Burning Moscow

Although Ustinov’s tone was stern, I still heard a little bit from it. He did not refuse to equip me with new tanks, but the number that can be equipped is limited.

While I was thinking about what to say, there was another distant voice in the receiver: "...I'm sorry, Comrade People’s Committee, although your secretary said you are calling, but I have important things to find you, so I just broke in, hoping not to disturb you..."

"I didn't bother me. I'm talking with General Oshanina on the front line. Please wait a moment." Although Ustinov said that the other party did not bother him, his tone was full of helplessness. When I heard someone approach him to report to work, I couldn't help feeling a little disappointed. I thought that he would hang up the phone soon and let me find his plan for a new tank to be ruined.

Just as I was on the verge of despair, I suddenly heard the voice just now pleasantly saying: "Comrade People's Committee, are you talking to Lida?"

"Yes, Comrade Engineer," Ustinov replied affirmatively.

When I heard Ustinov calling the other’s engineer and the other side calling me by my nickname, I immediately guessed the identity of the person who came from the future. It was Fronin, the engineer from the future. If I can get his help, I believe Us Zinov will definitely provide us with enough new weapons. We must know that his knowledge of the battle of Kursk far exceeds mine. If he could help me say a few good things, it would be better than my dry tongue.

"Can I have a few words with her?" Fronin asked.

"No problem, Comrade Engineer." Although I can't see Ustinov's expression, I can imagine that he must be a bitter face at the moment, because he said something before handing the microphone to Fronin. : "Lida is looking for me for a batch of new tanks to equip her temporarily formed 33rd Tank Corps."

"Hi. Is it Lida?" After a while, Fronin's familiar voice came from the earpiece, perhaps because of excitement. His voice trembled slightly.

"Yes, Comrade Engineer. It's me." I was also very excited to think that he could help me say something in front of Ustinov.

"I just heard Comrade Ustinov say that you want a batch of new tanks from him, is that right?" Fronin asked very cautiously.

"Yes, Comrade Engineer, before you come in, I am asking Comrade Ustinov to provide us with some new tanks to arm the newly-built 33rd Tank Army." In order to make Fronin aware of the seriousness of the situation. , I also specifically emphasized: "At present they are equipped with old-fashioned T-26 tanks. To deal with those German Tiger tanks that cannot be defeated by T-34, it is simply an impossible task."

"Lida, I want to hear the truth from you." After a moment of silence, Fronin asked tentatively: "Are you really sure that once the Germans attack, your defense area will bear the brunt of the Germans' offensive targets? "

Fronin's words can't help but stun me. I said in my heart that you, a person from the future, don't understand the German offensive line in the Battle of Kursk? Although he is not clear about the purpose of asking this sentence. But he answered truthfully: "Yes, Comrade Engineer, I think my defense zone. It will be attacked by the Germans at the beginning of the battle because the tank army must be strengthened to strengthen our defense."

"I understand." Fronin said slowly after hearing this, "please don't hang up, I'll talk about this with Comrade Ustinov."

After putting the microphone on the table, Fronin began to discuss with Ustinov: "Comrade People’s Committee, although I have lost most of my memory, I vaguely remember that in two or three months, even more. In a short time. We and the Germans broke out in a big battle in the Kursk area, Lida's defense zone. It should be one of the important battlefields."

Fronin’s words startled Ustinov. He asked in a flustered manner: "Comrade Engineer. You remember it right? You know, according to the Supreme Command’s judgment, it’s impossible for the German army to get from the library. Lsk launched an offensive to the south, so this change of outfit is prioritized to be supplemented to General Rokosovsky’s troops."

"Trust me, Comrade People's Committee." Fronin said in a helpless voice: "Although there are only a few fragments of memory in my mind about the Kursk battle, what happened in Lida's defense zone The fierce battle in the country left a deep impression on me."

"But, I can't just make a decision based on some of your uncertain memory fragments!" Fronin's words obviously cannot change Ustinov's decision. He stubbornly said: "Unless you have definite evidence. It can prove that the Germans will attack Kursk from the south, otherwise I would never agree to equip the 33rd Tank Corps with new tanks."

"Comrade People's Committee," Fronin's voice suddenly became high-pitched: "If you don't equip Lida's 33rd Tank Corps with new tanks, it will be inevitable that their defense line will be broken by the Germans. You I can’t just watch the German tanks, violently break through all our defenses and rush directly to Kursk City?"

"However, if the new tank is given to Lida, if General Katukov also comes to ask for it, shall we give it?" Ustinov retorted Fronin in an annoyed way: "If they were given, then With our existing tank output, it simply cannot meet the needs of the Bryansk Front and the Steppe Front."

"Comrade People’s Committee, the priority should be met right now, it should be the troops of the Central Front Army and Voronezh Front Army, because they are the main direction of the next battle." Speaking of this, Fronin slowed down and said: "As for the tanks. Yield, I'm here to talk to you specifically to talk about this."

At this moment, Vasilevsky, who was sitting across from me, saw that I was not talking, and couldn't help but curiously asked: "Lida, how is the situation? Comrade Ustinov has promised to give you a new tank. ?"

I was afraid that the opposite Ustinov heard Vasilevsky’s voice, and quickly covered the microphone, and whispered to him: "Comrade Chief of the General Staff, the engineer and the People’s Commissar are discussing whether to provide our group army with new tanks. Negotiations about the matter, please wait a while."

"Engineer, what engineer?" I know Vasilevsky knows Fronin, just say the engineer. He knew who I was talking about, but Shumilov next to him didn't know. He asked in confusion, "Who can tell me. Who is this engineer?"

When I was wondering how to answer him, Vasilevsky took over. Said: "General Shumilov, the engineer we are talking about, is an extremely important person who belongs to the Weapons and Equipment Department of Ustinov. Since your confidentiality level is not enough, I cannot tell you this for the time being. The true identity of an engineer."

When Vasilevsky said this, Shumilov said, obediently shut his mouth and remained silent.

After hearing what Fronin had said, Ustinov on the other end of the phone asked nervously: "Comrade Engineer. What happened? Is there something wrong with the production of T-72?"

"Oh, the t-72 is a tank that is decades ahead of this era. Due to the limitation of production technology, let alone mass production, even the six that were finally produced are just a commodity and cannot be put into actual combat. And in the usual tests, there were frequent failures." When it comes to t-72, Fronin seems to have a lot of pain. After sending a few complaints, he turned the topic around and said: "But I came to you today for the T-54/55 tank."

"Is there anything wrong with this tank?" I could hear Ustinov when he said this. It seemed a little nervous: "We stopped all the T-34 production lines and made full efforts to produce this tank equipment unit. If something goes wrong, it will be trouble. Not only I will not be able to keep you, but even I will be in trouble. "

"Look at how scared you are, Comrade People's Committee." Froning said with a hehe with a smile, "I am here today to report good news to you."

Hearing what Fronin was about to say was good news, not only Ustinov was relieved, but I also let go of the rock hanging in my heart. I listened to Froning again: "After long-term research by my colleagues at the secret base and I, the process simplification of the T-54/55 tank has been successfully realized. In this way, the manufacturing man-hours of the new tank will be reduced from the original 7,000. , Dropped to less than 4,000; and the cost of a single tank was successfully reduced from the original 270,000 rubles to 135,000 rubles. In a word, we now use the time and money we spent to produce a tank before. Two cars can be produced. Do you understand?"

After Fronin had finished speaking, there was silence on the other end of the phone. Since I couldn't hear anything on the other side, I even thought that the phone was hung up by Ustinov or Fronin. Fortunately, this silence did not last long. I heard Ustinov’s excitement and vibrato voice from the receiver: "Comrade Engineer, what you...what you say is... all true... …really?"

"This is still false, Comrade People's Committee." Fronin said with some dissatisfaction to Ustinov's skeptical tone: "When did I tell you a lie?"

"Great, this is great." After receiving Fronin's confirmation, Ustinov cheered excitedly: "In this way, our tank output can be doubled and the shortest Equip more troops in time."

"Naleda's tank army..." Fronin waited for Ustinov's mood to recover a little, and then asked tentatively: "Can they be equipped with new tanks?"

"Yes, you are right, I will call Lida and tell her the good news." Then I heard Ustinov's voice become louder: "Hey, Lida, are you still there?"

"Yes, Comrade People's Committee, I'm still here." Although I heard all their conversations just now, I still asked in a flat tone: "Can you provide new tanks for my tank army?"

"Lida, don't worry. Since I am calling you, I intend to provide some new tanks to your group army." Ustinov resumed his usual tone of voice: "Three hundred, don't you I hope that only Katukov’s tank army can hope to get such a quantity. And you, I can only provide you with 80 vehicles at most, how about it?"

I heard that Ustinov was asking me in a negotiating tone, and tentatively said: "Comrade People’s Committee, eighty vehicles are too few. At most one tank brigade is equipped, and the remaining brigade is still the most old-fashioned. The tank."

"You can evenly distribute these new tanks to two brigades, so that the tanks can match the old and the new." Ustinov noticed my attempt and even proactively told me how to distribute the tanks: "Old Tanks can’t deal with German Tiger tanks. Doesn’t it mean that they can’t deal with enemy infantry or firepower? Your brains are easy to use. After the tanks are distributed to the 33rd Tank Army, you will discuss how to use them with Colonel Bere. These tanks!"

"Is it really impossible to give me more cars?" Although Ustinov had said so clearly, I still asked with a fluke: "Even if you give me 20 more cars, let me make up one hundred. A car is fine too?"

Ustinov was silent for a moment, and then replied, "Well, depending on the friendship between you and me, I will give you twenty more tanks." I grinned, before I laughed, Hearing him again said, "The new tank will definitely not work, so I will give you another twenty T-34s. There is still some stock in the military warehouse ~ www.NovelMTL.com~ which can be shipped to your troops in two or three days at most. "

Hearing this, I finally felt relieved in my heart, but I have always been a very cautious person, and I also deliberately asked: "Can the new tank equipped with us also arrive together?"

"Yes, yes, definitely yes." After Ustinov gave me a positive answer, he said again: "Well, I have other things to be busy. Let's stop here today. Good luck! Goodbye! !"

As soon as I said goodbye, Ustinov hung up.

When I put down the phone, Shumilov looked at me and said in an enviable tone: "It's easy to do things if you are familiar, Lida, after you make a phone call, you have solved the army's weapons and equipment, and you want to change me. I guess I can only wait patiently for a few months."

I smiled at Shumilov and said nothing. But my mind thought of the battle of Kursk that was about to break out in more than a month, and frowned, especially thinking of the Soviet army, who had won the final victory in the cruel battle, but suffered heavy casualties. Suddenly, I felt the blood surge, and there was an invisible heavy responsibility on my shoulders. I want to make good use of the advanced weapons provided by Ustinov and Fronin to rewrite part of the battle history. (To be continued.)