Age of Conquest Reborn

Chapter 844: Far Eastern Pattern (2)

The autumn of 1938 was the most unhappy day for Stalin, the supreme leader of the Soviet Union. After Tang Qiuli cut off Outer Mongolia and the Lake Baikal region from the Soviets, the Japanese launched another attack on the Far East.

A large-scale offensive was launched. Within twenty days, locust-like Kwantung Army soldiers swept across the Soviet army in the Far East.--%.net

The Soviet Union's main military group in the Far East, after Lieutenant General Zhukov's troops of the First Army were besieged by Tang Qiuli in the Ulyasutai area of ​​Outer Mongolia, General Timoshenko's troops of the Second Far East Army were again besieged.

The Japanese Kwantung Army troops were encircled in the Arsenyev area and were in an extremely dangerous situation.

No matter how you say the First Army, the Soviets saved the lives of hundreds of thousands of soldiers and General Zhukov after paying a huge price, but the situation of Timoshenko's Second Army was different. The Japanese deliberately wanted to

The Soviet Union, the last military group in the Far East, was completely eliminated.

Senior generals from Stalin to the Soviet General Staff knew very well that with the current situation, even if the Soviets held an olive branch and desperately called for a stop, the Japanese would never give up, and would instead fight harder unless

The Soviet government paid an unacceptable price. The Japanese were gaining the upper hand in the Far East. It was not easy to stop the Japanese.

Obviously, the method of solving the First Army was not suitable for the Second Army. Although Tang Qiuli did not kill Zhukov and hundreds of thousands of Soviet soldiers in the end, senior officials from Stalin to the Soviet General Staff

None of the generals were grateful. In the minds of these Soviet decision-makers, Tang Qiuli was as hateful as the Japanese, or even more hateful.

Looking at the entire situation in the Far East, no matter what aspect you consider, Tang Qiuli is the instigator. Without him to provoke the war in Outer Mongolia, the Japanese would not take advantage of it, let alone have the courage to launch an attack. Also, Tang Qiuli in Outer Mongolia

The profits gained must have stimulated the greedy Japanese and given the jealous Japanese confidence. All of this is inseparable from China's newly emerging strongman.

Every time he thought about this, Stalin was itching with hatred. What made Stalin even more headache was that he never knew what this devil-like Chinese was thinking, what he needed, and where he would place the chess pieces next. However,

, one thing made Stalin quite gratified. His judgment was correct. Tang Qiuli and the Japanese did not reach some kind of secret agreement. The information from the Far East Intelligence Bureau can prove this.

The top priority is to solve the danger faced by Timoshenko. Stalin called together the members of the Politburo to discuss this issue. The generals present basically agreed on the same opinion and mobilized forces in Europe to attack Japan and the Tang Qiuli Group in Asia.

, giving the most thorough and heaviest blow.

Let these yellow-skinned monkeys always remember this lesson. Moreover, the generals all looked angry and volunteered to lead a million-strong Soviet army to the Far East of Asia. The mainstream view in the Soviet military circles has already turned the Japanese into

He and Tang Qiuli regarded him as the most important opponent and would not hesitate to use the whole country to fight.

Other members of the Politburo were much calmer and more concerned. They believed that mobilizing all the Soviet forces to Asia would be a waste of time. It would be better to try their best to seek peace with the Japanese, and even cede some of the Soviet Union's territory.

A small part of the territory in the Far East was given to the Japanese as a sign of good faith.

The war clouds over Europe are like a powder keg. I don’t know when a spark will explode suddenly. By then, the Soviet Union’s forces will be concentrated in the Far East far away from Europe. Once it is invaded, the consequences will be unimaginable.

The danger of national subjugation.

The two opinions were at loggerheads. Stalin, the head of the Soviet Union, remained silent as usual, while the decision-makers of the Soviet Union quarreled red-faced. It should be said that the political atmosphere in the Soviet Party in the 1930s was very different.

This is relatively normal. Perhaps Stalin realized that his counter-revolutionary policy had harmed the country and began to consciously cultivate a democratic atmosphere within the party.

Stalin had carefully considered the opinions of the members of the Politburo and sought the opinions of his think tanks more than once. The military's suggestions were obviously too extreme. They forgot that the major industrial cities in the Soviet Union were all in Europe, which was the Soviet Union.

It is impossible not to take into account the national foundation.

The suggestions of other Politburo members are even more undesirable. Stalin has not yet had the habit of ceding territory to seek peace. This is a shame that the Soviets and Stalin himself cannot accept. Of course, except for Tang Qiuli. Thinking of Tang Qiuli, Stalin

There was another sharp pain in my heart. Now, the Chinese was standing still. Who knew what he was thinking? When would he pounce and take a bite?

So far, Stalin did not know that the Pacific Fleet, which made him almost faint with distress, consisted of more than a hundred warships, including two aircraft carriers, and was sailing on the Yellow Sea in China. It would soon arrive at the Qingdao Army Base and become a military base in Qingdao.

It is unclear whether a fleet under Tang Qiuli's command would still be so calm after knowing the news.

At the Politburo meeting of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, Stalin was the final decision-maker as usual. The reason why the Transcaucasus Front troops of General Paul Piliuski made slow progress was because of the full force of the Japanese Kwantung Army. This shows that the strength of the Soviet Union in the Far East was

, is far from reaching the level of strength that can reverse the situation on the battlefield, so increasing military strength is an inevitable choice.

Mobilizing 400,000 troops from Europe, forming the Far Eastern Front Army, they rushed to the Far East as quickly as possible. To choose the commander and political commissar, Stalin unexpectedly chose Lieutenant General Zhukov, who had just suffered a defeat, and changed Zhukov's military rank.

, promoted from lieutenant general to general.

All members of the Politburo of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union were shocked by Stalin's decision. Is there no general in the Red Army who is more suitable for this position than Zhukov? Why did Comrade Stalin insist on taking the important task of changing the situation in the Far East?

Handed over to the defeated general who was defeated at the hands of China's Tang Qiuli, lost Outer Mongolia, lost hundreds of thousands of troops, and made the Soviet government pay a heavy price?

Facing the doubtful and incomprehensible looks of the Politburo members, Stalin did not explain a word. He almost nightmarishly determined that Zhukov was the best person to solve the crisis in the Far East for the Soviet Union. There was no reason or basis, it was just an intuition.

, an almost pathological intuition.

Stalin's intuition was still very accurate. Zhukov lived up to expectations and won the most favorable situation for the Soviet Union on the Far East battlefield. In the subsequent Soviet-German battlefield, he repeatedly performed extraordinary feats and became a legendary figure in the Soviet Red Army.

Mars.

As for the suggestion of ceding part of the territory as a bargaining chip to sue for peace with the Japanese, Stalin did not consider it at all. Moreover, judging from the historical grudges between the Soviet Union and Japan, the Japanese would never satisfy their appetite for this piece of territory.

It's so big that it can swallow the entire Asian part.

If the Japanese set up their troops in the Ural Mountains and peered into the European part of the Soviet Union, once the European war breaks out, the Japanese, who have always taken advantage of the situation, will definitely be willing to reach an agreement with any European army that invades the Soviet Union to carve up Soviet territory. Such greedy **

, dating back to the era of Tsarist Russia.

The Russo-Japanese War that broke out in Northeast China at the beginning of this century clearly illustrates this point. Stalin never relaxed his vigilance against the Japanese. Therefore, for the members of the Politburo who made such suggestions, Stalin's heart

They were full of unhappiness and thought of sending them to a labor camp.

In the name of the General Staff, he also issued an order to General Paul Piliusky, who was fighting a bloody battle with the blocking Kwantung Army in the Khabarovsk area of ​​the Far East, "Paul Piliusky, commander and political commissar of the Transcaucasian Front"

Comrade, your troops must break through the Japanese blockade at any cost within five days and coordinate the breakout of Timoshenko's Second Far East Army. This order cannot be changed, Joseph Stalin."

This was an ultimatum-style order, and it was given to General Paul Pilyuski. Even if you wiped out all the troops of the Transcaucasian Front, it would be a great achievement to rescue Timoshenko.

Just fight with all your might. If you fail to fulfill the orders of the Supreme Commander, you should know that the consequences will be very serious, to the point of losing your head.

After the meeting, Stalin specially summoned General Zhukov, who had been staying in Moscow, in his office to inform him of the Politburo's decision. Zhukov was obviously very surprised and surprised. He stood up from the sofa in surprise. His level of shock was astonishing.

More than those Politburo members who attended the meeting.

After returning from the besieged area of ​​​​Ulyasutai in Outer Mongolia, Zhukov was placed in the guest house of the General Staff Headquarters. He lived in seclusion. There were four uniformed agents from the Ministry of Internal Affairs at the door, who took turns standing guard 24 hours a day. There were agents even when he went to the toilet.

Accompanying him, Zhukov also understood that his situation was almost the same as being in confinement.

What we are waiting for is the final ruling of the Politburo. After all, a general who loses a battle should be punished. The difference is just the severity of the punishment. The best result is that he cannot serve in the Red Army and leaves his beloved army.

, However, Zhukov was absolutely unwilling to do so.

Every day he reflected on the battle in Outer Mongolia and every detail of his fight with Tang Qiuli. He came to the conclusion that if he had the chance to fight that Chinese again, he would never lose so miserably.

, and there is absolutely no guarantee of winning. A tie should be the best outcome.

Comrade Stalin now told him that he would be commanding an army of 400,000 men, and would be promoted to general, assuming full command responsibility in the Far East. Zhukov had a dream-like feeling. Only when he personally received the order signed by Stalin did he realize

It feels real.

However, Zhukov was not a person who was good at expressing his emotions through words. He moved his lips a few times, but without saying a word, he solemnly saluted Stalin with a military salute and turned to leave.

Seeing Zhukov's slightly pudgy back disappearing at the end of the corridor, Stalin smiled. He clearly saw the tears in Zhukov's eyes. From now on, this man would give his life to himself. This was what Stalin wanted.

Hopeful.

(To be continued)