In the dim space, there was only a weak yellow glow from an oil lamp, illuminating the small room dimly. In front of Vasilevsky was a very luxurious table, and he was sitting on this table.
In front of him, the table and chairs made of heavy white birch wood were carved with complicated patterns, showing a sense of grandeur, but when paired with the shabby walls and furnishings around it, it revealed an indescribable air.
weird.
This chapter has a bottle of ink placed on the table with complex patterns carved on it, and a pen inserted on it. There is only a telegram newspaper on the large table. Looking at this thin telegram manuscript, Vasilievs
There was a look of despair in Ji's eyes, and the corners of his mouth trembled uncontrollably.
The Southeastern Front Army has been trapped in Nizhny Uginsk for three weeks. During these three months, the Southeast Front Army has been slowly compressed by the Chinese army into a narrow area of 80 kilometers long and more than 40 kilometers wide centered on Uginsk.
Zone. As the encirclement was further compressed, the Soviet army was already running out of ammunition and food.
They lack supplies, especially food. They can only eat one meal a day. All the soldiers are hungry. A large number of wounded soldiers die every day due to lack of medical treatment. The situation has reached a very serious level, and originally
A lot of the few weapons and ammunition were lost during the breakout, and the remaining ones were almost consumed in several breakouts. Faced with this situation, Huashalevsky said in a telegram to Moscow: "
Our troops have lost their combat effectiveness, all ammunition has been consumed, there is no medicine, and there is no food. As long as the Chinese people launch a small charge, they can completely wipe out the surrounded Red Army soldiers without any effort. I hereby specifically request the Supreme Commander
The Ministry allows us to make the final decision." Today, the Supreme Command finally gave a reply.
"Tuk-tuk-tuk" several gentle knocks on the door came.
"Come in"
"Comrade Commander, it's time for you to have your meal." A major wearing a dusty military uniform stood at the door holding a tray with two potatoes and a glass of water on it.
Vasilevsky sighed softly and waved his hand gently, "I'm not hungry. You can take out the food and give it to the wounded."
The major became anxious and argued: "But, Comrade Commander, you haven't eaten for a day."
Vasilevsky frowned and raised his voice a few degrees, "I said, I'm not hungry, take these two potatoes and give them to the wounded comrades, they need them more than me."
Seeing that Huashalevsky was angry, the major did not dare to tell the difference, so he had to carry the plate and walk out.
Not long after the major left, several generals from the Southeastern Front walked in together. The commander of the 31st Group Army, General Liaski, said solemnly: "Comrade Commander, our situation has arrived.
At the critical moment of life and death, if no reinforcements and supplies arrive, the only way for us is to be annihilated. Has Moscow not given us a reply yet?"
"Moscow has sent us a telegram back. Read it for yourselves." Vasilevskiy felt unspeakably bitter in his heart. He grabbed the telegram manuscript on the table and handed it to Lieutenant General Liaski.
Admiral Liasky read out word for word: "Because Moscow can't give you any help in the war in the Far East, but what I want to say here is that there have always been only Red Army deaths in battle, not
Surrendering Soviet Red Army, therefore we cannot agree to your request for surrender, which will only bring shame to your family. The Soviet government will never accept such humiliation. Rather than let the brave Red Army soldiers endure humiliation and live a secret life like this
, it is better to let them die gloriously, this is the final destination of a soldier."
"That's just fart," the generals shouted after reading the telegram.
"Such an order must never be carried out."
“Moscow is trying to push us into a pit of fire.”
"Why don't the people from the headquarters fight and die with us?"
All the generals were shocked when they saw this decisive telegram. You must know that there are more than 600,000 Soviet Red Army soldiers in the encirclement. Moscow could easily send them all in with a "glorious death"
Hell?
The crowd's chatter made Vasilevsky's head spin. He stood up suddenly and shouted: "Okay, my comrades generals, this is an order from Moscow and is the handwriting of Comrade Stalin."
Telegram, do you want to be accused of being a traitor?"
Everyone was silent. In Soviet Russia, Stalin's reputation was so prominent that no Soviet general or official dared to disobey his orders.
After a long time, a low and determined voice came out from the crowd: "But no one can let 600,000 Soviet Red Army soldiers die in vain, not even Comrade Stalin."
The shocked crowd turned around and saw that the voice was made by a major general in the crowd.
"Comrade Manchevsky, are you crazy? How dare you say that? If those people hear it, you will be shot." General Liaski rushed in front of the major general and cursed in a low voice.
.
Major General Manchevsky laughed miserably, "Comrade Liaski, can you still see the situation clearly? We are finished, and the Southeast Front is finished. Who has the time to mind our business now?
Well, I'm afraid those political commissars also have a few leaflets dropped by the Chinese from the air. Those bastards in the headquarters only know how to let us die gloriously. They are just standing and talking without pain, let them come.
Try to stay here for a few days and they will know. A large number of wounded people in my army die miserably every day because of lack of medicine, but those gentlemen are still clamoring for a glorious death. Is this fair, Comrade Commander?
, you go down and take a look. If I hadn’t sent the guard battalion down to suppress it, the soldiers would have started making trouble long ago. We can’t delay it any longer, surrender.”
Manchevsky's words resonated with everyone. Yes, the originally mighty 1.5 million Southeast Front Army now only has 600,000 left, but Moscow actually wants them to die. Is it possible that their lives are still there?
Is it so worthless?
Everyone's eyes fell on Commander Vasilevsky. The life and death of the 600,000-strong army depended on his thoughts. For Vasilevsky and the Soviet generals, surrender was not a no-brainer.
Accepting things, just like Marshal Timoshinger who surrendered to the Chinese a few years ago, isn't he also living well in Chita? As for General Andrupf who surrendered to the Chinese earlier, they are even more amazing now.
He became the boss of a railway construction company and became popular in China. You must know that in order to lower the morale of the Soviet soldiers, many examples were written in China's propaganda leaflets. They couldn't help but know about it.
"Let me think about it again." Vasilevsky felt an unspeakable bitterness welling up in his heart. In the past, he had ridiculed and cursed Marshal Timoshinger and his men who surrendered to the Chinese.
Hundreds of thousands of Soviet troops, but when it was his turn, he finally understood the complicated mood of his predecessor.
The endless wilderness is full of destroyed trucks and tanks. Some of their wrecks are still burning with raging flames. From time to time, flames jump out of the cars. Sitting on the trucks with their upper bodies exposed, the National Defense Forces with different expressions
All the soldiers could see the same scene, but of course they just watched quietly like this. They all knew that in many places they couldn't see, countless groups of corpses were scattered in the wheat fields.
But there are more abandoned Soviet tanks, trucks and artillery in the fields. On some personnel carriers, there are still the corpses of Soviet soldiers lying scattered. These were all killed by the air force's attack aircraft.
The Soviet army, after losing air supremacy, seemed so powerless in the face of attacks from the sky.
"Bang"
Under the control of some restless tank drivers, a "Northwestern Tiger" tank weighing more than 30 tons collided with an abandoned Soviet light tank. When the tanks collided with each other, there was a burst of sound.
A weird sound of metal twisting and breaking.
"Damn, I can't help but hit Lao Maozi's tank. Just hit it like this and it'll be a bear." A soldier sitting in the truck said in surprise.
"That's Lao Maozi's light T26 tank. If you have the ability, let the tank in front hit their Stalin heavy tank." A veteran next to him cursed coldly. The veterans have no idea about people who wantonly destroy materials like this.
What a good impression.
When this team of mixed tanks, armored personnel carriers and trucks arrived at a Soviet checkpoint in front, they saw a group of Soviet generals waiting in front.
The team finally stopped, and a general walked out. The shining golden star on his shoulder showed that he was a major general of the National Defense Forces.
The leading Soviet general came forward to greet him, saluted and said calmly: "Commander Vasilevsky of the Southeast Front of the Soviet Red Army sends his regards to you and wishes you good health."
The visitor returned the greeting, "Major General Wang Dayong, commander of the Fifth Infantry Division of the Chinese National Defense Force, has been ordered to come to accept your army's surrender. Marshal Vasilevsky, are you ready?"
Upon hearing this, Vasilevsky smiled bitterly and said, "What else is there to prepare for? Do we still need to prepare for something as simple as surrender?"
Wang Dayong gave him a long look and said meaningfully: "There are some things that will cause trouble if you are not prepared. I hope you can understand some of our practices."