After I returned to the embassy, I reported to Molotov as usual about today's meeting with Mrs. Roosevelt, and even the situation before and after Roosevelt's appearance.

After listening to my narration, Molotov asked with a serious expression: "Comrade Oshanina, is everything you said to President Roosevelt true?" ”

"Yes, Comrade People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs." To his question, I answered truthfully: "Everything I say is true. In order to convince him completely that what I said was true, I also made a point of emphasizing that "during the Battle of Stalingrad, two units of the Eastern Battalion surrendered to us, and many officers and men served as camp guards or special detachments. In addition, after capturing the division commander of the 'Skeleton Division', our unit also learned some inside stories about the concentration camp from his mouth. It was the combination of these two pieces of intelligence, combined with some personal analysis, that allowed me to tell President Roosevelt such things as if I had witnessed the whole process. ”

"Let me ask you, how can you be sure that President Roosevelt will approve of what you have to say?" Molotov asked in a skeptical tone: "Knowing that everything you say is incredible, even I find it incredible, how can you make the president of a country listen to your words?" ”

"Please rest assured, Comrade People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs." In response to his distrust, I confidently said: "In fact, President Roosevelt received a secret letter from British Prime Minister Winston Churchill not long ago, and he heard something similar in it. The intelligence of the British side was obtained from an intelligence agent in the Netherlands, and the original source of this intelligence officer. It was an SS officer from a concentration camp. ”

"SS officer?!" Molotov listened to me say this, and a look of surprise appeared on his face, and then he turned his face again. In a disdainful tone, he said: "Is it possible that these inhuman fellows can still provide intelligence to the Allied intelligence officers?" ”

I heard President Roosevelt implicitly say, "I knew that there were some things that Molotov would not have been able to ask Roosevelt for confirmation, so I had the courage to go down: "The Nazi officer who provided the information was responsible for supplying hydrocyanic acid to the concentration camps." It was used as a poison for the murder of Jews. Wrapped in the ugly uniform of the SS was a noble soul who was deeply ashamed that he had been wrapped up in this evil plan. Thus, risking his life exposed the atrocities of the Nazis. He also said: 'I can't turn a blind eye to everything that's happening in front of me. ’”

"In this way, President Roosevelt was convinced of what you said." Molotov asked curiously: "Do you think the United States will issue a statement openly criticizing the ugly acts of genocide committed by the Nazis?" ”

To Molotov's question, I can only shake my head again. He said with great regret, "I'm sorry. Comrade People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs, I really don't know what President Roosevelt would have decided, after all, his rights are still subject to the constraints of Congress and the Senate and the House of Representatives. ”

"Well, I'll report this to Comrade Stalin by telegram later." As soon as I had finished speaking, he ordered me to be evicted: "Go back and rest first, and tomorrow you will accompany Mrs. Roosevelt to the hospital for inspection." ”

At nine o'clock the next morning, the car sent by Mrs. Roosevelt to pick me up arrived.

I got a call from the staff and hurried out of my room. I found that the two people sitting in the car were both people I knew. One was Mr. James, and the other was Colonel Henry. He actually sat in the driver's seat.

When they saw me, they both smiled and greeted me. James also urged me: "General Oshanina, hurry up and get in the car, Lady Eleanor is still waiting for you." ”

I nodded, stooped into the back of the sedan, sat next to James, and closed the door. I looked at Henry, who was about to drive, and asked with a smile: "Mr. Colonel, why are you driving today, and I am really flattered to let you be a good naval officer as my driver?" ”

"That's what Madame meant." James replied on Henry's behalf, and then he gently patted Henry on the shoulder, "The Colonel can drive." ”

We had just gone far from the car, and before we could get up to speed, Henry slammed on the brakes and stopped.

"Colonel, what's going on, why did you stop?" As soon as the car stopped, James, who was sitting next to me, immediately asked impatiently.

Henry turned sideways and said with an innocent expression: "There is an embassy staff in front of us who stopped our way, and looking at him, he seems to be in a hurry." ”

Hearing Henry say this, I quickly bent down slightly, looked out of the front window, and saw that a staff member was running towards our car. The staff came to the side where I was, knocked on the window, and seemed to have something to say to me. I quickly rolled down the window, leaned out and asked, "Is there something wrong?" ”

The staff bent down and said to me respectfully: "General Oshanina, Comrade People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs has an urgent matter for you, so please go to his room immediately." ”

When I heard the staff say this, I turned my head to look at James and Henry, who were sitting in the car, and then turned around and said to the staff with some embarrassment: "But, you see that I am going out with my friends in the United States now, and I am also very important in this matter." ”

I thought that as soon as I said this, the staff would retreat, but I didn't expect him to suddenly say with a straight face: "General Oshanina, I have been ordered to inform you that today's foreign affairs activities have been cancelled, please get out of the car and report to the People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs immediately." With that, he reached out and opened the car door, standing straight and waiting for me to get out of the car.

I don't know what happened, even a normal staff member would dare to be so aggressive to me. I wanted to attack him, but I accidentally saw two more people coming out of the door of the hall, looking left and right and running towards me. I recognized one of them as a frequent presence with Molotov, and knew that I might not be able to leave the embassy with James today, so I turned around and smiled at him, and said apologetically: "Mr. James, it seems that something really big is going to happen." So I probably can't go with you today. When you see Madame, please say sorry on my behalf. Break a leg! With that, I reached out and shook his hand.

When I reached out to Colonel Henry. He looked a little nervous. Seeing that my hand reached out in front of him, he hurriedly grasped it, and asked vaguely: "General, what you said in front of the president yesterday is all true?" ”

"What?" Henry's brainless question confused me.

"It was the organized and premeditated massacre of Jews by the Nazis." Henry glanced at the staff standing outside the car door and asked me in a low voice, "Is everything you said true?" ”

"Yes. Colonel Henry. Although I didn't know why he suddenly asked about it, I told him the truth: "Although I have not seen these things with my own eyes." But I can vouch for my honor, absolutely true? ”

Henry let go of my head, slammed his head, and whispered in pain, "Oh my God." Oh, my God. My God, what is to be done? ”

"Colonel, what's wrong?" Henry's reaction immediately confused me, I glanced at the two people who were about to walk to the car, and quickly asked, "Did I say something wrong?" ”

"You're not wrong about anything, General Oshanina." James interjected: "Colonel Henry is like this because he has relatives who have fallen into the hands of the Italian Nazis. ”

"Mr. James, what the hell is going on? It's all confusing me. Can you explain it to me? "When I saw that Molotov's entourage had come to the car, I was afraid that he would urge me. As a result, I couldn't figure out the whole situation, so I shouted at him: "You wait a minute, I'll get out of the car after a few words with my American friend." ”

James glanced at the anguished Colonel Henry, and then said leisurely: "We have just received news that the Colonel's eldest daughter-in-law, Natalie, and her two grandsons, as well as Natalie's uncle, were captured by the Italians while crossing the border and imprisoned in a concentration camp. ”

"Are they Jews?" Although I heard that he was only imprisoned in an Italian concentration camp, I still felt unsteady in my heart, and it seemed that the Italians had killed many Jews, and if Henry's relatives were Jews, it would be more than lucky.

"That's right," James replied affirmatively, "that Natalie and her uncle are Jewish." But the old man was a well-known Jewish writer, and perhaps the Italians would treat him as he deserved if they knew his identity. ”

I was speechless at James's fantasy, knowing that as long as a Jew enters a concentration camp, no matter how high your status is, you will be like an ordinary prisoner when you enter, and there is no hope of getting out alive.

I wanted to tell the truth straightforwardly, but when I saw Colonel Henry's miserable appearance, I couldn't bear it, so I could only find some kind words to persuade him: "Colonel, I think Mr. James is right, before the Italians see that Natalie's uncle is a famous writer, not only will they give him the preferential treatment he deserves, but they will even release him from the concentration camp in the near future." Don't worry too much and pay more attention to your body. ”

Hearing my persuasion, Henry put down his hands, raised his head, and asked me with some emotion: "General, you said that this situation will appear?" ”

I knew that I wanted to come out of the concentration camp again, and unless I was helped by a good person like Schindler, no Jew of any identity would be able to get out of the concentration camp alive. But in order to comfort Colonel Henry, I still said a lie against my will: "Don't worry, Colonel. There is a famous saying in the East that Jiren has his own natural appearance. I am sure that Natalie and her uncle, as well as your two grandsons, will soon be able to leave the concentration camps and come to America to join you. ”

After dismissing Henry, I reached out and shook his hand again, and said sincerely: "Colonel, thank you for accompanying me to Norfolk Naval Base two days ago, and for taking great pains to get me on the newly launched destroyer, I am deeply grateful to you. Goodbye, and hopefully we'll see each other again soon, when Natalie and your two grandchildren come to the United States to join you. With that, I let go of his hand, nodded to James again, and walked straight out the open door.

I followed my entourage to Molotov's room and was surprised to find that Khrulev was also there. Seeing that I was coming, Molotov did not go around the circle and said to me straight to the point: "Oshanina, I know that you are very curious why I asked you to cancel today's foreign affairs and call you to my room. ”

I didn't speak, just nodded, indicating that I did have such doubts.

"Comrade Oshanina," Khrulev, who was sitting on the sofa, continued: "Something has happened in the country, and in the telegram that I have just received from the country, I order that except for Comrade Molotov to stay and continue negotiations with the American side, you and I must immediately rush back to Moscow and report to the Supreme High Command. ”

"I wonder what's going on in the country?" When I heard Khrulev say this, I couldn't help but chuckle in my heart, and at the same time began to speculate wildly about what would be a big deal, and that it would make us rush back at once, because I was in a hurry, and I couldn't help but casually ask what was in my heart.

Hearing my question, Khrulev stood up, walked up to me, and said to me: "Comrade Oshanina, I was going to tell you about this in a few days. But since this matter still has a lot to do with you, I'll tell you anyway. The Germans have entered Kiev, and after two days of fierce fighting, almost half of the city has fallen back into the hands of the Germans, and our troops continue to fight in the remaining areas. ”

From Khrulev's account, I quickly understood that Stalin's haste to send us back must have something to do with the imminent fall of Kiev again. When I turned my head and looked behind me, I saw that the staff who had accompanied me had left, and there were only three of us left in the room. So I boldly asked the question in my heart: "Comrade minister, I would like to ask if the Supreme High Command recalled us to Moscow to discuss how to hold Kyiv." ”

When Khrulev heard me say this, he turned his head and looked at Molotov with a smile on his face. He nodded and said, "That's right, Comrade Oshanina, as you imagined, the command recruited us back in order to make the defenders who held Kyiv no longer be surrounded or captured by the Germans like the year before." Just now, Comrade Molotov said that you will definitely be able to guess the reason why our superiors transferred us back to China, but I didn't believe it at that time, but I didn't expect that Comrade People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs was really right. ”

"Comrade Minister, I wonder when we will leave?" When I heard that the situation in Kyiv was critical, I didn't want to stay for a minute, so I immediately asked: "What I'm worried about now is whether the defenders in the city will be able to hold out until we rush back to the country." ”

Khrulev raised his hand and looked at his watch, and then replied: "We will rush to the airport in half an hour and return by plane." As for how long the defenders of Kyiv can hold out, it is only left to fate. (To be continued.) )