Chapter 408

When I walked into the headquarters, I saw five or six commanders standing around the wooden table. No one looked down at the map on the table. Instead, they all looked at captain alatory and I who had just entered the door.

My eyes quickly swept over their badges. Judging from the ranks of several people, except for a major general, the rest were either colonels or political workers. I guess the general in front of me should be my new boss, commander kolpakchi.

Without waiting for me to make any action, Captain alatory had stepped forward first, raised his hand to salute the general, and reported with a smile: "Hello, commander kolpakchi, Captain alatory of the Western Front Army reports to you and is waiting for your order."

General kolpakchi went up, took alatory's hand, and said with a smile, "Comrade captain, we meet again. Why do you come to me today when you have time? Is there any command that general Zhukov wants you to convey? "

Captain alatory shook his head like a rattle and replied, "Comrade commander, I'm not here to give you any orders today. I've been ordered to send a new adjutant to report to you."

"My new adjutant?! I don't know who it is? " Asked general kolpakchi with great interest.

Alatori pointed to me and said, "Comrade commander, this is the female commander, major oshanina." When I heard that aratori introduced me to the commander, I didn't dare to neglect him. I quickly stepped forward to the general, raised my hand to salute him, and reported respectfully, "report commander comrade, major o'shanina has been ordered to report to you and wait for your order."

The tall and well proportioned general looked me up and down, and asked with a complicated expression, "Comrade major, are you the adjutant sent by general Zhukov to me?"

When I heard him ask this question, I couldn't help but be stunned. It seemed that he was not willing to accept me. However, this idea just flashed through my mind. I still stood upright and answered his question seriously: "Comrade commander, comrade Zhukov sent me to the 62nd army to assist you in commanding the battle. As for the specific position, the senior general has specially explained that I will follow your arrangement. "

After listening to my reply, kolpakchi muttered, "I asked general Zhukov to send me an experienced commander. Unexpectedly, he sent me a female commander." At this point, he walked around me and said thoughtfully, "Comrade major, if you are a male commander, maybe I will not hesitate to send you to the post of commander or battalion commander. But you're a woman. It's a headache to give you a job. "

Colpakchi then turned to look at alatory and asked him with a smile, "Comrade captain, what's the position of major oshanina in your headquarters, typist or confidential secretary?" As soon as his words came to an end, there was a lot of laughter in the room.

I can't help being anonymous when I hear kolpakchi say that. Isn't that a shame? As soon as he wanted to retort, aratori saw that I didn't look good, so he rushed to reply, "Comrade commander, you are mistaken. Major oshanina is not from our headquarters. When I arrived the day before yesterday at the front army of volhoff in the village of little Visera to pick her up, she was staying in the headquarters of the eighth group army with general meletzkov. I heard from general stilimach, chief of staff of the front army, that general meletzkov appointed her as the front commander of the sinavino Highlands, ready to let her lead the troops to attack the German defensive positions. After receiving her, I arrived at the western front command in liangzan overnight. After Comrade Zhukov summoned her, he ordered me to send her to your headquarters. "

There are some things that can be said by an outsider, which are far more effective than what I say by myself. At the end of aratori's words, the sarcasm on colpakchi's face disappeared, replaced by a dignified expression. He looked back at me and asked seriously, "Comrade major, what position have you ever held in the army?"

When I heard korpakchi's question, I answered faintly, "I joined the army after the outbreak of the patriotic war. During my stay in Moscow, I served successively as monitor, platoon commander, company commander, battalion commander, division commander of the close guard division, chief of staff of the group army, etc; In Leningrad, I served as battalion commander and acting division commander. "

After listening to my brief introduction, kolpakchi was obviously stunned for a moment, then nodded and said reluctantly: "your experience is quite rich. It seems that Comrade Zhukov sent you here for a certain reason. I hope you can also show your magic power in the 62nd army." With that, he began to introduce me to several commanders in the room. He first pointed to a political worker with a shaved head and dark eyebrows and said, "this is Comrade gurov, member of the Military Commission of the group army and political commissar of the division level."

I immediately saluted gurov and said respectfully, "Hello, comrade military Commissar."

Then kolpakchi pointed to a tall colonel and said, "this is the commander of the 33rd infantry division, Colonel farnasiev. The political worker next to him is Comrade Li Xianke, his political commissar. " I quickly raised my hand to salute them.

"This is colonel koida, commander of the 184th infantry division, and his political commissar, mashkov."

"This is colonel harchenko, commander of the 192nd infantry division, commissar Smirnov."

After introducing me to the commander in the room, kolpakchi yelled out: "shamikov."

With his shouts, a young captain ran in from outside the house. The captain came to him and raised his hand to salute him: "Comrade commander, commander of the combat department, Captain shamikov has been ordered to come and wait for your order."

When I heard the captain's identity, my first thought was that kolpakchi would assign me to the combat office to be a combat staff officer in charge of giving orders. Unexpectedly, the facts soon proved my guess wrong. He told the captain, "shamikov, take this captain alatoli to rest."

When shamikov and aratori came out of the headquarters, he returned to the table, supported the edge of the table with both hands, and said solemnly to several commanders, "well, comrades, we have already met the new major oshanina. Next, we will continue to discuss the defense deployment of the regiment army." Speaking of this, he waved to me: "Comrade major, what are you still doing there? Come and look at the map together."

I went to the table, stood not far from korpakchi, and quietly listened to his assignment: "the German army launched an attack on the defense lines of our group army and the 64th group army on July 17. As most of the troops have not yet entered the defensive position, we have not reached the target of our tenacious fight. On the 19th, German troops broke through our defense line and poured into the great bend of the Don river.

The right wing of our group army's defense line has been broken through in the areas of kretskaya, yefstratowski and kalmekov. After putting in new fighting forces, the German army began to attack manoyilin and mayorovsky, and then went up to buzinovka by way of pratonov. Today, in the early hours of July 22, the vanguard units of the German motorized 3rd and 60th divisions have approached the river Dunn in the gobinskaya and skovolin areas

I've never been to Stalingrad, and I've never seen a map of this area. Listening to the strange and obnoxious place names spoken by kolpakchi is like listening to the book of heaven. I can't understand what he's talking about.

Korpakchi didn't find my difference and continued to say: "in view of this situation, I decided to use the strength of the 13th tank army and the 33rd infantry division of the guards to counter attack the German offensive forces, resolutely restore the original situation of the 33rd infantry division of the guards' defensive zone, and then restore the original situation of the whole right wing of the group army." At this point, he looked up at Colonel fanasiev and asked, "Comrade Colonel, do you have any questions?"

Colonel farnasiev shook his head and said, "Comrade commander, please rest assured that the 33rd infantry division of the close guard will complete the anti assault task, drive away the Germans who occupied our army and restore our original defensive positions."

Kolpakchi raised his hand, looked at his watch and said, "the time for the implementation of the anti assault is set at 10 am this morning. You only have eight hours to prepare."

Fanasiev stood at attention and answered in a loud voice, "please rest assured, comrade commander. I promise to finish the task well. I'll go back to the army and deploy the anti assault."

When the other commanders left one after another, I was the only one left in the room with kolpakchi and gurov. At this moment, Captain shamikov, who had just sent aratori to rest, came in in a hurry, handed a report to kolpakchi, and said anxiously: "Comrade commander, according to the reconnaissance information just received, there is a tank unit of the German army gathering in the west of kretskaya, and it is possible that it will attack our army's position after dawn."

"What? How many tanks are there in German tanks Kolpakchi was shocked after hearing the report of shamikov. He came to the map, pointed the position of kretskaya with his finger, and said to gurov beside him: "Comrade military commissar, if we let the German tanks rush to kretskaya, then our anti assault team may be cut off. We must find a way to block the German tanks."

"How to stop it? Comrade commander. " Gulov said in a low voice: "at present, our troops in this area are almost all light troops, not to mention tanks and artillery, and there are not many mortars. If we want to block the German tank troops. Well, it's very difficult, comrade commander. "

Kolpakchi frowned at gurov's words, staring at the map and thinking about the solution. After a while, he raised his head and asked shamikov, "Comrade captain, do you know where to find an anti tank unit?"

As a combat staff officer, shamilov should be quite familiar with the deployment of troops. As for the commander, he shook his head vigorously and said, "Comrade commander, it's a pity that there is no organized anti tank unit near kletskaya." Seeing the disappointed expression on kolpakchi's face, he immediately added: "although there are no formed units, there are still sporadic small units."

After hearing what shamilov said, kolpakchi's face brightened. He asked after him, "Comrade captain, do you know where to find these scattered small troops?"

Shamilov stood up straight and replied, "Comrade report commander, in the headquarters of the group army, there is an anti tank company of the 84th regiment of the 33rd infantry division of the close guard. Because of the heavy casualties in the battle, there are only ten people left in the company."

"Comrade captain, you are going to call their commander. I have a task to give him."

When shamikov left, gurov asked korpakchi with some worry: "Comrade commander, you are not going to use ten people to resist the German tanks. If you know this strength, a German tank shell can blow them all up. "

Kolpakchi said with a bitter smile: "no way, now we have to put everyone who can fight into the fight, so as to stop the fierce German."

"And you're going to send someone to lead this little unit?"

"I'm going to send captain semikov. He used to be a company commander in the army, commanding such small-scale battles. He has a lot of experience."

"But don't forget, he is also an excellent staff officer. At present, there is a great need for a large number of talents like him in the headquarters of the group army. Once he is killed in the battle, it is difficult to find a suitable person to take over the work he is responsible for. "

Gulov's words made kolpakchi hesitant. At this time, I found that I had a chance to show myself. Although the number of anti tank company was a little less, it was more than enough for ambush. If it's regular warfare, maybe I'm a little inexperienced, but when it comes to guerrilla warfare, that's what I'm good at. Thinking of this, I stepped forward and said to kolpakchi, "Comrade commander, if you can trust me, I am willing to lead this small force to stop the German tank troops."

"What? What are you going to do After listening to me, kolpakchi was stunned and then rejected my request without hesitation: "our men are not dead yet, and it's not your turn to carry out such a dangerous task."

"Comrade commander," I said firmly, "I have carried out many similar combat missions, and each time I have successfully completed the tasks assigned to me by my superiors. As for the gender issue you mentioned, it's during the war. There are only soldiers and commanders in the army. There is no distinction between men and women. Besides, I have never regarded myself as a weak woman. "

After listening to me, colpackge was silent. After a while, gurov said, "Comrade commander, I think major oshanina's proposal is worth considering. If she can become a commander valued by Comrade Zhukov, there must be something extraordinary about her. I personally think that if she is allowed to serve as the commander of the small unit, she will be able to complete this task very well. "

Seeing that gurov also stood up to speak for me, kolpakchi no longer insisted, reluctantly nodded his head and agreed to send me as the commander of this small force.

At this time, shamikov came in with a lieutenant officer and reported to kolpakchi, "Comrade commander, I have brought the commander of the anti tank company."

The lieutenant stepped forward, stood side by side with shamikov, raised his hand to salute, and reported: "report to commander comrade, Lieutenant Peter borotto, commander of anti tank company of 84th regiment of 33rd infantry division of close guard, report to you and wait for your order."

"Comrade lieutenant, come to the table." Kolpakchi called the company commander to the table, pointed to the map on the table and said to him: "according to the intelligence, there is a German tank unit that may rush to the kretskaya area during the day. I order you and your company to stop them at all costs and buy time for our fortifications. "

"I see, comrade commander. We promise to finish the task." Lieutenant Peter agreed very readily, and then asked, "I don't know how many people we can add to our company?"

"To add? Sorry, comrade lieutenant. There are no supplements you want, none of them. " "This task can only be accomplished with your existing forces," colpakchi said with some regret

Lieutenant Peter's smile froze on his face. It took him a long time to recover. He was surprised and said, "just a few of us, to stop the attack of German tanks?"

With a frown, colpackard asked, "Comrade lieutenant, how many people are left in your company?"

Lieutenant Peter wiped his sweat and answered honestly, "there are still ten people left in the company. Besides six wounded, there are four fighters including me."

"What, only four fighters?" This time it's kolpakchi's turn to be surprised.

I heard Lieutenant Peter say that there are only four people left in the company, and my heart sank. These are the only people who are going to block the German tanks. Isn't that a way to kill themselves? I'm a little sorry that I was too impulsive just now. I didn't find out the situation, so I jumped out and offered myself.

Colpakchi walked back and forth in the room with his hands on his back. Military commissar gurov's eyes moved with his body. After a while, he asked tentatively: "Comrade commander, the strength of the enemy and ourselves is too great. It's unrealistic for them to block the German tanks. Do you think we can consider canceling this operation? "

Kolpakchi waved his hand and did not stop. He said with some embarrassment, "Comrade military commissar, let me think about it again."

Kolpakchi is in a dilemma, and my brain is fighting between man and nature. I don't know how to choose. There is such a great disparity between our strength and that of the enemy that it is almost impossible for us to come back alive if we are to carry out our tasks. People are dead, even if the superior left a good impression and what use. However, I have just asked kolpakchi to withdraw. If I want to withdraw, I will not be able to work in the 62nd army.