Burning Moscow

Although there were only 21 vehicles left in Captain Morozov's convoy, I transferred another guard battalion to load the vehicles, but due to the lack of necessary lifting tools, the task of loading the vehicles was not completed until the next morning.

When Akhromeyev, who had come to return to me, strode into the headquarters, a chill came in, and I couldn't help but shiver. Kirilov, who happened to see my reaction, couldn't help asking with concern: "Lida, what's the matter with you?"

"It's cold," I said casually.

"Comrade Commander, the loading is complete." Akhromeyev said, taking a step forward, handing over a folder in his hand, and reporting to me: "This is the list of goods." When I picked up When he went through the list, he suddenly added, "It's snowing outside."

It snowed heavily. When I heard him say that, I couldn’t help but froze for a moment. Then I thought that it snowed in early October in previous years, but this year’s weather was rather abnormal. There was no snow in October, so that I forget that it is already. It's winter in Russia. I looked through the list and asked casually, "Major, is the snow heavy?"

"The snow is huge." Akhromeyev replied solemnly: "If Captain Morozov's convoy does not leave overnight, am I worried that they will be trapped here?"

After listening to him, I put the checklist in my hand on the table, turned my head and said to Kistyakov and the others: "Go, let's go outside."

Walking out of the base gate, I saw that it was snowing outside as expected. However, it is not the kind of goose feather snow, but dense snow powder, and the thickness of the snow on the ground is increasing at a speed visible to the naked eye. Seeing this situation, I couldn't help but frown and said: "Such snow, it is estimated that the road will be completely covered by snow for at most two hours, how can Captain Morozov's convoy return to Kiev?"

"Yes, if the snow does not stop, the convoy transporting cultural relics will be trapped here." Kirilov also said anxiously: "If the convoy can't leave, what about so many cultural relics in the base?"

Seeing this, Bezikov took the initiative to say: "Comrade Commander, I will call Captain Morozov to ask if the convoy can leave immediately and return to Kiev before the road is blocked by the snow. ."

Just when Bezikov got my permission to call in Morozov's resting place, Akhromeyev came over with a commander covered in snow. When the two came to me, I realized that the snowman was Morozov. I asked a little unexpectedly, "Comrade Captain, why are you doing this?"

"Comrade General, I slept in the lounge for two or three hours, and then came out to supervise the loading of the car. From the time it snowed to the present, I have stayed outside, and it turned out to be like this." Morozov finished talking. After the sentence, he asked me solemnly: "Can we leave now?"

"But, Comrade Captain." I pointed to the snow powder falling on the ground, and said with some worry: "The snow is so heavy, if you set out at this time, you are likely to be trapped on the road by the heavy snow."

"Comrade General, this snow may be the next day and night. If we wait blindly, we may be trapped here for a few days and can't leave." Perhaps to reassure me, Morozov also emphasized: "The forest The road may become unrecognizable because of this heavy snow, so I plan to lead the convoy to return along the road."

"No, Captain, how can this be?" As soon as Morozov finished speaking, Bezikov retorted loudly: "Don't forget, you were attacked by German troops on your way here. A huge price was paid."

Morozov glanced at Bezikov's epaulettes, and then said: "Comrade Colonel, it is snowing so much now, I think the Germans will definitely stay in their warm shelters instead of stupidly in the snow. Therefore, we return along the same route, and the chances of returning safely to Kiev are still very high."

Bezikov did not want to argue with Morozov, but turned to look at me and ask for my opinion: "Comrade Commander, what's your opinion?"

Seeing Bezikov pushed the contradiction to me, I couldn't help but feel worried. With such a heavy snow, if you still follow the plan to return to Kiev through the trail in the forest, it is obviously a bit unrealistic; and the return along the road is quick, but no one can guarantee that there will not be a few Germans who can’t stay idle. He didn't want to stay in a warm room to keep warm, but liked lying in the snow on both sides of the road, ready to ambush the passing Soviet convoy at any time.

I looked at Bezikov, then at Morozov with an anxious look, and finally made the most difficult decision: "Comrades, in the current situation, in order to move the supplies out of the base as soon as possible. , I think we can only take a risk." After saying that, I have Morozov, "Captain, you will start with the convoy. I will send the commander stationed in Korostwiv to send a small The troops escorted you back to Kiev."

"Comrade Commander..." Seeing that I agreed with Morozov's proposal, Bezikov became a little anxious. He wanted to persuade me, but I raised his hand to stop him: "Okay, Comrade Chief of Staff, the man in the base The materials need to be transferred as soon as possible, and our time is limited, so we can only take risks."

"Chief of Staff," Kistyakov, who was still silent after seeing Bezikov still trying to persuade me, said, "Comrade Commander made the right decision. We must buy time and save the people in the base. All the supplies are transported away, otherwise, once the enemy arrives, these things will fall into their hands again."

After watching the distance full of cultural relics, we returned to the headquarters. Since Morozov’s convoy temporarily changed its marching route, it is necessary for me to report to Vatutin immediately so that he can adjust the direction of the response in time.

After hearing my voice, Vatutin said impatiently: "Comrade Oshanina, have all the gold and cultural relics that should be transported been loaded?"

"Yes, it has all been loaded. I will report the list of cultural relics to you in the form of a telegram later." Originally, I wanted to read the reprinted cultural relics directly to him, but I saw the densely packed names on the list. , I retired again and decided to let Akhromeyev send the list to the headquarters in the form of a telegram. I paused for a moment, and then said again: "Captain Morozov's convoy has departed."

"What? The convoy set off?" Hearing what I said, Vatutin said in surprise: "There is so much snow outside. It is estimated that the road in the forest has long been covered by snow. If this is the case, the convoy is very good. May be trapped in the forest by snow."

"The situation has changed, Comrade Commander." I said cautiously: "Considering that the road in the forest may be covered with snow, I asked Morozov to lead the convoy and return along the Kiev Zhitomir highway."

"Damn it, Comrade Oshaninna, what have you done?" Vatutin said as soon as I finished speaking, "Have you forgotten that they were ambushed by the enemy on the way to you," Is it about the loss of more than half of the vehicle? You are actually letting them return the same way. If there is any accident in the convoy transporting cultural relics, I will send you to a military court."

I am not at all worried about Vatutin's threat. As a traverser, if there is no protagonist's halo on his head, I would have died ten times eight times. I waited patiently for Vatutin to finish, and then said casually: "Comrade General, please rest assured that when the convoy arrives in Korostviv, I will let the defenders there send armored troops along the way. Escorted, I believe the convoy can reach Kiev safely."

After making a fire at me, Vatutin saw that I didn't try to defend myself, but said lightly that the team could arrive safely and his mood quickly returned to normal. He cautiously asked: "Oshanina Comrades, can the convoy transporting cultural relics really return to Kiev smoothly?"

"I think it should be possible." I replied vaguely: "With such a heavy snow, the enemy may not have any more actions, so it is unlikely that we will send troops to the nearby convoy on the highway. Even if it does, It can only be some scouts, and the troops escorting the convoy can easily eliminate them all."

"I hope so." Vatutin sighed when he saw that the matter was over and everything could only be resigned to his fate. In the hands of the enemy, I hope you will deploy elite troops to perform this **** mission."

"Don't worry, Comrade General." Seeing that Vatutin had acquiesced to the fact that the convoy returned along the same route, in order to make him feel at ease, I quickly assured him: "I will definitely send good soldiers and strong generals to protect the convoy to reach Kiev smoothly. ."

The current commander at the highest level in Krostvevry is Major General Berei, the acting commander of the Fifth Guards Tank Army, so after I finished the call with Vatutin, I called him again. , Told him: "General Bere, our convoy will pass through Koroslav in a moment. The vehicle is carrying important supplies of our army. I order you to send elite armored troops to **** them back to Kiev safely. ."

After hearing my order, Bie Lei did not readily agree as usual. Instead, he hesitated for a long time and said: "Comrade Commander, the snow outside is too much and the road conditions have become complicated. I can only send one. A small unit consisting of two tanks and a motorized company escorted the convoy back to Kiev."

Regarding Bere’s arrangement, I thought about it and nodded my head. "Well, General Bere. From the moment the convoy enters Korostviv, I will hand them over to you for their safety. Anyway, you have to find ways to **** them. Return to Kiev safely."

After I put down the phone, Kistyakov suddenly said to me: "Comrade Commander, I have just received a report from the divisions that the German troops on three sides of Zhitomir, shortly after they were dispatched, were attacked by the small troops of our army. The attack, coupled with the heavy snowfall, has stopped advancing towards Zhytomyr and retreated to the original city."

Hearing this news, I was overjoyed and said repeatedly: "It's great, this is really great. The snow came really in time. Although it caused a lot of inconvenience to the transfer of cultural relics, it also changed the enemy's march. It’s difficult. Daxue bought us a few days of precious time. In addition to ordering Zhtomir’s troops to seize this hard-won opportunity to reinforce and improve the fortifications against time, we must also take some necessary actions here. "

"Necessary action?" My words confused Kistyakov, and he asked with a blank face: "Comrade Commander, you have confused me. I didn't understand what action you were talking about. ?"

I saw that not only Kistyakov didn’t understand what I meant, but even Kirilov and Bezikov next to him were also at a loss, so I explained to them: “From the current situation. It is totally unrealistic for our army to transfer all the cultural relics here before the enemy seizes Zhitomir and this base."

"Yes, Comrade Commander." As soon as I finished speaking, Bezikov echoed: "If there is a railway, the transfer of cultural relics may not be affected much. But the only way we can use road transportation at the moment is. Because it was threatened by the German army and could not proceed normally, I think that in any case, before Zhytomyr and the base fall, all the cultural relics here cannot be transferred."

"Then what should we do?" Kirilov interrupted and asked, "Should we leave these priceless treasures of our country to the fascist invaders?" Before we could speak, he said angrily, "No, no. If you do so, it is a crime, a crime against the motherland against Comrade Stalin~www.wuxiaspot.com~ Let me explain first, as long as there is one cultural relic that has not been transferred, I will never leave this base. The fascist bandits want to rob again Walk our cultural relics unless they step on my corpse."

Kirilov's words made the whole command quiet suddenly. Finally, I broke the silence in the room. I smiled and said to him: "Comrade Military Commissioner, the situation will not be as bad as you thought. Even if the cultural relics here cannot be transferred before the base falls, then I will definitely not. Let them fall into German hands again."

My words made Kirilov's eyes shine. He asked a little unexpectedly: "Lida, have you thought of a good way?" Seeing my nodding approval, he immediately urged, "Then give your thoughts quickly. Let’s talk about it so that everyone’s heart is not at ease."

I walked to the wall, pointed to the floor plan of the base on the wall, and said to them: "Comrades, please look at the rooms where cultural relics are stored. Almost all of them are in the deepest part of the base. Suppose we blast the gate of the base. If it does, the damage to the cultural relics should be minimal. My idea is to blow up the gate of the base and the first half of the passage before we move, so that the Germans cannot enter the depths of the base to steal our cultural relics in a short time. In a month or more, our troops will be able to fight back again, and then we will organize our manpower to open up the passage blocked by the collapsed rubble, and see the cultural relics hidden deep in the base see the sky again." (~^~)