[On June 27 I returned home from the fields in the evening, and after finishing the housework sat having tea with mother. We turned on the radio and heard the latest news from Bucharest, beginning with news of the warfront: "London reports that … " . After that, in the same monotonous voice, the news reader went on: "The Soviet Union has made claim to the territory of Bessarabia. A joint committee, made up of (such-and-such generals), is flying to Odessa to settle the matter."
Mother had just lifted her cup to her lips; on hearing this her hand shook and the cup clunked back down onto the saucer. I remember her shocked face as she exclaimed: "How can that be? What is going to happen?"] 
I did not yet realize how significant this was. "We'll no doubt find out. Now drink up your tea", I said calmly.