Burning Moscow

Section 30 The New Front (2)

The car continued on the muddy road, bumping up and down.

Although I never get motion sickness, I was so dizzy today. In this situation, I carefully closed the insurance of the submachine gun in my arms. If you accidentally misfire and hit a sitting big man, then the history of World War II will be rewritten for me.

I looked at the situation in the front row and saw that the driver was driving the vehicle with full concentration, but Zhukov was lowering his head and closing his eyes, so I leaned back, closed his eyes and started to sleep.

The car stopped suddenly, and then the driver’s voice was heard: “Comrade General, look!”

There is a situation! This was my first reaction. Almost at the same time I opened my eyes, the submachine gun in my hand had already opened the insurance, and the muzzle was pointed out of the window. If something went wrong, I would immediately pull the trigger and remove all the bullets in the gun. Fight out.

But I soon found out that I was worrying too much. It was a few people in the uniforms of Soviet tank soldiers who stopped the car. One of the captains walked to the front of the car, bent over to the window, and said dryly: “No traffic ahead! Who are you? Comrade General.”

“I am General Zhukov!” Then he asked again: “Where are your troops?”

“Comrade General,” the captain saluted Zhukov and said with his head back: “The headquarters of the tank brigade is in the small woods ahead.”

Zhukov turned his head back and said to me, “Lida, let’s go ahead and have a look.” Then he opened the car door and stepped out.

I also hurriedly pulled the car door, hung the submachine gun around my neck, got out of the car and stepped on the muddy road, and then followed a group of people, walking deep and shallow towards the grove.

On the way, I saw many Soviet T-34 tanks neatly parked in the woods. Seeing our group approaching, the soldiers standing next to the tank stood up and straightened their bodies to pay attention to us. In a short while, we came to a wooden house.

There was not even a soldier standing guard outside the house. The captain stepped forward and opened the door and said to Zhukov: “This is the headquarters of the tank brigade, please come in, comrade general!”

Zhukov was not welcome, and swaggered in through the open door. I followed closely behind and walked into the room. After entering, I closed the door casually and stood by the door with my submachine gun in my hand.

Zhukov walked to the long wooden table in the middle of the room, and the commanders who were sitting there stood up one after another. One of the officers in a leather jacket watched him and reported directly to him without saluting: “Reserve Tank Brigade Commander, Colonel Zheng Nisky, will report to you.”

“My old comrade-in-arms! How are you!” Zhukov said as he stretched out his hand, and then the two shook hands together. “I didn’t expect to meet you here. How are you doing?”

“I didn’t expect to see you here either, Comrade General.” The colonel continued to talk while shaking hands with him. “I know you are commanding the Leningrad Front….”

“Don’t say it,” Zhukov interrupted him, “Report your situation.”

The colonel picked up a map on the table, pointed it to Zhukov and said, “The enemy has occupied Yubnov, and the tank brigade under my command is here as a reserve. It is already the next day, and I have not received it yet. Any order.”

Zhukov nodded and began to give orders to the colonel: “Now this tank brigade is under my command. Without my instructions, all tanks can move. Understand?”

“Understand, Comrade General!”

Zhukov looked back at me who was standing at the door, beckoned to me, and motioned for me to pass. I didn’t dare to neglect, and I stepped into the middle of the room in a few steps.

Zhukov pointed at me and introduced to everyone: “Get to know, this is Major Oshanina, and she is my deputy.”

“Major?!” The tank brigade colonel looked at me up and down, and asked Zhukov in a puzzled tone: “Comrade General, as far as I know, in our army’s organizational system, the highest rank of female soldiers is only lieutenant?”

“Yes, my old friend!” Zhukov said with a smile, “but that’s the old rules. Comrade Stalin has issued a new order today to abolish the military rank restrictions for female soldiers. More female majors, even generals and marshals may appear.” Then he looked at me and said jokingly, “Did you say so? Future Comrade Oshanina, Marshal!”

Everyone burst into laughter The atmosphere in the room suddenly became much more relaxed.

Colonel 　　 reached out to me and said with a smile: “I congratulate you, Major Oshanina!”

“Thank you!” After I shook hands with him, I shook hands with several other commanders in the room one by one.

“My old friend,” Zhukov said to the colonel, pointing to the map on the table, “In this way, immediately deploy the troops, organize defenses, and cover Madden’s direction.”

“Yes!” The colonel agreed, then picked up the teapot on the table and said to Zhukov in the taste of an old friend. “Comrade General, sit down and have a cup of tea!”

“No,” Zhukov shook his head, stretched out his hand and shook hands with the colonel again. “There is no time, you immediately send a communications officer to follow me. I wish you good health!”

After he finished speaking, he strode out. I nodded at the people in the room, and hurriedly followed.

As soon as we got back into the car, the communications officer sent by the tank brigade arrived. When I saw it, I was still an acquaintance, just the captain who stopped our car and brought us to the headquarters.

He was standing in front of the car and was about to salute. Zhukov impatiently urged him: “Don’t dare, get in the car.” He agreed, got into the car, and sat next to me.

“Shall we go to the front now? Georgi Konstantinovich” Out of courtesy, I asked Zhukov with honorifics.

“Frontline?!” Zhukov asked in surprise, “What kind of frontline? Aren’t we always on the frontline?” Then he told the driver: “Drive!”