Red Moscow

At dawn, Sameko reported to Sokov who was lying on the camp bed: "Comrade Commander, just received a telegram from Chuvashov, saying that his troops have arrived outside Kremenchug, Always ready to attack..."

Sokov was woken up from his sleep by Sameko, and he was still in a state of unconsciousness. Hearing Sameko read this, he said weakly: "Got it, Comrade Chief of Staff, call them back. If the sneak attack is successful, just Don't become a storm..."

Unexpectedly, Sokov was interrupted by Sameko just after he finished speaking: "Comrade Commander, I haven't finished my sentence yet."

"What else is there?" Sokov closed his eyes, planning to hurry up and sleep for a while before dawn.

But Sameko's next words made his drowsiness disappear: "Several generals of our army were discovered among the more than 2,000 commanders and fighters of our army who had been imprisoned for many years in the prisoner-of-war camp."

"Senior general?!" Sokov sat up abruptly when he heard this. Since Sameko used the word general, the one who was rescued was at least the same rank as himself. He asked nervously, "Who is it?"

"Major General Ponedelin, former commander of the 12th Army of the Southwest Front, Lieutenant General Muzichenko, commander of the 6th Army, and Major General Kirilov, commander of the 13th Infantry Army."

After reading these names, Sameko asked Sokov with a serious expression: "Comrade Commander, how should we deal with these rescued generals?"

Sokov stood barefoot on the ground, walking back and forth in the room with his hands behind his back, thinking quickly in his mind. Don't look at how many prisoner-of-war camps my army has liberated, but the highest rank among the rescued commanders is only a major. Now, in a prisoner-of-war camp with only 2,000 people, three generals were found, and they were captured at the beginning of the war General, how to deal with them?

He walked back and forth in the room a few times, but still couldn't come up with a good solution, so he stopped and asked Sameko, "Chief of Staff, how did Colonel Chuvashov arrange them?"

"Since the troops have already arrived outside the city of Kremenchug, their trains are about to return to carry new troops." Sameko explained to Sokov: "Chuvashov is going to put the three generals on the train. What do you mean by returning to the fortress of Merliefa?"

"I agree with Colonel Chuvashov." Although Sokov hadn't figured out how to arrange the three rescued generals, he still said to Sameko: "Send them back first, and how to deal with them is up to you." It's up to the superiors to decide."

Sameko agreed, and was about to return to the telegraph to ask the operator to call Chuvashov back, but unexpectedly ran into Lunev who had just arrived. He asked politely, "Comrade Military Commissioner, why did you come here so early?"

"Can't sleep, come and have a look." Lunev saw Sokov standing barefoot on the ground, while Sameko looked anxious, and couldn't help asking curiously: "Comrade commander, where is the Did something happen?"

"Comrade Chief of Staff, go and return the telegram first." Sokov sent Sameko away, asked Lunev to sit down, and sat on the edge of the bed to put on his boots. Husband said it again.

After hearing this, Lunev showed a surprised expression on his face: "Comrade Commander, what did you just say? In the prisoner-of-war camp outside Klemenchug, the former commander of the 12th Army, Bonejelin, was rescued." Major General?"

"Yes, Comrade Military Commissar." Sokov realized from the tone of Lunev's speech that the other party might know the General Pornedelin, so he asked tentatively, "Is there anything wrong?"

"Comrade Commander," Lunev said sternly, "don't you know that Pornedelin has become a shameful traitor. In October 1941, the military court held a public trial in absentia, and he was sentenced to be shot. Confiscation of personal property and deprivation of all awards granted."

"Comrade Military Commissar," Sokov opened his mouth in surprise after hearing Lunev's words, and it took him a long time to speak: "Could it be a mistake? How about being held in a POW camp?"

"Who knows." Lunev shook his head and said, "Maybe after he became a traitor, the Germans felt that he was useless, so they continued to detain him in a prisoner-of-war camp and let him fend for himself."

Sokov disagreed with Lunev's statement. He thought of Vlasov, the famous rebel general of the Soviet army. It is the necessary preferential treatment. If Pornegerin was also a traitor, how could he have been tortured in a prisoner-of-war camp outside Klemenchug?

Thinking of this, Sokov waved his hand and said firmly: "Comrade Military Commissar, I think there may be some misunderstanding in this matter. Maybe Ponegerin was framed. He didn't become a traitor at all."

"But his becoming a traitor is the conclusion made by the Supreme Military Court." Lunev asked back: "Are you planning to challenge the decision of the Military Court?"

Hearing Lunev talk about the military court, Sokov immediately shrank his neck. He didn't think he had the ability to challenge such authority, so he shook his head and said, "I think this matter is of great importance. We must listen to what the parties say. Only then can we make an accurate judgment.”

Lunev and Sokov have been partners for a long time. I know that he must have his reasons for saying this. After a moment of silence, he made his own suggestion to Sokov: "Comrade Commander, this matter is of great importance. I suggest you report to your superiors, and finally report to Marshal Zhukov in person to hear what he means."

Sokov felt that Lunev's suggestion was very good. This matter was of great importance. Not to mention that he was just a small major general, I am afraid that even a general like Konev would have no choice but to deal with the issue of Ponegerin. No right to speak either. For the current plan, the only way to do this is to contact Zhukov first to hear his opinion.

It only took a few minutes for the director of the communications corps to get through Zhukov's phone.

Zhukov may have just been woken up by his subordinates, and he was somewhat rude to Sokov: "Misha, what happened, you called me so early?"

"Comrade Marshal," Sokov said hastily, "the troops I sent to attack Klemenchug rescued more than 2,000 captured commanders and fighters in the prisoner-of-war camps outside the city. Captured at the Battle of Man."

"Oh, they were captured in the Battle of Uman?" Zhukov was somewhat surprised when he heard this: "It's really not easy for them to survive until now."

"Yes, Comrade Marshal. According to Colonel Chuvashov's report, these people have been tortured to death by the damn Germans." Sokov said to Zhukov: "Because they have not been able to get enough food and clothing for a long time, many people All suffer from one disease or another, continue to treat them..."

"Okay, Misha, you don't have to say it." Zhukov planned what Sokov said later, "I understand what you mean, you want to incorporate all these commanders and fighters into your army, right? I'm in charge of this matter." , put them all into your group army, as to whether the physical condition is suitable for combat missions, that is your business."

Sokov called Zhukov, not for the purpose of recruiting these rescued commanders and fighters. If it was purely for recruitment, Sokov didn't need to greet anyone at all, he only needed to conduct a simple screening and directly incorporate them into his own troops. Even if the superiors knew about this matter, they would naturally turn a blind eye and turn a blind eye to it when they saw that Sokov, who was often victorious, would ignore it.

"No, Comrade Marshal, I am calling you not for the recruitment of the rescued commanders and fighters, but for other things." Sokov said nervously: "Among the more than 2,000 rescued commanders and fighters, my The subordinates found three generals, all of whom were senior commanders of the former Southwest Front Army."

"The former senior commander of the Southwest Front Army?" Zhukov couldn't help frowning when he heard this, and asked, "Misha, who are you talking about?"

"Major General Ponedelin, former commander of the 12th Army of the Southwest Front, Lieutenant General Muzichenko, commander of the 6th Army, and Major General Kirilov, commander of the 13th Infantry Army."

After hearing this, Zhukov slapped the table and said sharply: "I really didn't expect that you would find a traitor like Ponegerin in the German prisoner-of-war camp. By the way, the 13th Infantry Army Major General Kirillov is not a good thing, he also betrayed the motherland and became a shameful traitor."

"Comrade Marshal," Sokov could tell from Zhukov's tone that Zhukov was very angry, but he still said cautiously in order to prevent unjust, false and wrongful convictions: "I think this matter may not be that simple."

"Misha, what do you mean?"

"Comrade Marshal, before I explain to you, I would like to ask a question." Sokov said into the microphone: "Is it okay?"

"Ask, what's the question?"

"How did the Supreme Military Court learn that General Pornegelin had become a traitor? Is there any evidence?"

Sokov's words stopped Zhukov, and he frowned, thinking hard about the approval of Ponejielin. But it is regrettable that when the trial was held in absentia, he was commanding the troops of the Western Front to prevent the German army from approaching Moscow, and he had no time to care about such matters.

"I don't know." Zhukov shook his head and said, "At that time, I was commanding troops of the Western Front. There were so many unfinished tasks every day, how could I have the time to pay attention to a trial."

"Comrade Commander," Seeing that Zhukov did not understand the details of the trial, Sokov couldn't help feeling a little disappointed, but Lunev, who was standing beside him, suddenly said, "I know what the Supreme Military Court is based on. Knowing that Major General Bonejelin has become a traitor."

"Based on what?" Sokov asked.

"After the Battle of Uman, German planes dropped leaflets to our positions, including a leaflet with photos of Ponedelin, Kirillov and German officers." Lunev said: "I I remember one of them, Ponegerin was talking and laughing with a German general... Based on these photos, the Supreme Military Court concluded that Pornegerin had become a traitor, so he was sentenced to death in absentia trial. "

After figuring out what was going on, Sokov hurriedly repeated the situation to Zhukov, and finally said: "Comrade Marshal, I think it is very hasty to judge whether a person has become a traitor based on one or two photos. When the German army airdropped these leaflets, it was for the purpose of disintegrating the morale and morale of our army through these photos, and we must not fall into the trap of the Germans."

Sokov's words made Zhukov ponder. He felt that what the other party said made sense. The Germans were indeed good at conspiring, which caused suspicion within the Soviet army. For example, Marshal Tukhachevsky before the war was framed by the Germans and executed as a German spy. Although many people know that Tukhachevsky was wronged, but now is not the best time to rehabilitate him.

Thinking of this, Zhukov said slowly: "Misha, I once heard Comrade Bagramyan, the former Chief of Operations of the Southwest Front Army, say that Bonedelin is probably the most educated commander of the Southwest Front Army's army group. Yes. He commanded an infantry division, served as chief of staff of the Leningrad Military District, and headed the Tactical Teaching and Research Office of the Frunze Military Academy. He is well versed in advanced corps tactics, proficient in military academic issues, and enjoys high prestige in the Kiev Special Military District."

Hearing this, Sokov felt that Zhukov seemed to agree with his own statement, and no longer insisted that Ponegerin was a traitor, and might persuade the bearded man to cancel the military court's sentence against Pornegerin. He hurriedly said while the iron was hot: "Comrade Marshal, the three generals are now on their way back to the fortress of Meliefa. If it is convenient for you, you can come to me and ask the three of them personally to see what they said."

"Okay," Zhukov agreed to Sokov's proposal: "When they arrive at your headquarters, call me immediately, and I will rush there immediately."

After Zhukov put down the phone, he began to wonder whether this matter should be reported to the Supreme Commander himself immediately to hear his opinion. But after thinking about it, I still don't know what the truth is, so I hurriedly reported it to the bearded man, which might be self-defeating. The best way is to talk to the three generals after they arrive at the fortress of Meliefa. After figuring out what's going on, it's not too late to report to the Supreme Commander himself.

After Sukov put down the phone, he said to Sameko who had just returned from sending the telegram: "Comrade Chief of Staff, I think the generals must have been tortured in the German prisoner-of-war camps and must be in poor health. You immediately Arrange for two highly skilled military doctors to be on standby, and as soon as they arrive, they will conduct medical examinations for them immediately."

"Understood, Comrade Commander." Sameko nodded and replied, "I will arrange for the best military doctor to conduct medical examinations for the three rescued generals."