Chapter 1984

  A few minutes later, a lieutenant sitting in the lead car trotted over and reported to the lieutenant colonel, "Comrade lieutenant colonel, there are two fallen trees on the road ahead, blocking the way of the convoy."

   "Lieutenant, immediately organize people to move the trees away!" The lieutenant colonel ordered the other party: "At the same time, let the soldiers in the car behind get out of the car and be vigilant. We must ensure the safety of the convoy."

  The lieutenant’s words made Victor vigilant. He remembered that when he was in an ambush before, he would order people to bring down two trees to block the path of the enemy convoy, and wait for the enemy to get off the vehicle to move the trees, and then suddenly launch an unexpected attack.

"Comrade Lieutenant Colonel," Sokov asked vigilantly, "When did you get notified about our departure to the headquarters of the 48th Army?" ambush.

The lieutenant colonel obviously guessed what Sokov was worried about, so he explained to him: "General Sokov, it didn't take more than an hour from the time I received the order to the convoy's departure. Even if someone leaked your heart to the enemy, It is also impossible for the enemy to complete an ambush operation in such a short period of time."

  Sokov thought about it carefully, and what the lieutenant colonel said was very reasonable. Even in the headquarters of the Front Army, there were German radio stations and intelligence personnel lurking. They found themselves going to the headquarters of the 48th Army to send the telegram. After the German army received the telegram, even if they wanted to mobilize troops for an ambush, it would take three or four hours at the fastest to complete the ambush after the assembly and marching time, so the possibility of being ambushed was not high.

  Since the possibility of an ambush by the German army is unlikely, another possibility is that there are German snipers hidden in the nearby forest. He used trees to block the road, just to wait for the commander in the car to come out to check, and then carry out long-range sniping. His goal should be to snipe and kill middle and high-level officers, and ordinary soldiers and low-level officers should not have much interest in them.

After figuring out what was going on, Sokov said to the lieutenant colonel: "Comrade lieutenant colonel, since it is impossible for the enemy to ambush us, then there must be their snipers in the ambush. As long as the people with high ranks don't get out of the car, he can't find a suitable soldier." sniper target, they will choose to retreat."

Since the lieutenant colonel was sent by Ma Linin to serve as an escort, he was naturally not an idiot. He quickly called a soldier outside the car and told him, "Go and inform the commander on the jeep behind, and no one is allowed to get off the car. Otherwise We are not responsible for anything that happens.”

  After the soldiers took the order, they hurried to the back and informed the students sitting in the jeep that they were not allowed to get out of the jeep so as not to become the target of the German snipers.

  The convoy stopped, and the soldiers behind got out of the car one after another. When the defensive circle was set up near the convoy, there were indeed a few students who wanted to get out of the car to see what was going on. But after hearing the soldier's notice, he could only stay in the car obediently.

   Soon, the two trees blocking the road were moved to the side of the road. What everyone was worried about did not happen, and the convoy continued to move forward.

  When Sokov’s jeep passed by the two removed trees, Sokov keenly saw that the ports of the trees were fresh, and they should have been cut down not long ago. And judging from the size of the tree, it is definitely not possible for one person to move to the middle of the road, at least four or five people are needed.

"Comrade Lieutenant Colonel," Sokov felt that he had to remind the Lieutenant Colonel and them, so as not to suffer on the way back: "I think there are at least four or five German snipers in the forest. You should be more careful when you return. .”

  Hearing what Sokov said, the lieutenant colonel asked in surprise: "General Sokov, how do you judge that there are four or five German snipers in the forest?"

"The reason is very simple." Sokov pointed out the window casually, and said, "Didn't you see the two trees just now? Based on their size, at least four or five people are needed to move to the middle of the road. Based on this, I judged that there are at least four or five enemies hidden in the forest."

"I don't think I know yet." Pornegelin interrupted suddenly: "When they are moving the trees, there must be people around to act as guards. According to my analysis, this must be a German airborne team with a number of eight. Between ten people. The reason why they didn't attack us may be that we have too many people. But when you return, the number of vehicles will be greatly reduced, maybe they will take a risk."

"I understand, General Sokov." The lieutenant colonel nodded at the two of them after listening to Ponejielin's words, and said, "When I return and pass here, I will ask the soldiers to be more vigilant so as not to be attacked by the Germans." One caught off guard."

  The convoy entered the defense zone of the 48th Army, and the checkpoint that appeared ahead stopped the convoy again.

  But when the officer in charge of the checkpoint learned that this was the convoy escorting the new commander to take office, he didn't dare to neglect, and quickly ordered someone to lift up the crossbar blocking the middle of the road to let the convoy pass.

  After all the convoys had passed, the officer said disdainfully to one of his subordinates: "This new commander is arrogant enough. He brought such a huge convoy just because he came to take office."

   "Yes, when the current commander took office, he brought a guard with him, but he doesn't have such a big shelf."

   It was impossible for Sokov to hear what the officers and soldiers were discussing in private. He was looking out through the car window at the moment to see what the mental outlook of the unit he was about to take over was.

  The convoy soon arrived at the location of the Army Group Headquarters, but what was strange was that, except for the sentinels standing guard at the door, there was no welcome crowd at all.

   Seeing this situation, Lieutenant Colonel couldn't help frowning: "General Sokov, this is really strange. You have already been notified about your coming here to take up the post, so why is there no one there?"

   "It's okay." Although there was no welcoming crowd, Sokov didn't take it seriously at all. Instead, he said carelessly: "Since no one greets us, let's just go in."

  Sokov asked all the students to stay, and he only took Ponejielin and Sidolin with him, and followed the lieutenant colonel to the building. After arriving at the door, the sentry at the door stopped them and said blankly: "Comrade commander, please show your ID!"

   "Do you know who he is?" The lieutenant colonel didn't expect a small sentinel to block the way of his group, and he couldn't help saying angrily, "You just checked our IDs!"

Sokov knew very well that since the story of "Lenin and the Sentinels" appeared in the fourth-grade textbooks, the sentries on duty at the gate seemed to have confidence. They will firmly ask the other party to show their credentials.

"Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, you don't need to be angry." Sokov stopped the enraged Lieutenant Colonel, and said to him with a smile, "The sentinel is also performing his duties." After speaking, he took out his ID card and handed it to him. past.

After reading Sokov's ID card, the sentry raised his hand to salute, and said in a panic, "I'm sorry, Comrade General, I need to report to the star officer." After getting Sokov's permission, the sentry turned to the building. run away.

Looking at the back of the sentinel, the lieutenant colonel said with some displeasure: "General Sokov, the security here is too weak. In such a big house, there is only one sentry in broad daylight. What if the enemy sneaks in with makeup?" , the headquarters may be taken away.”

"You are right, Comrade Lieutenant Colonel." Sokov felt that what the Lieutenant Colonel said was very reasonable. Even if the number of troops is insufficient, for a vital department like the Army Group Command, there is still a need for sufficient guards: "It is not only necessary to add more guards at the entrance. Sentinels, at the same time, arrange sandbags and machine guns on both sides of the gate."

  The sentinel appeared in front of Sokov again, and he reported nervously, "Comrade General, the star officer will be here soon."

   Two minutes later, a captain appeared in front of several people. After raising his hand to stand at attention and salute to everyone, he loudly reported his military rank and name.

"I am Sokov, the new commander of the Army Group!" Sokov repeated his name again, "With me are the Deputy Commander, Lieutenant General Bonejielin, and the Chief of Staff, Sidolin. Colonel."

Hearing that he was the new commander of the Army Group, the muscles on the captain's face shook violently a few times. He stood at attention and said to Sokov with some difficulty: "Excuse me, Comrade General, please allow me to report first. ..." Probably because he was worried about misunderstandings, he also deliberately explained, "The superior has an order. If there is no pass, no one will be allowed in."

"But this is..." the lieutenant colonel felt a little annoyed when he heard what the captain said, and defended Sokov, but Sokov raised his hand to stop him, and said to the captain: "Comrade captain, you go Report it, we will wait for you here."

  The captain turned and sprinted into the building, and it took at least five minutes before he reappeared at the door.

   A few steps away from Sokov and the others, he raised his hands in salute and said, "Please, commanders and comrades!"

This time, a major greeted them at the entrance. He raised his hand to Sokov who was coming, and was about to start reporting his military rank and name, but Sokov interrupted him and asked bluntly: "Your commander Where?"

  The major reported in a low voice: "Comrade General, the commander is holding a meeting of division commanders."

   "Major, take us there!" Sokov said to the major in an orderly tone.

  The major did not dare to neglect, and hurriedly walked ahead to lead the way.

  When everyone came to the door of a meeting room in the corridor shot on the second floor, the major stopped, turned to Sokov and said, "Comrade General, please wait a moment, I will go in and report right away..."

   "No need!" After Sokov finished speaking, he walked straight past the major, raised his hand and pushed open the closed door of the meeting.

  There is a long conference table in the meeting room, and there are more than a dozen people sitting around the table. Sitting at the other end of the table is an officer wearing the rank of lieutenant general, who should be the current commander, General Romanenko, and the two generals sitting on his left and right are currently his military commissar and chief of staff.

   Romanenko, who was speaking, stopped when he heard the door of the conference room being pushed open, and looked at the few people who came in suspiciously.

  Pornegelin and Sidolin stood by the door after stepping over the threshold and did not go any further.

   Sokov and the lieutenant colonel walked towards Romanenko. When he came to him, he said politely, "Excuse me, is this General Romanenko?"

  Romanenko still looked at Sokov blankly, and asked with some surprise: "Comrade General, who are you, how can you just break into my conference room?"

"Hello, General Romanenko!" Sokov took out a note folded in four from the pocket of his military uniform, and silently handed the note to the other party: "I am the new commander, General Sokov, This is an order from Commander Rokossovsky."

   The meeting room was silent, and under the gaze of everyone, Romanenko unfolded the note. He recognized at a glance that it was indeed Rokossovsky's handwriting.

  The note was very simple and only wrote a few words: "Immediately hand over the command of the 48th Army to Sokov. He himself will immediately return to the Front Army Command with the lieutenant colonel who escorted Sokov to take office."

  After reading it, Romanenko handed the note to a general sitting next to him: "Comrade Military Commissar, this is an order from Commander Rokossovsky."

  The general, known as the military commissioner, took the note and read it carefully, with an expression of disbelief on his face. After a while, he raised his head and looked at Romanenko: "Comrade Commander, what is going on, you did a good job, why are you suddenly dismissed?"

Romanenko did not answer the words of the military commissar, but glanced at the people present, and said slowly: "Comrades, we have a new army commander here, and he is General Sokov .”

  Romanenko tried his best to control his emotions, and tried to speak these few words in a calm tone, as if he was reading some ordinary documents to his subordinates, without adding the slightest personal emotion to it. But from his voice, everyone could still hear that his voice became hoarse because of excitement.

  After reading the note, the military commissioner immediately ordered: "Give the chair to the commander!"

   Hearing his order, the clerk in charge of making meeting minutes quickly got up and took a chair and placed it next to Romanenko's seat.

  However, Sokov did not sit down immediately, but pointed to the door with his hand, and said, "Lieutenant General Pornedelin and Colonel Sidolin came with me."

   Upon hearing this, the military commissioner hastily ordered two more chairs to be brought in for Ponyedelin and Sidolin to sit down.

Sokov sat on the chair he had prepared for himself after seeing Poniedelin and Sidolin sit down, turned his head and said to Romanenko: "General Romanenko, your mission in the 48th Army has been completed. Done, leave the rest of the work to me."

"Yes, General Romanenko." The lieutenant colonel who escorted Sokov here also lost no time in saying: "My mission is to **** General Sokov to take up his post here, and then **** you and your chief of staff back home. Front Army Command."

   "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel," Romanenko looked at the lieutenant colonel in a somewhat depressed mood and asked tentatively, "Do you know what Commander Rokossovsky asked me to do back to the Front Army Command?"

"I'm sorry, General Romanenko, I don't know very well." The lieutenant colonel replied briefly: "At my rank, I am not qualified to know many things." He made a gesture of invitation: "Please, General Comrade, my convoy is still waiting outside. Just wait for you and your chief of staff to get in the car, and we can return to the front headquarters."

  (end of this chapter)