USSR 1941

Everyone thought that going to the train station was to be sent to another battlefield, but when the train started ten minutes later, it was discovered that this was not the case.

Because the train did not turn into the circular track, but went straight to the east.

East, that is, the rear ... the direction of retreat, away from Moscow.

"They actually pulled us out of Moscow?"

"Send us back to Kyiv?"

"We don't need to defend Moscow anymore?"

...

The soldiers couldn't help talking.

But Shulka vaguely felt that this was not the case. This should be related to his conversation with Zhukov last night, that is, to form a mobile force.

Shulka guessed right, the train arrived at Stalingrad that night after traveling on the rails for more than ten hours (Note: Stalingrad is 913 kilometers away from Moscow, the train is faster because of the small cargo capacity on the return journey, more than ten within hours).

"Stalingrad!" The instructor recognized the city as soon as he got off the bus.

"This is Stalingrad?" Shulka was a little surprised.

"Yes!" said the instructor, "This is Station No. 1. I have been here not long ago!"

Shulka will be surprised because this is a famous city, where the Germans and the Soviets will fight the bloodiest battle in history. In terms of casualties, the Battle of Stalingrad can be said to be the bloodiest battle in modern history. ...The total casualties of the enemy and the enemy were as high as 2 million, almost reaching the sum of the enemy's and our forces in the defense of Moscow.

From this point of view, the defense of Moscow seems a bit insignificant.

But that's next year, so it's not something Shulka needs to think about.

Shulka got off the train and saw that the station was crowded with people, the surrounding shops were full of shops, and the buildings were majestic and tall... It is hard to imagine that next year this place will become a ruins full of dead bodies.

Then climbed into the car as usual, drove north along Red October Street, and then drove into a factory.

"Stalingrad Tractor Factory!" The instructor was obviously familiar with this place.

The soldiers in the carriage couldn't help but "wow" when they heard the words:

"Is this the Stalingrad Tractor Factory?"

"What are we doing here? To see tractors?"

"Idiot, I heard that it now produces tanks!"

...

It is not surprising that soldiers will have this performance, because the Stalingrad Tractor Factory is the largest tractor factory in the Soviet Union, and its annual production of tractors accounts for more than half of the country's output.

That is, almost everyone has seen or even used a tractor produced by the Stalingrad Tractor Plant.

Shulka will know it because this factory was one of the focal points of competition between the enemy and us in the Battle of Stalingrad... In the end, even the workers drove the newly produced tanks to the battlefield.

Then Shulka saw a line written on the gate: Dzerzhinsky Tractor Plant... the exact name of the Stalingrad tractor.

(Note: Dzerzhinsky is the founder of the All-Russian Cheka, the predecessor of the KGB)

"So, we're here to do with tanks?" the actor asked.

No one answered because no one knew the answer.

Shulka doesn't know either, because even to form a motorized unit, it is not necessary to bring the 333rd regiment into the place where tanks are produced.

Soon Shulka knew the answer.

"Get out of the car and assemble!" With a hasty whistle, soldiers jumped down from the rear compartment and assembled in a square.

A colonel stood in front of the square and shouted at the soldiers with a loudspeaker: "Welcome, comrades of the 333rd Regiment, welcome to become a member of the Fourth Tank Brigade!"

"Fourth Tank Brigade?" This designation made the soldiers talk a lot.

This is not only because they have just learned their new designation, but also because the Soviet army is a regiment, and there are very few "brigade" designations except for the airborne troops or the Far East Front Army.

Shulka knew it all.

As a mobile force, a division of tens of thousands of people is too large, and it is difficult to expect such a force to quickly move to the battlefield where it is needed. On the contrary, the "brigade" level establishment of thousands of people is more flexible.

"Perhaps you will find it strange!" The colonel continued, "Why did we come to this tractor factory... Could it be that you were asked to drive tractors to the front line?"

The soldiers couldn't help laughing.

"No, of course not!" said the colonel. "It's tanks here, comrades!"

"But we don't know how to drive tanks, Comrade Colonel!" someone shouted.

"No, of course you don't!" the colonel said, "They don't need you to drive them. We have tank soldiers, and we need mechanized infantry to cooperate. You just... understand?"

So the soldiers understood that they were the 333rd Mechanized Infantry Regiment of the 4th Tank Brigade.

"But this still doesn't explain the purpose of asking you to come here!" The colonel continued: "You all came from the battlefield. I heard that most of you came from Brest... You must travel a long way !"

The soldiers laughed again.

"Then you must know!" The colonel went on to say: "Many of our tanks were not destroyed by the enemy, but were abandoned or blown up by themselves when they broke down on the road. No need to replace parts, but we have to blow it up and throw it away because we don't have basic skills in repair and maintenance, or basic solutions to problems!

When I reprimanded them, they even asked me: 'Colonel, what else can I do? Do you want to carry it back? '! "

The soldiers laughed again.

"Now, let me tell you what to do!" The colonel waved his hand back and said, "Behind me is the tank production workshop, and my tank crews are learning the basics of tank maintenance... That is to say, when we encounter When it comes to simple failures, we don’t need to wait for the maintenance personnel to come, we can solve it ourselves! This is what you need to do!”

It really was a good idea, Shulka couldn't help but secretly praised it in his heart.

This can not only improve soldiers' understanding of tanks, but also greatly reduce the failure rate of tanks...to be exact, some simple failures within their capabilities are resolved by tank soldiers themselves.

This will undoubtedly speed up the marching speed of mechanized troops.

"Of course!" The colonel continued: "In addition, you have to learn how to guide and assist the tank to advance and attack the enemy. You can't let the tank driver come down to pave the road!"

Amidst the laughter of the soldiers, the colonel waved his hand and said, "Now, let us get to know the comrades in the Fourth Brigade and the tanks that will go to the battlefield with you!"