Chapter 757

After akhromeyev left, I continued to stand by the wall, staring at the map on the wall. I pondered bitterly: the city of Stalingrad has become a pot of porridge, but the mamayevgang in the north of the city is calm. What kind of medicine does the German gourd sell?

After all, kirilov is not a military officer, and military is not his strong point. So after saying hello to me, he went out to find oberstein to learn about the division's political and ideological work.

Bantaileiev came up to me. After a moment's silence, he suddenly said, "Sir, I have a very bold guess. Is it because of their insufficient strength that the enemy keeps on the defensive at mamayev post?"

All of a sudden, I was dazzled by Bantai leiev, and I didn't know how to answer. Because his problem was beyond my expectation. I thought that the enemy was really accumulating strength in order to attack suddenly when we were unprepared and seize the mamayev post we were holding fast to. Now I hear Bantai leiev speculate that the enemy's failure to attack may be due to the shortage of troops. If he is not my deputy, he may be scolded by me because of this shocking speculation.

I wanted to ask him: "do you know that in front of us, there are three German infantry divisions, one of which is the 44th infantry division, occupying 107.5 heights on the left side of the mamayev post?" But when I thought that Bantai leiev was a commander with more than 20 years of military service, his analysis must have some truth. Therefore, I tried to calm myself down and patiently asked him with an open mind: "Comrade deputy division commander, what is the basis for you to say that the enemy forces in front of our division are insufficient?"

"According to it, there must be, sir." Bantaileiev confidently replied to me: "that night, as soon as the second regiment attacked, it only took the spear company in the front to catch fire with the enemy. After only a few shots, the enemy, who had attacked the Soviet Street fiercely, retreated to the 107.5 highland, and nothing happened until today. There are also German forward positions in the front of the fourth regiment. After careful observation these days, I found that except for the daily small patrols, there are almost no people in the trenches. "

"Comrade deputy division commander, is that what you infer?" Listening to what he said, I also thought that he said that this kind of possibility might exist, so his tone was much more relaxed, "but speculation is not enough. We need to find out the preparation and distribution of the German forces around us, so that we can make a targeted combat plan."

I was talking with bantaileiev when ahlomeyev came to us and respectfully reported, "Comrade division commander, I have arranged the reconnaissance troops for the evening. I will leave as soon as it gets dark."

After listening to akhromeyev's mention of the reconnaissance forces, I couldn't help asking: "Comrade chief of staff, how many reconnaissance teams have you sent? Which directions are they responsible for?"

Akhromeyev did not know why I asked, but answered me mistily: "I only sent a reconnaissance team composed of five commanders and fighters. Their main task is to investigate the strength of the German front positions."

"Not enough. A reconnaissance unit is not enough." At the moment, I can't judge whether bantailiev's conjecture is accurate or not, so I can only place the hope of finding out the enemy's situation on the reconnaissance team that will be sent after dark, "add two more teams, one to the northwest to find out the defense situation of the 44th German division; One boat went down the Volga and went round to the rear of the 113th German division for reconnaissance

Akhromeyev knew my character very well. After listening to my order, he just nodded and replied briefly, "OK, sir, I'll arrange it now."

Bantailiev looked at akhromeyev who came to razumeyeva and contacted the outside world through the telephone. He said with some worry: "Comrade division commander, after the first regiment was transferred, although we still have three regiments, the total strength is less than 3000. This might be enough for defense; If we want to take any initiative against the enemy, our forces will be seriously insufficient. "

After listening to the deputy division commander's words, I couldn't help sighing a long time, saying that there was more than a shortage of troops. As transportation on the Volga River became more and more difficult, even the ammunition of the troops became tense, so that we had to give orders to the troops to let the commanders and fighters save ammunition in the battle.

We need to find a way to supplement the shortage of troops. However, trikov's military strength is also seriously insufficient, otherwise they would not have taken away my full regiment. As for the reinforcements from the East Bank of the Volga River, priority must be given to replenishing the front-line troops with serious war losses, and we will certainly not be considered. Now, the only way we can replenish our troops is to learn to gather up the scattered stragglers and the residents who have not had time to leave, and train them into a combat force in the shortest time.

He made up his mind and was about to discuss with bantailiev when akhromeyev came over from the phone and handed me a telegram after he reported to me about the reconnaissance troops.

I took the telegram and glanced at it. It said: "the independent division will be transferred to the headquarters of the 62nd group army. Comrade manuilski from Moscow will cross the Volga River in the early morning of the 17th and go to Stalingrad for inspection. Please do a good job in reception. Khrushchev, member of the military committee of the Stalingrad front army. "

Manuilski, after I read this strange name, I threw the telegram on the table and planned to tell bantailiev and akhromeyev about my plan to supplement the troops. After hearing the name of manuilsky, Bantai leiev rushed to the table, grabbed the telegram and read it quickly. Then he was surprised and said, "my God, comrade manuilsky will come to Stalingrad tomorrow. That's not good, sir. You should call the headquarters of the front army immediately, Let them stop manuilsky from coming to the city. " Seeing Bantai leiev's expression, I said with some displeasure, "Comrade deputy division commander, who is this comrade manuilsky, who is worthy of your being so nervous?"“ Who is talking about Comrade manuilsky? " Suddenly kirilov's voice came from behind us. Seeing his appearance, Bantai leiev quickly walked towards him holding the telegram paper. When he handed it to him, he said nervously: "Comrade political commissar, please have a look at the telegram you just received." After reading the telegram quickly, kirilov also said in a fuss: "God, I didn't read it wrong. It's really manuilsky coming!" I just wanted to ask who manuilsky was and why they were so impolite when they heard his name. Kirilov had already asked Bantai leiev: "Comrade deputy division commander, how long has this telegram been received?" Akhromeyev replied: "the report, comrade political commissar, was just received two minutes ago." Kirilov seemed to be dizzy. Even I didn't care to say a word to him, so I directly gave orders to akhromeyev: "Comrade chief of staff, please immediately send a message to the front army headquarters in the name of the independent division and tell the military commissar, comrade Khrushchev, that manuilsky is a famous figure in the party. We can't let him risk his own life. In the heavy shelling and bombing of the enemy, he may have died when crossing the Volga River. Even if he's alive, we can't let him go to the army. " Seeing that akhromeyev promised to go to lazumeyeva to send a message, I quickly raised my hand to stop him and asked strangely, "chief of staff, please wait a moment." Then I turned my eyes to kirilov and bantailiev, and asked in a hurry, "political commissar and deputy division commander, who can tell me what is sacred about this comrade manuilsky? It's worth your fuss. No matter how important his identity is, can he be more important than the commander of the front army? Since general yelomienko can come to the city, why can't he come to the city? " As soon as I spoke, the expressions on kirilov's and bandeliev's faces immediately changed. They stared at me with strange eyes, as if they were looking at a monster from an alien planet. After a long time, kirilov asked tentatively, "Comrade oshanina, don't you know who manuilsky is?" When I heard kirilov's question, I said that I had never heard of the name. How could I know who he was. So he shrugged his shoulders, shook his head and said, "yes, comrade political commissar, I don't know this comrade manuilsky from Moscow. Do you know his identity? Is he a very important person?" After listening to my reply, kirilov raised his hand and slapped himself on the forehead. He said to himself, "my God, I can't believe that there are still people who don't know who Comrade manuilski is." Standing beside me, akhromeyev explained bitterly: "Mr. Ma nuilski is the representative of the Executive Committee of our party in the Communist International, and also an important leader." Akhromeyev's explanation made me blush with shame. It's a pity that I've been here for more than a year, and I don't even know such an important leader. Thinking of this, I quickly raised my hand to akhromeyev and told him, "in this case, comrade chief of staff, don't delay and send the telegram to the headquarters of the front army immediately." After akhromeyev left, in order to hide his embarrassment, I quickly said to kirilov and bantailiev, "political commissar and deputy division commander, please come here, let's study how to supplement the troops."