comrade Colonel, given that the friendly defense line south of our army may be broken by the enemy, I am ready to mobilize your troops to strengthen the defense there." Sokov raised his hand and looked at the watch: "How long does it take to gather the troops?"
"One hour is enough," Koida said proudly: "Our troops are ready for war, and as long as they send a combat alert, they can gather in the shortest time."
As for a unit of more than 8,000 people, Sokov felt that this was the fastest speed. He nodded and said to Koida: "Comrade Colonel, please send a battle alarm to the troops now, gather them all, and wait for my next order."
Twenty minutes later, Sokov finally waited for the phone call he wanted to wait. When he heard the voice of Klitschko, Sokov smiled and said, "Hello, General Klitschko, I have been waiting for your phone call."
Klitschko was stunned and asked in confusion: "What are you doing when you wait for my phone call?"
"Comrade General, since your troops are asking me for help, I always need to know the situation in the defense zone so that the troops can be allocated reasonably." Sokov said in a friendly tone: "Did you think so?"
"Yes, comrade Sokov, you are right. I should indeed introduce our defense situation to you in detail." Klitschko said on the phone: "The most dangerous situation at present is the frontal defense position. Although I have deployed the 107th and 305th Infantry Divisions in this direction, their defense front is nine kilometers wide, resulting in the dispersion of troops."
"What have you taken?" Sokov asked.
"I plan to deploy the 81st Guard Division, which had just been removed from the German right wing, at the junction of the two divisions before dawn." Klitschko said this and asked Sokov cautiously: "Comrade Sokov, I wonder how many troops you can send me?"
"A infantry division."
"Ah, an infantry division?" Klitschko said with some disappointment: "Will there be too few?"
"Not at all, General Klitschko." Sokov explained to the other party: "This is a full-scale army of more than 8,000 people. The entire division is well-equipped and has high morale. With their assistance, they will definitely be able to block the German attack."
When Klitschko learned that there were more than 8,000 people on the other side, he stopped talking. Until now, the remaining soldiers of his infantry division were only three or four thousand, and the few were only two thousand. Now a new unit of 8,000 people has joined, which is equivalent to increasing the defensive power of several divisions.
After a while, Klitschko spoke again: "Comrade Sokov, I will send a liaison officer immediately to establish contact with you and take your troops into the designated defense zone."
After seeing Sokov finish his call with Klitschko, Sameko asked tentatively: "Comrade Commander, can the superiors provide us with means of transportation?"
"No, the superiors are not unable to provide us with any means of transportation under the current circumstances." Sokov said, stepping on one leg on the bench, patting his palm on his knees, and continuing: "If you want to go to a new defense zone, you can only rely on our own legs."
Klitschko's liaison officer arrived at the headquarters half an hour later. After Sokov confirmed his identity, he called Koida to the headquarters. After explaining some precautions to enter the new defense zone in person, he said to him: "Comrade Colonel, it's getting late. You can set off as soon as possible. Be sure to complete the defense in the new defense zone before the German army launches a new attack."
After the troops set off, Sokov lay on the camp bed and prepared to go to bed, but somehow he tossed and turned but couldn't sleep. Since he couldn't sleep, he simply sat up and began to think about whether he should follow Koida to the new defense zone.
Sokov's movement alarmed Sameko, who was sleeping not far away. He quickly sat up and asked Sokov with concern: "Comrade Commander, can't you sleep?"
"Yes," Sokov nodded and said in a affirmative tone: "Our troops are heading towards the new defense zone, and I, the commander, lying in bed, how can I sleep?"
He thought about it and decided to follow the troops to the new defense zone in person, and then bent down to put on his boots. While putting his boots on his legs, he said to Sameco: "Comrade Chief of Staff, the more I think about it, the more I feel worried. I want to go to the new defense zone in person, and everything here will be left to you."
Knowing that he could not change Sokov's decision, Samek could only say tactfully: "The front is too dangerous. If you go out, you can get out in time even if you encounter any danger."
"I still take the guard platoon of Samoilov," Sokov nodded gratefully at Sameko and said, "They have more than fifty people, all of them are veterans who have experienced many battles. With them by my side, there should be no problem with safety."
Sokov took the guard platoon and took three jeeps and two trucks to drive along the road towards the new defense zone.
The convoy set off for half an hour and it was dawn. Samoilov, who was sitting in the passenger seat, suddenly turned around and said to Sokov: "Comrade Commander, look quickly, there is the troops of the 188th Division in front of him."
Sokov looked out from the front window and saw a team of thousands of people walking on the winding mud road. From a distance, he could see that the one walking in front was a flagbearer holding a military flag. The troops formed square formations in companies, forming four columns, lined up neatly and walked forward.
The convoy was driving forward against the long row of infantry soldiers who were marching anxiously, constantly passing through one infantry phalanx after another. When he was about to reach the front of the team, Sokov, who was sitting in the car, suddenly shouted: "Stop the car."
The driver didn't know what was going on, so he quickly stepped on the brakes. The jeep and truck following behind him stopped when he saw the jeep Sokov was riding. Although he didn't know what happened, he stopped in time. Only the jeep that was driving in front drove forward for another 100 or 200 meters and found that the convoy behind stopped moving forward, and he stopped on the side of the road in panic.
Sokov pushed open the car door and shouted to a square not far away: "Hey, Colonel Koida."
With Sokov's shout, Koida and his chief of staff trotted to Sokov's presence. He asked in surprise: "Comrade Commander, why are you here?"
"I'm not very relieved, so I rushed over and take a look." Sokov looked at the square formation composed of members of the division headquarters and frowned and asked, "Why, your division doesn't even have a car?"
"Originally, the liaison officer of a friendly army brought a car and asked me to take a car with him." Koida said with a smile: "But I was worried that the troops would have misunderstandings with the friendly army along the way, so I asked him to take a car back and say hello first."
"Get on the bus," Sokov pulled his body inside and signaled Koida to get on the bus: "Let's go to the headquarters of the 81st Guard Division first."
But Koida obviously couldn't bear to leave his troops alone: ​​"What should I do with my troops?"
"Isn't there a chief of staff?" Sokov pointed at the chief of staff with his hand and said, "Comrade Chief of Staff, Colonel Koida and I will go to the division headquarters of the friendly forces first. You will come here with the troops as soon as possible."
"Yes, Comrade Commander." The Chief of Staff straightened his body and replied: "I will lead the troops to rush over as soon as possible."
Chapter completed!