In order to find out what was going on, Tang Shaohua decided to make a phone call to Baghramyan and ask how the situation was in the military region. But the phone rang more than a dozen times, but no one answered, and just as he was about to hang up the phone, an unfamiliar voice suddenly came from the receiver: "Hey, this is the war department, where are you?" ”

"Hello," Tang Shaohua said politely into the microphone, "Please help me find Colonel Bagramian." ”

"The Colonel is not here." The other man said very quickly: "Please leave your name, and when the colonel returns, I will ask him to call you." ”

"I am Rokossovsky, commander of the 9th Mechanized Army." After Tang Shaohua finished reporting his position and name, he was afraid that the person who answered the phone would be perfunctory, and specially added: "I have been old friends with the colonel for many years. ”

"Hello, Comrade General." The other party's voice immediately became enthusiastic, "Comrade Colonel was still there a few minutes ago, and he left in a hurry after receiving a call from his superiors. ”

"Has the Operations Department been busy lately?" Tang Shaohua asked casually.

Perhaps the other party felt that the person he was talking to was not only the commander of a mechanized army, but also an old friend of his immediate boss, so he did not hide many things, but told the truth: "Comrade general, this is the case, at present the military district headquarters is receiving and relocating the newly opened troops, and with the arrival of a division followed by a division, the combat office has become a special dispatch post at the moment, and all reports on the operation and status of the troops are sent here for summarization.

We just yesterday placed the headquarters of the newly formed 19th Army in Cherkasy. The army group is currently directly under the People's Commissariat of Defense and is under the command of the commander of the North Caucasus Military District, Lieutenant General Konev. The forces of the army group consisted of the 34th Infantry Army of the North Caucasus Military District and five subordinate divisions, and three divisions of the 25th Infantry Army.

Today we have been informed that the 16th Army, commanded by Lieutenant General Lukin, will be transferred from the Transbaikal region between 15 June and 10 July. Director Baglamiyan should have arranged the reception. ”

Although he heard that the military region had increased so many new troops, Tang Shaohua was not happy at all, because the number of troops was not the only factor that determined the outcome of the war, and no matter how many troops were not prepared for war, it would be useless.

Tang Shaohua walked slowly around the house with his hands behind his back, thinking in his heart: Since Rykov personally called him, the unfinished national defense fortifications must not be repaired. But after so many days of construction, there is not much work left, so it is better to wait for the outbreak of war and then hand it over to Fedyuninsky's troops to complete.

There was a gentle knock at the door, Tang Shaohua stopped, and said loudly at the door: "Please come in!" ”

After the door was pushed open, two generals walked in from the outside. Walking in front was Chief of Staff Maslov, and the officer who followed behind, Tang Shaohua hesitated for a moment before recognizing it as Major General Novikov, commander of the 35th Tank Division.

Tang Shaohua raised his hand and pointed to the two chairs next to him: "Please sit down." After saying that, he walked around the table, returned to his place and sat down, looked at Maslov and asked, "Comrade Chief of Staff, you came here at this time, is there anything wrong?" ”

Before speaking, Maslov first turned his head to look at the door, and saw that the door was closed, so he lowered his voice and said: "Comrade commander, I heard that the military district has issued an order to put all troops into combat readiness, is there such a thing?" ”

"Yes, Comrade Chief of Staff." Tang Shaohua didn't want to hide it from Maslov in this matter, so he said truthfully: "After the special military meeting of the military district last night, Commander Kirponos issued an order to the group armies to enter combat readiness. ”

"Comrade Commander, what is the task of our army?" After listening to Tang Shaohua's answer, Maslov immediately couldn't wait to ask: "Immediately gather the troops and set off for the national border?" ”

Tang Shaohua shook his head and said expressionlessly: "There are no tasks." As soon as the order of the military district reached the level of a group army, it was canceled by order from above. ”

Maslov couldn't help but be confused after hearing this, and he asked puzzledly: "Comrade commander, why is this?" The order issued by the military district, why should it be canceled? ”

"Because after the order was given, a telegram came from Moscow." Tang Shaohua explained to Maslov with a helpless face: "The General Staff pointed out that the action of letting the fortified area advance to occupy positions may stimulate the Germans to provoke an armed conflict, so let the military region immediately revoke the order issued in the early stage. ”

When Maslov listened, he leaned back, leaned back in his chair, and said nothing, except with a long sigh.

Tang Shaohua saw Novikov, the commander of the tank division who was sitting next to him and had not spoken, and couldn't help but ask the question just now: "Comrade Chief of Staff, you came to me, is there anything wrong?" ”

When Maslov heard Tang Shaohua's question, he remembered the purpose of his trip, and hurriedly pointed his hand at Novikov and said: "After the recent training of the 35th Tank Division, the commanders and fighters have greatly improved their control over technology and equipment. General Novikov has come here to let you test the results of their training. ”

Maslov's words resurrected Tang Shaohua, who was originally depressed, with full blood. He got up from his seat, shook his head at Maslov, and said in a loud voice: "Let's go, Comrade Chief of Staff, let's go now." ”

In June, in Russia, it dawned at half past three in the morning, and it would not slowly get dark until after half past ten in the evening. When Tang Shaohua and Maslov left the garrison headquarters in a car, although it was already seven o'clock in the evening, the bright sun was still hanging in the sky.

After driving on the road for more than half an hour, we came to the tank driving training ground of the 35th Tank Division. After the gas car stopped next to the training ground, Tang Shaohua jumped out of the car and stood next to the car to watch the tank training in the field. At this moment, a tank was speeding up the field, one moment climbing up a high dirt slope, the next time it plunged into a deep trench, and where the tank drove over, the dust was raised high, and it took a long time to slowly fall.

"Comrade division commander, your training is good," Tang Shaohua pointed to the tanks that were climbing over obstacles in the field, and said to Novikov with a smile: "If all tank drivers can reach such a level, then the combat effectiveness of your division will definitely be greatly improved." ”

"Comrade General, it may be a little difficult for everyone to reach such a level." Novikov was a little embarrassed and said: "But as long as you give me time, in half a year, I will definitely reach my goal." ”

By this time, the tank had completed its entire training program and stopped next to the field. After the turret was opened, a tankman wearing a black tanker uniform leaned out of it and signaled the tanks at the starting point in the distance with a small flag that they could go.

Watching the second tank drive along the route of the tank just now at a slow speed, the expression on Tang Shaohua's face became grim. Novikov, who was next to him, saw the army commander's brows furrowed, and hurriedly explained to him: "Comrade General, the driver is not proficient in tanks, so he seems to be very rusty in operation. ”

"Hurry up and train, use all the time you have to train." Tang Shaohua commanded with a straight face: "Otherwise, once the war breaks out, the tanks driven by these novices will become the target of the German tanks or anti-tank guns." ”

After watching the tank obstacle course, Tang Shaohua, under the leadership of Novikov, watched the tank crew's shooting training. It is gratifying that the shooting results of tank guns and machine guns are much better than their driving skills. Seeing this, Tang Shaohua's face reappeared with a smile.

In order to find out the actual combat effectiveness of the tank division, Tang Shaohua did not leave immediately after inspecting the training ground, but stayed at the division headquarters.

Seeing that it was completely dark, he gave an order to Novikov: "Comrade division commander, give your troops a battle alert and ask them to assemble immediately and conduct marching exercises at night. ”

Hearing Tang Shaohua's order, Novikov agreed unequivocally with understanding. He picked up the phone and gave the order to the duty room for the troops to assemble immediately.

Tang Shaohua originally made a surprise attack by himself in the future, which would plunge the troops into chaos. But he soon found out that he was wrong, and the tank crews behaved well, they were dressed within the allotted time and quickly rushed to the assembly site.

Looking at the tank soldiers standing neatly next to the tank, Tang Shaohua's face showed a satisfied smile. After smiling and nodding, he again gave a new order to Novikov: "Since the assembly has been completed, let's go immediately!" ”

"Yes!" Major General Novikov agreed, and then gave the troops the order to set off.

In order to test the effect of the night march of the troops, Tang Shaohua and Maslov also marched along the route of the tank troops' march half an hour after the tank division set off. But not long after the gas car drove out, Tang Shaohua saw two broken down tanks on the side of the road, and a trace of unhappiness swelled in his heart. The further he went, the more tanks and armored vehicles broke down on the side of the road, and Tang Shaohua's face became more and more ugly.

But when he saw Novikov again, he couldn't help but be furious, he pointed to the broken down tank on the side of the road and asked: "Comrade division commander, can you explain to me why this is happening?" Tanks break down on the march, and on the battlefield, what do you use to fight the enemy? ”

Novikov blushed and explained to Tang Shaohua: "Comrade General, the tanks that broke down on the road are the oldest T-26 and BT tanks, which have been used too often in recent training. ”

"Even if it's just a training tank, it shouldn't be unable to drive, right?" Tang Shaohua said angrily: "Don't you know that maintenance and overhaul can be carried out at any time? ”

Novikov almost lowered his head to his chest and muttered: "We don't have enough spare parts for tanks......"

Tang Shaohua turned to Maslov and said: "Comrade Chief of Staff, I will give you full responsibility for the training of the troops, and the matter of tank spare parts will be handed over to you." ”

"It's not easy, Comrade Commander." Maslov said helplessly: "Although the spare parts we need are available in the defense warehouse, they will not give us the spare parts without the consent of the superiors." ”

Tang Shaohua understood that what Maslov said was the truth, so he said understandingly: "Comrade Chief of Staff, about spare parts, you can ask the technical deputy commander to come forward, he is familiar with the quartermaster of the warehouse, and let him find a way to get a batch of spare parts out." Then, he told Novikov, "Comrade division commander, you must pay close attention to the training work of your division, and don't worry about the loss of tanks." When all these old tanks are reimbursed, I will replace you with the latest tanks. Do you understand? ”

When Novikov heard that I would replenish them with new tanks, he immediately excitedly agreed: "Understood, Comrade General!" ”