red moscow

Chapter 3051

Sokov, who was staying in the city hall, also heard that the artillery fire from the north of the city had become sparse. He even went to the window, raised his binoculars and looked towards the north of the city to see if the shelling there had stopped.

After making a phone call, Zhuravlev walked over to Sokov, raised his binoculars and looked into the distance, saying, "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, what's going on? Why is the enemy's artillery fire becoming sparse? Are they about to stop their artillery barrage?"

“I don’t think so,” Sokov said, shaking his head. “If the enemy’s artillery preparation was to end, it would stop at the same time. How could the artillery fire just become sparse? Look, the artillery fire in the middle section has basically stopped, only the artillery fire on the flanks is still continuing, as if their artillery positions have been hit by some unexpected attack.”

“Yes, it’s quite strange.” Zhuravlev said with a frown, “The German artillery fire suddenly became sparse, but during this period, I didn’t see my army group’s artillery counterattacking them. What’s going on?”

The telephone on the table rang. A staff officer picked up the receiver, listened for a moment, and then shouted to Zhuravlev, who was standing by the window, "Comrade Brigade Commander, your call is from the Commander."

Upon learning that it was Vlasov calling, Zhuravlev quickly walked over and took the receiver from the staff officer: "This is Colonel Zhuravlev! Comrade Commander, what are your instructions for calling?"

"Is the enemy still shelling the north of the city?"

"Yes, the enemy is still shelling the north of the city." Zhuravlev finished his brief report and said with some doubt, "But the situation is a bit strange now."

"Something's strange. How so?"

"Although the enemy's shelling of the north of the city is still ongoing, only the artillery fire on the flanks is continuing. The central area, which was originally under the most intense bombardment, has now become quiet, as if the German artillery targeting this area has suffered some kind of attack from an unknown source."

After listening to Zhuravlev's words, Vlasov chuckled and said, "Comrade Colonel, you're right. The reason why the German artillery fire bombarding the north of the city has weakened is indeed because it has been attacked by us."

"Ah, the enemy's artillery fire has weakened. Has it been attacked by our army?" Zhuravlev asked in surprise. "But I didn't detect any of our artillery in any direction. How did they manage to strike the enemy's artillery positions?"

“If they didn’t notice, that’s good.” Vlasov didn’t keep Zhuravlev in suspense any longer, but told him the truth: “Two days ago, Lieutenant Colonel Sokov’s infantry brigade captured two 300mm railway guns that the Germans were preparing to use to shell the city of Moscow at a passing station near the village of Kamenka. I just had the artillerymen in charge of the railway guns fire two shots at the enemy’s artillery positions, following the guidance of the artillery observers at the front.”

"What? You ordered the railway guns to fire on the German artillery positions?" After a brief moment of astonishment, Zhuravlev smiled knowingly. "No wonder the enemy's artillery fire stopped immediately; it was the railway guns that did the trick."

Sokov, who was standing by the window, heard Zhuravlev mention "railway guns," and quickly put down his binoculars, turned around and walked to Zhuravlev's side, asking in a low voice, "Comrade Colonel, what railway guns?"

"Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, do you think the enemy's artillery fire became sparse?" After asking this question, before Sokov could answer, Zhuravlev continued, "It turns out that the commander used the railway guns captured by your infantry brigade to bombard the German artillery positions, causing them considerable losses."

"So it was General Vlasov who used the railway guns to bombard the German artillery positions. No wonder the enemy's artillery fire became sparse," Sokov said with satisfaction. "It seems that the power of these railway guns is indeed quite considerable."

"Colonel, is Misha with you?" Vlasov's voice came through the receiver: "Let him answer the phone."

Sokov took the microphone from Zhuravlev and asked in a businesslike tone, "Hello, Comrade General! What are your instructions?"

"Can't I just have a casual chat with you?" Vlasov said with a hint of displeasure. "You don't look down on me, your former superior, just because you've become a brigade commander and received the rank of lieutenant colonel, do you?"

"No, Comrade General, please let me explain... no, please let me explain."

"Alright, alright, stop explaining. I was just joking." Vlasov's tone changed, and he asked, "Misha, after your unit completes its handover, it will be deployed to other operational areas. Your performance on the battlefield during this time has given me a deeper understanding of you. As your former superior, I want to ask you a question." "What is it?" Sokov asked in return, secretly wondering if Vlasov wanted him to become his subordinate again.
What I feared most was exactly what happened. Vlasov asked, "Misha, I just want to ask you, are you willing to become my subordinate again?"

Upon hearing Vlasov's question, Sokov inwardly cursed: "Applying to become your subordinate again? That's like an old man hanging himself—wanting to die. In just over six months, you'll be a German prisoner, the highest-ranking traitor among the prisoners of war. As his subordinate, even if I manage to escape the German encirclement, I'll likely be labeled a Vlasov follower, subjected to investigation and screening, and my future will be ruined, with no chance of recovery."

After figuring this out, Sokov said tactfully, "Comrade General, thank you for your kindness, but I think I'm fine staying in the 16th Army now, and there's no need to go to another unit."

Vlasov probably never dreamed that his trusted subordinate would reject his offer. He couldn't help but raise his voice and ask, "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, are you really not going to seriously consider my proposal? If you come with me, with your outstanding performance on the battlefield, I can guarantee you that you will become a general in two years at most."

Becoming a general?! Sokov sneered inwardly: What kind of general is he? A general who betrays his country? I wouldn't take such a position even if it were given to me for free.

"Comrade General! I have made up my mind. I do not want to leave the 16th Army Group for the time being."

“Alright, since you insist, I won’t force you.” Vlasov said, though he was filled with regret, “Misha, if you ever change your mind and want to come to my unit, just give me a call, and I will still welcome you.”

"Okay, okay, Comrade General," Sokov replied perfunctorily. "If I change my mind in the future, I will definitely call you immediately."

Standing to the side, Zhuravlev waited for Sokov to put down the phone and asked with some confusion, "Lieutenant Colonel, I don't understand. Since you are the commander's old subordinate, and he values ​​you so much, even taking the initiative to invite you to stay in the 20th Army, why did you refuse him?"

Sokov could not possibly tell Zhuravlev that Vlasov would be captured by the Germans and betray them in a few months, and that if he continued to follow him, even if he did not want to go along with them, he would probably be implicated and would not have a good end.

"Comrade Colonel!" Sokov said perfunctorily, "I think I'm doing quite well in the 16th Army now. General Rokossovsky values ​​me highly, otherwise he wouldn't have let me command an infantry brigade alone and be responsible for the defense of key areas."

Seeing that Sokov seemed determined not to stay in the 20th Army, Zhuravlev didn't press the issue further and instead changed the subject to the current battle situation: "Lieutenant Colonel, do you think the enemy will launch an attack on the city after their shelling ends?"

“I think that’s for sure,” Sokov said with a serious expression. “If they didn’t want to take any action against Sun Mountain, how could they possibly use such heavy artillery fire to bombard the positions north of the city? Therefore, as soon as the enemy’s shelling ends, we must order the troops to immediately take up their respective combat positions and prepare to engage the enemy.”

"With the enemy's artillery fire so intense, the only remaining section of the city wall on the north side has probably already collapsed." Speaking of the north side of the city, Zhuravlev suddenly said with emotion, "That was a city wall built in the 17th century. It's such a pity that it was destroyed in the war."

“Yes, it is indeed a pity that such a precious ancient building was destroyed by gunfire,” Sokov sighed. “However, in order to defend our great motherland, it is entirely worth it, no matter how great the price, let alone a 17th-century building.”

“You’re right.” Zhuravlev agreed with Sokov’s statement: “Although our army has launched a large-scale counter-offensive, there is still much to be done in order to completely defeat the enemy and make them flee our country in such a sorry state as Napoleon’s army did back then.”

"Comrade Colonel!" Sokov thought that now only his infantry brigade and Zhuravlev's 35th Brigade were in the city. If no new troops were to be stationed there, Zhuravlev would be left alone once he withdrew. So he quickly reminded Zhuravlev, "Our brigade will be withdrawing from the city soon. Before that, you have two things to do."

"What two things?"

"First, we need to get General Vlasov to get the 64th Infantry Brigade into the city as soon as possible to strengthen the city's defenses," Sokov said. "Second, we need to get Colonel Valev to send troops to attack the settlements outside the city, so that the enemy cannot concentrate all their forces to attack the city."

“Yes, you’re right.” Zhuravlev nodded. “Let’s do it your way.”

(End of this chapter)