Red Moscow

The Istria battalion passed through the checkpoint and walked two or three kilometers forward. Suddenly, Sokov saw a jeep parked by the side of the road. There were several soldiers standing beside the car, and one of the lieutenants was leaning against the car body. smoking. Seeing Sokov's team approaching, the lieutenant quickly threw the unfinished cigarette butt on the ground and ran over quickly.

After a few steps, the lieutenant asked loudly, "Is this Major Sokov?"

"Yes, I'm Sokov." Looking at the unfamiliar lieutenant, Sokov asked back, "Comrade Lieutenant, what part do you belong to?"

"Hello, Major Sokov." After confirming Sokov's identity, the lieutenant raised his hand to salute him: "General Malinin sent me to find you, please follow me." After finishing speaking, he made a request Cove's gesture to get into the car.

"But, Comrade Lieutenant." Sokov turned his head and glanced at his subordinates, and said in embarrassment: "If I go with you to see General Malinin, what will happen to my troops?"

"Don't worry, my subordinates will take them to the camp." The lieutenant turned around and called a sergeant, and told him, "Comrade sergeant, take the comrades from the Istria camp to the camp prepared for them." go."

After arranging the whereabouts of the troops, Sokov followed the lieutenant into the car. He asked the lieutenant who was driving for him: "Comrade lieutenant, do you know where General Malinin is?"

Regarding Sokov's question, the lieutenant smiled and said, "Comrade Major, you will know when you get to the place."

While the car was driving, the lieutenant glanced at the assault rifle Sokov was holding in his arms, and asked curiously, "Comrade major, are you holding the latest submachine gun?"

"No, it's not a submachine gun, it's a new assault rifle."

"Assault rifle?!" After the lieutenant repeated the word, he asked in confusion, "I've never heard of this weapon. What is it?"

"It's the automatic gun that people often say." Seeing that the lieutenant knew nothing about this new assault rifle, Sokov took the opportunity to popularize it with him: "It can shoot accurately at distant targets like a rifle; It also fires in bursts like a submachine gun. It’s great to try out in close combat, so I call it an assault rifle.”

The lieutenant has obviously been on the battlefield and has a certain understanding of weapons. After waiting for Sokov to finish speaking, he asked again: "I don't know what kind of bullets this assault rifle uses, rifle bullets or pistol bullets?"

"Rifle bullets are too powerful, and the recoil of continuous shooting is too great. Pistol bullets are too powerful and have insufficient penetration." Sokov replied: "This rifle uses a combination of rifle bullets and pistol bullets. The 7.62mm short-barrel intermediate power bullet with the advantages of this kind of bullet.”

Seeing that the lieutenant wanted to continue asking, Sokov quickly interrupted him: "Comrade lieutenant, this weapon and the supporting ammunition are still classified by our army. I can't say too much. Do you understand?"

The lieutenant, who was about to learn more about this new assault rifle, couldn't help showing an embarrassed expression when he heard Sokov say this: "Understood, Comrade Major, I just saw that this kind of gun is special, so I asked more about it." A few words." After a short pause, he asked tentatively, "I want to ask, will this kind of gun be installed in the army in the future?"

"Yes, Comrade Lieutenant, I will." Sokov, who came from later generations, naturally knows very well that the AK47, which is cheap, easy to operate, and has a strong structure, is a firearm with the largest number of production and the most extensive equipment. He replied hesitantly: "Sooner or later, this weapon will become the standard weapon of our army."

The jeep driven by the lieutenant drove into a forest and drove forward along a rough path. After driving another few hundred meters, he parked the car in front of a building with sentries standing guard at the door and in front of the windows. Then he turned to Sokov and said, "Comrade Major, here we are. General Malinin is waiting for you inside."

After thanking the lieutenant, Sokov opened the door and got out of the car. The sentinel at the gate stopped Sokov and asked politely: "Comrade Major, what do you want?"

"Hello, Comrade Sipiagin." Before Sokov could reply, the lieutenant, who was about to drive away, shouted at the sentry who stopped Sokov, "This major is a guest of General Malinin."

"I'm sorry, Comrade Major." Hearing what the lieutenant said, the sentinel quickly apologized to Sokov, "I didn't know you were invited by General Malinin." After speaking, he moved his body to the side and said please Posture, "After you enter the door, go through the hall and turn right. The general's office is the third room on the right side of the corridor."

Sokov walked into the building and followed the sentry's instructions to the door of the third room. Malinin was sitting behind a desk placed in the middle of the room, writing something with his head down, without noticing Sokov's arrival at all.

Sokov hurriedly coughed lightly, and when Malinin raised his head upon hearing the sound, he raised his hand to his forehead and reported according to the regulations: "Comrade Chief of Staff, Major Sokov is here on orders, please give instructions!"

"Misha, you're here." Seeing that it was Sokov, Malinin smiled. He stood up, walked around the table, came over to shake hands with Sokov, and said apologetically, "I'm sorry." , Due to various reasons, I failed to provide you with the necessary means of transportation, causing you to march on foot on the road, I am really sorry."

Perhaps because he was worried that Sokov would have any bad associations, Ma Linin added after a short pause: "Although I am about to become the chief of staff of the front army, I have not officially taken up the post yet, so I do not have the ability to provide many resources within the front army. deployment, so I hope you understand."

"Major," seeing that the expression on Sokov's face did not change, Malinin called him to the wall, pointed to the map on the wall, and said in a business-like tone: "I have been ordered to send an important task to you. , leave it to you to complete."

Sokov looked up at the map on the wall, staring at the red and blue lines representing the Soviet army and the German army respectively, and patiently waited for Malinin to give him a combat order.

Malinin likes Sokov's calm character. He picked up the explaining stick leaning against the wall, pointed to the map and said: "The German troops are rushing towards the Don River, and they are concentrating their main forces in the southeast direction. , part of the force carried out an assault north along the west bank of the Don River in an attempt to expand the breakthrough. However, their attack was stubbornly blocked by the 13th Army of Major General Pukhov and the 5th Tank Army of General Lidjukov.

According to the order of the Supreme Command, we will carry out a counterattack against the German army in this area. Among them, the 5th Tank Army was supposed to cut off the German lines of communication advancing towards the Don and attack them from the rear, crushing their attempts to occupy Voronezh. After my discussion with Comrade Commander, it is decided that you will lead the Istria Battalion to penetrate into the enemy's rear, assist the troops of the 5th Tank Army, and cut off the German army's line of communication. "

After introducing the mission, Malinin looked at Sokov and said, "Major Sokov, this is a difficult and honorable mission, but also a very dangerous one. Do you have any questions?"

"No." As soon as Malinin finished speaking, Sokov shook his head and said, "I firmly obey your orders."

"Very good." Malinin was very satisfied with Sokov's attitude. He nodded and continued: "You and the comrades in the Istria camp, rest at the camp for one night. Wait until tomorrow morning. I will send you a guide, and he will lead you to the enemy's rear. If you have any requirements, you can ask me now, as long as it is within my ability, I will definitely help you solve it."

"Comrade Chief of Staff," Sokov has long been thinking about how to replenish the lack of supplies in the Istria camp. We need supplies of ammunition and medicine. Secondly, the radio station in the battalion also needs batteries. I hope you can help us solve it."

"No problem." Seeing that Sokov's request was very simple, Ma Linin readily agreed, "Before tomorrow's departure, you will get the supplies you deserve."