Burning Moscow

The battle ahead is tense, and it is impossible to give me too much time to guess the riddles. While I was still trying to figure out who the visitor would be, Xie Liujin called me from the city.

Hearing that it was me who answered the phone, Xie Liujin complained to me immediately: "Comrade Commander, our teacher has played well in the city. It has captured two streets in a row and is about to develop in depth, but you let General Babajanyan’s troops came to replace us...."

"Okay, Master Xie Liujin, don't complain anymore." I knew that if I allowed Xie Liujin to complain, my ears would suffer, so I interrupted him decisively: "I consider your division and Guards 77th. The division suffered heavy casualties throughout the morning, and the commanders and fighters were also very tired, so they were temporarily replaced for rest."

"But, Comrade Commander." Xie Liujin continued: "Speaking of street fighting, General Babajanyan’s mechanized brigade has no experience. I just went to the front and took a look. They were actually in a narrow street, taking a group. The way of charging, attacking the enemy's defensive positions, resulted in heavy casualties."

"Master Xie Liujin," I heard him say so, and immediately retorted unceremoniously: "Since you see that their tactics are incorrect, why don't you remind General Babajanyan, but just watch like a bystander. What about the heavy casualties of the friendly forces?" Xie Liujin, who was taught by me, babbled for a long time, but did not say a complete sentence. I went on to say: "I order you to immediately send a commander with street fighting experience to General Babajanyan's army to instruct their soldiers on how to start street fighting with the Germans. Do you understand?"

"Understood!" Xie Liujin promised, but soon said a little uneasy: "Comrade Commander, I will send the commander under my hand like this. General Babajanyan won't have any ideas, right?"

"Don't worry, General Babajanyan will not be so careful." I said in a casual tone: "I will inform General Babajanyan later, so that he knows it."

After I put down the phone, I told Akhromeyev: "Major, you call General Babajanyan, saying that in order to reduce the casualties of the troops in the street fighting, I am going to get from the 77th Guards Division and the 80th Guards Division. The Ninth Division transferred an experienced commander to give guidance and prepare him for reception."

Hearing this order of mine, Akhromeyev smiled and said to me: "Comrade Commander, when it comes to street fighting, we say second, but no one dares to say first. I believe that as long as Babajiani General Young’s troops have received our help. They can not only reduce the casualties in street fighting, but also greatly speed up the offensive."

Taking advantage of Akhromeyev’s call, Povsky came over to me and said: "Comrade Commander, as our army has been losing steadily in Fastiv, I believe that Kiev-Zhytomyr The road should also be opened up.” He saw me nodding in approval, and went on to say, “We should immediately apply to the logistics department of the front army to immediately resume transportation on this road and supplement us with urgently needed supplies. "

I understand why Povsky is so impatient. If today’s battle is not for the exhaustion of shells, not only will our offensive speed be greatly accelerated, but the casualties of the troops can also be effectively reduced. At the same time, when the German tanks bombarded the cavalry division, we were not helplessly staring.

"Comrade Commander, look quickly, who is here." Just as Povsky and I were sorting out the urgently needed supplies, Bie Lei's surprise voice suddenly came from outside.

Hearing Bele’s voice, I looked up at the door disapprovingly, then lowered my head and continued with Povsky’s topic: "...In addition to howitzers, I think rockets are also necessary..."

Before I finished speaking, a familiar voice suddenly came from the door: "It seems that I am an unwelcome person. There is not even a welcome person here."

Who is this and why is the voice so familiar? Thinking like this, I looked up at the door. After I saw the people at the door clearly, I immediately stood up straight and walked up quickly, and at the same time said in surprise: "Comrade General, why are you here?"

Standing at the door, Rokosovsky spread his hands and said helplessly, "Can't I come here?"

After saluting Rokosovsky, I shook hands with him and said emotionally: "I thought you were commanding operations in Kiev. I didn't expect you to come to me in person. Come and sit down!" "

After a few of us were seated, before I could speak again, Rokosovsky said first: "Lida, I am here today to bid you farewell."

"Farewell to me?!" Hearing Rokosovsky's words, I couldn't help being stunned. After a long time, I asked weakly, "Comrade General, are you not the acting commander of the front? Where are you going when the battle has just begun? Also, after you leave, who will replace you? What about the position?"

"Lida, don't forget, I am the commander of the Belarusian Front. As for the commander of the Ukrainian First Front, I am only an agent." Rokosovsky answered with a smile in the face of my series of questions. Said: “The fighting in Belarus is tense now, and Comrade Vatutin’s health has improved. He is fully qualified for the job of commander of the front. He will soon return to his post. As for the time between my departure and his return, the front army The work of the new deputy commander and commander of the First Guards Army will be responsible for the future."

When I heard that Rokosovsky was leaving, my heart was suddenly messed up. In addition to feeling that the backer I was relying on was about to fall, the main thing was that I was worried that many unexpected changes would happen next.

Seeing my melancholy look, Rokosovsky comforted me and said, "Don't worry, I have already introduced Grechko to the situation of your group army. After the Kyiv-Zhytomyr road traffic is restored. , Your group army will receive priority replenishment."

"Then what about your original campaign deployment?" I was afraid that when Vatutin returned, he would overthrow Rokosovsky's original combat plan, so I asked worriedly: "I will not be overthrown and start over again. ?"

Regarding this question of mine, Rokosovsky was silent for a long time, and finally said in an uncertain tone: "I think Comrade Vatutin may still have to decide whether to modify the original combat plan according to the changes in the battlefield situation. "

The outgoing Rokosovsky was unwilling to entangle on these matters, so he turned the subject away and asked me: "When I came, I saw that your troops had rushed into the city from the west of Fastiv. Except for street fighting with the enemy, have you taken any measures against the enemy who fled south?"

"We sent a tank brigade and cavalry division to move to the southwest of Fastiv." I pointed to the map and introduced Rokosovsky: "Prepare to launch a surprise attack on the way the enemy retreats. As much as possible. Consume the enemy’s vital forces and reduce the pressure for our next stage of battle."

Rokosovsky stared at the map for a while, then raised his head and said to me: "You put in too little troops. You must know that the enemy can retreat together with several divisions, and there are armored divisions. I worry about you in the end. Not only was it impossible to achieve any results, but was hit hard by the enemy."

"Comrade General, please rest assured." When I dispatched troops, I did not expect to use a tank brigade and a cavalry division to annihilate the enemy's main force. Therefore, after hearing Rokosovsky’s concerns, I relaxed. He said: "Although we have sent troops to harass the enemy, although the conditions are ripe, it is not ruled out that our troops will seize advantageous fighter opportunities and eat part of the enemy, so that the retreating enemy will become more confusion."

"There should be two bridges on the way the enemy is retreating." Rokosovsky stared at the map for a few moments, then looked up at me and said, "If you blow up the bridge, you can stop the enemy. Is the pace of retreat?"

"It makes sense, it makes sense." When Bie Lei heard this, he couldn't help but interject, "Comrade commander of the front army, this matter is our misconsideration. We did not expect to destroy the bridge on the way of the enemy's retreat, so that we can delay the enemy , So that our troops will destroy the enemy's more viable power."

Speaking of the power to destroy the enemy, a bold idea suddenly appeared in my mind, and I hurriedly said to Rokosovsky: "Comrade General, I have an idea. I don't know whether to say it or not."

"Is there anything I shouldn't say." Rokosovsky said in an easygoing manner: "You can say whatever you think. Even if you say something wrong, I won't blame you."

"Comrade General, I think so." I said what I thought: "Since the bridges that the German army passes through will be blown up by us, I believe that the enemy's retreat speed will be affected. If it is here At time, if our air force is dispatched, will it be possible to achieve greater results?"

"Well, Lida, what you said is very reasonable." Rokosovsky said approvingly about my proposal: "As long as the bridge on the German retreat is blown up, they will definitely be blocked in the road. Once we dispatch the air force to bomb, we will be able to achieve great results."

Although Rokosovsky said so lightly, I still asked without worry: "Comrade General, I would like to ask, does the current air force still obey your command?"

"Just kidding, as long as I haven't left the Ukrainian First Front, then the Second Army of the Air Force will be under my command. If I let them out, who dares to disobey the order." Rokosovsky said, the domineering Rokosovsky finished. After the sentence, I called a staff officer who followed him in and told him: "Lieutenant Colonel, send a report to the Second Army of the Air Force and ask them to dispatch the air force to carry out air strikes against the German forces southwest of Fastif. It must be delayed. The enemy's goal."

"Understood!" The staff officer agreed, then turned and walked out of the headquarters to report to the car outside.

Before the air force arrived at the destination, Bere, who was in contact with the 100th tank brigade, received a call from Villadrie. The colonel reported that they had encountered a retreating German army. There had been an exchange of fire and fighting. In progress.

Although Veradre was not his subordinate, Berley was still excited when he heard such a report. I heard him shout excitedly into the microphone: "Good job, Colonel, you and your commanders are good. You immediately launch an assault on the enemy. Don't worry about the anti-tank fighters, just follow the road. If you rush forward, you can completely plunge the enemy into chaos."

After finishing the call with Viladere, Bele came over and reported to us emotionally: "Col. Viladere reported that they had encountered the retreating German 213th Guard Division. After a brief exchange of fire, The enemy has retreated in the direction of Fastiff. In addition to ordering them to continue chasing the rout enemy, I also ordered him to send out tanks to blow up the two bridges under cover and completely cut off the enemy's retreat."

"Good job, General Bere." Rokosovsky waited for Bere to finish, and immediately said approvingly: "As long as the enemy is in chaos, then they should not retreat to the Uman region smoothly. In this case, Our offensive in the Uman and Vinnytsia regions will greatly reduce the resistance."

When I heard Rokosovsky saying this, I couldn’t help but think in secret: “If the commander of the front army had been Vatutin, he would adopt such a frontal view of more than two hundred kilometers at the same time to attack the German army. Full offensive?"

After Rokosovsky praised Bere, he suddenly asked me: "Lida, after this battle is over, I estimate that in the short term, there will be no more major battles in Ukraine~www.wuxiaspot.com~ how? So, are you interested in going to my Belarusian Front?"

Hearing Rokosovsky’s sudden invitation to me, all the people in the command center focused on me, and they all wanted to know how I would respond to Rokosovsky.

I know very well in my heart that because of my appearance, a lot of history has been changed unknowingly. For example, the Sixth Guards Army I command now, the commander in real history, is my current deputy, General Chistyakov. At this moment, the troops should not stay in the organization of the Ukrainian First Front Army, but Already transferred to the front army on the Baltic coast. Therefore, I have to seriously consider Rokosowski’s invitation, because if you want to become his subordinate, you may not have the opportunity to participate in the Battle of Berlin again.

Seeing that I hadn't spoken for a long time, Bere next to him gave Rokosovsky a glance, and then urged me a little anxiously: "Comrade Commander, what do you think, you have to say something. Commander of the Front Army. I'm still waiting for your reply."

Under Bere’s urging, I finally made up my mind. I stood up and said to Rokosovsky sitting opposite: "Comrade General, I resolutely obey the orders of my superiors. If I go to the Belarusian Front, I will immediately Without saying anything, I will take the troops north; if I continue to stay in the Ukrainian First Front, I will not have any objections." (To be continued.)