Chapter 50

Behind the representatives of the military administration bureaus, Shefov, like an indefatigable spinning top, circled around and around,无形中让这些克格勃校级军官压力大增，军服下面的背心都有些湿了。

"Five months ago, at the year-end meeting, I asked the four major clusters if there were any problems, and you all told me there were none? I will keep the self-criticism until the end of the year, and if you make me satisfied, I will pretend I never saw today's self-criticism!" Shefov, walking with his hands behind his back, said slowly, "But if the situation remains the same, the self-criticism will be recorded, and if the situation does not improve, it shows your limited ability. The KGB is a department that values ability, and I can only arrange for you to be reassigned. Your positions will be taken over by graduates from various institutions, and the self-criticism will follow you to your new positions..."

Shefov's words hit these people like a hammer to the heart. The spacious meeting room was not particularly warm, but these KGB representatives, who were writing their self-criticism, all felt a burning heat, as if they were in a large steamer.

After another half hour, the hungry representatives finally handed their self-criticism to Shefov. However, as their superior, Shefov did not even look at a single sheet of paper, so he could not check whether their self-criticism was profound. Regarding this situation, Shefov, who had not yet finished his pig trotters, said it was not a big problem, and the meeting would continue.

The basic meaning of self-criticism is to have a chance to correct one's mistakes, not to engage in a written exercise. Begging for forgiveness by focusing on this is impossible. Shefov himself was not good at writing self-criticism; otherwise, he would not have sent that self-praise to Shcherbytsky. He told Lukani to collect all the self-criticism and then said, "You only have one chance..."

"Yes, Director!" The first meeting between the two sides began with a major self-criticism, but these people did not dare to show any dissatisfaction. Compared to being reassigned at the end of the year, a self-criticism was very lenient.

"Representatives of the 8th Guards Army, 1st Guards Red Banner Tank Army, 2nd Guards Red Banner Tank Army, 3rd Guards Red Banner Combined Arms Army, 20th Guards Army, and 16th Air Army, stand up, I want to see who is here!" After cleaning his ears, Shefov looked at the few KGB colonels who stood up, waved his hand for them to sit down, and leaned back in his chair, saying, "Take your unit's files back and show me results within a week. If anyone cannot do it, speak up now..."

No one responded to their superior. Although they were treated like air, Shefov did not mind. He assumed they could all do it and continued, "A few cases involving criminal offenses should be directly transferred to the local internal affairs bureau after a fair investigation, to be tried by the judicial department of the German Democratic Republic. The KGB and the Red Army system must not interfere! But do not record it in the files. After serving their sentences, the involved soldiers should be given a chance to start anew!"

To be fair, Shefov considered himself quite lenient. At least he did not kick these people who had made mistakes into hell. Otherwise, recording it in the files could easily ruin a person's life.

"Director, handing soldiers over to the host country for trial has no precedent!" The KGB representative of the 1st Guards Red Banner Tank Army gently reminded him.

"There is no precedent, right? Then it starts now! Do I need to go back to Moscow and convene a meeting of the Third Directorate to vote on it?" Shefov narrowed his eyes and said darkly, "This investigation will begin as soon as you return to your bases. The country has laws, and the Red Army has military discipline. The Red Army is the people's army with a noble mission! It is not a colonial army. Other fraternal countries cooperate with the Soviet Union to meet military needs, but that does not mean you can treat the people of fraternal countries with contempt. Why not learn from the U.S. forces in Japan?"

"Let's go to the canteen for lunch. I want to see results within a week!" After speaking, Shefov left the meeting room first, leaving the military administration bureau officials to look at each other. The heavy atmosphere in the meeting room finally dissipated, and it had to be said that Director Shefov had given them a lot of pressure.

"This might make the Red Army commanders unhappy..." The representative of the 16th Air Army said helplessly.

"What can we do? If we don't comply, the boss will reassign us at the end of the year! Actually, the director said something right. We are the KGB, and the Red Army officers should fear us, not the other way around." The 20th Guards Army clenched his fists and said, "The boss thought our work was going smoothly, but we didn't expect such a big problem to be exposed by the GDR! This time, no one can avoid it. If any Red Army commander protests, let them go directly to the boss..."

After leaving the meeting room, Shefov took several deep breaths to clear the frustration in his chest.

"Comrade Shefov, the meeting is over!" Colonel Oleg, the commander of the 65th Guards Tank Regiment, seemed to have just returned from somewhere, with a noticeable oil stain on his pants, but he clearly did not mind.

"It's over, Comrade Oleg!" Shefov took out a cigarette and lit it for the colonel, saying, "Has the long period of comfort made even the most profound beliefs fade? I really hope the Red Army can treat the people of allied countries like their own, as they do at home. We are not a colonial army!"

"It will be! My unit absolutely has no such issues..." Colonel Oleg smiled and puffed out a smoke ring, saying, "I'll go to the canteen for lunch first, and then to the division command in the afternoon!" Watching the colonel, who was about his age, leave, Shefov smiled. Based on his first impression, this commander was quite good.

The climate in Berlin in May was very pleasant, suitable for outings, and many Germans were out. Although the pain of World War II had not been completely forgotten, it was no longer the most profound memory. People had to look forward, and the people of the GDR had accepted the fact of Soviet military presence.

Upon returning to their respective bases, the representatives immediately convened meetings with their subordinate division-level representatives, who in turn convened meetings with their regiment-level representatives, passing down the dissatisfaction of the director of the bureau with the KGB work in the Western Group of Forces.

"The country has laws, and the Red Army has military discipline! You must immediately investigate the problems in your subordinate combat divisions..." This was the message from the army-level representatives.

"Making mistakes is making mistakes. Ignoring them is dereliction of duty. The boss has given the order. All incidents of friction with the German people this year must be investigated. If it's a misunderstanding, explain it; if it's a mistake, write a self-criticism; if it's a crime, hand over the criminals to the local internal affairs bureau!" The division-level representatives sprayed saliva at the regiment-level KGB offices.

In a short time, all KGB personnel in the Western Group of Forces sprang into action, waking up from their dormant state. They took the documents from Shefov and began investigations, bypassing local unit commanders and going directly to the people involved. A few cases involving criminal offenses were immediately arrested and handed over to the local German internal affairs bureau.

The people of the military administration bureau moved in groups through the various military camps, and protest calls went from the regiment to the division, to the army, and finally to General Matvei Vasilyevich Zakharov. These KGB agents of the military administration bureau also earned a nickname: Shefov's dogs.