According to Sokov's plan, the tank drove out from the west side of the factory, circled the open space in the north, and then left from the east side of the factory. Unexpectedly, when the tank drove to the open space in the north, unexpected problems arose. There were craters of large and small, blocking the tank's way.
Seeing this, Sokov scratched the back of his head and said to Guriev awkwardly: "Comrade General, I'm so embarrassed to let you laugh at it."
"Lieutenant Colonel Sokov," Guriev couldn't help but smile when he saw Sokov's defeat. He said with a smile: "There are too many craters, which is a bad thing for you, but it is not a good thing for the Germans. Since these craters can block your tanks, they can also block the German tanks."
Since the anti-aircraft gun on the roof cannot be used, Sokov has been worried about what weapons should be used to deal with the enemy's tanks? The new rockets are of great power, but when used to attack fast-moving tanks, the hit rate is unsatisfactory. Now Guriyev's words reminded Sokov that there are hundreds of craters distributed from the nearly one kilometer from the wall to the factory. After German tanks rushed in from outside the factory, they will inevitably slow down due to these craters. At that time, attacks with new rockets will achieve great results.
"Comrade in the workshop," Guriev waved to Cousto, who was standing not far away, "Please come to me!"
Cousto trotted to Guriev and asked respectfully: "Comrade General, do you have any instructions?"
Guriev pointed at the tanks that were blocked by the craters and said, "Comrade Workshop Director, your tanks have stopped, you should find a way to make them move."
"Let them move?!" Guriev's words stunned Custo. He asked without hesitation: "Comrade General, how should they move?"
"If I remember correctly, there should be bulldozers in the workshop," Guriev reminded him when he saw Cousto looking at him at a loss, "Let the bulldozers fill the crater so that the tank can continue to move forward."
"General, you have made sense. I'll make arrangements now." After Cousto said this, he turned around and left.
After Cousto walked away, Guriev asked Sokov with a serious expression: "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, I want to ask you, if the Germans concentrated their troops to attack here, how long can you hold on?" Before Sokov could answer, he added, "I hope to hear the truth, but to perfunctory clichés from his superiors."
"This is not easy to say, Comrade General." Sokov hesitated for a moment about Guriyev's question and replied: "If the enemy still maintains the scale of today's attack, then I think there should be no problem with holding on for half a month or even longer."
Sokov's answer surprised Guriyev. According to his idea, with the 300 people under Sokov and the hundreds of workers in the workshop, as long as the German offensive troops exceeded one battalion, they could not resist it. Unexpectedly, Sokov was so confident that he could hold on for half a month.
Guriyev's German troops who were considering attacking the factory suddenly doubled today. If they wanted to use this place as a breakthrough, it would be inevitable to increase troops. Thinking of this, he asked with some concern: "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, I'll ask you, if the enemy doubles the attacking force, how long do you think you can hold on?"
Sokov closed his eyes slightly, silently calculated the number of German troops that the new rocket could destroy, and then opened his eyes and said, "Comrade General, I can't guarantee that there will be more, but there should be no problem in sticking to it for three to five days."
Guriyev came to the assembly workshop today to understand how long Sokov and his team could last fortifications in the face of the fierce fortifications of the German army? According to his estimate, it was already amazing to be able to hold on for 48 hours. After all, the only one of the truly combat-capable troops was the more than 300 people brought by Sokov from Mamayev. Unexpectedly, Sokov's answer exceeded his expectations. He smiled awkwardly and said, "Really? Can you persist for such a long time under the fierce attack of the German army?"
Seeing that Guriyev was skeptical of his statement, Sokov did not make any excuses. He thought to himself: With your IQ, you will definitely not be able to think of the strategy, so naturally you will not be able to understand the power of this strategy. However, since Guriyev's question has been asked, he could only answer tactfully: "Don't worry, Comrade General, we have the confidence to hold on here."
As the two were talking, they suddenly saw a three-wheeled motorcycle coming from a distance. Sokov saw clearly the officer wearing a big hat sitting on the sideboard, and couldn't help but say curiously: "Comrade General, look, there is a motorcycle over there, it seems to be a message to somewhere."
When Guriyev heard Sokov say this, he couldn't help but turn his head and look. When he saw the motorcycle coming over, his face turned pale. Not long after, the motorcycle drove to the factory and stopped. The officer jumped out of the standby and trotted to Guriyev, pulled out the folder under his armpit, took out a piece of paper from it, handed it to Guriyev, and said, "Comrade Commander, this is the phone number sent to us by our Army Command."
"The telegram sent to us by the Army Command?" When Guriev received the telegram, he couldn't help but ask: "Is there something wrong?"
After Guriev finished reading the contents of the telegram, his face became even more ugly. He folded the telegram and stuffed it into his briefcase. Then he tried to squeeze out a smile on his face and said to Sokov: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, something urgent has happened here. I need to return to the division headquarters immediately. I'll be responsible for the matter here."
After saying this, Guriyev took the accompanying guards and followed the motorcycle to the division headquarters. Guriyev looked at the assembly workshop and factory gradually moving away, thinking in his heart: If the information given to us by the superiors is true, then we should readjust the deployment and try to extend the time we stay in the defense zone.
As soon as Guriev returned to the command center, he couldn't wait to ask Zalijiuk: "Comrade Chief of Staff, are the information you just ordered to send to someone is real?"
"Yes, comrade Commander." Zalijiuk nodded vigorously and said in a positive tone: "According to the intelligence sent back by the scouts of the group army, the 24th Armored Division of the German army is heading north, and it seems that it is also coming to attack the Red October factory."
"Hell, it's really hell." Guriev said in annoyance: "Our troops lack various anti-tank weapons. If the Germans use armored troops to carry out assaults, we will not be able to stop them at all."
Zalijuk reported to Guriyev: "Comrade Commander, if the 24th Armored Division wants to go north, he will definitely pass through Mamayev's hill. At that time, the infantry brigades that are standing there will be a headache for them."
"Comrade Chief of Staff, you are really too optimistic." Guriev poured cold water on Zalijiuk without hesitation: "Do you think the troops that are stuck in Mamayev's hill will have anti-tank weapons? I just came back from the assembly workshop, at least there, and I didn't see what kind of weapons the soldiers of the infantry brigade were equipped with."
Guriev's words silenced Zalijuk. He knew very well that once the German armored division entered the battle, it would become the last straw that broke the camel's back. Those soldiers who were struggling to support would definitely collapse under the fierce attack of the German army. His troops, which were highly expected by their superiors, were in danger of the entire army being destroyed.
Thinking of this, Guriev asked Zalijiuk: "Comrade Chief of Staff, at the normal speed, how long will the German army arrive at the Red October factory?"
Zalijiuk did not answer this question, but picked up a telegram on the table and looked down. The contents of the telegram were the same as those sent by someone to Guriyev. They were all scout reports forwarded by the Army Command, saying that the German 24th Armored Division was moving north, and it seemed that they were preparing to cooperate with the 295th Infantry Division and the 100th Hunter Division to jointly seize the Red October Factory.
"Comrade Commander," said to Guriev when Zalijiuk raised his head again: "If the German army uses armored divisions to attack residential areas, the terrain there is not conducive to the development of armored troops, we can still find a way to stop them. What I am worried about now is that the enemy will choose the breakthrough point to the north of the factory area, which is very suitable for the assault of armored troops. In addition, the defenders in that direction do not have anti-tank weapons, and facing the torrent of steel that is rushing upwards, they will definitely be irresistible. As long as the enemy occupy the factory in the assembly workshop, they will start attacking from there as the starting point of the attack, and then we will be trapped in the enemy's encirclement."
For the vast majority of Soviet commanders and fighters, being surrounded means that this army is facing an end to be eliminated at any time. In this case, both Guriyev and Zalijuk were unwilling to see it.
"Comrade Chief of Staff," Seeing that Zalijuk did not answer the question he was most eager to know, Guriev asked the question again without getting tired of: "I want to know how long will it take for the 24th Armored Division of the German Army to reach us?"
"I guess they only need two hours to get to the residential area," Zalijiuk said. "If you want to get to the north of the factory, it may take another hour."
"So, if the German 24th Armored Division wants to attack the north of the factory, it will take as long as three hours?" After Guriev asked this question, he deliberately paused and waited for Zalijiuk to give himself an accurate answer.
"That's right, comrade of the division commander." Zalijiuk nodded and said, "If the German army really regarded the north of the factory as a breakthrough, then in just three hours or less, their armored divisions could launch an attack on the assembly workshop."
"The 120th Guards Regiment left a battalion," Guriev stared at the map for a while, and then decisively issued an order: "The other two battalions rushed to the assembly workshop immediately to strengthen the defense there."
Guriev's words shocked Zalijuk, and he quickly reminded the other party: "Comrade Commander, you cannot transfer the 120th Guards Regiment. In addition to sticking to the main entrance of the factory, this regiment's mission must also reinforce the 112th and 117th Regiments that are stuck in the residential area in critical moments. If they are transferred, what can we use to support the troops that are stuck in the residential area?"
"Didn't I leave a battalion?" Seeing Zalijiuk's thrust into the ground, Guriev said impatiently: "If the defenders in the residential area need support, just transfer the battalion. But if the defense in the assembly workshop is not strengthened, once the German army rushes into the factory area, we will not be able to escape the fate of being surrounded."
Seeing that Guriyev was so stubborn, Zalijiuk knew that there would be no result if he continued to persuade him. He could only say, "Okay, comrade Commander, since you have made a decision, I will arrange the troops to be transferred immediately."
Before Zalijiuk arranged the troops to be transferred, a call for help came in. The commander of the 112th Regiment said anxiously: "Comrade Commander, the situation here is not good. The German army has occupied seven or eight buildings in a row. If you do not send people to reinforce us and drive the enemy out of these buildings, they will gain a foothold there."
Zalijuk did not dare to make a decision without authorization for the request of the 112th Regiment. He could only look at Guriyev for help, hoping to get useful information from him. Fortunately, Guriyev also knew that the residential area was lost, so the enemy could rush straight into the factory gate. A fierce battle was inevitable. He thought for a while and said, "Comrade Chief of Staff, the residential area is in an emergency. You can temporarily put it aside for strengthening the defense of the assembly workshop. You can first draw a battalion from the 120th Regiment and go to support the 112th Regiment."
"Okay!" Seeing that Guriev agreed to send reinforcements to the 112th Regiment, Zalijuk agreed loudly, and then said to the microphone: "Comrade Colonel, don't worry, the division commander will send troops to reinforce you immediately. You must keep an eye on it, and you must not let the Germans continue to move forward."
After putting down the phone, Zalijiuk was about to discuss with Guriyev again to see if he would not send so many troops to strengthen the assembly workshop. No matter what, there were nearly a thousand armed personnel there. As long as the factory was used as a fortification, he would still be very sure to block the enemy's attack.
Just as Zalijuk was about to start speaking, a communications officer came over and handed a message he had just received to Zalijuk. After reading it, an incredible expression appeared on his face. Guriev saw his expression and asked curiously: "Chief of Staff, is there anything wrong?"
Chapter completed!