Red Moscow

Zhukov came to the headquarters and learned that the enemies around the city had retreated, and there was no happy expression on his face.

This kind of reaction to him had long been expected by Sokov. After all, after the German army had successfully defeated the Southwest Front Army, they could boldly go northward and join the German army attacking the Voronezh Front Army to recapture Kharkov. and Belgorod and other places.

"The loss of Popov's rapid cluster has been counted." Zhukov looked up at the map hanging on the wall, and said without looking back: "They lost 251 tanks, 125 anti-tank guns, 73 Heavy artillery, 217 machine guns, 425 trucks, and a large number of mortars and anti-tank guns, and more than 6,000 commanders and fighters died."

After finishing this series of heart-wrenching numbers, Zhukov turned around and asked Sokov: "Misha, please tell me, if the German army marches northward and attacks Golikov with the enemy in the north, will our army be able to hold Kharko?" husband and Belgorod?"

"You can't hold it, Comrade General." After Sukov said this, he did not wait for Zhukov to ask again, and said: "Our troops have long been exhausted after long-term fighting. Coupled with the logistics The supply base is too far away, the amount of supplies received by the troops is seriously insufficient, and the lack of necessary supplies to support the defense makes it impossible for the troops to conduct effective operations in the face of the German attack. At that time, our troops will not only be unable to defend the city, on the contrary, they may It was divided into several pieces by the German army and wiped out one by one in the battle. Once the defenders are wiped out in large numbers, there will inevitably be a situation where a large amount of equipment will be lost and captured by the German army.”

Hearing this, Vitkov couldn't help interjecting: "If we have a lot of technical equipment, how can we worry about the enemy's armored forces? We can completely fight a tank battle with them."

"Comrade Chief of Staff, our army's tanks have run out of fuel and ammunition, and have basically become a decoration." Sokov explained to Witkov: "Facing the tide of enemies, if the equipment does not fall into the enemy's In his hands, the only way is to blow them all up."

"Misha, your analysis is very reasonable. I will report this matter to the headquarters immediately."

As soon as Zhukov finished speaking, the adjutant who had been standing in the corner said to everyone, "Comrade General wants to talk to the headquarters, everyone should go out first."

As soon as the adjutant finished speaking, those staff officers and communications soldiers who were still busy put down their work one after another, got up and walked out of the headquarters. The adjutant saw that the staff and signal soldiers had left, and turned to Sokov and the others and said politely: "And you, Comrade Colonel, please go out first."

Hearing what the adjutant said, Sokov was not angry. He knew that the conversation between Zhukov and the base camp was top secret, and he did not have the authority to understand this top secret, so he took Vitkov, Sidolin and others out Command.

"Come on, let's have a cigarette." When he came to the open space outside, Sidolin handed Sokov and Witkov a cigarette each, and then asked curiously: "Comrade commander, tell me, what will happen to the superior?" arrange for us?"

"Does this still need to be said?" Witkov interjected: "We must be ordered to attack westward to divert the attention of the German army and reduce the pressure on the Voronezh Front Army."

"Our attack can indeed attract part of the attention of the German army." After taking a deep breath of cigarettes, Sokov said with a wry smile: "But the role we can play is very limited, and our flanks will be attacked by enemies from Donets." As a result, the supply line was cut off due to the attack of the German defenders in the city of Ke. Once this happens, the fate of our group will be the same as that of Popov's fast group. At that time, no army will come to us Reach out, and we will be wiped out by the enemy."

If someone else said something like this, they would definitely be scolded by Lai Witkov, after all, this is the content that shakes the morale of the army. But from Sokov's mouth, the meaning is completely different. Witkov smoked the cigarette in his hand silently, threw it on the ground and crushed it with his toes, and asked tentatively: "But, with so many of our troops staying here, we can't stand still and watch the friendly troops be wiped out, right?"

"Comrade Chief of Staff, if the Southwest Front Army is progressing smoothly and has driven the enemy to the other side of the Dnieper River at this moment, then the headquarters can definitely mobilize us to participate in the battle to cross the Dnieper River." Sokov said to the two: "But now The Southwestern Front has already been defeated by the enemy, and it is only a matter of time before the Voronezh Front is defeated. Therefore, our troops deployed in Luhansk are even more useless.”

"Why?" Sidolin asked curiously.

"The reason is very simple." Sokov replied: "The base camp is worried that once the enemy regains the initiative on the battlefield, they will attack Stalingrad and the Caucasus again. We are stationed in Lugansk, so we can block the enemy's eastward advance path of."

"Commanders, commanders," Zhukov's adjutant walked out of the headquarters and came to the three of them, saying respectfully, "Comrade General wants to talk to you."

The three followed the adjutant into the headquarters again, and saw Zhukov pacing back and forth in the room with his hands behind his back. Seeing the three people entering the door, he stopped and said to Sokov, "Misha, after I passed the base camp just now, we discussed how to help the Voronezh Front Army."

Hearing this, Vitkov couldn't help interjecting and asked: "Comrade General, what did the headquarters say, did they send us to reinforce?"

"No, the headquarters will send other troops to reinforce the troops of the Voronezh Front Army." Zhukov put his hands behind his back and stomped his feet on the ground twice, and then said: "The task of your combat group is to continue to stick to Lugansk. Like a It is stuck here like a nail, and you are not allowed to take a step back without an order."

When Witkov heard Zhukov's order, it actually coincided with Sokov's speculation, and he couldn't help showing a surprised expression on his face. He tentatively asked: "Comrade general, can I ask, the headquarters knew that the Voronezh Front Army was in danger, why didn't they agree to let us rescue them?"

"The reason is very simple." Zhukov replied: "First, the distance is too far. If you rush to the rescue, you need a lot of vehicles, and what we are most lacking at present happens to be all kinds of transport vehicles; In the hands of the enemy, your communication lines are under their threat and are in danger of being cut off at any time. Once the supply is cut off, your end will be similar to Popov's rapid grouping.

The last point is also the most critical point. If the enemy regains the initiative in the vast area, then they may launch an attack on Stalingrad and the Caucasus again. We must have a completely reliable force to stay here to block them and smash their plots. "