Red Moscow

"Comrade Marshal," Yakov suddenly asked Rokossovsky after finishing the shooter's matter, "How long are we going to stay in Germany?"

Rokossovsky didn't understand Yakov's question, and asked back with some puzzlement: "Yasha, what did you say?"

Yakov realized that he didn't explain clearly what he wanted to ask, so he quickly added: "I want to ask, how long will our troops occupying the German army stay in this country?"

"I don't know, Yasha, I can only tell you that I don't know." After understanding the question asked by the other party, Rokossovsky replied truthfully: "All this depends on the Supreme Command. We will stay as long as we are allowed to stay in Germany."

However, Sokov, who came from later generations, knew very well that it was not until 1994, three years after the disintegration of the Soviet Union, that all the 540,000 Soviet troops stationed in Germany were withdrawn. But even if he said this kind of thing, no one would believe it, so he just shut up and watched the fun.

"It's getting late," Rokossovsky looked at his watch and said, "I have other things to do, so I won't send you to the airport. I wish you all a safe journey!"

Sokov and others, who started their journey again, no longer had only one jeep, but a convoy of seven or eight trucks sandwiched them in the middle. Each truck had a machine gun mounted on the bridge, and the machine gunner Watch the situation along the way vigilantly, and once you find something wrong, you will pull the trigger without hesitation. After all, this is Germany, and the local situation is full of hostility to the Soviet army. The shooting incident just happened again , is entirely possible.

Fortunately, the journey was safe and sound, and Sokov and others arrived at the airport safely.

The pilots waiting here saw Sokov and the others coming, greeted them on the plane, and immediately took off towards Moscow.

The distance from Berlin to Moscow is 1,900 kilometers. Sokov and the others took a C47 transport plane aided by the United States with a cruising speed of 260 kilometers per hour. Since the range of this aircraft is 2,600 kilometers, that is to say, it can reach Moscow without stopping to refuel halfway.

When the plane passed over Kiev, Yakov approached Sokov and said, "Misha, when I heard that Kiev was liberated, you didn't participate?"

Not being able to participate in the battle to liberate Kiev is an eternal pain for Sokov. At that time, because he was seriously wounded and sent to Moscow for treatment, the troops were handed over to others. The 27th Army, which was originally illustrious and powerful in combat, not only failed to become the main force to attack Kiev due to a command error, but was reduced to the role of a reserve team because of heavy casualties. While other troops fought hard against the Germans on the Dnieper River and Kiev, the 27th Army, which was supposed to take on the offensive mission, became a spectator.

"Yes, Yasha." Sokov replied with a wry smile, "You should still remember that I was seriously injured. After our army liberated Kiev, I was still lying on the hospital bed uncertain of life or death."

"What a pity." Yakov said regretfully, "I think if you were still in the army, maybe the 27th Army under your command would be the first army to rush into Kiev."

"That's right, that's right." Sokov is still confident in the combat effectiveness of his troops. He said to Yakov, "Even when Kiev was liberated, my troops were not the first to rush into the city. But in the next In this battle, the German counterattack troops will never get close to Kiev, and I can completely defeat them in the direction of Zhytomyr."

"Misha, I found that your luck seems to be a bit off." Yakov thought for a while, and continued: "Think about it, you missed the battle to liberate Kiev because of your injuries. And the battle to liberate Berlin, you Still missed it. If the 48th Army you commanded hadn't been transferred to the 2nd Belarusian Front, maybe you would have had a chance to participate in the attack on Berlin."

It is indeed a pity for Sokov that he did not participate in the two major battles to liberate Kiev and Berlin. But since it has become a fact, no matter how upset he is, it is a fact that cannot be changed. Fortunately, he could think about it, and said with a smile: "Yasha, although I failed to participate in the two battles for the liberation of Kiev and Berlin. But now there is an opportunity to go to the Far East to participate in the war. If the troops under my command can defeat the last battle of Xiaotian The elite Kwantung Army, that credit is no less than the credit for participating in the liberation of Kiev and Berlin."

"Go to the Far East to participate in the war?" Although Yakov had heard Sokov say before that after the war in Europe subsided, he would apply to fight in the Far East. Yakov didn't care at that time either. After all, it is still unknown when the Germans will be defeated. Commanding troops to sweep the Kwantung Army in the Far East will be very far away. But now that Germany has surrendered, the next step to march into the Far East and defeat the Kwantung Army seems to be on the agenda. "Misha, will the superior agree to your request?"

"Since the day Germany surrendered, I have mentioned this matter to Marshal Rokossovsky and Marshal Zhukov respectively, but unfortunately there is no follow-up." Seeing Yakov in front of him, Sokov suddenly had an idea in his heart: "Yasha, when you go home and see your father, can you say something nice for me?"

"Misha, I can help you talk." Yakov looked at Sokov and said, "But you have to promise me one condition."

"What conditions, as long as it is within my ability, I will definitely agree to you."

"If my father agrees with you to go to fight in the Far East," Yakov said with a smile, "I wonder if you can let me go with you? Even if you can't be your army chief of staff, it's good to be an ordinary staff officer. You know After all, I was the deputy chief of staff in the Belarusian Third Front Army, so I still have a little bit of staff skills."

Sokov thought to himself: The time for fighting in the Far East was very short, even if Yakov went with him, he might not encounter any danger. On the contrary, if he agreed to Yakov's request, maybe Stalin would agree to his participation in the Far East campaign. Thinking of this, he nodded slowly and said, "Okay, Yasha, if your father agrees with me going to the Far East to command the troops, I can ask you to be my chief of staff."

Seeing that Sokov readily agreed to his request, Yakov couldn't help but smile. He knew very well that as long as he stayed by Sokov's side, there would be opportunities to make great achievements. Maybe after a battle in the Far East, I can get one or two more medals on my chest: "Misha, don't worry. When I return to Moscow, I will go to my father to talk about this matter, and I must ask him to agree to your leadership. The troops went to the Far East to compete with the Kwantung Army."

After nearly eight hours of flying, the transport plane finally landed at the military airport west of Moscow. Fortunately, it was already summer, and it got dark late in Moscow. The sun still hadn't set at eight o'clock in the evening, and it was still hanging in mid-air.

When the plane came to a complete stop, a black car drove over and stopped not far from the cabin door.

After Sokov and Yakov got off the gangway, a major who stepped out of the black car came to them, raised his hand in salute, and asked politely, "Excuse me, is General Sokov from Berlin?" General Koff?"

"Yes, it's me." Yakov stepped forward and asked, "Comrade Major, who are you?"

"Report to General Yakov!" The major said facing Yakov, "I am Major Bezikov of the Central Guard Regiment, and I was ordered to send you to a nursing home in the suburbs."

"I want to go to the Kremlin first to meet my father, is that okay?"

"I'm sorry, General Yakov." Major Bezikov obviously knew Yakov's real identity, but he politely rejected Yakov's request: "The order I received is to send you to the suburbs. Sanatorium. I will not return to the Kremlin until you arrive at the sanatorium."

Seeing that Yakov wanted to argue with the major, Sokov quickly stopped him: "Yasha, he is also following orders, so don't make things difficult for him." Sokov pointed at the black car next to him. , asked, "Comrade Major, are we going to the forest in the suburbs in this car?"

"Yes, Comrade General, this is the car." Knowing that Sokov was helping him out, Bezikov hurried to the rear door, opened the door, and said politely: "Comrade General, please Get in the car!"

Facing the opened car door, Sokov did not get in the car immediately, but greeted Assia: "Assia, you get in the car first!"

Sokov got into the car after Assia got in. And Yakov knew that his desire to return to the Kremlin was unattainable, so he had no choice but to get into the car.

Major Bezikov sat in the co-pilot's seat, closed the door casually, and told the driver: "Drive, comrade driver!"

After the black car left the city, it drove along the road for more than half an hour, and then suddenly drove into a side road. This is a dirt road, the road condition is not very good, there are potholes everywhere, Sokov was knocked out of the seat several times, and his head almost touched the roof of the car.

"Comrade Major," Sokov said to Bezikov, who was sitting in the co-pilot, with a wry smile, "The road conditions on this road are really bad."

Bezikov turned around halfway, and said to Sokov and Yakov apologetically: "You two generals, please forgive me. In order to prevent the target from being exposed, this road has not been repaired, even if it is reconnaissance by the German army. They don’t think there are any valuable targets here.”

"Comrade Major," Yakov said angrily, "but now the war is over, and it has been more than two years since the Germans were driven away from the vicinity of Moscow by our army. Even the camouflage nets on the buildings in Moscow have not It was demolished a long time ago, why not repair this road?"

Bezikov didn't expect Yakov to hold on to this matter, and replied with some embarrassment: "General Yakov, I'm sorry, I don't know. After all, I am not responsible for road construction."

"Okay, Yasha, don't embarrass the major." Sokov came out in time to smooth things over again: "Comrade major, how many guards are there in the nursing home we live in?"

The reason why Sokov asked this question was because the security work in the forest was much more complicated than that in the city. If someone really wants to attack the nursing home, they can attack from any direction. If there are fewer security personnel, it may be dangerous.

"General Sokov, we have set up a guard platoon in the sanatorium." Bezikov said, "The sanatorium is surrounded by a three-meter-high wall with barbed wire on it. There is no problem in terms of security. You and General Yakov can recuperate in peace of mind. By the way, your wife is also the same."

The car soon came to the entrance of a building surrounded by red brick walls. There were two soldiers standing guard. When they saw the car approaching, they immediately opened the closed iron gate and let the car enter. courtyard.

After the car entered the yard, it did not stop immediately, but continued to drive forward, and finally stopped beside a two-story red brick-concrete building.

"Two generals," Bezikov turned to Sokov and Yakov and said, "We are here, please get out of the car!"

After Sokov and others got out of the car, they followed the major into the building and went straight to the hall.

Behind the bar in the hall, there were two young waitresses chatting, but when they saw Bezikov walking in, they stopped talking immediately. A tall waitress took the initiative to greet Bezikov: "Comrade Major, you are here!"

"Yes, Anna, I'm here!" Bezikov nodded, pointing to Sokov and Yakov behind him: "These two are General Sokov and Yakov who are going to recuperate here." General, where is your leader?"

The waitress named Anna asked respectfully: "Gurqinke is answering the phone inside, do you need me to call her?"

"Go, Anna." Bezikov nodded and said, "Go and call her out, I still have something to explain to her in person."

Anna nodded and walked towards a room not far away. Not long after she entered the door, a middle-aged woman wearing a headscarf followed her out. This should be the Gurchenko that Bezikov mentioned. She quickly came to Bezikov and said enthusiastically: "Comrade major, didn't you say that you would arrive at five o'clock, why did you come now? I think you haven't finished your meal yet. , I will arrange for someone to help you prepare dinner."

"Mordyukova," Gurchenko said to another waitress, "go to the kitchen immediately and tell them to prepare dinner for Major Bezikov and the two generals."

After Mordyukova left, Gurchenko smiled and said to Sokov and Yakov: "Comrade generals, please follow me, and I will take you to the room prepared for you."

The rooms prepared for Sokov and others are on the second floor, all of which are spacious suites. The outside is a living room and dining room with sofas and dining tables, and the inside is a bedroom, but there is no separate bathroom and toilet.

Seeing this, Yakov couldn't help frowning, and said dissatisfiedly: "Comrade Gulchenko, what's going on? Why doesn't our room even have a separate bathroom and toilet? What's going on? "

"General Yakov, our sanitarium was built earlier. So the layout is unreasonable." Seeing that Yakov was angry, Gurchenke hurriedly explained to him: "Although there is no separate bathroom in the room and toilets, but the shared bathrooms and toilets are not far from your room, just a few steps away.”

Bezikov also laughed and said: "General Yakov, if you are not satisfied with this place, I will report to my superiors after I go back and ask them to replace you with a better nursing home."