"Mr. President, Mr. President, wait a minute, listen to me, there is really no need to take such a risky action in person. We have the best aviation personnel team, which is fully capable of these tasks. You just need to sit in the control tower and watch their every move, I guarantee that they will complete the task smoothly." Air Force Commander-in-Chief Yevgeny Ivanovich Shaposhnikov hurriedly stopped in front of Yanaev, almost pleading to retain the Soviet President. Not only Shaposhnikov, but also Colonel Shegeil, the head of the Nakhodka Air Force Base, who was even more at a loss than him, behind him, he seemed to have no say in the face of the two big leaders.
A few dozen meters away from Shaposhnikov, a huge Backfire bomber was parked on the runway, with its wings spread, ready to take on the sky. The destination of this takeoff and landing flight was very clear, which was the sky above the four northern islands. It was announced to everyone that it was the sacred and inviolable red sovereignty of the Soviet Union, and no one was allowed to touch it.
Yanayev, who was wearing a pilot's uniform, turned around and looked at Shaposhnikov's chattering with a little impatience, interrupting his speech, "General Shaposhnikov, you have been chattering in my ear like this since last night. Do you hope that my ears will be completely deaf? Or do you hope that this demonstration flight will fail completely?"
"No, no, no, I assure the Soviets that I didn't mean that." Shaposhnikov said anxiously, "You are the leader of a country. If something happens on the four northern islands, how will the Soviets explain it to the people of the country? And what about the Soviet economy that is getting out of trouble?"
"That's enough." Yanaev stopped him from speaking. He turned his head and said to Colonel Shegeil, "I'm sorry, Colonel Shegeil, can you please leave for a moment? I need to talk to your superiors in person about something."
Sergei, who was eager to leave, felt relieved after hearing Yanaev's words and hurried away, leaving Shaposhnikov with a stubborn face waiting for Yanaev's rebuttal.
However, Yanayev did not bring up any great truths, but just asked softly, "Comrade Shaposhnikov, I just want to ask you a question. You are also from a military family, right? I want to know if your father fought desperately against the fascists in the Great Patriotic War."
Shaposhnikov was stunned. He did not expect Yanaev to suddenly bring up this topic. He could only nod silently, not understanding what this unconventional general secretary wanted to say.
Yanayev looked serious, staring at the setting sun behind Shaposhnikov. The sunset glowed brightly, just right on the Soviet hammer and sickle sculpture, looking magnificent and sad. Yanayev took a breath and said slowly, "In Stalingrad back then, we knew that if we took a step forward, we would be exposed to the fascist guns. So, did our fathers ever retreat?"
This unexpected remark left Shaposhnikov speechless. After a moment of silence, Shaposhnikov nodded helplessly and said seriously, "No, Mr. President. None of them ever retreated."
"Then do you think that as a national leader and the highest standard-bearer of the Soviet Union, I have ever thought of retreating when the party and the country are facing difficulties?" Yanaev said this, and the Su-27 fighter jet that just took off flew across the runway with a huge roar of the engine. The airflow rolled up Yanaev's clothes, fluttering in the wind. Against the backdrop of the sunset, he looked like the supreme leader with a brilliant light behind him in the red political propaganda poster.
"No." This was extremely difficult for Shaposhnikov to say. His throat seemed to be blocked by something and he couldn't make a sound. In an instant, he remembered his father who left home in a khaki military uniform and was still saying goodbye to his mother who was blurry in tears behind him.
Yanayev narrowed his eyes and said earnestly, "If you want to ask me what I will do next, then I can tell you that I will not retreat at all, just like our fathers did in the Great Patriotic War. The Red Republic needs people like you and me to protect it, so that the younger generations who will carry on the past and open up the future will be willing to protect it with their own blood. If even we retreat, the great ideal that we have fought for for almost a century will collapse."
Perhaps influenced by Yanaev's tragic emotions, Shaposhnikov felt the same passion as when he faced the Nazi artillery fire. He stepped forward to stand beside Yanaev and said excitedly, "Since the General Secretary is willing to lead the way and stand on the front line, there is no way we can hide behind. Even though we are old, we still have the passion we had back then."
"That's enough." Yanaev rolled his eyes at him and said teasingly, "The specially modified cockpit of the Backfire can only accommodate one person. You'd better not compete with me for a seat, as you are fat. The cockpit is already crowded enough."
"That's great. I'll go. The General Secretary should be waiting for the good news of our victory in the command tower," Shaposhnikov said jokingly.
"Then you stay back, Shaposhnikov, and wait for the good news of our victorious return." Just as Shaposhnikov was about to go with Yanaev to the Backfire bombers waiting to take off, Yanaev said something intriguing without even turning his head, "Also, do you know why I chose you, Shaposhnikov, instead of Chernavin?
Shaposhnikov was a little confused.
Yanaev continued to speak to himself, "Because you are much more politically correct than that old man. Of course, I am only saying this to you in private. I hope you won't tell anyone. I also don't want to hear rumors that there is a discord between the Supreme Leader and the Navy Commander-in-Chief."
Shaposhnikov was stunned for a moment, but soon he understood the meaning of the General Secretary's words and responded quickly, "President Yanaev, please rest assured, I will never tell anyone about these things." At the same time, he was secretly gloating for Chernavin. It seemed that this purge would most likely affect the army. Yanaev's words also showed that Shaposhnikov had been excluded from the upcoming purge and could safely be an outsider.
Shaposhnikov followed Yanaev to the fleet of Backfire bombers. When the young man saw the top Soviet leader, he straightened his back instantly, saluted excitedly and said, "Hello, General Secretary, hello, Commander."
"Relax, young man." Yanayev patted one of the pilots' tense shoulders, signaling him to relax. Seeing the amiable look of the top leader, the pilots relaxed a lot.
"Young soldier, what's your name?" Yanaev asked in a friendly manner.
"Report to the President, my name is Vasily Ivanovich Grechko." The young soldier held his head high, looking energetic against the setting sun.
Yanaev nodded and said, "Very good, Comrade Vasily. Our Soviet Union needs fresh blood like you, so that the great ideal will have a continuous source of motivation. Of course, not everyone can understand our construction, but its greatness cannot be denied. Today I am not the top leader of the Soviet Union. Like you, I am just an ordinary person who loves the motherland. Let those who try to blockade and attack us taste the power of the iron fist of communism. Like you, I once swore to defend the Soviet Union to the death, to defend the land under my feet to the death, and to defend the people I love deeply."
"We must keep in mind the President's teachings." Vasily said excitedly. He was a little nervous at first because it was rumored that the Soviet leader was a leader with a bad temper, but after meeting him today, he found that he was a kind and ordinary person without any bureaucratic airs.
Only Shaposhnikov on the side watched Yanaev's every move calmly, from fighting bureaucracy and getting closer to the people, to now strictly controlling the party's command of the gun. There is no doubt that Yanaev is deifying himself and shaping himself into the image of the Soviet savior. As long as he has a huge loyal mass base, he can establish an unbreakable position as the supreme leader like Stalin.
Shaposhnikov finally understood where Gorbachev had lost. He abandoned the people who were loyal to the Soviet Union and the party, and simply used the flesh and blood of the Soviet Union to feed a group of restless and satisfied ungrateful people until their appetites grew bigger and bigger and they became difficult to control. In the end, they would swallow up the entire Soviet Union and transform themselves into the country's oligarchs.
However, Yanayev started from the grassroots level, created an image of a leader who was loyal to the people for the general public, and gradually won the trust of the people.
"General Secretary Yanaev, you are indeed an incredible figure." Shaposhnikov thought to himself as he waved goodbye to Yanaev on the tarmac and waited for Yanaev's return in Nakhodka, waiting for him to lead the Soviet Republic to glory and great rejuvenation.