The lieutenant replied with some panic: "Report to Comrade General, as soon as we received the order, we immediately carried out an emergency mobilization, and after receiving the equipment, we immediately rushed over by car as fast as possible. ”

With the German offensive temporarily repulsed, Meretskov's mood improved a little, and he kindly asked the nervous lieutenant: "Comrade lieutenant, what is your name?" ”

"Akhromeyev," the lieutenant replied sharply by his name, and then added his full name, "Sergei Fedorovich Akhromeyev." ”

Meretskov sat down at the table, took a cigarette from his pocket, put it in his mouth, and stretched the case towards Akhromeyev. After shaking his head, he put the cigarette case on the table, lit a cigarette, took a puff, and asked, "Where are you from?" ”

"Report to Comrade General," seeing Meretskov's amiable attitude, Akhromeyev became less nervous and naturally replied: "I am Mrs. Tambo." At the age of 17, he left the farm to join the Red Army, and soon entered the Naval Academy. When the war broke out, I had not yet finished my studies, so I graduated from the academy early and returned to the combat sequence of the army. ”

"It's okay, let's go back and read it again," Meretskov said kindly, "Now do a good job in the army, maybe in the future you will become a general." ”

The phone rang at the observation post, and it was the commander of the 52nd Army, Yakovlev, who reported to Meretskov that they were now massing forces and preparing to launch a counterattack and restore the lost positions, having repelled the German attack.

Putting down the phone, Meretskov threw the cigarette butt to the ground, stomped it out with his foot, looked up and asked Lieutenant Akhromeyev: "Comrade lieutenant, where are your troops?" ”

"Assembled outside the forest, ready for battle." After Akhromeyev finished speaking, he turned his head and glanced at the captain, who immediately understood and reported: "Comrade General, the junior commander's teaching company is also assembled and on standby, waiting for your instructions. ”

Meretskov stood up, waved his hand and said: "Let's go, you guys take me to see the troops, I will talk to them personally." ”

Outside the forest, more than 300 commanders and fighters with loaded guns stood in a neat line.

Akhromeyev and the captain ran back to their respective teams and shouted loudly the order to stand and take a break. With their commands, the movements of hundreds of people were as uniform as if they were one person, showing their excellent military qualities.

Meretskov had just taken a step forward, stopped again, turned his head and whispered to the general next to him. I was close enough to hear him clearly saying, "I said, the commander of the second lieutenant training team and the junior instructor training company is too young and has little combat experience. ”

"You're right, Comrade General." Without the slightest hesitation, the general immediately agreed.

"Then please take a trip yourself."

"Yes, I'll go right away."

The moment I heard the conversation between the two, a thought suddenly flashed through my mind: if I had taken command of this force and had won the victory, I might have been able to stay at the headquarters of the Volkhov Front, without going to the 2nd Shock Army, which might be surrounded by the Germans at any time.

As soon as this thought came to me, I didn't care about weighing the pros and cons, so I boldly stepped forward and stopped the general who wanted to leave: "Comrade general, please wait a moment. ”

"What's the matter?" The general looked at me and asked puzzled.

I didn't bother to answer him, but said directly to Meretskov: "Comrade General, allow me to be the commander of this assault team. ”

"You?!" Meretskov didn't expect me to say this, and couldn't help but be stunned.

After a moment of coldness, the general said in a tone of distrust: "I say, Comrade Major, I don't know how you got your current rank, but I remind you that this is to go to war, not to a ball. Maybe the enemy shells are still exploding far away, and you'll be so frightened that you'll turn around and run. ”

Instead of the cynicism of General Finance, I continued to say to Meretskov: "Comrade General, during the defense of Moscow, I led a small force of several hundred men to recapture the positions occupied by the enemy; He also commanded tens of thousands of troops and participated in the great counteroffensive under the city of Moscow. I have a great deal of combat experience, and if you can put this force under my command, I promise to take it back. ”

After listening to me, Meretskov was silent, and the general, suffocated by my words, did not speak again.

After a long time, Meretskov finally made a decision, he nodded slowly, and he said to me: "Okay, follow me." In the presence of all the commanders and fighters, I will appoint you as the commander of the assault force. ”

We came to a stop at the front of the ranks, and Meretskov shouted to them: "Comrades, soon you will take part in the counteroffensive against the Germans and drive them out of our positions. Do you have faith? ”

Hundreds of throats replied neatly: "Yes!" ”

Hearing the commanders' answers, Meretskov nodded with satisfaction, pointed his finger at me, and said to them: "This is the commander of my newly appointed assault force, Major Oshanina, who will lead you to fight the Germans. Now I would like to ask her to give you a few words. ”

As soon as the voice fell, there was silence, a terrible silence.

It is one thing for Russia to respect women, but it is quite another to let a group of promising commanders go to war with a woman they don't know. At least, among the commanders and fighters present, apart from Meretskov, they could not find a single person who believed in my ability.

I took a step forward, my eyes slowly sweeping over the faces of these young officers, and from their resolute expressions and closed lips, I knew that they were ready for battle. In order to dispel their concerns and be able to be the best in battle, we must first build up their trust in me.

"All the commanders and fighters of the second lieutenant training team and the junior commander training company, brothers!" I said loudly: "It is not easy to make a determination to let you go to such a brutal battle, and it is even more difficult for General Meretskov to give such an order, and he made this difficult decision after careful consideration. ”

Speaking of this, I paused for a moment, secretly glanced at Meretskov, who was standing next to me, and saw that he was stunned at first, and then showed an approving look on his face, and then continued: "You are all excellent commanders in the Red Army, and I firmly believe that in time, among you, there will definitely be many people who will grow into high-ranking commanders, become generals and even marshals in the Red Army. How can we bear to use you as ordinary warriors? But now the situation is dire, and if the fascist bandits are allowed to gain a foothold, they may at any moment break through our lines and cut off the supply routes under our feet that the 2nd Shock Army can hardly survive. ”

"Please rest assured, Comrade Major." Lieutenant Akhromeyev stepped forward and replied loudly: "The second lieutenant training team and all the commanders and fighters of the junior commander's training company will never disgrace the glorious Red Army troops. We're all going to charge into battle like ordinary soldiers. ”

The captain of the teaching company also stepped forward and said loudly: "Please give the order of Comrade Major, we have prepared all the combat preparations and are ready to enter the battle at any time." ”

Seeing all this, Meretskov also spoke again: "Brothers, I hope that you will exchange the smallest sacrifice for the greatest victory. At this point, he pointed to a dirt slope in the distance and said to me: "Major Oshanina, you first lead your troops there to occupy the starting position, and wait for the signal to attack." Remember, it's a red flare. ”

I saluted him with a solemn military salute and replied loudly: "Please rest assured, Comrade Commander, that I promise to complete the task well." After the salute, he turned around and shouted at the troops: "All of them, listen to my command." Attention! Turn right towards Lu, target the dirt slope in front of the left, and walk in unison! ”

The troops, with neat steps, followed behind Akhromeyev and the captain, and walked towards the dirt slope. I was about to catch up, but Meretskov stopped me from behind: "Major Oshanina! ”

I turned around and heard him ask with some hesitation, "How long do you think it will take to end the fight?" ”

I've been thinking about this question since I was at the observation post. The first line of defense occupied by the Germans was actually only one trench. The Germans were not equipped with tanks or armoured vehicles, except for artillery fire and aircraft support. In addition, between the second line of defense and the first line of defense, there is a flat river, which is conducive to the deployment of troops, and if our army attacks quickly, it should be able to recapture the position quickly. So I replied very simply: "The battle should be resolved in about half an hour." ”

I squatted on the dirt slope and observed the enemy situation with Akhromeyev and the captain. Having been repulsed, the attacking enemy troops retreated into the trenches, and the shelling of our positions completely stopped.

"How are you going to attack? Comrade Major. Akhromeyev asked from the side.

I pointed to the trench that I was going to attack and said, "You see, it's more than 300 meters from here to that trench, and there are dense craters in the middle. When attacking, let the brothers scatter their formations, and don't huddle together for the Germans to be targeted. Make clever use of those craters, alternately covering the forward rush. Do you understand? ”

"Understood." The two agreed in unison.

At this time, the Soviet counteroffensive began. To our left was the position of the 194th Regiment, and as the trumpet sounded, hordes of fighters leaped up from the trenches and rushed forward with guns in hand.

I looked up at the sky, it was gray, there was not the slightest shadow of the flare that General Meretskov had said, and it seemed that he still felt that the time had not yet come to use our commando.

As soon as the troops of the 194th Regiment rushed to the middle of the two trenches, they were intercepted by the artillery fire of the enemy in the trenches, and then all kinds of guns began to fire fiercely.

Shells kept falling in the middle of the attacking ranks, and dirt and shrapnel flew in all directions. Several commanders who rushed to the front were knocked down by bullets or shrapnel, and the offensive of the troops came to a halt at once. The fighters were lying on the ground, and no one wanted to get up from the ground. Everyone struggled to find a safe place to hide, and only when they felt safer did they begin to look around and shoot aimlessly in front of them.

"Major, look, flare!" The captain suddenly shouted and pointed into the air, and I followed the direction of his finger to see a red flare rising.

It's our turn!