Red Moscow

When Sameko said the number of the 7th Guards Army, Sokov was taken aback. He asked in surprise, "Are you from the Voronezh Front?"

"Yes, Comrade General." The major nodded, looked at Sokov blankly and asked, "Is there anything wrong?"

"Of course something is wrong!" Sameko said emotionally: "It is General Konev, the commander of the Steppe Front Army, who asked us to go to the Kiev Railway Station to receive soldiers. How could you be from the Voronezh Front Army?"

"So that's what happened." Hearing what Sameko said, the major finally understood what was going on, and quickly explained: "The prisoners of war who are going to be transported by the Steppe Front Army are now at the Lviv Railway Station. If you want To receive soldiers, you should go there."

"But our superior, clearly said it's here?"

"It may be that our superiors made a mistake." Sukov realized that this matter might be an oolong, and quickly stopped Sameko from continuing, but asked the major: "How many people are there in the square?"

The major pondered for a moment, and replied: "There are 13,257 people in total, and most of them were captured in the Battle of Kharkov last year."

"When are you going to send them on the train?"

The major raised his hand and looked at his watch, "According to the regulations of the superior, board the bus in one hour!"

"Comrade Major, in the name of the commander of the 27th Army, I order you to hand over all these commanders and fighters to us immediately." Sukov saw that the major frowned, and quickly added: "I will personally report this matter to Wa General Tookin explained."

"No way, Comrade General." Although Sokov carried Vatutin out, the major still hesitated and said, "Although your position and military rank are higher than mine, I didn't do it until I got an order from your superior. right to hand over these prisoners of war to you."

"Comrade Commander," at this moment, Lunev arrived with a group of political workers, and he asked Sokov out of breath, "When will the screening work begin?"

"Comrade Military Commissar, I'm sorry." Sokov said to Lunev apologetically, "A small accident happened, and the screening work may have to be postponed."

"The screening work will be postponed?" Lunev asked puzzledly, "Why?"

"It seems that General Konev made a mistake." Sokov pulled Lunev aside and said to him in a low voice, "The commanders and fighters who are going to board the vehicles here belong to the Voronezh Front Army. And the commanders and fighters we are looking for , but at the moment at the Lviv train station."

"Ah, made a mistake?!" Lunev saw Sokov nodding his head after saying this, and hurriedly urged: "Then why are we still dawdling here, let's go to Lviv Railway Station immediately. "

"Wait a minute, Comrade Military Commissioner." There are more than 13,000 rescued commanders and fighters here, and Sokov is not willing to let them go easily. "There are more than 13,000 people here, why don't we take them in too."

"Is this appropriate?"

"It's nothing inappropriate." Sokov just observed the commanders and fighters on the square. Although most of them described them as haggard, they were all the result of being tortured in the German prisoner-of-war camp. As long as they enter the army to rest for a period of time, they can recover fighting power. What's more, there are more than 13,000 people here, which is almost the strength of one and a half divisions. How could Sokov give up the fat on his lips so easily: "We have more soldiers, and we will be more sure of winning the battle. "

Sokov's words convinced Lunev. He nodded and said: "Comrade commander, since you have made up your mind, I will listen to you. But we are not affiliated with the Voronezh Front Army. The person in charge here, Will you agree to take these commanders and fighters away smoothly?"

Sokov turned his head and glanced at the major who was talking to Sameko, shook his head and said to Lunev: "The military representative at the station is only a major, and his rights are limited. He absolutely dare not promise us to send more than 10,000 yuan to Lunev. It seems that Marshal Zhukov needs to be asked to come forward in this matter.”

Fortunately, because Sokov often travels around the frontier, he always takes the radio with him every time he travels, and this time is no exception. After quickly drafting a telegram, he called Samoilov: "Comrade Lieutenant, go to the radio station immediately and send this telegram."

Samoilov had been following Sokov for a long time, so he naturally knew that the content of this telegram was not simple. After answering a loud sentence, he headed towards where the convoy was parked.

Sokov waited for Samoilov to leave, and came to the major with Lunev, and said to him: "Comrade major, I have sent a telegram to Marshal Zhukov, please don't arrange for these people to board the car, wait a moment." Let's talk about it when the superior calls back."

The major has been very respectful to Sokov since he found out about his identity. After hearing this, he nodded quickly and said, "Understood, Comrade General, I can not allow these people to board the car for the time being. But if you want If you take them away, you need an order from your superiors."

After about a quarter of an hour, Samoilov hurried over. When he was approaching Sokov, he waved the telegram in his hand and excitedly reported to Sokov: "Comrade Commander, telegram, telegram, this is a reply from Marshal Zhukov."

Sokov took a look at the telegram and saw that the content was very simple. He agreed to hand over all the more than 13,000 commanders and fighters staying at the Kiev Railway Station Square to Sokov.

"Comrade Major," Sokov handed the completed telegram to the major, and said to him, "This is a call back from Comrade Marshal. May I take him away?"

The major saw the telegram sent by Zhukov with his own eyes, and he really wanted to agree to Sokov's request, but he didn't dare to make decisions without the order of his superiors, even if the other party had a call back from Marshal Zhukov.

When the major was in a dilemma, a lieutenant ran over quickly and reported to him: "Comrade major, there is your phone number in the station office."

"Comrade General, it may be a call from your superior." The major heard a call looking for him, as if he had found the backbone at once, and hurriedly said to Sokov, "I will go over and answer it immediately."

Sokov guessed that the call at this time must be related to the more than 10,000 commanders and fighters in the square, so he said generously: "Go, go, don't make your superiors wait too long. "

Not long after, the major came out of the station master's office and reported to Sokov: "Comrade General, my division commander has informed me that these prisoners of war now belong to the 27th Army, and you can start receiving them."

"Comrade Military Commissar," Seeing that the major allowed himself to receive soldiers, Sokov quickly ordered Lunev: "You can take your subordinates and start screening these rescued commanders and fighters."

Sokov thought that there were 20,000 to 30,000 rescued commanders and fighters at the Lviv train station. After arranging the tasks here, he took Samoilov's guard platoon and drove to the Lviv train station. .

The lieutenant next to the major, watching Lunev and a group of political workers sitting behind a table by the side of the square, registering and screening the rescued officers and fighters, couldn't help asking curiously: "Comrade major, this general It's really strange that he wants to add these former captives to his army, isn't he afraid of making mistakes?"

"Don't meddle in your own business." The major stared at his subordinates and said, "Don't ask about things that you shouldn't bother with, so as not to cause unnecessary trouble, understand?"

The lieutenant who was criticized blushed and replied, "Got it!"