If it were someone else's words, Malankin would definitely sneer, but who is Sokov? Although he is young, the army is full of his legends, saying that as long as the area defended by his troops, no matter how strong the German army is, he will never break through his defense.
Sokov is not the roundworm in Malankin's belly, so he naturally doesn't know what the other party is thinking. He is considering how to defend. After staring at the map for a while, he felt that he could not obtain more useful information, so he could only ask Malankin for advice: "Comrade General, according to the map display, on our right wing is the 305th Infantry Division. What is the current situation of this unit?"
Hearing Sokov's question, Malankin did not answer, but turned his head to look at the chief of staff on the side. The chief of staff, who understood it, quickly straightened his body and replied: "Report to Comrade General, after the battle, the troops were reduced very strongly. As far as I know, the remaining troops of their troops are no more than 2,000?"
"What, there are less than two thousand people left?" Sokov couldn't help but frown: "Then how big is their defense front?"
“Five kilometers.”
"Five kilometers?!" Sokov was shocked by this data. A unit with less than 2,000 people had to defend a five-kilometer-wide frontal position, which means that everyone was responsible for defending a 2.5-meter-long area. However, in this way, he knew a little. In the following battle, he should tell Koida to focus on the direction of the 305th Division on the right wing, and to throw troops there if necessary, so as not to be exposed to the enemy's side.
"Comrade General," said Malankin cautiously when he saw Sokov's serious expression: "Although the 305th Division's troops were seriously insufficient, it was very difficult for the enemy's armored troops to make breakthroughs in this area because they defended a large number of permanent fortifications and dense mine arrays in front of the positions."
What is the most important thing in defensive wars? Fortifications? If there are solid fortifications and a perfect defense system can rely on, it will undoubtedly increase the chance of defense success. However, how to arrange defenses next, Sokov felt that there was no need to put his heart to Marantin. He just smiled and said, "Comrade General, thank you for telling me all this. I will arrange the defense deployment of our department based on the specific situation."
"Comrade General," the chief of staff saw an officer bringing the soldier in from outside with breakfast, and politely told Sokov: "You must have not eaten breakfast yet, right? If you don't dislike it, eat some with us."
Sokov saw the officer who had just come in from outside the door and directed the soldiers to put the samovars, cups, plates with sugar cubes, plates with bread, canned cucumbers, and canned braised meat on the table one by one. He joked: "Comrade General, your breakfast is really rich. It seems that if you have the chance in the future, I will ask you to have a free meal here."
Sokov's words caused a kind laugh, and the atmosphere in the room suddenly became much more harmonious. Several people sat down around the table for breakfast. The Chief of Staff poured a cup of hot tea in front of Sokov, and said apologetically: "General Sokov, I'm so embarrassed, because there will be war later. We can't invite you to drink, we can only drink a cup of hot tea to warm your body."
"It's okay, I never drink wine when I command the battle." Sokov responded politely: "It's good to drink tea. Although it's summer now, the temperature is still too low every morning. Drinking some hot tea can warm your body."
While having breakfast, everyone started chatting. In order to understand the commander of the Guard Division in front of them, Sokov asked politely: "General Malankin, I don't know which army you have been in after the war broke out. Maybe we have fought side by side?"
"When the war broke out, I served as a quartermaster in the 16th Army..."
"The quarconian of the 16th Army?" Hearing this familiar number, Sokov said in surprise: "So, you have always been a subordinate of General Rokosovsky."
Unexpectedly, after hearing this, Malankin shook his head and said with a wry smile: "Comrade General, you don't know that the original commander of the 16th Army was Lieutenant General Lujin, and General Rokosovsky was only the commander of the Ninth Mechanized Army at that time. It was not until General Lujin was transferred to the commander of the 20th Army that he became the commander of the 16th Army."
When he learned that the other party was actually Lujin's subordinate, Sokov suddenly had an absurd idea: during the Battle of Moscow, when the 16th Army was fighting fiercely with the enemy, Konev, who was the commander of the Western Front, inexplicably ordered Rokosovsky to hand over the troops to Lujin, and then led his own command members to Viazima to receive the false troops. Looking back now, Konev's order was a bit inexplicable, but it rescued Rokosovsky and his command from the danger of being captured.
Could it be that Konev and himself were also a time traveler? But as soon as this idea came out, Sokov rejected it. This was impossible. If Konev was also a time traveler, with the historical knowledge he had, it would not have made no achievements in the early stage of the Patriotic War. He even had to rely on Zhukov's protection to escape the fate of being dismissed.
"Comrade General, Comrade General." Malankin found Sokov holding a piece of bread in his hand, staring at the canned braised meat in front of him, as if he was thinking about something, and quickly called the other party a few times. When Sokov raised his head and looked at him blankly, he asked with a smile: "I think you seem to have something to worry about. Can I ask, what are you thinking?"
Sokov naturally would not tell Marantin that he was wondering whether Konev was a time traveler from the future like him. If his original order was not given to Rokosovsky but Lukin, perhaps the person who stayed in the prisoner-of-war camp at this moment would be Rokosovsky, and Lukin would have the opportunity to become a wartime marshal.
But since Malankin had asked this question, Sokov could only say perfunctorily: "I heard you mention General Lujin, I'm wondering how he is now."
"After we were surrounded in Viazima, Commander Lujin ordered us to implement a dispersed breakthrough in order to prevent the troops from being wiped out." When Malankin heard Sokov mentioning Lujin, he couldn't help but sigh and said, "I led a guard company to break south and encountered a guerrilla team in the forest. With their help, we successfully broke out from the enemy's encirclement. But the troops led by Commander Lujin did not protrude."
Although the Chief of Staff and Malankin have been partnering with each other for more than a year, they have never heard him mention this matter. At this moment, when he heard Malankin say this, he couldn't help asking: "Comrade Commander, do you know how General Lujin is doing now?"
"I have inquired through various channels." Malanjin said with a serious expression: "But the news I received is contradictory. Some people say that General Lu Jin has died, and even said confidently that when he saw the general breaking through the siege, a shell fell beside him and exploded, and he died on the spot. Some people say that Comrade General was not dead, but was captured by the German army."
"Comrade Commander," the chief of staff continued, "what do you think is possible bigger?"
Marantin was silent for a moment, then said cautiously: "I think the rumor of sacrifice is more reliable. If he is captured by the enemy, the enemy will definitely publicize the results they have achieved; secondly, with General Lujin's character, even if he falls into the hands of the enemy, he will try every means to escape. Now that time has passed almost two years, there is still no news about him. I think he must have sacrificed."
"General Malankin," Sokov, who came from the future, naturally knew that Lukin was fine at this moment. He was just breaking through the siege and his leg was blown off by the German army. Even if he wanted to escape from the enemy's prisoner-of-war camp, he was powerless. Seeing that Malankin was so depressed when he mentioned Lukin, he couldn't help but interrupt and said, "I think General Lukin is still alive. Maybe when our army attacks the enemy's borders, you can still rescue him from the prisoner-of-war camp in person."
"What, General Lujin is still alive." Malankin grabbed Sokov's arm and asked excitedly: "General Sokov, have you heard any rumor?"
"I have no gossip," Sokov shook his head and said, "I just analyzed it based on what you just said. You said someone saw him being blown down by a shell, but did the person who said this run over to check it out?"
Malankin thought for a while, shook his head and denied, "No, according to the person involved, he was busy rushing out with the troops at that time, but just watched from a distance that General Lu Jin was blown down by the shells, and did not come forward to check."
"That's right." In order to let Malankin know that Lujin is still alive, Sokov began to analyze him step by step: "Since he has not come forward to check, it cannot be proved that General Lujin has died. Perhaps General Lujin was stunned by the shells or injured, so he fell to the ground."
"If the Germans captured General Lujin, they would definitely make a big splash in the newspapers." When Malankin heard this, he said in confusion: "But I have read a large number of seized newspapers, especially those after the Battle of Viazima, but I have not seen any news about General Lujin at all."
"I think the general must have been seriously injured when he was captured, and he was even in a coma." Sokov continued: "The Germans are rigorous in their work and will not report it at will without knowing the other party's true identity and whether they can save him. Maybe after the Germans figured out that he was General Lujin, it had been a long time since they were defeated from the city of Moscow, and they still had the leisure to report a wounded Soviet general."
Sokov's analysis gave Marantin a glimmer of hope. He said excitedly: "General Sokov, according to your analysis, General Lukin may be staying in a German prisoner of war camp now?"
"Comrade General, I think this may be very big." Sokov nodded and said, "General Lujin survived in the end, and is now staying in a German prisoner-of-war camp, waiting for us to rescue him."
"General Sokov, please be honest." When Malankin believed in what Sokov said, the Chief of Staff asked: "How can you be sure that General Lukin is still alive and is still in a prisoner of war camp?"
"Comrade Chief of Staff," Sokov said with a smile, "My troops have liberated dozens of prisoners of war camps and incorporated most of the rescued commanders and fighters into my combat forces. Among these regained comrades, we have discovered more than once that many of them were declared missing or even sacrificed. However, before that, both their superiors and their families thought they had sacrificed."
"Comrade Chief of Staff, don't say anything." Seeing that his chief of staff seemed to want to say something, Maranthin immediately stopped him: "I think General Sokov's analysis makes sense. General Lujin may be staying in a German prisoner of war camp now." After saying this, he faced Sokov again and said in a pleading tone, "General Sokov, if you have the latest news about General Lujin in the future, you must tell me in time."
Sokov only knew that Lieutenant General Lujin was rescued by the US military in a prisoner-of-war camp in Mossburg-upon-Isal, Germany a few days before the victory of the war, but he did not know where he was detained now. Therefore, in the face of Maranthen's plea, he nodded slightly and said with a solemn expression: "Don't worry, Comrade General, once there is news about General Lujin, I will definitely notify you in the shortest time."
"Thank you, General Sokov." Marantin held Sokov's hand tightly and said emotionally: "I would like to represent the alive commanders and fighters of the former 16th and 20th armies, thank you."
Malankin's words made Sokov realize that if he could provide them with evidence that Lukin was still alive, and even tell the other party's prisoner-of-war camp that was imprisoned at the moment, he might have gained more friendship in the army. Although Lukin was captured, the 16th and 20th armies he commanded were annihilated by the German army, he still had many old subordinates, such as Major General Malankin, the commander of the Guard Division in front of him.
It was precisely for this consideration that Sokov nodded vigorously and said, "Don't worry, Comrade General, I don't think I will disappoint you."
During the chat, everyone finished the somewhat simple breakfast. The political commissar of the division came back alone, and he reported to Sokov: "Comrade General, the troops of the 188th Division have arrived. After completing the defense transfer, Colonel Koida is busy deploying new defenses."
Knowing that the troops had taken over the Guard Division's position, Sokov felt that he should go back and take a look immediately, so he stood up and said goodbye to Malankin: "General Malankin, I want to go over and see the situation of the defense. Thank you for your kind hospitality."
Chapter completed!