Red Moscow

When Zhukov and Konev left, they took Ponedelin's men with them. After Sukov heard the news, he was ready to rush to see him off.

Sameko quickly grabbed Sokov and said earnestly, "Comrade Commander, I don't think you should send him off."

"Why?" Sokov asked.

"The reason is very simple," Sameko said eloquently. "These three generals were sentenced to death in absentia by the Supreme Military Court. If you get too close to them, it may be very harmful to you."

"Comrade Chief of Staff," Sokov retorted: "When you were talking to General Ponegerin just now, you were there, and you saw the scars on his body with your own eyes. It can't be faked. We can definitely Convince Marshal Zhukov to suggest that the Supreme Military Court retry the case against the three generals and return them to their innocence."

While Sokov and Sameko were arguing endlessly, Lunev laughed and said nothing. When the two of them were almost arguing, he said, "Comrade Chief of Staff, I think the commander should go see him off."

"Comrade Military Commissioner, don't you worry that the commander will be implicated?"

"Involvement, what involvement?" Lunev deliberately said with a straight face: "Comrade Commander sent Marshal Zhukov and General Konev, commander of the front army, what could be wrong?"

Sameko originally wanted to say something, but seeing Lunev winking at him, he immediately realized what the other party had to say, and wanted to say it to himself in private, so he chose to give in to Sokov: "Okay, Comrade Commander, since you insist on going, I will not stop you. There is still a lot of work to be done in the headquarters, so I will not accompany you."

Sokov still had something to say to Ponejielin in private. Sameko and others were unwilling to go, and he wanted it so much. After a few perfunctory words, he left the headquarters with Samoilov.

As soon as Sokov left the headquarters, Sameko walked up to Lunev and asked curiously, "Comrade Military Commissar, you kept winking at me just now. What's the matter?"

"Comrade Chief of Staff, you are worrying too much." Lunev greeted Sameko to sit down, and said to him with a smile: "Do you think that Marshal Zhukov and General Konev took the three of them away because they were going to be handed over to the Supreme Military Is the court carrying out the death penalty?"

"Is not it?"

"Of course not." Lunev shook his head and said, "Didn't you notice that when General Konev was embarrassing Ponedelin, Marshal Zhukov sat next to him and didn't say a word?"

After Lunev’s reminder, Sameko felt that this was indeed the case, and asked curiously, “Comrade Military Commissar, what’s going on here? I’m so confused?”

"If I'm not mistaken, Marshal Zhukov intends to send them to our army after Ponejielin and others have cleared their grievances and recovered their health." Lunev explained to Sameko with a smile: " I think on the way here, the two of them might have passed their breath and discussed the countermeasures. General Konev launched an attack, but Comrade Commander kept defending Ponegerin. His favor. When he is assigned to our group army in the future, he will unconditionally obey the orders given by the comrade commander."

"Is that so?" Sameko felt that Lunev's statement was somewhat absurd, and he asked tentatively, "Then why didn't Comrade Commander see it?" According to his thinking, since Lunev can Seeing something was wrong, why couldn't Sokov find it?

"It's very simple." Lunev said: "As Comrade Commander once said, what cares about is chaotic, and the authorities are confused and the bystanders are clear. When he said these words, I didn't understand what he meant, but now I can understand. The meaning of these words is gone. He was worried about the safety of Pornejelin and others, and he didn't realize that this was all Zhukov and Konev's plan."

"Oh, so that's what happened." Sameko nodded vigorously after hearing this, and then asked: "Then do we need to tell Comrade Commander about this?"

"It's not necessary." Lunev shook his head and said, "Since Zhukov and Konev didn't tell the truth about the matter, then we have the right to pretend that we don't know."

Sokov rushed to the nearby square where Zhukov and Konev's convoy was parked.

Seeing Sokov rushing over, Zhukov and Konev looked at each other, and said with a smile: "Comrade Konev, I think you should deal with Misha. I am worried that if I come forward, I might be seen by him." There is a flaw."

"Okay, Comrade Marshal." Konev replied very readily, "I'll deal with him."

Konev walked towards Sokov, and from a long distance away, he asked with a straight face: "Comrade Sokov, didn't we tell you just now, stay at the headquarters to direct the troops to fight, don't use send us?"

Seeing that it was Konev blocking his way, Sokov stopped quickly and raised his hand to salute Konev. Naturally, he couldn't directly say that he was here to bid farewell to Bornejelin and the others, but changed the subject in time: "Comrade Commander of the Front Army, the reason why I came here is because I need to ask you for instructions."

"Oh, do you need to ask me for instructions?" Sokov's words aroused Konev's curiosity: "Tell me, what do you need to ask me for instructions?"

"It's like this. Now that our department has controlled Kremenchug, I would like to ask what is our next task." After Sokov finished speaking, he added without waiting for Konev to speak. : "I mean just stick to Klemenchuk, or continue to expand the occupied area?"

Hearing Sokov's question, Konev replied without hesitation: "The Germans must not be reconciled to losing Klemenchug, and they will inevitably launch a crazy attack there. If you spread your forces, go to occupy other places. area, it may be difficult to defend the landing field established on the right bank of the Dnieper River."

"Understood, Comrade Front Army Commander." Sokov straightened his waist and said, "I will transfer the main force of the group army to this area as soon as possible to consolidate the established landing field."

"Comrade Sokov, don't worry, you are not fighting alone." Konev said to Sokov in an encouraging tone: "Now there are enough troops to attack Poltava, and I plan to send the 53rd Army to strengthen you. I believe that as long as two armies are placed in the landing field on the right bank of the Dnieper River, no matter how crazy the Germans launch an attack, they will never be able to drive you into the Dnieper River."

When Sokov was talking to Konev, his eyes couldn't help looking around, trying to see clearly where Ponejielin and others were. Konev noticed Sokov's abnormality, and asked deliberately: "Comrade Sokov, what are you looking at?"

Seeing that Konev was aware of his purpose, Sokov did not hide it, and asked truthfully: "Comrade Commander of the Front Army, I would like to meet General Ponedelin. Is it possible?"

Facing Sokov's request, Konev did not make things difficult. He pointed to a covered truck standing in the distance: "Here, the three of them are in that truck. If you have anything to say, just stand under the truck and say it."

Just when Sokov agreed and was about to turn around and leave, Konev added later: "Remember, you only have five minutes. When the time is up, we will set off."

Sokov agreed and ran away quickly.

He came to the back of the covered truck and tapped the tailgate twice. A corner of the tarpaulin was lifted, and a captain poked his head out from inside, looked down at Sokov under the car, and asked politely, "General Sokov, what can I do for you?"

"I want to see General Bornegelin."

"I'm sorry, General Sokov." The captain replied politely and distantly: "The commander of the front has ordered that no one is allowed to see the people in the car until they reach their destination."

"I came here on the order of the commander of the front army." Sokov was afraid that the captain would not be able to do so, so he pointed at Konev who was standing in the distance: "No, you can ask him."

Hearing what Sokov said, the captain quickly raised his head and looked at Konev in the distance. Konev, who was in the distance, saw the captain looking towards him, so he nodded at him, signaling that Sokov and Ponegerin could meet.

The captain got Konev's instruction, bowed his head and said to Sokov: "General Sokov, please wait a moment." After speaking, he disappeared behind the tarpaulin.

After a while, a corner of the tarpaulin was pulled away again, and Ponejelin's head emerged from it. Looking at Sokov standing under the car, he asked with some surprise: "General Sokov, what are you doing here? Are you not worried about being implicated when you come to see us?"

"General Ponegerin, I believe you are innocent." Sokov looked up at Ponegerin and said sincerely: "I have already told Marshal Zhukov and General Konev what I should say. If the Supreme Military Court retrials your case, as long as they testify, your chances of getting justice are very high."

"Thank you, General Sokov." Pornegerin's eyes were red, but he tried hard to control his emotions and did not let the tears flow: "It doesn't matter what the ending will be when you go to Moscow this time. You The trust in me will always be in my heart."

After the two chatted for a while, a major walked up to Sokov from a distance and said politely, "General Sokov, the time is up and we are leaving. Please go ahead."

Looking at the convoy going away, Samoilov tentatively asked Sokov: "Comrade Commander, do you think they have any hope of surviving in Moscow?"

"Yes, Comrade Lieutenant." Sokov turned to look at Samoilov, and said in an affirmative tone: "With the help of Marshal Zhukov and the commander of the front army, they will definitely regain their freedom."

Sokov took Samoilov back to the headquarters. As soon as he entered the door, Sameko greeted him and reported to him with some excitement: "Comrade commander, good news, good news!"

"What good news?"

"General Fomenko's 84th Infantry Division has successfully reached Kremenchug."

"This is really great." After Sokov finished speaking, he asked casually, "Have you reported to the Front Army Command?"

"Not yet." Sameko said, "If you have no objection, I will report to the Front Army Command now."

"Wait a minute, Comrade Chief of Staff." Sokov waved his hand: "I think it's better to wait and report."

"Okay." Now that Sokov has spoken, Sameko will not go against his intentions, but just asks: "Where do you plan to deploy the Fomenko division? Do you want to stay near Klemenchug to build fortifications?" Or should we send them to the landing field on the right bank of the Dnieper and strengthen the defense there?"

"Just now when I went to send General Ponejielin off, I chatted with the commander of the front army." Sokov said to Sameko: "He offered to send the 53rd Army to strengthen us. When I saw it, I Let the 53rd Army be responsible for the outer defense zone of Klemenchug, and the defense of the landing field on the right bank will be in charge of our army.”

Unexpectedly, Sameko's face changed drastically after hearing this: "Comrade Commander, are our troops deployed at the landing site on the right bank?"

"Is there anything wrong with doing this?"

"Of course not." Sameko pulled Sokov to the table, pointed to the map on it and said to him: "Comrade Commander, look, now we only control one crossing point in Klemenchug." , while the other crossing points of the Dnieper River are controlled by the Germans. If their frontal attack on the landing field does not go well, they will inevitably enter the left bank from other crossing points and attack Klemenchug from the upper and lower reaches of the river. You Do you think the 53rd Army can stop the enemy's attack?"

Without waiting for Sokov to speak, he added: "Anyway, I don't think they can stop them. Once the enemy recaptures Kremenchug, we will be isolated on the right bank. You know, there are quite a few people under the Group Army now. The divisions are equipped with a new type of assault rifle, which relies heavily on logistics, and once we fall into the encirclement of the German army and cannot get enough supplies, the combat effectiveness of these divisions will be affected."

Sameko's words reminded Sokov that placing all his troops on the landing field on the right bank can certainly block the enemy's frontal attack. But if the Germans crossed to the left bank from other parts of the river and recaptured Klemenchug, their own troops would then be surrounded. No matter how capable the troops are, once the supply is cut off, the whole army will only end in annihilation.

After thinking about this, Sokov nodded, looked at Sameko and said, "Comrade Chief of Staff, you are right. Once the Germans fail to attack the landing site frontally, they will definitely find a way to detour to the rear of our army and cut off the enemy. Our retreat."

He picked up a pencil and drew a circle at the position of Poltava, and said with a grin: "Poltava is still in the hands of the Germans. If we are encircled by the German army, we will successfully cross the river and return to the left bank." , and you need to walk more than two hundred kilometers before you can enter our army's defense zone. But by then, I am afraid that the 27th Army will no longer exist."

As a military commissar, Lunev seldom expressed any views when Sokov and Sameko discussed the military. But hearing Sokov actually mentioning the annihilation of the entire army, he couldn't help being moved: "Comrade Commander, is the situation really so serious?"

"Yes, Comrade Military Commissar." Sokov replied sternly: "This is not my alarmist talk, but a completely possible situation." In order to let Lunev have a perceptual understanding, he also pointed to the map for detailed information. "You see, almost all the crossing points along the Dnieper River are in the hands of the Germans. If they want to cut off our army's retreat, they can cross the river at any crossing point, and then go up or down the river." Next, go to attack Klemenchug and cut off all connections between the landing field on the right bank and the left bank.

And our main force is still in Poltava, more than 200 kilometers away from the Dnieper River. Even if they know that we are in danger, it may be difficult for them to come to rescue in time. And once our supplies are interrupted, we will become lambs waiting to be slaughtered in the hands of the Germans, and we can only watch the Germans wipe us out. "

"In fact, even if we are besieged, our superiors can provide us with supplies through the air supply." What Lunev thought in his heart was that if the entire 27th Army was on the right bank of the Dnieper River, then when advancing deep into Ukraine, it would be Can achieve greater results and establish greater meritorious deeds. If part of the troops were withdrawn to the left bank, the honor he received would be affected, so he still took chances.

"The chief of staff has just said that many of our divisions are equipped with a large number of new assault rifles. This kind of weapon is very dependent on logistics." Sokov shook his head and said: "Just the ammunition of the air-dropped assault rifles must be enough. It is very unrealistic to occupy a large share of airdrops.

And more importantly, once our army is under siege, the Germans will definitely continue to launch attacks to compress our living space, resulting in not enough airdrop areas. All the supplies that our pilots risked their lives to airdrop fell into the hands of the Germans. "