The next day, the leading troops of the 52nd Army arrived at Krijopiri.
Kirillov's 252nd Division was stationed here. He was surprised to see friendly troops unexpectedly appearing in the defense area, so he sent a staff officer to learn about the situation.
Soon, the staff officer who inquired about the situation came back. He reported to Kirillov: "Comrade Division Commander, I have learned about the situation. They are the leading troops of the 73rd Infantry Corps of the 52nd Group Army. They were ordered to take over the city.
Defense.”
"You were ordered to take over the city's defense?" Kirillov, who was confused, turned to his division chief of staff and asked: "Comrade chief of staff, what is going on?"
The division chief of staff was also confused. When Kirillov said this, he shrugged his shoulders and spread his hands to indicate that he didn't know what was going on.
Seeing the Chief of Staff, he didn’t know what was going on. Kirillov couldn’t help but feel a little angry. However, he suppressed the anger in his heart and ordered the other party: “Chief of Staff, contact the military headquarters immediately to find out what is going on.
what happened."
The chief of staff did not dare to neglect, and quickly ordered the communications soldier to connect the phone to the army headquarters.
As soon as the call was connected, he announced his home: "I am the chief of staff of the 252nd Division. Now there are troops from the 73rd Infantry Corps of the 52nd Army to take over Krijopili's defense. I want to ask, what exactly is this?
what's going on?"
After receiving Konev's order to give way, Sokov immediately notified the 57th Army of the matter. However, Chumakov felt that even if friendly forces came to take over the defense, they might not arrive so quickly, so he did not have time to
Notify the troops below about this matter.
Now that the Chief of Staff of the 252nd Division asked about this, Chumakov answered the phone with some embarrassment: "Comrade Colonel, the commander of the Army Group informed us yesterday that friendly forces will come to take over the defense in the near future. I thought they had arrived.
It won’t be so soon, and I haven’t arrived yet to inform you.”
"Then what should we do?"
"What else can we do, comrade colonel?" Chumakov also felt uncomfortable thinking that after his defense area was handed over to friendly forces, the troops would switch from offense to defense: "Of course, defense is handed over to them.
There is no doubt about it.”
"After the handover of defense, what should we do?"
"After handing over the city's defense, you immediately moved to Thomas Pirie, where you joined the 233rd Division in the city, built fortifications outside the city, and transferred to defense on the spot."
After the division chief of staff put down the phone, he reported to Kirillov: "Comrade division commander, the corps commander said, let us immediately transfer to Thomas Piri after the friendly forces hand over the defense, and after joining the 233rd Division stationed there, we will
The city turned to defense and built a large number of fortifications outside the city."
Although Kirillov did not know why he had to hand over defense to friendly forces and transfer to Thomas Piri to defend. But as a commander with more than 20 years of military experience, he understood the importance of obedience and waited for the Chief of Staff to say
After finishing, he gave the order directly: "Chief of Staff, order the troops to start gathering and at the same time hand over the city's defense to friendly forces."
"Comrade division commander," the chief of staff said with some disbelief: "Our division took the city, why should we hand it over to friendly forces? I think you should contact the commander and see what he says."
Kirillov heard the implication of the chief of staff's words and did not want to leave this newly liberated city. He did not have the same idea, but as a soldier, it is his bounden duty to obey orders. Since the superiors have issued the order to hand over the defense and
The transfer order, no matter how reluctant he was, he couldn't stay here any longer.
"Okay, Comrade Chief of Staff, stop talking." Kirillov interrupted the Chief of Staff and said to him in a stern tone: "Don't you know that we can only execute orders, not discuss them?
"
The chief of staff suddenly became speechless when he heard what Kirillov said.
"Comrade Chief of Staff, seize the time, hand over the defense to friendly forces as soon as possible, and transfer to Tomaspirie." When Kirillov gave the order to the Chief of Staff, he was muttering to himself. After arriving at Tomaspirie, he would call Sokov.
Make a phone call and find out what's going on.
Two hours later, the troops who had handed over the defense moved to Tomaspirie in the northwest. Kirillov, who was sitting in the jeep, thought to himself: It seems a bit inappropriate to call the commander directly. It is better to call Ponejelin.
Well. Maybe we can get more useful information from his mouth.
Thinking of this, he quickly ordered the driver to stop, and then contacted the group army headquarters via radio on the side of the road.
Fortunately, he was well-connected when he was serving as a consultant at the headquarters, and he quickly contacted a familiar staff officer. He smiled and said: "Comrade Captain, could you please find me Lieutenant Colonel Ponijelin? I
I have something important to talk to him about."
Unexpectedly, after hearing this, the other party was silent for a moment unexpectedly, and then asked: "What, Lieutenant Colonel Kirillov, don't you know?"
When Kirillov heard what the other party said, he couldn't help but feel a little bit in his heart. He thought to himself that something had happened to Ponedelin? He asked tentatively: "Comrade Captain, what should I know?"
"Lieutenant Colonel Ponejelin is no longer at the headquarters."
Hearing this, Kirillov felt even more panicked. He murmured and asked, "Is something going to happen to him?"
After hearing this, the staff officer was stunned for a moment, then understood what Kirillov meant, and said with a smile: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, don't worry. Lieutenant Colonel Ponedelin is indeed not at the headquarters now. He was transferred to the Guards Division by the commander.
The commander of the 41st Division."
"What, Lieutenant Colonel Ponedelin is now the commander of the 41st Guards Division?" Kirillov asked in surprise: "When did this happen?"
"Today is today." The staff officer explained: "The commander just appointed Lieutenant Colonel Ponijelin as the commander of the 41st Guards Division today, and sent a comrade of the Military Commissar to accompany him to take office."
"What about General Kurishenko, the original commander of the 41st Guards Division?" Since Ponedelin was appointed as the division commander, the original division commander must not remain in his post. Kirillov asked curiously: "He
How is it arranged?"
"Not sure." The staff officer replied: "The commander only appointed Lieutenant Colonel Ponedelin as the division commander. As for General Kurishenko's arrangements, he did not mention it."
When he learned that Ponedelin had been appointed as the division commander, Kirillov was so excited that he could not continue to inquire about why he wanted to hand over defense to friendly forces. After ending the call, he immediately got in the car and continued on his way.
When the troops were approaching Thomas Pirie, a three-wheeled motorcycle was approaching. Kirillov saw a major officer sitting in the car and quickly ordered the driver to pull over.
After the car stopped on the side of the road, the three-wheeled motorcycle stopped not far from the jeep. The major in the sidecar got off the car, came to the front of the jeep, raised his hand and saluted Kirillov in the car, and said: "
Hello, Lieutenant Colonel Kirillov, I am here to greet you on the order of the division commander."
Kirillov saw that the person was Major Lekashali, Muzichenko's chief of staff, so he opened the door and got out of the car, stepped forward to shake hands with the other party, and said with a smile: "Comrade Major, I didn't expect you to come out of the city to greet him in person.
us."
After Lekashali shook hands with Kirillov, he politely said to him: "There is not enough space in the city for your troops to be stationed. The division commander wants you to build fortifications here."
If someone else had said this to Kirillov, Kirillov might have been furious at him. But since this plan was proposed by Muzichenko, it proves that the city of Tomaspiri he is about to go to is too small and cannot be used inside.
Station more troops.
After thinking about this, Kirillov turned to the chief of staff who came from behind and said: "Comrade chief of staff, order the troops to stop advancing and build defenses on the spot."
Hearing Kirillov's order, the chief of staff couldn't help but be stunned, and then asked: "Comrade division commander, this is less than three kilometers away from the city. We can build defenses in the city..."
"Comrade Chief of Staff, you don't need to say anything. There is no place for us to build defenses in the city now, so building fortifications on the spot is the best choice." Seeing that the Chief of Staff was still hesitant to speak,
He urged: "Execute the order, Comrade Chief of Staff."
"Okay, Comrade Division Commander." At this time, the Chief of Staff could only bite the bullet and reply: "I immediately ordered the troops to stop advancing and build defenses on the spot."
When the chief of staff went to assign tasks, Lekashali said to Kirillov: "Comrade lieutenant colonel, the division commander said that if it is convenient for you, he would like to invite you to sit in the city."
The chief of staff was responsible for the division's work, so Kirillov followed Lekashali to the city with confidence and boldness, and met with Muzychenko at the division headquarters.
After the two met and exchanged greetings, Kirillov asked Muzichenko curiously: "Muzichenko, my superiors asked me to hand over the defense to friendly forces and rush here to join you. Do you know what's going on?
?"
"Why, Comrade Commander didn't tell you?"
"No." Kirillov shook his head and said: "The leading troops of the friendly forces entered my defense area, and I knew that I had to hand over the defense. I quickly asked the chief of staff to call the army headquarters to find out, and then I knew how to transfer the defense to the military headquarters.
The transfer of defense from friendly forces was an order personally issued by Comrade Commander."
"Kirillov, actually I don't know much more than you do." Muzichenko said with a wry smile: "I received a call from General Smirnov, chief of staff of the group army, half an hour ago.
When I learned that you were coming to join us, I ordered Rekashali to greet you."
"Then have you asked the Chief of Staff what is the reason for asking our division to abandon its existing defense area?"
"I heard General Smirnov say that the superiors ordered the 52nd Army to attack from the left flank of our army, preparing to forcefully cross the Dniester River during the march and continue to advance towards the Romanian border."
"What about us?"
"Rest in place and stand by." Muzichenko said: "But in order to prevent the enemy from guessing our true intentions, we still need to launch small-scale attacks against the enemy in local areas."
"What on earth is going on?" Kirillov became more and more confused as he listened: "Our progress was very smooth. It only took one day at most to complete the preparations for the forced crossing of the Dniester River, but we were suddenly stopped.
Already."
"Kirillov, you have a good relationship with Ponejelin," Muzichenko reminded Kirillov: "After you received the order to hand over defense, you did not call Muzichenko to find out more.
Condition."
Muzichenko's words reminded Kirillov, and he quickly replied: "Of course I have contacted him, but it is a pity that Ponedelin is not at the headquarters, but went to other places."
"Where else did you go?" Muzichenko asked: "Where did you go?"
"I asked the staff officer who answered the phone and he said that Comrade Commander suddenly appointed Ponejelin as the commander of the 41st Guards Division today."
"What, Ponedelin serves as the commander of the 41st Guards Division?" Muzichenko was shocked. He felt that he and Kirillov served as division commanders, and Sokov, who gave the order, had already taken a great risk.
, now he has actually appointed Ponijelin as the division commander, and he is also an ace division like the 41st Guards Division. So he asked tentatively: "Is this news reliable?"
"Reliable, absolutely reliable." Kirillov replied: "And Comrade Comrade Military Commissar of the Army Group personally accompanied him to take office. I think this news cannot be false."
After confirming the news, this time it was Muzichenko's turn to wonder: "Strange, isn't the 41st Guards Division playing very well? Why was Ponedelin suddenly appointed as the division commander?"
After a pause, he asked the key question: "So where is the original division commander General Kurishenko? Are his superiors planning to put him in the position of corps commander?"
"I don't think so." Kirillov shook his head and said, "If he was about to be appointed as the commander of the army, there would have been rumors in the headquarters. But the staff officer who spoke to me had no rumors at all.
Heard.”
Since no one knows where Kurishenko will go next, the two of them stopped talking about him. Muzichenko said with a smile: "Now that our two divisions are concentrated in Tomaspili, the enemy can't even think of launching a counterattack."
Take the city back from our hands."
Kirillov laughed twice, and then asked: "Muzichenko, if it were the Germans, then the battle for the city would be extremely fierce, but the enemy in front of us is the Romanian. What do you think?
Can they take over this city with their strength?"
"It can't be taken." Muzichenko did not have the slightest doubt about this: "If it were at the beginning of the war, the Romanian troops following the Germans would have had very strong combat effectiveness. But after more than two years and nearly three
After years of fighting, the Romanian army with strong combat effectiveness has been almost exhausted. The troops we face now are all just formed in the past two years. Not only are they poorly trained, but they also have little combat experience, which is why we can force the crossing so easily.
South Bug River, successively occupied four cities on the right bank, thus establishing a firm foothold."
"It is a pity that we are not allowed to participate in the offensive now." Kirillov said with regret: "Otherwise, based on the recent performance of our troops, we are fully capable of entering the Romanian border within a week."
"This is indeed a regrettable thing." Muzichenko said: "I think Comrade Commander is also in a bad mood at the moment. Victory is in sight, but an order from our superiors made us stop the attack and let the friendly forces
The fruits of victory were obtained easily."
"By the way, Muzichenko, can the phone you have here be able to communicate with the 41st Guards Division?" Kirillov asked tentatively: "I want to talk to Ponedelin to see what's going on.
How could he suddenly become the commander of the Guards Division?"