As I sat on the special plane to Seattle provided by the American side, I leaned back in my chair and closed my eyes and pondered why Stalin was in a hurry to send us home.

The Rebalko Division, currently besieged in Kyiv, is in a precarious position, and the High Command must provide them with air cover, necessary war supplies, and a large number of reinforcements if it wants to rescue the defenders from danger.

Stalin asked Khrulev to go back, but it was reasonable, after all, he was the head of the logistics department, and it was really impossible to leave him for the supply of supplies to Kiev. And why I was asked to return with me is a puzzle to me. To provide air support and supplies to the defenders, it is entirely possible to go to Commander Novikov, Deputy People's Commissar of Defense and Commander-in-Chief of the Air Force; And reinforcements on the ground, Rokossovsky's Central Front was more than enough.

My worried appearance was noticed by Khrulev, but when I was on the plane, maybe I was afraid that there were too many people on the left and right, he didn't say anything, and he followed my example, leaning back in the chair and closing his eyes to recuperate.

After five or six hours of flight, the plane landed at a military airfield in Seattle. While the plane was refueling, Khrulev and I did not remain in the cabin, but got off the plane and moved our hands and feet. Seeing that the accompanying staff were all some distance away from us and unable to hear our conversation clearly, Khrulev suddenly asked: "Oshanina, I see that you have been preoccupied all the way, are you still worried about being urgently recruited back to China?" ”

Hearing Khrulev ask this, I nodded, and without concealing it, I told Khrulev what I was thinking about on the road, and finally asked him puzzled: "...... Comrade Minister, I really can't think of a reason to call me back. Can you help me break it down? ”

For the issue I'm worried about. Khrulev seemed to have thought it through for a long time, and when he heard me ask, he said slowly: "Oshanina, to tell you the truth, I was quite puzzled when I first saw the telegram. Just like you just analyzed. To provide logistical supplies for the defenders, I am in charge; With air support and transport, there is the Commander-in-Chief of the Air Force, Commander Novikov; To send reinforcements from the ground, the Central Front, assembled in Kursk, would be able to accomplish such a mission.

However, from what I know of the Supreme Commander himself, he would never give a meaningless order, and there must be some deeper considerations. After much thought, I finally figured out the reason for the Supreme Command's order. ”

When I heard Khrulev say that he knew why Stalin wanted me to return home, I immediately and eagerly asked: "Comrade Minister, since you know the reason. Let us know. You don't want me to spend the next few days thinking about it, do you? ”

Khrulev pointed at me with his hand and said with a smile: "Oshanina, you are also a general, how can you still be coquettish like a little girl!" ”

"Spoiled?" When I heard him use this word to evaluate me, I was stunned, and I said that even if the tone of my voice just now was a little softer, there was still a big difference between me and being coquettish. When I want to open my mouth for myself. But I heard him say solemnly: "Oshanina, I can tell you very responsibly. Recruiting you back this time may have something to do with the imminent fall of Kyiv again. ”

"Even if I go back, will it be of any use?" I asked, puzzled.

My answer made Khrulev a little crying and laughing, and he shook his head with a wry smile and said: "Oshanina, perhaps the superiors think that the current unfavorable situation has arisen because of the improper tactics used by General Rybalko. If I send you there, maybe it will be a different story. ”

When Khrulev talked about tactics, my mind was like a movie, and many scenes came to mind: hundreds of commanders and fighters of our army, lined up in dense formations. Rush along the narrow streets towards the enemy's positions. At the other end of the street, German officers and soldiers hiding in the fortifications fired wildly at the dense crowd of people in the street with machine guns, submachine guns, rifles, and even pistols.

The vast majority of the commanders and fighters were shot and fell down before they even had the opportunity to fire a shot, but the men behind rushed forward one after another before they were given the order to stop the attack, and continued to fall under the enemy's dense fire one after another. When everything was calm again, the corpses of our commanders and fighters were scattered all over the street, and the air was filled with the smell of blood and gunsmoke.

"Oshanina, what are you thinking?" Khrulev's voice interrupted my contemplation, and he probably saw that my face was not very good, and asked with concern: "Your face is ugly, is it uncomfortable, or would you go back to the cabin and rest for a while?" ”

"No, no," I hurriedly waved my hands and said, "Comrade Minister, I'm fine, I just thought of the scene of the fierce battle in Kyiv, and I was a little distracted." Speaking of this, I turned my head to look around, and saw that the entourage was seven or eight meters away, and should not be able to hear our conversation, so I lowered my voice and continued to ask Khrulev: "Do you know the specific situation in Kyiv?" ”

I thought that Khrulev would tell me a little bit of inside information, but he shook his head and said decisively: "I'm sorry, Oshanina, although I would also like to provide you with some useful information so that you can analyze it." But alas, I know as much as you do, knowing that the Germans have stormed Kyiv and that our troops are still fighting stubbornly with the enemy in the city. And the High Command is studying what measures should be taken to help the troops besieged in the city to prevent Kyiv from falling again. ”

At this moment, a pilot in the distance shouted loudly: "Comrade commander, the plane has run out of fuel and is ready to take off at any time." ”

Khrulev turned his head to look at the pilot in the distance, then turned to me and said, "All right, Oshanina, let's go back to the cabin first." I'll talk about it when we get to Alaska. ”

"Okay." I said a brief yes and followed him to the plane.

In a hurry, our plane landed at a military airfield in Alaska, only to refill the fuel and take off again. Not long after I flew out, I suddenly noticed two fighter planes outside our plane, which immediately shocked me into a cold sweat, and I only breathed a sigh of relief after I saw clearly the US Air Force mark on the plane. With palpitations, I pointed to the friendly fighters outside and said to Khrulev: "Comrade Minister, look outside, the US allies have actually sent us two fighter planes to escort us. ”

After Khrulev glanced outside, he said casually: "They are worried that there will be Japanese fighters on this route, so they will send fighters to escort them." But I think the Americans are making a bit of a fuss, because the Japanese mainland is still far from this route, and their wooden planes can't fly here. ”

I looked outside and felt that what Khrulev said was very reasonable, we were on this route when we came, there was no fighter escort, and there was nothing, how could it be so unlucky, but on the way back, I encountered a plane from the Japanese country? However, since the U.S. Air Force has sent escort fighters, we can't afford to sway other people's kindness, so let's let them go. Thinking of this, I also followed the example of Khrulev with my back against the back of the chair and began to close my eyes and recuperate.

I slept for I don't know how long, I suddenly felt the plane jolt violently, I opened my eyes suddenly, and found that Khrulev next to me had also woken up, and was calling an attendant to ask him to go to the cockpit and ask the pilot what had happened.

The entourage had barely taken a few steps when a pilot hurried over from the cockpit. After coming to Khrulev, he said with a nervous face: "Comrade Minister, our plane was intercepted by Japanese planes. ”

When I heard the pilot say that our plane was intercepted by Japanese planes, my mind exploded, and I said, "What's going on, how did the Japanese know the time that our plane was going to pass, and they sent fighter planes to intercept us?" ”

Khrulev was obviously much calmer than I was, he only glanced out the window, and then ordered the pilots: "Immediately contact the US fighters and ask them to intercept the Japanese fighters." ……”

The pilot did not wait for him to finish speaking, and then interjected: "Comrade Minister, the US planes are fighting against the Japanese planes, and we intend to reduce the altitude and quickly break away from this airspace and move closer to our military bases in the Far East. ”

"Comrade pilot, go back to the cockpit and get in touch with the Pacific Fleet." With a calm expression, Khrulev continued to instruct the pilots: "Let the navy immediately send fighter planes to reinforce it." ”

"Yes, Comrade Minister, I'll get in touch with the fleet right away." The pilot said yes loudly, then turned and walked towards the cockpit.

When the pilot left, I noticed that Khrulev's hand on the armrest of the seat was trembling slightly, and I immediately understood that his calmness just now was all trying to pretend. However, this is understandable, as he is the highest-ranking commander on the entire plane, if he also panics, it will inevitably cause everyone to panic.

I looked out the window and saw two escort fighters engaged in an aerial battle with four or five enemy planes. The bullets and shells fired by the planes cast dazzling rays of light outside the window. Seeing this situation, I couldn't help but feel confused, if we were attacked by the enemy on land, we would have room to fight back, but at this moment in the sealed cabin, we could only leave our fate to God to decide.

The pilot ran out of the cockpit again, stumbled in front of Khrulev and reported to him loudly: "Comrade Minister, I have contacted the fleet command, and they will immediately send fighters to support. ”

"How long will it take?" Khrulev asked with an expressionless face.

"Ten minutes, Comrade Minister." The pilot shouted at the top of his voice: "It will take at least ten minutes for the planes of the Navy to arrive in our area from takeoff. ”

Ten minutes later, when I heard the pilot say this, I felt a shudder in my heart. An air battle usually ends in a few minutes, and perhaps our navy planes will arrive before our unarmed passenger plane has been shot down by Japanese planes. (To be continued.) )