Burning Moscow

Kolpakchi looked at the burning battlefield in the distance, and asked with concern: "Comrade Cui Koff, I think the investigation into who issued the retreat order to the troops can be delayed a little bit. The first thing that should be done at the moment, It is to immediately issue an order to stop the troops from crossing the river, organize a defense on the right bank, and support the two wings on the bank."

"You make sense, I will use all the communication equipment in the observation post to give orders to the troops." After Cui Kefu finished speaking, he went to order his first communication staff to stop himself from crossing the river through radio and telephone. The decision to organize defense on the spot was notified to the troops.

Seeing the staff at the observation post getting busy, Cui Koff couldn't help repeating the old thing again: "Kolpakchi, tell me, who will give the order for the troops to retreat?"

Kolpakchi frowned when he heard Trikov's question, tapping his fingers lightly on the table, as if he was thinking hard about how to answer.

Seeing that Kolpakchi hadn't spoken yet, Semykov couldn't help taking a step forward and said to Cuikov: "Comrade General, can I say a few words?"

If someone else suddenly came out to speak like this, Cuikov might not show him a good face, but Semikov once saved his life, and the relationship between the two is different. He nodded at Shemikov and motioned to the captain to continue.

Shemikov said, "I think it might be a German who sneaked into the back of our army, dressed as our army, and then gave this false order to the army."

Unexpectedly, as soon as Semykov's hypothesis was expressed, Cuikov shook his head to deny his inference: "Comrade Captain, this kind of possibility does not exist. The Germans even give false orders. At most, the grassroots commanders are deceived. After receiving the false order, one or two companies withdrew from the battle, I believe that. But now the troops leaving the position and retreating are not one or two companies, but one division and two brigades, including a tank brigade. The proof is conveyed. The person who ordered the order directly conveyed the order to the division and brigade-level commander, and the person who received the order is still familiar with the other party after all, otherwise they would never withdraw from the battlefield during the fiercest battle. ."

Kolpakic, who has not spoken, interrupted and said: "As long as we can contact the senior commanders of the retreating troops, we can find out who gave this absurd order."

While talking, a staff officer ran from outside the observation post and exclaimed excitedly: "Report Comrade Commander, we contacted Major General Bilyukov, the commander of the 214th Division. He has ordered the troops to stop crossing the river. And quickly returned to the original defensive position."

Hearing contact with a senior commander of the cross-river unit, Cuikov let out a long sigh of relief, and then asked: "Where is General Bilyukov?"

"After he received the new order, he was rushing to us with the division political commissar Sopaoli. It is estimated that he will be there in ten minutes."

While waiting for the arrival of Bilyukov and his political commissar, Gurov called the observation post. As soon as the call was connected, he asked Kolpakchi with concern: "Comrade Commander, how is the situation on your side?"

"The enemy's offensive has been repulsed. The artillery of the Marine Brigade is building fortifications, and the troops who are rushing to the ferry are returning to their positions one after another. How is the situation on our side, Comrade Military Commissioner." Qi replied.

"At present, the enemy's counter-attack has been suppressed by our army, and the line of defense is still stabilized in the actual control area at noon. I have made the troops fortify their fortifications overnight to cope with the possible counterattack of the Germans tomorrow."

"Comrade Military Commissioner," Kolpakic hesitated, but couldn't help asking, "I want to ask, how is the 168th Tank Brigade?"

Gurov was silent for a moment, sighed, and said: "Oh, don't mention it. After defeating the German tanks, there were only three tanks left in the brigade. The tank in which the brigade commander Colonel Luo Jin was riding was destroyed by artillery shells. He was seriously injured. After a simple treatment, the military doctors have taken him and the seriously wounded to go to Stalingrad through the pontoon."

While talking, the commander and political commissar of the 214th Division arrived. As soon as the two entered the observation post, the major general said in a loud voice: "Comrade Commander, what is going on? My troops have fought well on the ground. Why are we suddenly ordered to withdraw from the position and cross over? Cross the Chil River to build a new line of defense."

Cui Koff looked at him in astonishment and said, "General Bilyukov, when did I give the retreat order? You know, if the troops were to be ordered to retreat, I would not stay in this observation post. If not, If troops stand in front and act as a deterrent, enemy tanks can rush to the front of the observation post in just a few minutes."

"But Comrade Commander, this retreat order was indeed issued by the Group Army Command."

"What? General Bilyukov, what are you talking about? The command was issued by the command of the group army?"

"Yes, Comrade Commander." General Bilyukov said, took out a neatly folded piece of paper from his pocket, handed it to Cui Kefu, and said: "Look, this is the commander of the Group Army Command. Our written order to retreat. The order was personally sent by the communications staff of the headquarters."

"Who signed the order." After Cui Kefu accepted the document, he didn't open it immediately, but asked with a frosty face.

Biliukov was taken aback by his expression, but he answered honestly: "Reporting to Comrade Commander, it was Colonel Novikov, Chief of Staff of the Group Army, and member of the Military Committee, and the division-level political commissar Abu that signed the order. Ramoff."

After listening to Cui Kefu, he slapped the table fiercely and gritted his molars and said: "Fuzzy, at the most critical juncture of the war, without my permission, who gave them the right to order the troops to retreat. "Speaking of this, he paused for a while and ordered a staff officer: "Immediately pick me up with the group army headquarters. I want to talk to the military commissioner."

After answering Abramov’s call, Cuikov said in a stiff tone: "Comrade Military Commissioner, I would like to ask Wen, why do you give the troops an order to retreat?"

The other party heard Cui Koff’s displeasure, and explained to him: "Comrade Commander, this is the situation. I received intelligence that the Germans, relying on the advantages of the air force and artillery, under the cover of tanks, went down Chilska. The Asian region swooped over. As you know, our troops were adapted from the reserve army. Most of the soldiers were recruits and lacked combat experience. In order to avoid the army being encircled and wiped out by the entire army, we passed through me and Chief of Staff Novi. Colonel Cove decided after discussion and decided that while the encirclement of the enemy had not yet formed, let the troops cross the river quickly, and then quickly establish a new defensive position after crossing the river. So we used the radio station to report to the 214th Infantry. The division, two marine brigades, and the 137th tank brigade issued an order to withdraw to the left bank of the Don River...."

Cui Kefu said with a sullen face: "Comrade Military Commissioner, do you know that it is because of this wrong order that you issued that cost us? A division and three brigades withdrew from the position at the same time, tens of thousands of people together Flocking to the Don and Chil River ferry. In order to prevent the flow of people and convoys flocking to the ferry, I sent General Browder to the ferry with the staff around me. The enemy plane found people and cars crowded at the ferry. Immediately there was a fierce bombing of the ferry. In the enemy's bombing, General Browder, Lieutenant Colonel Sidorin, Colonel Brilov and many other commanders of the group army command were all gloriously sacrificed." At that moment, Cui Kefu's voice became choked. After speaking, he hung up the phone decisively without waiting for the other person to speak.

After putting down the phone, Cui Koff looked at Bilyukov and his political commissar standing in front of him. He calmed down and asked, "Comrade General, how many casualties were your troops in the air strike just now?"

Biliukov's mouth twitched, and he replied: "Report to Comrade Commander, there is a regiment with more casualties. The soldiers suffered one-third of the casualties. The regimental commander and regiment political commissar died, leaving only the four battalion commanders. The next deputy battalion commander, and seven company commanders." (To be continued.)