Chapter 581

The medal awarding ceremony can only be regarded as a brief episode. It was the decision of his father, Comrade Stalin, to award Malashenko the title of Hero of the Soviet Union and the Order of the Gold Star. Zhukov was just a practitioner of his father's will to complete the awarding process on behalf of his father.

Malashenko, who had just officially become a veritable "Hero of the Soviet Union", had not yet thought about what to do next, and a reporter who had been waiting beside Zhukov for a long time suddenly pressed the shutter of his camera.

Malashenko, wearing the newly-released Order of the Hero of the Soviet Union Gold Star on his chest, and his figure standing with Zhukov were recorded forever in a historical photo in this way.

Before Malashenko, who was "secretly photographed" with a beautiful photo, could react, another beautiful young female reporter stepped forward and took out the notebook and pen that had been prepared long ago, and came straight to Malashenko with an interview posture.

"Captain Malashenko, I am Maria Sharapova, a reporter from Pravda. I would like to interview you about your awarding of the title of Hero of the Soviet Union and your battle in Stalingrad. I hope to ask for your consent."

Although he had dominated the headlines of Pravda for quite a long time, it was the first time for Malashenko to accept an exclusive interview with a reporter from Pravda.

Malashenko, who had never been on TV, let alone being interviewed, was obviously not ready for this.

Before Malashenko could politely refuse, Zhukov on the side had already spoken first.

"Comrade Sharapova, Captain Malashenko and I still have some important things to discuss. Now that you have also got the important photo, I think the interview can wait until Captain Malashenko finishes the important things. What do you think?"

For this female reporter who came from Moscow, Zhukov tried to be more gentlemanly and calm down his tone. After all, there is no need to shout in front of a woman in the way men talk to each other.

Anyone who can work in the editorial office of Pravda for a long time must not be a fool with low emotional intelligence.

Sharapova, who had interviewed Zhukov and taken notes before, had some understanding of the Red Army general in front of her. After Zhukov's kind reminder, she immediately gave up and left for the time being.

Seeing that the two reporters who followed him from Moscow to the front line to record the interview finally left the hut temporarily, Zhukov smiled indifferently and pointed to the chair next to the small table and sat down first.

"Some propaganda is necessary, Malashenko, which can inspire people's courage and determination to fight to the end in the darkest moments. I hope you won't feel unhappy about it."

Comrade Lao Zhu said so much, Malashenko would naturally not give him face and continue to hold on to it. Besides, Malashenko was just a little surprised that he was suddenly interviewed and did not reject it much.

"Of course, I can understand, Comrade Zhukov. I am willing to cooperate with any form of propaganda needs and interviews from superiors, as long as the situation allows."

"Well"

Zhukov did not intend to spend too much time on this trivial matter. He turned the topic back on track and soon looked at Malashenko sitting on the chair next to him with a serious face and spoke.

"I think you should have heard the general situation from Chuikov. The losses of the 1st Guards Heavy Tank Breakthrough Regiment in the Battle of Stalingrad were too great, and a fundamental reorganization and new construction of the troops was needed. In view of this being a heroic unit, the General Staff Department, with the permission of Comrade Stalin, is preparing to upgrade the 1st Guards Heavy Tank Breakthrough Regiment to the 1st Guards Heavy Tank Brigade."

"You will still be the military chief of the unit, that is, the brigade commander, and your rank and position will be moved up one level to the colonel brigade commander. I will send someone to hand over the specific documents, promotion orders and some other things to you later."

The facts are just as Zhukov said.

After the battle to defend the army headquarters, Malashenko had learned from Chuikov that the First Guards Heavy Tank Breakthrough Regiment would be upgraded.

The corresponding promotion of positions and ranks were reasonable and predictable, so Malashenko did not feel much surprise.

But compared to these "virtual" things, Malashenko, who had been hurt by huge and shocking losses in the hard battles this year, was more concerned about the real things.

The First Guards Heavy Tank Breakthrough Regiment was upgraded to the First Guards Heavy Tank Brigade. Where are the additional personnel now? Is the equipment in place? How many troops and tanks can be expanded under his command now? This is the focus of the pragmatic Malashenko's greatest concern.

As if he had seen some clues from Malashenko's expression that changed several times in a row, Zhukov quickly continued before he finished speaking.

"After you leave me, you will take all the remaining personnel of the 1st Guards Heavy Tank Breakthrough Regiment to this location: Kremenskoya. All the technical equipment and personnel of the 1st Guards Heavy Tank Brigade began to assemble here three days ago."

"When you arrive at Kremenskaya, you will see everything you need. More personnel and equipment will arrive within a week. Because the formation of the 1st Guards Heavy Tank Brigade was decided temporarily, it will take some time. During this period, you can first familiarize yourself with the troops and arrange other work."

"The appointment and removal of all officers and soldiers below the brigade commander will be completed by your brigade headquarters, and you can report to the Southwestern Front Command later. The 1st Guards Heavy Tank Brigade will still be a direct unit of the front and will directly obey the command and dispatch of the front headquarters. Comrade Vatutin will serve as the commander of the front."

"In addition, Political Commissar Petrov will be appointed as the deputy political commander, and Lavrinenko will remain as your deputy, or you can make arrangements based on the actual situation. The power and decision are all yours. That's basically it. If you have any questions, you can raise them now."

Political deputy commander? What does this mean? Not a political commissar?

All day long, he is either rolling in the pile of dead bodies in Stalingrad or on the way to rolling in the pile of dead bodies.

Malashenko, who was almost completely isolated from the outside world and only knew how to fight and think about how to fight a war well, did not know that Order No. 307 of the People's Commissar of Defense, signed by his father Comrade Stalin himself, had "dismissed" all the political commissars in the Red Army.