Burning Moscow

Chapter 145: Return to Division Headquarters (Part 2) I looked in the direction of the voice and saw two soldiers wearing steel helmets walking toward us with great enthusiasm. In no time, the two of them were standing right in front of us. I realized it was none other than my guard company commander, Ramis. I recognized the soldier following behind him as well—the one who had shot and killed the escaping prisoner. Although I couldn’t recall his name, he must have been something like General Leviyakin’s personal bodyguard. Since he was here, it seemed General Leviyakin was safe and sound. With that thought, a huge weight lifted from my heart. Ramis stepped forward into the crowd and asked the soldier sternly, “Comrade soldier, what are you doing?” Seeing that the one coming to my rescue was an officer, the soldier who had just made advances toward me looked somewhat embarrassed and replied sheepishly, “Comrade officer, nothing happened. I was just fooling around with this female soldier. Please don’t take it too seriously.” Lamis pushed aside the people blocking his way and stepped in front of the soldier, speaking slowly and deliberately: “We are from the 8th Guards Division. She is our division commander, Lieutenant Colonel Oshanina—the same rank as your division commander!” He then emphasized, “She is here to receive medical treatment. If your wound has already been bandaged, you should go back to where you belong.” As soon as he finished speaking, a collective gasp went through the crowd, followed by a murmur of whispers. The soldier, his face flushed, walked up to me and said, “I’m sorry, Comrade Commander!” After saluting me, he pushed through the crowd and slipped into a nearby tent. Although the soldier who had harassed me had slunk away, I felt quite uneasy. While the Soviet Army maintained strict discipline on the battlefield, their conduct in peacetime left much to be desired. “Comrade Division Commander, let’s go!” Ramis stood beside me and gestured for me to follow. As the three of us walked toward headquarters, I turned to ask the soldier, “Comrade Soldier, what is your name?” “Reporting, Comrade Division Commander, my name is Grisa. I am a soldier in the Guard Company of the 1077th Regiment.” “Where is your regiment commander now?” “He’s likely already returned to division headquarters. We’ve handed over the city’s defenses to our comrades from the 7th Guards Division.” “Give me a brief summary of the situation from last night until now.” From the tone of his voice, it seemed that Leviyakin hadn’t organized a breakout attempt at all last night, but had instead continued to hold the city. Fortunately, Commander Lin’s 7th Guards Division arrived in time; otherwise, the 1077th Regiment would have suffered the same near-total annihilation as the division’s own 857th Artillery Regiment. “After the German artillery barrage began last night, Comrade General ordered all units to withdraw from the buildings they had occupied. After advancing two hundred meters, we were to take cover on the spot and lie in wait to ambush the advancing enemy. To be honest, when he issued that order, everyone had serious doubts about whether his decision was the right one.” Although we were walking quickly, Grisa still spoke clearly as he described the situation to me. “What happened next?” I asked with concern. “The shelling stopped about an hour later. Taking advantage of the cover of night, the enemy launched an attack from several directions, attempting to wipe us out in one fell swoop and completely occupy the entire city. Our troops, occupying advantageous terrain, opened fire fiercely the moment the enemy entered the ambush zone. The Germans were caught completely off guard and could barely mount any effective resistance. After about ten minutes of fighting, they retreated, leaving nearly a hundred bodies behind. The enemy’s second attack came half an hour later. Having learned from their earlier mistake, they adopted a cautious, step-by-step tactic, advancing gradually into the depth of our defenses. First, they fired flares, exposing our lines to intense light, then used mortar barrages and and flamethrowers to confirm that no one was left alive on the front line before sending in infantry to occupy the positions. Since this German tactic took us by surprise, we were unable to find a way to counter it immediately and were forced to retreat. Fortunately, General Leviyagin dispatched a small unit to flank the attacking Germans from the rear, destroying their mortars and flamethrowers, thereby eliminating the greatest threat. Deprived of the cover provided by these powerful weapons, the German troops who had breached our positions immediately descended into chaos. Comrade General personally took command at the front lines, maintaining a calm demeanor as he held the advantageous terrain. He directed a portion of our forces to cut off and encircle the German troops, eliminating them one by one. The enemy’s third attack was launched after daybreak. More than 200 German soldiers, supported by two tanks and ten armored vehicles, once again launched an assault on the area held by our troops. General Leviyakin had long anticipated that after daybreak, the enemy might launch another attack under the cover of their tanks, so he had positioned anti-tank gunners in ambush at numerous locations well in advance. When the battle began, I was standing right beside the general and clearly saw a soldier concealed behind a pile of rubble. As the German tanks approached to within just over 10 meters, he leapt suddenly from his hiding place and hurled five hand grenades at the enemy in rapid succession, disrupting the German formation and causing one of their tanks to veer into a minefield where it was destroyed. Unfortunately, he was struck by machine-gun fire from an enemy armored vehicle and fell heroically in battle. Inspired by this soldier’s heroic actions, the defenders opened intense fire, severing the enemy’s link between infantry and tanks and armored vehicles, engaging them in close combat to weaken their firepower. One anti-tank gunner grew increasingly bold as the battle raged. To improve his aim, he disregarded the bitter cold and actually shed his cotton and fleece jackets, closing in to fire his rounds. He successively destroyed or damaged three German armored vehicles. After half an hour of fierce fighting, they successfully repelled the German army’s third offensive…” Although Grisa recounted last night’s battle in a matter-of-fact tone, I knew full well that the fighting must have been exceptionally brutal. Through this battle, I gained a deeper appreciation for Leviyakin’s tactical acumen. According to the Soviet Army’s previous tactics, they would simply engage the Germans in a head-on, all-out brawl with no strategy whatsoever. Without an absolute advantage in manpower and equipment, defeating the Germans was nearly impossible. Yet Leviyakin managed to repel the Germans’ attacks one after another despite being outnumbered and lacking artillery or air support, and hold out until reinforcements arrived—a truly remarkable feat. As we spoke, we had already arrived outside the headquarters of the 7th Division. Second Lieutenant Gabifor was standing outside the command vehicle, looking around anxiously; his worried expression suggested he was waiting for someone. Seeing us arrive, he hurried over, ran up to me, stood at attention, and saluted, reporting, “Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, good day! Our division commander is waiting for you inside. Please come in quickly!” Colonel Gryaznov and General Lin were sitting at a table studying a map. When they saw me enter, they both stood up and shook my hand. General Lin asked with concern, “Lida, how is your injury? ” I replied gratefully, “Thank you for your concern. I’ve had the dressing changed and received an injection; it’s no longer a problem.” Immediately, I asked eagerly, “How is the fighting in the city going?” “Let me give you the update,” the colonel interjected, taking the lead and continuing on his own: “ Our advance battalion captured the train station this morning and provided cover for the infantry as they built new defensive positions. Once the main body of the division arrived, they quickly spread out across the city and, fortunately, linked up with the units from your division still fighting inside...” After listening to the colonel ramble on for nearly half an hour, I finally couldn’t help but timidly ask, “Can we get in touch with my division headquarters from here?” “No problem. ” The colonel said casually, “We’ve just laid telephone lines. Not only can we talk to your division headquarters, but we can even speak directly with the Army Group headquarters.” He then turned to the signalman sitting in the corner and ordered, “Connect me immediately to the headquarters of the 8th Guards Division.” “Yes, sir,” the signalman replied, and began dialing the number for my division headquarters. In no time, he stood up and reported to us, “Comrade Commander, the line is connected.” “Beep! …” The dial tone coming through the receiver made me more nervous than the sound of gunfire. As I waited for the other end to pick up, I couldn’t help but break out in a sweat and feel my heart racing. “Hello! This is the 8th Guards Division Headquarters! What can I do for you?” The voice of Political Commissar Yegorov came through the receiver, instantly calming my nerves—at least the division headquarters was safe and sound. I opened my mouth to speak, but suddenly felt a stinging sensation in my nose and tears welling up in my eyes. I quickly closed my mouth, afraid to speak, fearing I would burst into tears the moment I did. “Hello! …” The other end called out twice. Seeing that I didn’t respond, they fell silent. Then, as if sensing something, they asked tentatively, “Lida, is that you?” “Comrade Political Commissar, it’s me! Is everything all right at the division?” I pinched my nose, struggling to control my emotions. “Very well! General Leviyakin has already led the 1077th Regiment out of the city safely and is currently joining forces with the 1075th Regiment to rest and regroup.” The Political Commissar said with great excitement, “Although General Leviyakin received word that you might be with the 7th Guards Division, since the information hasn’t been confirmed, we’re still organizing a search party…” “It’s fine! I’m fine, thank you all for your concern.” I quickly reassured the political commissar: “I was rescued by soldiers from the 7th Guards Division while breaking through the encirclement, and I’m currently at their division headquarters.” “Do you need me to send someone to pick you up?” the political commissar asked with concern. “No need.” I politely declined his offer and asked in return, “Is General Leviadkin there?” “He’s here, he’s here. Just hold on, I’ll have him take the call right away.” Then I heard the Political Commissar calling out to Leviyakin on the other end of the line. In a moment, another familiar voice came through the receiver: “Comrade Division Commander, hello! This is Leviyakin. How are you?” “I’m fine, thank you!” Hearing Leviyakin’s voice put my mind at ease. “Ever since we parted ways last night, I’ve been very worried about you. I didn’t know if you’d be able to safely lead your troops out of the German encirclement. Just now, I heard from Private Grisa about the details of last night’s battle. Knowing you’re safe and sound puts my mind at ease.” “Comrade Division Commander, we were very worried about your safety as well. After dawn, while I was directing the troops in battle, I specifically sent men into the city to search for you. However, we only found the bodies of the soldiers assigned to protect you, which made us even more concerned that you might be in danger. Later, after we joined forces with the 7th Guards Division, their officers and soldiers told me they had seen you, so I sent my bodyguard, Grisa, to follow them and find you…” “ “Enough, don’t say any more!” I interrupted him impatiently. “I’ll return to division headquarters as soon as possible. We’ll discuss the rest when I get back. Also, while I’m away, you’ll act as division commander in my absence.” “Yes, sir!” Leviyakin replied without hesitation. Hanging up the phone, I looked at General Lin and the colonel and said, “The current situation is not looking good. I want to return to my division headquarters immediately. Could you two arrange a vehicle for me?” “No problem, I’ll take care of it right away!” The colonel walked to the door and called out, “Second Lieutenant Gabifor, go find a vehicle immediately. The lieutenant colonel needs to leave right away.” Then he returned to my side and said, “ “Please wait a moment; the car will be here shortly.” General Lin sat at the table, staring at the map without saying a word. I looked at him, wanting to ask his opinion on the future situation, but seeing his expression, I hesitated and decided not to speak. However, the silence in the room was soon broken when General Lin spoke up: “Lida, I think that once you return, while organizing our defenses, you should still be prepared to redeploy the troops, so we aren’t caught off guard when the time comes.” “Redeploy?!” I asked, somewhat puzzled. “Where to?” “Right here!” General Lin’s hand slammed down on the map as he said confidently, “The Istra River!” He looked up at me. “Although General Rokossovsky’s withdrawal plan was rejected by Zhukov, given the current state of the war, it’s only a matter of time before the 16th Army retreats to the Istra region. If you don’t prepare now, the troops might fall into chaos when the order comes suddenly. So you must plan ahead and be ready. Do you understand?” “Understood! I’ve got it covered!” I had complete faith in General Lin’s words. With half a month left before the major counteroffensive, anything could happen during that time. Making advance preparations for a retreat would prevent the troops from falling into chaos if orders came suddenly—turning a retreat into a rout would be a loss greater than the gain. Just then, Second Lieutenant Gabifor’s voice came from outside: “Comrade Division Commander, the car is ready.” We stepped out of the command vehicle together and saw another brand-new jeep parked outside. The colonel, thinking I hadn’t seen this type of vehicle before, took the time to explain to me: “This is called a jeep. It’s a new model provided to us by our American allies. It has excellent off-road capabilities and is well-suited for navigating rough terrain.” Grisa was behind the wheel. Before enlisting, he had worked as a bus driver and possessed extensive driving experience, so I declined the driver the colonel had arranged for us. In truth, I had my own ulterior motive for not using the colonel’s driver. If we let a driver from the 7th Division take us, he would have to drive the vehicle back after we reached our destination. But by using one of our own men as the driver, we could legitimately claim the vehicle as our own in the end. I took the passenger seat, while Ramis had to settle for the back seat. Before setting off, I asked Grisa, “Grisa, do you know the way?” “No problem, Comrade Division Commander,” Grisa replied confidently. “I used to be a bus driver—my specialty is memorizing routes. Once I’ve driven a road, I can always find my way back.” I waved goodbye to General Lin, Division Commander Zhe, and the colonel standing outside the vehicle, then turned back to Grisa and said, “All right, let’s go!” Although the jeep had excellent off-road capabilities, driving on roads pockmarked by bombs and artillery shells meant the ride was still extremely bumpy, even at low speeds. I leaned my head against the seatback and closed my eyes to rest. I hadn’t had a proper rest in days, so I took this opportunity to catch a quick nap in the car. “Comrade Division Commander,” Ramis’s puzzled voice suddenly rang out beside me. “Something feels off. I think there’s someone in the woods up ahead!” I opened my eyes and scanned the area, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. I felt a bit annoyed at Ramis for disturbing my rest, but didn’t want to snap at him, so I replied in a nonchalant tone, “I don’t see anyone. Did you just see things?” ” “Boom! Before I could finish speaking, a series of explosions rang out all around the car, and the billowing smoke instantly blocked our view. “It’s the enemy!” Ramis suddenly shouted, quickly bracing his submachine gun against the car window. “Get off the road—head into the forest!” I shouted into Grisa’s ear. Almost the moment I shouted, Grisa jerked the steering wheel, swerving the car to the side. We hadn’t gone far from the main road when shells began landing relentlessly on both sides. The shockwaves from the explosions sent the car lurching violently back and forth. The windshield was shattered by flying shrapnel and rock fragments, and a warm, acrid smell of gunpowder filled the cabin. “Quick! Quick, quick!! Drive into the forest!” Lamis shouted as he fired blindly into the smoke. After charging forward another few dozen meters, the jeep, now deep in the forest, broke free from the smoke obscuring their view and continued to race at full throttle deeper into the woods. “It must be a small German unit,” Lamis shouted as he reloaded. “They’re attacking us with mortars.” After reloading, he patted Grisa on the shoulder with his now-free right hand and said, “Keep driving toward division headquarters. Once we’re in our own territory, those German devils won’t be a threat anymore.” The vehicle drove another five or six minutes through the forest before arriving at a vast clearing with relatively sparse trees. A dozen or so green tents were scattered throughout the clearing, with soldiers moving about here and there. I recognized it at a glance: this was the location of my division headquarters!