By the time Kirillov appeared at Sokov's headquarters, it was already dark.
Kirillov came to Sokov and Ponedelin, raised his hands in salute and said: "Two comrades, commanders, Colonel Kirillov has been ordered to come. I am waiting for your orders, please give instructions!"
"Colonel Kirillov, you must be very tired after traveling such a long way." After Sokov asked Kirillov to sit down, he ordered someone to pour him a book of tea and put it in front of him. , said with a smile: "How's it going? Are you satisfied with your job?"
Unexpectedly, when Kirillov heard Sokov's question, he immediately stood up and replied: "I'm sorry, Comrade Commander, I'm not satisfied."
Sokov's smile froze on his face. He never imagined that Kirillov would answer him like this. He said with some embarrassment: "Comrade Colonel, I may not have considered the work I assigned you some time ago." It’s a thoughtful place, I hope you don’t mind.”
"Comrade Commander, you misunderstood." Unexpectedly, Kirillov's answer surprised him again: "I'm not saying that I'm not satisfied with the job you assigned me, but I'm dissatisfied with my work situation. "
This time it was Sokov's turn to be confused: "Colonel Kirillov, why do you say that?"
"Comrade Commander, the task you gave me is to search for military warehouses that may exist in the defense zone." Kirillov replied: "But I have not found any trace of military warehouses until now."
"Colonel Kirillov, I can't blame you." After Sokov figured out what was going on, he said reasonably: "Maybe there are no military warehouses in the defense zone at all. I am too fanciful. Although you did not find the military warehouse, But we found a lot of jewels, which is a great achievement."
"Jewelry is indeed very valuable in terms of value." Kirillov replied: "But we need weapons that can arm our commanders and soldiers, not such luxury items that can neither be eaten nor drunk."
"Okay, Kirillov, let's not talk about this anymore." Fortunately, Ponedelin spoke in time to end this unproductive conversation: "We summoned you urgently today because of important matters."
"What important thing?" Kirillov's attention was indeed attracted: "Are you continuing to search for military warehouses in a new place?"
"Of course not." Ponejelin shook his head and said, "If we still need to continue searching for military warehouses, the commander will not order your search team to be disbanded."
"I don't know how to arrange for me?"
"Comrade Commander intends to appoint you to the position of division commander. After all, you have experience in this field." When Ponedelin said this, he glanced at Sokov and continued: "But there is no suitable vacancy now. So you have to stay in the headquarters for the time being, and when there is a vacancy, we will arrange for you to serve as the division commander."
When he learned that Sokov planned to appoint him as division commander, Kirillov's heartbeat suddenly accelerated. He looked at Sokov with a grateful look, and then said: "I will resolutely obey your orders."
"Very good, Colonel Kirillov." Seeing Kirillov so readily agreed to stay at the headquarters, Sokov felt very happy and began to arrange work for him: "From now on, you will serve as Assistant to Comrade Deputy Commander, assist him with some work."
After Kirillov briefly understood the situation, he officially began to perform the responsibilities of Ponedelin's deputy. Like Sidorin, he provided timely information to Sokov and Ponedelin and formulated new combat plans. .
When Kirillov saw that Sokov had recently sent a unit to a prisoner-of-war camp dozens of kilometers away to rescue Soviet prisoners of war, he worriedly asked: "Comrade Commander, what are you going to do?" Deep behind enemy lines, there are not many troops at our disposal. Do you think we need to send people to reinforce them, lest the Germans discover their identity and they will be in danger?"
"Don't worry, Colonel Kirillov." Sokov comforted the other party and said: "The person performing the mission is Lieutenant Colonel Miresiev. He can also be regarded as a student of you and the deputy commander. As a teacher, should you Is he confident?"
Hearing what Sokov said, Kirillov realized that his worries were unfounded. If nothing else, how could the abilities of those who followed Sokov from the Frunze Military Academy be any worse?
"Also," Kirillov asked Sokov cautiously: "Comrade Commander, now our troops are divided into two parts. I wonder when the troops from Minsk will come over to join us?"
"Soon, soon." Although Sokov didn't know when Sidorin would arrive with the remaining troops, since Kirillov asked about it at this moment, he simply said: "I believe it will be the fastest." We can arrive here in Baranovich tomorrow."
Hearing Sokov say that the remaining troops may come tomorrow, Kirillov said with emotion: "I didn't catch up with the liberation of Minsk; I didn't catch up with the liberation of Baranovichi. I hope to liberate New Zealand next time." city, I can participate as a commander.”
"Don't worry, Colonel Kirillov." Sokov heard what he said and quickly replied with a smile: "Next time you liberate the city, you must have a plan to command the troops and fight the Germans face to face."
Kirillov stared at the map in front of him and said solemnly: "The next city is Brest. I wonder if I will have the opportunity to personally command the troops and launch an attack on this city?"
When Kirillov said this, Sokov seemed a little distracted. The city mentioned by the other party reminded him of a fortress named after the city - Brest Fortress, dozens of kilometers west of the city. After the war broke out, the defenders who stayed inside, under the command of Major Zavrilov and political worker Fomin, fought for more than a month with the enemies who attacked the fortress.
"Comrade Commander," Ponedelin saw that Sokov suddenly fell into deep thought and couldn't help but asked curiously: "What are you thinking about?"
"Comrade Deputy Commander," Sokov pointed to the location of the Brest Fortress and said to Ponedelin: "I am thinking of this Brest Fortress. After the war broke out, this became the first place for the Germans to visit. At the location of the attack, the defenders who stood firm in the fortress fought with the Germans for nearly a month with insufficient ammunition..."
Regarding these things Sokov told, Ponedelin looked at a loss. He turned to look at Kirillov next to him and asked tentatively: "Kirilov, have you heard about this?"
"No." Kirillov shook his head and said: "We were affiliated with the Southwest Front, but it was the Western Front that was responsible for the defense of Belarus at that time. The two sides were not affiliated with each other. I knew nothing about the fighting in Belarus. "
Sokov had already guessed that Ponedelin and Kirillov would react like this, so he didn't feel surprised at all. Although people in later generations are familiar with the Brest Fortress, at this time, no one knew what kind of sacrifices the defenders of the fortress made in order to defend the city.
Seeing Sokov's uncertain expression, Ponedelin asked tentatively: "Comrade Commander, how do you know what happened in this fortress?"
"Among the commanders and fighters I rescued from the prisoner-of-war camp before, I met a soldier who participated in the defense of the Brest Fortress." It was difficult for Sokov to explain his source of information to the two of them, so he could only tell the story Pushing it to a warrior who had no identity: "It was from his mouth that I learned how tenaciously the defenders of the fortress fought against the enemy."
"Since the war broke out, our commanders and fighters have been engaged in fierce battles with the enemy from the national border." Unlike Sokov, who comes from later generations, Ponedelin naturally did not know that the Brest Fortress defense battle was as small as The scale of the battle was of great significance, so it did not attract enough attention: "Although we were defeated by the enemy, we finally blocked the enemy's attack and eventually turned into a counterattack."
"Comrade Commander, I suddenly have a bold idea." Kirillov said: "Tell me, in the prisoner-of-war camp where Lieutenant Colonel Miresiev led his troops to liberate, are there any Bubu who were captured everywhere? Where are the defenders of Leicester Fortress?”
"This is impossible." Sokov replied without hesitation: "As far as I know, due to the lack of food, medicine and water in the fortress, the commander of the fortress asked women and children to stay in the fortress only two days after the battle started. The Germans came out to surrender, and then the remaining commanders and fighters continued to fight..."
"Wait a minute, Comrade Commander." Unexpectedly, Ponedelin interrupted Sokov at this time and raised his own question: "As far as I know, the Brest Fortress is located in Mhavavi. There are four small islands divided by the tributaries and channels of the Ci River and the Bug River. How can a fortress surrounded by water be short of water?"
"The defenders of the fortress are trapped in the fortress, and the water supply system inside has been destroyed, unable to provide them with water sources." Sokov explained to the two people: "So even if the fortress is surrounded by water, the defenders They will still be thirsty because of lack.”
Seeing that the two of them were silent and listening intently to his story, Sokov continued: "I heard from a guerrilla captain that the women and children who came out of the Brest Fortress were all shot to death by the Germans soon after. Almost all the defenders of the fortress died in the battle, and even if there are those who are unfortunate enough to be captured, they may not be able to escape their fate."
"These are blood debts owed by the Germans." Kirillov heard this and gritted his teeth and said, "Now we are here to collect debts from them."
At this moment, the phone on the table rang, and Sokov grabbed the receiver: "I'm Sokov, where are you?"
"It's me, Comrade Commander, I'm Sidorin."
"It's the chief of staff." Sokov asked with a smile: "Comrade chief of staff, how is the situation there? Have the troops of the 3rd Army begun to enter the city on a large scale?"
"Not yet, Comrade Commander." Sidorin hesitated for a moment and said, "I just received a call from the Front Army Headquarters."
"Headquarters called." Sokov was startled and worried that something had gone wrong. He quickly asked: "Comrade Chief of Staff, are there any instructions from above?"
"Yes, Comrade Commander." Sidorin explained on the phone: "Our superiors asked us to immediately gather the newly captured prisoners and send them to the headquarters of the front army."
"Gather the prisoners and send them to the front army headquarters?" Sokov repeated this strange order and asked in confusion: "What are Comrade General and the others going to do?"
But after a moment, he remembered a relatively famous historical event: German prisoners of war parading through the streets of Moscow.
He calculated the date in his mind. The prisoners of war parade was on July 17th, and today is July 9th. In other words, there are only eight days left before the prisoners of war will parade in Moscow to show the Allies that the Soviet army is in Bagration. Results in action.
"I understand." Sokov said briefly: "I will arrange for people to start working on this matter immediately."
After Sokov put down the phone, Ponejelin asked curiously: "Comrade Commander, what's going on? Why did the Front Army Headquarters ask us to gather the prisoners of war?"
"Comrade Deputy Commander, this is what I think." Sokov pretended to be thoughtful and said: "Our Operation Bagration is to coordinate the Allied forces' opening of the second front for the Normandy landing. But since Judging from the current situation, we have achieved greater results than the Allies.
Under such circumstances, the Allied forces will definitely raise some questions about the results we have achieved. In order to dispel this doubt from the Allies, the Supreme Commander himself will definitely find a way to show them the German officers and soldiers we captured and tell them with facts that our record is completely real. "
Regarding Sokov's statement, Kirillov seemed dubious: "Comrade Commander, no way? The Allies are our allies, how can they doubt our record?"
For a moment, Sokov didn't know how to reply to Kirillov. He could only grin but said nothing.
"Kirillov, I think what the commander said makes sense." Ponedelin interrupted: "Before the war broke out, the country we trusted was Germany, and countries in Europe and the United States were the enemies we wanted to guard against. But Unexpectedly, when the war broke out, everything was turned upside down. Former friends became enemies, and enemies became friends.
Some enemies even temporarily become our friends. But this alliance is unreliable, and there will always be suspicion between each other. For example, in this Operation Bagration, they will be skeptical about the results we have achieved and think we are bragging. Therefore, displaying our captured German officers and soldiers will dispel their doubts about us. "
"Comrade Commander," Kirillov turned to Sokov after listening to Ponedelin's explanation and asked, "Do you think we will fall out with our current allies after we completely defeat Germany?"
"Without a common enemy, it is normal for the two opposing camps to fall out." Sokov said carefully: "But I think even if the two sides fall out, it will not be like the war between us and Germany. Instead of seeing each other, we will use other methods of confrontation to contain the other party’s development and further weaken the other party.”
"Comrade Commander, your statement is quite novel." Ponejelin asked with interest: "Can you be more specific?"
Sokov said sincerely that if I explained it in more detail, many things would be settled, so he said vaguely: "Comrade Deputy Commander, this is just an idea of mine. Will it really happen?" , I don’t know either.”
