The train sped forward, and the temperature dropped sharply after passing through the narrow Caucasus Pass.
It is said that the cold air blowing from Siberia is blocked by the Caucasus, so Crimea, located in the south of the Caucasus Mountains, will be like spring all year round. (The average temperature in winter is 1 to 2 degrees)
Shulka knew from the veteran that the train was bound for the northeast.
This is the same as Shulka guessed. It is impossible for the train to drive directly to Moscow... The reason is that Moscow has been surrounded by German troops from the north, west and south at this time, and the only free entry and exit is from the east.
Therefore, starting from Crimea, you have to make a big circle, first drive to Stalingrad and then enter Moscow from the east.
Soldiers who were bored in the train would chat to relieve their boredom, or discuss the future battlefield and the difficulties they might face in the future. Some were even guessing at the location of the German army, and then imagining how the Soviet army would surround and annihilate the enemy.
However, the discussion gradually decreased after a few hours, because everyone actually knew one thing...the information they knew was pitiful, everything was based on speculation, and the reality is often cruel.
Trains often make stops when entering a station or at a transfer station.
This is not to carry people. In fact, the goal of this train is very clear, which is Moscow. People will not be let up or down on the road. Even several days of food are already in the carriage. The cooking soldiers only need time to arrive.
Just distribute it.
The stop is for train dispatch. The railway network here is obviously much more complicated than the railway from Kiev to Odessa, so sometimes you have to wait for other trains to pass.
At this time, various transactions will be carried out on the platform: local people will bring the things they own, such as potatoes, eggs, cucumbers, etc., to the platform to exchange with passing soldiers.
The items exchanged were items sent by the soldiers from home or issued by the army: gloves, tobacco packets, needlework, pencils, etc.
What the people need most is clothing, because they have to rely on it to survive the winter, so the prices are very affordable: an undershirt is exchanged for a large can of pickles, and a clean foot wrap (something Soviet soldiers wrapped around their feet as socks) is exchanged for a bottle of milk.
, a homemade lighter can be exchanged for 10 potatoes.
Homemade lighters are very popular in the Soviet army. They call them bullet shell lighters because they are made of bullet shells... The bullet shell is the main body of the lighter. A little gasoline is filled in and stuffed with cotton core.
Weld on a simple device with a roller and a flint, and a lighter is complete.
Of course, this can usually be accomplished with the help of engineers, so engineers generally have good popularity in the army.
Getting a lighter means that people can save money on matches, and gasoline is everywhere around Crimea.
Unfortunately, the soldiers' lighters and other equipment were confiscated in Odessa.
So soon some people resorted to fraud and violence.
Shurka didn't realize this at first. Occasionally, he saw a few old women standing on the platform, staring blankly at the retreating train, and some had tears on their faces.
Shulka didn't know what happened. He thought it was because of something else.
But he soon learned that was not the case.
The veteran stood up and stopped the Cossack and several of his men.
"Go away, Crimeans!" the Cossack said to the veteran in a low voice: "Don't bring trouble on yourself!"
"People like you!" said the veteran, "will be crushed to death by the Crimeans like mice!"
"Don't bother!" the Cossack laughed: "We will all be the same when we get to Moscow!"
The meaning of this statement is very obvious, and perhaps it is also one of the reasons why the Cossacks did these disgraceful things... Going to Moscow is not going to be easy, so why not enjoy it before doing so?
What's more, even if you make a mistake, how can your superiors punish you?
Lock up?
Shoot?
No, they need soldiers who can fight to defend Moscow!
"What's going on?" Shulka asked. This strange quarrel woke Shulka from his sleep.
"Comrade company commander!" the veteran said: "They snatched their baggage from the old man on the platform!"
"No, I got it in exchange for two pairs of socks!" the Cossack replied.
"Oh, really?" Shulka said, "Then can you unpack it in front of everyone?"
After saying this, Shulka stood up. The deputy instructor who had just come out of the toilet also noticed what was going on here and walked up immediately.
The Cossack was stunned and glared at the veteran angrily. Under Shulka's gaze, he could only slowly unpack the baggage with a sense of luck...
Inside was an embroidered towel, two pairs of gloves, a pair of socks and an undershirt.
"You mean... you exchanged two pairs of socks for these things?" Shulka asked, then raised his head towards another unopened bundle: "There's even one unopened one?"
The Cossack was stunned and didn't dare to speak. These were obviously not exchangeable for two pairs of socks, and no one would trade socks for socks.
Shulka knocked the Cossack to the ground with one punch.
"If you continue to act on your own and disobey orders, Kuzya!" Shulka said to the Cossack, "then get out of my army!"
"And you!" Shulka said to the Cossack subordinates: "Don't think this is only the responsibility of the squad leader! Who are you? Soldiers defending the motherland or criminals? Do you know who you are robbing things from? They
Your sons and husbands may have gone through life and death on the front line just like us. Think of your own mothers, think of your families... How would you feel if you knew that they were treated the same way in your hometown?!"
Although the deputy instructor didn't know the cause and effect, he could guess that they were close to each other when he saw this.
This was the time for him to say something, but he didn't.
The deputy instructor walked forward slowly, squatted down, and said to the Cossack who was lying on the ground wiping the blood on the corner of his mouth: "Do you think I will send you to a military court or kick you out of the army like the company commander said?
"You are already on my reserve list!" The deputy instructor grabbed the Cossack by the collar: "If you have anything else to dissatisfy Comrade Company Commander!"
"Yes, Comrade Deputy Instructor!"
At this time, the deputy instructor stood up with satisfaction, and then whispered to Shulka: "You shouldn't talk nonsense with the bandits, Comrade Company Commander. There are better ways to deal with them!"