Red Moscow

The 84th Division led by Major General Fomenko was the second echelon. Less than five kilometers away from the Merefa Fortress, they encountered an oncoming train. Fomenko hurriedly ordered his subordinates to signal the train to stop immediately.

The driver saw someone blocking the car ahead, and thought that this was his defense zone, so he stopped the car boldly. As soon as the train stabilized, a captain from the 98th Guards Division got off the train and ran towards the lieutenant who was blocking the train, and asked loudly, "Which department are you from? Why are you blocking the train here?"

"Comrade Captain," the lieutenant who stopped the train said to him politely, "I am the combat staff officer of the 84th Infantry Division. My division was ordered to go to Klemenchug to participate in the battle. We need to requisition your trains."

Unexpectedly, after hearing this, the captain showed a troubled expression on his face: "Comrade lieutenant, I don't think I can agree to your request."

"Why?"

"Because there are more than 2,000 commanders and fighters who have just been rescued on board."

It turned out that after Chuvashov rescued the prisoners of war, he found that their bodies were very weak and could not be incorporated into combat troops at all. It happened that the three rescued generals were about to be sent back to the Melliefa Fortress, so it was temporarily decided to send all the rescued commanders and fighters back in the same car.

After listening to the lieutenant, he felt that such a matter was beyond his control, so he said to the captain: "Comrade captain, I will take you to see General Fomenko. You should report the specific situation to him in person."

Soon the captain appeared before Fomenko.

After he raised his hand to salute, Fomenko asked straight to the point: "Comrade Captain, what's the matter? Why are there more than 2,000 rescued commanders and fighters in the car?"

"Comrade General," the captain replied respectfully, "after we rescued these prisoners outside Klemenchug, the division commander found that they were too weak to be incorporated into the army. With so much self-protection ability, they were all sent back."

"Comrade Captain, we need to requisition this train because we need to get to Klemenchug as soon as possible." Fomenko, who was eager to get to Klemenchug, said to him after the captain explained the reason: "Please Order those officers and fighters to get off the vehicle, and then walk to the fortress of Meliefa."

"Comrade General," the captain said with some embarrassment, "There are three generals in the car, all of whom are not in good health. I'm afraid they won't be able to carry them if they are asked to walk a few kilometers."

"Oh, there are three generals in the car?!" Fomenko didn't know that there were actually three generals among the rescued commanders and fighters, so he was very surprised: "Who are they? What year were they captured?" ?”

The captain answered clearly: "The three rescued generals are Major General Ponyedelin, Commander of the 12th Army of the Southwest Front, Lieutenant General Muzichenko, Commander of the 6th Army, and Kieran, Commander of the 13th Infantry Army. Major General Rilov. They were captured at the Battle of Uman shortly after the war broke out."

Hearing the three names read out by the captain, Fomenko was shocked. He turned to Colonel Manokhin standing behind him and said, "Comrade Commissar, have you heard the names of these three generals?"

"No." Manuoxin shook his head and replied, "I have never been in the Southwest Front Army, and I don't know these three commanders."

"Comrade Captain," Fomenko said to the captain, "please let everyone out of the car as soon as possible and let us board. As for the three generals, let's go to the fortress of Merefa in our jeep."

Since neither he nor Manoshin knew the three rescued generals, Fomenko naturally had no plans to meet them. After ordering the commanders and fighters to assist the comrades in the carriage to get out of the car, he took the members of the division headquarters and walked towards the special carriage at the rear of the car.

Knowing their special identities, Ponejielin and others declined Uzakov's kindness when boarding the car, and instead of going to the special compartment at the rear of the car, they insisted on squeezing into the same compartment with the soldiers. That is why they did not see Fomenko when they got out of the car.

The captain who escorted them saw the three generals get off the car one by one, and hurried forward to say hello.

Ponejielin asked in puzzlement: "Comrade Captain, what's going on, why did we get off here? As far as I know, the Merefa Fortress is still several kilometers away from here."

"I'm sorry, Comrade General." Regardless of the fact that Pornegerin was rescued not long ago, the captain was very polite to him, and he patiently explained to the other party: "Because our troops are in a hurry to rush to Klemenchug, we need to call up urgently." This train, so I can only wrong you to get off the train and walk to the Melliefa Fortress."

"That's what it should be." After hearing what the captain said, Pornegelin said reasonably: "Since the troops eager to get to the front need to requisition trains, let's get off. Anyway, it's only a few kilometers away, so let's just walk slowly." , it won't take long."

"Three generals," the captain said to the three, "General Fomenko, the commander of the 84th Infantry Division, worried that your health would be too weak to cover such a long distance, so he left his jeep behind. It will be used to send you to the Fortress of Melliefa."

"What about the other soldiers?" Lieutenant General Muzichenko, who rarely spoke, said, "Many of them are weak, and they are still incapable of such a march."

"Comrade Lieutenant General," the captain quickly said to him, "I see that there are quite a few trucks nearby. I can negotiate with them and ask them to keep these trucks for us to transport the wounded."

But before the captain went to make contact, the lieutenant who stopped the car had already come over and said to the captain: "Comrade captain, by order of the division commander, I leave five trucks for you. You can use these vehicles to transport the wounded."

"Comrade lieutenant, thank you very much." The captain held the other's hand and said excitedly: "Having these five trucks can be regarded as a great help to us."

After the train restarted, Fomenko, who was sitting in a special compartment, looked at the slowly moving troops beside the railway. When he saw these scrawny rescued commanders and fighters, he felt uncomfortable. He turned around and told the radio operator, "Send a telegram to the Army Group Command, saying that we met the returning train five kilometers away from the fortress. Now we have taken the train and headed for Klemenchug. And the people who got off the train The commanders and fighters are slowly marching along the railway, hoping that the headquarters can send more vehicles to meet them."

After seeing the telegram, Sokov immediately ordered Sameko: "Comrade Chief of Staff, inform the logistics department to send fifty trucks along the railway to find the marching troops and transport them to the fortress as soon as possible. In addition, notify Kitchen, prepare enough food for them, they must be starving after sitting in the car for so long."

"Comrade Commander," Lunev interrupted as soon as Sokov finished speaking, "It is precisely because the commanders and fighters are so hungry that if they eat too much at one time, they are prone to danger. Let me show them It is enough to prepare porridge, mashed potatoes and seaweed soup. After a few days, their appetites get used to it, and it is not too late to add food to them slowly.”

"Comrade Commander, there is one more question." Sameko reminded Sokov: "Since Colonel Chuvashov sent all the rescued people, the three generals must be among them. You see, we are Should I report to Marshal Zhukov now, or should I talk to them before reporting?"

"Comrade Chief of Staff, you should contact the logistics department first. As for the situation of the three generals," Sukov thought for a moment, then replied, "I think we should talk to them first to find out how to respond. Afterwards, it’s not too late to report to the superior.”

When Sameko went to call, Sokov tentatively asked Lunev: "Comrade Military Commissar, do you think these three generals are shameful traitors?"

If it was a year ago, Lunev would have answered "yes" without hesitation when he heard such a question. But with his partner with Sokov, he has seen so many commanders and fighters who have been rescued and incorporated into the army. After their excellent performance on the battlefield, their attitude towards the captured personnel has also undergone a 180-degree change.

Hearing Sokov's question at this moment, he thought for a long time, and then said slowly: "Comrade Commander, it is difficult for me to answer your question, but in my opinion, it is more likely that they are not traitors. But the specific circumstances How, we have to wait for us to talk to them before we can figure it out."

"Lieutenant Samoilov," Sokov walked to the door and called out, "come to me."

With the shout, Samoilov ran out from a room next to him, and he quickly came to Sukov, tying his belt in a hurry, and asked: "Comrade commander, what instructions do you have?" ?”

"Comrade Lieutenant," Sokov smiled faintly when he saw Samoilov in a hurry, and then told him: "A troop will arrive at the fortress later, and there will be three generals in one of the jeeps. You As soon as the car arrives, bring the three generals to me."

"Help them here?" Samoilov didn't know what happened. Hearing what Sokov said, he couldn't help asking in a daze, "Are they injured?"

"That's right, Comrade Lieutenant." Fortunately, Lunev also came to the door, and seeing Samoilov's expression, he explained to him: "The 98th Guards Division is outside the city of Klemenchug. , liberated a prisoner-of-war camp, and rescued more than 2,000 commanders and fighters, including three generals. They have endured the cruel torture of the Germans and are now very weak. Comrade Commander is worried that they will not be able to walk. sent you to pick them up."

After Lunev's explanation, Samoilov immediately understood what was going on, and quickly replied: "Understood, Comrade Commander, Comrade Military Commissar, as soon as the three generals arrive, I will escort them here as soon as possible." Command."

Half an hour later, Samoilov walked into the command post, followed by two soldiers who supported an officer who couldn't even walk. Sokov and the others came in front of him and looked carefully at the officer being supported. They saw that he had loose long hair, a full beard, and was wearing a dirty and rotten military uniform. Even the diamond-shaped collar badge The two gold stars also became rusty.

Sokov asked tentatively, "Are you General Pornedelin?"

"Yes, I'm Ponejelin." After looking Sokov up and down, the other party broke away from the two soldiers supporting him, tried to straighten his body, and raised his hand to salute a solemn military: "Hello, Comrade General! I am Major General Poniegelin, Commander of the 12th Army of the Southwest Front!"

"Hello, General Ponejielin!" Although the other party was emitting a stench, Sokov still pretended to be nonchalant, stretched out his hand to him, and said in a friendly way: "My name is Sokov, and I am from the grassland. Commander of the 27th Army of the Front."

Hearing Sokov's self-identification, Ponejielin showed a surprised expression on his face: "What, you are General Sokov?"

This time it was Sokov's turn to be surprised: "Why, have you heard of me?"

"Yes, General Sokov." Ponejielin nodded and said, "I have heard your name mentioned many times by the Germans in the prisoner-of-war camps. They seem to be very afraid of you and say that all troops who fought against you , it seems that I have not been able to please you."

"You are right, General Ponedelin," Lunev interjected, "any enemy who fought against Sokov's troops was either annihilated or suffered a devastating blow. Tell me, the Germans can Aren't you afraid of them?"

Ponejielin looked at Lunev with a puzzled expression on his face. Major General Sokov is the commander of the 27th Army, so who is the lieutenant general in front of him?

Seeing the doubt in Ponedelin's eyes, Sokov introduced him with a smile: "General Ponedelin, please forgive me, I forgot to introduce you to my Comrade Military Commissar. This is General Lunev , he used to be the Deputy Minister of the Interior."

Ponejielin, who was still smiling, heard Sokov say that Lunev was the deputy minister of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and his eyes immediately showed a look of vigilance. He looked at Lunev and asked Sokov tentatively: "Soko General Husband, I would like to ask, when will the superiors plan to send us to Siberia?"

"To Siberia?" Sokov asked in surprise, "Who told you that they would send you to Siberia?"

"I heard it in the prisoner-of-war camp," Ponegerin said with a serious expression, "it said that anyone who was captured by the Germans, whether they escaped by themselves or were released by the Germans, would be sent to Siberia." , and even their relatives will be implicated."

"General Ponegerin, I don't know who put such absurd things into your head, but I assure you." Sokov said righteously: "You don't need to go to Siberia, but will be reprogrammed into Army, take up arms and fight against the Japanese invaders." He did not hide the real reason for transporting them to the Merefah Fortress to Ponejelin, "The reason why you are sent here is entirely because of your body. Too weak, need to take a good rest for a period of time. When the recovery is almost complete, it will not be too late to return to the battlefield.