The tank brigade commander blushed and replied sheepishly: "I understand, Comrade Commander."
When Sokov saw that the other party realized his mistake, he sighed softly and continued: "Comrade Brigade Commander, we have been fighting the Germans for four years, and we are about to fight at their doorstep. Who can
The attack on Berlin has nothing to do with us. Let alone you, anyone else would probably have emotions in his heart. But what can we do? An order is an order. Since the Supreme Command has arranged it this way,
There must be their overall consideration. As subordinates, we can only obey the order unconditionally instead of discussing in private whether the order is reasonable."
"Comrade Commander," the telegraph operator who was following Sokov came in from outside and reported to Sokov: "I just received a telegram from the chief of staff, saying that I have something important to report to you.
I hope you can give him a call back."
"Comrade Brigadier, can your phone number contact the headquarters?"
Upon hearing Sokov's question, the brigade commander did not answer immediately. Instead, he turned his attention to the communications company commander next to him, hoping that he could give Sokov a positive answer.
"Yes, Comrade Commander." Seeing the brigade commander turn his attention to himself, the communications company commander immediately understood what the other party meant and quickly replied: "The phone here can communicate directly with the group army headquarters."
"Very good." Sokov told the other party: "Please help me get through to the headquarters. I want to speak to the Chief of Staff."
The call was quickly connected: "Hello, Chief of Staff? I'm Sokov. Do you have anything important to talk to me about?"
"Comrade Commander," Sidorin reported to Sokov: "I have just received a notification from the Front Army Headquarters, saying that there is a German People's Grenadier Division in the direction of our army's advance. The division commander and our army
An agreement was reached to cease all hostilities and be willing to give us a channel."
When Sokov heard what Sidorin said, he immediately connected the matter with the mission performed by Lednikova, and quickly asked: "What is the number of that unit?"
"This is the 613th People's Grenadier Division of the German reserve force. The division commander is Colonel Schwartz." Sidorin reported to Sokov: "There are a total of 6,000 people in the division. Except for a few veterans who have experienced hundreds of battles,
The rest were newly recruited old people and children. Schwartz was unwilling to save more innocent lives. After consulting with our army representatives, Schwartz decided to stop hostilities with our army and open the road to the Elbe River for our army.
aisle."
Sokov covered the microphone and asked Lednikova: "Lieutenant Lednikova, do you know the 613th People's Grenadier Division? The division commander is Colonel Schwartz."
Hearing Sokov's question, Lednikova had a shocked expression on her face, but she hesitated and did not answer Sokov's question.
Although Lednikova didn't say anything, Sokov had already figured out what was going on from her expression. It turned out that Major Myschenko brought Lednikova and others to the front line just to persuade them.
Colonel Schwartz of the 613th Division surrendered, and now it seems that their mission has been successfully completed.
Thinking of this, Sokov asked into the microphone: "Comrade Chief of Staff, what does the Front Army Headquarters mean and what do you want us to do?"
"Let us send troops forward to take over the division's defense area." Sidorin continued: "I have ordered the 1st Guards Division to move forward and prepare to take over the defense area from the Germans in two hours.
Over defense.”
Sokov had no objections to Sidorin's arrangement. Now all the units on the front line have combat missions, and the 1st Guards Division is now on standby. It is up to them to receive the defense areas handed over by the Germans and to carry out their own operations.
The entire deployment did not have much impact. "Comrade Chief of Staff, you did the right thing, then let the 1st Guards Division take over the defense area of the 613th Division."
After putting down the phone, Sokov said a few words to the tank brigade commander and then left.
Back in the car, Sokov said to Lednikova: "Lieutenant Lednikova, I have some good news for you. Major Myschenko has completed his mission by the way, convincing the 613th German Army to throw
Colonel Schwartz, commander of the Bombardment Division, has given up hostilities with us and is ready to hand over the defense area to our army and give way to the road to the Elbe River."
Lednikova was shocked when she heard what Sokov said: "What, Major Myschenko completed the mission so quickly?" After saying this, she said with some annoyance, "It's a pity that I
I didn’t follow him there, otherwise I would have shared the credit.”
"Lieutenant Lednikova, don't lose it." Sokov comforted her and said, "You helped us catch the German agent who sneaked into our defense area. It is a great achievement. Although it is not as good as Major Myschenko.
It’s a credit, but it’s okay to get a medal.”
But Lednikova was thinking in her heart that Major Myschenko and the others had successfully completed the mission this time, and a Red Banner Medal would definitely not escape them. Although she assisted Sokov in catching the German agent, she could not escape at best.
She could only get one medal. For the same award, the weight of the Order of the Red Flag and the medal were very different. However, even if she was dissatisfied in her heart, she could not show it on her face. She could only say with a wry smile: "Comrade General,
Do you think I still have a chance to make meritorious deeds?"
"Comrade Lednikova," Sokov said with a smile, "as long as the war is not over, you will have the opportunity to make meritorious service and receive awards."
"But I just heard you say that the war will end in a month at most." Lednikova said with some disappointment: "If it is really like what you said, the war will end in a month, where will I be?"
An opportunity to make meritorious deeds.”
"Yes, I did say just now that the war in front of us may end within a month." Sokov explained to Lednikova: "But the fact that the war in Europe is over does not mean that this war is over.
It’s over, we still have an enemy to defeat.”
"There is another enemy?" As soon as Sokov said this, not only Lednikova's eyes widened in surprise, but even Koshkin looked surprised. He couldn't understand that besides the Germans in front of him,
Where are the other enemies? After a long time, he asked tentatively: "Comrade Commander, I wonder who the other enemy you are talking about is?"
"In the Far East, there is another enemy who once fought with us." Sokov couldn't help but sneered when he thought of the Japs. "It was only after the Supreme Command knew clearly that they would not send troops that they boldly sent troops to the Far East.
The troops were transferred to participate in the defense of Moscow."
Hearing what Sokov said, Koshkin immediately understood who the enemy Sokov was talking about. He glanced at the confused Lednikova and asked Sokov tentatively: "Comrade Commander,
Are you talking about the Japanese pirates from the Far East?"
"That's right." Sokov nodded vigorously and gave the other party an affirmative answer: "The Axis powers are Germany, Italy and Japan. Now Italy has long been defeated and surrendered, and Germany is about to be defeated. Only this small country is left.
The Japs. Only when they are completely defeated can this war be truly over."
"From Berlin to the Far East, there are thousands of kilometers in between." Koshkin expressed doubts about Sokov's statement: "If we want to mobilize a large number of troops to the Far East, I am afraid it will not be completed in less than a few months.
Bar."
"Yes, if we want to mobilize the troops currently fighting in Germany to fight in the Far East, it will indeed take several months to transport soldiers and technical equipment, and to stockpile ammunition and supplies needed for the war." Sokov said:
"With our country's existing transportation capabilities, it will only take three months at most to deploy all offensive forces."
"Comrade Commander," Koshkin knows his identity very well. Sokov's words are just speculation. Whether they will become reality is still unknown. What he has to do is to ensure Sokov's safety and prevent him from happening outside.
What a surprise: “Where are we going next?”
"When I just spoke to the Chief of Staff, he told me that the 1st Guards Division has been sent to receive the German 613th Division's defense area. We are heading to the landing site on the shore. We may encounter them halfway."
When Sokov's convoy arrived at the supply point where the German agents had been captured, they found that food was still being distributed. Among the people queuing up to receive food, in addition to Soviet commanders and fighters, there were actually many German refugees, including women, children and
Old people and even some young adults.
Seeing this scene, Koshkin said in surprise: "Comrade Commander, look quickly, there are actually quite a few Germans in the queue to receive food."
Sokov raised his hand and patted the driver on the shoulder and said to him: "Comrade driver, stop the car! Let's go down and see what's going on."
"Comrade Commander," after the car stopped, Koshkin turned to Sokov and said, "It's a pity that we didn't bring a translator. Even if the Germans say something, we can't understand it."
Unexpectedly, Lednikova interrupted and said: "Comrade General, I understand German. I am participating in this mission as a reserve translator."
"Oh, that's great." Sokov couldn't help but be overjoyed when he learned that Lednikova actually knew German, and said quickly: "This way we won't have to worry about language barriers when dealing with German civilians.
"
When Sokov led Koshkin and Lednikova towards the team not far away, the soldiers who were queuing up to receive food quickly stood at attention and raised their hands to salute Sokov. And those teams
The Germans had panic expressions on their faces. They obviously found out that Sokov was a high-ranking official and were worried that when he came over, he would order them to be driven away.
"Lieutenant Lednikova," Sokov raised his hand to return the salute to the soldiers, and then ordered Lednikova: "Go find two German civilians and ask them why they are lining up here?"
Lednikova nodded, then walked up to several German women and started talking to them. While speaking, she turned around and pointed to Sokov's location from time to time, as if to dispel the other party's worries.
After a while, Lednikova returned to Sokov and reported to him: "Comrade General, I have asked everything clearly. They are all residents of nearby towns. There were SS soldiers a few days ago.
Someone came and told them that our army would kill all the Germans when they arrived here, so they fled their homes out of fear."
"Then why are they back now?" Koshkin asked.
"On their way to escape, they encountered our army's troops." Lednikova explained: "After contact with our army, they found that our army's commanders and fighters were not as evil as the SS propaganda. Not only were they not
He made things difficult for them and even provided them with food and necessary supplies. Well," she nuzzled at the German women, children and elderly people in the team, and continued, "They have been here to receive food for two days in a row."
After listening to Lednikova's story, Sokov thought of later reports on the Soviet army after it entered Germany, and asked tentatively: "They were not bullied by our commanders and fighters, right? Tell them, if there is such a thing
If so, just tell me and I will punish the person concerned accordingly."
But Lednikova looked at Sokov with a blank expression, and asked in confusion: "Comrade General, I don't know what you mean by bullying?"
Sokov was really stunned by the question. He didn't know how to answer Lednikova for a while. He couldn't say to her: "Ask those German women who have been bullied by our officers and soldiers.
Something indescribable happened. If anything, feel free to report it to me and I will deal with it impartially."
But when Lednikova saw that Sokov was silent, she asked curiously: "Comrade General, I don't understand what you mean. Can you explain it in more detail?"
Faced with Lednikova's questioning, Sokov could only say perfunctorily: "I just want to ask if any of my subordinates entered their homes and took away anything that belonged to them."
"I've already asked," Lednikova said: "They said that when they returned home, they found the house in a mess, with gold and silver jewelry, silver tableware, valuable clothing, etc. all gone.
I don’t know if the Germans took it away or if our military commanders did it.”
"I think it's possible." Before Sokov could finish, Koshkin rushed to say: "Although the town where they are located is now controlled by our army, before we capture the town, who can't guarantee that those who fled will
The German officers and soldiers did not take advantage of the situation and loot these uninhabited buildings."
Seeing that Koshkin had already found a step for himself, Sokov could not continue to ask questions, so he could only change the subject in time: "Lieutenant Lednikova, go over and ask if there is anything we can do for them.
A place of service?"
"Comrade General, I have already asked." Lednikova said: "They all know that this supply point will not last long. Once the supply point is withdrawn, they will not be able to find a place to eat. Can you think of anything?
There is a way to solve this problem.”
Lednikova's words are equivalent to posing a problem for Sokov. The troops have to move forward. It will be a matter of time before the supply point here is cancelled. He can't leave manpower alone to provide food and clothing for these German refugees.
Question. Thinking of this, he said in embarrassment: "Comrade Lieutenant, this matter is of great importance, and I have no right to make the decision. However, I will report it to the front army headquarters immediately, and Comrade Marshal will make the final decision."
Originally, Lednikova was worried that Sokov was unwilling to ask about the matter, but when she heard him say that she was going to report the matter to Marshal Rokossovsky, a smile suddenly appeared on her face: "Comrade General, this is really a
Good news, I will go over and tell them now so that they can feel at ease."
