Red Moscow

Early the next morning, Sokov was awakened by a knock on the door. He opened the door and saw a Soviet major standing outside.

Seeing Sokov appearing at the door, the major saluted him, and then said, "Comrade General, the Marshal invites you to the restaurant on the first floor for breakfast."

"Okay, Comrade Major." Sokov nodded at the other party and said politely, "I'll wash up and go there."

The major nodded, saluted, turned and left, and returned to Rokossovsky.

A quarter of an hour later, Sokov appeared at the door of the restaurant.

There were a lot of people in the restaurant, and just as he was looking around to find Rokossovsky, the major appeared in front of him again: "General Sokov, please come with me, Comrade Marshal is waiting for you." It's been a while."

Under the guidance of the major, Sokov found Rokossovsky who was sitting in a corner. He was eating at the same table as well as Bogolyubov, Chief of Staff of the Front Army, and Subbotin, Military Commissar. Sokov hurriedly raised his hand to salute the three, and then reported according to the regulations: "Comrade Marshal..."

Unexpectedly, as soon as he opened his mouth, Rokossovsky raised his hand and interrupted him: "Okay, Misha, we are all our own people here, so there is no need to be so polite, please sit down."

Soon after Sokov sat down, a restaurant waiter brought him a breakfast. After the other party put the food and tableware in front of him, Sokov thanked the other party in English, but the other party replied in a language that Sokov could not understand.

Seeing Sokov's bewildered expression, Rokossovsky smiled and explained to him: "Misha, you may not know that the waiters in this restaurant are all Germans. The language used is, of course, German."

"Oh, so that's the case." Sokov nodded, and then said with some embarrassment: "It seems that I don't know German, and it's quite a disadvantage."

"Misha, after breakfast later, you can go back with Lunev and Sidolin first." Rokossovsky said: "I am afraid that I and the other commanders of the group army will stay for a while or two." In a few days, discuss some important matters with Montgomery."

Sokov, who had long wanted to return to the defense zone, heard what Rokossovsky said, and quickly replied: "Okay, Comrade Marshal, after breakfast is over, we will return to the defense zone as soon as possible."

After breakfast, Sokov went directly to the room where Sidolin and Lunev lived to find them. Unexpectedly, after I went there, I found Lunev lying on the bed, besides Sidolin, there was also a British military doctor and an interpreter standing beside him.

"What's going on here?" Seeing this, Sokov quickly asked, "What's wrong with Comrade Military Commissioner?"

"For some reason, abdominal pain and diarrhea suddenly appeared. I specially called a British military doctor and asked him to diagnose and treat Comrade Military Commissar."

Sokov walked to the bed and asked Lunev who was lying on the bed: "Comrade Military Commissar, what's wrong with you? What's wrong?"

"Abdominal pain is terrible." Lunev replied with a wry smile, "I guess it's because I drank too much last night."

"Military doctor," Sokov turned to ask the British military doctor, "what's wrong with my friend?"

"Mr. General," although Sokov is young, but the three gold stars on his shoulders make the British military doctors respect him: "Your friend had an appendix operation some time ago, and he overdosed last night." Drinking alcohol excessively can lead to intestinal congestion and swelling, which can lead to abdominal pain and diarrhea."

"Then how should it be treated?" Sokov asked back.

"We need to infuse a few bottles of anti-inflammatory drugs to eliminate the inflammation in his body." The military doctor replied, "If everything goes well, he will be back to normal by this time tomorrow."

After expressing his thanks to the military doctor, Sokov said to Lunev and Sidolin: "I came here to ask you to return to the defense zone. Unexpectedly, Comrade Military Commissar fell ill. I think so, the chief of staff will stay and take care of you. He, I will return to the defense area alone, lest the troops have no one to command."

Both Sidolin and Lunev agreed with Sokov's proposal. Lunev said: "Okay, Misha, then you go back first. Although the war is over now, security cannot be relaxed." , I think Koshkin will escort you back."

Sokov didn't shirk it. After all, it was tens of kilometers from here to his headquarters. If there was no reliable escort by his side, accidents would easily happen. After he left Lunev's room, he went directly to Rokossovsky, told him about Lunev's situation, and finally said: "Comrade Marshal, it seems that my military commissar and chief of staff will stay. I'll be here for two days, please take care of it."

"This is no problem." Rokossovsky said: "In any case, this is the defense zone of the British. Even if we all leave, the safety of Lunev and Sidolin can be guaranteed, so you can rest assured. Bar."

After explaining the matter of Lunev and Sidolin to Rokossovsky, Sokov found his car in the parking lot outside. Koshkin and the driver were already waiting in the car.

Seeing Sokov coming out of the hotel alone, Koshkin hurried up to meet him and asked curiously, "Comrade Commander, why are you alone? Where did the military commissar and chief of staff go?"

"Comrade military commissar drank too much last night and fell ill. The chief of staff stayed to take care of them." Sokov said to Koshkin: "Now there is no one in the army in charge. I have to rush back to the headquarters as soon as possible. I'll go back together."

Hearing what Sokov said, Koshkin didn't ask Lunev and Sidolin any more. Instead, he opened the rear door and respectfully invited Sokov to get in the car.

After Sokov and Koshkin got into the car, the car started. In the jeep following them, besides the driver, there were four guards, all responsible for protecting Sokov.

When the two jeeps came near a small town, the military police who suddenly appeared blocked the way of the vehicles.

"What are you doing?!" Seeing that his car was stopped by the military police, Koshkin roared angrily, "Don't you know that we are guests invited by Marshal Montgomery?"

"Koshkin, don't quarrel with them!" Sokov recognized at a glance that the white helmets and black armbands worn by these gendarmes had two white "MP" letters, indicating that they were not British, but American soldiers. If you say Patton to them, they may still give you a smile; in front of them, if you talk about Marshal Montgomery whom they look down on, I am afraid they will ignore you. In addition, there were many American soldiers with live ammunition standing on the side of the road ahead. Sokovt felt that they might be carrying out some orders, so he specially reminded Koshkin: "They are American military police, and they may have to perform some tasks here. Let's have a look first."

Seeing that Sokov was unwilling to have the same knowledge as these supercilious gendarmes, Koshkin couldn't say anything. He could only sit in the car obediently, staring at the two American gendarmes, trying to figure out what they were selling in their gourds. medicine.

After a while, a huge procession appeared on the other side of the road, walking towards the location of the jeep.

With sharp eyes, Sokov immediately recognized that the teams were all disarmed German soldiers. They were carrying baggage and luggage, and they were walking on the right side of the road in a not-so-cluttered line. They seemed to be going to the prisoners prepared by the Americans for them. camp.

Soon, another barrel truck drove over from behind. A German general was sitting in the back seat of the car, and the major officer sitting in the co-pilot position should be his adjutant.

When the barrel truck came to the front of the captive team, it stopped. The German major sitting in the co-pilot position greeted an American captain standing by the roadside. Due to the distance, Sokov could not hear whether they were talking in German or English.

At the beginning, the tone of their conversation was a bit businesslike. Soon, Sokov saw the American captain leaning against the barrel cart, reaching out to take the cigarette handed over by the German major, and taking out a lighter to help him and himself light the cigarette.

"You see, Comrade Commander." Koshkin turned to Sokov angrily and said, "The Americans and the Germans are talking like two old friends."

"I saw it." Seeing this situation, Sokov felt very uncomfortable. Obviously, this was another German army that refused to surrender to the Soviet army. They appeared here, and they should be preparing to surrender to the US army. Otherwise, how could there be American troops in the British defense zone.

When German soldiers on foot passed barrel carts, most of them just glanced at the general in the car, but some stopped and saluted the general. But the German general sitting in the barrel cart stared blankly ahead, ignoring the subordinates who saluted him.

At this time, two jeeps drove past Sokov, and a US lieutenant colonel was sitting in one of them. When the vehicle passed by Sokov, he glanced instinctively, and when he saw clearly that the Soviet general was sitting in the vehicle, he couldn't help showing a disgusted expression on his face.

The American captain, who was chatting with the German major by the barrel cart, saw his officer coming in a car, quickly threw away the unfinished cigarette butt in his hand, and then raised his hand to his forehead to salute.

The jeep that the U.S. lieutenant colonel was riding in came to a stop next to the barrel cart, and the German major, who was still sitting in the car, quickly opened the door and got out of the car. He came to the jeep and raised his hand to salute the U.S. lieutenant colonel, while the German general, who was sitting in the back seat without moving, also slowly got up and got out of the car, nodding to the U.S. lieutenant colonel.

When Sokov saw this, he realized that this new American lieutenant colonel should be here to receive the surrendered German troops. He wondered whether to wait for the German prisoners to pass before rushing on, or to take a detour?

Before he could make a final decision, he saw the American captain walking towards his position. He said to Koshkin: "Koshkin, let's go, let's see the officer of the ally and see when he is going to let us pass."

When Sokov got out of the car, the American captain happened to walk in front of him. After he saw the gold star on Sokov's shoulder strap, he asked in a panic, "Which of you understands English?"

"Captain, I understand English." Sokov said, "I want to ask when you plan to let us pass."

"I'm really sorry, Mr. General." The U.S. captain said apologetically, "Our regiment was ordered to accept the surrender of a German infantry division here. I'm afraid it will take some time. Please forgive me for any inconvenience caused. "

"Who is in charge here?" Sokov pouted at the U.S. lieutenant colonel standing by the barrel cart, and asked, "Is that the lieutenant colonel?"

"Yes, Mr. General." The American captain said in a panic, "That's our regimental commander."

"I'm going to meet your regimental commander and ask him when we can pass!" Sokov said, and walked towards the barrel truck with big strides, while Koshkin and several guards Members followed suit.

"Lieutenant Colonel," Sokov came to the US Lieutenant Colonel, and asked politely: "I was about to return to my defense zone, but was stopped by your people. I want to ask, when can we leave here? "

Hearing that Sokov was talking to himself in proficient English, the U.S. lieutenant colonel was taken aback for a moment, and then said arrogantly: "I'm sorry, Mr. General, our troops are receiving the surrendered troops from the German army. When will we be able to pass through? I can't give you an exact answer."

The German general standing next to the barrel car, after seeing Sokov's face clearly, showed a shocked expression on his face, and then leaned closer to his adjutant's ear and whispered a few words.

After the German major listened to the general's words, when he looked at Sokov again, his eyes were full of horror. Then he came to Sokov and asked respectfully in English, "Mr. General, what should I call you?"

"I am General Sokov, commander of the 48th Army of the Soviet Army's Second Belarusian Front."

The German major quickly translated what Sokov said to the general. After listening to his adjutant's translation, the German general walked up to Sokov, stood at attention, raised his hand to salute a solemn military salute, and said a lot of words in a friendly tone. After the German major translated, Sokov understood what the other party was saying: "General Sokov, as your defeated general, it is my honor to meet you here this year, please accept my respect for you! "

After hearing this, Sokov asked in confusion, "Your Excellency, have you ever been to the Soviet Union?"

"Yes, General Sokov." The German general said respectfully: "My army once fought against you in Kursk. Before that, we have always maintained an undefeated record, but who knows this record? But you broke it."

Sokov was not interested in knowing the numbers of the opponent's troops. After all, the opponent was surrendering to the U.S. military, not himself. He jokingly said: "Your Excellency, if your troops surrender to me, maybe I can allow you to enjoy the treatment that prisoners of war deserve. Since you have chosen to surrender to the US military, I wish you good luck!"

The reason why Sokov said this is because there were millions of German troops who surrendered to the British and American troops. Later, millions of people died in the Rhine camp established by the British and Americans. He didn't know how many of them could leave the prisoner of war camp alive after the German general surrendered to the U.S. military with his troops.

When the German general heard what Sokov said, he smiled wryly and said: "General Sokov, this is really a pity. If I knew that your troops were nearby, maybe I would have ordered them to surrender to you. But now we have Decided to surrender to the Allies, that can only be handed over to them arms."