Red Moscow

  Chapter 1517 Employment is not suspicious

  The battle in the direction of Klemenchug progressed more easily than Sokov imagined. German resistance began to crumble as tanks and artillery entered the fray. Especially when they discovered that the bridge leading to the right bank of the Dnieper River had fallen into the hands of the Soviet army, they did not hold back stubbornly, but voluntarily put down their weapons and surrendered.

In fact, the main reason why the battle went so smoothly was because the defenders in their hands heard the call from the 98th Guards Division and learned that the Soviet army that was attacking them was led by Sokov, who made them terrified. When commanding, from the commander of the city defense to the soldiers below, all lost the courage to continue to resist.

  The city defense commander didn't even organize troops to try to recapture the bridges occupied by the Soviet army, so he took the initiative to order the troops to lay down their weapons and surrender to the 98th Guards Division. Because he knew very well in his heart that if the troops attacking the city were commanded by other Russian commanders, he would definitely order the troops to continue to hold on until reinforcements arrived.

   But now it is Sokov, how can we fight this battle? Rather than being completely wiped out after a fierce battle, it would be better to lay down your weapons and surrender earlier, which can save the lives of more German soldiers and prevent them from paying unnecessary sacrifices.

   Sokov was also very surprised to learn that the defenders of Klemenchug had surrendered. He was afraid that Chuvashov's telegram was not written clearly, and after reading it several times, he confirmed that the 98th Guards Division had really captured Kremenchug.

  Sameko confirmed the news that Klemenchug had been liberated, and asked Sokov specifically: "Comrade commander, do you need to report such good news to the commander of the front army immediately?"

"Of course, Comrade Chief of Staff." Now that the 7th Guards Army is still fighting fiercely with the Germans in Poltava, and the surprise soldiers I sent actually took Klemenchug lightly and cut off the retreat of the Germans. How can this be? It seemed like a great victory, so he readily agreed to Sameko's request: "Call the Front Command immediately and report the news of our army's occupation of Klemenchug to Commander Konev. "

After calling the Front Army Command, the person who answered the phone was Chief of Staff Zakharov. After listening to Sameko’s report, he said in surprise: “General Sameko, what are you talking about? Lemenchug?"

   "Yes, Comrade Chief of Staff." Sameko replied truthfully: "We have verified this news. The troops of the 98th Guards Division have indeed occupied Kremenchug."

Konev, who was looking at the map, heard Zakharov's phone call. He couldn't help but stand up straight and walked over, took the microphone in Zakharov's hand, and asked, "Hello, General Sameko, is what you said just now true?” When he asked this, he felt very uneasy, fearing that Sameko told him that the information was wrong, but in fact the troops did not occupy Klemenchug. He will feel lost in his heart.

But fortunately, what he was worried about did not happen. Sameko vowed to report to Konev: "Report to Comrade Front Army Commander, the information is absolutely accurate, and the troops of the 98th Guards Division have indeed controlled the entire city. city."

"Great, this is really great." Konev said repeatedly, and said to Sameko: "General Sameko, on behalf of the Front Army Command, I would like to congratulate you on such a major victory. Also, on my behalf, please express my gratitude to the commanders and fighters of the 98th Guards Division, thank them for successfully completing the tasks assigned to you by the Front Army Command."

   "Yes, Comrade Commander of the Front Army." Sameko replied, "I will transfer your thoughts to the commanders and fighters at the grassroots level."

  Konev paused for a moment, and asked tentatively: "General Sameko, I want to ask, have you reported this good news to Marshal Zhukov?"

   "Not yet, Comrade Front Army Commander."

   "Why didn't you report it?"

   "Because Marshal Zhukov is on his way, we can't contact him at this moment."

   "Oh, Marshal Zhukov is rushing to your place?" Konev asked a little puzzled: "I don't understand, how could he suddenly want to go to your place?"

"That's right, Comrade Commander of the Front Army." Sameko knew very well that even if he didn't report the matter about Ponedelin, Muzichenko and Kirillov himself, Konev could pass his own information The system knows this. If he wanted to hide it from him, he would probably fall into a passive position when he found out about it through other channels, so he truthfully explained to Konev: "When we liberated the prisoner-of-war camp outside Klemenchug, we rescued three captured generals, they were all captured in the Battle of Uman at the beginning of the Great Patriotic War."

   "What, the general who was captured in the Battle of Uman?" Konev asked in surprise, "Who is there?"

  "Major General Ponedelin, Commander of the 12th Army of the Southwest Front, Lieutenant General Muzichenko, Commander of the 6th Army, and Major General Kirilov, Commander of the 13th Infantry Army."

  After listening to Sameko's name, Konev couldn't help frowning. He didn't know about the others, but he was too familiar with Ponegerin, after all, the two had worked together before. After a long time, he tentatively asked: "General Sameko, I don't know if you know that the commander of the 12th Army, Major General Pornejelin, has long been sentenced by the Supreme Military Court because he surrendered to the Germans and became a shameful traitor." The sentence in absentia is the death penalty.”

   Hearing what Konev said, Sameko couldn't help but look at Sokov next to him with some embarrassment, wanting to hear his opinion on this matter. Sokov heard the conversation between Sameko and Konev, and made a gesture to Sameko, indicating to him what he had discussed not long ago, and told Konev.

Sameko, who received Sokov's instruction, boldly said: "Comrade Commander of the Front Army, we talked with General Ponederin not long ago and learned that he was captured by the German army while he was seriously injured. And after being captured, he has been fighting tenaciously with the enemy. As for the mutiny, I am afraid there is a misunderstanding."

   After Sameko finished speaking, Konev did not immediately express his attitude, but asked instead: "Have you reported this matter to Marshal Zhukov?"

   "I have reported it." Sameko replied, "He came here specially because of this matter."

"Oh, so that's the case." Knowing that Zhukov's visit to Sokov's headquarters was related to the disposal of Ponedelin, Konev couldn't sit still, and quickly said into the microphone: "Then I will also go to the headquarters as soon as possible." Come and find out what's going on."

After putting down the phone, Sameko said to Sokov with a bitter face: "Comrade commander, what should we do? Regardless of Marshal Zhukov coming, now even the commander of the front army, General Konev, is coming. I am worried that waiting for them After we come, we may no longer be able to protect these generals."

"Comrade Chief of Staff, don't be discouraged." Sokov comforted Sameko and said, "Marshal Zhukov and General Konev rushed over. I don't think it's a bad thing. At least there is still room for improvement. If you directly order us to send someone Send the three generals there, I am afraid that waiting for their fate is to be sent to a military court."

  After Sokov’s explanation, Sameko felt that this was really the case. And Lunev, who has never spoken, added on the sidelines: "As far as I know, both Marshal Zhukov and General Konev have had experience working with General Ponegerin. Maybe they look at it from the old comrades-in-arms. For the sake of this, General Bornegelin will be sent lightly."

   Due to the early departure time, Zhukov arrived at Sokov's headquarters earlier than Konev.

  After Sokov saluted himself, Zhukov asked straight to the point: "Misha, where are the three generals you mentioned?"

"Comrade Marshal," Sokov quickly replied, "Generals Muzichenko and Kirillov are still marching with the rescued prisoners of war and have not yet reached the fortress. General Lin."

   "Then call him over," Zhukov came to the table and sat down, picked up the teapot on the table, poured himself a cup of hot tea, and told Sokov: "I want to talk to him."

  Pornegelin was resting in a nearby room. Hearing that Zhukov wanted to see him, he hurried over immediately. But when he walked into the room and saw Zhukov sitting in the room, he immediately broke free from the two soldiers supporting him, staggered to Zhukov, raised his hand and saluted, and said excitedly: "Hello, Comrade Marshal, Nice to see you again."

   And Zhukov saw the emaciated, skinny, half-human and ghost-like person in front of him, and after careful identification for a long time, he said in surprise: "You are Ponegerin?"

"Yes, Comrade Marshal." Seeing that Zhukov recognized him, Ponegerin burst into tears. He wiped the sweat running down his cheeks with his palm, and replied with a sob: "I am Pornegerin." .”

  Bonegerin was so excited after seeing Zhukov, so Sokov was full of doubts. Could it be that the two are really old comrades back, otherwise it would be impossible to explain how out of control Pornegerin's emotions are. Fortunately, Lunev, who was on the side, saw the doubts on Sokov's face, so he approached him and whispered in his ear: "Comrade Commander, you may not know that as early as 1940, Marshal Zhukov served as the Once the commander of the Kyiv Special Military District. After the war broke out, the Kyiv Special Military District was renamed the Southwest Front.”

  After Lunev’s explanation, everything that happened in front of him can be explained. Maybe when Zhukov was the commander of the Kyiv Special Military Region, he had some personal relationships with Ponedelin. Later, when he learned that the other party had become a traitor, he put him in another book. But Zhukov heard his own explanation today, and felt that Ponejielin might have been wronged, so he couldn't wait to come to see him.

   Sure enough, when Ponegerin finished telling all his experiences in the German prisoner-of-war camp, Zhukov fell into deep thought, thinking about how to exonerate his old subordinates.

   Before Zhukov could come up with a good solution, Konev appeared.

  Seeing Konev's appearance, Ponegerin was taken aback for a moment, then stepped forward to salute Konev: "Hi, General Konev, nice to meet you here."

The voice of Ponedelin greeting Konev woke Zhukov up from his contemplation. He looked at Ponedelin, then at Konev, and asked, "General Konev, do you know me?" ?”

   "Yes, Comrade Marshal." Konev replied in an affirmative tone: "When I was studying at the Frunze Military Academy, General Ponejielin once served as my instructor."

When it came to the fact that Ponegerin had served as his teacher, Konev's face was not relaxed, but became more serious: "But what I didn't expect is that you are suspected of collaborating with the enemy and treason. The court sentenced you to death in absentia in September 1941."

Hearing what Konev said, Ponegerin couldn't help but turn ashen. He didn't expect that he would be captured by the enemy. He always acted strong and unyielding, but he was still a traitor in the eyes of his own people, and his heart was as cold as falling into an ice cellar. up.

Sokov felt that it was time for him to appear on the stage at this moment. He took a step forward and asked Konev tentatively: "Comrade Commander of the Front Army, I don't know what information you used to determine the crime of collaborating with the enemy and treason of General Ponedelin? "

"Among the many documents we have seized," Konev said to Sokov, but his eyes were fixed on Ponegerin, "there are several photos of Ponegerin posing with German officers. From the German Army Judging by the expressions of the officers, the conversation that took place between them was very pleasant."

"Comrade Front Army Commander, besides this, is there any other evidence?" Sokov felt that it was undoubtedly absurd to assume that Ponegerin was suspected of collaborating with the enemy based on just a few captured photos, so he continued. Going on: "I don't think we can suspect that one of our middle and senior commanders has betrayed the motherland and the people based on a few photos."

   Konev shook his head and retorted: "Isn't it enough to have photos of him with the Germans? If the photos can't be used as evidence, how could the Supreme Military Court sentence him to death in absentia?"

"Comrade Commander of the Front Army, it is not enough to rely on a few photos as evidence." Sokov waited for Konev to finish speaking, then pointed to the unkempt and extremely weak Ponedelin and said, "Please be careful. Look at General Bornegelin in front of you. After two or three years of torture by the Germans in the prisoner-of-war camp, he has already become inhuman. If he really rebelled Now, do you think the Germans will put him in a POW camp like this and leave him to fend for himself?"

"Misha is right." At this moment Zhukov stood up in time to support Sukov's speech: "I think what he said is very reasonable. If General Pornegerin really became a traitor, he would not have made such a mess. It’s as embarrassing as it is now. I will speak to the Supreme Commander himself when the time is right, and let the Supreme Military Court retry his case. If it proves that he is not a traitor, he will be innocent at that time.”

   "Misha," Zhukov said, looking at Sokov again, and asked, "If General Ponegerin is really all right, what are your plans?"

"Yes, Comrade Marshal." Sukov always wanted to recruit Ponejielin into his command, and when Zhukov asked this question, he quickly replied firmly: "My ability is limited, and it is very difficult to be the commander of this army group." I need an experienced senior commander to help me manage the troops. And General Pornejelin is undoubtedly the best candidate."

  (end of this chapter)