After Travkin's report, the first reaction of the three of us was to shout in unison: "This is impossible. After the three of us shouted this sentence at the same time, we stopped together. Kirillov and Vitkov and I looked at each other and motioned for me to ask what was going on.

I habitually coughed, cleared my throat, and then asked in a stern tone: "Comrade Captain, you said that the German troops in the city had retreated, did you see it with your own eyes, or did someone else sue you?" "This matter is the most important, so when I asked Travkin, I tried to ask in as much detail as possible.

"Comrade Commander is right," Travkin next to him could not wait to reply as soon as my words fell, and Vitkov next to him could not wait to remind him: "If you did not see it with your own eyes, then either your scouts made a mistake, or your scouts were captured by the Germans and were deliberately released to spread false news." ”

Travkin only glanced at Vitkov, who doubted the results of the reconnaissance, and then, facing me, straightened his back, and reported to me in a serious manner: "Comrade commander, I saw the retreat of the Germans with my own eyes. In order to strengthen his persuasiveness, he added, in particular, that "when the scouts I sent in the direction of the city came back to report to me, I did not believe the results of the reconnaissance, and even threatened the scout who reported to me that if he told a lie, I would shoot him." But the scout swore to me that he had seen the Germans withdraw. In order to confirm his news, I made a special trip to the city, and after some searching, I found that Zaporosh had become an empty city. ”

After listening to Travkin's report, I walked back and forth in the headquarters with my hands behind my back, thinking about what kind of medicine the Germans were selling in this gourd. They are in the vicinity of Zaporosh. There are also several divisions of troops. There was also at least one division of defenders in the city. Compared to us. In addition to their geographical advantages, they also have an advantage in terms of troops, weapons and equipment.

Seeing that I was slow to speak, Vitkov was a little anxious, and he said urgently: "Comrade commander, I think there is a problem here, the main forces of the German army are not damaged at all, and it is also very easy to block our attack. But now. They quietly withdrew from the city without firing a shot, there must have been some conspiracy, maybe they had dug a trap and were waiting for our troops to jump in. ”

I stopped, looked up at Vitkov, nodded and said: "Comrade Chief of Staff, you are quite right, the German troops are withdrawn from the city so quietly, it must be a problem. Manstein now has two elite units at his disposal, the Imperial Division and the Skeleton Division. If we really want to fight, no force can compete with us. So I think the enemy quietly withdrew from the city this time. There must be some big conspiracy brewing. ”

"So what do we do now?" As soon as I had finished speaking, Vitkov immediately asked me for instructions.

What to do? Vitkov's question really stumped me, it was getting late now, and if the Germans had an ambush in the city, and I hastily sent troops into the city, I might suffer heavy losses. Before I could make a final decision, Kirillov took the initiative to advise me: "Comrade Oshanina, although the Germans have retreated from the city, we have not yet sent troops to occupy the city. As for what the situation is in the city, after dawn, we will send a force in to check it out and decide on the next course of action. Do you think this will work? ”

"Comrade commissar, you have thought it through." I thought about Kirillov's proposal for only a few seconds, then decisively agreed, and then instructed Vitkov: "Comrade Chief of Staff, you call Godunov and Pelsjian in the Kuban and ask them to leave at six o'clock tomorrow morning and rush to the army headquarters to report. ”

"Okay, I'll call them." Immediately after receiving the order, Vitkov picked up the phone on the desk and dialed the Kuban line. After a brief silence, I heard him say loudly: "Hey, operator, I'm Colonel Vitkov, immediately connect me to the new third regiment in the Kuban." That's right, the New Third Regiment, find me the commander of the New Third Regiment, Major Godunov. ”

Soon I heard Godunov's voice faintly coming from the earpiece, and I hurriedly took two steps forward, took the phone from Vitkov's hand, and said into the microphone: "Hey, is it Major Godunov?" I'm Oshanina. ”

"Hello, Comrade Commander." Hearing that it was me, Godunov hurriedly asked respectfully: "May I ask if you are calling at this time, do you have any combat missions to hand over to our regiment?" ”

"You guessed right, Comrade Major." Since I was not worried about the leakage of the wired phone, I told him bluntly: "According to the reports of the scouts, the Germans have quietly withdrawn from Zaporosh, and the whole city is now empty. ”

"Comrade commander, please rest assured," said Godunov before I could finish speaking, "I will immediately assemble my troops and rush to Zaporosh overnight, and I will definitely control all the important fortifications of the city in our hands before dawn." ”

"Comrade Major, you are in too much of a hurry." I couldn't help laughing out loud at Godunov's eagerness to fight, and then said to him: "Your regiment will continue to rest and recuperate, and tomorrow morning it will leave at six o'clock to meet us at the headquarters at the airport." By the way, before you set out, call Major Perstian as well, to hold Zaporosh, without tank troops, your infantry alone will not work. ”

"Yes, Comrade Commander." Godunov replied loudly: "I will convey your order to Major Persten." ”

"Comrade Commander, we have several regiments of the 22nd Guards Division here, and they are located not far from Zaporosh. But why did you want to transfer Major Godunov's new third regiment from the Kuban? After waiting for me to put down the phone, Vitkov asked in confusion: "You have confused me with such an arrangement." ”

"Comrade Chief of Staff," Kirillov said to Vitkov with a smile, and immediately said to him with a smile: "I have been working with Comrade Oshanina longer than you and know her a little more. Since she arranged it this way, she must have thought it carefully. You say yes, right? He asked me the next sentence.

"Yes, Comrade Commissar. You're quite right. "Although Kirillov showed support and trust in me. But I know it in my heart. In fact, he also had doubts about my arrangement, so I took the opportunity to explain to the two of them: "The new third regiment is composed of assault engineer battalions, and what they are good at is attacking. And this is something that cannot be compared with several other regiments of the 22nd Guards Division. The reason why I let the new third regiment advance into the city was to prevent the Germans from setting up an ambush in the city. With the combat effectiveness of the assault sappers, even if they are ambushed by the Germans, I believe in their strength. Even if you can't fight the enemy's attack, you can successfully withdraw from the city. ”

"I see." After listening to my explanation, Kirillov and Vitkov both nodded with a look of abrupt understanding.

At about seven o'clock the next morning, Godunov and Perstian arrived at the headquarters set up on the plane. After the two of us saluted, I went up to shake hands with them one by one and asked them briefly how they were doing.

The two did not stay long in the command headquarters before accepting the new assignment assigned to them by Vitkov and, after saluting us again, turned around and left the command headquarters and led the troops to Zaporosh.

They left less than an hour. The operator reported to me: "Comrade Commander, Major Godunov is on the line. He's going to talk to you. ”

Seeing the announcer's happy expression, I knew in my heart that it must be good news, so I walked over and put on my headphones, smiled and said to the transmitter: "Major Godunov, is there any good news for me?" ”

"Yes, Comrade Commander." Godunov excitedly reported to me: "Our regiment and Perstian's tank battalion have taken control of the whole of Zaporosh, and after careful search by our fighters, no Germans have been found in the city. ”

"Well done, Comrade Major." When I heard Godunov say that the whole of Zaporosh was under our control, the boulder hanging in my heart was lowered, and I went on to say to him: "Send troops immediately into the fortifications built by the Germans, and be ready for battle, lest the Germans kill them." ”

When I put down the headphones and microphones, I couldn't help but proudly say to Kirillov and Vitkov: "Commissar, chief of staff, good news. Major Godunov reported that he and Major Perstian's troops had taken control of the entire city of Zaporosh, and that no German troops had been found in the city. ”

"That's great news." When Kirillov said this, he and Vitkov looked at each other with a smile, and then said to me: "Comrade Oshanina, I think it is necessary to immediately report this matter to the army group command, so that Commander Kharytonov will also be happy." ”

"Well, Comrade Political Commissar, I agree with your suggestion." I nodded in agreement, and then handed over the report to Vitkov: "Comrade Chief of Staff, you will draft the telegram to the command of the army group. ”

"Okay, I'll draft the telegram immediately." As soon as he finished speaking, a dull explosion could be heard outside. When I heard this voice, I immediately frowned and asked dissatisfiedly, "What happened, where did this explosion come from?" ”

Vitkov walked to the door of the cabin and went out to listen in the direction the sound was coming from. There was another explosion, and this time it was all clearer as we were all listening intently. Vitkov returned to the cabin, walked to the table, picked up the telephone on it, dialed Pantai Leev's phone, and asked loudly: "Hey, General Pantai Leev?" I'm Vitkov, did you hear the explosion just now? Is the Skeleton Division attacking you again? ”

"No, Comrade Chief of Staff." Judging by Pantai Leyev's voice, I think he is probably confused about the situation. His next answer quickly confirmed my suspicions: "The Germans did not attack us today, so I sent men to the German garrison to reconnoitre." The returning scouts reported that the German garrison was empty, and they may have moved to the other side of the Dnieper overnight. ”

"I see." After Vitkov said this, he put down the phone, looked at me with a puzzled expression, and said: "Comrade commander, this is really strange. Not only have the German troops in Zaporosh been evacuated, but even the 'skeleton division' in front of us does not know where to go. ”

Although I knew that Manstein must have a conspiracy in doing this, but in my haste, I couldn't understand it, so I could only reluctantly order Vitkov: "Chief of staff, you should first draft a telegram to the army group headquarters." Also, figure out what the explosion was all about. ”

As soon as I finished speaking, the operator turned around and shouted: "Comrade Commander, Major Godunov wants to talk to you, and he says that he has important information to report to you. ”

I don't know what Godunov is going to report to me, so when I speak into the microphone, I feel a little uneasy: "Hey, Major, I'm Oshanina, what's going on with you?" ”

"That's right, Comrade Commander." Godunov reported very quickly: "According to the observation post, the enemy has just blown up two pontoon bridges over the Dnieper. ”

As soon as Godunov said this, I understood what was going on with the explosion I had heard a few minutes earlier, and I relaxed and said to him: "The Germans were probably afraid that we would cross the river with a pontoon bridge, so they blew up the bridge." Don't worry, Major, since we can't get by, so can't the enemy. ”

"That's not the case, Comrade Commander." Godunov replied with some panic: "The Germans blew up the pontoon bridge, which only means that their heavy equipment cannot come over, but their infantry can pass through the frozen river and rush into Zaporos at any time." ”

"What? Can the German infantry rush through the ice on the Guò River to the city? "After listening to Godunov's debriefing, I seem to understand a little bit of why Manstein withdrew his troops. But I did not immediately express my speculation, but simply instructed Godunov: "Deploy in the direction facing the river, and I will rush to the city at once." ”

"What's wrong?" When Kirillov saw my stern expression, he hurriedly asked with concern: "What new hostile situation has Major Godunov reported?" ”

"That's right, Comrade Commissar. Major Godunov reported that the Germans had blown up two pontoon bridges over the Dnieper, "I will first explain to Kirillov and Vitkov what the explosion was going on, and then say anything else:" After blowing up the pontoon bridges, although the German heavy equipment could not pass, their infantry could rush into the city at any time through the frozen river. Now the situation has become complicated, and I have to go to the city immediately to see what is going on. ”

When Kirillov heard me say this, he immediately said: "Comrade Oshanina, I'll go with you." As for the matter here, I will leave it to the chief of staff for the time being. (To be continued......)

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