On November 1, the 9th year of the Republic of China, Liu Zhaocheng, commander-in-chief of the Chinese First Army Corps, completely surrounded Qinmalak.
Eighty thousand Soviet Red Army troops were surrounded in the small Chinmalak, with no way out.
On the same day, Liu Zhaocheng, in the name of the commander-in-chief of the First Army and the commander-in-chief of the left wing of Kdonsnoyarsk, issued an ultimatum to A.E. Maskov, commander of the Chinmalak Soviet Red Army:
Before 12 noon on November 3, 1920, all Soviet Red Army troops in the Chinmalak area must choose to surrender unconditionally. The Chinese Communist Party will ensure their personal safety and ensure the benefits that prisoners of war should receive...
There were only two days left for Maskov.
Two days seems to be enough time to decide many things...
Maskov actually knew very well that according to the current situation, he could no longer stop the Chinese attack. If he continued to resist blindly, he would face only a dead end.
However, he chose to surrender and saved the lives of 80,000 Red Army soldiers, but what would he face? What would his family members in Moscow face?
Maskov fell into confusion.
On the 2nd, Frunze, the commander-in-chief of the Red Army in Kdonsnoyarsk, sent a telegram to Maskov. The commander-in-chief of the Red Army in Kdonsnoyarsk already knew the situation of the 8th Army and was encouraging him.
While the Red Army in Maskov and Chinmalak fought hard to the end, they added this sentence at the end of the telegram:
"...If the battle is invincible, Comrade A.E. Maskov, after consultation with the Supreme Headquarters of the Red Army's Kdonsnoyarsk region, agrees that your ministry can make all choices, including maintaining the dignity of the Red Army.
surrender to the enemy..."
Holding this telegram, Maskov's hands trembled... He thanked Frunze from the bottom of his heart. His telegram took over all the responsibilities and served Maskov and the front line.
The Red Army commanders and fighters minimized their responsibilities...
But Frunze will face the most severe criticism from Moscow...
On the 2nd, the Chinese ** team resumed shelling.
Although the bombardment lasted only twenty minutes, it was enough to have a huge psychological impact on the huddled Red Army.
In such a small area, facing the powerful artillery fire of the Chinese is enough to cause casualties every minute...
Then, Chinese Air Force planes began to appear in the sky.
These planes did not drop bombs or strafe, they just circled in the air for a few times and then quickly left.
Maskov knew very well that this was also exerting strong psychological pressure on himself and the soldiers.
Maskov held a meeting at the level of division commanders, division political commissars and above on the afternoon of the 2nd. The meeting had only one theme:
Before the Chinese ultimatum arrives, where will the 8th Army go...
The debate was very understandable. Some people advocated fighting to the end, some advocated an immediate breakout, and some advocated accepting the Chinese conditions, obeying the orders of Commander Frunze, and choosing to surrender while maintaining the dignity of the Red Army...
Kamachkov, the general political commissar of the group army, made fierce demands that all Red Army commanders and fighters must fight resolutely to the end, and at the very least organize a breakout!
Surrender, in his opinion, is the most shameful choice for a Bolshevik!
Everyone turned their attention to Maskov.
Looking at his comrades, Maskov's expression was heavy and he said slowly:
"If possible, I would choose to fight to the end, but now it is impossible...Breakthrough? Comrades, please take a look, our retreat has been cut off, our two wings are densely packed with enemies, and the aircraft
We are always spying on everything we do. As long as we make any move, the enemy will know it as soon as possible...
Comrades, I know what a determined Bolshevik should do, but I know even better what a commander should do. Eighty thousand Red Army soldiers, comrades, a total of 80,000 Red Army soldiers, our personal honor and disgrace can be ignored, but our
What should the officers and soldiers do? Let them continue to choose unnecessary sacrifices under impossible circumstances?"
His mood became a little excited:
"No, I can never do this. Commander Frunze can sacrifice his personal honor for our safety, and so can I. I must be responsible for the lives of 80,000 Red Army commanders, not me personally, not my reputation!
"
The meaning of his words was very clear, and everyone fell silent...
Maskov was silent there for a long time, and then said with great difficulty: "I have decided to accept the Chinese ultimatum. Comrades, please vote. If you are opposed, please raise your hands."
Kamachkov was the first to raise his hand. He looked around. To his disappointment, only a few people responded to him. Most of them buried their heads deeply...
.
Maskov sighed softly: "Okay, the minority obeys the majority...Chief of Staff Jovsky, you are responsible for contacting the Chinese. You will make all requests that are detrimental to the honor of the Red Army."
Absolutely no promise..."
**Fsky stood up, his steps were heavy, and he dragged himself out bit by bit...
Everyone already knew the result. Everyone stood up and returned to their troops, preparing for the upcoming surrender... In the headquarters of the 8th Army, only Masco was left.
Husband and Kamachkov...
Maskov took out a cigarette and handed it to Kamachkov. Kamachkov took it without saying a word, lit it, and took a long puff...
"I'm sorry..." Maskov spat out these words with great difficulty...
He understands the political commissar's current mood very well. As long as there is a slight possibility, he will not choose to surrender, but this possibility does not exist at all...
Kamachkov finished the cigarette in a few puffs, then took out another one, took the fire and continued to smoke: "Comrade Commander, I understand our current situation, and I also understand your choice...
...This cannot be blamed on anyone, and no one should bear this responsibility...If we really want to say where the responsibility lies, maybe..."
He did not say any more, threw away the cigarette butt and stood up: "Comrade Commander, I am your political commissar. I support the decision made by everyone. Please protect the lives of all Red Army commanders and fighters.
Even if you become a prisoner of war, don't forget that you are a Bolshevik..."
Maskov nodded silently and watched his political commissar walk out...
Kamachkov came to the telegraph room, thought for a while and said: "Send electricity to Moscow, to Comrade Lenin, Comrade Stalin, Comrade Voroshilov... The 8th Army was surrounded in Chinmalak, continue
It is impossible to fight or break out of the encirclement. I suggested to Comrade A.E. Maskov to surrender to the enemy to avoid suffering greater losses... All losses caused by this will be borne by me personally and I am willing to accept it.
All punishments from the party..."
He took all the responsibilities on himself. Perhaps in his opinion, this was the last thing he could do for the 8th Army...
After sending this telegram, Kamachkov said calmly: "Burn all the telegrams and prepare them."
He left here calmly, returned to his residence, sorted out his belongings, burned all the information, then sat down, took out a pen and wrote a letter to his wife and children in Moscow:
"Dear wife, when you receive this letter, I have left this world...I am loyal to my career, loyal to the revolution, and I am willing to give my life for it...
We suffered a temporary defeat, but I always firmly believe that the revolution will never fail...
The children will be handed over to you. Because of my surrender, you may suffer a lot of unfair treatment, but you must believe that sooner or later, history will give you justice... Take the children with you.
Big, teach them knowledge, let them continue to fight along the road of revolution, and don't learn from their father, their father is a shame to the revolution..."
He finished writing the last word, carefully packed the envelopes, and put them on the table...
Then, he took out a pistol and put it in his mouth...
On the night of November 2, 1920, Kamachkov, the general political commissar of the 8th Army of the Soviet Red Army, committed suicide.
Just as he predicted, his wife and children were treated extremely unfairly. His wife died in January 1921, and his two children also died one after another in the labor camp...
Kamachkov hoped that his children could inherit his revolutionary cause, but the revolutionary cause ruined his whole family...
Who caused all this!
In the 9th year of the Republic of China, on November 3, 1920, at the end of the Chinese ultimatum, the 8th Army of the Soviet Red Army finally chose to surrender after being surrounded and losing all hope...
Maskoff did not commit suicide.
Kamachkov is dead. He must force himself to live. He must be responsible for the future of the 80,000 Red Army.
No matter how hard it is, he must survive, or he can still see the day of victory, and only then can he comfort his comrades.
But no matter what, the Battle of Chinmalak gave a Chinese, Liu Zhaocheng, a reputation that will soon spread around the world: