Red Moscow

When Vera came to the ward the next day, Asiya said to her, "Vera, I need to go back to my original unit today, and Misha will trouble you."

"No problem, Assia." Vera said reasonably, "It's my job to take care of Comrade General, so you can go about your business with peace of mind."

After Assia left, Sokov casually asked Vera in order to pass the boring time: "Vera, did you have a good time yesterday?"

"Happy, of course I'm happy." Vera said with a smile: "I went to Weedenham Park with a few friends."

Sokov's descendants stayed in Moscow for a long time, so they naturally knew that the Weidenham Park mentioned by Vera was the abbreviation of the Soviet National Economic Achievement Exhibition Center. The entire exhibition center is composed of 45 main buildings, covering an area of ​​300 hectares, and the perimeter of the wall is 35 kilometers. The 15 republics of the Soviet Union have special pavilions here to display the latest great scientific and technological achievements in the fields of economy, technology and other fields.

In the movie "Battle of Moscow", countless Moscow citizens are playing in Weedenham Park and watching various performances. Suddenly, the radio in the park sounds, saying that Germany has declared an undeclared war against the Soviet Union, and the war has broken out!

"Widdenham Park today, has it returned to its pre-war appearance?"

"The gate and some important areas are still piled with chest-high sandbags, and anti-aircraft guns of various calibers are placed inside." Vera couldn't help sighing when she said this: "If you want to restore the appearance before the war, I'm afraid we will wait until the day when the enemy is completely driven out of our land."

"Don't worry, Vera." Sokov said with a smile, "I believe this day will not be too far away. Did you go to Red Square to watch the military parade?"

"I went, but several nearby streets are under martial law, so we couldn't get through." Vera said aggrievedly: "We saw that we couldn't get in, so we diverted to Weedenham."

Vera's words reminded Sokov that he had the same experience in later generations. Not to mention that he couldn't enter the Red Square to watch the military parade, even if the military parade was over, he would have to wait until after five or six in the afternoon before he had the opportunity to enter the Red Square. After hitting the wall twice, when there is a military parade, go directly to Weedenham or Victory Square.

Vera's grievance lasted only a moment, and then she became happy again. She might be worried that Sokov was too lonely, so she took the initiative to explain to him the itinerary of herself and her friends, and what interesting things happened.

She smiled and said to Sokov: "When my friend and I were buying baked potatoes in the park, a second lieutenant officer approached us and even offered to help us pay the bill, but I refused. Then he followed us away." There are several streets, and I can’t get rid of them.” Although she was complaining, judging from the expression on her face, she was very happy in her heart.

When Sokov was chatting with Vera, he couldn't help but glance at the clock hanging on the wall, calculating in his mind where Asiya was at the moment and how long it would take to reach the weapons and equipment department.

After a long wait, Assia returned to the ward around two o'clock in the afternoon.

After entering the ward, she did not immediately come to Sokov's bedside and report to him today's whereabouts. Instead, she stood at the door and asked Vera tirelessly about Sokov's treatment and diet today.

After asking all this, Asiya said to Vera: "Vera, leave this to me, you go and have a rest."

Vera didn't say anything, nodded, then turned around and walked out of the door, and walked towards the nurse's desk, where there was a special nurse's lounge, where she planned to rest for a while.

After closing the door, Assia came to Sokov's bed and sat down, before he could ask, she took the initiative to say: "Misha, I met Yakov today and told him what you mean. "

"How did he say?"

"He asked me to tell you not to worry." Assia replied, "He said that we don't need to go to Marshal Zhukov, maybe the marshal will come to the hospital to visit you in the next two days."

"What, Marshal Zhukov is coming to visit me?" Sokov couldn't believe his ears: "Is this true?"

"Of course it's true." Seeing that Sokov lost his composure, Assia jokingly said, "Misha, after hearing this amazing news, you won't lose sleep tonight, will you?"

"How could this be?" Sokov said shyly, "It's not that I haven't met Marshal Zhukov, so there's nothing to be nervous about. I just heard that he might come to visit me, and I was a little surprised."

According to Sokov's guess, Zhukov was busy with work, and even if he wanted to visit him, he might have to wait for a long time, but he did not expect that Zhukov would appear in his ward the next day. He didn't come alone, he came together, as well as General Rokossovsky, commander of the Belarusian Front.

Seeing the appearance of the two men, Sokov couldn't lie still. He struggled to sit up and saluted them: "Hello, Comrade Marshal! Hello, Comrade General!"

Zhukov quickly stepped forward, pulled Sokov's hand from his forehead, shook hands with him, and asked with concern, "Misha, how is your injury?"

"It's recovering well." Sokov glanced at his leg with the cast, and replied, "I can try to get out of bed and walk around after the cast is removed."

"You have been on the front line for the past two years. You have worked hard." Zhukov said to Sokov, "It's just a good time to take advantage of the opportunity to recuperate from your injuries."

After saying this, he turned his gaze to Rokossovsky who was standing aside, and continued: "It happened that General Rokossovsky returned to Moscow today, so he asked him to come and see you together. .”

Rokossovsky came over and shook Sokov's hand, and said with a smile, "Misha, we haven't seen each other for a long time. But I didn't expect to meet again under such circumstances."

After Sokov greeted the two to sit down, he ordered Assia to pour tea for them.

After doing all this, Sokov asked Rokossovsky with a smile on his face: "Comrade General, I heard that your troops are attacking Kiev. I don't think it will take long before you can become the conqueror of this city." By."

When Rokossovsky heard what Sokov said, he just chuckled, and then said dryly: "Kiev is the capital of Ukraine. The important task of liberating this city will naturally be handed over to the Ukrainian First Front Army."

"The First Ukrainian Front Army?!" Sokov asked back in surprise: "Isn't their crossing point far from Kiev?"

"It was indeed far away from Kiev when we crossed the river, but as the battle progressed, the troops of the Ukrainian First Front Army have arrived near Kiev." Rokossovsky said somewhat insincerely: "We were ordered to move the combat area to Wa After the handover, General Tujing has already moved to the north, and is ready to find a new location to cross the river."

"Leaving Kiev and moving north?" Sokov murmured in his heart, "Does the Supreme Command really intend to send Rokossovsky's troops to attack Belarus?"

Rokossovsky saw that Sokov did not respond for a long time, and the corners of his eyes twitched. In order to liven up the atmosphere, he jokingly said: "Misha, your 27th Army is the main force to attack Kiev, maybe they will become the main force to attack Kiev. The first troops to enter the city."

If Sokov is still the commander of the 27th Army at this moment, he will be ecstatic to hear this news. But now that the troops have been handed over to Trofimenko's command, no matter what kind of results they achieve, they have nothing to do with half a kopek of their own. He smiled wryly at Rokossovsky: "Comrade General, I don't have any position in the army now, and I have no official status."

"I heard that Shtemenko came to visit you a few days ago," Zhukov asked, "Do you want you to work in the General Staff?"

"That's right, Comrade Marshal, there is such a thing." Sokov knew that since Zhukov asked this question, he must know the content, so he replied truthfully: "But I am not very interested in the matter of entering the General Staff. If possible, I still hope to return to the front command troops to fight against the Germans."

Zhukov turned his head and looked at Rokossovsky, a sly smile flashed in his eyes, then he looked at Sokov and said, "Misha, with your injuries, you will be discharged from the hospital at least two or three months later. It is obviously impossible for you to return to the 27th Army to continue to serve as the commander. Have you considered other units in the past?"

Sokov said in his heart that I want to go to the Belarusian Front, which is the most powerful front in the Soviet Army. The reason why it is strong is that in addition to giving priority to replenishing them with new weapons and excellent soldiers in the later stage, there are also two most outstanding military strategists, Rokossovsky and Zhukov, who commanded this army successively and made it the main force to capture Berlin.

He was worried that Rokossovsky might reject his request directly, so he decided to use another method to arouse Rokossovsky's interest in him.

Sokov coughed lightly, cleared his throat, and said slowly: "Comrade general, although I have been lying on the hospital bed all this time, I don't understand the battle on the front line. But based on the analysis of what you just said, I I think you will choose the place of crossing the river in Belarus."

A surprised expression appeared on Rokossovsky's face. He turned his head to glance at Zhukov, and then turned to Sokov: "Go on, what would you do if you were in my position?"

"Comrade General, if I were in your position, I would make the following deployment." Recalling the history he knew, Sokov said unhurriedly: "I will divide the troops into left and right wings. From the landing fields on the right bank of the Dnieper River south of Loyev, the attack was carried out. After breaking through the enemy's defensive positions, advance to the northwest, try to find a way to cross the Berezina River, and establish a landing field south of Zhilobin.

The right-wing troops of the front army entered the Novybykhov area on the Dnieper River, surrounded Gomel in depth from the north, and used a powerful offensive to force the German army to retreat westward from the Sozh River area. "

If Rokossovsky was only surprised just now, then he was shocked at this moment. He never dreamed that the battle plan that Sokov casually said was exactly in line with the plan he had formulated. His breathing became rapid, and after a while, he realized that Sokov had already stopped, so he urged the other party: "Keep talking."

Seeing that Rokossovsky really became interested in the plan he had mentioned, Sokov couldn't help but secretly shuddered in his heart, and he went on to say: "The right-wing troops of the Front Army should try to capture Gomel in a short time to obtain The first important foothold in Belarus."

At this point, Sokov closed his mouth. Although he knew the development of the situation in his heart, he couldn't say it easily, otherwise Zhukov and Rokossovsky would ask him, and he didn't know what to do. answer.

"Say it, Misha!" Seeing Sokov stop again, Rokossovsky couldn't help feeling a little anxious: "Why don't you continue talking."

"Comrade General, this is just my personal analysis of the situation." Sokov said ambiguously: "How the next battle will develop, we need to make a specific analysis based on the combat situation of the left-wing Ukrainian First Front Army. I don't know. There is no special combat map for the strength and distribution of the two troops, so it is impossible to discuss in more detail."

"That's enough." Zhukov suddenly smiled and said to Rokossovsky: "How about it, I didn't make a mistake in recommending it?"

"Yes, Comrade Marshal." Rokossovsky also showed a smile on his face: "I know about Misha's ability. But I didn't expect him to be so good at studying and judging the situation and formulating plans." It coincides with the plan of our front army."

"Misha." Zhukov waited for Rokossovsky to finish speaking, then stared at Sokov and asked, "Are you interested in going to the Belarusian Front?"

You'd be a fool if you didn't want to go! Sokov muttered to himself, and then pretended to be embarrassed and said: "Comrade Marshal, even if I want to go, Comrade General must be willing. Besides, all the armies under him have commanders. What can you do after you go?"

"Misha." After hearing Sokov's "plan" just now, Rokossovsky planned in his heart that he must get Sokov into his army at all costs. Kov was interested in joining the Belarusian Front, so he said while the iron was hot: "As long as you are willing to come to my army, I can promise you that you can still serve as the commander of the army group, and I will also equip you with the best troops." Weaponry and high-quality soldiers will enable your troops to form combat effectiveness as soon as possible."

When Sokov remembered that he was still a small platoon leader, Rokossovsky tried to let himself work for him, even willing to make himself a company commander. Now he is even more forthright, directly throwing out the position of an army commander. You know, whether it is the Belarusian Front Army commanded by Rokossovsky or Zhukov, it is the absolute main force of the Soviet army, the main force for the liberation of Berlin, and a heroic force with great military exploits. Thinking of these, Sokov couldn't find any reason to refuse.

"Comrade General," Sokov said to Rokossovsky with a serious expression after a short silence: "Since you have sincerely extended an invitation to me, if I choose to refuse, I am really sorry for your painstaking efforts." .Therefore, I promise to join your Belarusian Front, but I have a request."

Rokossovsky came here with Zhukov today, with the purpose of persuading Sokov to become his subordinate. Seeing that he said that he has conditions, he said without hesitation: "Misha, just mention any conditions you have. As long as Within the scope of my ability, I will definitely meet your request."

"My current physical condition obviously cannot go to the army immediately." Sokov said: "Can I postpone the time to take up the post until the day I recover from the injury and leave the hospital?"

Rokossovsky was worried about Sokov's request to embarrass him, but when he heard him say this, he immediately laughed: "Don't worry, Misha, I won't let you take office immediately. Take care of yourself." Rehabilitate your injuries here, and report to my army after your injuries are healed, and I will definitely arrange a suitable position for you."