Red Moscow

By the time Kirillov appeared at Sokov's headquarters, the sky had already darkened.

Kirillov came to Sokov and Ponedelin, raised his hands in salute and said: "Commanders, Colonel Kirillov is here under orders. I am waiting for your orders. Please instruct!"

"Colonel Kirillov, you must be very tired after driving such a long distance." After Sokov greeted Kirillov to sit down, he ordered someone to pour him a book of tea and put it in front of him. , said with a smile: "How about it, are you satisfied with your job?"

Unexpectedly, Kirillov immediately stood up and replied after hearing Sokov's question, "I'm sorry, Comrade Commander, I'm not satisfied."

Sokov's smile froze on his face. He never dreamed that Kirillov would answer himself like this. He said with some embarrassment: "Comrade Colonel, I may have thought about the job that I arranged for you some time ago." Thoughtful place, I hope you don't mind."

"Comrade Commander, you misunderstood." Unexpectedly, Kirillov's answer surprised him again: "I'm not saying that I'm dissatisfied with the job you arranged for me, but I'm dissatisfied with my work situation. "

This time it was Sokov's turn to be puzzled: "Colonel Kirillov, why do you say that?"

"Comrade commander, the task you gave me is to look for military warehouses that may exist in the defense zone." Kirillov replied, "But I have not found any traces of military warehouses so far."

"Colonel Kirillov, I can't blame you." Sokov figured out what was going on, and said reasonably, "Maybe there are no military warehouses in the defense zone. I'm too whimsical. Although you didn't find a military warehouse, But a lot of jewels were found, which is a remarkable achievement."

"Jewelry is indeed very valuable in terms of value." Kirillov replied, "But we need weapons that can arm commanders and fighters, not such luxury items that cannot be eaten or drunk."

"Okay, Kirillov, let's not talk about this." Fortunately, Ponegerin spoke up in time and ended this unnutritious conversation: "We have urgently called you in today because we have important matters."

"What's important?" Kirillov's attention was indeed attracted: "Are you continuing to search for a military warehouse in a new place?"

"Of course not." Ponegerin shook his head and said, "If you still need to continue searching for military warehouses, the commander will not order your search team to be disbanded."

"I don't know how to arrange me?"

"Comrade Commander intends to appoint you as a division commander. After all, you have experience in this field." When Ponegerin said this, he took a special look at Sokov and continued: "But there is no suitable vacancy now. So you have to stay in the headquarters for the time being, and when there is a vacancy, you will be assigned the post of division commander."

Knowing that Sokov planned to appoint himself as the division commander, Kirillov's heartbeat suddenly accelerated. He glanced at Sokov with gratitude, and then said: "I firmly obey your orders."

"Very good, Colonel Kirillov." Seeing that Kirillov readily agreed to stay in the headquarters, Sokov also felt very happy, and began to arrange work for him: "From now on, you will be Assistant to Comrade Deputy Commander, to assist him with some work."

After Kirillov had a brief understanding of the situation, he officially began to perform the duties of Ponegerin's deputy. Like Sidolin, he provided Sokov and Ponegerin with timely information and formulated new battle plans. .

When Kirillov saw that Sokov sent a unit to a prisoner-of-war camp dozens of kilometers away to rescue the Soviet prisoners of war held there, he asked worriedly: "Comrade commander, what do you want?" Going deep into the enemy's rear, there are not many troops that can be used. Do you think we need to send people to reinforce them, lest the Germans find out their identities, and they will be in danger by then."

"Don't worry, Colonel Kirillov." Sokov comforted the other party and said, "It is Lieutenant Colonel Milesiev who is performing the task. He is also a student of you and the deputy commander. As a teacher, should you be right? He's full of confidence?"

Hearing what Sokov said, Kirillov realized that he was a bit unfounded. Apart from other things, how could the ability of those who followed Sokov from the Frunze Military Academy be so bad?

"Also," Kirillov asked Sokov cautiously: "Comrade Commander, our troops are now divided into two parts. I don't know when the troops from Minsk will rush over to join us?"

"Soon, soon." Although Sukov didn't know when Sidolin would arrive with the rest of the troops, since Kirillov asked at this moment, he said smoothly: "I believe that the fastest We can reach Baranovic tomorrow."

Hearing Sokov say that the rest of the troops may come tomorrow, Kirillov said with emotion: "I did not catch up with the liberation of Minsk; I did not catch up with the liberation of Baranovich. I hope that next time I will liberate New Zealand I can be a part of it as a commander when I'm in the city."

"Don't worry, Colonel Kirillov." Hearing what he said, Sokov quickly replied with a smile, "Next time you liberate the city, you must have a plan to command the troops and fight the Germans face to face."

Kirilov stared at the map in front of him, and said solemnly: "The next city is Brest. I don't know if I have the opportunity to personally command the troops to launch an attack on this city?"

When Kirillov said this, Sokov was a little absent-minded. The city mentioned by the other party reminded him of a fortress named after the city—Brest Fortress, tens of kilometers west of the city. After the war broke out, the defenders who stayed inside, under the command of Major Zavrilov and political worker Fumin, fought against the enemy attacking the fortress for more than a month.

"Comrade Commander," Ponegerin saw that Sukov suddenly fell into deep thought, and couldn't help asking curiously, "What are you thinking?"

"Comrade Deputy Commander," Sokov pointed to the location of the Brest Fortress, and said to Ponejielin: "I am thinking of this Brest Fortress. After the outbreak of the war, it became the first place for the Germans. In the place of attack, the defenders who stood firm in the fortress fought with the Germans for nearly a month under the condition of insufficient ammunition..."

Regarding the things that Sokov told, Ponegerin was at a loss. He turned to look at Kirillov next to him, and asked tentatively, "Kirilov, have you heard of this?"

"No." Kirillov shook his head and said, "We belong to the Southwest Front Army, but the Western Front Army was responsible for the defense of Belarus at that time. The two sides are not affiliated with each other. I know nothing about the battle in Belarus. "

Sokov had already guessed that Ponedelin and Kirillov would have such a reaction, so he was not surprised at all. Although people in later generations are familiar with the Brest Fortress, at this time, few people know what sacrifices the defenders of the fortress made to defend the city.

Seeing Sokov's uncertain face, Ponegerin asked tentatively, "Comrade Commander, how do you know what happened in this fortress?"

"Among the commanders and fighters I rescued from the prisoner-of-war camp before, I met a soldier who participated in the defense of the Brest Fortress." It was difficult for Sokov to explain his source of information to the two, so he could only explain the matter Pushing it to a non-existent warrior: "It was from his mouth that I learned how the defenders of the fortress fought tenaciously against the enemy."

"Since the outbreak of the war, our commanders and fighters have been engaged in fierce battles with the enemy from the border." Unlike Sukov, who is from later generations, Ponejerin naturally did not know that the Battle of Brest Fortress was so small. The importance of large-scale battles has not attracted enough attention: "Although we were beaten back by the enemy, we finally blocked the enemy's attack and finally turned to counterattack."

"Comrade Commander, I suddenly have a bold idea." Kirillov said: "You say, Lieutenant Colonel Milesyev led the troops to the liberated prisoner-of-war camps, will there be cloth captured everywhere?" What about the defenders of Leicester Fortress?"

"It's impossible." Sokov replied without hesitation: "As far as I know, due to the lack of food, medicine and water in the fortress, within two days after the battle started, the commander of the fortress let the women and children in the fortress Come out and surrender to the Germans, and then the remaining commanders and fighters continue to fight..."

"Wait a minute, Comrade Commander." Unexpectedly, Ponejielin interrupted Sukov at this time, and raised his own doubts: "As far as I know, the Brest Fortress is located in Muhaven. The four small islands divided by the tributaries and canals of the Ci River and the Bug River, a fortress surrounded by water on all sides, how can there be no water?"

"The defenders of the fortress are all trapped in the fortress, and the water supply system inside has been damaged, so there is no way to provide them with water." Sokov explained to the two: "So even if the fortress is surrounded by water, the guards Those who don't will still be thirsty from the lack."

Seeing that the two of them were silent and listened intently to his narration, Sokov went on to say: “I heard from a guerrilla leader that the women and children who came out of the Brest Fortress were all shot dead by the Germans soon after. And almost all the defenders of the fortress died in the battle, even if there are some who are unfortunately captured, I am afraid they will not escape bad luck."

"These are blood debts owed by the Germans." Hearing this, Kirillov gritted his teeth and said, "We are now asking them to collect debts."

At this moment, the phone on the table rang, and Sokov grabbed the receiver: "I'm Sokov, where are you?"

"It's me, Comrade Commander, I'm Sidolin."

"It's the chief of staff." Sokov asked with a smile: "Comrade chief of staff, how is the situation there? Has the troops of the 3rd Army started to enter the city on a large scale?"

"Not yet, Comrade Commander." Sidolin hesitated for a moment and said, "I just received a call from the Front Army Command."

"A call from the headquarters." Sukov couldn't help being startled, worried that something might be wrong, and quickly asked, "Comrade Chief of Staff, do you have any instructions from above?"

"Yes, Comrade Commander." Sidolin explained on the phone: "The superior asked us to immediately gather the newly captured prisoners and send them to the headquarters of the Front Army."

"Gather the captives and send them to the Front Army Command?" Sokov repeated this strange order, then asked puzzledly, "What are the generals and the others going to do?"

But after a while, he remembered a relatively famous historical event: German prisoners of war paraded through the streets of Moscow.

He calculated the date silently in his mind. The parade of prisoners of war was on July 17, and today is July 9. That is to say, there are still eight days before the prisoners of war parade in Moscow to show the Allies that the Soviet army is in Bagration. Results in action.

"I see." Sokov said briefly: "I will immediately arrange people to start this matter."

After Sokov put down the phone, Ponejielin asked curiously: "Comrade Commander, what's going on? Why did the Front Command ask us to gather the prisoners?"

"Comrade Deputy Commander, I think so." Sokov pretended to be thoughtful and said: "Our Operation Bagration is to cope with the Normandy landing of the Allied forces opening up the second front. But since Judging from the current situation, we have achieved greater results than the Allied Forces.

Under such circumstances, the Allied forces will definitely raise some doubts about the results we have achieved. In order to dispel the doubts of the Allied forces, the Supreme Commander himself will definitely find a way to show them the German officers and soldiers we have captured, and tell them with facts that our record is completely true. "

Regarding Sokov's statement, Kirillov seemed dubious: "Comrade commander, can't you? The allies are our allies, how could they doubt our record?"

Sokov didn't know how to reply to Kirillov for a while, so he could only grin but didn't speak.

"Kirilov, I think what the commander said makes sense." Ponedelin interjected, "Before the war broke out, the country we trusted was Germany, and countries like Europe and the United States were the enemies we had to guard against. But Unexpectedly, once the war broke out, everything was turned upside down. The former friends became enemies, and the enemies became friends.

Some enemies, even temporarily become our friends. But this alliance is unreliable, and there will always be mutual suspicion. For example, in the Bagration operation this time, they will be skeptical about the results we have achieved, thinking that we are bragging. Therefore, displaying our captured German officers and soldiers can dispel their doubts about us. "

"Comrade Commander," Kirillov turned to Sokov and asked after listening to Ponegerin's explanation, "Do you think we will turn against our current allies after we have completely defeated Germany?"

"Without a common enemy, it is quite normal for the two opposing camps to turn against each other." Sokov said carefully, "However, even if the two sides turn against each other, I am afraid it will not be like us and Germany at first sight. See, but to use other ways to confront, to contain the development of the other side, and further weaken the other side."

"Comrade Commander, your statement is quite novel." Pornegelin asked with great interest, "Can you be more specific?"

Sokov said in his heart that if I were more specific, many things would be smoothed over, so he said vaguely: "Comrade Deputy Commander, this is just my imagination. Will it really happen? I don't know either."