On May 1, 1941, thousands of soldiers gathered on Moscow's Red Square, as well as tens of thousands of onlookers watching the military parade. Pen ~ fun ~ pavilion www.biquge.info

It was a bright morning, and there was not a single black cloud in the sky. The temperature of 16 degrees is just right for Manturov, who is afraid of the heat and not afraid of the cold.

On such a day, Stalin held a military parade on Red Square in Moscow to commemorate International Labor Day, and by the way, to show the world the military power of the Soviet Union.

Participating in the parade were not only the latest Soviet research and development of the world's most advanced T-34-85 tank, but also Yak-3, La-7 and other fighters, and Pe-2 bombers equipped with VK-107 engines.

Standing in the stands of Lenin's tomb, Manturov always felt an indescribable feeling. It was not the first time he had watched a military parade, but it was the first time he stood on the stands of Lenin's tomb and watched the parade by the side of the leader.

Before the parade began, Stalin first gave a large speech from the rostrum of Lenin's tomb, praising the contributions of Marx, Engels and Lenin to the proletariat and introducing the origins of Labor Day.

In 1866, the First International, led by Marx, put forward the slogan of the eight-hour working day at the Geneva Conference. Soon after, on May 1, 1866, 350,000 American workers began to launch a massive strike and demonstration centered in Chicago, demanding better working conditions and an eight-hour workday.

However, the government in the United States, which claims to be free and democratic, did not accept the workers' opinions, and sent the police to suppress the trade union movement, causing many casualties.

After the incident, the US police even settled the score, arrested the labor leader, and indicted eight people for murder. But five of them did not show up that night, but they were all active members of the trade union movement, and the police took the opportunity to do everything in order to defend the "rule of law" of the free country in the service of the bourgeoisie.

It was not until 1935, after Roosevelt took office, that the eight-hour work day was established in American law and US-Soviet relations improved.

On Labor Day in 1941, American diplomats were invited by the Soviet side to attend the military parade held that day, and by the way, they watched the grand Labor Day parade.

Accompanied by Stalin's speech, the entire Red Square was filled with slogans and cheers, and the whole audience chanted: "Great Stalin, Ula!" The Great Soviet Socialist Republic, Ula! ”

The cheers and slogans, though brief, were full of momentum, expressing the Soviet people's support for the party and the state, as well as their admiration for Stalin himself.

This was followed by the performance of the Red Army military band, the first of which was the national anthem of the Soviet Union at that time, and the "Internationale" widely sung by communists, social democrats and trade union activists in various countries, praising the trade union movement and the proletarian revolution in the past.

Because it was a military parade, it was followed by one of the most famous Soviet military songs of the time, "kpachar Аpmnrвcexльhen (the strongest of the Red Army)".

This song expressed the confidence of Stalin and the Soviet people in the Soviet Red Army, and cooperated with the propaganda policy of the CPSU at that time to highly publicize the strength of the Red Army.

Watching the T-34-85 medium tanks drive past the square, and the Yak-3 and Rag-5 flying nimbly in the sky, Stalin was full of confidence in his army, convinced that such an army could defeat any enemy.

"Koba, with these weapons, we can defeat any enemy." Not only Stalin, but even Voroshilov, who was standing to his right, overestimated the strength of the Soviet Red Army. But Manturov, who was standing to Voroshilov's right and made these weapons, did not think so.

"Yes, we now have the most advanced tanks (T-34-85), the most advanced aircraft (Yak-3), and the most powerful battleship (Soviet)." Stalin smiled with satisfaction and sang a line from "The Most Powerful Red Army": "From the taiga forest to the coast of England, the strongest is our Red Army!" ”

"Comrade Stalin, I don't think so." Manturov interjected, uninterestingly. "Although we have more advanced weapons, the training of the Red Army soldiers is not good enough, and the combat quality is still quite far from that of Germany.

In addition, although our tanks were more powerful, their shooting accuracy was not comparable to that of the German tank No. 4. They could accurately hit the target at a distance of a kilometer, but for the Red Army gunners this was a little difficult. ”

With more than a month to go before the war broke out, Manturov had to emphasize to Stalin the strength of the German army, hoping that Stalin would listen to him and not underestimate the enemy.

However, by this time, Stalin insisted on his opinion, believing that the Soviet Red Army was the most powerful. "Comrade Manturov, maybe the Germans are better trained, but training is not everything. We, the Soviet Red Army, in other respects, were even better than the Wehrmacht, and the Red Army's combat qualities were not inferior to those of the Wehrmacht. ”

"Comrade Stalin, in the wars against Poland and France, the German armies easily defeated their enemies and occupied the territories of France and Poland. However, in the war against Finland, our army paid a lot of price, spent a lot of time and resources, and advanced more than 100 kilometers, which shows that there is still a gap between the combat strength of our army and the German army.

In addition, according to reliable intelligence, the Germans could launch an offensive against the USSR this summer. At this time, we should not underestimate the enemy. "Manturov, at the risk of purge, predicted to Stalin the beginning of the war.

"Comrade Manturov, in Finland, our army has accumulated considerable experience, and now it has acquired advanced weapons, it is impossible not to have the strength to defeat any enemy, including the Germans.

In addition, the information that the Germans would attack in the summer, as you said earlier, was provided by the British. There is ample evidence that this is a trap set for us by British spies! In order to draw the Soviet Union into the trap of war against Germany, they deliberately fabricated this information. And I don't think the Germans will have the ability to invade our country until they destroy the British.

So, you don't need to worry about that, just do your part. ”

"But, Comrade Stalin......"

"Vladimir Fedorovich, now is not the time to say this. After the parade is over, you come to my office and talk slowly. (To be continued.) )