Steel Soviet Union

The psychological suggestion that seemed to have been repeated tens of thousands of times in just a few seconds had no effect at all. Major Strauss, who originally did not want to admit that he was inferior to the Soviet pilots, finally admitted the fact.

If the situation just now were reversed, I might not be able to do that kind of behavior even if I repeat it hundreds of times.

This is not because of the courage and fortitude of soldiers, but because of human beings' most instinctive fear of death.

At the last moment before death, you must have the determination and courage to die together with the enemy, and drag as many of these fascist lackeys on your back as possible to die together.

Similar scenes are not just isolated cases, there are countless similar scenes happening or about to happen on the cruel and white-hot battlefield where even the sky is about to light up.

The horrific scenes that were constantly staged made the originally confident Major Strauss increasingly exhausted physically and mentally.

The performance of the fighter jets in our hands is very good, but they cannot withstand the desperate spirit of those Soviet pilots who will knock you down even if they hit you.

The German defense line on the ground was indeed fighting vigorously with the help of the air force, but a fatally burning Il-2 or a Tu-2 with its tail fin destroyed could destroy all the efforts and fragile lives of the entire company of German infantry. It was instantly burned to the ground.

Major Strauss, who had been fighting in the air for an hour, finally voluntarily withdrew from the battlefield when all the ammunition was used up, turned around and flew back to the front-line field air base in the rear.

The Butcher Bird was slowly gliding and landed on the runway. Major Strauss reached out to open the cockpit cover and then realized that his shaking right hand was not enough to use his strength to open the cockpit. Guys, it's almost impossible to even clench them together into a fist right now.

Major Strauss, who tried several times but was unable to open the hatch on his own, gave up trying and leaned heavily on his seat, feeling more physically and mentally exhausted than ever before.

The German ground crew who did not see the pilot exiting the cabin on his own panicked and mistakenly thought that Major Strauss was seriously injured and did not have the strength to open the canopy to get out. They immediately shouted and pulled the medical staff in groups. Together they hurriedly ran over, climbed onto the plane with bare hands and immediately opened the canopy.

"Major Strauss, are you okay?"

The young man wearing windshield goggles who was nearest to him was a person that Major Strauss was very familiar with.

Wink's dream since childhood was to conquer the blue sky as an ace pilot like Red Baron Richthofen. However, during the final physical examination, he was ruthlessly rejected by the German Air Force recruitment department because of his weak eyes, so he had to change his career and become a ground crewman. Others have experienced eye addiction when flying.

Major Strauss, who was almost slumped in his flight seat, exhausted and unable to move, felt a little lucky at this moment, and even showed a rare and somewhat mysterious sincere smile on the corner of his mouth.

Major Strauss was glad that today's battle was not a sentimental young man like Wenke who liked to write poems to express his inner feelings.

It would be better if such a cruel and bloody sky was left to an old man like himself who had been devastated by the war and suffered from neurasthenia.

As for Wink, it would be nice to have him write some poems that could be used by the Luftwaffe propaganda department for recruitment notices and pack up his own plane.

"Carry me out, Wink, I don't even have the strength to stand up now."

Half an hour later, Major Strauss, who was diagnosed by the military doctor as suffering from severe physical exhaustion due to continuous high-G maneuvers, was lying on the hospital bed. Two places on his thighs were left from playing roulette with a desperate Soviet pilot last year. The gunshot wound was painful.

The more times like this come, the more Major Strauss feels that his body, which has begun to decline, is becoming more and more incapable of doing its job. Compared with the young men, the 44-year-old man is indeed far behind.

After a while, an Air Force colonel who was obviously older than Major Strauss opened the door and walked in.

The face that looked extremely determined shone with a look that could make people feel trustworthy. After arriving in the ward, he immediately walked straight to Major Strauss's bedside without thinking.

"I just asked Dr. Shipman. Do you know what he said to me?"

Major Strauss, who was lying on the hospital bed, smiled bitterly. He could guess that the nagging military doctor who was as chatty as the missionary chanting scriptures all day long was repeating the same old tune.

"You don't need to guess. He must have suggested that you force me to retire again. Am I right?"

"It's not mandatory, Strauss. You have to know that Dr. Shipman is also doing it for your own good. Your body is no longer strong enough to support your dreams. Continuing to stay in the Air Force may make you physically disabled or even sacrificed on the battlefield. Besides, you have paid so much for the country and the head of state, and now it is time to return to your hometown as a hero. I heard that your youngest son is about to get engaged. Now may be the time to go back and spend time with your family. "

Faced with the advice of his old superiors for many years, Major Strauss, who looked a little hesitant, finally remained noncommittal and did not give any answer. He still lay on the pillow with his head tilted and remained silent as if he was thinking about something to himself.

Seeing this scene, knowing that this stubborn young man had not changed his stubborn character even now, the colonel suddenly changed his mind.

"Okay, let's change the topic, Strauss. For example, you can tell me why today's battle turned you into this."

If the colonel had not mentioned this, Major Strauss, who felt a little empty in his heart while lying in bed, might not be able to remember such a thing.

But now that this name was mentioned, Major Strauss finally couldn't help but blurt out the words he had been holding in his heart.

"You have to listen to me, and you have to believe me, Bourne. We are fighting a very formidable opponent now! You and I both know that those Russian planes came one after another, and 50 of them were wiped out today. There will be another 100 flying in tomorrow, as if there is no way to kill them all!”

"Today I saw with my own eyes the Russians' seriously injured planes that crashed directly into our people. The explosions and flames instantly swallowed up dozens or even hundreds of lives, but the Russians still regarded death as death after witnessing such a scene! God, we're fighting a giant, terrifying air force."

"This is simply terrible! Bourne, you have to believe me. Our Fourth Air Force must evacuate Stalingrad immediately. You have to persuade Baron Richthofen, otherwise..."

The colonel interrupted Major Strauss's unfinished words by raising his hand without warning, and gently pressed down his right hand floating in the air, signaling that Major Strauss could be quiet. He lay down to rest without saying a word, picked up the military cap hanging by the bedside, got up and left without saying a word.

At about eight o'clock that night, Major Strauss, who was standing by the window doing stretching exercises in order to recover as soon as possible and be ready at all times, suddenly received an envelope from a correspondent unexpectedly.

What was written on the letter paper after opening the envelope was only a few short lines, which could be roughly summarized into a more concise sentence.

"The retirement procedures have been completed for you. You will receive twice as much money as other people with the same military rank. This is the last thing I can do for you. Remember to say hello to Alina for me and take good care of yourself when you go back. , this is my only request.”

——Old friend: Bourne