Burning Moscow

Chapter 1651 Last meeting

When Rokosovsky put down the phone, Malinin asked him with a shocked face: “Comrade Commander, what is going on? Why did you suddenly dismiss your position as commander of the First Front and transfer you to the second position? Where’s the front army?”

“I don’t know, I don’t know.” Rokosovsky put his hands on the table, lowered his head, and shook his head with his eyes closed, and said in pain: “I don’t know why Comrade Stalin suddenly did this. decision.”

Although Rokosovsky is still at a loss as to the reason for his transfer, Malinin and I have already known it. I learned all this from history books, while Ma Lining learned the truth of the matter from what I call “analysis.”

“Then how did you think about it next?” Malinin gave me a guilty look and asked Rokosovsky carefully: “Is it to stay here and wait for Marshal Zhukov’s arrival; or go to the Second Front first. Go get familiar with the environment and leave this to Lida temporarily?”

Rokosovsky opened his eyes, stared at me intently, and began to think about Malinin’s question.

Seeing Rokosovsky staring at me all the time made my heart flustered. In order to take the initiative, I preemptively said: “Comrade Marshal, you should stay. You know Marshal Zhukov will have to wait another month. Only then can you come here to take over the post of commander. If you stay here, at least the commanders of all fronts will have a backbone.”

After listening to my words, Rokosovsky did not speak, but quickly tapped on the table with his fingers, possibly undergoing a fierce psychological struggle.

“The combat plan that we reported to the General Staff Headquarters has been approved by the base camp.” After a long time, Rokosovsky finally said: “From now on, we will begin to formulate a detailed campaign plan. Because of the need to absorb The commanders of the various army groups and their headquarters members have come to participate in the formulation process, so I will not leave for the time being.”

Although in my heart I very much hope that Rokosovsky can leave as soon as possible, so that I can control the Belarusian First Front alone. But then I think about it. Since I became the deputy commander of the front army, I have spent most of my time playing soy sauce or only in charge of partial command. Let me take control of the overall situation, which may lead to chaos in the army. Therefore, I immediately expressed my support for the decision made by Rokosovsky: “Comrade Marshal, I agree with your decision. The First Front has been under your leadership from the establishment to the present. Under Marshal Zhukov Before arriving in Lublin, you alone can control the overall situation, so the decision you left is correct.”

When we are ready to summon the commanders of several troops stationed south of Warsaw to participate in the formulation of the offensive campaign plan. Malinin suggested to Rokosovsky that the two commanders Batov and Popov, who are stationed on the west bank of the Narew River, should also be involved in this work, but this was rebutted by me.

I confidently said to Malinen: “Comrade Chief of Staff, based on the analysis of the current situation, the troops along the Narew River may be completely assigned to the command of the Second Front. Therefore, we only need the troops along the Vistula River. The commanders of the various armies, just come to participate in the formulation of this action plan.”

Rokosovsky also agreed with this statement: “Leda’s analysis makes sense. I also think that it will be a matter of time before the 65th and 70th Army are placed under the command of the Second Front. So this You don’t need to notify them to participate the next time you make a battle plan.”

The commanders of the group army who received the notice came to the front army headquarters one after another. To my surprise, there was also General Bellinger, the commander of the Polish 1st Group Army. He saw that I was also in the headquarters, and he hurried over to shake hands with me, and said enthusiastically: “Hello, Comrade Deputy Commander of the Front Army, I am glad to see you here!”

“Hello, General Bellinger.” I shook hands with him, and said with emotion: “The commanders of the Polish Third Division performed very bravely in this battle across the river. Although the enemy has invested a lot of troops and Weapons and equipment, but they have never been able to seize the landing field of the Lazienki Palace they built.”

When I brought up this matter, Bellinger said with a sad expression: “If it hadn’t been for the Krajov’s army in the rebel army who had treacherously evacuated from the pre-determined meeting point, our troops would not have suffered so much when crossing the river. A big loss. It is even possible to expand the landing field and gain a partial advantage in Warsaw.”

“I heard that the insurgents have put down their weapons and surrendered to the Germans.” I then asked, “I wonder if there were any soldiers from the Liudov Army who broke through?

“Yes,” General Bellinger replied, nodding his head, “After the rebels surrendered to the Germans, our troops deployed by the river have successively received hundreds of soldiers who swam from across the river. I have added them. Entered the troops.”

At this moment, Malinin’s voice suddenly sounded in the room: “Well, comrades, everyone is here, let’s have a meeting.”

“Wait a minute, Comrade Chief of Staff.” It was Cui Koff who asked the question. After looking around, he stood up and asked Malinin: “Why didn’t I see Gusev, Batov, and Popov? ”

“These three armies will not participate in this battle plan,” Malinin pointed at the map on the wall with an explanation stick, and said to the commanders who attended the meeting: “The front army headquarters decided that the offensive troops would be from Magnuche. Starting from the landing site of Warsaw and Puławy, they carried out a far-reaching assault from the south of Warsaw towards Poznan, the industrial city of Poland. The battle plan we are about to formulate will focus on this theme…”

After Malinin finished introducing the situation, Rokosovsky looked at Cuikov and asked, “Comrade Cuikov, I would like to ask, when will you be able to rebuild the bridge over the Vistula and transport the tanks and artillery that the troops need urgently. To the river?”

“Comrade Marshal, this is very difficult.” Cuikov said bitterly: “Our Magnušev landing site is being shelled and bombed by the Germans every day. Polish engineers used to help us erect a pontoon bridge, but only After a few hours, it was blown up by a German plane.”

“Since then, you haven’t tried to build a bridge again?” Rokosovsky asked a little dissatisfied.

“In order to avoid unnecessary losses, we gave up this kind of futile effort.” Cui Kefu said plausibly: “We got a flat ferry that can transport four tanks or armored vehicles across the river each time…”

“Are you satisfied every time you ship four tanks?” Rokosovsky didn’t wait for Trikov to finish, but he unceremoniously interrupted his words and asked: “Even if you ship four tanks at a time, How many times can you transport a day? How long will it take to transport a tank brigade? How long will it take to transport all the tank brigades and artillery regiments belonging to your group army to the opposite shore?”

“This, this!” Cui Kefu replied in a flustered manner: “Although the technical equipment and soldiers transported each time are limited, it is enough to offset the losses in the West Bank.”

“General Cuikov,” Rokosovsky said, looking at Cuikov, in a stern tone: “Our goal is to eliminate the Germans, not to use fuel tactics to fight them attrition. Tell me, if you want to be in the U.S. How long will it take to erect a pontoon bridge on the Swa River?”

Cui Kefu turned his head and looked at the chief of staff who was sitting aside, his chief of staff hurriedly moved his head over, and the two of them muttered quietly. After a while, Cui Koff said with some confidence: “Comrade Marshal, please give me another month. I must build a bridge over the Vistula River for tanks and artillery to pass.”

“No, one month is too long.” Rokosovsky immediately denied it.

“Ten days, ten days.” Trikov began to bargain with Rokosovsky.

“No, ten days is still too long.” Rokosovsky shook his head and denied the time proposed by Trikov again. Then he extended three fingers and said decisively: “Three days, after three days, I want to see You have erected a pontoon bridge over the Vistula, otherwise I will not be a commander of the front army.”

Cui Kefu leaned over again to talk to his chief of staff. When he stood up straight again, he gritted his teeth and stomped his feet, and said decisively: “Well, comrade marshal, I promise you, only three days. Three days later, we A pontoon bridge will be erected on the Vistula River for tanks and artillery to pass.”

“That’s right, Comrade Cuikov.” Rokosovsky nodded and said approvingly: “It seems that your troops still have potential to tap.”

Cui Kefu also smiled, looked around, and then said: “Comrade Marshal, you threaten us with improper command of the front army. Even if we can’t do it, we can only do everything we can to complete you. Mission.”

After Rokosovsky waited for Trikov to laugh, he sighed and said quietly: “In a while, I will really no longer be the commander of the Belarusian First Front.”

As soon as he said what he said, except for a few people who knew the inside story, such as Malinin and I, the other commanders who participated in the meeting opened their mouths and looked at Rokosovsky in surprise, not knowing what happened. After a while, Kolpakic stood up and asked with a serious expression: “Comrade Marshal, what happened when I arrived, how well, you won’t be the commander anymore?”

Kolpakic asked this for a reason. He has been inseparable from Rokosovsky these days. After being separated for a few hours, I suddenly heard Rokosovsky say that he would no longer serve as the commander of the front. It is not surprising that it is a ghost.

The Rokosovs base station got up, glanced over every commander who participated in the meeting, and slowly said: “Comrade commanders, I now formally inform you that the Supreme Command has appointed me as the second front. Commander, at the same time Marshal Zhukov will take over my post. I hope everyone can cooperate with his work well by then.”

“Why, why is this?” As soon as his voice fell, someone asked loudly below: “You have done a good job, why would you be transferred from the primary direction to the secondary direction?”

“In fact, the direction of the Second Front is not a secondary direction.” Rokosovsky explained to the commander who raised the question: “Our next attack on Berlin will be carried out by the Ukrainian First Front and Belarus. The first and second fronts are formed. Only when the three forces work together can we defeat the Germans and completely destroy the lair of the fascist invaders…”

Although Rokosovsky’s defense seemed so pale and weak, all the commanders unexpectedly remained silent, because everyone knew that this was the final decision made by Stalin, and no one could change it.

“Well, comrades, next we should discuss how to attack the enemy’s defensive zone from the two landing fields of Magnusev and Puławy.” Malinin waited for Rokosovsky to finish, promptly He took the topic: “Please express your opinions.”

Hearing that the offensive plan was about to begin, everyone temporarily forgot about Rokosovsky’s upcoming transfer and refocused his attention on the plan.

“The reason why our landing field is unable to actively attack the enemy is mainly due to the lack of technical equipment such as tanks and artillery, which leads to the lack of strong attack capabilities.” After a few days, I walked back and forth along the Vistula River and chose the best places for us to build the bridge……. As long as the pontoons are erected, our tanks and artillery will continue to arrive with energy On the West Bank, after we have accumulated enough power, we can launch an offensive against the enemy.”

“I totally agree with General Kolpakci The next speaker is Cui Koff, “The reason why our landing field has been bombarded and shelled by the enemy is also due to the lack of sufficient technical equipment. If we can put a few anti-aircraft gunners in the landing field, even if the enemy’s air strikes cannot disappear, at least it can be greatly reduced…”

While Cuikov was eloquently speaking, Rokosovsky approached me and said in a low voice: “Lida, you must remember each commander’s speech. After Marshal Zhukov arrives, he will be detailed. The report provided him with a perceptual understanding of the current situation of our front army as soon as possible.”

“Okay, Comrade Marshal.” Upon hearing Rokosovsky’s words, I quickly nodded and replied: “I will resolutely carry out your order.”

“This may be the last time I presided over a meeting in the First Front. You have to do it yourself.” After speaking, he talked softly, then turned to listen to Cui Kefu’s speech.

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