As soon as it was dawn, Bratash received a call from the observation post, in which he reported to Bratash: "Comrade division commander, a large number of people have been found on the highway......

Without waiting for the observation post to finish, Bratash asked bluntly: "Are there tanks?" ”

The observation post was silent for a long time, and then replied: "Comrade division commander, all the people who appeared on the highway were fleeing civilians, and no armed soldiers were found. ”

"What, the people who fled?" After listening to the report of the observation post, Bratash couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. However, he always felt that this might be a conspiracy of the Germans, so he told the observation post: "Keep watching and see if there are any large German forces, especially armored units, that are following behind the refugees." ”

"Understood, Comrade Division Commander." The observation post assured Bratash: "We will keep a close watch on the road and will report to you as soon as we discover a new enemy." ”

After Bratash put down the phone, he instructed the chief of staff of the division: "Chief of staff, I have just received a call from the observation post, and they have found a large number of German refugees, coming along the road towards the bridge. You call the forward positions immediately, and when the refugees approach, you immediately fire a gun into the air to stop them from advancing. If they do not listen to dissuasion, continue to try to storm our defenses, immediately open fire. ”

Regarding the order issued by Bratash, the chief of staff of the division said with some hesitation: "Comrade division commander, this is not very good, since those refugees have left their homes, I am afraid it is not easy to let them go back. If you forcibly shoot to stop it, I am afraid that it will bring bad consequences......"

"Comrade Chief of Staff," Bratash interrupted him before the Chief of Staff could finish speaking, "our observation post sees refugees, but who can vouch for the fact that there are no German officers and soldiers dressed in civilian clothes mixed in?" If we allow them to pass through our defenses, the consequences of a sudden attack by the hidden enemy will be even more serious. ”

The chief of staff of the division did not expect that Bratash would suspect that there were German officers and soldiers hidden among the refugees, and even took harsh measures to deal with these refugees who fled their homes. Considering that there are also friendly tank battalions deployed in their own defenses, if their own troops open fire on the refugees, the tank troops will definitely respond, and then it will cause a catastrophe. Thinking of this, he hurriedly said to Bratash: "Comrade division commander, there are still two tank battalions in our defense area, if they find out that we are firing at the refugees, they will definitely open fire, and then there is a possibility that the situation will get out of control......

"Wait a minute, Comrade Chief of Staff." Bratash interrupted his chief of staff again and asked impatiently: "What exactly do you want to say?" ”

"This matter is very high, should we talk to Colonel Shukin?" When the division chief of staff made this proposal, he was deeply afraid of being vetoed by Bratash, and he made a point of emphasizing: "After all, we are now under his command." ”

"You're right, we're now cooperating with the tank brigade, and we really should report to Colonel Shukin about such a thing." The words of the chief of staff of the division reminded Bratash that the matter was very important, and if he had reported to Shukin in advance, even if the troops had to open fire in the end, and when the superiors blamed him, someone would have come to help him share the responsibility. So he nodded and said, "I'll call Colonel Shukin." ”

After the phone was connected, Bratash said straight to the point: "Colonel Shukin, I have just received a report from the observation post that a large number of German refugees are coming along the road towards our territory. I want to ask, what do we do next? ”

"What, a huge number of refugees are coming?" After learning of this unexpected news, Shu Jinleng paused for a moment, and then asked rhetorically: "Colonel Bratash, have you taken any measures?" ”

"I have asked Comrade Chief of Staff to advance the troops," Bratash said, glancing at the chief of staff who was on the phone, into the microphone, "Let them shoot into the air and warn those refugees not to come closer, otherwise they will open fire." ”

"Colonel Bratash, it's not right for you to do this. Comrade Marshal has said on different occasions that we entered the East Prussian region as liberators in order to liberate the people here from the tyrannical rule of ***, how can you give the order to shoot casually? Hearing that Bratash was ready to use force against the refugees who were rushing to the bridge, Shukin hurriedly stopped him and said: "You immediately send troops to the road to stop the refugees, and don't let them approach the bridge for the time being." As for what to do, I immediately reported to the commander and waited for his orders. ”

As soon as Shu Jin put down the phone, he immediately ordered the signal soldier: "Give me the military headquarters, I have important matters, and I must report to the army commander immediately." ”

Panfilov was awakened by the staff officer on duty in his sleep, and when he took the microphone, the whole person was not fully awake: "I'm Panfilov, where are you?" ”

"Comrade Commander, I'm Shukin." Colonel Shukin's anxious voice came from the earpiece: "Something urgent has happened, and I need to report to you immediately." ”

"Colonel Shukin, what's wrong?" When Panfilov heard that something had happened, he immediately came to his senses and asked sharply: "Did the Germans launch a counterattack against you?" ”

"Report to Comrade Commander, for the time being, no trace of the enemy has been found near the bridge, but a large number of fleeing civilians have appeared, and they are flocking along the highway to the bridge." After giving a detailed briefing on the situation to Panfilov, Shukin asked him for instructions: "I would like to ask, what to do with them?" ”

In response to Shukin's question, Panfilov thought quickly for a moment, and then replied: "This matter is of great importance, and I need to report it immediately to Comrade Marshal. You first send people to the highway to intercept the refugees, make them stay a few hundred meters away from the bridge, and wait for the final solution. ”

A few minutes later, Rokossovsky received a report from Panfilov that a large number of German refugees were pouring along the road to the bridge. He covered the microphone and briefly explained the situation to Subotin and Bogolyubov, and then asked for their opinions: "Tell me, how should we deal with this situation?" ”

"Comrade Marshal," Rokossovsky said after his words, and the first to speak was Military Commissar Su Bojing: "In order to avoid unnecessary casualties, I think it is necessary to send some commanders and fighters who know German to persuade these refugees to return to their homes." ”

"I think Colonel Bratash's plan is very good," Bogolyubov objected: "It is possible that among these men there are many heavily armed German soldiers, who are trying to surprise our troops when crossing the bridge, using the refugees as a cover in order to recapture the bridge occupied by our troops." So the best thing to do is to wait for them to get close to the front line, fire warning shots at them, and if they try to rush to the bridge again, they will open fire mercilessly. ”

After Rokossovsky and the others finished speaking, he silently thought in his heart: The method of shooting at the refugees mentioned by Bogolyubov is definitely not advisable, and since entering East Prussia, the Soviet army has regarded itself as a liberator, and if they massacre German refugees, it will inevitably have a bad impact on their own image, thus aggravating the contradictions between the troops and the local population. Su Bojing's method is a relatively ideal way to deal with it, but it is not perfect, and there are shortcomings in it, if there are some stubborn refugees who are resolutely unwilling to return home, how to deal with them, is it really shooting at them?

Panfilov waited on the other end of the phone for a long time, but did not hear a reply from Rokossovsky. He didn't dare to hang up the phone casually, so he could only blow two breaths into the microphone, and then asked tentatively: "Comrade Marshal, are you still there?" ”

"I'm still here!" Rokossovsky's voice soon came from the earpiece.

"That's right, Comrade Marshal." Panfilov cautiously said: "I would like to ask, what are you going to do with this group of refugees?" The commander at the front is still waiting for my reply. ”

When Panfilov said this in an anxious tone, Rokossovsky's mind suddenly flashed with inspiration, and he suddenly thought of a way to get the best of both worlds, and said into the microphone: "General Panfilov, listen, my plan is to send people who know German to persuade the refugees, tell them that we are here to liberate them, not to enslave them, and to ask them to return to their homeland with peace of mind, and we will guarantee their personal safety." ”

After waiting for Rokossovsky's words to come to an end, Panfilov asked tentatively: "Comrade Marshal, what will we do if these refugees refuse to return home?" ”

"That's easy, those who are willing to return to their homes, we let them go. For those refugees who don't want to go home, we arrange for them to cross the bridge and get them where they want to go. After Rokossovsky explained his plan, he added: "Remember, those refugees who cross the bridge must be strictly checked, and armed people hiding in the crowd must not be allowed to go to the bridge." Do you understand? ”

"Understood, Comrade Marshal." Hearing Rokossovsky's best of both worlds, Panfilov's hanging heart finally returned to his stomach, "I will immediately convey your meaning to the commanders at the front, so that they can solve the problem of this group of refugees as soon as possible." ”

"Comrade Marshal, your approach is good." Seeing Rokossovsky put down the phone, Su Bojing gave him a thumbs up: "No matter how the fighters we send persuade them, there will always be some people who have scruples in their hearts. Now that you've given them two options, I'm sure this solution will deal with all the refugees. ”

"Comrade Marshal," said Subotin, who considered the political aspect, while Bogolyubov, as chief of staff, was more concerned with the military aspect: "The appearance of a large number of refugees is tantamount to the emergence of a buffer zone between our army and the enemy, so that the time for us to seize Betuv may be postponed indefinitely. ”

"Chief of Staff, you don't have to worry about that." Rokossovsky said disapprenosingly: "As long as we properly dispose of this group of refugees, it will be very beneficial for us in the next battle." ”