Burning Moscow

45 The Death of the Major General

There was a heavy snowfall at night, and the biting cold wind howled on the snowy plain.

The German army was disrupted by our counterattack. In addition to the sudden bad weather, their offensive in the direction of Porokino was temporarily suspended.

There was no war in the morning. I was organizing the team to seize the time to rush to repair and strengthen the fortifications to cope with the new round of offensive that the Germans might launch at any time. Colonel Polo Suhi sent someone to notify me that there is my phone number in the command center. Go pick it up. Hearing this news, I immediately followed to inform my soldiers and walked along the traffic trench to the new headquarters.

There is a sentry at the entrance, wearing a short fur coat, with a submachine gun hung on his chest, and stomping his feet in place. After seeing me, he stood up and saluted. The walls and ceiling of the headquarters are covered with wooden boards. There are several benches along one wall. In the center is the wooden table with the battle map, and there are two phones on it. Admiral Polo Suxi was talking with one of them, saw me go in, nodded to me, and then said into the microphone: “Comrade General, Major Oshanina is here.” Then he passed the microphone. I.

I answered the phone and heard Zhukov’s familiar voice from the microphone: “Is it Lida?” I quickly replied, “It’s me, Comrade General.”

“Good job! Because you seized the opportunity in time and launched a successful counterattack against the enemy, disrupting their overall deployment. Today, the German attack on Moscow in several other directions has weakened. According to investigations, they are Readjust the forces and prepare to relaunch a large-scale attack on Pologno.”

“Comrade General, please rest assured, we are ready to fight and are ready for all battles.” When I said this, I relied on the faint light in the room to observe whether the headquarters was built firmly, and first took a look at the wall coverings. How did it do? Then I studied the ceiling and the pillars that support it, and thought in my heart that if the shell exploded in the approaching place, would it be fast enough? What I said to Zhukov just now was just a set of rhetoric, and I was as clear as him that with the status quo of the Fifth Army, it would not be able to withstand a new round of strong German offensive.

“Lida,” Zhukov said to me suddenly in a negotiating tone: “You have completed your task. Next, I want to transfer you back to the front army headquarters. As for the new appointment, I will talk about it when you come back. You There is no objection?”

“I obey the arrangements of the front army headquarters.” Although I have participated in many battles, I am still very afraid of death. Judging from the current situation, staying in Porokino again shows that it is the end of a life of nine deaths and a chance to return to a safe place is something that many people can’t ask for. If I shirk again, it will appear a little hypocritical. That’s why I agreed very simply.

“Well, then, hand over your work to Colonel Polo Suhi, and you will immediately report back to the front headquarters. Move fast, understand?”

“Understood! Georgi Konstantinovich.”

“I wish you a safe journey.” After saying this, Zhukov hung up the phone.

In the evening, I took a truck carrying ammunition back to the front outside the headquarters. Although I had been away for a few days, the soldiers standing guard at the door knew me and put me in without questioning anything.

In the corridor leading to the combat meeting room, I unexpectedly saw an old man with the rank of major general standing by the wall, dancing alone and muttering to himself. After approaching, I could clearly hear what he was saying: “…The enemy’s tank cluster has been pushed over and is advancing towards our capital, Moscow…. All hope is pinned on us students, and the Germans should be held back. Three days, a total of three days. Although our weapons and equipment are very poor, but in spite of this, we should show the glorious traditions and tenacious fighting spirit of the red military cadets during the civil war… We swear to Working hard to fulfill our sacred duty, we swear not to allow the enemy to approach Moscow, and let us swear to defend Moscow….”

As I passed by him, I looked up and down curiously. The army coat on his body seemed to have not been changed for more than ten days, and the boots under his feet were covered with a thick layer of dust. Looking at his face, he felt that his whole person was abnormally haggard, his face was sunken, his eyes were black, his eyes were dull, his face was full of beard stubble.

I looked back at the old general as I walked, and unconsciously walked to the door of the room at the end of the corridor. He was about to pull the door to enter, but was stopped by a second lieutenant sitting at the table by the door. He said very unceremoniously: “Comrade soldier, which unit do you belong to? Do you know where this is? Be careful. I inform your commander to keep you in confinement for a few days.”

I looked at the former ensign in front of me and asked, “Are you new here?”

“Am I new here? What’s up with you?” His attitude was very unfriendly, and he even set up a score to me, “According to the regulations, you should salute me…”

“I’m sorry, Comrade Major.” Before I got angry at the ensign, a door beside it opened, and a lieutenant without a hat came out hurriedly from inside. Seeing my unhappy face, he quickly apologized to me. Said: “I just left for a while because of something. Ask the new ensign to take a look at it temporarily. He is new here and does not know you. Please forgive me.” Then he whispered to the ensign, “This is what Major Oshanina whom I often mentioned to you.”

The second lieutenant’s face was flushed immediately like Guan Gong, and he hurriedly came to me to stand at attention, and said: “I’m sorry, Comrade Major, you are wearing a soldier’s coat, so I did not recognize you. Please forgive me! ”

“It’s okay, it’s a trivial matter.” I faced the lieutenant, pointed my finger at the old general who was nervous in the corridor, and asked, “Who is this self-talking general?”

“He!” The lieutenant looked at the old general, then leaned close to my ear and said, “This is Major General Smirnov, the principal of the Podolsk Infantry School. All the students in his school died today, probably because they couldn’t stand this. It’s irritating, so people become crazy. It’s been almost two hours since here, and it’s always been like this.”

It turned out to be him. I remember that ten days ago, when I followed Zhukov to the front line, I visited his defense area. In this way, all the students I had seen from those years ago were sacrificed. I couldn’t help but sigh secretly, glanced sympathetically at the old general, and asked the lieutenant in front of me: “Did you report to Comrade General?”

“It’s not time yet.” The lieutenant said hesitantly, “Comrade General has been working, I can’t bother him.”

“Brothers!” Major General Smirnov’s voice suddenly became louder. “The German devils have captured the village in front. We can’t let them turn this into a forward base for attacking Moscow. We must immediately organize an attack and seize the village. come back.……”

Seeing this situation, I was a little bit unbearable, took off the submachine gun hanging on my body and handed it to the lieutenant in front of me, preparing to personally report the situation of the old general to Zhukov. As soon as I grabbed the doorknob with my hand, I heard the major general crying behind me: “Everything is over, and the enemy has been restrained for another day and night.” Then there was a clear gunfire.

I hurriedly turned my head, just in time to see the major general sliding down the wall to sit on the ground, head tilted to the side, eyes wide open, and the pistol dropped to the ground. There was a strong smell of gunpowder in the air, and a ray of blood flowed down his right cheek, flowing like a red stream, dyeing the two gold stars on his collar.

The people who rushed to hear the sound gathered around, but I stood there in a daze, wondering if the troops I led were burned out, would I have the courage of him to turn on my head. One shot.

“What’s the matter? Where to shoot?” Zhukov’s voice sounded behind me, and the lieutenant who had been standing beside me quickly replied: “Comrade General is the principal of Podolsk Infantry School. Major General Nov shot himself.”

“Suicide?!” Zhukov was furious and angry at the lieutenant: “When did he come to the front army headquarters, why did no one report to me? And why did he commit suicide?”

“I’m sorry, Comrade General.” The lieutenant quickly defended himself: “When he came, you were busy, so I didn’t bother you. As for why he committed suicide? It might be because all his students were sacrificed. He couldn’t stand the stimulation. , I chose to take this step when I couldn’t think about it.”

“Shut up to me!” Zhukov blushed and roared, “Why didn’t he report to me immediately after he came? If he can see me, maybe he won’t embark on this dead end. Now, you will leave you alone. Hand over his work to someone else, and then immediately go to the front line to experience firsthand the parting of life and death among comrades on the battlefield!”

“Yes!” The lieutenant who was trained to tears agreed, put on a big brimmed hat, saluted Zhukov, and then strode out along the corridor.

“Lida,” Zhukov said to me with a wry smile: “Go to the logistics department to find a coffin, condense the body of Major General Smirnov, and arrange for someone to return to Moscow.”

“Yes!” I raised my hand to salute, then walked through the crowd along the corridor, and finally glanced at the major general who was sitting on the ground leaning against the wall, and then went to the logistics department of the front army to find the quartermaster to arrange his funeral www. .com Book friends are welcome to visit and read, the latest, fastest and hottest serial works are all at