Red Moscow

After listening to the report of the Director of Communications Corps, Sokov couldn't help but frown slightly, "What, General Afnin is not in Solon City?"

Yakov next to him quickly explained: "Misha, it seems that Afnin moved his headquarters forward after receiving your order to continue the attack."

"Well, it's possible." Sokov nodded after hearing this, and then told the director of the communications corps: "Comrade director of the communications corps, go back and continue working. If there are any new messages, send them to me immediately."

After the director of the communications corps left, Lu Jin asked someone to push him to Sokov's side and said, "Misha, do you think the gunshots and explosions coming from the city were caused by prisoners of war from the Kwantung Army?" What riot?"

Sokov's pupils shrank violently. Lu Jin's words made him feel angry. He had finally convinced himself not to kill all these damn Kwantung Army and allowed them to surrender. Unexpectedly, they actually started a riot in the middle of the night. It is simply a matter of life and death.

Yakov also agreed with Lukin's statement. After all, the defenders in Solon City had been wiped out during the day's battle. There was a sudden burst of gunfire in the middle of the night. The only explanation was that they were imprisoned in the school. The prisoners rioted.

Thinking of this, he ordered someone to call the director of the communications corps and said to him: "Immediately contact General Konev of the 3rd Guards Airborne Division and ask him where the gunshots and explosions came from. Not a place to hold prisoners of war.”

A few minutes later, the director of the communications corps came over with an operator carrying a portable radio and handed the earphones and microphone to Sokov: "Comrade Commander, we have contacted General Konev."

Sokov put on his earphones and said into the microphone: "General Konev? This is Sokov. Where was the fighting in Sauron?"

"Comrade Commander," Konev looked a little excited when he heard that Sokov was talking to him personally: "As you have judged, the gunshots and explosions were indeed coming from the direction of the school where prisoners of war and expatriates are detained. I have sent a guard battalion over there. I believe it won’t take long to quell this rebellion.”

More than half an hour later, the gunfire and explosions in the city not only did not weaken, but became more dense and violent. But Sokov and others felt much more at ease when they heard such news, which meant that the troops sent by Konev were besieging the rioting prisoners of war.

Bezikov, who went to the city to inquire about intelligence, came back and reported to Sokov: "Comrade Commander, we all figured out that there was a prisoner-of-war riot in the school where prisoners of war were detained in the city. Now the defenders have surrounded the school and are in the process of Launch an attack on the rioting prisoners of war, and I believe that the battle will be over soon."

"Misha." After Yakov understood the situation in the city through Bezikov's narration, he asked Sokov for instructions: "Should we send troops directly under the headquarters into the city to help the defenders calm down faster? A prisoner of war riot?”

"There is no need, Yasha." Sokov waved his hand: "Our soldiers are not familiar with the city's environment, and it is also night and the visibility is poor. Sending troops hastily into the city will not be conducive to coordinated operations, but will cause trouble. Unnecessary chaos. I think we should just wait here and wait until the fighting in the city is over before entering the city."

Lukin took out a pack of cigarettes, handed one to each of Yakov and Sokov, and then said: "A school is a school place, a place where students study and study. There are neither barbed wire nor iron windows, and there are no walls around it." It’s not too high, and the doors and windows of the classroom are not too strong, so it’s really not suitable for holding prisoners. And according to my estimation, General Konev will not send too many people to guard prisoners of war.”

"Well, I agree with Comrade Deputy Commander." After helping the two of them light cigarettes, Yakov lit one himself, took two puffs and said, "There are more than two thousand prisoners of war and expatriates detained in the school. People, if they are not strictly monitored, can easily get into trouble."

"What kind of school the prisoners of war are held in is like. We can only find out after the battle is over and go to the scene to check." Sokov said angrily: "Originally, we were fighting smoothly, but suddenly something happened. Something like this is really a headache.”

Everyone waited outside the city for almost an hour, and it was not until dawn that the gunfire in the city stopped completely. Sokov contacted Konev via the radio and asked straight to the point: "General Konev, I heard that the gunfire in the city has stopped. Is the battle over?"

"Yes, Comrade Commander." Konev replied: "The fighting in the school has ended, and most of the prisoners of war who participated in the riot have been killed."

After confirming that the prisoner of war riot had subsided, Sokov ended the call with Konev and ordered the troops to enter the city.

Knowing that Sokov's headquarters had arrived in the city, Konev personally brought people to greet him.

Sokov shook hands with the other party and asked: "General Konev, please tell me how many prisoners of war and expats are detained in the school?"

"There are more than 1,200 prisoners of war, and there are six to seven hundred expatriates, and the total number is nearly two thousand." Konev replied: "After a few hours of fighting, we killed more than a hundred prisoners of war who participated in the riot, and the rest Everyone is under guard."

"Chief of Staff," Sokov turned to Yakov and said, "You first take people to find a place to establish a headquarters. I, the deputy commander and the military commissar will go to the school to have a look."

"Okay." Although Yakov also wanted to go to the school to see those daring prisoners of war, the task of establishing a new headquarters was more important. Although he was full of regrets, he had to obey the order: "I will immediately take people to arrange New command.”

In order to ensure Sokov's safety, Bezikov took Captain Alt and his guard company and followed Sokov and Konev towards the school where prisoners of war were held.

When everyone arrived at the school, Sokov saw that the school playground was full of people. Judging from their clothes, those in military uniforms were prisoners of war from the Kwantung Army, while those in casual clothes were expatriates, including men, women, old and children. . The playground is surrounded by Soviet soldiers with live ammunition. They point their black guns at the prisoners of war. If there is any movement in the team, they will shoot without hesitation.

Sokov turned to Konev: "General Konev, where are the rioting prisoners of war?"

"Here, they're all there!" Konev pointed to the other end of the playground and said to Sokov: "The bodies are all piled up there."

Sokov did not express his position immediately, but said to Konev: "General Konev, take me to see where you keep prisoners of war."

Hearing that Sokov was going to visit the place where prisoners of war were held, Konev did not dare to neglect and quickly acted as a guide to take Sokov to visit the teaching building.

After entering the teaching building, Konev introduced to Sokov: "Comrade Commander, the prisoners of war are kept in the auditorium during the day. In order to prevent them from rioting, I ordered people to move all the tables, chairs and benches inside. There was nothing but clothes. There were no beds in the auditorium, so the prisoners had to sit on the floor."

Sokov came outside the auditorium and saw that all the windows here were boarded up, and the only way to get in and out was through the door. As long as a few sentries are placed at the door, Japanese prisoners of war will not be able to come in and out freely.

“Where are the places where foreigners are detained?”

Konev brought Sokov to the classroom, pointed to the classroom with the open door and said: "Comrade Commander, the expatriates are detained here during the day. Their conditions are relatively better. They basically carry luggage. If they are tired, they can You can put the desks together and use them as beds.”

"Were it just prisoners of war who started the riot, or were there expatriates taking part?"

"Both."

"How many people did you put to guard them?"

"A company."

When Sokov heard this, he asked with some displeasure: "In such a big school, why are there only one company of troops to guard it? Haven't you considered that uncertain situations may occur at night?"

"Comrade Commander, it's all my fault." Konev replied in a panic: "I personally think that the prisoners of war and the expatriates have been disarmed by us, and they are like tigers with their teeth pulled out. They have no combat effectiveness at all. It couldn't make any waves. Besides, after dark, I ordered all the prisoners of war and expatriates to be driven into several classrooms respectively. The classroom doors were also locked from the outside. Urination and defecation could only be done in the classrooms, which would not be possible until dawn. It won’t open the door.”

"General Konev, it was your lack of vigilance that led to the prisoner of war riot." Sokov asked angrily: "Have you ever figured out what caused this riot and who led it?" head of?"

"I don't know." Konev said with a red face: "Although we interrogated many people, they couldn't tell how the riot happened. We only knew that someone opened the classroom door from outside and asked them to run out. They They didn't even notice who opened the door, and when they heard someone telling them to run out, they ran out instinctively."

After Sokov returned to the playground, he explained in detail what he had expected to the two people staying here, Lukin and Gorokhov.

Seeing the anger on Sokov's face, Lukin guessed that he would never give up, so he asked cautiously: "Misha, what do you plan to do with these prisoners of war?"

"Kill, must kill." Sokov said through gritted teeth: "Such a bad incident happened just after the war began. If strict measures are not taken, I am afraid that other prisoners of war and expatriates will imitate them in the future."

"Comrade Commander, this is not appropriate." Unexpectedly, as soon as Sokov finished speaking, Gorokhov interrupted and said: "Killing nearly two thousand prisoners at once, I'm afraid this is not appropriate. If others know, I’m afraid it will bring you unnecessary trouble.”

Gorokhov's words calmed Sokov down. He knew very well that if he killed two thousand prisoners of war and expatriates at once, it would indeed attract some criticism and have a great impact on his future future. But he was not willing to let these prisoners of war and foreigners go so easily: "Comrade Military Commissar, these prisoners of war and foreigners have killed many soldiers guarding them. Can we let them go easily? Konev General!"

Hearing Sokov calling him, Konev quickly agreed loudly: "Here we come!"

"How many soldiers did you sacrifice to quell the uprising of the prisoners of war?"

"35 soldiers died and 127 were injured."

"Comrade Military Commissar, the blood debt must be repaid with blood." Sokov said coldly to Gorokhov: "Since they killed so many of our soldiers, they must pay the price in blood." Then he turned to Korokhov. Nev said, "Let the prisoners of war and expatriates line up in a line of ten. The people here can probably line up in more than a hundred lines."

Although Konev didn't understand why Sokov wanted prisoners of war and expatriates to line up, since the other party gave the order, he naturally had to obey it unconditionally. He immediately called several of his subordinates and gave them some instructions. Soon a group of soldiers rushed towards the prisoners of war and expatriates, using rifle butts and fists to force them to line up in a short time.

Seeing the prisoners of war and expatriates lining up, Konev came over and reported to Sokov: "Comrade Commander, the prisoners of war and expatriates have been lined up. Please give your instructions!"

"General Konev, have you ever heard of the 'Eleven Law of Killing' implemented by the Roman commander Crassus?"

"heard about it!"

"As long as you've heard of it." Sokov sneered and said: "Crassus's law of eleven killings is to divide the troops into groups of 10 and draw lots, and choose one person to execute. The method is usually to stone to death or beat with a stick. Die. If a group of 10 people draw lots, it would be a waste of time. Go over now, pick out the 1st, 11th, 21st... columns, and then drag them to the playground and shoot them."

Konev was dumbfounded by Sokov's order. He turned to look at Gorokhov and saw that the other person was as shocked as himself. He set his sights on Lukin again to see his reaction to decide whether he needed to carry out Sokov's order.

Lujin saw Konev turning his eyes towards him and guessed his intention, so he nodded slightly at him and said: "General Konev, since Comrade Commander has given the order, then you just execute it. These people killed You have so many warriors, don’t you want to avenge them?”

Konev, who was still a little hesitant at first, heard what Lukin said and thought of his subordinates who died tragically, and his heart suddenly became unknown, and he quickly gave Sokov an order to convey to his subordinates. When the Soviet soldiers dragged out the ten people in the first column, all the prisoners of war and expatriates still looked at a loss, not knowing what the Soviet army was going to do. When they saw these compatriots being pulled to one end of the playground and lined up to be shot, they immediately began to commotion. Then the team scattered like a nest exploded. Both prisoners of war and expats ran in different directions, trying to escape from the Soviet Union. Army siege.

The soldiers around the playground were a little panicked when faced with the rushing prisoners of war and expatriates. They fired warning shots into the sky in an attempt to prevent the prisoners of war and expatriates from escaping. But the prisoners of war and foreigners who rushed in front of them actually fought for the guns in their hands. In this case, they had to shoot into the crowd. The dense bullets knocked down the prisoners of war and expatriates who were crowded together, and scared the remaining people to fall to the ground.

At this time, the soldiers who knew Japanese held up a loudspeaker and shouted loudly next to the playground, asking everyone to return to their original positions, otherwise they would be shot.

Facing the dark muzzles of gunfire all around, both prisoners of war and expatriates knew in their hearts that if they continued to run around, they would be shot to death randomly. And if you return to your original position honestly, you might still have a chance to survive. So several prisoners of war slowly stood up and walked towards their original positions. With the leader in the lead, the remaining prisoners of war and expatriates also stood up and followed them to their original positions.