Burning Moscow

Seeing Captain Dubrovsky's departure, I turned my head and asked Bantai Leyev: "Colonel, how often do the soldiers guarding the captives change positions?"

Pantai Leyev hurriedly stepped forward and reported to me truthfully: "Comrade Commander, we change posts every hour during the day, and we usually change every half an hour at night because of the low temperature."

I nodded, then pointed at the German prisoners in the distance, and said to him tactfully: "Colonel Bantaiyev, these German prisoners will be used in the future, even if they cannot be satisfied with food and medicine, I I don’t want too many prisoners to freeze to death because the temperature is too low at night, otherwise we have to arrange manpower to bury them. Understand?"

"Understood!" Bantaiyev promised, and thoughtfully suggested to me: "Comrade Commander, it's too cold outside, let's go inside the house first." At this point, he pointed to Dubu. Rovsky and the others just came out of the building and introduced to me, “Although the building was shelled and bombed by the Germans, only the lower two floors and the basement were left, but we stationed two companies in it. German prisoners want to riot, and they can be destroyed in the shortest time."

I followed Pantai Leyev to Dubrovsky’s command post. This is a room on the ground floor with a camp bed on the wall, and a broken wooden table in the middle of the room. Several chairs and two candles for lighting stood on the table.

I went to the table and pulled out a chair to sit down, and greeted Vitkov and Bantai Lev to sit down too. After the two were seated, Vitkov asked carefully: "Comrade commander, I would like to ask, did the commander disclose the next combat mission of our army?"

"The next combat mission?" I repeated Vitkov's words. Think hard in the history that I know, after the Battle of Stalingrad, did the Soviet army launch any major battles? After thinking about it for a long time, apart from a bit of an impression of the Battle of Kursk, I couldn't remember any famous battles that the Soviets had launched. So I shook my head. He replied: "I'm sorry, Comrade Chief of Staff, Commander Cuikov did not disclose any information in this regard to me. I think our next task should focus on cleaning up the ruins of the city and burying the dead. And burying the dead is even more important. The first task is to wait for the temperature to rise, and the ice and snow will melt. So many corpses will definitely cause a large area of ​​disease."

After hearing what I said, Vitkov was silent for a moment, and then asked me worriedly: "Comrade Commander, in other words, will our army have no combat missions for a long time?"

I nodded: "I think my superiors should think so." Seeing that both Vitkov and Bantai Lev showed disappointed expressions on their faces. He quickly comforted them and said: "Even if the superior did not arrange for us to take care of the prisoners, it is possible that our army may be transferred to the rear to rest and rehabilitate as a reserve for a certain front army.

"In any case, our division is the main force of the group army, but I did not expect that once the battle was over, we were assigned tasks that even the militia could complete. I was worried that the officers and men would be emotional." Bantai Leyev finished listening to me. If that is the case, he said unwillingly: "Comrade Commander. Can you discuss with Commander Cuikov and transfer our division to another battlefield?"

"Colonel Bantaiev," Vitkov patted Bantaiev's shoulder. He said with a smile: "I know your fighting enthusiasm is high, but our commanders are not iron-fighters. After months of cruel fighting, they have become exhausted. They must have a good rest. Time can re-enter the battle."

After listening, Pantai Leyev meditated for a while. Nodded, and said thoughtfully: "The chief of staff was right. I was too anxious. During this time, our division added a lot of recruits from Siberia, so we can take advantage of this free time to train. "

"Colonel Bantai Leyev." I suddenly remembered that he and Akhromeyev had always liked to lift the bar. I didn't know how the two cooperated after I left, so I asked specifically: "You and Akhromeyev Is the Major Husband getting along well?"

Bantai Leyev froze for a moment, and then said with a little embarrassment: "Comrade Commander, I understand why you asked me this. It turns out that when you were the commander in the division, I did often talk to Akhromeev. The chiefs of staff had conflicts, but they were all about work and did not involve personal grievances. After I became a division commander, I occasionally had disputes with the major over the formulation of combat plans, but I was soon able to reach a consensus."

After listening to Pantai Leyev’s words, I couldn’t help but scribble a few more words: “Colonel, I personally think that Major Akhromeyev is a good commander, otherwise I would not deliberately remove him from The Volkhov front is coming. You have such a deputy who is familiar with the situation in the division, and you will spend less energy in future battles."

Pantai Leyev nodded and wrote down what I said to him in a notebook. Looking at the thick notebook in his hand, I couldn’t help being a little curious. I wanted to see what was recorded in it. After a light cough, I tentatively asked: “Colonel Bentaiyev, I’m still there. When I was an independent teacher, I often saw you holding this notebook and making notes. Can you show me what you have written?"

I thought that Bantai Leyev would find excuses to reject me, but I didn't expect him to hand me his notebook that he never left. I took the notebook and opened it carefully, only to see that the previous records were some of his daily affairs when he was still in charge of the new editor. I have no interest in these things that have nothing to do with me, so I speed up the page turning speed. When I turned to the middle, I suddenly saw a lot of content written in series, just before he was transferred to the independent teacher, I looked carefully.

I saw it read: "...Now, we have lost the advantage of human resources and the advantage of food reserves. Continued retreat means suicide, which is tantamount to national subjugation.

Every time we lose an inch of land, we have strengthened the enemy, greatly weakened our defense and weakened our motherland. Therefore, it is necessary to fundamentally eliminate the endless retreat theory, and eliminate ‘my country’s vast land and rich population, large population. Arguments like inexhaustible food. These arguments are wrong and harmful. It will weaken our fighting spirit and increase the prestige of the enemy. If we do not stop retreating, we will lose all our food, fuel, steel, raw materials, factories and railways. This shows that it is time to stop retreating.

‘Don’t take a step back’, this should be our current main slogan. We must not hesitate to shed blood and sacrifice, and stick to every position, every inch of territory, and every piece of land until the last breath..."

Seeing this, I quickly closed the notebook and handed it back blushing. What can be recorded in Bantai Leyev's notebook. It should be what the higher-ranking leaders said. These remarks directly refute the view that I have always advocated that "space is exchanged for time". Pantai Leyev has been a deputy for so long, but he has never raised any objection to the tactics I have adopted, which is considered to be a respect for me.

At the same time, Captain Dubrovsky, who had gone out on the mission, returned. After he entered the door. He raised his hand to salute me, and then reported to me: "Comrade Commander, Captain Dubrovsky reported to you that the task you gave me has been successfully completed."

In order to get rid of my embarrassment, I stood up and said to Dubrovsky: "Comrade Captain, take me to see." Seeing that Vitkov and Bantaiev also stood up, I quickly Raising his hand to stop the two. "You two don't need to go, stay here and rest. I will come back after seeing it alone."

Leave the building. Captain Dubrovsky and I, under the protection of Yushchenko and the others, walked across the thick snow towards the prisoner of war. As I walked, I asked the captain, "How many horses did you get?"

"Four horses were all killed by artillery shells. They have not been dead for a long time, and in addition to the cold weather, they have not rotted." The captain said hurriedly: "I asked some captives to get the dead horses back, and then ordered Luo. Captain Senberg took the rest of the people. Wandering around, Ken couldn't find any other food."

"Comrade Captain." Regarding Dubrovsky's arrangement, I nodded in satisfaction. Then he said to him: "We may not be able to provide enough food for the Germans in the short term, so if we want to prevent them from starving to death, we can only mobilize them and search for food everywhere."

"But Comrade Commander," Dubrovsky said embarrassedly, shaking his head. "This city has been besieged by the Germans for a few months. It is estimated that the residents, our soldiers, or the Germans have ran out of food for a long time. It is really difficult to find enough food here."

This food issue is not only embarrassing for him, but I also feel a headache. If the superior does not provide us with food, I can't make food out of thin air. I deliberately avoided this topic, pointed at the prisoner who was staying in the ice and snow, and said to Dubrovsky what I had just said to Bantaleyev: "Captain, I hope you can assure me that even Can’t provide enough food and medicine to the captives, but can’t let too many people freeze to death in the cold night, can it be done?”

After Dubrovsky listened to my instructions, he said word by word: "Comrade Commander, I can only do my best. In addition to sending Captain Rosenberg to take people to find food, I also send A platoon of soldiers took a group of prisoners and went to the nearby ruins to collect everything that could be burned. I plan to make a few bonfires to keep the prisoners warm in the cold night."

As we spoke, we came to the prisoner's place without knowing it. In a dilapidated building without a roof, the ground was filled with tightly wrapped German soldiers. On the ground between them, there is a dead horse with its skeleton exposed, and a soldier is holding a dagger and cutting the meat on it vigorously. Every time a piece was cut, he handed it to the soldiers who had been waiting a long time ago, and then continued to cut it. The soldiers who got the horse meat immediately put the meat on the wire or wooden sticks, surrounded a newly lit bonfire, and held the meat to barbecue on the bonfire. The whole air was filled with the smell of barbecue.

I can see that these soldiers are starving and have not eaten for a few days. Before roasting the frozen horse meat on the bonfire, he stuffed the half-baked frozen meat into his mouth one by one, and chewed it hungrily, as if he was eating the delicacies of the mountains and the sea. And when I saw them stuffing bloodshot horse meat in their mouths, I couldn't help feeling nauseous. At the same time, I also feel sad for these soldiers. They thought they would get enough food after surrendering, but now it seems that they are obviously going to be disappointed.

I didn't want to look any longer, turned and left without saying a word. After walking not far, I heard the rush of footsteps behind me, knowing that Dubrovsky was catching up, I stopped and said to him, "Captain, when the day breaks, let these The captives go to work. First, they must bury all the corpses that can be found nearby, and after all this is done, let them clean up the ruins of the building and build a shelter for themselves that can shelter from the wind and snow."

"Yes, Comrade Commander." Dubrovsky replied steadily, "I am determined to complete the task!"

As soon as Vitkov and I returned to the army headquarters, the phone on the table rang before we even had a cup of tea. Vitkov stepped forward to pick up the microphone and listened, then handed it to me, and said at the same time: "Comrade Commander, it's Commander Cuikov's call."

"Oshanina, where are you going, why are you answering the phone now?" I just got the earpiece to my ear when I heard Cui Kefu's impatient voice: "I want to notify you of important things, and look for it. No one."

Hearing what he said about important things, the first thing I thought of was: Should we transfer our army to other battlefields to participate in the war? Although I thought so in my heart, I still said respectfully: "Comrade Commander, I just went to check the prisoners with Chief of Staff Vitkov, so..."

"Okay, let those captives go to hell!" Before I could finish speaking, Cui Koff interrupted me and said triumphantly: "I have good news to tell you. Commander Rokosovsky. The officer just called from Moscow and said that after discussion at the base camp, we decided to change our 62nd Army into the 8th Guards Army. All divisions and regiments that participated in the battle to defend Stalingrad will be awarded the title of Guards. "

"To grant the title of guard to all units?!" After listening to what Cui Kefu said, I couldn't help but be overjoyed. If the unit was promoted to guard, the ranks of the divisions and commanders would also be promoted accordingly. So I asked excitedly: "I wonder if the new numbers of the four infantry divisions, one tank brigade, and one artillery regiment of the 79th Infantry Corps have come out?"

"The designations of the units must be changed after they are awarded the title of Guards. But don't worry, these things will be done after Commander Rokosovsky returns from Moscow." Cuikov is not worried. Slowly said: "Although the numbers are not known for the time being, your four colonels, Pantai Leyev, Gurtyev, Vachuk, and Andryuschenko, will definitely be promoted to generals. As for you, because you have just been promoted to general, so this promotion is temporarily out of your part~www.wuxiaspot.com~ Although this promotion does not have my part, I am not worried at all, after all, my roots are too shallow. , Promoting too quickly is not a good thing. Besides, all four infantry divisions under him have become guards, and the 79th Infantry Corps may also be changed to guards, so it will be sooner or later that I, the commander of the army, will be promoted.

Trikov ignored my feelings and said to himself: "Commander Rokosovsky also said that we will leave Stalingrad in two days and go to the villages along the Akhtuba River. Then the entire group army will be stationed there. There will be rest and replenishment and new weapons will be received."

Hearing that the army is about to move out soon, I couldn't help worrying about the fate of the more than 20,000 prisoners, so I asked Cuikov: "Comrade Commander, if we are leaving Stalingrad, what should we do with the more than 20,000 prisoners in our military area ?"

After hearing this, Cui Kefu was silent for a moment, and then said: "When your ministry is moving, hand over these prisoners to the 64th Army of General Shumilov. You don't need to worry about the rest."

Now that Cui Koff has spoken to this point, I am helpless for the fate of the more than 20,000 prisoners. I can only pray in my heart, hoping that after the 64th Army takes over, there will be as many prisoners as possible. Survive. (To be continued)