As soon as the car started, I saw Chuikov in the rearview mirror and leaned back, leaning back against the back of the chair and closing his eyes, and the car fell silent. The driver's eyes were fixed on the front, and he was fully engaged in driving.

I looked boredly at the scenery outside the window for a while, and couldn't help but ask the driver in a curious whisper: "Comrade sergeant, how long will it take me to get to Stalingrad?" ”

The driver shrugged his shoulders and said helplessly: "It's hard to say, Comrade Lieutenant Colonel. It depends on whether the road conditions are good or not, whether we will encounter bombing by enemy planes, and if we have a good time, we should be able to reach Stalingrad within five hours. ”

"Comrade Oshanina." Chuikov said suddenly.

I quickly turned my head to look back, only to see that Chuikov was still resting his back against the chair with his eyes closed. I was wondering if I had misheard, and he called me again: "Comrade Oshanina." ”

I hurriedly agreed: "Comrade commander, I am here, do you have any instructions?" ”

Chuikov still did not open his eyes, and said to himself: "Maybe you are strange, you are in the front-line troops well, why did I ask you to hand over the command of the regiment to the deputy, and let you go to Stalingrad with me." ”

Why Chuikov did this, I really couldn't guess, so I had to shake my head. As soon as I shook it twice, I suddenly remembered that Chuikov couldn't see me shaking his head with his eyes closed, and hurriedly said honestly: "Comrade commander, I really can't think of it." ”

"When General Zhukov called me yesterday, he specifically mentioned you."

"General Zhukov!" Hearing this familiar name, I was suddenly a little excited, "What did he say about me?" ”

"Zhukov said that you fought bravely. On the battlefield, he was very heroic. And has a whimsical mind. Things that others can't think of. You name it. But based on his observations, he found that you still have a lot to be desired. ”

When I heard Chuikov say this, I couldn't help but beat faster, and I was very concerned about my impression in Zhukov's eyes, so I nervously asked: "I don't know what Comrade General said about my unsatisfactory appearance?" ”

Chuikov opened his eyes, looked at me and said, "He said that your ability is a little lacking, you lack the overall situation, and you are not suitable for the position of number one. Let you be a company commander, battalion commander or even regiment commander. You've got it all. But when you become a division commander or even a higher-level commander, the shortcomings of your incompetence are exposed. ”

Hearing Chuikov's words relayed by Zhukov, my heart was cold, but I didn't expect that after trying to express myself for a long time, in Zhukov's mouth, I still got a comment that I lacked ability and lacked a view of the overall situation.

Just when I was depressed, Chuikov continued: "Comrade Zhukov analyzed that the scale of this campaign will not be small, and it will last quite long. In such a long battle, it is entirely possible to put an incompetent commander. Those who accompany the cultivation of excellent commanders in our army. In order to train you, Comrade Zhukov deliberately asked you to work in the headquarters at all levels. It is hoped that while working in these places, you will be able to learn useful things from senior commanders and gain the necessary experience for you to take on higher positions in the future. ”

I could hear Chuikov's words later, suggesting that I would have a chance to be promoted through this battle. Hearing him say this, the originally gloomy mood suddenly became clear.

"Understood?" Seeing that I was slow to speak, Chuikov stared at me and asked.

I quickly straightened my chest and replied loudly: "Understood, Comrade Commander. ”

Chuikov nodded with satisfaction and said, "Very good, just understand." Take advantage of the opportunities this campaign has brought you, and I am sure that in the near future, you will be transformed from Lieutenant Colonel Oshanina to General Oshanina. ”

Chuikov's words have been said so clearly, if I don't understand it again, then my IQ is worried. But when I heard him say this, I couldn't help but feel excited, during the defense of Moscow, I was directly promoted from lieutenant colonel to major general, and this time in the war just began, I was already a lieutenant colonel, so it is not far from the general.

After a while, I asked Chuikov curiously: "Comrade commander, how is the situation on the other side of the river?" ”

"Yesterday all day and this morning, the combat operations of our army group were mainly concentrated on the right flank, that is, in the areas of Veliko Osinovka, Yelitsky, Verkhniy Chilskaya. The enemy tried to break through the battle formations of our 229th and 112th Divisions from this area, and then struck northeastward, went around to the rear of the 62nd Army, and after encircling friendly forces, approached the crossings of the Don River in the Logovsky and Karachi areas.

I had been in direct contact yesterday with the commanders of the 229th and 112th divisions at an observation post on a high ground north of the Rychkovsky railway junction, as well as with other units through the Guò Army Command.

The battle was a stalemate, with both sides winning and losing. Units of the German 51st Army, reinforced by tanks, attacked our defensive positions. Yesterday nearly 100 tanks attacked the defensive ground of the 112th Division, while only 10 tanks of our troops held their positions, but the troops of the 112th Division not only repelled the onslaught of the enemy, but also launched several counter-attacks. ”

It turned out that yesterday the enemy pointed the focus of the attack on the 112th Division and the 229th Division on the right flank of our regiment, so the attack on our regiment's defense area would have been thunderous and rainy, and if it had not been for the heavy losses caused by the enemy's artillery cluster bombardment in the later stage, then yesterday's battle, we could almost be regarded as a complete victory.

"Oshanina, what are you thinking?" Chuikov's voice sobered me up from my contemplation, and I only felt that my face was hot for a moment, and then I changed the topic and said: "Comrade commander, the day before yesterday, the troops of the group army that were in a state of battle suddenly retreated, have you found out the specific reason?" As soon as I finished speaking, I realized that I had said the wrong thing, I was Chuikov's subordinate, but I was questioning him in the tone of my superior, and I couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat.

Fortunately, Chuikov did not care about this, and patiently explained to me: "The reason has been clarified, I was at the observation post in Nizhny Chilskaya, and the chief of staff Novikov and the military commissar and divisional commissar Abramov, who remained in the headquarters of the army group in Ilimen-Chilsky, saw the fierce offensive of the enemy, and feared that the troops that were fighting would be encircled, and without asking me for instructions, they sent a radio to the 214th Infantry Division. Two Marine Brigades, as well as the 137th Tank Brigade, gave the order to retreat to the left bank of the Don. I learned about this only when I returned to the army group headquarters last evening. Speaking of this, he couldn't help but let out a long sigh.

I understand the reason for his sigh, that is, because of this order, thousands of commanders and fighters crowded to the Don River, and after crossing the river, they were subjected to heavy air attacks by enemy planes, and paid heavy casualties. The commander of the 62nd Army, General Kolpakchi, learned of this situation, and at one time thought that Chuikov's troops had been routed by the enemy, so he personally took me and Captain Semykov to Chuikov's observation post to find out the situation, so there was a series of events about my secondment to the 64th Army and the temporary acting commander of the 678th regiment.

Seeing his lost look, I hurriedly flattered him and said: "Comrade commander, as far as I know, although the enemy has broken through the first line of defense of our army group in many sections, the commanders and fighters of the group army under your command are very heroic, and they bravely fought with the enemy and blocked the enemy on the road to the Chir and Don rivers. Judging by the current situation, the danger of a direct enemy assault on Stalingrad from the Nizhny Chilskaya region has been eliminated. ”

Chuikov nodded and asked me, "Lieutenant Colonel Oshanina, are you crossing the river in your regiment?" How many people are still in the army at the moment? ”

I was silent for a moment before replying: "Report to Comrade Commander, before retreating to the river to build new fortifications, our regiment was subjected to heavy shelling by enemy artillery groups, and more than half of the troops were killed or wounded. When crossing the river early this morning, the 2nd Battalion and the 7th Company crossed the Don River smoothly, while the ferry boat I was on sank due to bombing and strafing by enemy planes. There were more than 100 guards and engineers on the ferry, but only about a dozen of them managed to land on the left bank of the Don. ”

After listening to my words, Chuikov looked me up and down, nodded and said: "Comrade Oshanina, the ferry was sunk, and you were able to escape from danger, I have to say, you are really lucky." (To be continued......)