When Samyko said the number of the 7th Guards Army, Sokov was startled. He asked in surprise: "Are you from the Voronezh Front?"
"Yes, Comrade General." The major nodded, looked at Sokov blankly and asked, "Is there anything wrong?"
"Of course something is wrong!" Samyko said with some excitement: "It was General Konev, the commander of the Steppe Front Army, who asked us to receive troops here at the Kiev Railway Station. How can you be from the Voronezh Front Army?"
"So that's what happened." After hearing what Sameko said, the major finally understood what was going on and quickly explained: "The prisoners of war that the Steppe Front Army is preparing to transport are now at the Lviv train station. If you want
That’s where you should go to receive soldiers.”
"But our superiors clearly said it was here?"
"Maybe our superiors made a mistake." Sokov realized that the matter might have been a mistake, and quickly stopped Sameko from continuing, and asked the major: "How many people are there in the square?"
The major pondered for a moment and replied: "There are 13,257 people in total, basically all of them were captured in the Battle of Kharkov last year."
"When are you going to send them on the train?"
The major raised his hand and looked at his watch, "According to the superior's regulations, we will board the train in one hour!"
"Comrade Major, in the name of the commander of the 27th Group Army, I order you to hand over all these commanders and fighters to us immediately." Seeing the major frowning, Sokov quickly added: "I will personally report this matter to Va
General Tuking explained."
"No, comrade general." Although Sokov carried out Vatutin, the major still said hesitantly: "Although your position and military rank are higher than mine, I have no idea until I get the order from my superiors.
The right to hand over these prisoners of war to you."
"Comrade Commander," at this moment, Lunev arrived with a group of political workers. He asked Sokov out of breath: "When will the screening work start?"
"Comrade Military Commissar, I'm sorry." Sokov said apologetically to Lunev: "A little accident happened, and the screening work may have to be postponed."
"The screening work has to be postponed?" Lunev asked puzzledly: "Why?"
"It seems that General Konev made a mistake." Sokov pulled Lunev aside and whispered to him: "The commanders and fighters here who are preparing to get on the car belong to the Voronezh Front. And the commanders and fighters we are looking for
, but now at the Lviv train station.”
"Ah, what's wrong?!" After Lunev said this, he saw Sokov nodded and quickly urged: "Then why are we lingering here? Let's rush to the Lviv train station immediately.
"
"Wait a minute, Comrade Military Commissar." There are more than 13,000 rescued commanders and fighters here, and Sokov is not willing to let them go easily. "There are more than 13,000 people here, why not take them in too."
"Is this appropriate?"
"Nothing inappropriate." Sokov had just observed the officers and soldiers in the square. Although most of them described themselves as haggard, it was the result of being tortured in German prisoner-of-war camps. As long as they entered the army and rested for a period of time, they would be able to recover.
Combat power. Besides, there are more than 13,000 people here, which is almost the strength of a division and a half. How can Sokov easily give up this piece of fat he talks about: "The more soldiers we have, the more confident we will win the war."
Already."
Sokov's words convinced Lunev. He nodded and said: "Comrade Commander, since you have made up your mind, then I will listen to you. However, we and the Voronezh Front are not affiliated with each other. The person in charge here is
Will you allow these commanders and fighters to be taken away smoothly?"
Sokov turned his head and glanced at the major who was talking to Samyko, shook his head and said to Lunev: "The military representative at the station is just a major. His rights are limited, and he will never dare to agree to us spending more than 10,000 yuan."
Take him away. It seems that Marshal Zhukov needs to be asked to come forward in this matter."
Fortunately, Sokov often traveled around the front line and brought a radio with him every time he traveled. This time was no exception. After he quickly drafted a message, he called Samoilov: "Comrade Lieutenant, you
Go to the radio station immediately and send this telegram."
Samoilov had been following Sokov for a long time, so he naturally knew that the content of this telegram was not simple. After answering loudly, he headed towards where the motorcade was parked.
After Samoilov left, Sokov and Lunev came to the major and said to him: "Comrade major, I have sent a telegram to Marshal Zhukov. Don't arrange for these people to board the train yet. Wait.
We’ll talk about it after we get a call back from our superiors.”
Since the major learned Sokov's identity, he was very respectful to him. After hearing this, he nodded quickly and said: "Understood, Comrade General, I can not let these people board the train for the time being. But if you want
To take them away, you need an order from your superiors."
Almost a quarter of an hour later, Samoylov hurried over. When he was approaching Sokov, he waved the telegram in his hand and excitedly reported to Sokov: "Comrade Commander, telegram, telegram, it's Zhukov
Call back from the marshal."
Sokov received the telegram and read it. The content was very simple. He agreed to hand over all the more than 13,000 commanders and fighters staying in the Kiev Railway Station Square to Sokov.
"Comrade Major," Sokov handed the read telegram to the major and said to him: "This is Comrade Marshal's reply. Can you let me take the person away?"
The major saw the telegram sent by Zhukov with his own eyes, and he wanted to agree to Sokov's request. However, he did not dare to make the decision without receiving orders from his superiors, even if the other party had a reply from Marshal Zhukov.
When the major was in a dilemma, a lieutenant ran over quickly and reported to him: "Comrade major, there is your phone number in the station office."
"Comrade General, this may be a call from a superior." When the major heard the call coming to him, he seemed to have found his backbone immediately, and quickly said to Sokov: "I'm going to answer it immediately."
Sokov guessed that the call made at this time must be related to the more than 10,000 commanders and fighters in the square, so he said magnanimously: "Go ahead, don't keep your superiors waiting."
Not long after, the major came out of the station commander's office and reported to Sokov: "Comrade General, my division commander has informed me that these prisoners of war now belong to the 27th Army, and you can start accepting them."
"Comrade Military Commissar," Seeing that the major allowed him to accept the soldiers, Sokov quickly ordered Lunev: "You can take your subordinates and start screening these rescued commanders and fighters."
Sokov thought that there were 20,000 to 30,000 rescued commanders and fighters at the Lviv Railway Station. After arranging the tasks here, he took Samoilov's guard platoon and rushed to the Lviv Railway Station.
.
The lieutenant next to the major looked at Lunev and a group of political workers sitting behind a table on the side of the square, registering and screening the rescued commanders and fighters, and couldn't help but curiously asked: "Comrade Major, this general
It’s really strange that he wants to recruit all these former prisoners into his army. Isn’t he afraid of making some mistakes?”
"Mind your own business." The major glared at his subordinates and said, "Don't ask about things you shouldn't ask about, so as not to cause unnecessary trouble. Do you understand?"
The lieutenant, who was criticized, responded with a red face: "I know!"