"We can beat the Germans in two years?" The engineer who spoke quickly glanced at my epaulettes and said euphemistically: "Comrade General, I didn't understand it wrong, did I?" ”

Seeing the curious expression on Ustinov's face, I smiled at the challenged engineer and said lightly: "That's right, Comrade Engineer, you didn't understand wrong, in two years at most we will be able to defeat the Germans." As for the reason," I deliberately paused for a moment to draw everyone's attention to this, and then said in an official tone, "After the German army suffered a crushing defeat at Stalingrad, it began to decline, and together with the various defects of the military, political and economic constitution of Nazi Germany, it doomed them to the ultimate fate of defeat. ”

When I said this, I turned my head to look at Ustinov to see how he reacted. Unexpectedly, not only did he not have the slightest smile on his face, but a solemn expression was covered. I didn't know that what I said touched his heart, so I quickly changed the topic and asked, "Comrade People's Commissar, I don't know what you asked me to come here today, is there something wrong?" ”

Ustinov, hearing my question, did not answer immediately, but stood up and said to the engineers: "Comrade engineers, I think Oshanina is right, if you really wait until two years later, and then use this new tank in the armed forces, there will be no point. So I beg you here to hurry up and overcome all difficulties, and make sure that in the shortest possible time, all our tank crews will have such tanks in place. ”

After listening to Ustinov's words, one of the older engineers stood up and assured him: "Comrade People's Commissar, I speak to you on behalf of all the people. We will definitely solve the problems faced by the new tank within three months. Strive to arm our troops with such tanks by August. ”

To the engineer's reply, Ustinov nodded with satisfaction, "Since everyone's opinion has been unified, then give me a detailed report as soon as possible, so that I can prepare the necessary raw materials for you." and the provision of adequate manpower. After saying these two words, he shook his head at me and said, "Comrade Oshanina, go out for a walk with me." ”

I guessed that he might have something to say to me privately, so I got up and followed him out the door.

We walked along the dimly lit hallway, with a few guards following us deliberately a few steps behind us so as not to interfere with our private conversations. And Ustinov walked forward without saying a word. Maybe to take care of me, he walked very slowly so that I could keep up with him.

As he walked, he suddenly stopped, turned to me and said solemnly, "Oshanina, do you know? Kharkov was lost last night. ”

"What, Kharkov is lost?" I was taken aback by this unexpected news, and I did not expect that our army would occupy Kyiv. Dispersing the enemy's forces still failed to change the fate of the loss of Kharkov. I instinctively asked: "What about Kyiv." Is it still in our hands? ”

Ustinov said sadly: "The Germans rushed into Kharkov on the 11th, when the German troops who rushed into the city divided into two columns and advanced along the Belgorod-Kharkov railway line to the north of Kharkov. But when they rushed to Alexandria, a small unit of our army, guided by a T-34, counterattacked the Germans and successfully drove them out of the city.

Later, the Germans were supported by powerful air-class artillery fire, including dive bombers and assault guns. Stormed the city again. After repelling the counteroffensive launched by our troops from the Kharkov airport and destroying many of our T-34s, they established offensive strongholds in residential areas in the northern suburbs.

On 12 March, the German Panzer Division broke through our strong defenses in the northern residential areas and engaged in a fierce house-to-house battle with our troops. and quickly towards the city center. ……”

When Ustinov recounted the battle of Kharkiv, I was worried about Kyiv, the loss of Kharkov, Rybalko and they would be trapped in the Kyiv region, if they did not get the support of their superiors, even if the German army did not attack, the troops of the Dnieper Battle Cluster would collapse without a fight because of the exhaustion of supplies.

Finally, when Ustinov finished speaking, and seeing that he didn't mention Kyiv, I just wanted to ask again, but he preemptively said: "Go, accompany me to the top to have a look." ”

Hearing him say this, I couldn't help but cry bitterly, and I said that I had just followed the officer here, and I had walked for at least ten minutes, and the wound on my eye was still aching along the way. If I walked back like this, I was really worried that the worst-case scenario would happen and the retina would detach again.

Without waiting for me to speak, Ustinov raised his leg and walked forward, and seeing this, I had no choice but to follow him. But fortunately, it didn't take long for me to realize that the situation was a little different from what I had imagined, and Ustinov led me to an elevator. Seeing our arrival, the sentries standing guard on both sides of the elevator hurriedly took the initiative to open the elevator door for us and invited us in.

The two of us got on the phone, and the guards who had been following behind followed. After closing the elevator door, they pressed the elevator button directly, allowing the elevator we were taking to slowly ascend.

When the elevator stopped, the guards opened the elevator doors and went outside to act as guards. Ustinov made a gesture of invitation to me, and then he took the lead and walked outside. Getting out of the elevator, he stood there and looked left and right for a moment, then pointed to the right and said, "Let's go outside and have a look." ”

We passed through a long corridor and finally came to the outside of the building. On the walls of the building, several tanks covered with camouflage nets were neatly placed. Judging from the shape of the tank, it should be a new type of tank produced with the technology brought by Floning.

I thought that Ustinov would let people lift the camouflage net on the tank and let me see the latest tank of our army, but he continued to walk forward without stopping.

As we walked forward a little further, I suddenly saw a raised earthen embankment on the open ground in front of us, and there were quite a few people standing on top of the earthen embankment, and several T-34 tanks were parked in the vicinity. When I saw this strange phenomenon, I thought to myself that Ustinov had taken me so far, so he wouldn't have taken me specifically to see this earthen embankment, right?

Wait to get closer. When I saw my acquaintance Floning standing on the earthen embankment, and the wide and deep pit under the earthen embankment, I immediately understood that this was the "Golan trench" that I had proposed. The upper and lower widths and depths of this anti-tank trench, all meet the criteria I am talking about, since they only test the suitability of such anti-tank trenches. So the length of the trench was only thirty meters.

Flonin went around the ditch, came to our side, and after greeting us, he stood next to us and explained to Ustinov about the advantages of this anti-tank trench.

After listening to this, Ustinov still said uneasily: "Comrade engineer, are you sure that this anti-tank trench will be able to block the torrent of steel of the German army?" ”

"Comrade People's Commissar," Fronin said cautiously, "after our tests, despite the fact that the tanks of the attacking side exhausted all means. Still unable to successfully cross the trench. At the beginning of the test, there was even a tank that overturned into a ditch, resulting in the driver of the car being injured. ”

After listening to this, Ustinov turned his head and said to me with a smile: "Comrade Oshanina, it seems that this kind of anti-tank trench you have researched can really come in handy. ”

Unexpectedly, when Floning heard his words, he looked at me in surprise and asked: "Comrade People's Commissar, you just said this kind of anti-tank trench. Did Comrade Oshanina grope it out? ”

"That's right, I'm from Marshal Zhukov. "Knowing this idea of Comrade Oshanina," he said with a smile, "I was also skeptical when I heard it. But in order not to lose face with the marshal, I still agreed to dig such an anti-tank trench and try, I didn't expect it to work so well. As long as we have a large number of such anti-tank trenches, I estimate. It's sure to give the Germans a headache. ”

When Ustinov walked to the edge of the ditch to see the effect, Fronin approached me and asked in a low voice: "Leda, I want to ask you something, how do you know about the 'Golan trench'?" ”

Floning's words made my heart tighten. After the heart finished speaking, did he guess that I was also a traverser. When he was thinking about how to answer him, he said to himself: "This kind of anti-tank trench appeared in the Middle East war in 1973, and it was with this kind of anti-tank trench that the weak Israeli army not only blocked the enemy's onslaught, but even launched a counterattack, completely annihilating the invading enemy army." ”

When he finished speaking, I pretended to be mysterious and said, "Comrade Engineer, in fact, this is also something I have figured out. At that time, I thought that after this plan was reported, it would be put in a situation where no one cared about it, but I didn't expect you to spend such a big price to build such an anti-tank trench. ”

Fronin cautiously asked, "Is this idea of yours just coming to you, or is it the product of a long period of deliberation?" ”

"Very well thought out, of course." When I talked about the Golan trenches, I got a little carried away, and in order to make Fronin understand, I also made a point of naming and saying: "Actually, as early as the defense of Stalingrad, I used to think of digging such an anti-tank trench in front of our Mamayev post, so that every time the enemy attacked, their tanks would rush to the foot of the hill to cover the infantry attack on us." ”

"Since you had such anti-tank trenches in mind back in the days of the Battle of Stalingrad." Hearing me say this, Florin asked with some puzzlement: "Then why don't you send someone to dig one at the foot of the mountain?" Don't you know that such an anti-tank trench can hold off an armored assault of the enemy? ”

I let out a long sigh and said to Floning a little helplessly: "Engineer, it's not that I don't want to repair, but there are no conditions. You can only dig this kind of anti-tank trench in too large an area of earthwork, and without the cooperation of special machinery, let our soldiers dig with shovels, and it will not be possible to dig it at all without a month or two. And at that time the enemy was hovering near Mamayev Height, would they give us enough time to repair the fortifications? ”

After hearing this, Floning shook his head and said approvingly: "Leda, you are right. The Germans simply couldn't have let you build an anti-tank trench under their noses that would make it so difficult for them. I guess before your trench is repaired, the enemy's armored forces have already rushed in front of you. ”

I looked around and saw that the person closest to us was also ten meters away, so I asked in a low voice, "Have you heard about Kharkiv?" ”

Listening to my words, Florin said calmly: "I know that the battle of Kharkov in history ended with the defeat of our army and the victory of the German army. Although the casualties of our army in this battle were far greater than those of the Germans, for the Germans it was a victory that outweighed the losses, and a large number of their elite troops were consumed by us in the battle. As a result, the combat effectiveness of their troops was greatly reduced, so much so that the next battle for Kursk ......"

When Floning talked about Kursk, he obviously realized that he was still in 1943 and not 1975, and he couldn't divulge too many heavenly secrets, so he just stopped.

I heard him mention the Battle of Kursk, and knowing that the main event was coming, I hurriedly whispered: "Comrade Engineer, can you tell me the details of the Battle of Kursk?" ”

After hearing this, he just rolled his eyes at me and said stubbornly: "Leda, there are some things you still don't want to know." If I say it at this time, maybe history will be skewed, so let's go with the flow. ”

Seeing that Floning's attitude was very resolute, I continued to ask about the Battle of Kursk, but I was concerned about the new tanks: "Comrade engineer, can those tanks really deal with the Tiger tanks of the Germans?" You must know that this tank of theirs, our 45-mm anti-tank has nothing to do with it. ”

After listening to my words, Fronin sneered twice and said disdainfully: "What is the tiger style, it is completely vulnerable in front of our T-72. We only need ten T-72s to deal with a regiment of German tanks. ”

And at this time, Ustinov came back from the side of the trench, and he said to me with a smile: "Comrade Oshanina, I can tell you at this time why I called you here. Looking at me blankly at him, he continued, "I'm going to put you in charge of managing the day-to-day affairs of this secret base, I wonder what you want?" If you wish, you can take office tomorrow! ”

"What, Comrade People's Commissar, what did you say?" Ustinov's words stunned me, and I asked rhetorically in disbelief: "Are you going to put me in charge of this secret base?" (To be continued......)