Chapter 1426

Early the next morning, rokosovsky called me. He asked with concern, "Rita, what are your troops doing now? Have you started building the fortifications?"

"Yes, Comrade General." Hearing his question, I immediately replied respectfully, "I have ordered the two commanders of the 22nd and 23rd armies of the guards to deploy one division each to build fortifications in the north of the city."

"What, one division each?" When I said that, rokosovsky raised his voice and asked, "what's the matter with you? It is clear that there are eight divisions, as well as tank troops and so many artillery troops. Why only two divisions are deployed to build fortifications? What about the rest of the troops? What are they doing? "

I know rokosovsky's character. If I interrupt him when he is talking, he will be furious, so I listen to his rebuke quietly. After he finished, I said, "senior general, please listen to me. Although only two divisions were building fortifications, the rest were not idle. Most of them help the residents clean up the ruins in the city and build temporary houses for them to spend the winter; For the other part, I will send them to assist the railway workers you sent to repair the railway damaged by the German army, so that the railway traffic in the rear can be restored this morning. "

After listening to my explanation, rokosovsky was silent for a moment, and then asked, "it's right to help the residents rebuild their homes, but have you put in too many troops? If you don't finish the fortification as soon as possible, you will be very passive once the German army goes south

"Don't worry, senior general. I know this well." In order to prevent rokosovsky from forcibly ordering me to deploy more troops to build useless fortifications, I specially explained: "the enemy has just suffered a disastrous defeat and will not take the initiative to attack us in the short term. Secondly, there are already ready-made fortifications outside the cities of moziri and kalinkovic. Our troops only need to reinforce and perfect these fortifications, and there is no need to send too many troops to them. "

"The Germans are not reconciled to their failure." After listening to what I said, rokosovsky said in a discontented tone: "how do you know that they will not go south in the near future and compete with you again for moziri and kalinkovic? You know, after our army captured Kiev, it was because we belittled the enemy and did not pursue the victory. As a result, the German counterattack appeared passive everywhere at the beginning, so that the German almost occupied the city again. "

I happened to be a participant in what rokosovsky said. Because he found it difficult to stop the German army's counterattack, vatukin was once idle by Stalin, and was replaced by rokosovsky when he came. Until the whole war situation improved, vatukin was able to return to his position as commander.

However, at one time and another, when our army captured Kiev, it failed to eliminate the main German forces, so they could carry out a crazy counter attack. Today, the situation in moziri kalinkovic is quite different. First, our army has accumulated a lot of troops here. Second, there is no strategic value here. The German army does not invest too many troops here.

After waiting for rokosovsky to finish, I explained in detail what I thought in my heart, and finally said: "senior general, in addition to the reason I just mentioned, it's because the new year is coming and the German Christmas is coming. They think they are thinking about the festival now; In addition, the weather is getting colder and colder, and it's not suitable for the movement of the big Corps. That's why I dare to predict boldly that the Germans will not attack us in the short term. "

"Oh, it's almost new year!" After I reminded him that new year's day, the most important festival in Russia, was coming. After a pause, rokosovsky said, "it seems that I want the logistics department to deliver more supplies to you, so that the commanders and soldiers and the residents of the city can have a happy new year."

When I heard that rokosovsky was going to prepare new year's gifts for you, I couldn't help arousing my curiosity. Then I asked, "Comrade General, I don't know what you are going to provide for us?"

"Mainly chocolate, beef, pork and flour." Rokosovsky, after saying that he was going to deliver the goods to us, specially explained, "chocolate is an indispensable gift for the new year. Beef and pork are for you to make dumplings. It's new year's day. How can soldiers and residents have a meal of Siberian Dumplings? "

"Thank you, thank you, senior general." I was overjoyed to hear that rokosovsky was going to send us so many good things. I expressed my gratitude to him.

When I put down the phone, kirilov next to me asked tentatively, "Rita, does Comrade rokosovsky say that he is going to provide us with the materials we need for the new year?"

"Yes, comrade military Commissar." I said to him with a smile, "the senior general said that chocolate and meat were included in the supplies provided for us. Let everyone have chocolate and authentic Siberian Dumplings in the new year. "

"Siberian Dumplings." When akhromeyev heard what I said, he couldn't help interrupting: "the last time I ate dumplings was in the battle of Stalingrad. How time flies! More than a year has passed in a flash. "

I looked down at kirilov and said to him, "Comrade military commissar, you are solely responsible for making dumplings. You should make sure that all people can eat dumplings." At this point, I stopped and tried to recall in my mind the Siberian Dumplings that kirilov had introduced to me before, adding, "I remember you once said that dumplings must be frozen before cooking. Freezing before cooking makes dumplings juicy and delicious, so everyone likes to eat them. Also, dumplings are usually cooked in chicken or beef soup, and they are eaten with sour cream

"That's right, that's right," kirilov said with a smile. "You have a good memory, Rita. You remember what I've said for so long."

Chisgakov stood up and asked me to take the initiative, saying: "Comrade commander, there are only a few days left before the new year. In order to make every resident in the city and our soldiers eat chocolate and dumplings on time, I ask you to let me supervise the repair work of the railway. Only by resuming the railway transportation between us and the rear can we transport the rear materials to us more quickly. "

I am very satisfied with the initiative of chisgakov. As long as he takes the initiative, I believe the speed of railway repair can be greatly improved. So I nodded and told him, "well, comrade deputy commander, I'll give you full responsibility for railway repair. It's better to finish before the 29th or the 30th, otherwise it's estimated that the materials will not be met on time. "

"Don't worry, comrade commander." "We have sent so many troops to cooperate with the railway workers that we believe we can complete the project within the time limit you set," he assured me

Seeing the figure of chisjakov's departure, I suddenly thought that I had forgotten one thing. I said to kirilov, "Comrade military commissar, I have forgotten one important thing."

"What's the matter?" Kirilov looked a little nervous when he saw my serious face.

"Well," I said to kirilov, pointing to the map in front of me, "although we have occupied the cities of moziri and kalinkovich, we still don't know how many residents there are in the city. If we don't figure out the number of people, I'm afraid there will be mistakes when distributing materials. "

"That's what you're worried about!" After kirilov found out what I was worried about, he said with a relaxed expression: "I've organized people to check the population of the two cities these two days, and then I can get accurate data."

"You can't be busy by yourself." Although kirilov was able to get the assistance of the personnel sent by the divisions when he arrived in the city, I didn't trust him to go alone, so I specially said, "I'll send you another assistant."

Kirilov didn't refuse my kindness. Instead, he nodded in silence. Then he sat by and waited patiently for me to assign his deputy.

My eyes first fell on bzikov. As soon as he saw that I was looking at him, he quickly stepped forward two steps and said, "Comrade commander, let me finish this task."

I thought about it, then shook my head and said, "no, comrade chief of staff, although I believe in your ability, you are not the right person. You have more important things to do in the headquarters, so you can't be sent."

"Who is the right person to send?" Asked bezikov, who was refused by me.

After scanning the room, my eyes fell on akhromeyev, who was standing not far away. I pointed to him and said, "I plan to send major akhromeyev. He has been working with comrades of the military commissar for a long time. I believe they will cooperate with each other."

"That's right," kirilov said, turning his head to ahlomeyev. "The major is a commander I am very familiar with. He has been cooperating very well since we worked together. Therefore, if he accompanies me in this demographic survey, I will certainly achieve very ideal results."

"Commander, military commissar," akhromeyev walked two steps in front of us, and then said, "there is a suitable candidate. If she is added in, I believe this task will be completed easily."

"Who is it?" Kirilov and I asked in unison when we heard akhromeyev say so.

Akhromeyev turned and pointed to the position where the operators were gathering, and said, "here she is, Captain razumeyeva. I believe with her, our work will get twice the result with half the effort."

When I heard that the candidate recommended by akhromeyev was razumeyeva, I immediately agreed without hesitation: "I agree. Comrade military commissar, what's your opinion? "

Kirilov took a look at razumeyeva's position, nodded and said, "I don't mind. With major akhromeyev and captain razumeyeva as my deputy, I will be able to complete the urban population survey in the shortest time. "

When I spoke with rokosovsky, I said that it would be more than enough to send only two divisions to build fortifications. But I know in my heart that although the work of urban construction and traffic restoration is important, the fortifications outside the city that are being strengthened and improved are still the top priority.

Fortifications are a barrier to protect the safety of the city. If the fortifications can not be strengthened and improved before the German army goes south, the two cities will be in danger of being captured by the German army. So when kirilov left with akhromeyev, I called bezikov in front of him and asked him, "chief of staff, how is the progress of the construction of fortifications around the two cities?" When he heard my question, bzikov was obviously stunned, because when he heard me talking to rokosovsky not long ago, he said with full assurance that the German army could never go south in a short time. At this time, I suddenly asked about the construction of the fortifications, which was obviously in contradiction with what I had just said. So he hesitated for a long time before he tentatively asked me, "Comrade commander, are you asking me about the construction of fortifications outside the two cities?"“ Yes, I am When I saw that he was still at a loss, I added: "although the possibility of German going south in the short term is very small, it is always right for us to take preventive measures in advance." After completing the confirmation work, bezikov pointed to the map and introduced to me: "Comrade commander, the 77th division of the guards of major general askarebov is currently building fortifications in the north of moziri City, and they are the ones with the least casualties in the early fighting; Outside the city of kalinkovich, the fortifications were built by the 51st guard division of Colonel shejerikov. According to the reports they provided, the officers and men of the two divisions have restored the damaged barbed wire in front of the position. At present, they are sending engineers to take out the mines laid by the German army and prepare to bury them in new areas. " After listening to bezikov's report, I thought that a few days ago, when barksov called me for barbed wire and mines, he was scolded by me and reminded him that he could use the original German things to build defensive barriers in front of the position. I didn't expect that the two divisions who are now in charge of building fortifications can actually make use of German minefields and barbed wire without any teachers and without reaching out to me for things. On second thought, however, it is not enough to rely on the remnants of the German army. So I raised my head and said to bzikov, "chief of staff, in order to ensure the establishment of a solid defense system on the outskirts of the city, as soon as the barbed wire and mines supplied by our superiors arrive, they will be allocated to these two divisions."