Unexpectedly, Barton glanced at me, snorted contemptuously, looked his hands behind his back, his chin raised high, and stared at the ceiling of the war room, as if there was something beautiful on it that attracted him.

My outstretched hand froze there. Just as I was about to withdraw my hand, Marshall next to me hurriedly took a few steps forward, walked to Patton's side, and said loudly: "George, let me introduce you, this is Oshanina, a general from Soviet Russia." ”

The interpreter standing behind me immediately translated Marshall's words to me, and although I had long understood what Marshall had said to Patton, I pretended to listen attentively to what the interpreter had to say, in order to hide my embarrassment.

I withdrew my outstretched hand and pretended to be careless and said, "In our cavalry unit, we are equipped with an M1913 cavalry saber aided by American allies, which can change the standard slashing action into a stab, and the soldiers love this saber, and also call it the 'Patton Sabre', I just wanted to ask General Patton if this cavalry saber was designed by him." ”

After listening to the translation of others, Barton looked down at me, and the arrogant expression on his face also retracted, although the corners of his mouth were slightly upturned, but the words that came out were still cold: "Yes, that saber was designed on a whim after learning fencing skills from Monsieur Clary of France. Why, is this saber popular in Russia? ”

"That's right, Mr. General." Although I had never been to inspect the cavalry units, and I did not know what our cavalry thought of this saber, it did not affect me in the slightest to fool Patton, who was standing in front of me. Anyway, he couldn't have sent someone to find out: "In our cavalry unit." Due to the limited number of such sabers. Therefore, only soldiers who have performed well or made meritorious achievements are eligible to have this 'Patton Saber. ’”

As soon as I finished speaking, Barton turned his head and asked the translator behind me, "What did she just say?" The interpreter immediately relayed what I had said to him.

After listening to this, the expression on Barton's face became more and more friendly, and he grinned faintly, stretched out his hand to me, and said, "General Oshanina." I always felt that war was a man's business, and women should stay at home, have children, and do housework. ”

I took Patton's big strong hand and replied with a smile, "General, don't you think I'm already a neutral person?" War erased people's gender, and I wanted others to think of me first as a soldier and then as a woman. You also once said that a soldier is also a citizen, and the highest duty and right of a citizen is to take up arms to defend the motherland. ”

Barton couldn't help but laugh when he heard me say his famous quote. Seeing that there was no longer tension between me and Patton, Marshall smiled and said, "General Oshanina." I don't think you're quite right. As long as the war doesn't wipe out your life, you'll always be just a woman. And also a beautiful woman. He then patted Barton on the back. He said to him, "George, stop standing here, go back to your seat, we have important things to discuss." ”

Since Marshall and Patton were the highest-ranking men in the room, Marshall had Patton sit on his right hand side and I sat on his left when it came time to arrange the seats. As for the interpreter who was assigned to me, he sat a little further away from me and Marshall.

I looked at Patton and suddenly remembered that according to history, he should be in Africa at this moment, how could he suddenly appear in Washington? When I had carefully voiced my doubts to Marshall, he did not pursue my sources, but smiled at me and said, "General Oshanina, George took over the post of commander of the 2nd Army on March 6 and appointed General Bradley as his deputy. In the Battle of Tunis, which began on the 17th, his troops managed to capture Gafsa and successfully repel the German and Italian armoured forces, although they were only tasked with assisting. He was temporarily recalled to Washington to coordinate the fight against the British. ”

Hearing Marshall talk about his achievements, Patton's face couldn't help but show a smug expression, and my original vague memory became clear, Patton's troops should be marching towards Gabès at this time, putting pressure on the Marais line of the German-Italian army. And because his troops did not receive the air support promised in advance, he had an argument with Major General Arthur of the British Royal Air Force. Maybe he was temporarily transferred back, and he still has something to do with it.

After Marshall finished talking about Patton, he coughed and began to get down to business: "Gentlemen, I have come here today with General Oshanina of the friendly army to discuss the opening of a second battlefield. After a pause, he said to one of the colonels opposite, "Colonel Pug, let you give our allies some information." ”

The middle-aged colonel, dressed in army uniform, stood up from his position, bowed slightly in our direction, and then walked to the large map by the wall and began to explain to us: "Gentlemen, at the Casablanca meeting between President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill in January of this year, a decision was adopted to land in Sicily in the first half of the year, postponing the landing on the European continent until August 1943. At the same time, the Anglo-American Special Planning Staff was established to develop a landing plan in Europe, with British Army Lieutenant General Morgan as chief of staff. According to the provisions of the resolution, as soon as it is decided to carry out a landing on the European continent and open up a second theater of operations, the Special Staff will immediately begin to draw up operational plans. ”

Colonel Pug picked up a baton leaning against the wall and continued: "According to the lessons learned from previous landing operations, the landing site must meet the following three conditions: first, it must be within the radius of the fighter taking off from a British airfield; Second, the crossing distance should be as short as possible; Third, there should be a large port nearby. Of the 480 kilometres of coastline from Vlissingen in the Netherlands to Cherbourg, there are only three places that are suitable. With that, Pug turned and pointed at the map on the wall with his baton, "The Contantine Peninsula, Calais, and Normandy. ”

Marshall waited for Colonel Pug to put down his baton and walk back to his position, then turned his head and smiled and said to me, "General Oshanina, although the matter of opening up the second battlefield is the responsibility of General Morgan of England. But we can also discuss some possible options to offer him. In order to be able to formulate a more suitable landing plan. Continue: You are a representative sent by the Russian side. Can you tell us what you think about the landing operation? ”

"Yes, General Oshanina." Barton also chimed in kindly: "Giving us your thoughts may give us a better inspiration for those involved in the development of the plan." ”

I know in my heart that don't look at Marshall and Patton so polite on the surface, but they can't see the Soviets clearly in their bones, otherwise at the celebration banquet for the conquest of Berlin two years later, there would not have been a situation where Zhukov toasted Patton, not only ran into a wall, but was also cursed by him.

I stood up. Walked around the table with the interpreter and walked over to the map and stood still. Raise your hand and salute everyone present, and then say politely: "Dear General Marshall, General Patton, gentlemen: since General Marshall has asked me to share my opinion, I would like to share some of my views on the choice of Allied landing sites. If there is anything that is not right, I would like to ask General Marshall, General Patton, and other gentlemen to criticize and correct it. ”

Seeing Marshall's slight bow, I picked up the baton on the wall, pointed to the map and began to gush: "As far as I know, as early as March last year. General Eisenhower, together with the staff of the War Office, put forward the basic idea of how to open up a second theater of war, that is, to concentrate a large number of American troops in Britain. The British and American air forces gained air superiority over Europe and then crossed the Channel from Britain to France and Germany.

From Colonel Pag's explanation just now, I can see that General Eisenhower's theory of war has been well implemented. At present, on the landing coastline chosen by the Allies, only three areas are suitable for the Contantine peninsula, Calais and Normandy.

Let's see, since the contantine peninsula is narrow and not conducive to the deployment of large forces, I don't think it is suitable to open up as a landing ground for the Allied forces, and we can cross it off the shortlist.

Secondly, there is Calais. The advantage of this place is that it is the closest to the British, not only can it be covered by the Royal Air Force in the shortest possible time, but the transport fleet can quickly drop troops into the Calais area. Although Calais has this advantage, the disadvantages are also obvious, because of its proximity to the German mainland, the German army is very easy to reinforce the beach defenders, and the German army has the strongest defense force here, and it is the elite German troops who stick to the complete and strong fortifications. In addition, the five large ports nearby also lack inland communication lines, so they do not want to develop in depth after the Allied landing. ”

At this point, I deliberately paused and turned my head to see the reaction of the officers present. I saw that the mocking look that had been on their faces was gone, and was replaced by a solemn expression. Marshall, on the other hand, had a serious face, and when he saw me stop, he hesitated for a moment, then waved at me and said encouragingly: "Please go on, General Oshanina, and tell everyone what you really think." ”

After obtaining Marshall's permission, I continued: "Now only Normandy remains, and although it is far from the British, it has the advantage that the German defenses are relatively weak, and it is only a few dozen kilometers from Cherbourg, the largest port in northern France. In addition, the terrain here is open, and more than fifteen divisions can be deployed at the same time...... "Although I clearly remember that it was written in the information that Normandy could deploy thirty divisions, I deliberately reduced the number of troops by half in order not to be shocking.

With that said, I put down my stick and walked back to my seat and sat down.

After a long time, Marshall stood up, swept his eyes majestically over every officer present, and said solemnly: "General Oshanina's speech, I think everyone must have heard it clearly. After receiving everyone's unanimous approval, he added, "What you have just heard is top secret, and no one is allowed to reveal a single word to the outside world, otherwise you will be severely punished." ”

After saying that, Marshall turned to me again: "General Oshanina, I would like to invite you to work with us to develop a landing plan to open up a second battlefield, can you do it?" ”

General Marshall, "My mission in coming to the United States this time is to urge the United States to draw up a plan for opening up a second battlefield as soon as possible, and since there is such a good opportunity in front of me, I naturally cannot give up easily, so I smiled and agreed: "I am very happy to serve you." ”

When Marshall confronted his men again, he simply said, "Except for Colonel Pug and General Patton, let the rest of the officers go out." ”

Hearing Marshall's order, the officers sitting around the table stood up one after another, and after saluting him, Yukani walked out of the headquarters. A staff officer who walked at the end also closed the door with his hand.

But when there were only four of us and an interpreter left in the room, Marshall was not polite and asked me straight to the point: "General Oshanina, how do you plan to make a landing plan for the Allied forces in Normandy?" ”

After listening to the translator's translation, I did not immediately answer how to suppress the beachhead defenders with firepower and how to rush to land. Because I have known Marshall from later biographies, and know that he hates the act of blurting out important questions most of all, and he thinks that there is a great deal of speculation in this practice of giving answers without thinking, and that such a person is not worthy of his trust.

Although I am not his subordinate, if I show such a character, it will also arouse his disgust. Even if he doesn't say it, he will be defensive against me in his heart, so he may be picky about my suggestions when he adopts them.

I pretended to think for a moment, and then said slowly: "General Marshall, this matter is very important, please allow me to go back and think about it first, and then answer your question when I have a comprehensive consideration, is it okay?" ”

To my reply, Marshall smiled and said, "Good! Perhaps thinking I didn't know English, he pulled out a notebook and wrote my name in it, with a special note on the back: "This person is completely trustworthy!" ”

But after he closed the notebook, he said to me politely: "General Oshanina, I will report your analysis to President Roosevelt later...... ”

As he spoke, a telephone in the room rang suddenly, and Colonel Pug went over to take it, listened for a moment, and then turned to Marshall and said, "Mr. Chief of Staff, it's your phone." Marshall put his notebook on the table, got up and walked over to the phone.

I stared at the notebook on the table, then at Barton, who was looking at me with a smile in front of me, and couldn't help but think of what was mentioned in Marshall's biography, and the three comments that Marshall had made to Barton in his notebook.

The first comment: "This man can lead the troops to the fire." ”

Second comment: "Wrap a rope around his neck." ”

The third comment: "As soon as there are armored units, immediately give them to his command!" ”

It is said that as long as the person who is in the Marshall notebook has the possibility of becoming a higher officer.

While I was thinking about it, Marshall, who had finished answering the phone, came back and said to me with a smile: "General Oshanina, I have reported the matter to President Roosevelt, and he is going to ask Frederick. Sir Morgan rushed to Washington overnight to join him in the execution of the landing plan. It's not early, so go back and rest first. ”

After shaking hands with me and saying goodbye, he instructed the interpreter standing next to me: "You are responsible for sending General Oshanina back to the Soviet embassy!" (To be continued......)

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