"What do you mean?" Major Gavrilov took the gas mask and looked at it.
Shulka looked around. Major Gavrilov understood and signaled the other officers to disperse. He even asked the guards to clear a corner next to him... The Soviet army's confidentiality system is too weak, especially now, casually
Any soldier who escapes may leak the secret again, and no one dares to take this risk.
Only Gavrilov, political commissar Fomin and Shulka were left at the table.
Shulka was relieved about Political Commissar Fomin, because in history, when Political Commissar Fomin was captured, he disguised himself as an ordinary soldier. However, he was betrayed by a traitor and his identity was exposed. He was shot dead by the Germans outside the gate of Holm. (Note: Fomin in the movie.
The political commissar took the initiative to stand up, which is inconsistent with historical facts)
"What do you want to say, Shulka?" Major Gavrilov raised the gas mask in his hand.
"Major, I believe it's sealed very well!" Shulka said.
"Yes, of course!" Major Gavrilov replied: "It is used to protect against gas!"
"And we can also observe the outside situation through these two pieces of glass." Sulka pointed to the eyes on the gas mask and said, "I'm sorry, I don't know what it's called!"
"Window!" Political Commissar Fuming said: "Round window!"
"Yes, the window!" Shulka continued: "And it also has a long extension tube..."
"What on earth do you want to say, Shulka?!" Major Gavrilov interrupted Shulka impatiently: "Now is not the time to learn to use a gas mask!"
"Of course, Major!" Shulka took the gas mask and said while gesturing: "Good sealing, viewing window, and an extension tube... I'm wondering if we can use it to breathe underwater?"
"But why do we have to breathe in water? We don't even have water..." Major Gavrilov understood what Shulka meant just halfway through his words. He was stunned for a while with his mouth half open, and his face gradually faded.
He smiled and nodded repeatedly: "Good idea, Shulka, it's a good idea!"
"What?" Political Commissar Fuming still didn't understand what was going on.
Major Gavrilov looked around, then made a small gesture, and then lowered his voice and said: "If we can breathe underwater, we can send a troop to reach wherever we want through the cover of the river.
Where to go, I mean the other side!”
"Yes!" Shulka nodded: "That's what I want to say, we only need to make some simple modifications to the gas mask, and then it will become our diving suit, and we can stay hidden under the river water.
Reach the other side quickly, and then launch a sudden attack on them!"
Political Commissar Fuming's eyes couldn't help but light up. He turned his unexpected gaze to Shulka and nodded: "It is indeed a good idea, Comrade Shulka. This may save us all!"
"How are we going to transform it?" Major Gavrilov asked.
"I think we should change it like this..." Shurka said: "Take out the end of the extension tube and fix it on a wooden block float so that it always floats on the water, so that we can breathe air under the water!"
Major Gavrilov and Commissar Fomin nodded repeatedly.
"We also need to tie bricks to the calves!" Major Gavrilov, who is familiar with water properties, added: "Otherwise it will be difficult to maintain balance in the water and move around!"
"Yes!" Political Commissar Fu Ming said: "We also need to know the water depth. If the water depth exceeds two and a half meters, there may be a danger of being submerged!"
"How can we know the depth of the water?" Shulka asked, something he had not expected.
"Easy!" Major Gavrilov put away his gas mask and shouted to the back: "Karpusha!"
"Yes, Comrade Major!" A guard heard the sound and trotted over.
Major Gavrilov drew on the map and asked: "Do you know the depth of the surrounding rivers?"
"Of course, Comrade Major!" Karpusa replied.
"I need you to mark out a large area of water of about two and a half meters, is that okay?"
"Okay!" Karpusa answered simply, picked up the pen and marked on the map and said: "This, this, this... the water flow here will be more rapid, but here it will be gentler!"
Not long after, a simplified version of the hydrograph appeared in front of everyone.
After Karpusa left, Shulka asked worriedly: "Is this reliable?"
"Reliable!" Major Gavrilov replied: "He fishes in this river every day and is familiar with everything about it!"
"Okay!" Shulka was a little helpless.
You must know that just a little bit of this may bring danger to the entire operation, and everyone's lives may depend on this plan.
But he seemed to have no other choice, because there were only more than two hours before dawn, and the German army's blockade on the river bank was still very tight, and there was no time to reconnoiter these waters one by one.
"Then, let's determine the attack position!" Major Gavrilov said.
"We seem to have no choice!" Political Commissar Fuming suggested: "After the church, because we only need to cross a river in this area!"
What Political Commissar Fuming said may be correct. This was also the reason why Shulka chose a church to break out of the encirclement before.
In other directions, any breakout point will lead to another island after crossing the river, and then one has to cross a river to break out of the encirclement.
Major Gavrilov seemed to have no objection to this, but Shulka shook his head.
"I don't think we can break out from here, Comrade Comrade Political Commissar!" Shulka said.
"Why?" Political Commissar Fuming asked.
"First of all, the Germans tightly blocked the river to prevent us from getting water!" Shurka explained: "This means that we can only send small troops to sneak attacks along the river!"
Political Commissar Fuming nodded: "When there are more people, they will be discovered before we even get into the water!"
"Yes!" Shulka continued: "And the enemy has deployed heavy troops in these parts, and our sneak attack with only a small number of people will not have any effect at all!"
"Then..." Major Gavrilov nodded: "We can only choose one of the three islands!"
The Kobrin Fortress in the north was eliminated first because the German army had just occupied it and a large number of German troops were consolidating its defenses.
On the contrary, the two fortresses in the southwest and south had relatively small forces because the Germans thought they had eliminated the remaining enemies and consolidated their defenses.
"I think we should choose the West Island!" Major Gavrilov said: "Because it is a stone bridge, which is convenient for attack, while the South Island is a rope bridge!"
"No!" Shulka said: "Comrade Major, I think we should choose South Island!"