Three days after the swastika fluttered over the Winter Palace, on October 11, on the Rabbit Island, just across the Neva River, the Peter and Paul Fortress from the Winter Palace. Pen ~ fun ~ pavilion www.biquge.info

In Zhdanov's office, Marshal Voroshilov sat opposite Zhdanov at his desk, listening to Lieutenant General Khozin's final report.

"I just received the final report of the Red Banner Baltic Fleet, they ······"

"Is it a rainbow?" Zhdanov asked.

"Yes." Lieutenant General Hozin said.

The atmosphere in the office was even more depressing, and the "rainbow" was a signal that the Baltic Fleet had agreed with the Leningrad Front.

If Leningrad is occupied, in order to prevent the remaining warships of the Baltic Fleet from falling into German hands, the warships of the Baltic Fleet will sink en masse.

The mantra for self-sinking action is "rainbow".

Vice Admiral Khozin received a report from the Baltic Fleet "Rainbow", which meant that the warships of the Baltic Fleet were being destroyed along with Leningrad at this time.

"Rumbling······ Long ······" From time to time, a thunderous explosion was heard, which was the sound of the Germans blasting the Peter and Paul fortress.

Zhdanov cheered up and said to Lieutenant General Khorzin: "There is no doubt that we have reached the last moment with Leningrad. ”

Standing up, Zhdanov shook hands tightly with Marshal Voroshilov and Lieutenant General Khozin.

"It's a pleasure to be able to fight alongside you, and this defeat is not our fault. Now, Mr. Lieutenant General, you have to carry out your last two tasks, the first of which is more difficult, is to lead the troops to surrender to the Germans. The second task was relatively simple, to dispose of the bodies of me and Comrade Marshal. Now, start with the simple tasks. ”

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Lieutenant General Hozin wants to make a final retention.

Marshal Voroshilov said: "There can be no captured marshal in the Soviets, I must die." ”

Lieutenant General Huo Jin solemnly gave a farewell military salute to the two and turned to leave the room.

Zhdanov picked up the wine glass on the table and clinked glasses with Marshal Voroshilov.

"This is the last time I drink vodka, and I'm going to always remember the taste of vodka."

Marshal Voroshilov picked up his glass, drank the vodka from the glass, and then picked up the pistol on the table.

Hearing two gunshots in succession from inside the door, Lieutenant General Huo Jin put his right hand on the doorknob, mustered up the courage to push open the door, and led his subordinates into the room to dispose of the two corpses.

"Send a telegram to Moscow and tell them everything that is happening here."

At nine o'clock in the morning of the next day, in the Peter and Paul Fortress, in the square next to the Basilica of St. Peter and Paul.

Chen Dao followed behind Marshal Loeb and attended the surrender ceremony of the Leningrad Front.

After a month and a half of fighting, the Leningrad Front, from the commander of the Front, Lieutenant General Khozin, the 23rd, 42nd, 55th, and 67th armies, including the troops in the Oranienbaum encirclement (12 divisions), as well as the Baltic Fleet sailors, the aviation directly under the Front, etc., a total of 460,000 troops were wiped out.

After the total annihilation of the Leningrad Front, Army Group North could free up at least two Panzer Corps and two Infantry Corps to throw into other fronts, and the German units on the Eastern Front had an additional powerful mobile force.

At the end of the surrender ceremony, Chen Dao said to Marshal Loeb: "Starting today, Leningrad will resume its old name of St. Petersburg. Our next task is to organize the remaining citizens as soon as possible, to restore the operation of the city as soon as possible, especially the use of power stations, waterworks and ports, and St. Petersburg will become the most reliable supply base for Army Group North in preparation for the upcoming winter defensive operations. ”

"What are you going to do next? Back in Berlin? Marshal Loeb asked.

Chen Dao had a bitter face and said helplessly: "Yes, I want to rush back to Berlin as soon as possible, stop some of the Führer's devilish impulses, and keep the supply base of St. Petersburg for Army Group North." ”

Marshal Loeb asked in surprise: "What is the Yuan going to do?" ”

"Before I came, the Führer said that he wanted us to wipe Leningrad off the map, and I thought he meant to let us take Leningrad as soon as possible."

"Isn't it?" Marshal Loeb asked.

"He sent a telegram last night telling us to completely destroy St. Petersburg, mind you, completely. I had been away from him for only a few days, and his literary mid-life illness had flared up again, and I had to go back to Berlin at once to treat him. ”

Again to return to Berlin, again to persuade the Führer to change his mind······ The scene was familiar, with fine beads of sweat creeping up on Marshal Loeb's shiny bald head.

"General Rosen, you have to persuade the Führer to change his mind as soon as possible, but the method should not be too drastic." Marshal Loeb kindly persuaded Chen Dao.

"Don't worry, this time is different from the last time, at most a few traitors will be killed, and the small purge incident should be over."

······

Moscow, Kremlin.

Stalin leaned back in his office chair and looked up at the map of the Soviet Union hanging on the wall on his left.

On the other side of the desk, Marshal Shaposhnikov was reading the telegram at hand.

Nine-tenths of Leningrad has already been occupied, the Red Banner Baltic Fleet has sunk en masse, Marshal Voroshilov and Comrade Zhdanov have committed suicide, and I, by the last order of Comrade Marshal, will lead the remnants to surrender.

After reading the contents of the telegram, Marshal Shaposhnikov silently calculated the losses in his mind.

I originally thought that I had lost an average of one front commander per month since the beginning of the war, but now it seems that this figure will be changed.

Less than halfway through October, a commander of the Front surrendered, and the commander-in-chief of the North-Western Direction, Marshal Voroshilov and Zhdanov, were also acquainted.

At this rate, when the war is over, it is not known how many high-ranking generals will die.

Maybe one day, I will die in this war.

"What are you thinking?"

Stalin's words brought Marshal Shaposhnikov back to reality.

"Marshal Voroshilov and Zhdanov are time-tested warriors, and their choices are courageous."

"I wondered, why didn't they come back? They had a clear chance to leave Leningrad, and I repeatedly urged them to return. Stalin said.

"I think it should be a warrior's sense of honor that urges them to make such a big life decision." Marshal Shaposhnikov said.

"A warrior's sense of honor ······" Stalin covered his forehead in pain.

The secretary pushed open the door and reported to Stalin: "Comrade General Secretary, Comrade Zhdanov has arrived. ”

Zhdanov, didn't he commit suicide? Shaposhnikov thought suspiciously, and it was only after seeing the man who walked into Stalin's office that Shaposhnikov realized his mistake.

Here came a young man, Yuri Zhdanov, the son of the recently deceased Zhdanov,

"You know everything about your father?" Stalin asked.

"Yes." Young Yuri is seven points similar to his father, with the same black hair and a wide mouth, but no beard.

"On behalf of the Party Central Committee, I have entrusted you with a task, and I hope that you will be able to complete this task with the same firm belief as your father." Stalin said.

"What task?" Yuri asked.

"The day before yesterday, I went to visit General Zhukov, and he said that the Germans had a special combat unit, which often wore our uniforms and was active on our territory, and General Zhukov was also wounded by an ambush by this unit. What Comrade Zhukov meant was that we would also create such a force and use the same means against the Germans. I have decided to appoint you as the political commissar of this force, and to select a group of soldiers with sound ideas and excellent tactical skills to form this force. Start with the formation of a battalion, and you can choose from the NKVD units first. Stalin said.

"I promise to live up to your expectations and build a force that will strike fear into the hearts of the Germans at the sight of their names." Yuri said.

"It's good that you have this determination, but you have to give this force a powerful name first." Stalin said.

"Name? It's easy, what about the alert troops? Yuri said.

"Alert troops?" Stalin pursed his lips, and then said: "The sense of power is not enough. ”

"The sense of power is indeed a little worse, you see, what color is our flag?" Marshal Shaposhnikov said.

Yuri said without looking at it: "Our flag is red. ”

Marshal Shaposhnikov continued: "Your troops should let the Germans know that you are a vigilant force from the Red Country, and what about the name Red Alert? ”

"Red Alert is a good name, I agree." Stalin preemptively said.

Seeing Stalin's statement, Yuri followed and said: "Yes, Comrade General Secretary, the name of this unit is Red Alert." ”