"The roof leak happened to rain overnight, and the boat was late and encountered a head wind."

Without waiting for all of Colonel Zhicholiv's men to leave, Lieutenant Witolganov and Lieutenant Akhromeyev walked into the command post together. Seeing the two of them come in, I suddenly had a feeling that something was wrong, but I still asked with luck, "Why did you two come together?" ”

The two looked at each other, and Captain Witorganov stepped forward and reported to me: "Comrade Major, we have brought you bad news. Just now, I received an order from the brigade commander through the on-board radio that the Germans were attacking the area of Miasnebor, and ordered me to immediately lead the whole battalion back along the same route to attack the German flank. ”

When he finished speaking, I turned my eyes to Akhromeyev, who was standing beside him, and asked, "What about you?" Comrade Lieutenant, did he get the same order as him? ”

Hearing my question, Akhromeyev nodded a little awkwardly and said: "Yes, Comrade Major, I also received the same order to immediately lead the troops back the same way and go to the rescue of the attacked 59th Army. ”

At this point, I have no power to return to heaven, and if they want to leave, I can only let them go. I took a deep breath, stabilized myself, stood up and waved at them, and said pretentiously, "Now that you've received orders, go ahead and carry them out." It is important to know that the orders of the superiors are not allowed to be discussed or delayed. ”

The two of them silently raised their hands and gave me a military salute, then turned and left the command post.

After the people in the command post were gone, I still couldn't calm down for a long time. Little did I know that the German offensive elsewhere would turn the tide and the low-hanging fruit victory would come to naught. What is even more infuriating is that the commanders of the front army did not know what Lu Dao thought, the 52nd and 59th group armies, a field force of more than 100,000 people, were evenly deployed on both sides of the supply line that was several tens of kilometers long, and became a garrison of the nest. On the surface, these 100,000 people guarded the lines of communication like iron buckets, but in fact they were full of loopholes, and the Germans could attack from any area, while these units of our army defending the lines of communication could only carry out passive defense, giving up the initiative on the battlefield to the Germans.

Not long after Akhromeyev and the others left, Lieutenant Ugad, Second Lieutenant Miducci, and Captain Kozara walked in again. The three of them lined up in front of me. Captain Kozara was the first to speak: "Comrade Major, I have something to report to you. ”

As soon as I heard him say this, I couldn't help but chuckle in my heart, and secretly said that I wouldn't even have to transfer his troops, right? Thinking about this, my already low mood became more and more depressed, and I asked weakly: "Comrade Captain, have you received any orders from your superiors?" ”

Kozara nodded very affirmatively and said, "Yes, Comrade Major. Just now, a messenger sent by the division headquarters sent me a handwritten letter from the division commander, who ordered me to immediately lead the Yevgeny regiment and quickly move closer to the division headquarters to accept a new combat mission. ……”

I slammed the table and interrupted him with a loud yell: "Enough, Comrade Captain! Needless to say. I stood up and walked back and forth in the room with my hands behind my back. The 58th Brigade of Zhicholiv was gone, the tank battalion of Captain Witorganov was gone, the second lieutenant training team of Lieutenant Akhromeyev was gone, and now even the Yevgeny regiment, which had only a few hundred men left, was not spared. If they all withdrew, then there would be only forty or fifty men left in the seventh and eighth companies on the position. The battalion commander has become a platoon commander, I don't care about this, as long as there are people under my command who can command. My fear is that if the Germans discover that the defenses on the position are weak and attack again, we will not be able to hold it at all, and the passage that we have managed to open will be cut off by the enemy.

I sat back down, my fingers tapping lightly on the table, my mind racing, thinking about what to do. If the departure of Colonel Zhicholiv, Captain Witorganov, Lieutenant Akhromeyev and others just now with their troops only made me feel lost, then at this moment I feel almost embattled. Don't count on the attack, it would be good to hold the position under the fierce offensive of the Germans.

"Comrade Major, Comrade Major." Captain Cozara's cry pulled me back from my musings. I remembered that the captain was still in the command post, waiting for my reply. So I hurriedly forced out a smile and said apologetically: "Comrade Captain, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have been angry with you just now. "At this moment, I know very well in my heart that since the division commander has personally given the order, it is impossible to leave their troops, so it is better to be generous and let them go. Of course, I can't let Captain Kozara take all the people away, and I have to leave some troops for me, otherwise I will become the commander of the bare. I went on to say, "I think so, because the northern heights, because they are only a few hundred meters away from the German positions, are in danger of being attacked at any time, and now there are only a hundred people on the positions, half of them are of your regiment, and if you withdraw the men, then the defense will be greatly weakened, and if it is attacked, it will not be able to hold it at all." Therefore, I suggest that you leave only with the troops stationed on the southern slope, and leave behind all the warriors who are now in positions on the northern slope. I wonder if you agree? ”

When the lieutenant heard me say this, he lowered his head and thought for a moment, then nodded vigorously and replied decisively: "Comrade Major, I obey your orders. I will leave with the troops on the southern slope, and leave the warriors on the northern slope behind. If the division commander asked, I told him that in order to ensure the smooth passage of the passage was guarded by the Germans, I had sent troops to the dangerous area to keep it on guard. ”

"Thank you, Comrade Captain." I went up and held his hand tightly, shaking it vigorously. You must know that he left the troops to me without authorization, and he also has to take risks, and if the enemy denounces him, he is even in danger of going to court-martial.

The lieutenant said lightly: "Comrade Major, please take care." Hopefully we'll see each other again soon. With that, he withdrew his hand, gave me a standard military salute, and turned to leave.

After the lieutenant had left, I looked at Lieutenant Ugad and Ensign Miducci, who were standing straight in front of me, and asked with a frown, "What is the matter with you?" Wouldn't it have been an order from the regiment commander, Lieutenant Colonel Harpy, or the division commander, Colonel Antchufeev, to transfer your troops as well? "When I asked this, I kept beating the drum in my heart, and if they were to withdraw, I would really be the commander of the bare-bones.

Lieutenant Ugad grinned and said, "Comrade Major, seeing that so many troops are leaving, and the soldiers are not sure, I specially asked me to plan for you, whether we should follow the withdrawal or stay and hold on." Probably afraid that I would misunderstand, he deliberately accentuated his tone and said, "Whether you defend or withdraw, I will resolutely obey your orders." ”

I punched him hard in the chest, and said with a smile: "Comrade lieutenant, now you know what you say, no matter what others think, I will stay and hold my ground anyway." At this point, I turned my face and said solemnly, "Go back and tell the fighters that even if there is only one person left, you must stick to the position like a nail, and you must not retreat a single step." You must know that behind us is a breakthrough channel that is related to the life and death of the group army, and we have no way out. ”

Ugad and Miducci raised their hands and saluted, and replied loudly: "Please rest assured, Comrade Major, that as long as there is a living soldier on the position, we will never let the enemy take the position!" ”