Although I swore to Vatutin and Khrushchev that the Germans would not attack today. However, I was nervous in my heart, because I didn't know if the Battle of Kursk would deviate from the real history because of my arrival, and thus break out in advance to today.

It was because of this fear that I began to become restless when Tavart Kiradze and Bere left one after another. Although his eyes were fixed on the map on the table, he didn't see anything.

My dejected expression was seen by Danilov. He raised his hand and gently pushed my shoulder, and asked with concern, "Comrade Commander, what's wrong with you?" Is there something wrong with you, do you need me to call a military doctor to help you take a look? ”

"It's okay, I'm fine." After hearing Danilov's question, I quickly waved my hand and said to him: "I'm just thinking about how to fight this battle, and I don't need to call a military doctor." ”

"Comrade commander, do you think that the Germans really will not attack us today?" The artillery commander who asked this, Povsky, saw that my eyes turned to him, and hurriedly added: "I am worried that if the Germans launch an attack, the Guards rocket artillery battalion deployed behind the 52nd Guards Infantry Division, because yesterday it participated in the battle to recapture position No. 4, is currently short of ammunition. To be on the safe side, should they be withdrawn to the second line of defense first? ”

I glared at Povsky and said a little viciously: "Comrade Colonel, since I said that the Germans will not attack our defense zone today, they will definitely not attack. The Guards Rocket Artillery Battalion in the defense area of the 52nd Guards Division is not allowed to be transferred to other areas without my orders. ”

"Understood, Comrade Commander." Seeing that I was showing signs of fire, Povsky could only reluctantly agree, and then got up and went to call the artillery regiment in the defense area of the Tavart Kiradze division. They were ordered to survey the terrain of the nearby area as soon as possible, and mark the shooting elements so that in the battle two days later, the artillery could achieve accurate strikes.

Time passed unhurriedly minute by minute, and if more than ten years had passed, the hour hand on the watch finally pointed to the three position. I let out a long sigh. Getting up from his seat, he instructed Bezkov: "Comrade Chief of Staff, immediately call General Tavart Kiradze and ask him to immediately send troops to the slopes of the hill to dig fortifications. ”

As my order was given, the oppressive atmosphere in the room became lighter, and Bezkov happily agreed, and ran to the phone next to him to call General Tavart Kiradze.

As soon as the phone was connected, I heard Bezzikov excitedly say, "Hey. Is it General Tawalt Kiradze? I am the acting chief of staff, Bezikov, and the commander ordered you, immediately send troops and go to dig fortifications on the slopes of the hills. Yes, immediately send troops and start construction as soon as possible......"

I was listening to Bezikov on the phone, when suddenly the phone in front of me rang and startled me. My guess is that it may have been a call from the Front Command. So I grabbed the headphones and put them to my ear. At the same time, he said loudly: "Hey, I'm Oshanina, where are you?" ”

When the other party heard my voice, he was stunned for a moment, and then came Vatutin's hearty laughter: "Comrade Oshanina, it seems that your judgment is accurate, I just called General Rokossovsky. He was also calm there, and did not find anything unusual about the Germans. ”

When Vatutin said this, the stone hanging in my heart fell to the ground. I waited for him to finish speaking, and then asked cautiously, "Comrade General, what about my ambush plan." Can it be implemented? ”

"Go, go, get people ready." Vatutin, probably because our line was not attacked by the Germans, seemed particularly happy, and he even urged me: "Finally, all the fortifications will be repaired this evening, and troops will be stationed." In this way, even if the Germans move ahead of schedule, we will be able to win. ”

"Understood, Comrade General." I also struck while the iron was hot and said, "In order to ensure that the fortifications can be completed before dark, I ask you to allow me to supervise the work in the defense area of the 51st Guards Division." ”

"Agreed." Vatutin's promise was unusually cheerful, but he also added: "Bring more people and pay attention to safety." ”

After I put down the phone, I looked around the room to see who would accompany me to the 51st Guards Division. After looking around, I felt that it was not suitable, Danilov and Bezikov, one is the deputy commander and the other is the chief of staff, and they have a lot of affairs to deal with, so they definitely can't accompany me; And Povsky, the commander of the artillery, also has to coordinate the coordination between the artillery units distributed on the three lines of defense, and besides, I only went to supervise the 51st Guards Division to repair the fortifications, and there was no need to use artillery for the time being, so it was useless for him to go. In the end, I decided to go alone, and before leaving, I sent for the deputy commander of the guard regiment, Major Bukov, and asked him to accompany me to the front.

As soon as the car started, Bukov, who was sitting in the front row, turned his head and asked me politely: "Comrade commander, where are we going?" ”

"Go to the defense zone of the 51st Guards Division." I replied briefly.

"To General Tawart Kiradze's division?!" When Bukov said this, he looked out of the window, looked at the two cars in front and behind, and said with some concern: "Comrade commander, it can be the forefront of our army group, so take this little person with you, is it appropriate?" ”

I knew he was worried about my safety, and that if he had a small force of Germans on the way, we would not be able to defeat him. In order to reassure him, I pretended to be relaxed and said: "Comrade Major, if there are too many people, the target is big, and on the contrary, it will become the target of attack by a small German unit. With just three cars, it's easy to go anywhere, and even if it's attacked, we can get out of danger quickly. ”

When Bukov heard me say this, he didn't say anything more, but turned his head to look out the window, and at the same time hugged the Kalashnikov rifle in his arms.

However, everything went well, and I arrived at the defense zone of the 51st Guards Division safe and sound. I received a message from our officer that the division commander, General Tawart Kiradze, had personally led men to the hillside where the ambush had been set up to repair the fortifications.

Since General Tawart Kiradze was not there, and I did not want to stay in the division headquarters and wait for him to return, I ordered the driver to turn around and drive towards the fortified area.

Under the guidance of the soldiers of the Guards Division, we successfully came to the bottom of the hill where the ambush was to be set up. At this moment, General Tavart Kiradze was standing next to the hood of a jeep. Pointing to the map spread out in front of him, he explained something to several of his officers. Seeing my arrival, he had a surprised expression on his face, and immediately greeted me with a few of his subordinates.

He walked up to me, raised his hand and saluted, and asked in surprise: "Comrade commander." How did you get to me? ”

"I'm not at ease, so let's take a look." When I had said this, I found that one of the officers standing beside Tawart Kiradze was Major Girkin, the battalion commander under Lukin. I took the initiative to stretch out my hand to the major and asked with a smile: "It turned out to be Major Girkin, I didn't expect your division commander to send you to repair the fortifications." ”

Before shaking my hand, Jirkin raised his hand and saluted, and then took my hand with both hands and replied respectfully, "Yes." Comrade commander, since the defense area of our regiment is the closest to here, the division commander, after consulting with the regiment commander, transferred our third battalion to be responsible for building fortifications. ”

I turned my head to look over the hillside full of low greenery, and saw that the hillside was busy with groups of commanders and fighters, and everywhere there were shaking bare beams and steel helmets, and countless shovels were constantly digging out the earth. Raised to the sides of the trenches.

I squinted my eyes for a moment, then turned to Tavart Kiradze and asked, "Comrade General." When will you finish the fortifications? ”

Tavart Kiradze had probably considered my question for a long time, and immediately replied without hesitation: "At present, the third battalion has completed the excavation of more than a hundred meters of trenches, and if there are no accidents, we should be able to complete all the work before dark." ”

I looked up at my watch. It's only past four o'clock. In this kind of season, it is at least ten o'clock, when it slowly gets dark, and they have enough time to get their work done. I nodded, and then said to Tawart Kiradze: "Comrade General, since we are using this hillside to fight the German ambush. So after the fortifications are completed, you must do a good job of camouflage. Make sure that even if the enemy's reconnaissance plane flies over your head, it will not be able to detect your presence. ”

Tavart Kiradze listened to me and turned his gaze to Girkin to the side. The latter immediately understood, snapped upright, and assured me: "Please rest assured, Comrade Commander, that our battalion will do a good job of camouflaging the fortifications after the fortifications are completed, and will absolutely not let the enemy discover this hillside, as well as our fortifications." ”

I nodded in satisfaction at Girkin's answer, then shook my head at Tavartkiradze and said, "Let's go, let's go up and have a look." With that, without waiting for Tawart Kiradze and them, he took the lead and walked towards the hillside.

When we came to the hillside, the commanders and fighters who were building the fortifications saw us and straightened up to salute us. I nodded and smiled at them as I continued walking.

As I walked, I saw several young warriors sitting next to the mound resting. Seeing our group walking towards them, they quickly stood up. I thought that on the way here, the other commanders and fighters were in full swing, but these soldiers were sitting here resting, and I couldn't help but feel dissatisfied, so I asked angrily: "Comrades soldiers, I don't know if any of you can tell me what your comrades-in-arms are doing sitting here while they are busy digging fortifications next to you?" ”

Hearing my question, several fighters looked at each other, but no one spoke. Gilkin, who was next to me, was afraid that I would get angry, so he hurriedly took two steps forward, walked to my side, pointed to one of the little soldiers, and said loudly: "Vasilyev, tell me, what is going on?" ”

The soldier named Vasilyev, hearing his battalion commander calling his name, hurriedly stepped forward and replied with a red face: "Report to Comrade Battalion Commander, we are tired from work and have just sat down to rest." My comrades-in-arms asked me to tell them stories, but I was so involved in telling them, so I didn't see you coming, please forgive me! ”

"Tell a story, tell a story?" After glancing at me, Girkin began to lecture the other party: "You must remember that you are a soldier, not a writer or a poet. Even if you want to be a writer or poet, you have to wait until the war is won. Got it, Vasilyev? ”

"Understood, Comrade Major." When Vasilyev replied, he buried his head deep in shame.

Vasilyev, this name, when I first heard it, I thought it was quite familiar, but then I thought that there are many people who call it in Russia, so I didn't care. At this moment, when I heard Girkin call his name again, I couldn't help but feel a stir in my heart, because I thought of a famous person who, at this time, also served in the Soviet army. So I walked up to Vasilyev, put a hand on his shoulder, and asked in a friendly manner: "Comrade Vasilyev, can you tell me your name." ”

"Report Comrade Commander," Vasilyev replied, raising his head to look at me levelly, with a flushed face, "my full name is Boris. Lvovich. Vasilyev. ”

When I heard the full name, I almost sat on the ground. Oh my God, it's incredible, I didn't expect to meet Vasilyev, the author of "The Dawn Is Quiet Here", here. (To be continued.) )

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