Burning Moscow

After cleaning the battlefield, Rokosovsky and Batov met the commanders participating in the battle in the observation post. At this time, I definitely can't stay in the house uninterested, so I found an excuse to leave.

There were dozens of commanders standing in the trenches outside the observation post. Judging from their collars, they were all lieutenants and school officers. It is estimated that they were the commanders of the 173rd division from the company level to the division level. The first group of people who entered was three people, none of them young. In addition to a colonel and a lieutenant colonel, another was a political worker, probably the division’s commander, political commissar, and chief of staff.

They only stayed in there for a few minutes before they walked out again. Behind them was a lieutenant. He stood at the door and shouted at the commanders who were standing not far away: "The second company commander of the 979th Artillery Regiment. Lieutenant Rishenko."

This familiar name immediately caught my attention. I watched the commander squeezed out from the back row quickly came to the front of the lieutenant, stood at attention, and reported to the other party: "Comrade Commander, I'll just take care of it. Lieutenant Rishenko, is it the Comrade Commander who wants to meet me?"

Seeing Kurishenko up close still surprised me. I thought that a commander who was as experienced as him was at least middle-aged, but I didn’t expect him to be so young, at most in his early twenties. He is tall and thin, and he is also handsome.

The lieutenant standing at the door looked him up and down, and then he shook his head and said, "Come on, Lieutenant Kurishenko, the two comrades are waiting for you inside." After speaking, he turned and walked in first. After arriving at the observation station, Kurishenko was taken aback for a moment, and followed him in.

I was feeling deeply about Kurishenko’s youth and prosperity, and suddenly I heard someone behind me cautiously asking: "Are you the Oshaninna commander of the friendly army?"

Hear the question behind him. I quickly turned around and saw a second lieutenant standing in front of me, so I asked with interest: "Comrade Ensign, I am Oshanina, what can I do?"

The second lieutenant came and stood at attention. Then he handed me a piece of paper and said at the same time: "Comrade General, this is a telegram sent from your division just now, saying that it will be handed to you immediately."

I took the telegram in the ensign's hand, nodded to thank him, and looked down at the telegram. The telegram was sent by Cui Kefu. The above content is very simple: "The Lyudnikov Division is at stake. After you order your department to transfer the existing defense area to the friendly forces, immediately return to the division city to carry out rescue operations against the department."

After reading this telegram, my heart sank. Unexpectedly, the big counterattack had started for several days, but the situation at the Lyudnikov Division had not improved, but worsened. Now they are facing the fate of being wiped out by the Germans. It seems that their rescue is imminent.

I walked quickly to the door of the observation post and asked in accordance with the regulations: "Is it allowed to enter?"

As soon as my voice fell, Rokosovsky's voice came from inside: "Come in, Lida."

As soon as I walked into the observation post. Before he had time to speak, Rokosovsky added: "Lida, what's going on? From what I know about you. If there is nothing important, you would never come in so recklessly. "

"Comrade Commander of the Front Army, this is the telegram I just received, from Commander Cuikov." After speaking, I handed the telegram to Rokosovsky.

He took the telegram and glanced at it twice, then handed it back to me again. He said: "Lida, since the situation in the city is not optimistic. You should bring the troops back as soon as possible. The defenses of Khonkayi and Gorodishe will be handed over to the troops of General Batov."

"Comrade commander of the front army, I will let my division chief of staff, Major Akhromeyev, stay and be responsible for handing over defense to General Batov's troops." After I finished speaking, I raised my hand and saluted Cui Kefu. , Turned around and left. But when I turned around, I saw Lieutenant Kurishenko standing straight in the middle of the room, and I couldn't help stopping again.

When I was outside, I was always thinking about how to get Kurishenko to my teacher, but before I could figure out a good way, I had to rush back to my teacher as soon as possible. Since he is right in front of me at this moment, if I don't use this opportunity to make a request to Batov, I don't know that I won't have a chance until the year of the monkey. So, I gritted my teeth, turned around and said to Rokosovsky and Batov: "Two commanders, I have another request."

Rokosovsky thought that the request I was talking about was related to the transfer of defense, so he said with a grin: "Lida, if you have any request, just ask it. As long as we can do it, we will do it for you."

I turned my head and glanced at Kurishenko who was standing next to him, then turned around and said to Batov: "Commander Batov, you also know that my troops have only been formed for a few months. Level commanders are all lacking. This time, I’m going back to the division to rescue friendly forces. The only ones that can be used are artillery, except for infantry. With our current artillery strength, it is very difficult to suppress the enemy’s firepower during the attack. Yes. So I took the liberty to ask you to allow Lieutenant Kurishenko to support my division."

After I finished speaking, there was silence in the room.

After a while, Batov, who came back to his senses, politely but at the same time resolutely said: "Excuse me, General Oshanina, Lieutenant Kurishenko is the commander of our 65th Army." After speaking, he turned his gaze to Kurishenko next to him, and deliberately said to him in an official tone: "There is nothing for you here, Comrade Lieutenant, you can go."

Kurishenko stood at attention, raised his hand to salute the few of us, and turned to leave. General Batov’s words made my heart fall completely into the ice cellar. Seeing Kurishenko was leaving, I couldn’t help but want to rush to hold him.

Just when I was about to despair, Rokosovsky suddenly said: "Comrade Lieutenant, please wait a minute." Kurishenko, who had already reached the door, stopped and turned around again, still holding on. Standing upright, looking straight ahead, quietly waiting for Rokosovsky's instructions.

Rokosovsky smiled, and then said to Batov: "Comrade Batov, when it comes to meeting our divisions, we and Lida’s troops are comrades and comrades; but when it comes to supporting our commanders to the friendly forces . You have become so careless like Grandet..." After Rokosovsky said these two sentences, he quickly came to Lieutenant Kurishenko, put his hands on his shoulders, and said in a tone of voice. He asked peacefully: "Comrade Lieutenant, what do you think about it. Would you like to go to this female general's independent division?"

After a quick glance at me, Kurishenko replied loudly: "Comrade Commander of the Front Army, I resolutely obey all your orders."

When I heard Rokosovsky talking just now, I was in ecstasy. At this moment, I heard Lieutenant Kurishenko express obedience to the arrangement of the superior, and my heart was even more happy.

After Rokosovsky waited for Kurishenko's statement. He came to me again and asked with concern: "Lida, do you want Lieutenant Kurishenko alone?"

Hearing Rokosovsky’s question, I nodded desperately and said superfluously: "Yes. Comrade commander of the front army, although our division lacks sufficient artillery, as long as General Batov agrees to let Kurishin Lieutenant Ke came to my division to take up a post, so I would be content."

After I finished speaking, Rokosovsky did not make any comments, but frowned and walked back and forth in the observation post. After walking a few laps, he stopped, turned his head and said to me: "Lida. Your division entered the city of Stalingrad, and what was going on would be a fierce battle. Only an artillery commander would be sent to you. It won’t be of much use. Moreover, for Lieutenant Kurishenko and his new subordinates to cooperate tacitly, it will take at least a longer run-in period, and what you lack most now is precisely time. I think that the artillery can be combined into two. The establishment is under the command of your division. What is your opinion, Comrade General." His last sentence was directed at Batov next to him.

I saw an expression of resentment on Batov's face. I also know that he is full of unwillingness to hand over such a good artillery commander to me, even if it is only a junior commander. Rokosowski's words. Even worse, he gritted his teeth. There was a painful expression on his face, but decades of military life made him develop a good habit of obeying the orders of his superiors. After taking a deep breath, he tried to answer in a calm tone: "Comrade Commander of the Front Army, since You have given the order, then I will obey it firmly."

I understand that under this situation, I made this kind of request for digging the corner, and I got Rokosovsky’s support. Batov, who suffered the loss, must hate me deeply, but in order to dig into the division, I need it urgently. The talented person, even if I knew I had offended Batov, I could only bite the bullet and do it.

After receiving Batov’s reply, Rokosovsky nodded in satisfaction, then walked to Lieutenant Kurishenko, and said to him: "Comrade Lieutenant, what are you still waiting for, why don’t you go to you soon? 'S new superior report?"

Hearing what I said, Kurishenko quickly turned to face me, raised his hand to salute, and said loudly: "Reporter, Comrade Commander, Lieutenant Kurishenko, commander of the second company of the 979th Regiment of the Artillery Corps of the 173rd Division, report to you..."

"Wait a minute," before Lieutenant Kurishenko was finished, I raised my hand and interrupted what was behind him. I knew in my heart that although I used Rokosovsky's power to forcibly dig him from General Batov's hands, it would be difficult for him to have a sense of identification with the independent teacher if he didn't give him a bit of sweetness. Therefore, I solemnly said to him: "Comrade Kurishenko, from now on, you are the battalion commander of the Second Artillery Battalion of the Red Flag Independent Division, and your rank is no longer a lieutenant, but a captain. Ask me again. Report it again."

Kurishenko received an unexpected promotion, with a surprised expression on his face. After he reported to me again according to his new rank and position, I went on to say: "Except for your promotion, all the commanders of the second artillery company, the platoon leader, the squad leader, the squad leader, the squad leader, and the soldier becomes the squad leader. Please be the squad leader. You will convey this order of mine to the soldiers later."

Kurishenko and I left the observation post. When passing by the group of commanders waiting outside, I suddenly heard someone calling Kurishenko: "Hey, I said Lieutenant. Where are you going? "

I looked in the direction of the sound and saw that the speaker was a lieutenant colonel standing in front of the queue. When Kurishenko heard the Lieutenant Colonel’s inquiry, he hurried to him, raised his hand to salute him, leaned forward slightly, leaned close to his ear and spoke in a low voice, although I couldn’t hear him. Say something, but I understand that he must be reporting to the other party what happened in the observation station.

When Kurishenko spoke, the lieutenant colonel cast a curious look at me from time to time. From the analysis of Kurishenko’s attitude towards him, the lieutenant colonel ten* is the commander of the 979th Artillery Regiment. After Kurishenko finished speaking, the lieutenant colonel walked over with him, stood in front of me, raised his hand in salute, and said politely: "Comrade General, the 979th Regiment of the Artillery of the 173rd Infantry Division Lieutenant Colonel Babaevsky reports to you."

I raised my hand to pay him back, and said politely: "Hello, Comrade Lieutenant Colonel."

"Although Lieutenant Kurishenko is young, he is a rare artillery commander." Although Babaevsky had dealt with me for the first time, he had no scruples about the future of his subordinates. "So please make sure to reuse him well so that he can use his strengths."

"Lieutenant Colonel Babaevsky, UU Reading www.uukanshu.com" Facing this commander who cares about the future of his subordinates, I smiled and said kindly: "Please rest assured, I will take good care of Curry. Captain Shen Ke. I believe it will not be long before he becomes an excellent artillery commander with outstanding combat exploits."

After finishing these few scenes, I quickly changed the topic: "I'm sorry, Lieutenant Colonel Babaevsky, we still have an urgent task. We will be here today. When we have the opportunity, we will have a good conversation. Have a chat."

Leaving the trenches and walking to an open area, I stopped, looked at the artillery position in the distance, and turned to Kurishenko: "Comrade Captain, how long will it take if your artillery company is going to be transferred?"

Kurishenko raised his hand to look at his watch, and then replied: "It will take at least an hour to report to the teacher, comrade."

"Then I'll give you an hour and a half," because I wanted to rush back to the command center in the city to find Kirilov and the others, I briefly ordered him: "After the troops are assembled, you will take them to the south of the city. At the intersection, I will bring a large army to meet you soon."

"Yes, I promise to complete the task." (to be continued)