When the sentry saw Rokossovsky and Lobachev striding towards him, he hurriedly raised his hand and gave a military salute. Pen | fun | pavilion www. ｂｉｑｕｇｅ。 Just when he thought that the two commanders would walk directly into the room, who knew that the two stopped, and the commander with three gold stars on the diamond-shaped collar badge suddenly asked, "Is your division commander inside?" ”

"Yes, Comrade General." The sentry did not know where Rokossovsky came from, but looking at the rank of lieutenant general on his collar badge, he answered truthfully: "He is calling a meeting of divisional commanders." ”

After listening to the sentry's answer, Rokossovsky nodded and strode into the house. Walk down a long corridor towards the conference room at the end. As he walked, he thought to himself that the Russian architectural style is almost the same, the structure of the houses is exactly the same, and if you have visited one of the houses, you can know what the internal structure of the other houses looks like.

"Comrade Commander," Rokossovsky suddenly heard Lobachev beside him ask himself in a low voice: "Why did you ask the sentry that sentence when you first entered the door?" ”

"Which word?" As soon as Rokossovsky asked this question, he guessed what Lobachev was referring to, and quickly explained: "We have such a big movement outside, but there is no movement at all in the division headquarters, which has to make me wonder if their division commander is in the command headquarters." ”

The two walked to the door of the conference room and looked inside, and Rokossovsky saw a bald colonel and several commanders, sitting around a wooden table, everyone's attention was focused on the map in front of them, and they were whispering something, and no one noticed the two commanders standing in the doorway.

Rokossovsky stood silently at the door for a while, then walked inside, and at the same time asked loudly: "Hello, comrades commanders, what are you discussing?" ”

Hearing the sudden sound, everyone looked in the direction from which the voice came, and when they saw that it was a general who walked in, everyone quickly got up from their seats and maintained an upright posture facing Rokossovsky.

The bald colonel hurriedly greeted him, raised his hand to salute Rokossovsky, and at the same time asked respectfully: "Are you General Rokossovsky?" ”

"That's right, it's me." After returning the salute, Rokossovsky reached out and shook Colonel Ivan's hand, and continued: "I have come specifically to receive your division. ”

"I know this, I have received a call from General Golikov." After Ivan finished speaking, he turned to the commanders who were still standing at the table and said: "Let me introduce to you, this is General Rokossovsky, the commander of the 16th Army. From now on, our division will officially be placed under his command. ”

"What were you guys just talking about?" Rokossovsky waited for Ivan to introduce his identity, and then repeated the question he had just asked again.

"We are discussing where to withdraw the troops." Ivan replied with some embarrassment: "During the march a week ago, our division was fiercely attacked by the Germans, suffered heavy losses in troops, and was forced by the enemy to retreat five to eight kilometers to the east. ”

"From now on, stop discussing the issue of retreat." Rokossovsky took Lobachev to the table and sat down, beckoned the rest of the commanders to sit down with him, and then continued: "Our task is to strike hard at the enemy in the Sushnych area, drive them out of this area, and restore the transport lines that they have cut off. ”

"But, Comrade General." As soon as Rokossovsky's words were finished, a lieutenant colonel said with a puzzled expression: "At present, there are only more than 1,700 people left in our division, and there are still many soldiers without weapons. Not to mention offense, even defense is difficult. ”

Rokossovsky did not answer the lieutenant colonel's words, but turned his head to Ivan and asked in a blunt tone: "Colonel Ivan, who is this?" ”

"He's my chief of staff." Ivan replied with an unnatural expression: "Comrade commander, the current situation in front of our division is indeed not good......

"Colonel Ivan, don't you still have more than 1,700 people in your hands?" Rokossovsky heard that Ivan was also talking to his chief of staff, and his face showed a displeased expression, and then he asked coldly: "Do you plan to run away without even seeing the shadow of the Germans?" ”

"Comrade Commander, you misunderstood." Ivan hurriedly defended: "According to the results of our discussions, it is necessary to withdraw the troops closer to the friendly forces, so that we can get support from friendly forces when we are attacked by the Germans." ”

"Won't you fight without friendly forces?" Rokossovsky interrupted him without waiting for him to say, and said with a serious expression: "Colonel Ivan, if you feel that you are not qualified for the post of division commander, I can always find someone to replace you." Speaking of this, he swept his gaze over every commander present and asked with a gloomy face, "Who is the deputy division commander?" ”

"Comrade commander, I am Lieutenant Colonel Yershov, deputy division commander." A stocky lieutenant colonel stood up from opposite Rokossovsky and replied loudly.

"Lieutenant Colonel Yershov!" Rokossovsky looked at each other and asked with a sneer: "What do you think, also like your division commander and chief of staff, advocate withdrawing troops to the rear?" ”

"No, Comrade Commander." Yershov replied with his head held high: "I advocate that the troops continue to stay here to recuperate, and at the right time launch a counterattack against the enemy in front of them, and recapture the positions of the period." ”

Yershov's answer brought a smile on Rokossovsky's face, he nodded with satisfaction, and then decisively announced: "Comrades commanders, I declare that from now on, Lieutenant Colonel Yershov will be the commander of the 328th Infantry Division. And Colonel Ivan," he said, turning his head to look at an embarrassed Ivan next to him, "as his deputy." Do you guys have any different opinions? ”

In the hierarchical forest within the Soviet army, everyone knew that the orders of their superiors could not be changed, so when they heard Rokossovsky's question at this moment, even if they were dissatisfied with this appointment in their hearts, they could only answer in unison: "We have no opinion!" ”

"Since there are no different opinions, then the appointment of Lieutenant Colonel Yershov will officially take effect from now on." After Rokossovsky said this, he said to everyone as if he had nothing to do: "Next, we will discuss the next direction of action of the troops. ”