Red Moscow

When Smirnov returned to the headquarters, the first thing he did was pick up the phone on the table and said into the microphone: "I am Smirnov, let the director of reconnaissance come to me."

A few minutes later, the short head of the reconnaissance department appeared in the headquarters. Sokov waited for him to finish his salute, and asked straight to the point: "Comrade Director, is there any news about the scouts you sent?"

"No, Comrade Commander." The reconnaissance chief shook his head and said, "We haven't been able to contact them so far."

Sokov frowned: "Why is this happening? Did something happen to them?"

"I don't think so." The reconnaissance director replied cautiously: "In order to find the location of the open pit as soon as possible, I have sent five reconnaissance teams successively. The detachment reached the Uman area."

Seeing that he couldn't get any useful information from the director of reconnaissance, Sokov waved his hand at him and said, "Okay, Comrade Director, I have nothing to do with you here, so go back first. Once you have the latest News, remember to report to me in time."

After the chief of the reconnaissance department left, Smirnov said to Sokov with a worried face: "Comrade commander, judging from the current situation, the reconnaissance team we sent is somewhat hopeless. Otherwise, we still ask the Commander Nev contacted Comrade Khrushchev to see if he could get useful information from him."

"Okay," Sokov didn't want to wait indefinitely, so he readily agreed to Smirnov's proposal: "I'll call the commander of the front army personally and ask him to contact Comrade Khrushchev to find out. The exact location of the open pit."

Unexpectedly, after answering the call from the Front Army Command, the person who answered the phone was the Front Army Military Commissar Susaikov. He heard that Sokov wanted to find Konev, so he apologized and said: "I'm sorry, General Sokov, The commander is not at the headquarters, and the comrade chief of staff is on an important call."

"Comrade Military Commissar," Sokov asked politely, "Did the commander of the Front Army go out to inspect the troops?"

Unexpectedly, Susaikov replied: "No. Comrade General did not go to inspect the troops, but went to the First Ukrainian Front Army. Something happened there and he needed to go there to deal with it."

Hearing that something happened to the Ukrainian First Front Army, Sokov couldn't help but thump in his heart, secretly saying that it couldn't be that thing happened, right? He quickly covered the microphone with his hand and asked Smirnov, "Comrade Chief of Staff, what's the number today?"

"February 28." Smirnov was curious about Sokov's sudden question about today's date: "Comrade Commander, why did you think of asking the time?"

"It's okay, I'll just ask casually." After confirming the date, Sokov showed a helpless wry smile on his face, and this day finally came. Vatutin lightly drove Jiancong to inspect the troops, but was ambushed and injured halfway. Konev is currently going to the Ukrainian First Front Army, and it is certain to visit the injury. There is also a possibility that the high command may let him take over the command.

Sokov let go of his hand covering the microphone, and tentatively asked Susaikov: "Comrade Military Commissar, I want to ask, do you know what happened to the First Ukrainian Front?"

Hearing Sokov's question, Susaikov hesitated for a moment, and then said in a low voice: "Comrade Sokov, to tell you the truth, the reason why Comrade General went to the headquarters of the First Front Army was because Vatu General Jing was injured not long ago."

"Injured?" Although Sokov knew the specific process of Vatutin's injury, he still asked with an expression of disbelief: "Comrade Military Commissar, can you tell me how he was injured?"

"Comrade Sokov, you are not an outsider. I can tell you what I know, but you must keep it secret. If the information is leaked, it may cause the army's morale to be unstable. Do you understand?"

"Understood, Comrade Military Commissioner." Sokov was eager to know whether the development of the matter was consistent with the history he knew, and after making a promise, he urged Susaikov: "Tell me quickly, what happened? whats the matter."

Susaikov said: "According to reports from friendly forces, Vatutin led his headquarters to conduct a routine transfer, planning to change the village as the headquarters. The situation was a bit chaotic at the time. The car in which Jing was riding got separated. As a result, he was ambushed by the enemy on the way, and Vatutin was unfortunately shot and wounded."

"Then is his injury serious?" Sokov asked.

"The specific situation is not very clear." Susaikov said: "However, the high command asked Comrade General to rush to the headquarters of the friendly army as soon as possible, probably because Vatutin can no longer command the troops."

When Sokov learned that Vatutin's injury was the same as what was recorded in the history books, he immediately felt more at ease. As long as Vatutin is unable to continue commanding the troops due to injuries, Zhukov, who has been idled, can be reactivated and sent to the First Ukrainian Front Army to take over Vatutin's position.

After a brief silence, Sokov tentatively asked: "Comrade Military Commissar, do you know when the commander of the front army will be back?"

Susaikov turned his head and glanced at Zakharov who was answering the phone not far away, and replied: "Comrade General is talking with Zakharov on the phone, and he will probably not return to the headquarters for the time being."

After chatting for a few more words, Sokov put down the phone. And Smirnov on the side, because he heard a few words and was eager to know what happened, he couldn't wait to ask: "Comrade commander, is something wrong?"

Sokov glanced around the room and saw that there were quite a few staff officers and communications soldiers. If he talked to Smirnov and the others here, he would definitely be overheard by people nearby, so he coughed softly He said to the two of them: "Chief of Staff, Comrade Military Commissar, the room is too stuffy, let's go for a walk."

When Smirnov heard what Sokov said, he was taken aback for a moment, then understood what he meant, and quickly nodded in agreement: "Yes, this room is too stuffy, we should go out for a walk." After finishing speaking, he Involuntarily pulling Gorokhov up, followed Sukov and walked outside.

The three of them were walking on the almost deserted street, and five or six guards followed behind them more than ten meters away. This distance has been carefully calculated by the guards, so that they will not be able to hear what the chiefs are saying, and they can also protect the chiefs' safety at close range.

"Chief of Staff, Comrade Military Commissar." Sokov knew that what he said was of great importance. Smirnov and Gorokhov would definitely be shocked when they heard it, so they vaccinated them first: " The news you will hear later is very shocking, I hope you can keep calm enough after listening."

"Please tell me, Comrade Commander." Gorokhov understood that Sukov must have something very important to say when he called the two of them out, so he said calmly, "No matter what we hear, we will keep it to ourselves." Calm enough."

"General Vatutin encountered an enemy ambush during the transfer of the headquarters, and was unfortunately wounded."

Although Sokov had greeted the two of them in advance, when he heard the news, there was still a shocked expression on his face. After a while, Gorokhov asked cautiously: "Comrade Commander, is this news reliable?"

Sokov had already guessed that the two would ask this question, so he nodded and replied, "It's completely reliable. This news was told to me by General Susaikov, the Military Commissar of the Front Army."

"Is the injury serious?" Smirnov asked with concern.

"I'm not sure." Sokov said vaguely, "But General Konev has already arrived at the Ukrainian First Front. I don't know what he will do next."

Sokov didn't hide anything. After all, Susaikov was vague when he told him the matter, and he didn't know how Vatutin was injured. But he did not expect that his own words would remind Smirnov of the association: "Comrade commander, I remember that shortly after the liberation of Kiev, because the German army launched the first counterattack in the Zhytomir area, the German army in other directions was also actively attacking. As a result, the situation in Kiev became dangerous. In this case, the Supreme Command transferred General Rokossovsky of the Belarusian Front to temporarily take over the command of General Vatutin.”

"I don't think it's possible." Sokov shook his head and said, "If General Konev really wants to take over Vatutin's command, then who will command our Second Front Army?"

Smirnov frowned and thought for a while, then shook his head and said: "I really can't think of anyone who can take over the position of Commander Konev. His abilities are comparable to his, and now they are all commanders at the front level , their mobilization will produce a series of chain reactions."

Smirnov's statement is not alarmist. If Konev takes over Vatutin's post, the post of commander of the Second Front Army will be vacant, and new commanders will have to be transferred from other fronts. As a result, troops on other fronts will also face a leaderless situation.

"Comrade Commander," Gorokhov interrupted, "according to your analysis, who will the Supreme Command appoint to replace Vatutin?"

"Chief of Staff, Comrade Military Commissar, let's analyze it." Sokov did not give the answer immediately, but made an analysis to the two: "The position vacated by General Vatutin will definitely not let Rocco Sovsky or Konev, because it would have a detrimental effect on the original troops."

"Yes, yes, yes," after Sokov's analysis, Smirnov had some idea in his heart: "Now the three major front armies in Ukraine and Belarus are the main force of our army's attack on the German army. The commander of the front army It’s a job that not everyone can do.”

"Comrade Commander," Gorokhov waited for Smirnov to finish speaking, then looked at Sokov and asked, "If General Vatutin really can no longer command the troops, who do you think the Supreme Command will send to command the troops?" What about that army?"

Sokov did not immediately give an answer, but asked rhetorically: "Chief of Staff, Comrade Military Commissar, General Konev served as the commander of the Western Front in the early days of the Great Patriotic War, right?"

"That's right." Smirnov had received Konev's command during the Moscow Defense War, so he was naturally very clear about this matter: "He did serve as the commander of the Western Front for a period of time, and was later transferred to Gary. Ninh region, as the commander of the newly formed Kalinin Front Army.”

"Comrade Chief of Staff, do you still remember who took over the post of Commander of the Western Front?"

"Of course I remember, it was Marshal Zhukov, who was still a general at the time..." Smirnov stopped in the middle of his words, and then asked tentatively: "Comrade Commander, you mean that the Supreme Command may let Marshal Zhukov, succeeding General Vatutin?"

Sokov nodded slightly, and asked back: "I think this possibility is very high, what do you think?"

Smirnov thought for a long time, and then said in an uncertain tone: "But Marshal Zhukov is now the deputy commander-in-chief. Will the Supreme Command let him be the commander of the front army?"

"There is nothing impossible." Sokov said casually: "Temporary agent for a period of time, and then hand over the command after General Vatutin's body recovers." When he said this, he was secretly feeling, Vatutin From this moment on, Jing's life has entered a countdown. Before spring came, he died because of a wound infection.

"I think Comrade Commander is right." Gorokhov interjected, "As long as General Konev is not transferred, it will have no effect on us."

While several people were talking, a staff officer ran out from the headquarters and reported to Sokov: "Comrade Commander, I have your call. It's General Zakharov."

Hearing that Zakharov called him, Sokov didn't dare to neglect, and quickly returned to the headquarters with Smirnov and Gorokhov.

As soon as he entered the door, he saw the microphone on the table. Leaning on a cane, he quickly stepped forward, picked up the receiver and put it to his ear: "Hello, Comrade Chief of Staff of the Front Army. I'm Sokov!"

"Comrade Sokov, I heard from Comrade Military Commissar that you just called me to inquire about the open-pit mine?"

"Yes, I do want to ask about this." Sokov said cautiously: "But it seems inappropriate to ask about this right now."

"That's right, something just happened to the friendly forces." Zakharov said, "Comrade Khrushchev is too busy, so it's inconvenient to disturb him for the time being." Maybe he was worried about what Sokov had in mind. He added, "But don't worry, General Konev is at the headquarters of the friendly army at the moment, and he will ask Comrade Khrushchev about the open-pit mine at the right time."

"I wonder how General Vatutin's injuries are?"

"It's not too serious, it's just a shot in the leg." Zakharov said disapprovingly, "It'll be fine after a month or two of recuperation."

"Then can he continue to command the troops?"

"Although the injury is not serious, it is impossible to continue to command the troops." Zakharov said: "The Supreme Command has decided that while General Vatutin is recovering from his injuries, his position will be temporarily represented by Marshal Zhukov."

After confirming that Zhukov was about to come out again, Sokov couldn't help feeling ecstatic. You know, the command levels of Zhukov and Vatutin are simply worlds apart. Since the end of the Battle of Kiev, the performance of the Ukrainian First Front Army under the command of Vatutin has been unsatisfactory, but with Zhukov's appointment, this frustrating situation will be effectively improved.