When Sokov's plane landed in the defense area of the Second Ukrainian Front, Ponedelin and others, who had arrived only a dozen hours earlier than him, unexpectedly received a notice: "Whether it was assigned to the front commander
Those who serve as staff officers at the Ministry of Defense or those who go to the 53rd Army to serve as regiment-level commanders, the original allocation plan is invalid and awaits further notice."
When Ponejelin heard the news, he was surprised and asked the officer who delivered the notice: "Comrade commander, what is going on? Why is the originally formulated distribution plan suddenly invalidated?"
The officer shrugged his shoulders, spread his hands, and said helplessly to Ponejelin: "I'm sorry, Comrade Major, I just conveyed the notice from my superiors. I don't know what the reason was for my superiors to suddenly declare the distribution plan invalid.
.”
After the officer who conveyed the notice left, many students gathered in the hall immediately gathered around and asked Ponejelin: "Major Ponejelin, what happened? Why did you make arrangements for us in advance?"
Will my position be suddenly eliminated?"
The officers who came to convey the notice didn't know the reason, let alone Ponyjelin, who had just arrived and didn't know anyone. However, facing the angry trainees, he raised his hands and kept pressing down, while mouthing
He said loudly: "Comrade students, be quiet, please be quiet!"
However, his voice was drowned by the noisy voices of the students. Seeing that the situation was not good, Muzichenko and Kirillov quickly shouted too. The voices of three people finally made all the students quiet.
Come down.
"Comrade students," Ponedelin said to everyone after the room became quiet, "I think General Konev must have his reasons for suddenly issuing such an order. Please be patient."
In order to stabilize the emotions of many students, Ponedelin paused for a moment after saying this, and then added: "I will go to General Konev now and ask what is going on."
After Ponedelin explained a few words to Muzichenko and Kirillov, he walked to the door alone and said to the sentry guarding the door: "Comrade sentry, I have something urgent to see General Konev, please."
Would you please take me there?"
Unexpectedly, after hearing this, the sentry glanced at Ponejelin's epaulettes and replied expressionlessly: "I'm sorry, Comrade Major. The order I received is to protect your safety. I will not do anything without permission from my superiors."
No one is allowed to leave here."
Ponejelin heard the hidden meaning of the sentry's words: My mission is to guard you here, and no one of you is allowed to leave here before receiving orders from your superiors.
Ponijelin, who was disappointed, could only turn back to the house.
Seeing Ponedelin leaving and returning, Muzichenko quickly approached and asked in a low voice: "Ponedelin, why are you back?"
"The sentry won't let me out."
"Ah, the sentry doesn't allow you to go out?" When Muzichenko heard this, his expression suddenly became nervous: "Didn't that put us all under house arrest?"
"If there were only three of us, it would be possible." Ponejelin was also considering the same problem, but he quickly came to the conclusion: "But besides us, there are nearly fifty-nine students.
, General Konev can’t just put them under house arrest for no reason, right?”
"Since we were not put under house arrest, why were the original work assignments suddenly canceled?"
"Muzichenko, I don't know for sure, but I think something must have happened that we don't know about, so the original work assignment was cancelled."
"Then how are you going to explain it to the students?"
"How else can I explain it?" Ponjelin said with a wry smile: "Of course I am telling the truth."
"No, you must not tell the truth." Muzichenko quickly stopped Ponedelin's attempt: "If I really tell the students the truth, I'm afraid it will cause unnecessary confusion."
Ponejelin asked hesitantly: "Then how should I reply to them?"
"Let's just say it's getting late and General Konev is taking a rest. If there's anything else, we can only wait until tomorrow."
"Okay." Ponejelin nodded after hearing this and said, "That's all we can do."
When Ponedelin returned to the students, Captain Sukhalev raised his voice and asked: "Comrade Major, why did you come back so soon? Have you met General Konev?"
"No." Ponejelin replied bravely: "Comrade students, General Konev has gone back to rest. If you have anything to do, I can only go see him during the day tomorrow. It's getting late, everyone should go back to their rooms.
Go and rest."
Although Sukharev knew in his heart that Ponedelin was trying to excuse him, he saw that it was getting late outside. Maybe Konev had really gone back to rest. If he wanted to find out what happened tonight, it was obviously
Impossible. He could only choose to accept his fate: "Okay, Comrade Major, I will convey your wishes to everyone."
Seeing that Sukhalev was willing to help him convince the students, Ponedelin was still very happy. He nodded to the other party and said gratefully: "Thank you very much, Captain Sukhalev."
"It's okay, it's just a little effort."
But what happened next was far beyond Ponedelin's expectations. When Sukhalev told the students the reason why Ponedelin left and returned, everyone did not buy it at all. Since everyone could participate
In the intermediate commander training class, he is naturally not a fool. He can obviously see that this reason is perfunctory by Poniejlin, so he naturally refuses to give up.
The crowd rushed over and surrounded Ponedelin. Major Krezhiow, the former leader of the training class, took the lead: "Major Ponedelin, please explain to everyone what happened.
, why can’t you even get out? How does General Konev plan to place us after he cancels the original work distribution plan?”
"Yes, yes, please explain to us what happened."
Although Ponejelin wanted to stabilize everyone's emotions, the students couldn't listen to him at all and questioned him loudly, asking him to come up with an explanation.
Facing doubts from all directions, Ponejelin wanted to explain, but his weak voice was covered up by the noise of the students, and no one could hear what he was saying.
Seeing that the situation was about to get out of control, two crisp gunshots were suddenly heard, and the hall suddenly became quiet.
The students were surprised by the sudden sound of gunfire. They wondered who was so bold as to dare to shoot next to the headquarters of the Second Ukrainian Front. Could it be that they were not worried that it would attract nearby sentries.
Everyone turned their attention to the location where the gunshots came from, and saw three people standing at the door. It can be seen from the military ranks on their epaulettes that one is a lieutenant, and two are generals. One of them is holding a cane.
General, he is also holding a pistol with smoke coming out of the muzzle.
Everyone recognized at a glance that the person holding the pistol was none other than Lieutenant General Sokov who organized his team, and the general next to him was the Chief of Staff of the Front Army, General Zakharov. Standing behind the two men
The other person was Lieutenant Koshkin, who often went to the Frunze Military Academy to pick up Sokov.
When the hall fell silent, Sokov limped two steps forward and said sternly: "Comrade commanders, have you forgotten your identities? What does it look like to make a noise here?"
While Sokov was talking, several sentries who heard the gunshots rushed in from outside, seeming to want to find out who was shooting. But Zakharov waved to them and sent them away.
"Misha, why are you here?" Ponedelin squeezed out from the crowd and walked up to Sokov in surprise. When he found Zakharov standing next to Sokov, he quickly
He stood at attention, straightened his back, saluted Sokov, and reported in accordance with the order: "Comrade General, Major Poniejlin, the consultant of the advisory group, reports to you. I am waiting for your instructions!"
"Please rest a moment!" Sokov put his gun back into its holster, raised his hand and saluted in return, and asked: "Major Ponejelin, can you tell me what happened here?"
"That's it, Comrade General." In front of Zakharov, Ponedelin could only report seriously according to the doctrine: "Not long ago, an officer from the headquarters informed us of the original distribution plan.
Cancel, everyone stays here on standby. I wanted to ask General Konev, but the sentry at the door wouldn't let me out. The students couldn't get the answers they wanted, so they got into an argument with me."
"So that's it." Zakharov, standing next to Sokov, said with a smile: "Comrade Sokov, let me explain this matter."
Zakharov took two steps forward, smiled and said to the confused trainees: "Comrade commanders, according to the original distribution plan, some of you will stay at the front army headquarters and serve as staff officers.
And some people will be assigned to the 53rd Army as headquarters staff, or serve as regimental commanders in the army."
He looked sideways at Sokov and continued: "The reason for the sudden cancellation of the distribution plan is because the commander of the 53rd Army, Major General Tarasov, was injured and could not continue to command the troops. General Konev proposed to the Supreme Command
Apply, intending to hand over this force to General Sokov's command."
"Here! Now your General Sokov has arrived." He pointed towards Sokov with his hand and said: "Now that he has arrived, there is no need to divide you into two parts, so Kone
After discussion, General Sokov and I decided to cancel the original distribution plan and arrange for all of you to follow General Sokov to the 53rd Army."
"Ula!" As soon as Zakharov finished speaking, Sukharev roared like crazy.
What sounded together with this roar was Victor's high-decibel tenor.
Major Miresyev was also infected and shouted unconsciously: "Ula! Ula!! Ula!!!"
The next moment, this building that has been passed down for hundreds of years withstood the most terrifying sound wave attack in history. More than 60 officers shouted like a mountain and a tsunami, and the sound seemed to lift the roof of the hall off.
The sentries standing at the door heard the shouts in the hall and couldn't help but poke their heads in to take a look. After seeing the situation in the hall clearly, they all showed meaningful smiles on their faces, and then returned to their posts.
Continue to stand guard.
Listening to the students cheering for him, Sokov felt warm in his heart. He raised his hand and pressed it down a few times to signal everyone to be quiet.
The students who saw his action immediately shut their mouths, and the entire hall became quiet again.
"Students and comrades, I am very happy to be able to fight side by side with you again." Sokov said with some excitement: "I am going to see General Konev now to accept a new combat mission. Maybe we will be together one day
Liang is about to set off, and when you arrive in the new unit, you may not have the chance to have a good night's sleep, so now go back to your respective rooms and rest."
After Sokov said this, seeing that everyone was still standing there, he cleared his throat and said loudly: "Everyone is here, listen to my command: stand at attention! Turn back! Target, each one.
House prices, keep pace!”
Seeing everyone, including Ponedelin, turn around and go to their respective rooms in accordance with his orders, Sokov couldn't help but smile on his face. He turned to Zakharov and said: "Chief of Staff of the Front Army
Comrade, please take me to see General Konev."
On the way to the headquarters with Sokov and Koshkin, Zakharov smiled and said to Sokov: "Comrade Sokov, if you don't show up today, Ponedelin won't know how to escape.
"
Hearing what Zaharov said, Sokov couldn't help but feel a little bit in his heart. He couldn't help asking Zakharov: "Comrade Chief of Staff of the Front Army, I would like to ask, did you send someone to inform them of the cancellation of the work distribution plan?"
Why didn't you explain the reason? If you had explained the reason, I think the scene we just saw would not have happened."
In response to Sokov's question, Zakharov smiled bitterly and said awkwardly: "Comrade Sokov, your appointment as commander of the 53rd Army is still under confidentiality. In order to prevent the news from leaking and alerting the Germans,
, so when conveying the notice to your troops, I deliberately did not state the specific reason. But I didn’t expect that our doing so would make things worse. If you hadn’t appeared in time, I’m afraid the situation would have completely gotten out of control.”
Sokov didn't want to get entangled in this kind of thing, so he changed the subject in time: "By the way, it's getting late now. Has General Konev gone back to rest?"
"No." Zakharov replied confidently: "Since the siege of Cherkasy began, General Konev has basically never left his headquarters and sleeps no more than three or four hours a day.
Sometimes he finally fell asleep, and when he received a new battle report, he had to wake him up again. From the beginning of the battle to now, in just half a month, he has lost more than ten kilograms."
He looked at Sokov and said with a smile: "But now that you are here, at least he no longer has to worry about the 53rd Army. I believe that the area you are responsible for will never let a living German pass through.
.”
"No, Comrade Chief of Staff of the Front Army, your statement is not quite right." Sokov said: "At least those Germans who laid down their weapons and surrendered can still pass through my defense zone alive."
After hearing this, Zakharov burst out laughing and said repeatedly: "Yes, yes, I believe there will be many Germans who put down their weapons, pass through your defense zone with their hands raised, and report to our prisoner of war camp."
