Burning Moscow

Chapter 1650 Changed in advance

The report on the liberation of Naschelsk was reported to the General Staff Headquarters by Malinin via telegram at the first time.

After listening to Malinen said that the telegram had been sent, I just sighed slightly, because Naschelsk was just a small city in Poland, and it was not qualified to fire a salute on Red Square. Therefore, I don’t really care about when this victory will be reported, or even whether it will be reported.

Unexpectedly, I received a call from Moscow early the next morning. The call was made by Vasilievsky, and he asked straightforwardly on the phone: “Lida, you already have those Naschelsk?”

“Yes, Comrade Marshal.” Although I think it is a bit unbelievable that Vasilevsky called early in the morning for a small city, but after hearing his question, he answered truthfully: “We were in yesterday’s In the battle, Naschelsk was taken from the Germans.”

“Strange, really strange.” After listening to my words, Vasilevsky murmured: “I heard Rokosovsky say a few days ago that after you consolidate the Serotsk landing site, you will Temporarily suspend the offensive in the north of Warsaw, and concentrate the main energy on the two landing fields south of Warsaw. How come such a large military operation is suddenly taken in the north?”

“Comrade Marshal, Comrade Commander of the Front Army is currently inspecting the Puławy Landing Site. I will be responsible for all the affairs of the Front Army for the time being.” I heard Vasilevsky say, and quickly told him the motivation for launching this attack. I recounted it in detail, and finally emphasized: “Because of this offensive, I did not ask Comrade Commander for instructions in advance. It was all my propositions. If you want to blame, I am willing to take all responsibilities.”

After I finished speaking, there was a silence in the receiver of the phone, and then there came Vasilevsky’s hearty action: “Leda, how do you think we will blame anyone for taking Naschelsk? Let me tell you, because you decisively captured Naschelsk, which is the unit of the Belarusian First and Second Front Army, it is possible to achieve the possibility of meeting on the west bank of the Narew River. Therefore, you not only did nothing wrong, On the contrary, it should be rewarded.”

“Thank you, Comrade Marshal.” I waited for him to finish, and immediately said politely: “Being able to defeat the enemy is the result of the heroic fighting of all the officers and men. They should be honored accordingly.”

“When will Rokosovsky return to the front army headquarters?” Vasilevsky then asked.

“The commander said before leaving that he intends to establish a stable beachhead position on the west bank of the Vistula River and does everything possible to transport technical equipment such as tanks and artillery across the river.” I said carefully, “I am. It is estimated that it will take at least a week before he can return from the Puławy landing field.”

“I understand.” Vasilevsky said: “Maybe after a while, Comrade Zhukov will come to you. You have to be mentally prepared first.”

Vasilevsky’s words made my heart chuckle. I wondered if Stalin planned to send Zhukov to replace Rokosovsky at this time, a month earlier than in history. I looked around to see that everyone else was some distance away from me, then lowered my voice and asked, “Comrade Marshal, please tell me, does the Supreme Commander himself intend to let Marshal Zhukov take over the position of commander of the front?”

But when Vasilevsky heard this question from me, he didn’t immediately answer me. Instead, he asked: “Lida, I want to ask you, who is it that put such strange thoughts into your mind? You think that changing the commander of the front army is like promoting a company commander and battalion commander.

“Comrade Marshal, don’t be angry.” I thought it was a mistake in my judgment, and I quickly apologized to Vasilevsky, “I analyzed the situation based on the latest situation. Maybe I came to the wrong conclusion based on the wrong information. Please forgive me for my recklessness.”

“We are now in a very delicate situation between the enemy and ourselves. Once the commander of the front is replaced, it will inevitably cause unnecessary confusion.” Vasilevsky did not blame me, but said, “Okay, this matter.” Just stop it everywhere, don’t mention it anymore.”

I put down the phone, just when I saw Malinen coming in from outside, I waved at him and motioned for him to come. He walked in front of me and asked curiously: “Lida, what’s the matter?”

“Comrade Chief of the General Staff just called.”

Hearing that there was a call from Moscow, Malinen’s face suddenly showed a surprised expression: “I don’t know what Marshal Vasilevsky said on the phone?”

“For our battle yesterday, he offered a compliment.” After I said this, I carefully observed the surroundings and saw that the staff closest to us were all five or six meters away. If I and Malinin talk in a low voice If they do, they can’t hear anything. So I whispered to Malinin: “Chief of Staff, in the conversation with the Chief of Staff, I noticed that something big is going to happen.”

“Something big is going to happen?” Ma Lining heard me suddenly lowered my voice and talked to him, knowing that I was going to talk to him about important things, and also asked me in a low voice: “According to your judgment, what will happen? thing?”

“I think the Supreme Commander himself might have the idea of ​​replacing the commander of the front army.”

“What?” Ma Lining almost jumped out of his seat when he heard me say this, but he quickly realized his gaffe, looked around, and whispered to me: “How did you judge it?”

Of course I would not tell him that I read it in a history book, so I can only pretend to be a mysterious analysis to him: “The chief of the general staff said that Marshal Zhukov will come to us in a few days. You know, from the top From the beginning of the month, the Supreme Command cancelled the representatives sent to the various fronts. Marshal Zhukov came to our troops at this time. I can think of no other reason besides replacing the commander.”

“No,” Ma Linin waited for me to finish, and said dubiously: “Comrade Commander, from the beginning of the Belarusian campaign to the present, has achieved remarkable results and made no mistakes. How could the Supreme Command cancel him? What about the position of commander? I think you must be mistaken.”

“I can’t go wrong, my chief of staff.” Seeing that Malinin didn’t believe what I was saying, I couldn’t help but said anxiously: “I’m here to ask you, if our army seizes Warsaw, where is the next course of action?”

“Does this still need to be said?” Malinen replied very decisively: “Of course he pointed directly to Berlin, and broke the nest of the fascist invaders into a mess.”

“If, I said what if.” Thinking of what I said next, I was somewhat disrespectful, so I vaccinated Malinin in advance: “If you are the Supreme Commander himself, you will let a Russian citizen, Should I command the Belarusian First Front to rush into Berlin, or let a foreigner take command of the troops and build meritorious services in the enemy’s lair?”

“Why don’t this go? Naturally, I chose Russians. But no one here is a foreigner… Wait…” Ma Linin said halfway, and suddenly stopped. He looked at me and said in surprise: “Lida, you are It is said that Commander Rokosowski will lose the qualification to command troops to occupy Berlin because he is half of Polish ancestry.”

“You are right, Comrade Chief of Staff.” I nodded and replied, “I think it should be the case.”

“Then who do you think will come back to take over as this commander?” Before I could speak, Malinin asked and answered: “Is it Marshal Zhukov? This is ridiculous.”

“It’s not ridiculous at all, my comrade chief of staff.” I solemnly said to Malinin: “The chief of staff just told me on the phone that when Marshal Zhukov was coming, he had hinted that I should be mentally prepared. If it’s just a general inspection, does he need to hint me like that?”

“So, is it a matter of changing the commander sooner or later?” Malinin looked at me with a confused expression on his face: “If Marshal Zhukov is really the commander of the front, then Marshal Rokosovsky should Where are you going?”

“I think the Supreme Command must have made arrangements for his whereabouts. We still don’t worry about him.” I clicked twice on the map and pretended to say, “Anyway, he must be sent to that auxiliary direction. To take the post of commander of the front army.”

Malinen stared at the map for a long time, and finally straightened up and said to me: “From the perspective of the distribution of troops on the map, in addition to our front army, there are also Marshal Konev’s Ukrainian First Front and General Zakharov. The Belarusian Second Front.

Marshal Konev’s qualifications are much higher than that of the commander, and it is impossible to be replaced, so he can be ruled out. The remaining General Zakharov has been Marshal Rokosovsky’s deputy since the defense of Moscow, and he is more likely to be replaced. But once his position is replaced, where will he be transferred? It’s a headache. ”

After suffering a headache for a while, Ma Lining asked me carefully: “Lida, do you think we need to tell Comrade Commander about this matter?”

“Forget it, I don’t need it.” I am worried that there will be any deviation in history here. In case we tell Rokosovsky about this so-called analysis, Stalin has another whim and does not want to change the commander of the front. Then my wrong judgment will lose points in Rokosowski’s mind. “After all, this is just my analysis. What is the situation, only when Marshal Zhukov arrives here can we find out.”

…………

Rokosovsky stayed on the west bank of the Vistula for a week before returning to the front headquarters. He confidently said to Malinen and me: “I have visited both the Magnusev and Puławy landing sites in the past few days, and finally I feel that the Puławy landing field is the best place for our troops to attack…. ”

When he was talking endlessly, the high-frequency phone on the table suddenly rang. I was closest to the phone, and then I grabbed the microphone and stuck it to my ear: “Hey, this is the front headquarters, where are you?”

“It’s me, Lida.” Stalin’s voice suddenly came from the receiver: “Is Comrade Rokosovsky here?”

Hearing Stalin’s voice, I quickly got up from my seat and replied respectfully: “Hello, Comrade Stalin. Yes, the commander is right next to me.”

“Give him the phone!” Stalin commanded briefly. I quickly handed the phone to Rokosovsky respectfully, while listening to the conversation between him and Stalin.

“Hello, Comrade Stalin!” Rokosovsky said into the microphone with a smile on his face.

“Comrade Rokosovsky, I have an important thing to announce to you.” After Stalin heard that the person who answered the phone was Rokosovsky, he solemnly said: “After the Supreme Commander’s Study and decide to formally appoint you as the commander of the Belarusian Second Front.”

Rokosowski’s smile stiffened on his face. He held the microphone tightly with both hands, and his breathing became quicker. After hearing Stalin’s words, Malinin and I looked at each other and saw helplessness in each other’s eyes.

“Comrade Stalin,” after a long period of silence, Rokosovsky suddenly raised his voice and asked in grief, “Why, why? Did I do something wrong? Why did you turn me in the main direction? What about the secondary direction?”

I thought Stalin would be furious when he heard Rokosovsky talking to himself in such a tone, but he didn’t expect him to say happily, “Comrade Rokosovsky, you blamed me. We did not blame you. Transferred to the secondary direction, we must know the troops fighting in the main direction. There are currently three fronts, namely the Ukrainian First Front, the Belarusian First Front and the Belarusian Second Front. We want to defeat the German fascism, it depends on three Because of the close cooperation between the various fronts, the Supreme Command also attaches great importance to the selection of commanders.”

Hearing Stalin’s words, Rokosovsky unexpectedly remained silent and did not argue with the other party. Stalin was a little guilty about changing Rokosovsky’s position at a critical moment, so he took the initiative to show Rokosovsky’s good to Rokosovsky after hearing that there was no sound in the microphone for a long time: “It’s Zhukov who succeeded in your position. . What do you think of this candidate?”

“Comrade Stalin,” became angry. Now that he heard Stalin’s question, Rokosovsky answered truthfully: “Marshal Zhukov is undoubtedly the best candidate. I believe that with his arrival, he will Greatly boost the morale of the First Front.”

“Do you have anything else to say?” Stalin asked.

“I want to ask Rokosovsky asked cautiously: “After I went to the Second Front, how should the former commander, General Zakharov, make arrangements? ”

“During our discussion, a comrade once suggested that Zakharov should be transferred to the First Front as a deputy commander.” Stalin said slowly over the phone: “But since Lida has already taken up this position, Then let Zakharov remain in the Second Front and serve as your deputy.”

“Let me ask one last question,” Rokosovsky asked: “When will Zhukov arrive in Lublin to take over my position?”

“He is preparing for the October Revolutionary Day military parade,” Stalin replied on the phone: “So he won’t be able to get to Lublin until mid-November at the earliest. You can continue to serve as the No. On the one hand, the commander of the army, or hand over the management of the army to Lida.” For mobile users, please browse and read for a better reading experience.

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