Although Sokov has never met this "mother", he has been looking for various reasons to delay meeting her. But now I heard that she was killed by a German bomb, and I felt a little sad.
"Misha," seeing Sokov in a daze, Yakov continued: "My father was very sad when he found out about this. He specially sent a special plane to bring you back from Stalingrad."
After listening to what Yakov said, Sokov understood in his heart why a special plane came to pick him up. He originally thought that Ustinov had great powers and could directly maneuver the plane. Only then did he realize that it was the Supreme Commander himself who came to pick him up. The command. However, he felt in his heart that this matter was a bit of a fuss. He only needed to inform himself of the news. There was no need to call him back from the front line. After all, it was during the war and no one had lost their loved ones.
"Yasha," Sokov looked up at Yakov and asked, "Where is my mother's body? I want to see it."
"After the factory was hit by the bomb, it collapsed immediately. We haven't cleared the ruins yet." Yakov replied with some embarrassment: "And judging from the collapse of the factory, even if the ruins are cleared, I'm afraid we won't be able to find the complete ruins." corpse."
"Comrade Sokov, the dead cannot be resurrected, please forgive me!" Ustinov came over, stood in front of Sokov, and said euphemistically: "Sooner or later we will repay this blood debt from the Germans."
"Comrade People's Commissar," Sokov looked at Ustinov and said expressionlessly: "I request to return to the front line of Stalingrad immediately, where I can severely attack the invaders of Faxi Temple. For my mother, and revenge for the thousands of Soviet soldiers and civilians who sacrificed their lives.”
"Don't be anxious, Comrade Sokov." Ustinov raised his hand and patted Sokov lightly on the shoulder. "I'll help you come back from the front line with great difficulty. I'll take you with me for a few more days. According to the current situation, According to the situation analysis, the troops in Stalingrad will not take any major actions in the short term. In addition, you should take time to meet with the technical engineers in the equipment department and introduce to him the effects of using several new weapons."
"Yes!" Sokov replied: "I will fully cooperate with the work of the technical engineers."
As soon as Sokov finished speaking, the phone on his desk rang. Ustinov quickly walked over, picked up the phone and put it to his ear, saying loudly: "I'm Ustinov. Where are you?...What, she's here again?...No, I've said it's not possible a long time ago, and there has never been any precedent for a private person to buy a tank."
Buying a tank privately? ! When Sokov heard what Ustinov said, he couldn't help but quietly asked Yakov: "Yasha, do you know what's going on? There is a private person who wants to buy our army's tanks. What's going on? thing?"
"There was a middle-aged woman named Maria. Her husband died heroically in the battle to defend Kiev." Yakov explained to Sokov: "She got the bad news not long ago and came from distant Siberia. She rushed over and asked to join the army to avenge her husband. However, because she was too old, her request to join the army was rejected by the military recruitment office.
She didn't know where she found out that as long as she donated technical equipment to the army, she could join the army as an exception. Therefore, she asked someone to come here and ask if a latest model tank could be sold to her. She plans to donate to the army, and then join the army to avenge her husband, using the blood of her enemies to pay tribute to her lover's spirit in heaven. "
The purpose of buying a tank privately is to join the army for revenge. When Sokov heard this, he suddenly felt a very familiar feeling. He frowned and thought for a long time, vaguely remembering that in the history of the Great Patriotic War, there was indeed a woman who joined the army driving a tank she purchased, and she also made many military exploits in the battle. Unfortunately, when I read the post, I only glanced at it a few times and didn't read it carefully. I don't remember the name of the heroine, and I don't know if it's the same person Yakov was talking about.
After Ustinov put down the phone, he smiled and said to Sokov: "Comrade Sokov, you have heard it, our people are still very determined to fight against the invaders of Faxi Temple, and they even want to buy their own technology." Equip yourself to join the army..."
"Comrade People's Commissar," Sokov heard this and felt that no matter whether the woman asking to buy a tank was the heroine he saw in later posts, he should help her, so he asked Ustino The husband made a request: "Can I see that woman?"
"You want to meet the woman who wants to buy a tank?" Ustinov had a surprised expression on his face: "Why?"
"Comrade People's Commissar, I think it is a great thing that this woman is planning to buy a tank and join the army to fight against the Germans. We should support it." Sokov looked at Ustinov and said: "Instead of Destroys her enthusiasm."
"However, there has never been such a precedent for privately buying tanks."
"The war we are fighting with Germany is also unprecedented." Sokov replied: "In order to defeat the enemy, we should take all possible means and allow more people to participate in this war. Only then can we defeat the enemy faster.”
After listening to what Sokov said, Ustinov was silent for a long time, and finally nodded and said: "I understand, Comrade Sokov, maybe you are right. I will call right now and ask them to take that A woman brought it here."
Within twenty minutes after Ustinov made the call, the adjutant at the door entered the room with a middle-aged woman wearing a headscarf. Ustinov said to the adjutant: "Comrade Second Lieutenant, thank you. We have nothing to do with you here. You can go out first."
After the adjutant left, Ustinov looked at the woman and asked: "Are you Maria Oktyabryskaya?"
"Yes, I am Maria Oktyabryskaya." The middle-aged woman replied: "My husband's name is Ilya Oktyabryski, and he unfortunately died in the battle to defend Kiev. Comrade People's Commissar, I want to join the army to avenge my husband and use the blood of my enemies to honor his spirit in heaven."
When Sokov heard this, he couldn't help but secretly think: "Maybe Maria's husband Ilya did not die, but was captured by the German army. After all, during the defense of Kiev, as many as 60 people were captured by the Soviet army. Fifty thousand people." However, he could only think about this kind of thing in his mind, but he could not say it out loud, otherwise Maria's plan to join the army would definitely fail.
"Can you drive a car or a tractor?" Ustinov asked.
Sokov knew very well the purpose of Ustinov's question. If he could drive a car or a tractor, then learning the stance of a tank would get twice the result with half the effort. Unexpectedly, Maria shook her head and replied: "No, I used to be a cannery worker and I don't know how to drive a car or a tractor at all."
Knowing that Maria could not drive a car or a tractor, Ustinov spread his hands and said helplessly: "Comrade Maria, you are not too young, and you have no driving experience in cars or tractors." , I feel it’s a bit too late to learn tank driving skills at this moment.”
Before Maria was brought here, she had a glimmer of hope in her heart, thinking that Ustinov was finally moved by her and agreed to join the army. But when she heard what he said, her heart suddenly went cold. She gritted her molars and said: "Comrade People's Commissar, I am indeed not young, but I have no experience in driving cars or tractors, but I can learn. .As long as you give me three months, no, two months, I will definitely learn to drive a tank."
Sokov thought to himself, how long did it take him to learn to drive a tank? It seemed like two weeks. Other friends drive tanks just to have fun crushing scrapped cars, but I like the rampant feeling of driving a tank. .
"No, two months is too long." Ustinov shook his head again and said, "And you can't guarantee that you won't become panicked when you see the enemy on the battlefield."
"Please believe me, Comrade People's Commissar." Seeing that Ustinov rejected her request, Maria became a little anxious. She danced and said, "I will definitely learn the driving skills of a tank in the shortest possible time. .”
"Comrade People's Commissar," Seeing that Ustinov was still planning to throw cold water on Maria, Sokov quickly stood up and said, "I think Maria can go back to Stalingrad with me. I have a tank under my command. Brigade, she can learn tank driving skills there. If she is lucky, she will be able to master the tank driving skills proficiently in half a month to a month at most."
Maria didn't expect that someone would stand up and speak for her, so she cast a grateful look at Sokov. Seeing this scene, Ustinov was silent for a moment and asked Sokov: "Comrade Sokov, do you really think she can learn to drive a tank in such a short period of time?"
"Comrade People's Commissar, the female workers at the Red October Factory learned how to use anti-aircraft guns in less than a week and successfully shot down several German aircraft." Sokov said plausibly: "Since female workers can master the skills of using anti-aircraft guns in such a long time, I also think that Comrade Maria can learn the skills of driving a tank in a short period of time."
"Okay, Comrade Sokov." Ustinov felt that Sokov's words made sense, so he nodded and said, "Then I will hand Maria over to you. If she arrives at the specified time, If she can’t learn to drive a tank, then send her back to the place immediately and continue to be her cannery worker.”
Maria was not stupid. When she heard what Ustinov said, she understood that the other party agreed to her joining the army. She quickly bowed deeply to him and said with tears of gratitude: "Thank you, Comrade People's Commissar, I will never forget your great kindness."
"No need to thank me." Ustinov waved his hand first, then pointed at Sokov and said: "Let me introduce to you, this is Colonel Sokov who just returned from Stalingrad. He commanded The Mamayev Heights held by the 41st Guards Division repelled hundreds of German attacks in two or three months. You can't embarrass him when you join such a glorious unit."
"Don't worry, Comrade People's Commissar." Maria said excitedly: "I will definitely not disappoint your expectations. I will severely attack the German invaders on the battlefield and avenge my husband." After finishing, Maria turned around and bowed to Sokov.
Sokov felt that the way the other person bowed was a bit like saying goodbye to the body, so he quickly sidestepped and said, "Maria, leave your address. I will send someone to find you before I leave Moscow." .”
After Maria left with great gratitude, Ustinov asked Sokov: "Comrade Sokov, do you really plan to take Maria back to Stalingrad?"
"That's right." Sokov nodded and said in a positive tone: "I happen to have a tank brigade under my command, and I can let Maria go there to learn. War is the best teacher, and I believe it won't take long. Over time, Maria will become an excellent tank driver."
"She said she wanted to sell her family property and buy a latest model T-34," Ustinov asked Sokov tentatively: "Do you think she really has this ability?"
"I think there should be some." Although Sokov was not sure whether Maria was the heroine he knew who bought a tank and went to the battlefield, but after hearing Ustinov's question, he Still nodding vigorously, she replied: "I think since she has already said what she said, the chance of her changing her mind is very small."
"What to do with the tanks?" Ustinov continued to ask: "Should they be transported from here, or should they be found elsewhere? You know, since the fall of Kharkov, Stalingrad's Red October Factory and The Dzerzhinsky factory is our largest tank production plant. Now due to the war, they have to stop production."
"Since our division firmly controls Mamayev Heights and Workers' New Village, the losses suffered by the Red October Factory have been minimized." Sokov reported to Ustinov: "Now they can not only manufacture Tanks, but there is still a part of the tank inventory. If Maria really spends the money to buy tanks, we can pick up the goods directly in Stalingrad."
"Well, after we receive the money, you can take Maria to Mamayev Heights." Ustinov replied readily: "As for the tanks needed, just buy them directly from the Red Cross Extract it from the moon factory."
Sokov couldn't help laughing when he heard what Ustinov said. He felt that the other party was also very economically savvy. Not to mention that the Red October Factory can still produce and assemble tanks, and even has some inventory. But when these technical equipment are used to equip the troops, there is no need to pay at all. But after Ustinov's operation, free tanks cost money to use. This calculation was very precise.
After Sokov and Yakov came out of the building, Sokov asked: "Yasha, where are we going next?"
"Don't you have a house on Lenin Street?" Yakov said: "I will send you there. You can have a good rest in your own house these days. If anything happens, I will come to you in person. of."
