Red Moscow

Hearing Ponegerin's name, some of the students present immediately exclaimed: "Is it General Bornegerin who once served as the commander of the 12th Army?"

"That's right, I am the Ponegerin you mentioned." Pornegerin looked in the direction of the voice and found that it was a captain who spoke, so he asked politely, "Do you know me?"

"Yes, Comrade Commander." The captain stood up, raised his hand and saluted Pornedelin with a solemn military salute, and said with tears in his eyes, "My name is Okunev, and I am your old subordinate. War When the outbreak broke out, I was a corporal in the 11th Fortified Frontier Column. I was seriously injured in the early stage of the Uman battle and was sent to the rear to recuperate."

"You are very lucky, Captain Okunev." Ponejielin looked at the other party and said: "Fortunately, you were injured and quit the battle at the beginning of the battle, otherwise you might die, or become a German soldier like me. captives of the people, to linger in their camps."

This was the first time Sokov had heard of the designation of the Border Guard Column. After all, during the two years since the outbreak of the war, the war had been carried out deep within the territory of the Soviet Union, and it was still very far from the border. However, his opinion is the same as that of Ponejielin. He thinks that Captain Okunev is a lucky one. He was injured and quit the battle at the beginning of the battle. Otherwise, if he continues to fight, he will either be captured or sacrificed. The chance of survival is very high. low.

"Lieutenant Okunev, now you can fight side by side with your old superior, General Ponedelin." Sokov smiled at Okunev and said, "Don't worry, our army has regained Ukrainian territory." Mann is only a matter of time, and then you will have the opportunity to demand blood from the Germans."

Hearing what Sokov said, Okunev couldn't help but his eyes lit up: "Comrade General, do you mean that we may be incorporated into the Ukrainian First Front Army and participate in the attack on Uman?"

Okunev's words reminded Sokov that Uman's location was in the offensive area of ​​the Ukrainian First Front. If you really want Ponejelin to go to the Uman area to avenge your hatred, you must join Vatutin's troops.

In all fairness, the unit Sokov is most interested in is the Belarusian Front under the command of Rokossovsky, not the First Ukrainian Front under the command of Vatutin. Even if the superior wants to arrange for him to go to the First Ukrainian Front Army, it is best to wait until Vatutin is injured and Zhukov takes over his post before going.

"Comrade General," Seeing Sukov suddenly fell silent, Ponedelin asked in a low voice: "What are you thinking?"

"General Ponegerin," Sokov leaned close to Pornegerin's ear, and said in a low voice, "I suddenly remembered an important matter, which may lead to a change in our plan."

"whats the matter?"

"If my troops want to participate in the battle to liberate Uman, they can only join General Vatutin's First Ukrainian Front Army." Sokov replied in a low voice, "But according to our protection just now, we intend to join the Romanian Army." General Kosovsky's Belarusian Front."

"Comrade General," Ponegerin asked in confusion after hearing what Sokov said, "Which unit do we join, is there anything wrong with it?"

For a while, Sokov didn't know how to explain the matter to Ponegerin, so he could only keep silent.

Ponegerin didn't know what Sokov was thinking, but instead gave him an analysis: "Misha, no matter which unit you are assigned to in the future, it will not have any impact on the direction of our temporary headquarters. "Probably because he was worried that Sokov could not understand what he meant, he further explained, "For example, our temporary headquarters went to General Rokossovsky to exercise. When you are assigned in the future, you may also be assigned to Watson Tutin or General Konev's troops."

"General Ponegerin, what you said makes sense." Sokov realized that he was on the brink of a dead end. Which unit his temporary headquarters went to did not mean which unit he would be assigned to in the future. big variable. Thinking of this, he said to Ponedelin: "You stay here with Muzichenko and Kirillov, and get acquainted with the members of the temporary command. I will call Marshal Zhukov and talk to him about the situation. This matter."

After finishing speaking, Sokov stood up and said to many students: "Students, you will all be members of the temporary headquarters in the future, and Major Ponejielin will be in charge. If you have any questions, you can ask him now." In front of everyone, he no longer called Pornegerin general, but according to the rank on his shoulder strap.

After explaining to the students, Sokov left the office alone with a cane, and walked towards the dean's office again.

Seeing Sokov going back and forth, the dean thought he had left something behind, and quickly asked, "Comrade General, did you forget something here?"

"No, Comrade Dean." Sokov waved his hand at the dean and explained, "I want to borrow your phone and call Marshal Zhukov."

"No problem." Knowing that Sokov wanted to call Zhukov, the dean readily agreed: "I'll put you through the phone right away."

A few minutes later, the call was connected. The dean handed the microphone to Sokov: "Comrade Marshal is on the other end of the phone."

"Hello, Comrade Marshal."

"It's Misha." Zhukov heard Sukov's voice, and asked with a smile: "I heard that you graduated from the intermediate commander training class today. How are you doing? How about your grades?"

"Comrade Marshal." Sokov knew that this was not the time to be modest, so he told him truthfully: "My grades are all first in the class."

"Good job, Misha! You are really good." Zhukov was very pleased to hear that Sokov's grades were first in all categories: "You were exempted from the entrance examination, and I was worried that your grades were not good. I'm ashamed to see Director Velyovkin."

"Don't worry, Comrade Marshal." Sokov laughed dryly and replied, "I will never embarrass you."

"The training course for intermediate commanders has been completed, so you should gather the trainees you want as soon as possible." Zhukov said into the microphone: "The three of Ponyedelin have returned to Moscow from the front line, and you can arrange them at the right time." They meet and get acquainted with the students you choose."

"At this moment, Ponegerin and those students are meeting in the classroom." Sokov replied: "Comrade Marshal, I called you today because I have an important matter to discuss with you."

"What's the matter? Tell me!"

"The thirty students I recruited..."

"What, thirty students?" Zhukov couldn't help interrupting Sukov when he heard this: "Didn't you say there were only fifteen students?"

"Comrade Marshal, the situation is like this." Sokov explained to Zhukov: "At first I thought that even fifteen students could not be recruited, but after Comrade Dean announced my real identity, the students responded very positively. I am proud to join my team. After some thought, I added fifteen more places, bringing the number of recruits to thirty."

"Since the students reacted fiercely, why didn't you call them all?" Zhukov asked a little puzzled: "You know, these people will soon be able to serve as regimental commanders after completing their training and returning to the army. .If they all become your subordinates, at least the entire group army will not lack regiment-level cadres."

"Comrade Marshal, that's what I thought about at first." Sokov continued: "But you also know that these students come from various fronts, if I recruit them all under my command, I'm afraid it will cause dissatisfaction from their original superiors. If they immediately protested to the Supreme Command, let alone sixty students, no, there are only fifty-nine students after I get rid of them. I’m afraid there won’t be any left.”

"Misha, what can I say to you?" After hearing Sokov's worries, Zhukov said dumbfoundedly: "Even if they jointly protest? If one of them achieves greater results on the battlefield than you, the established I have more meritorious service than you, and I can also arrange the entire training class under your command."

Among the twenty-nine students that Sokov gave up, although some of them had trouble with Sokov, they were able to pass the exam and enter the Frunze Military Academy, which proved that they still had certain abilities. At this moment, hearing Zhukov expressing his willingness to support himself, Sokov's thoughts could not help but come alive again.

He hesitated for a moment, then asked cautiously: "Comrade Marshal, if I understand correctly, you asked me to recruit all the students? As for the pressure from other front army commanders, will you help me resist?"

Zhukov sneered, and said, "Misha, you kid has a good plan, let me deal with those chiefs who have opinions on you, and you can sit back and relax."

Hearing what Zhukov said, Sokov knew that the other party had acquiesced in this matter, he laughed twice and said: "Comrade Marshal, if I really let all these fifty-nine students join my team, I assure you, In half a year at most, I will be able to make the troops I take over become the best in the whole army."

Zhukov is very satisfied with Sokov's statement. Just as he was about to praise the other party, he suddenly remembered that Sokov had just said that he had something to report to him, so he hurriedly asked, "Misha, you just said that you had something important to call on me, what is it?"

"That's right, Comrade Marshal." Sokov then reported to Zhukov: "I have organized the trainees into the temporary headquarters, and I intend to let them go to the front-line troops to train for a period of time and accumulate some experience in fighting with large corps. "

"Misha, you still have to study at the Frunze Military Academy for half a year. Obviously, you don't have time to command this temporary headquarters." Zhukov immediately heard the point: "Who do you plan to let take charge?"

"I set up a special advisory team to manage this temporary headquarters, and the team leader is General Ponegerin." Sokov said cautiously: "I didn't assign him a specific position, he was just an advisor. Someone has a problem with him, and it won't cause too much trouble."

"Misha, you are very thoughtful." Zhukov nodded after hearing this, and then asked, "Then which unit do you plan to assign this temporary headquarters to?"

"It is best to be General Rokossovsky's Belarusian Front Army." Sokov took the initiative to explain the reason: "General Ponedelin in the advisory group has been staying with General Rokossovsky before returning to Moscow today. I think he will be welcome when he returns to the front with a provisional headquarters."

"Understood." Zhukov said: "I'll call Rokossovsky later and talk to him about this matter, and then your interim headquarters can go there."

"Comrade Marshal." Seeing that Zhukov agreed to negotiate with Rokossovsky on his behalf, Sokov said gratefully, "I really appreciate you."

"By the way, Misha, there is one more thing." Before hanging up the phone, Zhukov said to Sokov: "Before the twenty-nine students return to the army, put them into your team as soon as possible. Understand?"

If it was said that Zhukov just acquiesced in allowing Sokov to incorporate all the students into the team, at this moment he expressed his support firmly, so Sokov's voice was particularly loud: "Yes, Comrade Marshal, I will send the remaining students as soon as possible." The students are all included in my team."

After putting down the phone, Sokov turned to the dean sitting beside him and said, "Comrade dean, can you please send someone to call those students who have left back to the classroom?"

The dean heard the conversation between Sokov and Zhukov, and naturally understood what was going on, so he nodded with a smile and said, "No problem, I will immediately arrange for someone to go to the dormitory to find those students, and let them return to the classroom as soon as possible."

Although the trainees of the intermediate commander training class have completed their graduation, they will not leave the academy until they receive their certificates of completion, and will continue to stay in the dormitory assigned to them by the school.

At this moment, those students who were not selected are gathered in the hall on the ground floor of the dormitory, sighing and complaining about their fate. And Kryzhiuf in the crowd was even more dull. As the squad leader of the training class, he was also screened out. If it gets out, it will be difficult for him to raise his head in the army in the future. And his follower Vadim, knowing that he had caused a catastrophe, sat in the corner of the sofa in the hall without saying a word.

At this moment, someone saw the teacher Christonia hurried in from the outside, and hurriedly went up to him and asked, "Comrade teacher, what can you do?"

The instructor did not answer his words immediately, but quickly scanned the people in the hall with his eyes, and asked loudly: "Who can tell me how many people are here?"

Hearing the teacher's question, Kryzhouf stood up habitually, took a step forward, straightened his back and reported, "Comrade teacher, the twenty-nine students who left the classroom are all here now."

"Are all the twenty-nine students here?" asked the teacher.

"Yes." Kryzhouf gave an affirmative answer.

"Comrade squad leader," after confirming that twenty-nine students are here, the teacher ordered Kryzhouf: "Organize everyone to return to the classroom immediately."

"Back to the classroom?" Hearing what the teacher said, Kryzhouf asked in surprise, "What are we going to do?"

"What else can you do?" The instructor glanced at Kryzhiuf with dissatisfaction, and said displeasedly: "General Sokov has already planned to put all of you into his team and ask you to go back and report to him!"

As soon as the teacher's words came out, the whole hall suddenly became silent.

All the students thought they heard it wrong, and they looked at each other, trying to find the answer from each other's eyes. But unfortunately, in the eyes of their classmates, what they saw was the same confusion as themselves.