Vladimir Bogomolov, "Ivan": a short summary of the story

The war spares no one, since it is inhuman in nature. And although more than half a century has passed after the terrible events of 1941-1945, one can not indifferently read about the heroes who gave their lives for the sake of saving their homeland. Especially if it's still a child. He who knew the grief early and matured to the point ... He loved his family and country ... He swore to take revenge on the enemy even at the cost of his own life ... Bold, reasonable, ready for the most inhuman trials ... But still a child. This was dedicated to his work by former front-line soldier Vladimir Bogomolov. "Ivan" (read the summary here in this article) once again proves how incompatible these two words are: "war" and "children."

Tie: night visitor

The case took place in October on the banks of the Dnieper. Acting commander of the battalion of the senior lieutenant of twenty years Galtsev in the middle of the night awoke the duty officer. He said that someone was detained on the shore. He floundered in the water, refused to answer questions and demanded to be taken to his superiors. Galtsev saw a boy of eleven at the entrance. He was all wet and blue from the cold. And "in his gaze ... there was some inner tension and ... distrust and dislike." The lieutenant tried to find out from the boy who he was and how he was in the river. So begins the story of Bogomolov "Ivan".

The summary of conversation of heroes can be reduced to the following. Ignoring the questions, the boy named only the name and demanded to be reported to the headquarters. Galtsev refused to do this for a long time and called only when the guest called Lieutenant Colonel Gryaznov and Captain Kholin. Hearing the name Bondarev, at the other end of the wire fussed. They ordered us to give the boy paper, ink, and immediately send the records to the headquarters. And more to say that he is already leaving, the reader is surprised by Bogomolov.

Ivan (the short content allows you to find out the name of the boy before you read the book yourself) carefully counted the seeds and needles taken out of his pocket, then wrote something for a long time. Finally he put everything in an envelope, carefully sealed it and ordered to be sent to the headquarters. Galtsev, who did not believe the boy, now felt uncomfortable and in every way wanted to please him. He prepared warm water and warmed up the remaining dinner. After eating a little, the boy lay down, and Galtsev went to check the posts. He was still trying to understand what had happened. Who is this Bondarev and why are so worried about him at headquarters? How could he cross the Dnieper in such cold weather? Not every adult can do it. Let's drop the conversation scene with the soldiers who discovered the boy, this allows a brief summary of the story "Ivan". Bogomolov in the first part in every way emphasizes the unusualness of what happened for the lieutenant, who was preparing a battalion for crossing the Dnieper.

The arrival of Captain Kholin

Returning, Galtsev saw that Bondarev was no longer asleep. Soon the captain arrived. He rushed to the boy, and only now the lieutenant recognized the name of his guest. Ivan instantly brightened up and smiled for the first time. Kholin said that Katasonitch was waiting for him. To this the boy answered: there were Germans, therefore it was impossible to get to Dikovka. He also added that he was sailing on a log and almost drowned. So gradually reveals the image of the protagonist of Praying Mantis. Ivan (a brief summary, unfortunately, can only sketchily describe the hero) still seemed to the lieutenant small and weak.

Kholin ordered to remove people from the dugout and secretly adjust the car. About ten minutes later the boy, dressed in a tunic and trousers, with a medal and an order on his chest, was not recognized. At the table they began to talk, and the lieutenant found out that Bondarev was sent to Suvorov, but he refused: not time. And when Kholin poured vodka, the boy said a toast: "... so I always come back" - and sipped from a mug. Soon Ivan got up and demanded: "Let's go!" Kholin lost his head, but did not contradict.

Before leaving, Galtsev shook hands with the boy and said: "... Vanyusha, good-bye!" However, Bondarev corrected: "Do not farewell, but good-bye!" - and glanced sidelong. This scene makes it clear that the heroes are destined to meet. And it becomes even more mysterious.

Bondarev, "Ivan": a summary of the events that occurred on subsequent days

In the battalion unexpectedly arrived Katasonov, who led the platoon in the reconnaissance division. He walked around the observation posts, studied the situation on the other side. From Katasonov Galtsev heard the phrase about Vanyushka (so affectionately called his sergeant-major): "He hates his soul with hatred."

Three days later Kholin arrived. He also examined the troops and for a long time peered at the map and defense map, to the opposite bank of the Dnieper. Something serious is being prepared, Bogomolov says.

Ivan (the summary does not include details describing all the actions of Catasonov and Kholin) appeared on one of the evenings as mysteriously as he left.

"He has experienced so much that we never dreamed"

From the conversation of his guests Galtsev realized that at night Bondarev should be transported to that shore, directly to the Germans in the rear. The lieutenant asked to take him with him, but was refused. Ivan behaved benevolently, and when he saw on the belt Galtsev an improvised knife - the memory of the best friend - asked to give it to him. Having been refused, he began to be capricious, just like a child.

On the way to the shore - it was necessary to make the last preparations - Kholin told how his sister died in Ivan's arms. Mother disappeared, and her father was killed on the first day of the war. He passed the death camp, was with the partisans. Now it burns with a desire to take revenge, and no one can stop it. They sent him to study, but he fled and in the dark from his own got a bullet in the shoulder: Galtsev saw the scar even at the first meeting. Now he served in the reconnaissance, and there were no equals. Pretending to be a tramp, he could get to the rear of the fascists and obtain valuable information.

When all the preparations were made, Galtsev returned to the dugout, where he found the boy behind the usual children's play. But after a few hours he had to go on assignment, stresses Vladimir Bogomolov. Ivan (a brief summary allows only to mention this) led at this moment himself as any other of his peers.

Crossing

Kholin, who entered later, suddenly announced that Katasonov had been summoned to the division urgently-it was a trick to not tell Ivan that the sergeant-major had been killed. Instead, Galtsev went to the other bank.

Having crossed the Dnieper, the men waited for a long time, while the twelve-year-old Ivan (the real name - Buslov) passed the patrol. He was to pass about twenty kilometers a night and then - not less than thirty. Kholin did not dare go back for a long time, and later, in the dugout, he noted in his heart that they were fighting for the third year, "and in the eyes of death - like Ivan!" "... and they did not."

Killed as a hero

Galtsev still could not forget about the boy. And when I was in Berlin, I saw the registration cards of the secret police. A familiar face was looking from one of the photographs. On the pinned sheet, it was indicated that a teenager was detained in the restricted territory: one of the local residents identified him as Ivan. He was interrogated for four days, but he held on defiantly and did not disclose any information. Early in the morning on December 25, 1943, he was shot. A policeman who caught a teenager received a hundred marks. Thus finishes the work of Bogomolov ("Ivan").

Read the summary of the book to fully understand the tragedy of what happened, not enough. Only the full text will help to understand how quickly children have grown up in the terrible war years.