Fedyuninsky, who had a mustache, stood up from the table and said with a smile on his face: "Major Oshanina, it's nice to see you arrive safely. After shaking hands with me, he pointed to the bench next to the table and said, "You're welcome, please take a seat!" ”

I looked in the direction of his finger, and then sat down with some restraint, opposite his position. As soon as he sat down, he sensed my nervousness and took the initiative to start a conversation with me, saying, "Major Oshanina, if I'm not mistaken, we have dealt with each other before. ”

I hurriedly stood up and replied: "Yes, Comrade Commander. In September 1941, I took part in the defense of the Pulkovo Heights. After a battle, you went to inspect the position with General Zhukov and Commander Khotzin. And soon after you became the commander of the 42nd Army, the 21st Division of the Ministry of Internal Affairs where I belonged was transferred to your command. ”

"Sit down and talk, they're all old acquaintances, don't be so reserved." Hearing my answer, Fedyuninsky's neatly trimmed lips suddenly twitched, and a smile spread across his face. He raised his hand and pressed it down, and said, "Major Oshanina, I didn't expect you to be familiar with my resume." But you are not simple, after going to Moscow with General Zhukov, you also made a name for yourself, and even became a general for a time, commanding tens of thousands of troops to participate in the counteroffensive under the city of Moscow. ”

I heard him talk about my past history, but I just smiled and didn't speak.

He said: "I heard that you were transferred back to the Leningrad Front, only to go to the ice transport line to serve as the commander of an ordinary anti-aircraft artillery battalion, which is really condescending. Then he pointed to the map on the table with a red and blue pencil and said, "I'll tell you about the current situation between friend and foe." Here is the Volkhov River, the main outlet of Lake Ilmen, which flows through Novgorod and flows northeast through a flat basin with marshes and into Lake Ladoga. The 54th Army, which I command, is currently deployed on the east bank of the Volkhov River.

And at the same time as the army group, deployed on the east bank, there was also the Volkhov Front. It was formed on December 17, 1941 on the basis of the Leningrad Left Wing and the Reserve of the Base Camp of the Supreme High Command, with the aim of providing more precise campaign command of the combat units east of the Volkhov River. There are 4th, 52nd, and 59th armies; Assault on the 2nd Army (reorganized from the 26th Army) and the Aviation Corps, the commander of the Front was commanded by the former Chief of the General Staff of the Red Army, General Meretskov. The task of the Front was to annihilate the German forces on the west bank of the Volkhov River, and then to develop an offensive in the northwest, in coordination with the troops of the Leningrad Front to lift the blockade of hostile Leningrad. ”

It was the first time I had heard of the Volkhov Front, which Fedyuninsky had introduced, whether it was the formation of the troops or the name of the commander of the Front, General Meretskov. Because a lot of the information is classified, if Fedyuninsky hadn't told me, a petty officer of my level would not have known about it. To be honest, before I came here, I thought that all the troops outside Leningrad were under the command of Fedyuninsky.

After briefly introducing the deployment along the Volkhov River, Fedyuninsky looked at me and smiled kindly, and said: "Major Oshanina, you have also commanded a campaign of tens of thousands of people, if the Volkhov Front or the 54th Army were handed over to you, how would you command it?" ”

Hearing him ask, I was dumbfounded: others have crossed over, all of them are all-rounders with all-round talents in civil and military affairs, who can strategize and win a decisive victory, and use the convenience of their familiarity with history to turn the tide, even if they are bound to lose a war, they can turn defeat into victory. And I, a traveler, know very little about the history of the Great Patriotic War, and I am an out-and-out rookie in military affairs, and some of the results I have achieved in the past are only because of someone and good luck. If I were to talk about how to fight, I'd be mad. I didn't dare to make eye contact with Fedyuninsky's eyes, so I could only stare at the map, pretending to be trying to think, but in fact I was so distracted that I didn't know how to answer his question.

"Major Oshanina," Fzyuninsky couldn't help but ask, seeing that he was slow to speak, "what are you thinking, why don't you answer me?" ”

I shrugged my shoulders and replied with a wry smile, "Comrade Commander, I don't know how to answer you. You must know that although I have been a general and commanded tens of thousands of people to fight, in the final analysis, I am a high-level trick of playing soy sauce, and everything is implemented according to the strategy arranged by the superiors, just some fine-tuning in the details. ”

"Hit soy sauce?!" Fedyuninsky repeated the word and asked in surprise: "What does it mean?" ”

Hearing him ask this, I couldn't wait to slap myself in the mouth, saying that it was not good, not to say "soy sauce", to know that there is no such thing as soy sauce in Russia, no wonder he couldn't understand it. I explained, somewhat embarrassed, "Well, it's a mantra I hear from fighters from East Asia. Roughly speaking, the Red Army soldier is a brick, which can be moved wherever it is needed. ”

Fedyuninsky opened his mouth, smiled silently, and said: "This analogy is quite interesting, I have heard of it for the first time. However, in the past six months or so, my position has also changed quite quickly, first as a deputy to the commander of the Front Army, General Zhukov, and then as the commander of the 42nd Army. After Zhukov was transferred, I also served for a time as commander of the Leningrad Front. Later, he was transferred to General Hozin and became the commander of the 54th Army. Maybe it won't be long before I'm transferred to command other troops. ”

"Comrade commander," I was afraid that Fedyuninsky was asking me some embarrassing question, so I quickly diverted the topic: "Can I know what position I am about to take in the 54th Army?"

"I plan to arrange you as an operational staff officer in the operations department of the group army headquarters first." Fedyuninsky said vaguely.

"However, Comrade Commander, I would still prefer to go to the combat unit." To be honest, I had no interest in serving as a staff officer in the headquarters, preferring to stay in the front-line combat units, "even if you let me command a battalion or a company." ”

"This is not a question for you to consider," said Fedyuninsky, who interrupted me impatiently as if he had changed his work schedule, "Didn't you just say that the Red Army soldiers were bricks, and they could be moved where they were needed?" How did you forget it so quickly? ”

"But I've never worked in the War Division?"

"No one is born with it, you don't understand, you can learn." He interrupted me again and said in a resolute tone: "I am very optimistic about your ability to command troops in battle, but you still have a lot to learn if you want to become a good senior commander. That's what keeps you in the combat department. This is not my opinion, but the personal account of General Zhukov. ”

Hearing that it was Zhukov who meant, I could only reluctantly accept this reality. I stood up, saluted him, and asked, "Comrade Commander, I obey the organization's arrangement, who should I go to to report?" ”

Fedyuninsky walked to the door, opened the door, and said to the lieutenant on duty outside the door: "Comrade lieutenant, you take Major Oshanina to the combat office to report, and by the way, arrange her accommodation." ”

"Yes," the lieutenant replied decisively.

After saluting Fedyuninsky again, I was about to leave. He suddenly stopped me again and said, "Major Oshanina, maybe you won't be in the combat department for long, and you will be transferred again, I hope you will be mentally prepared in advance." ”

Just arrived in a new place to report, and before you officially go to work, you will soon be transferred away? I was stunned for a moment, and then I couldn't help but ask Fedyuninsky curiously: "Comrade commander, can I ask where you are transferred?" ”

Instead of answering my question directly, Fedyuninsky said: "Someone has been calling me for the past two days, hoping to transfer you to his unit. ”

I was very curious about who the person who asked me to go by name, and I don't seem to be well-known here in Leningrad, otherwise I wouldn't have almost fought with fighters at the checkpoint on the ice transport line twice. So I asked softly: "Comrade commander, can I ask who it is?" ”

"Your old superior, Vlasov, Lieutenant General Vlasov." Fedyuninsky also said softly: "He is now the deputy commander of the Volkhov Front, and he is currently directing the 2nd Shock Army of the Front in the Lyuban area, launching an offensive against the Germans in response to the breakthrough of the Leningrad Front." ”