"What, comrade brigade commander, what did you say?" Vasia on the other end of the phone said gritting her teeth: "Spiegelsky is a shameful deserter. When he escaped, he pushed the eighth squad leader down the hillside, which directly led to his sacrifice?"

"This is what Corporal Chivaryag told me." Sokov knew that Vasia had many doubts in his heart, so he took the initiative to say: "He has escaped from danger and has woken up. When I went to visit him, he told me in detail what happened on the position at that time."

Vasia was silent for a long time, then asked carefully: "Comrade Brigade Commander, what are you going to deal with Spinach Ski?"

"I originally planned to send him to the military court for trial," Sokov said this, glanced at Karsokov who was standing next to him and continued, "But my chief of staff told me that such a person is not qualified to go to the military court, so I plan to hand him over to you for disposal."

"I understand, comrade comrade commander." Vasia understood the subtitle of Sokov's words and quickly said, "I will send someone to the field hospital to bring the person back."

"Well, that's it." Sokov specifically instructed Vasia before hanging up the phone: "Remember to send someone to closely monitor the enemy's movements. If you find something wrong, report it immediately!"

"Yes, comrade comrade commander." Vasia replied loudly.

After Belkin and Sokov put down the phone, he immediately asked: "Comrade Brigade Commander, do you really think the Germans would choose the fourth battalion position as a breakthrough?"

"This is very obvious, comrade of the deputy brigade commander." Seeing that Belkin was still struggling with this, Sokov said unhappily: "I have just said that the Germans gathered so many tanks, armored vehicles and soldiers in the forest in front of the fourth battalion's position, which is definitely not for decoration. If there is no attack today, it does not mean that we will not attack tomorrow. We will prepare in advance so that the enemy will not be caught off guard."

"Comrade Brigade Commander, I have an idea, I don't know whether to say it or not," said Karsokov.

"What do you think, let me hear it."

"Since we know that the enemy is gathering armored forces in the forest in front of the Fourth Battalion's position, why not use artillery fire to strike the area?"

After hearing what Karsokov said, Berkin couldn't help but lit up, and then turned to Sokov and said, "Comrade Brigade Commander, I think the Chief of Staff's proposal is good. Instead of waiting passively for the enemy to attack, it is better to take the initiative and launch artillery attacks in advance in the area where the enemy gathers."

I have to say that in that moment, Sokov almost agreed to Karsokov's proposal directly. But after thinking about it, he denied the other party's proposal: "No, we cannot launch artillery bombardment on the areas where the enemy gathers."

"Why?" the two asked in confusion.

Sokov clearly remembers that in July 1943, the Soviet army interrogated the prisoners and learned that the German army would launch the "Fortress Operation" at 5:30 on the 5th. Zhukov and Huasilevsky, with the authorization of the Supreme Command, launched an anti-preparatory shelling code-named "Prelude" code-named "Prelude". To this end, the Soviet army used more than 3,000 artillery pieces of various caliber to carry out violent shelling towards the area where the enemy gathered.

Although the shelling delayed the German attack for seven hours and forced Model to modify the attack axis and moved the main attack direction 4.7 kilometers southward, the enemy's main force was not damaged. In the next few days of battle, they still defeated the Soviet army, which relied on solid fortifications to defend and had the advantage of troops, and retreated step by step until the main force of Konev's grassland front army was put into the battlefield, and the situation on the battlefield was completely reversed.

With a general understanding of the enemy's assembly area, the Soviet army used a large number of artillery to carry out artillery bombardment, but it was not possible to hurt the enemy. Sokov didn't think that the dozens of artillery in his hand could cause severe damage to the enemy lurking in the forest. Therefore, facing the two questions, he explained: "Deputy Brigade Commander and Chief of Staff, we only know that there are enemies in the forest in front of the Fourth Battalion position, but we don't know their specific location. Just the dozens of artillery in our hand, it is impossible to cover the forest with the dozens of artillery in our hand. Moreover, after the shelling begins, it may be countered by the enemy's artillery. Once our artillery is consumed in vain, how can we fight the next battle?"

Belkin and Karsokov looked at each other, their eyes full of helplessness, but there was no way. They knew very well that Sokov was telling the truth. Even if they ordered the two artillery battalions to fire at the same time, it would be basically impossible to destroy the German armored troops in the vast forest with dozens of artillery pieces. Even if they were not countered by the enemy artillery, they would probably consume all the limited shells.

After understanding this, Belkin said with a bitter face: "Comrade Brigade Commander, then we can only wait for the enemy to attack."

"That's right, that's all." Sokov considered that the security of the flank of the defense zone was under the responsibility of Belkin, so he reminded him: "Comrade Deputy Brigade Commander, if, what I mean, if, after the geothermal attacks the position of the Fourth Battalion, you should not easily join the reserve team." He was worried that Belkin did not understand his intentions, and he also emphasized specifically, "In order to break through the position of the Fourth Battalion as soon as possible, the enemy may still bombard and bomb the position of the Fourth Battalion. If the reserve team enters the position too early, they will suffer huge losses."

"Then I'll go back to the reserve team later," said Belkin. "I feel uneasy if I don't go there and keep an eye on it myself."

Sokov nodded and reminded the other party: "Comrade Deputy Brigade Commander, be careful and be sure to come back alive!"

Belkin grinned and said, "Don't worry, comrade brigade commander, the bullet that can kill me has not been made yet."

Sokov's smile froze on his face: This seems to be my line, why did you say it first?

...

The next morning, Sokov, who was sleeping, was awakened by the rumbling cannons coming from afar.

He sat up, rubbed his eyes, and asked, "What's going on? Where did the sound of cannons come from?"

"Comrade Brigade Commander," the newly appointed clerk Romanlov came over and reported to Sokov: "The sound of artillery came from the southwest of the defense zone. The Chief of Staff judged that what happened to the Fourth Battalion."

When he learned that there might be something wrong with the direction of the Fourth Battalion, Sokov immediately stood up, walked to the table barefoot, looking at Karsokov who was on the phone, and listening to what he was saying.

"...Leave a few observation posts, and the rest hide in anti-aircraft holes to reduce casualties in artillery attacks. Remember, once the enemy is found to launch a ground attack, report to the brigade department in time."

Sokov waited for Karsokov to put down his microphone and asked impatiently: "Is the fourth battalion's position being bombarded by the enemy?"

"Yes, comrade comrade commander."

"Is the entire Fourth Battalion's defense zone being shelled, or is it only the high ground being shelled?"

"The entire defense zone of the Fourth Battalion was subjected to violent shelling." Karsokov replied: "I have followed your order to leave Major Vasia with a few observation posts, and the rest of the soldiers entered the anti-cannon hole to avoid shelling."

Sokov nodded: "After the shelling is over, the enemy may launch a ground attack."

As soon as he finished speaking, the phone ringing on the table rang. He thought the phone was called by Major Vasha, so he quickly grabbed the microphone and stuck it in his ear: "I am Sokov!"

"Comrade Brigade Commander." Unexpectedly, Belkin's voice came from the receiver: "The enemy launched a fierce shelling on the fourth battalion's position. Now not only is the entire defense area of ​​the fourth battalion covered by gunpowder and fire, but even the edge of the forest where the reserve team was hiding, shells fell from time to time. It seems that the enemy really intends to break through from the direction of the fourth battalion."

The enemy may have made a breakthrough from the Fourth Battalion defense zone, which was already under Sokov's expectations. What he did not expect was that the German artillery shells hit the edge of the forest a few hundred meters behind the Fourth Battalion's position. He was worried that the reserve team hidden here would suffer from the disaster, so he quickly ordered Belkin: "Comrade Deputy Brigade Commander, you should retreat with the reserve team now. You must try to stay away from the artillery area as much as possible to avoid unnecessary losses to the troops."

"What, let the reserve team retreat?" Belkin said in surprise: "If we are too far from the fourth battalion's position, if they need reinforcements, it will probably be too late."

"Comrade Deputy Brigade Commander, if the troops are allowed to enter the position with the enemy's artillery fire, they will be allowed to die." Sokov said to the microphone: "Don't worry that the reserve team is too far from the defense zone of the Fourth Battalion. Even if the enemy temporarily occupy part of the position of the Fourth Battalion, it is nothing great. In order to prevent accidental injuries, their artillery fire will definitely stop. At that time, you can put the reserve team into battle and take back the lost position from the enemy's hands."

After hearing this, Belkin hesitated for a moment, then said, "Okay, comrade brigade commander, I obey your order and immediately take the reserve team to retreat!"

Seeing Sokov put down the phone, Karsokov, who was standing beside him, opened his mouth, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he didn't say it.

Sokov saw Karsokov's expression but stopped, and guessed that he might have something to say, so he took the initiative to ask: "Comrade Chief of Staff, do you have anything to say?"

"Comrade Brigade Commander, do you need to provide artillery support to the Fourth Battalion when the enemy attacks the Fourth Battalion's position?"

"Don't worry." Sokov waved his hand and said: "After the enemy's shelling is over, a tentative attack may be launched. If we expose our true strength too early, then in the next battle, the enemy will adjust the attack deployment, thus losing our advantage."

"So, in the early stage of the enemy's attack, we cannot provide artillery support to the Fourth Battalion for the time being?"

"That's right." Sokov said: "When the enemy thinks our defenders do not have any heavy weapons, don't worry about putting the main force gathered in the forest into battle. If we use artillery, we can cause huge losses to them."

The enemy's shelling of the fourth battalion's positions lasted for an hour before it came to an abrupt end. Just as Sokov secretly breathed a sigh of relief and wanted to call Vasia and ask him to count the losses, the roar of the aircraft engine came from the air.

Hearing the roar that was getting closer and closer, Karsokov's face changed suddenly. He screamed inwardly: "No, the enemy is ready to bomb the fourth battalion's positions."

Sokov frowned. As soon as the one-hour shelling ended, he dispatched another plane to bomb. It seemed that the Germans were bound to break through the fourth battalion position.

He picked up the phone on the table and was about to call Vasia, but found that there was no sound in the earpiece.

Seeing that Sokov held the microphone and did not speak, Karsokov quickly took the microphone over and listened for a while, and then said to Sokov: "Comrade Brigade Commander, the phone line must have been blown up. I immediately asked the correspondents to repair the line."

When Karsokov ran to the door of the tent and ordered people to call the correspondents, Sokov contacted Belkin by phone: "Comrade Deputy Brigade Commander, I am Sokov."

"Comrade Brigade Commander." After hearing Sokov's voice, Belkin said anxiously: "More than 20 German bombers appeared in the sky. It seems that they are preparing to bomb the fourth battalion position."

"I heard the sound of enemy aircraft formations." Sokov was most concerned about the current situation of the Fourth Battalion, and asked quickly: "How is the situation of the Fourth Battalion?"

After hearing this, Belkin was stunned and then asked back: "Why, have you not contacted Major Vasia?"

"The telephone line was blown off, and I can't contact the Fourth Battalion for the time being."

After figuring out what was going on, Berkin quickly replied: "I can only see the entire defense zone of the Fourth Battalion here, which is covered by gunpowder and can't see anything clearly."

"Can you see clearly the front of the Fourth Battalion's position, is there any enemy attack?"

"I can't see, I can't see anything," said Belkin. "The damn smoke blocked my vision and I can't see anything."

The telephone line was blown off and could not contact the Fourth Battalion; and Belkin, who was staying in the forest behind the Fourth Battalion, was also unable to see anything due to the smoke of gunpowder.

Sokov, who was unable to understand the cutting-edge situation in time, walked back and forth indoors with his hands behind his back, feeling extremely irritable.

Seeing Sokov walking back and forth in the tent, Karsokov was also very anxious, but in a hurry, he couldn't think of any good idea. He could only pray in his heart that the communications soldiers could restore the telephone line between the brigade and the fourth battalion as soon as possible.

"Comrade Brigade Commander," Romanov, who saw Sokov's anxious look and had a very low presence, suddenly mustered up the courage to speak, "I have a way, maybe it will allow you to understand the situation at the forefront in a timely manner."

Sokov stopped, stared at Romanov and asked, "What's the solution?"

"I remember yesterday in order to better attack the enemy's armored targets, the artillery deployed artillery observers in the defense zone of the Fourth Battalion to facilitate timely providing shooting parameters to the artillery in the rear."

Before Romanov could finish his words, Sokov gave him a thumbs up and praised him: "Comrade Romanov, what you said is amazing. Why did I forget that there are artillery observers on the frontline?"

Immediately, Sokov ordered Karsokov: "Chief of Staff, call Lieutenant Artyom, immediately ask him to contact the artillery observers at the forefront and ask if there was an enemy in front of the fourth battalion's position."

"Okay, comrade brigade commander." Karsokov also thought that Romanov's method was amazing, and quickly agreed loudly: "I will contact the artillery staff immediately."
Chapter completed!