Chapter 396

When meletskov got up to make a phone call, all the people in the headquarters were busy except for me, a combat staff officer who made soy sauce. In the past, when meletskov called the supreme commander, the people in the room tried to keep quiet. In this way, as long as I stood a little closer to him, I could clearly hear the dialogue between him and Stalin. At the moment, the headquarters is as busy as a vegetable market. The officers who come to deliver war reports to their superiors come and go, and the reports and conversations between superiors and subordinates are endless. It's obviously impossible to listen to the contents of the phone calls. So I have to stand in front of the map and chat with two other colleagues in the combat department.

Meletzkov's phone call lasted at least half an hour, and he walked back to the table with a serious look on his face. Straglimacher, who had just received a stack of war papers, immediately put his war papers on the table and asked with concern, "Comrade commander, what does Comrade Stalin say?"

Although stilimach's voice was not high, as soon as he spoke, the room became quiet. Everyone turned their eyes to meletskov and waited for his reply.

Meletzkov slowly sat in his seat, asked zaborozzi, the military commissar sitting next to him, asked for a cigarette, lit a cigarette and said slowly, "Comrade Stalin has just agreed to the plan of letting Neva group of Leningrad's front army cross the river. However, due to their insufficient preparation in advance, the equipment for crossing the river was seriously insufficient, and the assembly of troops was not completed, so they were unable to carry out the crossing operation within five hours. In other words, the cooperation of Leningrad's front army will at least wait until after seven o'clock in the evening. "

"What? We have entered the third day of the battle of sinavino, but the Neva group, which is ready to join us, is not ready for the troops and the river crossing vessels? " "What are the commanders of Leningrad's front army doing these days, watching on the other side of the Neva?" he asked in surprise

"Comrade chief of staff, don't talk about these things that are not conducive to unity. Perhaps in their mind, they never thought that our troops outside Leningrad could help them open the siege of the Germans. " Meletzkov stopped stilimach from complaining. He stood up and said to the military commissar, "Comrade zaborozez, I've given you and the chief of staff the headquarters. I'm going to the front-line troops."

Zaborozzi stood up and said with concern, "commander, I'm going to arrange the security forces for you."

"Thank you, comrade military Commissar. Not too many people. A platoon of guards is enough. "

Meletzkov put the big cornice hat on his head, stood up and looked left and right. Then he pointed to me standing by the wall and said, "Rita, you go to prepare first and accompany me to the headquarters of the Eighth Army later."

I quickly agreed, turned away from the headquarters, and went straight to the room where the combat office was. When I opened the door, I saw a busy scene in the room. Some of the more than ten staff officers were on the phone, and some were sorting out the war reports. They were very busy. I stood at the door for a while, grabbed a captain's staff officer who was going out, and asked, "Comrade captain, where is the weapon?"

"Weapons?" The captain was stunned when I suddenly asked, then he looked at the holster around my waist and said, "don't you have a pistol on you?"

I don't think he understood me. He quickly explained, "I'm going to accompany the commander to the front line. If I only carry a pistol, I'm not sure. Are there any long weapons in the combat department? No submachine guns, no rifles. "

After understanding what I mean, the captain spoke to Nunu in the corner and said, "go there and have a look. Submachine guns and rifles are available. You can choose whatever weapon you want." With that, he sidled out of the room from me.

I went to the gun rack in the corner of the room and saw the submachine gun and rifle on it. After thinking about it, I thought I'd better take the submachine gun. At least when I encounter the enemy, I won't lose anything in firepower. After I put the gun on my shoulder, I opened the wooden box next to me, took a round drum from it and put it in my briefcase.

I went back to the gate of the headquarters with my gun on my back and was about to go inside when I met semunov who was going outside. When he saw me, he blocked my way and said, "comrades commander, chief of staff and military commissars have all gone to the door. Please go to them as soon as possible."

I turned around and trotted outside. In the three days since the launch of the campaign, I have never left the headquarters except for eating and going to the toilet. Now suddenly out of the door, the outdoor strong sunlight immediately stabbed my eyes. I closed my eyes, blocked my eyes with my hands, stood in the same place for a while, and then I opened my eyes again after I felt that I had adapted to the light outside. A jeep and two trucks were parked at the door. Meletzkov, the chief of staff and the military commissar were standing beside the jeep and talking. Under the other two trucks, there are a group of soldiers, who should be the guards for us.

At this time, an officer came up to me, saluted me and said politely, "Hello, major oshanina. I didn't expect that we would meet again so soon."

I took a close look at the officer in front of me, and my heart beat faster. This officer was no other than lieutenant turchinov, the chief of the secret service section who nearly shot me. However, I soon stabilized my mood. After all, with the care of meletskov, Zhukov, fijiuningsky and others, he did not dare to do anything to me. To tell you the truth, although I want to shoot him immediately, I still have to deal with him now. As the saying goes, many friends, many roads, many enemies, many walls. Although turchinov's rank is lower than mine, I can't easily offend the people in the Ministry of internal affairs, because I may be in their hands again. If they intend to deal with me, then I will be in danger again.

I tried to squeeze a smile on my face and said politely, "Hello, Lieutenant turchinov. I didn't expect to meet you here again. Where are you going? " Perhaps he didn't expect that I would be so polite to him. He hesitated for a moment and replied with a smile: "I've been ordered to protect the commander to go to the eighth group army headquarters. Major, do you pass with the commander? "“ Rita, "just then, meletskov, standing by the jeep in the distance, suddenly called out to me," what are you still standing there doing? Come on, we're going to start I quickly said to turchinov for this reason: "yes, comrade lieutenant, you guessed very well. Comrade commander specially asked me to accompany him to the headquarters of the eighth group army. I'll go first. I'll see you later. " With that, he trotted toward meletskov without looking back. I ran to the jeep, opened the left door behind, and made a gesture of invitation to meletzkov, who was saying goodbye to the chief of staff and the military Commissar. Meretzkov gave them a few more words of advice before they got into the jeep through the open door. I closed the door and was about to go around from the back of the car to the co pilot's seat when meletzkov stopped me. He told me, "Rita, please come to the back, too." I looked back at stilimach and zaborozzi, who were standing next to me. Seeing that they didn't express any objection, I clenched my teeth, opened the door and sat down beside meletzkov. The headquarters of the eighth group army is only ten kilometers away from us. Although it's not far away, we can't speed up because we are driving on the road of shuchaipu. After driving for a long distance, meletzkov suddenly said, "Rita, do you know why Comrade Stalin asked you about the battle arrangements on the phone these times?" I haven't really considered his question. I only thought that Stalin asked me to report my next deployment to him as commander of the front army every time. As for why he asked, I haven't really thought about it carefully. Unable to answer meletskov's question, I had to shake my head honestly to show that I didn't know. Meletzkov didn't sell the key either. He said frankly, "Comrade Stalin asked you to serve as a combat staff officer in my headquarters. His real intention is to let you accumulate some experience as a staff officer and to see how our senior commanders command large-scale campaigns. Don't underestimate your short experience in the headquarters of the front army. You will benefit a lot in the future. " Listen to him, I'm silent. I understand that he must be right to say so. After all, his age and experience are there. He has crossed more bridges than I have walked. I can't reach the height of the problem. We soon saw the marching troops on shuchai road. Because the forests on both sides were muddy, the infantry could only walk on the narrow firewood Road, and our speed slowed down immediately. There was a convoy carrying the wounded. In front of the convoy were several trucks, followed by a long train of carriages. Our driver drove to the log platform paved on the side of the road to make way for the wounded convoy. Meletskov poked his head out of the window and asked aloud, "Hey, comrades, what part of you are?" A truck just passing by stopped. The driver pointed out his head and said, "report to general, we are from the transport team of the 8th group army. We are transporting the wounded of the 19th division of the guards to the front army hospital. Please give us your instructions!" Meletzkov waved his hand and said, "go on."