Burning Moscow

Biryuzov was calling the naval headquarters to discuss the use of troop carriers to transport infantry by sea. Tolbhin came to our side again, and asked Zhukov a little unsteadily in his heart: "Comrade Marshal, the German army sees our army is mobilizing on such a large scale, will they mobilize troops from other places to strengthen their presence in Bulgaria? What about your defense?"

Zhukov smiled faintly and confidently: "The German High Command and the pro-Nazi Bulgarian government forces did not even notice that we were mobilizing troops through Romania to the Bulgarian border. Now even if they find out that we are mobilizing troops on a large scale, but It is too late to deploy enough troops to prevent our army from entering Bulgaria."

"Comrade Marshal is right." As soon as Zhukov finished, I immediately agreed: "From the time our army liberated Kiev, the main force of the German army has been constrained by our army on all fronts, and it is difficult to mobilize quickly. This was the case for the Ukrainian Right Bank campaign. The same was true for the Belarusian campaign. I believe that in the upcoming Bulgarian campaign, the main German forces will not be able to enter the main defensive zone before we start the campaign."

"But we can't take it lightly because the Germans did not have enough time to mobilize enough troops before the battle." Zhukov waited for me and solemnly urged Torbukhin: "The preparations for the battle are not allowed to be delayed. , Because the enemy will take corresponding measures to remedy the situation after discovering that our army has mobilized a large number of troops. In this case, delay means losing the suddenness of the action."

"But Comrade Marshal, as is often the case in wars, although the troops have been assembled long ago, the materials have not been fully put in place, so our offensive has to be postponed." Tolbhin complained to Zhukov: "For example, at the beginning of the offensive. Before the attack, we must first ensure a sufficient quantity of artillery shells and fuel reserves. If the required quantity is not reached, then the artillery preparations provided by the artillery will be greatly reduced before the attack; tanks and cars will not be able to move in quickly."

After Torbukhin finished, his military commissioner Gertov went on to Zhukov: "Comrade Marshal, please send me to the logistics unit. I will bring a group of political workers to talk with the truck drivers and train drivers who are in charge of the transportation. , Let them understand the importance of this battle, and find ways to improve transportation efficiency, to ensure that our army can hoard enough supplies before the battle begins."

"Very well, Comrade Gertov, your idea is very good." Zhukov nodded to Gertov, approvingly: "I believe that after the hard work of you and your comrades, the logistics Efficiency will be greatly improved."

At this moment, Biruzov finished the phone call and went back to the table to sit down and report to Zhukov: "Comrade Marshal, the commander of the Black Sea Fleet is not here. I have conveyed our meaning to him."

"Who answered the call?" Zhukov frowned.

Biryuzov replied: "It is the chief of staff of the Black Sea Fleet. He assured me that he will report the matter to him as soon as the commander returns."

After listening to the report, Zhukov raised his hand to look at his watch, and then said: "Anyway, there is nothing to do in the morning. When I can't eat anymore, Lida will accompany me to the hospital to visit Marshal Timuxin."

…………

When Zhukov and I arrived at the hospital, we just caught up with Brother Timosin and woke up. Because Zhukov was going to take over the work he was in charge of, the two sat together and chatted for several hours. It was already afternoon when we left the hospital.

When Zhukov and I returned to the headquarters, we unexpectedly found a general in a navy uniform sitting at the conference table. Before I could see who the other party was, I heard Zhukov yell unexpectedly: "Nikola Gerasimovich, why are you here?"

Hearing Zhukov calling each other's real name and father's name, and seeing the rank of admiral on his epaulettes, I finally recognized the admiral Kuznetsov, commander-in-chief of the navy. When the two shook hands, Kuznetsov smiled and replied: "Comrade Marshal, it is the command given to me by the Supreme Commander himself. Let me come here immediately to accept your command."

"Accept my command?" Zhukov let go and asked with a blank face: "When was this order issued? Why don't I know?"

Kuznetsov and I shook hands politely before answering Zhukov: "Two hours ago, the latest order was just issued. I was inspecting the Black Sea Fleet. As soon as I received this order, I rushed here. coming."

After everyone was seated, Kuznetsov began to explain to Zhukov his purpose of coming here: "Comrade Marshal, I rushed to the Black Sea Fleet to inspect the work this morning. Fleet Commander Admiral Oktyabskiy prepared Picked me up at the airport. When we returned to his headquarters, the chief of staff of the fleet reported to him that General Torbukhin’s Third Ukrainian Front Army hoped that we could provide them with transport ships to move troops away from the battlefield through Shipped by sea to the Bulgarian border.

I think this matter is very important, so I immediately reported to the staff headquarters. Perhaps the Deputy Chief of Staff Antonov felt that this would be beneficial to the rapid assembly of troops, so he immediately reported to the Supreme Commander himself. Soon, we received an order from the base camp. From now on, the Black Sea Fleet under the command of General Oktyabriski and the Danube Fleet under the command of General Gorshkov will all belong to the Ukrainian No. Three fronts. "

"It's great, this is great." Zhukov heard this and turned to Torbukhin who was sitting next to him: "In this way, the navy and the army will have a unified command, and they will be able to cooperate in battle. It's more harmonious."

Although Torbukhin knew about this news much earlier than us, when Zhukov heard this, he still responded with a smile: "Yes, originally I was worried that the navy comrades would not support our approach, and now they are all placed under the unity of the front army. Command, what to do next will be much more convenient."

"From now on until the end of the battle, I will stay here to coordinate the unified operations of the navy and the army." Kuznetsov waited for Torbhin to finish, looked at Zhukov and asked: "Comrade Marshal, I don’t know about us. What is the mission of the navy?"

Zhukov thought for a while, and then said: "Comrade Kuznetsov, the main task of your navy is to prevent enemy ships from escaping from Bulgaria and to cooperate with ground forces to capture Varna and Burgas. At the same time, the navy should do the same. The Army transports troops far away from the battlefield to the vicinity of the enemy’s port. With the cooperation of the Marine Corps, it launches an attack on the enemy’s port. Before the main force arrives, it must resolutely hold on to these ports occupied by our army. ."

…………

While our army was intensively dispatching troops, Bulgaria, which had been in anarchy for two consecutive days, finally elected a new interim government led by Moraviev. As soon as the government came to power, it eagerly issued a statement through Radio Sofia, declaring that the government would end the wrong policy opposed by the Bulgarian people in the shortest possible time, and restore the people’s right to freedom of follow-up, to all those who oppose Bulgaria. The poisonous vegetable system and those arrested and imprisoned against the alliance with the Germans were given an unconditional amnesty. ... to ensure the dissolution of all fascist organizations and maintain the strictest neutrality in foreign policy. In addition to disarming German troops stationed in Bulgaria and German troops entering the country in the future. At the same time, negotiations must be conducted to make Bulgaria withdraw from the state of war with Britain and the United States.

A group of us gathered around the radio, listening to this high-sounding statement of the Moraviyev government, no one showed any joy on their faces, because we all knew that this was just the Moraviyev government. The purpose of the postponement plan is to delay our army's entry into Bulgaria.

After Moraviyev's speech was over, Zhukov turned off the radio, waved his hand to let the interpreter leave, and asked us with a sneer: "Everyone has heard the speech of the new government. Do you have any ideas?"

"Let me just say a few words." The first speaker was the military commissioner Gertov, who said blankly: "On the radio, Moraviyev must withdraw from the state of war with the United Kingdom and the United States through negotiations. It was an understatement to mention our country: We must improve relations with Russia! What an improvement method was not mentioned in the statement."

After Zhertov finished, Tolbushin added: "According to my understanding, Moraviyev's talk is only to stabilize us so that our army cannot launch active attacks in the short term. Once they and the United Kingdom and the United States After the peace talks were successful, Bulgaria left the fascist camp. In this way, we would not be able to attack our allies."

"Allies, what allies?" Zhukov said angrily: "They are just British and American allies. To us, as long as they don't open up the Bulgarian border to us, they are still our enemies."

When Bileuzov heard Zhukov's words, his face suddenly showed joy. He interrupted and asked: "Comrade Marshal, if I understand nothing wrong, should we continue the assembly on the Bulgarian border?"

"General Bilyuzov," Zhukov heard Bilyuzov's words, and immediately said in a serious tone: "Before I give the order to stop the advance to the Bulgarian border, the assembly of troops must go on unconditionally. Understand?"

"Understood," Biryuzov replied happily: "I am worried that the Moraviev government's statement will prompt changes in our Bulgarian policy. Since everything is business as usual, then we have never heard of this. statement of."

Stalin in Moscow also heard the statement issued by the Moraviev government. He called Zhukov and said: "Comrade Zhukov, since the Moraviev government has made a statement, he is willing to negotiate. To withdraw from the fascist camp, we should show enough kindness to their actions."

Zhukov listened to Stalin, the muscles on his face twitched violently, and then asked: "Comrade Stalin, I don't know what we should do to be considered as showing enough kindness."

Stalin pondered for a moment, and then he said: "You have to send a reconnaissance team to carry out reconnaissance on Bulgaria’s ports and find out if there are any German warships here; in the shortest possible time, to find out what is the status of the German army in Bulgaria, Is the Moraviev government confiscating these German weapons?

Also, if the Ukrainian Third Front has been out for a long time, Razgrad, Shumen, Delgopol, and the northern bank of the Kamen River, they should stop advancing and avoid contacting the Bulgarian border troops. There is a conflict. "

"Understood, Comrade Stalin." Zhukov nodded and replied: "I will convey your order as soon as possible."

Zhukov put down the phone, and repeated what Stalin had explained to Tolbushin and Kuznetsov, and finally exhorted: "Before the battle begins, our troops must never go beyond the area delineated by Comrade Stalin. Avoid making our army politically passive."

Hearing this order, Kuznetsov seemed a little indifferent, but Tolbushin's expression was stern: "Comrade Marshal, if we stop advancing within the prescribed area, we are still provoked by the Bulgarian army. How to deal with it?"

When Torbuhin uttered the word "provocation", the entire conference room went quiet. Just a few years ago, just a few hours before the German invasion, the command issued by the General Staff Headquarters to the troops below was also vague. He mentioned that he might be provoked by the Germans. "Provocation" gives you the feeling that it is a small fight on the scale of a dozen or twenty people, so not many people arouse vigilance~www.wuxiaspot.com~ As a result, the troops were beaten by the enemy due to insufficient preparation in the early stages of the war. Lose and lose again.

Zhukov heard what he was trying to express from Tolbhin’s words, and immediately categorically said: "Comrade Tolbhin, please tell the troops below that as long as they are provoked by the enemy, no matter how many enemies come, They must be completely wiped out."

"Yes, yes, that's what we should do, Comrade Marshal." After receiving Zhukov's instructions, Tolbhin once again showed a long-lost smile on his face: "If the enemy does not come, we can still have peace with them. If they live impatiently and have to provoke us, then what awaits them is the fate of being annihilated."

Zhukov waved his hand at Torbukhin and exhorted: "Remember, you must tell the following commanders that no matter how the situation in Bulgaria changes in the future, we will all enter this country, so you must not relax your vigilance and continue. Maintain a state of combat readiness. Only when the time is right, our tens of thousands of troops will cross the Bulgarian border empty, and with the support of the guerrillas, we will advance in depth."

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