Burning Moscow

At noon the next day, accompanied by Bezikov and Yushchenko, I arrived at the headquarters of the group army in Kirovsky. Major General Danilov, the deputy commander who was notified, stood at the door with a few commanders waiting for me.

I sat in the car and saw the group of commanders standing at the door of the building, and turned to ask Bezikov sitting next to him: "Colonel, I don't know who is General Danilov?"

Bezikov glanced out of the car window, then pointed to a small middle-aged man with the rank of lieutenant general on his shoulders, and decisively said to me: "Lida, look, in the crowd welcoming you, He has the highest rank and should be Deputy Commander Danilov."

The car we took stopped at a place seven or eight steps away from the crowd. As soon as the car stopped, Bezikov opened the door and jumped out of the car, went around from the rear of the car to my door, and took the initiative to open the door for me.

Seeing me getting off the car, a group of people standing at the door greeted me, and it was the little general who took the lead. He smiled and stretched out his hand to me, and said friendlyly: "Hello, Comrade Commander! I am Deputy Commander Danilov. Welcome to the 6th Guards Army to work."

"Hello, General Danilov!" I held his hand tightly, and said flatly, "When I heard that there was an excellent commander with rich combat experience like you, he would assist me in my work in the future. I’m really happy at the time. If I don’t understand anything at work in the future, I will definitely ask you more."

Although the Russians didn’t say it modestly, my compliment still made Danilov cheer up, saying repeatedly: "Comrade Commander, you are too polite. I am your subordinate, how can I talk about it? Please tell me, what do you have. I will do my best to handle it for you as much as I can."

I kept holding his hand without letting it go, and continued to smile and said, "Comrade General. We will be partners from now on. You always call me commander, which seems a bit too raw. Otherwise, you still call me. The nickname-Lida!"

"Since you said that, I'll call you Lida." Danilov is obviously an easygoing person. Hearing this, he immediately changed my name. Then he turned his body to one side and said to me: "Lida, let me introduce you to them. They are all teachers of the divisions. Take the opportunity of welcoming you today. I will call them all to meet you. Conducive to the development of future work."

The first was a tall, thin-faced major general. Danilov introduced: "Lida, this is General Nicholas Talyjelovich Tavartkirazze, commander of the 51st Guards Division. ."

"Hello, General Tavart Kiradze." I smiled and stretched out my hand and shook the opponent.

The second was a colonel of medium stature. Danilov said: "This is Colonel Ivan Mikhailav Nekrasov, commander of the 52nd Division of the Guards Infantry."

"Hello, Comrade Commander, I am very glad to accept your command." Before I could speak, Colonel Nekrasov had stretched out his hands first, and at the same time said kindly: "My men and I hope to be in your hands. Under the leadership. Immortal feats in the future."

Nekrasov’s words made me feel happy after listening. He secretly said that this teacher is good, very good at talking, and can deal with him more in the future.

When I saw that the third was an elderly colonel, I thought to myself that this might be the commander of the 67th or 71st Guards Division. Thinking of this, he heard Danilov say: "Lida, this is Colonel Peter Dmitrijevic Govorunenko, the commander of the 375th Infantry Division."

The remaining two colonels, Danilov introduced to me in turn: "They are Colonel Baksov, the 67th Guards Division, and Ivan Prokofievich, the 71st Guards Division. Colonel Sivakov."

After Danilov introduced all the commanders who came with him to greet him, I couldn't help frowning. Because apart from a few division commanders, I haven't seen the military commissar and the chief of staff.

Seeing an unhappy expression. Danilov hurriedly asked me in a low voice, "Lida, I think you seem to be very upset. Is something wrong?"

"Why didn't you see the military commissioner and the chief of staff?" Since Danilov took the initiative to ask, I didn't conceal my dissatisfaction. On the first day of my commander's appointment, the two chief military officers of the group army unexpectedly Doesn't show up, is it because you have a grudge against me?

"Oh, it turns out that's the case." After Danilov figured out what was going on, he quickly explained to me: "Lida, the military commissar and the chief of staff went out with Commander Chistyakov some time ago. After a car accident, the three of them are still lying in the hospital."

After I figured out what was going on, the dissatisfaction in my heart disappeared without a trace. Instead, I comforted Danilov and said: "Comrade Deputy Commander, don't worry too much. Although there are no military commissioners and chiefs of staff in the group army, you are right. The situation in the army is familiar and can temporarily serve as a comrade military commissioner; as for the post of chief of staff, our deputy chief of staff, Colonel Bezikov, will temporarily assume the post."

"Is this appropriate?" Danilov seemed a little hesitant about my arrangement.

"Comrade Deputy Commander, don't worry." In order to dispel his scruples, I said carelessly: "You are only acting as a temporary agent for this position. You will hand over the work after the new military commissar and chief of staff are sent by your superiors. That's it. Bezikov," I said after I said what I should say, I turned my head and called Bezikov behind me, and when he stood in front of me, I turned my head and said to Danilov." Comrade Deputy Commander, let me introduce to you. This is Colonel Bezikov. He is from the Kremlin's Central Guard Corps."

Hearing the words of the Kremlin and the Central Guard Corps, the surrounding commanders were in awe of Bezikov while breathing in air-conditioning. Danilov shook Bezikov's hand and said with a smile: "Hello, Colonel Bezikov, welcome you to be one of us."

After the meeting ceremony, Danilov guided me to a spacious office. He greeted everyone to sit around the exquisite long wooden table in the room, then looked at me sideways and asked: "Lida, you took office on the first day today, what do you want to say to the commanders here? ?"

"Yes, Comrade Deputy Commander, I do have a lot to say. I want to talk to the commanders here." After that, I stood up, holding the edge of the table with my hands. Leaning forward slightly, he said to everyone: "Comrades. Although it is the first time I have met with everyone here today, I must all know that I was active in Prokhorovka some time ago to check the fortifications in the area. Construction situation."

"Yes, Comrade Commander." The first speaker was Sivakov, commander of the 71st Guards Division. He respectfully said: "My subordinates have reported this to me in detail, so I still understand. Some of your whereabouts. I have another question, can I ask you?"

"Please tell me. Comrade Colonel." Although I didn't know what questions he would ask, I still smiled and said to him friendly: "If you have any questions, even if you ask them, I will try to give you one. satisfying answer."

"I have heard other people vaguely disclose," Sivakov saw that he did not object to his question, and after a moment of silence, he said carefully: "The commander of the Front Army and Comrade Khrushchev, the military commissioner, once asked the Supreme People’s Court. The commander-in-chief himself suggested that the German army deployed in the Belgorod+Kharkov area should be carried out a preemptive assault? But it has been more than a month, and there is no sign of movement. Could it be that this assault has been cancelled? ?"

For his question. I thought about it for a while and answered, "Comrade Colonel, as far as I know, the superiors did have such considerations, but after repeated weighings, this plan was cancelled. The next thing we need to do is to establish a solid defense. System, organize a strong defense to deal with the enemy’s offensive. Let the Germans consume and exhaust their troops in the deep echelon defense of our army, and then go along the Belgorod-Kharkov direction. Strike the enemy with a powerful counterattack."

"What should we do?" The person who asked the question this time. Colonel Govorunenko, the commander of the 378th Infantry Division.

"In addition to consolidating the existing defensive positions," took advantage of this opportunity. I took the plan I considered on the train back to Moscow and stated to the commanders present: "...German assaults are all led by tanks, and then the infantry follows the charge. Therefore, we have to follow a more important direction, Equipped with a sufficient number of artillery and anti-tank guns, laying mines and explosive packages, so that the enemy cannot easily rush to us."

After talking about my defense plan, I began to instill the benefits of building tunnel fortifications to the commanders present, and ordered the division and division commanders to build more fortifications and caves according to their own conditions, so as to prepare for long-term combat. .

When I was finished, I picked up the teacup in front of me and prepared to drink the water division. Baksov, the commander of the 67th Division of the Guards Infantry, stood up and asked: "Comrade Commander, I would like to ask. , Is there a time limit?"

"It must be restricted sometimes, comrade Colonel, do you still need to say?" I understand the character of Russian people. They work very seriously, but they are too procrastinated. If they are not given a deadline, it is estimated that these projects will be completed by the end of the year. Can't be done. Seeing that there are only two short months left before the outbreak of the Battle of Kursk, I can't help but say anxiously: "Anyway, this project must be completed within 40 days."

"Ah, forty days." My words not only surprised Baksov, but even Danilov who was sitting next to him was surprised. He asked in a low voice, "Lida, will this deadline be too short?" "

"It's not short at all." I looked down at Danilov, and said that if you knew the specific time when the Battle of Kursk broke out, I guess you would want to finish all the civil engineering works tomorrow. "According to my estimation, the German army will not always stay opposite us and will launch an offensive sooner or later. Therefore, we must prepare all battles in advance to resist the German offensive."

After listening to my words, Danilov remained silent for a long time, and then cautiously asked me: "Comrade Commander, when do you think the Germans will attack us?"

"The German army crossed the border on June 22, 1941, and blatantly launched an offensive against us." I did not immediately answer his specific time, but said vaguely: "Furthermore, at the Battle of Stalingrad, the German army was also on June 22. Launched around the month. This shows that the German army is used to attacking us after summer."

"Will the Dilemma Army launch a new attack on us in mid-to-late June?" Danilov said casually as soon as I finished speaking, "In that case, we really don't have much time left. "

"But, will the German army really launch an offensive against us in mid-to-late June?" The commander here listened to the conversation between me and Danilov, and couldn't help but skeptically said: "If it's because of the construction of fortifications, Exhausted the commanders and fighters, once the battle broke out, I wonder if they still have enough physical strength to participate in the battle."

"Comrades, commanders," a loud voice suddenly came from the door, "if I were you, I would believe everything your commander said. You must know that it was a few months before the outbreak of the Battle of Stalingrad. , She once warned the Supreme Commander himself, so she was criticized."

I saw clearly that it was Lieutenant General Katukov who was standing at the door talking, and two other generals followed him. I hurriedly walked around the table and greeted him with Danilov. While shaking hands with him, he said unexpectedly: "General Katukov~www.NovelMTL.com~ Why do you have time to come to my headquarters today?",

"Lida, I heard that you are taking office today. It is here to congratulate you." When he said that, he turned to look at the two generals behind him, and added: "I also brought two of my capable men. Come and introduce you to it." After that, he turned sideways, let the two generals out, and introduced to me: "This is Major General Gertmann, Commander of the 6th Tank Army. Next to this is the Mechanized No. Commander of the 3rd Army: Major General Krivaschein, both of them are my capable officers."

Then he said to the two generals: "This is General Oshanina, whom I often mentioned to you. Don't think she is a woman, but ordinary men can't compare with her."

"Hello, General Oshanina." The two generals waited for Katukov to finish, and neatly raised their hands to salute me and greeted me politely.

After I gave Katukov to my seat, I asked with concern: "Comrade General, I want to ask you, when will your tank army be able to add new tanks?"

Katukov replied without hesitation: "I am here this time just to tell you about this. I just received a notice that the first batch of tanks will be equipped with troops in May and next month." (To be completed. Continued.)