Red Moscow

"The injury is not serious." Yakov shook his head and said, "Although he is awake, the director of the hospital also said that his life indexes are getting better. But according to my observation, he must at least Lie in bed for half a year."

Ustinov secretly calculated in his heart that it would take at least half a year for Sokov to be discharged from the hospital. Even if he can be discharged smoothly, it is unlikely that he will continue to serve as the commander of the 27th Army, so that he will have nothing to do in the next deployment of weapons. scruples.

However, in front of Yakov, he felt that the problem should be clarified: "Yakov, in the past, we gave all the most advanced weapons to General Sokov's troops first or separately, although there are other troops. The commander raised doubts. We can also explain that Sokov is the inventor of new weapons. Now he has left the army and replaced his army with other commanders, which means that the 27th Army has lost priority Conditions for obtaining advanced weapons."

"You're right, Comrade People's Commissar, I completely agree with your proposal." Yakov agrees with Ustinov's statement. In the previous meeting on the distribution of new weapons, the reason why he He has always supported the 27th Army, simply because Sokov is his friend and his savior. If there is any good thing, he must be given priority. Now that the opponent has left the 27th Army, there is no difference between this unit and other units. In terms of the distribution of weapons and equipment, it must be treated equally with friendly troops. special treatment.

Ustinov thought that Sokov could be admitted to the Lubyanka Hospital because of Stalin's instruction. Presumably, the supreme commander himself had plans for how to arrange him after he was discharged from the hospital. To figure this out, he tentatively asked Yakov: "Yakov, do you know how your father plans to settle Sokov in the future?"

"I don't know." Yakov shook his head and replied very simply: "My father just arranged for him to be admitted to a heavily guarded hospital. He didn't tell me how to arrange him in the future. He just said that he would wait for Misha to be discharged from the hospital." After that, he asked me to take him home for a meal, he wanted to see what this son of an old comrade-in-arms who hadn't seen for more than ten years looks like now."

When Yakov finished speaking, Ustinov went on to say: "Yakov, there are only you and me here, and I will not hide it from you. If General Sokov recovers and returns to the front line, in terms of the distribution of weapons and equipment , I will still consider leaning towards him first."

"Thank you so much, Comrade People's Commissar." Hearing what Ustinov said, Yakov said gratefully: "On behalf of Misha, I thank you."

"He came to the weapons and equipment department to assist us in the development of weapons, and he is considered one of our own." Ustinov said with a smile: "When I am free, I will accompany you to see General Sokov."

Meanwhile, in Stalin's office in the Kremlin, Vasilevsky was briefing Stalin on the situation at the front. And Stalin, holding his famous pipe in his hand, stood in front of the map and listened quietly to his report.

After Vasilevsky finished speaking, Stalin lit his pipe, took a puff, and asked back: "Comrade Vasilevsky, from your report, I feel that the landing field established by our army on the right bank will be destroyed at any time." There is a possibility of loss. How about it, is my understanding correct?"

"Exactly, Comrade Stalin." Vasilevsky quickly straightened his back and replied: "Marshal Manstein mobilized heavy troops to attack my landing field on the right bank in order to defend his defense line on the Dnieper River. Ours The land exchanged for the bloodshed and sacrifice of commanders and fighters is now being lost bit by bit.”

"Why did this happen?" Stalin pointed at Vasilevsky with his hand holding a pipe and asked, "Please explain to me."

"Comrade Stalin, I have just made it very clear." Vasilevsky said respectfully: "The enemy launched a fierce attack on our landing field on the right bank. They used a large number of tanks and artillery. Aircraft providing air cover..."

"Wait a minute, Comrade Vasilevsky." Hearing this, Stalin interrupted Vasilevsky's words: "If I remember correctly, the air supremacy over the Dnieper River is firmly in our hands." In addition, the number of tanks and cannons in our army is no less than that of the enemy, so why can't we stop the enemy's attack?"

"Reporting to Comrade Stalin, although our air force has mastered the air superiority over the Dnieper River, the enemy's air force can still form an advantage in some areas." Vasilevsky explained with a wry smile: "As for tanks and artillery, Although there are more people than the Germans, most of them are still in the left bank area and have not had a chance to be transported across the Dnieper River..."

"Why hasn't it been transported there yet?" Stalin asked displeasedly: "You know, it has been almost a month since the 27th Army's landing field on the right bank was established."

"Comrade Stalin, although it has been a long time for Sokov's troops to establish a landing field on the right bank. But at that time, the main force of the steppe front army was concentrated in the Poltava area." Vasilevsky said: "Therefore, it is possible to A very limited number of tanks and artillery were brought to the right bank."

"I remember reading the battle reports at that time. The German army knew that Sokov's troops had established a landing field on the right bank, so they assembled heavy troops to attack them, trying to drive them all into the Dnieper River. Then the enemy's attempt was defeated by Sokov's troops. Shattered." Stalin frowned and asked: "Since Sokov's troops can block the enemy's attack, why can't General Shumilov's 7th Guards Army be able to stop it?"

Vasilevsky didn't know how to answer Stalin's question for a while.

Stalin took a deep puff of his pipe and continued to ask: "How is the situation of the 27th Army? Has Alexandria and Kirovgrad been captured?"

"No, Comrade Stalin." Vasilevsky didn't expect Stalin to suddenly ask about the 27th Army, and he couldn't help but said in a panic: "They changed their battle plan and didn't report to Alexandria and Kirovgrad. advance, but turned to other combat directions."

"Turned to another combat direction?" Stalin asked in confusion: "Which combat direction did it turn to?"

"In order to assist the troops of the 7th Guards Army to defend the newly-built landing field, the 27th Army changed its original combat plan and did not continue to advance to the south side of the original landing field, but turned to Qijilin in the northwest direction, from the German army attacking the new landing field. Flanking attacks to relieve the pressure on friendly forces."

"Nonsense, this is simply nonsense." After seeing clearly the new combat direction of the 27th Army on the map, Stalin couldn't help saying angrily: "Comrade Vasilevsky, to reduce the pressure on the 7th Guards Army, It is not necessary to attack from the enemy's flanks, but it is quite possible to let them attack Alexandria and Kirovograd according to the original plan. The enemy will certainly see that the cities they occupy are attacked by us. Mobilize troops to go for reinforcements. In this way, the pressure on Shumilov's troops will also be greatly reduced."

Faced with Stalin's doubts, Vasilevsky did not dare to say anything. After all, when Trofimenko proposed this plan, he agreed with it. He felt that an elite force attacking from the rear of the German army could effectively weaken the enemy. The strength of the army ensured that the 7th Guards Army would hold the new landing field.

But the actual effect is that because the 27th Army stopped moving to the south of the landing field, the German army had time to consolidate the defense line and draw more troops to reinforce the warring area.

Seeing that Vasilevsky did not speak, Stalin frowned into a knot: "Comrade Vasilevsky, why did you not speak? Please tell me who modified the 27th Army's combat plan without authorization, so that the troops Caught in the quagmire of tug-of-war?"

Vasilevsky hesitated for a moment, and decided to tell the story: "Comrade Stalin, it is the new army commander, Lieutenant General Trofimenko, who revised the combat plan. I have read his plan carefully and feel that it is almost The best way for the Wei 7th Army to get out of its predicament was to agree to his revised plan."

"So, now that the battle on the right bank of the Dnieper River is stalemate, you are mainly responsible?"

"Yes." Vasilevsky lowered his head and said with a face of shame: "I am willing to take all responsibilities."

Vasilevsky was Stalin's favorite general, how could he be easily dealt with. Stalin knocked the ash from his pipe into the ashtray, looked up at Vasilevsky and asked: "If at this moment the 27th Army is ordered to continue to attack Alexandria and Kirovgrad as planned Attack, can it be done?"

"Unfortunately, Comrade Stalin, I don't think it can be done." After Vasilevsky said this, without waiting for Stalin to ask again, he took the initiative to say: "With the adjustment of the plan, the positions of the participating troops, Changes have also taken place accordingly. Even if they are not entangled by the Germans, it will take at least a day or two to rush to the original combat area. The German army on the south side of the landing site, after a short period of panic, has stabilized its position , is rebuilding fortifications, so that our army can not quickly expand the results."

Knowing that the reason why the troops on the right bank of the Dnieper River could not expand the results of the battle was largely due to Trofimenko's reasons, Stalin could not help feeling dissatisfied with him. However, as soon as Sokov was injured, he removed a newly appointed commander of the army, which might deal a heavy blow to the morale and morale of the 27th army.

"When will Xiaoxiao be discharged from the hospital?" Stalin asked unexpectedly.

"I...I don't know." Vasilevsky replied in a panic, "I only know that he was sent back to Moscow. As for which hospital he was settled in, I really don't know."

Stalin walked to the table, picked up the phone and dialed a number, then said to the topic: "I'm Stalin, take me to Comrade Ustinov's office."

The call was connected quickly, and Ustinov on the other end said respectfully, "Hello, Comrade Stalin, what are your latest instructions?"

"Comrade Ustinov," Stalin asked slowly, "I remember Misha's wife, who seems to be working there?"

When Ustinov was about to ask who is Misha, he suddenly remembered that when Yakov called Sokov, he liked to call Misha Misha. It seems that the Misha that Stalin was talking about should be injured and hospitalized. Sokov.

But just to be on the safe side, he still asked tentatively: "Comrade Stalin, the Misha you mentioned was Major General Sokov, the former commander of the 27th Army, right?"

"That's right, it's him."

After confirming that the Misha that Stalin said was Sokov lying in the Lubyanka Hospital, Ustinov continued: "General Sokov's wife Asiya is a member of our Armament Department. A military doctor." He knew that Stalin would not call to ask about this for no reason, so he further explained, "But she is not here now."

"Then where did she go?"

Ustinov glanced at Yakov who was standing opposite, and continued: "Considering that General Sokov may need the care of relatives, I wrote a letter of recommendation and temporarily asked her to help in the hospital until Until General Sokov is discharged from the hospital."

Knowing that Asya had gone to the military hospital in Lubyanka, Stalin nodded slightly, and continued to ask: "Comrade Ustinov, do you know how Misha is? How long will it take for her to leave the hospital?"

"Yakov just came back from the hospital, he told me." Ustinov said this to add credibility: "He said that General Sokov was seriously injured, although he is now conscious and injured. He is recovering, but it will take at least half a year or longer to fully recover."

"Ah, it takes such a long time." Stalin originally thought that Sokov's injury would only take a month or two, so that after he recovered from his injury, he could be arranged to return to command the 27th Army. But now it will take half a year or even longer, and it is obviously not showing that he is allowed to go back to the official position and resume his original post. After a soft oh, he hung up the phone.

After Ustinov put down the microphone from which the blind voice came, Yakov asked curiously: "Comrade People's Commissar, what did my father say on the phone?"

"He asked about General Sokov's injuries and whether his wife worked with us." Ustinov said in a daze, "He may be able to understand these things better by calling the hospital directly. Be more comprehensive, why are you calling me?"

Besides, Stalin on the other end of the phone, put down the phone, sighed softly, and said to Vasilevsky: "Comrade Vasilevsky, Misha will stay in the hospital for half a year at the earliest. It is obviously unrealistic to return to the 27th Army in a short time."

Vasilevsky heard Stalin's overtones, and smiled and said to him: "Comrade Stalin, I understand what you mean. General Sokov will definitely not be able to return to the battlefield in a short time, so there can only be Trophy." General Menko will continue to act as his deputy. If you feel that General Trofimenko is not capable enough, you can wait for a suitable candidate to be replaced, and it will not be too late to replace him.”

"Okay then." Stalin still listened to Vasilevsky's proposal, he nodded and said, "Then let him temporarily command the 27th Army, and replace him immediately when there is a suitable candidate. he."