"He was only misled by the Poles!" Major Gavrilov interrupted Instructor Artur sharply. "And… honestly, I'm not even certain. We simply don't know everything yet!"
"Major!" the instructor lowered his voice, leaning closer. "Even if we don't know, we can't tolerate this kind of statement."
Major Gavrilov paused, considering, then nodded. He turned his attention back to Dmitri.
"Your name is Dmitri, correct?"
"Yes, Major!"
"I can understand your thoughts, Dmitri," Gavrilov said carefully. "I even agree with you, the battle isn't over so quickly. But… these are extraordinary times. You can't say things like that openly. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Major! I understand," Dmitri replied.
"Very good," Major Gavrilov nodded. "You may go back to your post."
"But, Major…" Instructor Artur protested, frowning.
"This is my decision, Comrade Artur," Major Gavrilov said firmly. "If there is any problem, I will take full responsibility."
Reluctantly, the instructor fell silent. Major Gavrilov turned to the signal soldiers. "Return his rifle and saber."
Dmitri's weapons were handed back. He could leave now he had escaped unharmed thanks to Major Gavrilov's protection.
Yet he did not move.
If he left, the Brest Fortress would eventually be besieged and destroyed by the German army. The defenders would be wiped out, forgotten, or even vilified. Many survivors would later be imprisoned, their bravery ignored.
The Soviet Union of this era was result-oriented. Heroes were only those who defeated the enemy, not those who fought valiantly but lost. The Brest defenders did not meet that standard they were eventually captured, including Major Gavrilov himself.
Dmitri would not become one of them. He would not die here, waiting passively.
"Do you have anything else to say, Comrade Dmitri?" Major Gavrilov asked, eyes narrowing.
"Yes, Comrade Major," Dmitri replied. "It wasn't entirely the Poles who influenced me."
Major Gavrilov blinked, puzzled. In truth, he thought the young soldier might be foolish, but there was a high price for speaking the truth, perhaps it was courage.
Instructor Artur sneered, sensing an opening.
"So, Comrade Dmitri," he asked, "this is your own idea?"
"Partly, yes," Dmitri said. "The Poles are right this is likely a full-scale attack. The Germans aren't just attacking the Brest Fortress. They're advancing broadly."
"Private," the instructor interrupted sharply, "if that's the case, what do you think should be done?"
Dmitri was cautious. He knew this was a trap. If he said, "We should break out," the instructor would immediately label him a coward or a defeatist. "Breakout" could be interpreted as "escape," and that would ruin him.
So he feigned ignorance. "I'm just a private, Comrade Instructor. I don't make decisions like that."
The instructor's anger flared, but he had no proof to do anything. Dmitri waited silently for Gavrilov to intervene.
He did not doubt the major would restrain himself. Gavrilov's concern was the battlefield, how to survive, how to fight, and how to defeat the enemy. Intelligence was the key.
Major Gavrilov now faced a dilemma.
If the Germans launched a full-scale attack, sticking to the fortress would mean certain death they would need to break out.
If it were a local engagement, holding the fortress until reinforcements arrived was feasible.
After a long pause, Gavrilov finally spoke. "Comrade Dmitri, tell me honestly… why do you think this is happening?"
Dmitri glanced at the instructor, triumphant. The man's dissatisfaction was evident, but he could do nothing.
"Airplanes, Comrade Major," Dmitri said. "And the sound of gunfire and artillery."
"What do you mean?" Gavrilov asked.
"We haven't seen any of our Soviet planes," Dmitri replied. "None in the sky. And there are no nearby gunshots or artillery except here at Brest Fortress. That is highly unusual Comrade Major."
"I heard the Germans prefer to attack quickly they call it a 'blitzkrieg.'"
"Yes, Comrade Major," Dmitri continued. "Without seeing Soviet planes or hearing nearby gunfire or artillery, there is only one explanation, and that's the Germans launched a large-scale blitzkrieg. Our forces retreated without organized resistance. In other words, we are probably surrounded. There will be no reinforcements coming."
Instantly, the headquarters fell silent. Staff officers paused mid-task, and even the air seemed to freeze. Everyone stared at Dmitri, weighing the weight of his words.