At the same time, Rokossovsky and three division commanders remained in the command headquarters, waiting for the report of the raiding troops. At this moment, the operator suddenly shouted: "Comrade commander." ”

Rokossovsky took his attention off the map, turned his head and asked the operator sitting by the wall: "What's the matter?" ”

The operator looked at Rokossovsky and said in a bit of a panic: "I just received a telegram in clear code. ”

"Plain telegram?!" Rokossovsky walked up to the telegraph operator with a frown, bowed his head and asked: "What is written on the telegram?" ”

"Attention, attention!" The telegraph operator read aloud the telegram he had just received: "This is the Brest Fortress, this is the Brest Fortress, we are still fighting...... We need help! ”

"A telegram from the Brest Fortress?" After hearing what was on the telegram, the three division commanders also gathered around. Scherstyuk was amazed: "The Germans are really crazy enough to cross the Bug River so deep and attack the well-fortified fortresses of our army. Aren't they afraid that they will break their heads and bleed in front of the defenders we want to stop? ”

Rokossovsky, who knew the final fate of the Brest Fortress, after glancing at Scherstyuk, asked meaningfully: "Comrade General, after reading this telegram, do you still think that our troops will be able to hold the fortress?" ”

Rokossovsky raised the telegram in his hand and said with a blank face: "Since the distress telegram was sent by the defenders of the fortress in clear code, it proves that they have completely lost contact with the superior troops and have fallen into a critical state. ”

"Comrade General, we should go and support them." Scherstyuk said excitedly, "Save them from the enemy's encirclement while they are not yet destroyed by the enemy." ”

"Support, how to support?" As soon as Rokossovsky finished speaking, he immediately and unceremoniously retorted: "We use the existing forces to hold Lublin, we can only say that it is barely enough, where are the surplus forces to rescue the besieged fortress?" ”

"Comrade General, please come here." Without saying a word, Scherstyuk pulled Rokossovsky to the table, pointed to the map spread out on it, and said: "You see, we will start from Lublin and go north through Lubaltuv and then Palchev to reach Brest. The whole journey is only 137 kilometers, and if tank forces are dispatched, it will take a maximum of five hours to reach the destination and save our defenders from the enemy's siege. ”

"General Scherstyuk, you're thinking too simply, aren't you?" Rokossovsky said in a stern tone: "Do you think that it will be as easy for us to rescue the troops holding the Brest fortress as it will be for us to take Lublin?" Had it not been for the fact that the Germans had set up a prisoner of war camp near Pouvy and temporarily transferred most of the defenders of Lublin, we would have had to fight the Germans in real life if we were to occupy it. ”

From Rokossovsky's words, Scherstyuk heard that he was unwilling to send troops to reinforce Brest, and immediately became anxious: "General Rokossovsky, how can you do this?" How can we, the glorious units of the Red Army, watch our units being wiped out by the enemy and remain indifferent? No, I need to report this to my superiors immediately. Even if only my division is dispatched, I will rescue the friendly troops. As he spoke, he wanted to go to the walkie-talkie and ask the operator to deliver the news.

Seeing Scherstyuk's insistence, Rokossovsky was so angry that he slapped him the table, pointed at his nose and scolded angrily: "Do you think that the German troops assembled near Brest can be defeated with one of your divisions?" Without even knowing the enemy's strength, you rush forward recklessly, and before you get close to the fortress, your troops will be encircled, and then you will wait for the whole army to be destroyed! ……”

Scherstyuk, who had been scolded by Rokossovsky, lowered his head and said unwillingly: "Comrade General, we should always report to our superiors and see what instructions they have. ”

"There will be no instructions." Rokossovsky said with a wave of anger: "Now it is very difficult for the troops of the Southwestern Front to hold back the enemy, let alone send troops to rescue the defenders of the Western Front. With that, he walked briskly to the walkie-talkie and instructed the operator: "Operator, call back to the defenders of the fortress." ”

When the operator was ready, he looked up at Rokossovsky and waited for him to dictate the telegram.

Rokossovsky opened his mouth, but did not make a sound, because he thought of the defenders of the Brest Fortress, who fought bloodily for a month with the Germans armed to the teeth in isolation and lack of food and water, leaving a page in the history of the Great Patriotic War. And now, with his arrival, history has shifted a little here, and he actually led his troops to occupy Lublin, which is only a hundred kilometers away from the fortress. Perhaps just sending a force to attack the rear of the German troops attacking the fortress would succeed in relieving part of the commanders and fighters.

The operator saw Rokossovsky standing in front of him and did not speak, but the expression on his face kept changing. He hurriedly coughed and asked carefully: "Comrade commander, how can I call the fortress back?" ”

The words of the telegraph operator woke Rokossovsky from his musings. He calmed down, and after a short period of thought, his reason finally prevailed over his impulse, and he dictated a cold telegram to the telegraph operator: "Since our troops are engaged in a fierce battle with the German army, we are unable to provide assistance to your troops for the time being, so please rely on the existing forces and continue to fight bravely and tenaciously." Go brave and fight, comrades! Let the banner of your glorious victory fly high above the fortress forever! Fight, fight to the death with your enemies, brave warriors! Glory to the brave and fearless warriors in battle! ……”

After dictating such a telegram full of flavor in an official article, Rokossovsky's strength seemed to be drained. He waved his hand at the operator and ordered weakly: "Send the report, comrade operator!" ”

Scherstyuk wanted to say a few more words, but when he saw the painful expression on Rokossovsky's face, he held back in time, and at this moment he also understood in his heart that Rokossovsky was not a ruthless person, he did not want to rescue the defenders of the Brest Fortress, but he was overwhelmed.

"Please come and sit down, Comrade Commander." Rokossovsky returned to the table and sat down, and said in his usual tone: "Let's talk about how to hold on to Lublin." ”