After listening to Lukin's report, I put down the phone and packed my things to go to the meeting place, but I was stopped by Tavart Kiradze, who asked in surprise: "Comrade commander, don't you plan to run to the meeting place like this?" ”

Tawart Kiradze's words stunned me, and I stared at him and asked, "Comrade Commander, isn't it worth my personal trip to such a major event as the meeting of our troops and friendly troops?" ”

"Comrade Commander, didn't you hear what Lieutenant Colonel Lukin said clearly when you were on the phone just now?" "Now it's only Lieutenant Colonel Lukin's troops who have broken through the enemy's lines and joined up with the friendly forces coming from the opposite side, not all of our troops and friendly forces," Tawalt Kiradze explained to me with some tears and laughter. ”

"Does it make a difference?" Hearing Tawart Kiradze say this, I became more and more confused.

"In other words, at present, the only unit that is joining forces with friendly forces is Lukin's regiment, and the other troops are still fighting the enemy." Although Tavart Kiradze was overwhelmed by my reaction, he patiently said to me: "If you rush over now, not only will you encounter danger on the way, but even at the meeting point, you may catch up with the enemy's counterattack." For your safety, please do not leave Command for a while. ”

As soon as Tawalt Kiradze explained this, I finally understood what was going on. In order not to let him worry about my safety, I had to reluctantly say, "Well, since the situation ahead is still unclear, then I will stay here a little longer, and when the enemy is almost cleared, I will go over." ”

"Don't worry, Comrade Commander." Tawart Kiradze assured me: "As soon as the enemy in front is almost cleared, I will immediately accompany you to the meeting point to meet with the commander of the friendly army." ”

Although I could not immediately rush to the meeting place to feel the excitement of the meeting between the two armies, I had to report the news of the meeting to the rear immediately.

First of all, I connected to the command headquarters in the city of Izyum, and when I heard Chistyakov's voice, I immediately smiled and said: "Comrade Deputy Commander, I have good news for you, the 309th Regiment under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Lukin has successfully joined forces with the troops of General Chuikov, who are rushing from the opposite side. ”

"Teacher?!" Chistyakov was stunned for a moment, and then exclaimed excitedly: "This is really good. I will immediately inform Colonel Bezikov of this good news, so that he can report the news of the division to the commander of the front. ”

"Wait a minute, Comrade Deputy Commander." At this time, I suddenly remembered Tavart Kiradze's words, at the moment only Lukin's regiment and friendly forces have joined forces, and if after we report this news, the Germans carry out a counterattack on the meeting place and regain control of the area, then we will be reprimanded by our superiors, so I hesitated for a moment, but still said to Chistyakov tactfully: "This good news can be told to the military commissar and the chief of staff first, so that they can also be happy." However, for the sake of insurance, do not report to the front command for the time being. ”

"Huh?!" After listening to this, Chistyakov asked curiously: "Why?" ”

So, I told him what I was worried about. After hearing this, he hummed, and then said: "I understand, Comrade Commander, you are worried that the enemy has regained his position just after reporting this good news, and then we may be reproached by our superiors. ”

"That's right, Comrade Deputy Commander, that's what I meant." I didn't hide my point of view in the slightest.

Chistyakov was silent for a moment, and then asked: "Comrade commander, in order to resolve the battle as soon as possible, I propose that in addition to the 375th Infantry Division holding on to Izyum, General Seryukin's 89th Guards Division can be immediately thrown into battle. ”

"All right, Comrade Deputy Commander." I thought that although the defeat of the Germans was assured, there was still variability, and that the odds would be better if one of the troops could be brought into battle again, so I replied cheerfully: "You should immediately let General Seryukin's 89th Guards Division participate in the battle." ”

After arranging for the 89th Guards Division to participate in the battle, I suddenly felt that I should talk to Chuikov and tell him the good news of the division, which he may not know at this time.

I had just walked to the walkie-talkie, and before I could open my mouth to give the operator, he had already taken off his headset and handed it over, and said respectfully: "Comrade commander, General Chuikov of the friendly army wants to talk to you!" ”

As soon as I put on my headphones, I heard Chuikov's laughter coming from inside, and then I heard him say loudly, "Hey, Leda, you know what?" Our two units successfully met. ”

"Yes, yes, Comrade General." I also replied cheerfully: "The 309th Regiment of our 51st Guards Division, after cutting through the enemy's three defensive positions, has successfully joined your troops. ”

"Leda, although we will be taught," Chuikov continued, "but the situation should not be too optimistic. If the entire area of the division is only about a kilometer wide, this gap in the enemy's line of defense is not big enough. We should concentrate our forces, advance to both flanks, and expand the results of the battle as soon as possible. ”

"Comrade General, please rest assured of this." I saw that his thoughts coincided with mine, and I hurriedly added: "I have ordered the 89th Guards Division to enter the battle......"

"Wait, Leda, please wait." Before I could finish my sentence, I was interrupted by Chuikov impatiently, and he asked tentatively: "Is the 89th Guards Division you are talking about, under the command of Major General Seryugin, the unit that first planted the red flag in the cities of Belgorod and Kharkov?" ”

"That's right, Comrade General." I couldn't help but be extremely curious about the fact that Chuikov actually knew the name of the 89th Guards Division and the commander of the division, and couldn't help but ask: "Do you know General Seryukin?" ”

"I've seen his name in the war reports, but I've never seen him in person." Chuikov breathed a sigh of relief, and then said: "Since you have thrown all his guards divisions into battle, there is no suspense in the rest of the battle. I believe that after dawn, we will be able to meet again. ”

When I finished talking to Chuikov, I turned to Tatar ****** Kiradze and said: "Comrade commander, as soon as General Seryukin's Guards Division arrives, let them attack in an effort to completely crush the German defenses and complete a full-fledged meeting with friendly forces." ”

A few hours later, at 8:30 a.m., I received a call from Seryugin from the front. He said to me excitedly: "Comrade Commander, our troops have wiped out all the German troops in sight, and you and Commander Tavart Kiradze can come to the meeting place." ”

I sat in the forward headquarters for several hours, waiting for this moment, and as soon as I put down the phone, I directly ordered Tawart Kiradze: "Comrade commander, please go and prepare the vehicle, we will rush to the meeting place immediately." ”

Immediately after listening to my command, Tawalt Kiradze went to the door, called a soldier standing guard, and after a few words of explanation to him, he came back to me and said: "Comrade commander, I have already explained it. In five minutes at most, they will be ready to go. By the way, do you need to let Comrade Deputy Commander go with you? ”

If it weren't for Tavart Kiradze's reminder, I would have really forgotten about Chistyakov, who was staying behind me in the city of Izyum. I slapped myself on the forehead and said in annoyance, "Hell, how did I forget such an important thing." With that, I walked over to the table and grabbed the phone.

When I heard Chistyakov's voice coming out of the earpiece, I immediately said: "Hey, Comrade Deputy Commander. I'm going to see the meeting place with General Tawalt Kiradze now, would you like to go together? ”

"Does this need to be said, Comrade Commander?" Hearing me ask, Chistyakov suddenly said excitedly: "How can such an exciting scene be without me?" Please wait a moment in the command headquarters, I'll be there in five minutes. ”

I raised my hand and looked at my watch, thinking back to the road conditions I had seen when I came, knowing that he would never arrive in five minutes, but I still followed his meaning and said, "Okay, Comrade Deputy Commander, I will be waiting for you in the headquarters." When you arrive, we'll head to the meeting place together. ”

As soon as I put down the phone, Basmanov walked in from outside, straightened up and reported to me: "Comrade commander, the car you want is ready, when do you plan to leave?" ”

"Comrade Major," I said with a smile as I looked at Basmanov, "can you wait a moment?" Because we have to wait for the deputy commander, and when he comes, we will set off together. ”

"Comrade Commander," said Tawart Kiradze, as soon as I had finished speaking, he persuaded me, "from here to the meeting place, because the road conditions are so bad, even if it takes at least half an hour by car. For example, I'll stay here and wait for the deputy commander, and you can take a car over first, okay? ”

"No, no, General Tawart Kiradze." Although his words touched my heart, I thought that I had just promised Chistyakov that I would wait for him here, so I could only regretfully refuse: "Since I said that I would wait for the deputy commander to arrive and go with him, let's stay here and wait a little longer." ”

Seeing that I was so stubborn, Tavart Kiradze couldn't say anything, so he nodded silently, and then waved at Basmanov and told him to wait for us outside the door.

By the time Chistyakov appeared, fifteen minutes had passed. I waited for him to walk into the headquarters, briefly greeted a few words, and then waved his hand and said, "Comrade Deputy Commander, it's not too early, let's go." ”

The jeep we were riding in, surrounded by several armored vehicles, drove towards the meeting point in front of us. Along the way, I saw large and small craters and corpses scattered all over the place, both enemy and our commanders and fighters, and even destroyed tanks and damaged artillery on both sides of the road.

Looking at the soldiers who were cleaning the battlefield outside, Chistyakov said with emotion: "Comrade commander, it seems that last night's battle was really fierce. ”

"Yes." I nodded and said, "We were the winners." ”

After waiting for me to finish, Chistyakov suddenly asked thoughtlessly: "What will happen to us next?" ”

I looked at him and asked with a blank expression: "Comrade Deputy Commander, I don't understand what you mean?" ”

"Comrade commander, I mean, after liberating Izyum and joining forces with friendly forces, what new tasks will our superiors give us?" Chistyakov said with some helplessness: "If there is another offensive battle like this, with the strength of our army group, it is estimated that it will be difficult to achieve any brilliant results." ”

Hearing him say this, Tavartkiradze, who was sitting in the front passenger seat, turned around and opened his mouth, as if to say something, but in the end he didn't make any sound and turned his head again.

"Comrade Deputy Commander, I'm sorry, I don't know." After I understood the meaning of his words, I replied truthfully: "After a series of large-scale battles, the strength of our army has been greatly weakened, and at the same time, the ammunition has almost run out. Under such circumstances, if the higher authorities give us any more offensive orders, it is estimated that it will be very difficult for us to achieve any results. ”

Speaking of this, I suddenly remembered something, and hurriedly raised my hand to pat the driver's shoulder, and shouted loudly: "Driver, stop, pull over to the side of the road!" ”

After the car stopped, both Chistyakov and Tavart Kiradze looked at me with some surprise. Without waiting for the two of them to ask, I hurriedly said: "I was in too much hurry just now, and I didn't even have time for the good news of the destruction of the main German army and the expansion of the division area. At this time, we can let him report the good news of the division to the front command, so that Commander Vatutin will also be happy. ”

After listening to my words, Tavart Kiradze pushed the door and got out of the car and walked towards an armored car parked behind us, because it had a radio station and could communicate directly with the army group headquarters.

After two minutes, Tavartkiradze returned to the car, turned to me and said: "Comrade commander, I have asked the operator to report the good news to Colonel Bezikov. Then he turned to the driver and said, "Comrade driver, let's drive!" ”

Our jeep was bumpy on the road for more than twenty minutes, and as more and more commanders appeared in front of us, our car had to stop. Tavartkiradze pushed the door open and shouted at a soldier who passed not far away: "Hey, comrade soldier, I ask you, where is the meeting place?" ”

The other party glanced at his epaulettes, hurriedly stood in place, and then replied respectfully: "Report to Comrade General, right here, the place where we and our allies will meet is here." (To be continued.) )