USSR 1941

The order was broadcast over the radio in Stalingrad.

In fact, Shulka believed that Stalin's speech was being heard throughout the Soviet-controlled areas: "What do we lack? We lack discipline, we lack order, our companies, battalions, regiments, divisions, our tank units and aviation squadrons Lack of discipline and order. This is our biggest problem right now. If we hope to turn the tide and defend our country, we must issue the strictest orders and establish iron discipline!"

"Because, we can no longer tolerate those commanders, political commissars and political workers who deliberately abandon their positions. We can no longer tolerate some commanders and political commissars allowing a few panic-mongers to control the situation on the battlefield. These people instigated other soldiers to retreat in confusion , thus opening the door to the enemy!"

"Therefore, those 'panic spreaders and cowards must be executed on the spot'!"

The more Shulka heard, the more frightened he became, because his previous opinion seemed to be able to be labeled as "instigating other soldiers to retreat in confusion, thereby opening the door to the enemy".

According to Stalin's order, these panic-mongers must be executed on the spot.

Shulka looked around intentionally or unintentionally, and found that there seemed to be several workers and soldiers staring at him.

It was clear that Shulka was under surveillance.

Shulka could be right or wrong.

Wrong guess, because Shulka has been under surveillance since the day he entered the 82nd Infantry Regiment.

If he guessed right, it was his suggestion to Goldov that did attract the attention of the Sixth Directorate.

For this reason, the director also had some disagreements with the political commissar.

"Look, the fox's tail is finally exposed!" The political commissar waved the telegram to Colonel Akadyevich, and then handed it up: "This is what he said. He suggested that the southeastern front army retreat!"

Colonel Akadyevich took a look at the telegram, and then replied: "He is talking about an orderly retreat, Comrade Political Commissar, the purpose is to preserve strength and prevent more equipment and supplies from falling into the hands of the enemy! "

"Don't you see it?" said the political commissar: "This will put Stalingrad in danger immediately, and his purpose is already very clear!"

"No, Comrade Commissar!" Colonel Akadyevich stopped the commissar who was about to order Shulka's arrest, handed him another document, and said: "Perhaps you should read this!"

The political commissar took a look at the document,

Q: "I know this, the Southeastern side is retreating, but does that have anything to do with Shulka's problem?"

"Of course it does, Comrade Commissar!" Colonel Akadyevich said: "If, I mean if. Now that the Southeastern Front Army has not retreated, and they have successfully blocked the enemy from the line of defense, it proves that Comrade Shulka His suggestion is wrong, he may have ulterior motives and even we have reason to suspect that he is the enemy's spy who intends to make the southeast army retreat early!"

Speaking of this, the political commissar seemed to understand what Colonel Akadyevich meant.

But Colonel Akadyevich didn't intend to end it like this. He continued to explain: "However, the fact is that the southeastern front army is retreating across the board. Our army has a large number of equipment, supplies, and troops damaged, while the enemy's losses are minimal. This is the result of Lieutenant General Goldov's failure to follow Comrade Shulka's suggestion, otherwise, the Southeastern Front Army should be retreating step by step instead of retreating at this time!"

"In other words, it turns out that Comrade Shulka was right, and that his proposal was precisely to the advantage of our army and to the detriment of the enemy...although he did suggest a retreat!"

"No spy would be so stupid as to do this, Comrade Commissar!" Colonel Akadyevich concluded at last: "I think this is not only not evidence that he is a spy, but it should be evidence of his innocence!"

The political commissar couldn't help but fell silent.

After a while, he asked Colonel Akadyevich: "You seem to trust him, Comrade Colonel!"

"No, I don't believe him!" Colonel Akadyevich said, "I just think that we need heroes and morale at this time, so we should proceed with caution. Otherwise, if the hero is punished as a spy, then the It is the real opening of the city gate to bring in the enemy! Do you think so, Comrade Political Commissar?"

The political commissar nodded slightly, and replied: "But we still can't let our guard down!"

"Of course!" replied Colonel Akadyevich, involuntarily heaving a sigh of relief.

Of course Shulka did not know that their discussion, which lasted only a few minutes, almost sealed his fate.

He only knew that the whole city was in chaos: soldiers from the Ministry of the Interior were running around everywhere, and they blocked the city's roads, streets, and railway stations, airports, and ports.

They are not doing this to protect these places, but to search, to search for deserters who may be mixed with the people.

These deserters are actually very easy to find, because almost all middle-aged men should serve as soldiers on the front line during this period, so men of the right age are always very conspicuous in the crowd, especially the port... deserters will find ways to escape to the east of the Volga River through the port shore.

Then, the interception team and the punishment battalion were formally formed.

Interceptors are "the immediate execution of panic-makers and cowards in the event of panic and unauthorized retreat".

The punishment camp is to "let them wash away the crimes committed against the motherland with their blood."

Shulka has seen such a punishment battalion. They are deserters who were searched by the Ministry of the Interior in the port and the city. They didn't even have guns during this process, and they were not given the necessary equipment until they were ready to fight at the front.

"Each army group directly belongs to a punishment battalion!" Kalashnikov walked to Shulka and said: "Each army group will also form 5 to 10 punishment companies according to the situation. They will be deployed to the most dangerous defense areas !"

Shulka didn't know what to say.

He couldn't help those people, because if it weren't for the tractor factory security duty, the 82nd Regiment would probably have become part of the punishment battalion.

"Where did the enemy hit?" Shulka asked casually.

"Volgodonsk!" Kalashnikov replied: "They still hope to keep the Germans out of the city!"

In the second half of the sentence, Kalashnikov was very quiet, because the subconscious meaning was to agree with Shulka's idea of ​​retreat.

As a result, the Soviet army hurriedly built defenses one after another outside the city, and then one after another was broken through. What was lost was Stalingrad's few supplies.

"Try not to use the supplies in the warehouse!" Shulka said.

"Obvious!" Kalashnikov nodded. If he was skeptical about Shulka's guess before, he is now convinced.