Red Moscow

"Comrade Marshal," said Sokov, who had conducted a fit to Sidolin, into the microphone: "My chief of staff also told me that we have not received any news about the fall of the town of Luran. I would like to ask, yours Where did the news come from?"

Although Sokov also knew that his way of asking seemed rude, but in order to find out the truth, he didn't care whether this sentence would arouse Rokossovsky's dissatisfaction.

"The intelligence unit of the Front Command intercepted the German telegram." Rokossovsky said with some displeasure: "In the telegram, they clearly mentioned the capture of Luran Town."

After hearing this, Sokov thought for a moment, and then said: "Comrade Marshal, can you give me some time? I want to use this time to understand the real situation at the frontier. After I figure out what's going on, I will tell you Report."

"How much time do you need?"

"Three hours?"

"Three hours is too long, I can only give you one hour." Rokossovsky said with a strong attitude: "When the time is up, I will get an accurate answer."

Knowing that Rokossovsky only gave himself an hour to investigate what happened, Sokov was also helpless, so he could only bite the bullet and say, "Okay, Comrade Marshal, I'll be there in an hour. report to you."

After putting down the phone, Sokov called Sidolin and Ponejielin to him, and said to them with a serious expression: "Just now Comrade Marshal called and said that according to the German telegram they intercepted, the Germans Occupied Luran Town."

"It's unlikely." As soon as Sokov finished speaking, Ponejielin expressed his objection: "If Luran Town really falls, then General Nikitin will definitely report to us." After saying this In a word, he thought of a possibility, and quickly added, "Even if General Nikitin wanted to conceal such a big matter, it would not be enough. The troops on his left and right wings will report the matter to us."

"Comrade Deputy Commander, you are right." Sokov agreed with Ponejielin's statement: "Although Luran Town is geographically important, if it is really occupied by the German army, Nikitin It is impossible for the general not to report it, and I think there may be some misunderstanding. Our current task is to find out what happened so that we can explain it to Comrade Marshal."

Sidolin acted quickly, immediately picked up the phone that was put aside, and connected to the division headquarters of the 120th Guards Division: "I am Chief of Staff Sidolin, please find General Nikitin for me.  … Nikitin General? I’m Sidolin. I heard that Luran Town was lost. Comrade Commander asked me to ask, what’s going on?...What, what did you say, say it again.”

After listening to the other party's narration, Sidolin turned his head and said to Sokov: "Comrade Commander, General Nikitin reported that the town of Luran did not fall into the hands of the Germans, and even near the town, no traces of the Germans."

After listening to Sidolin's report, Sokov couldn't help frowning. He felt that it was impossible for Rokossovsky to joke with himself on this kind of thing, so something must have gone wrong. He walked to the table and took the phone in Sidolin's hand: "General Nikitin, this is Sokov, please repeat what you just said."

Nikitin on the other end of the phone heard Sokov's voice and hurriedly reported to him: "Hello, Comrade Commander! I can tell you responsibly that Luran Town has never fallen. My division commander The Ministry is still established in Luran Town."

"What's going on?" Seeing Nikitin's eloquence, Sokov couldn't help muttering: "Why did Comrade Marshal say that in the intercepted German telegram, the Germans said that they had occupied the town of Luran?" ?”

"Comrade Commander," Nikitin waited for Sokov to finish speaking, and said cautiously: "Do you think there is such a possibility that the Germans may be talking about other places, and our radio operator was translating the telegram?" , There have been some mistakes, which led to such a misunderstanding?"

"Well, there is such a possibility." Sokov nodded, and then asked, "But where is this place?"

"Two or three kilometers away from Luran Town, there is a Luerran Village. Could it be somewhere?"

"Lurran Village?" Sokov looked down at the map in front of him, but after searching for a long time, he couldn't find the place Nikitin mentioned: "General Nikitin, I didn't find the place you mentioned on the map. place."

"Comrade Commander, the map you use is different from mine." Nikitin explained: "On your map, the smallest places may be towns. location can be seen.”

"So that's the case." After figuring out what was going on, Sokov held the microphone and thought for a while, then said: "General Nikitin, I'll go to your place later and see this Ruerran with my own eyes. What is the village like?"

"Comrade Commander, I think it's best for you not to come." Nikitin was hesitant when he learned that Sokov planned to go to the front for himself: "There are Germans in that village, I'm thinking about your safety. "

Hearing Nikitin say that there were enemies in Luerran Village, Sokov knew better, and it also strengthened his idea of ​​going to the left bank landing site to have a look. However, in order to find out the truth of the matter, he felt that he secretly went to Luran Town to see if the situation was as Nikitin said, and there were no enemies at all.

"I see, General Nikitin, thank you for your kindness!" After finishing speaking, Sokov hung up the phone without waiting for the other party to speak again.

Just as Sokov was preparing to depart, an unexpected person appeared in his headquarters. Seeing this person's appearance, the entire command center suddenly became silent, all the staff and communication personnel stopped their work, stood up straight and saluted the person coming.

Sokov hurriedly ran to the other party, raised his hand to salute, and said respectfully: "Hello, Comrade Marshal, welcome to my headquarters to inspect the work."

After Rokossovsky looked Sokov up and down, he frowned and asked, "Misha, where are you going?"

"Report to Comrade Marshal, I plan to go to Luran Town and see what's going on there." After Sokov explained to Rokossovsky, he suddenly remembered that the other party's headquarters was more than two hundred miles away. How come it only took half an hour to get there?

In order to clarify the matter, he tentatively asked, "Comrade Marshal, how did you get here?"

"How else did you get here?" Rokossovsky snorted coldly and said, "Of course I came here by plane."

Hearing that the other party came here by plane, Sokov thought it was possible. After all, the distance between the two places is nearly 200 kilometers, and it would take at least four to five hours by car.

"Misha, since you are going to Luran Town, I will go there with you." Rokossovsky said, "I also want to see with my own eyes what the situation in Luran Town is like."

"Comrade Marshal, you can't." Hearing that Rokossovsky also thought of Luran Town, Ponejielin quickly persuaded him: "It's too dangerous there, I suggest you stay here at the headquarters and wait for news? "

Who knows that Rokossovsky has already made up his mind, no matter what Pornegerin says, he will not change his decision casually: "This matter is settled like this. Misha, let's go."

Since Rokossovsky came here by plane, he brought two staff officers, a radio operator, and two security guards with him. If this security force goes to a place like the left bank landing site, it is obviously far from enough. So Sokov ordered Koshkin to bring a reinforcement company to be responsible for the security work along the way.

On the way, Rokossovsky asked Sokov: "Misha, do you trust your subordinates so much, do you think the Germans did not occupy Luran Town?"

"Yes, Comrade Marshal. I trust my subordinates." Sokov replied in a positive tone: "I just called and asked Major General Nikitin, the commander of the 120th Guards Division stationed in Luran Town, and he told Me, the town is still under the control of his troops, and there is no trace of Germans around the town at all."

Hearing Sokov's explanation, Rokossovsky frowned: "Misha, if Luran Town has not fallen, why did the German telegram say that they occupied Luran Town?" Woolen cloth?"

"Comrade Marshal, I have discussed this matter with Pornedelin and Sidolin." Seeing that Rokossovsky was dubious about what he said, Sokov specially explained: "Major General Nikitin said, Near the town is a place called Luerzan Village, where there are Germans, maybe the place mentioned in the German telegram, and our operator mistranslated the ground, so this misunderstanding occurred.”

"Is that true?" Rokossovsky asked.

"Yes, Comrade Marshal." Sokov nodded and said, "I think this possibility is very great."

The convoy passed the pontoon bridge erected on the Narew River and entered the town of Luran.

It really is a peaceful scene here. Not only can you see Soviet commanders and fighters walking around on the street, you can even see some Polish people. Seeing this scene, Sokov's hanging heart returned to his stomach. He felt that Nikitin did not lie to himself. If the town was really occupied by the Germans, the soldiers and ordinary people walking on the street would definitely not be like this. Take it easy.

Under the guidance of the patrol team, the convoy of Sokov and others stopped at the gate of the division.

The officer on duty at the gate knew Sokov. When he saw Sokov and Rokossovsky appearing at the division headquarters at the same time, he quickly raised his hand and saluted. At the same time, he reported to Sokov nervously: "Report to Comrade Commander , the teacher is not inside."

"What, isn't the teacher here?" Sokov frowned, "Where did he go?"

"He went to Luerran Village."

"Go to Luerran Village?!"

Rokossovsky interjected: "Comrade Lieutenant, take us to the village of Ruerzan immediately."

Since the order was given by the Marshal himself, there was no reason for the officer on duty not to agree. He got into a jeep parked by the side of the road and guided the convoy towards Luerran Village.

After just seven or eight minutes, the convoy stopped next to an observation post outside Luerran Village. The officer on duty got out of the jeep, walked to the car of Sokov and others, and reported, "Comrade Commander, the division commander is inside."

After thanking the other party, Sokov got out of the car with Rokossovsky and walked into the observation post.

Nikitin, who was standing at the lookout with a binoculars to observe the situation outside, heard a lot of people coming in, and was about to explode, saying that no one was allowed to enter the observation post without his own order.

But when Nikitin turned around, it was clear that the person walking in was Sokov, and Rokossovsky was even behind him. He hurriedly raised his hand to his forehead and saluted the two: "Commander, Comrade Marshal , how did you come to me?"

Rokossovsky walked up to Nikitin, frowned and asked, "Major General Nikitin, is this Diodovo village?" After getting Nikitin's affirmative answer, he asked again in wonder, "You guys When did you take the village over?"

"Comrade Marshal," Nikitin replied aggrievedly after hearing Rokossovsky's question, "the village has always been in the hands of our army. I don't know where you heard the rumors that it was occupied by the Germans." ?."

"Where is the enemy who occupied the village?" Rokossovsky realized at this moment that his intelligence might have gone awry, so he quickly told Nikitin, "Show me quickly."

Nikitin came to the lookout, pointed to the distance and said: "Comrade Marshal, you can see the area occupied by the Germans from here."

Rokossovsky raised his binoculars and looked into the distance for a while, then he let out a surprise, and then turned to Nikitin who was standing beside him: "Major General Nikitin, you mean that the Germans occupied the Those wooden houses on the hillside in the distance?"

"That's right, Comrade Marshal." Nikitin replied with a complicated expression, "It's right there."

Rokossovsky turned around and said to Sokov who was standing in the middle of the observation post, "Misha, come and see what area the enemy is occupying."

Sokov walked quickly to the lookout, took the telescope in Nikitin's hand and looked into the distance. Seeing this, he couldn't help being stunned. In his field of vision, he could only see four or five small houses made of logs near the earth slope in the distance, and a German soldier was standing guard outside the door of one house.

Sokov put down his binoculars, turned to Nikitin and asked, "General Nikitin, how many Germans are there in the house?"

"The number is not large," Nikitin said affirmatively, "According to the report of our scouts, there is at most one platoon of troops."

"Are there only so many Germans?" Rokossovsky asked dubiously.

"Yes, Comrade Marshal." Nikitin said, looking at Rokossovsky, "After our repeated confirmation, there are only twenty or thirty Germans with the firepower of a mortar, A machine gun, and about two dozen submachine guns and rifles."

"Since there are only so few Germans, why don't you eliminate them?" Rokossovsky said displeasedly: "Major General Nikitin, you should immediately organize your troops to drive out or wipe out all the Germans occupying the wooden house." Lose."

"Yes, Comrade Marshal, I will carry out your order immediately." Since the order was issued by Rokossovsky himself, Nikitin naturally did not dare to disobey. After he promised, he picked up the phone on the table and prepared to give The troops issued combat orders.

"Wait a minute," just when Nikitin picked up the microphone and was about to assign combat tasks to his troops, Sokov stopped him: "You don't need to use your troops, the reinforced company I brought is enough Eliminate the enemies in the cabin."

"Captain Koshkin," Sokov shouted towards the outside of the observation post, "please come in!"

Soon, Koshkin appeared in front of everyone. He straightened his back and waited for Sokov to give him a combat order.

"Koshkin, look over there." Sokov pointed to the wooden house occupied by the Germans in the distance, and said to Koshkin: "There is about a row of Germans in that wooden house. Your task is to take them all out." Eliminate it. How about it, do you have confidence?"

Koshkin squinted his eyes to observe the terrain, and then he replied, "Don't worry, Comrade Commander, I have the confidence to destroy this group of enemies."

"Comrade Captain," unexpectedly, at this moment, Nikitin interjected, "The wooden house is surrounded by open land, and there is not even a shelter. If you don't have the cover of heavy firepower, if you want to destroy this enemy, I'm afraid There will be no small casualties.”

"Comrade General, please don't worry. I am confident that when I eliminate this group of Germans, the casualties of the troops will be minimized." After Koshkin finished speaking, he saluted Sokov and others without waiting for Nikitin to speak again. After saluting, he turned and walked out of the observation post.