Red Moscow

The communications staff officer quickly placed Vlasov's reply in front of Timoshenko: "Comrade Marshal, this is the telegram just received. It can be confirmed that the commander of the 37th Group Army, General Vlasov, is indeed Follow this radio action.”

After learning the news, both Timoshenko and Khrushchev showed relaxed expressions on their faces. You know, since the Yagotin area was occupied by the German army, Vlasov has completely lost contact. To this end, Stalin personally called Timoshenko and asked Timoshenko to intensify the search efforts and be sure to find Vlasov's whereabouts. Now that it was confirmed that Vlasov was still alive, they could report the good news to each other when Stalin asked.

After Timoshenko and Khrushchev read the telegram, they discussed in a low voice: "Comrade Military Commissar, do you think Vlasov will obey our order, take the plane sent by us, and return to the location of the front army headquarters? "

Facing the question raised by Timoshenko, Khrushchev thought for a while, and finally said slowly: "We can send a telegram to seek General Vlasov's opinion. It would be great if he is willing to fly back. However, if he doesn’t want to, it won’t be too late for us to send someone to convince him.”

"Okay, let's do it like this." Timoshenko also made a decisive decision: "Let's ask General Vlasov for his orders first."

He turned to the communications staff officer and said: "Comrade staff officer, send a message to General Vlasov and ask him to explain his location so that we can send a plane to pick him up." At the end, he also specifically warned, "Remember, you must ask him , are you willing to follow the plane we dispatched and return to the front army headquarters?"

Vlasov, who was in the Lochvita forest at the moment, received a telegram from the front army headquarters and couldn't help feeling ecstatic when he learned that a plane was about to be dispatched to respond.

But he calmed down quickly, knowing that even if the front army headquarters sent a plane to pick him up, I'm afraid there wouldn't be many people on the plane. But now there are hundreds of commanders and fighters here. If he abandons them and leaves, I'm afraid they will feel chilled. .

Thinking of this, he called Colonel Del and Nikolsky to him and said to them: "Comrade Chief of Staff, Comrade Military Commissioner, and the new commander of the Southwest Front, Marshal Timoshenko, sent me a telegram saying that he was ready to send a plane. Come pick me up. But I think the number of people that can be carried on the plane is limited. If I abandon my subordinates at this time, I am afraid it will make them feel cold. "

"This is indeed very difficult, Comrade Commander." Nikolsky said with a serious expression: "Although your safety is very important, if we abandon our troops and run away at this time, the soldiers will definitely think that we are greedy for fear. Death; but it is obviously impossible to take everyone away.”

Colonel Del scratched the back of his head and said: "Comrade Commander, the Front Army Headquarters is asking for your opinion. We have no opinion on what you want to do."

Vlasov looked at his two deputies and fell into deep thought.

Yes, if you take the plane sent by Timoshenko and leave here, you will indeed be out of danger, but what will the soldiers think of you? Especially what will Sokov and others who rescued him from Kiev think of him?

Seeing Vlasov's delay in speaking, Nikolsky gave him a suggestion: "Comrade Commander, how about you call Captain Sokov over and ask him for his opinion?"

After hearing this, Colonel Del asked in confusion: "What did you tell him to do?"

Nikolsky said: "He was the one who rescued the commander and you from Kiev. I think he is different. Faced with the difficult choice now, he might be able to give you a good suggestion."

Vlasov followed suit and quickly called a nearby soldier and told him: "Comrade soldier, please call Captain Sokov over."

Sokov was sitting under a big tree dozens of meters away, chatting with Konstantin, Chulsin, Zub and others. After hearing the soldier say that Vlasov had something to do with him, he quickly got up and followed the soldier to see Vlasov.

"Comrade Commander." Vlasov quickly came to Vlasov. After raising his hand in salute, he asked politely: "I wonder what you want to see me for?"

"Captain Sokov, look at this." Vlasov handed the telegram in his hand to Sokov: "This is a telegram from the front headquarters."

Sokov took the telegram and quickly read its contents. After seeing clearly that Timoshenko planned to send a plane to pick up Vlasov, he immediately raised his head and said: "Comrade Commander, this is really an exciting telegram. If you take the plane sent by the front army headquarters , you can jump out of the enemy's encirclement at the fastest speed."

Vlasov raised his eyebrows, thinking that Sokov did not read the contents of the telegram clearly, and emphasized: "Captain Sokov, you should know that even if the front army headquarters sends a plane to pick me up, there will be no passengers that can be accommodated." The number won’t be too large, and it’s impossible to take away everyone here.”

"Comrade Commander, I can see the contents of the telegram very clearly." Sokov was secretly happy. This was the best opportunity to get rid of Vlasov. He could take his troops to defect to other important figures and said quickly : "You are all group army leaders. If you fall into the hands of the Germans, you will be used by the Germans to spread propaganda and undermine the morale of our army. Therefore, the best way is for all of you to take a plane. Get out of this dangerous place as soon as possible."

"But what about you?" Vlasov was asked to abandon his troops and leave alone. He still had many worries in his heart. He was worried about chilling the soldiers. This was just a scene. What he was really worried about was that if Stalin saw him abandoning his troops and escaping the encirclement alone, would he become furious and let himself follow in the footsteps of General Pavlov?

"Don't worry." Sokov said with a smile: "After you leave, we don't need to allocate manpower to protect your safety. Even if we unfortunately encounter the enemy, I can put all the personnel into battle. "

After Sokov finished speaking, while Vlasov was still thinking, Colonel Derr said first: "Comrade Commander, I think Captain Sokov is right. We are now a burden in the army. Without us, They will move more freely."

Nikolsky also echoed: "Comrade Commander, we should immediately send a telegram back to the front army headquarters to say that we agree with their arrangements and ask them to send planes to pick us up as soon as possible."

"Chief of Staff, Military Commissioner, things are not as simple as you think." But Vlasov shook his head and said: "We don't even know the specific location of where we are, even if we ask the front army headquarters to send a plane to meet us. Us, but how can the pilot find us?"

Vlasov's words made Colonel Del and Nikolsky look embarrassed: "Yes, we don't even know our specific location, how can we get the plane to pick us up?"

Seeing that the three of them were silent and worried that his plan would fail, Sokov quickly said: "Three leaders, don't worry. We can send a telegram back to the front army headquarters, tell them the approximate area where we are, and then arrange a suitable Isn’t this the pick-up location?”

When Colonel Del heard that what Sokov said was very reasonable, he said to Vlasov: "Comrade Commander, what do you think?"

Vlasov looked at Sokov for a while, then nodded and said: "Just follow what Captain Sokov said, call back the front army headquarters and ask them to arrange a meeting point for us. We will do it as quickly as possible." Rush over."

In this way, a telegram based on Sokov's proposal was sent to the front army headquarters.

Ten minutes later, the call back arrived.

The content of the telegram is very simple: The corresponding plane will land in the forest two kilometers west of Romney. You must arrive within three hours!

"Comrade Commander, meet our plane in the forest two kilometers west of Romney." After reading the telegram, Colonel Del urged Vlasov: "We have to set off quickly, otherwise we will not be able to arrive within three hours." , rush to the designated pick-up location.”

Vlasov did not give the order immediately, but looked at Sokov and asked: "Captain Sokov, can we set off immediately?"

"No problem, Comrade Commander." Sokov replied without hesitation: "There are no wounded in the army and we can leave at any time."

"Then let's set off." Vlasov said: "Let soldiers who are familiar with the terrain lead the way. They must arrive at the designated reception point within the specified time."

A few minutes later, Sokov gathered his troops and set out.

Constantine also asked curiously: "Comrade Captain, where are we going?"

"Go to Romney!" Sokov said briefly: "There are our people there."

"Romney is still in the hands of our army?" Constantine asked in surprise.

"Well, my expression was inaccurate." Sokov quickly explained: "We are going to the forest two kilometers west of Romney, where our people are."

On the way to the pick-up location, Sokov was still a little uneasy. Because the forest area was so large, it might not be an easy task to find the clearing in the forest where the pilot parked the plane, and it might take a lot of time.

Fortunately, with good luck, we didn't encounter any more German troops along the way, and successfully arrived in the forest west of Romney.

After entering the forest, Colonel Del became a little uneasy. He looked into the sky from time to time and muttered: "Is the plane coming or not?"

"Let's find a clearing in the forest first." Vlasov pondered for a moment and then made a decision: "Then he sent a telegram to the front army headquarters and asked if the plane had reached the designated position."

"Okay, let's do it."

It took another ten minutes to find a clearing in the forest, enough for the transport plane to take off and land normally.

Colonel Del asked the communications staff to send a report to the front army headquarters, telling the other party that Vlasov and others had arrived in the forest two kilometers west of Romney, and asked the other party whether a corresponding aircraft had been sent.

After two rounds of telegram exchanges, the two sides agreed on the rendezvous location. Del raised his hand to wipe the sweat from his forehead, walked up to Vlasov and said to him: "Comrade Commander, the Front Army Headquarters called back and said that the meeting Our plane will arrive in about forty minutes, so let’s light three fires near the landing site to guide the plane to land.”

"Captain Sokov," Vlasov quickly gave Sokov an order: "Immediately have three firewood piles arranged in the forest clearing. When a plane appears in the sky, immediately light it and guide the plane to land. "

"Okay, Comrade Commander, I'll make arrangements right away."

"Captain, hurry up." Colonel Del reminded Sokov: "The plane will arrive in about forty minutes."

Sokov quickly went back to gather people, picked up dry firewood in the forest, and piled it in the forest clearing, preparing to light it as soon as the corresponding plane arrived.

Half an hour later, three firewood piles were piled up in the forest clearing. Sokov arranged two soldiers next to each firewood pile, asking them to light the firewood pile as soon as they saw an aircraft appearing in the sky and guide the corresponding aircraft to land safely.

A few minutes later, the roar of airplanes was heard in the air.

Hearing this voice, Colonel Del said excitedly to Vlasov: "Comrade Commander, did you hear it? The plane to meet us is coming!"

Before Vlasov could speak, he shouted to Sokov: "Captain Sokov, what are you still doing? Why don't you hurry up and let your subordinates light the firewood pile?"

Since it was Colonel Del who gave the order, Sokov was naturally unambiguous and quickly sent a signal to the soldiers standing next to the firewood pile, asking them to light a fire so that the aircraft in the air could find the landing place on the ground.

Unexpectedly, as soon as the three fires were lit, a plane appeared over the forest.

After seeing the shape of the plane clearly, Sokov was shocked. Therefore, it was not a Soviet plane, but a German reconnaissance plane called "Frame". He quickly shouted: "Hurry up, Put out the fire, put out the fire, put out the fire!"

The soldiers who heard his shout quickly pulled out the dry firewood that had not yet burned, trying to extinguish the fire quickly. But a lit fire cannot be extinguished as long as it is extinguished. The smoke produced when extinguishing the fire rolls up into the air.

The German reconnaissance plane was originally passing by here, but suddenly discovered the fire on the ground, realized that something was wrong, and immediately turned back and circled over the forest glade, trying to see clearly whether there were any Soviet troops on the ground.

"It's over, it's over." Seeing this situation, Colonel Del couldn't help but feel despair. The whereabouts of his small unit was discovered by a German reconnaissance plane, then a group of bombers would appear next, and maybe ground troops would also head towards this location. After searching, the situation will be even more unfavorable to our side. He asked Vlasov in a panic: "Comrade Commander, what should we do?"

"What else can we do?!" Vlasov straightened his face and ordered decisively: "If we continue to stay here, we will become a target for German bombers. We must move immediately."

"However, we have made an appointment with the front army headquarters to have the planes sent by them to pick us up here." Colonel Del quickly pulled Vlasov and reminded him: "If we leave, the planes that will come to pick us up will be here." Didn’t it just come to nothing?”

"We have been exposed, move immediately." Vlasov said without hesitation: "Even if the responding plane arrives, do you think an unarmed plane can escape being hunted by German fighter jets?"