Malashenko had no illusions that his trip would be very easy. It would be a bad thing if going to meet the Supreme Leader was as easy as playing house.
But after all, Malashenko never expected that Comrade Stalin would send two such difficult balls to his feet.
What kind of award do I want to receive?
I hope I can go home and warm my bed with my beautiful wife right away. Are you, a bearded old man, willing to let me go? I guess you might have to deal with me if I dare to say such a thing.
Malashenko, who was secretly complaining in his heart, certainly knew that Stalin was testing him, and he also knew what those two "great honors" referred to, but he still didn't know how to answer in order to say that he was a kind father and comrade.
In my heart, I received full praise.
After thinking for a long time with no definite result, Malashenko, who no longer hesitated about this nonsense, could only reply with a firm expression.
"Doing certain things in order to seek rewards from the motherland is the behavior of opportunists. It does not meet the code requirements of a Communist Party member and is incorrect, Comrade Stalin."
"I never felt that I had to receive any awards for what I did. What drove me to act was my spirit, my will, and everything I learned in the party school."
"As the commander and commander of the 1st Guards Heavy Tank Brigade, I am always ready to face any storm with my comrades and comrades. This is the first thing I consider at all times."
Malashenko hesitated slightly when he said this, but this was just to express the next words better.
"As for the issues you mentioned, Comrade Stalin...I'm sorry, I have not seriously considered these, but I think I am ready at any time to accept and face all this calmly, regardless of the consequences.
how."
As a steel leader who often needs to test people's hearts, Comrade Stalin has asked similar questions to many people more than once. Usually, the answers of generals are better than those of grassroots commanders and soldiers, and the answers of comrades engaged in political work are better than those of comrades in the army.
Comrade.
But among all the answers that I have personally experienced, this is the first time that Comrade Stalin has told the truth about Malashenko's kind answers.
Assumption, here is just an assumption.
The kind-hearted Comrade Stalin, who suddenly became very interested in Malashenko's studies during his further studies at the party school, felt that Malashenko's study experience during his studies at the party school could be used as excellent positive material to publicize and assist.
This excellent answer just now can even be used as a teaching material and used immediately.
What the loving father Comrade Stalin did not know was that he had once again raised his evaluation of the young man in front of him to a higher level.
What Malashenko just said was basically copied from a certain political commissar who had a great influence on him in his previous life, and he made some comments that are in line with the background of this special era.
Just an improvement.
Of course, the comrade political commissar is the comrade political commissar of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, not the comrade political commissar of the Soviet Red Army.
He was a regiment-level political commissar who could make Malashenko in his previous life call his father uncle.
The secretary knocked on the door again and brought what the Supreme Leader requested. The drink in the container was just enough for two people to drink until the end of the conversation, no more, no less.
Malashenko saluted again, and the sound of his footsteps as he said goodbye still echoed in the office where he was alone.
Sitting behind his desk, Comrade Stalin, the loving father, took the rare opportunity to think specifically about what kind of unique future he should arrange for such an "extraordinary" young man.
"It's time to talk to Zhukov about this young man again. It might be a good idea to listen to his advice."
Compared with the supreme leader who is specifically considering the future of a rising star, Malashenko, who has left the Kremlin, seems a little "frightened", or it is more appropriate to say "flattered".
Regarding the awards he finally received, Malashenko did not receive medals, promotions, or expansion of the troops under his command from Comrade Stalin, nor did he even receive a notification of awards from the Electric Front.
But compared to the above things, Malashenko knew that the only reward he received this time was far greater than the sum of them all.
From now on, the 1st Guards Heavy Tank Brigade will be officially renamed as "Stalin Guards 1st Heavy Tank Brigade", and the former brigade commander, Colonel Malashenko, will continue to serve as the commander and combatant of the unit. As the only official designation, it appears in the General Staff Headquarters.
in archives and in formal written documents and orders.
Compared with the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, being able to add the name of the Supreme Leader of the Soviet Union in front of the unit number is the highest honor that all soldiers in the Red Army can only dream of.
Even though this honor belonged to the collective and not to himself personally, Malashenko felt the true recognition of himself by the supreme leader of the Soviet Union from this heavy and weighty name.
With this highest honor, unique to the entire army, in hand, the only thing Malashenko can feel at ease with is that from now on, he should no longer have to worry about replenishing the battle losses of his troops.
No matter who is responsible for replenishing the battle-damaged troops, as long as his brain has not been burned out, the 1st Heavy Tank Brigade of Stalin's Guards will definitely be the No. 1 Troop in Tianzi at the top of the replacement list, even if it is also the Guards
The other troops in the name also have to move back a little bit.
Is anyone dissatisfied? That's fine! How about adding the name of Comrade Supreme Leader to the front and extending the unit number to the same length as the First Heavy Tank Brigade of Stalin's Guards before expressing your opinion?
To describe it accurately, this is a bit similar to the meaning of the ancient emperor's holy eye in the hand, and it is valid for a long time and will expire without a single use.
Maybe this metaphor is a bit inappropriate, but in terms of actual functions, the two are indeed very similar.
To say that Malashenko, who has experienced many narrow escapes in purgatory on the battlefield and is constantly struggling to survive, needs the most, it is probably this kind of only "me-only" award. This brings joy to Malashenko.
The impact was simply more severe than another Hero of the Soviet Union medal!
"What happened? You haven't stopped laughing since you got in the car. You look like...a fool who escaped from a mental hospital."
Malokov, whose brows were almost knitted together, looked at Malashenko with a strange expression, while Comrade Ma sitting in the passenger seat was still giggling.
"Hey, it's okay, you just need to know that it's a good thing!"
"Oh, and remember to read the newspaper tomorrow morning, there should be big news happening!"