Red Moscow

"Comrade commanders, do you think the Chief of Staff is wrong? What kind of super bomb can kill hundreds of thousands of people?" Malinovsky, the commander of the front army who had never spoken, stood up and said seriously. Said: "But what I want to tell you is that you heard it right, and the chief of staff also said it correctly. The super bomb dropped by the United States on Hiroshima yesterday did cause the death of hundreds of thousands of people. And the Americans told us that this They have a hundred super bombs, and they can drop one on the island country every few days until the country is wiped off the face of the earth."

The commanders present were stunned by Malinovsky's words. Only Sokov remained calm because he knew that the Americans had created three atomic bombs, one in the Alamogorda Desert of New Mexico. It was used during nuclear tests. The second one was dropped on Hiroshima yesterday, and the remaining one will be dropped on Nagasaki two days later, that is, on August 9. The hundred atomic bombs they talked about were just a bluff to intimidate the little devils.

Just listen to Malinovsky continue: "...It is precisely because of the emergence of this super bomb that the Supreme Command, after overnight discussions, decided to advance the launch time of the Far East Campaign from the beginning of September to the 9th of this month. In the early morning, before the U.S. allies used super bombs to wipe the island nation off the face of the earth, they completely defeated the Kwantung Army. Next, General Zakharov, the Chief of Staff of the Front Army, deployed their respective combat missions to everyone."

After Malinovsky sat down, Zakharov pointed to the map and explained to everyone: "...The enemy our army faces is the 3rd Front Army of the Kwantung Army, which is under the jurisdiction of Lieutenant General Hongo's 44th Army. Lieutenant General Yada's 30th Army has a total of 8 divisions, 3 brigades and 1 armored brigade. They are mainly deployed in the direction of Mongolia-Manchuria.

In addition, in the northeastern part of Manchuria, there is Lieutenant General Uemura's independent 4th Army, which has a total of 3 divisions and 4 brigades...

The frontal width of our expansion is 2,400 kilometers, and the frontal width of our offensive has also reached 1,600 kilometers, but the width of the active area is only 400 kilometers.

The Supreme Command requires us to achieve a quick victory after the battle begins, avoid a protracted battle with the Kwantung Army, and end the battle with minimal casualties as much as possible. Therefore, on this 400-kilometer stretch, we will concentrate 80% of the front's infantry, 90% of its tanks and artillery, and 77% of its aircraft. According to the intelligence we have collected, our strength with the Kwantung Army is 8:1, and the ratio of tanks and self-propelled artillery is 15:1, and our number of aircraft has an absolute advantage.

We divided our troops into two groups and broke into the central plains of the Northeast from the west, echoing the 1st Far East Front Army, forming a huge encirclement, cutting off the connection between the Kwantung Army and the North China Army, dividing and encircling the main force of the 3rd Kwantung Army's 3rd Front Army in Changchun. , Shenyang area; the second route is the Soviet-Mongolian coalition, their combat mission is to attack Chengde, Jinzhou and Zhangjiakou..."

Then, Zakharov assigned combat missions to the group armies under the front army. Sokov concentrated on listening to the other party's arrangements: the 6th Guards Tank Army, the 36th Army, the 39th Army, the 17th Army, and the Soviet-Mongolian Cavalry Mechanized Combat Group were all assigned detailed combat missions. But until the other party finished speaking, they didn't hear about the mission of the 53rd Army.

Sokov couldn't help but become a little anxious, secretly wondering what was going on, why other army groups had arranged combat missions, but his own group army was left alone? Just at this time, Zaharov picked up the tea cup and took a sip of water, and then asked: "Whoever has any questions can ask them now!"

"Comrade Chief of Staff of the Front Army!" As soon as Zakharov finished speaking, Sokov raised his hand: "I have a problem."

"General Sokov!" Zakharov gestured to Sokov: "If you have any questions, just ask."

"I would like to ask, why do other group armies have combat missions, but they do not assign combat missions to us?"

Zakharov first exchanged a look with Malinovsky, then looked up at Sokov and said: "General Sokov, you are also a senior commander. You should know very well that when arranging campaign tasks, At that time, it is impossible for us to put all the troops into the attack, and we must leave a force with strong combat effectiveness as a reserve force. Only in this way can the ideal effect be achieved when the forward attack fails and this force is put into battle. "

Although Zakharov's reasons were high-sounding, Sokov realized in his heart that the reason for letting his troops serve as reserves this time was probably because of Yakov. Although the Soviet side is absolutely sure of winning this attack on the Kwantung Army, since it is a battlefield, there must be risks. If a combat mission is really assigned to the 53rd Army, what if something unexpected happens to Yakov? There are three advantages and two disadvantages. Who can bear this responsibility?

After figuring this out, Sokov sighed softly, said nothing more, and sat down silently. Lyudnikov next to him saw Sokov's frustrated look, raised his hand and patted him gently on the shoulder, casting a sympathetic look at him.

The meeting quickly concluded, and the commanders of each army group were eager to rush back to their units to make final preparations before the attack.

Lyudnikov whispered to Sokov: "Misha, don't be discouraged. Maybe after the battle starts, our army's attack does not go smoothly, and your superiors will soon put you into battle. You know, the first to go into battle The troops may not be able to achieve dazzling results. After your army enters the battle, it may be able to turn the tide of the war."

After Lyudnikov left, Yakov and Gorokhov pushed Lukin's wheelchair to Sokov. Yakov asked angrily: "Misha, what on earth is going on? Why are our army groups in reserve?"

"Yasha, can't you see that this matter has something to do with you?"

"Has it got anything to do with me?" Yakov was stunned for a moment when he heard what Sokov said, but soon figured out what was going on. He said with a grimace: "Misha, if the superior is really motivated by For my safety, the 53rd Army is allowed to serve as a reserve force, which means that we can only stand aside and be spectators in this Far East battle."

"Yasha, there is nothing we can do about this." Sokov said helplessly: "Since it is an order from our superiors, we can only carry it out unconditionally."

"Commander, Chief of Staff!" Gorokhov asked: "I want to ask a question, who has the stronger combat effectiveness, the German army or the Kwantung Army?"

Regarding the question of whether the German army and the Japs are stronger, most normal people will think that the German army is superior. Only those Japanese elements with abnormal brains will brazenly say that the Japs can easily deploy any brigade. Ground crushed a battalion of German SS.

"Comrade Military Commissar, this question is actually easy to answer." Sokov said: "Whether it was the Battle of Zhanggufeng or the Battle of Nomenkan, they both ended with the victory of our army. Although our army's casualties were a bit larger, but After all, the final victory was achieved. You must know that the troops participating in the war were only the second-line troops of our army. They were able to defeat the Kwantung Army at that time. Today, the elite troops that have just experienced the baptism of the Great Patriotic War cannot defeat the declining Kwantung Army. ?"

"So, the Kwantung Army's combat effectiveness is simply not comparable to that of the Germans?"

"That's right." Sokov nodded and continued: "The German army is far superior to the Kwantung Army in terms of equipment and training, let alone one-on-one, even one-on-three or one-on-five , they can still win. For example, any one of the Flag Guard Division, Imperial Division, Skeleton Division and Viking Division can defeat the Kwantung Army. What's more, the Kwantung Army has been weakened in the past ten years of fighting against China. A lot, and with the outbreak of the Pacific War, their elites have long been mobilized. Today's Kwantung Army is supplemented from the mainland of the island country, and its combat effectiveness can only be regarded as a second- or third-rate force. Since we can't even count such powerful Germans, If we can defeat it, defeating the Kwantung Army is not a piece of cake.”

Unexpectedly, when Gorokhov heard what Sokov said, the expression on his face became even more ugly: "Comrade Commander, it is really like what you said. The Kwantung Army cannot be compared with the German army at all, which means that they can't stop it at all." If we cannot hold back our powerful offensive, our chances of participating in the war will become even slimmer."

Sokov felt that Gorokhov's statement was very reasonable. If the Japs were really vulnerable, then the chance of his reserve team entering the battle would be very small. Maybe throughout the entire battle, his troops would only be able to Play the role of soy sauce.

"Okay, let's go back." Lu Jin said: "After we go back, we will convey the spirit of the combat meeting to commanders at all levels. At the same time, the comrades of the military committee must do a good job in everyone's ideological work. Don't let us become In the reserve team, there will be dissatisfaction. Regardless of whether our superiors will arrange for us to participate in the battle, if the emotions of the officers and soldiers cannot be appeased, it will be very detrimental to our next work."

"Comrade Deputy Commander is right." Sokov agreed with Lukin's statement. He said to Gorokhov: "Comrade Military Commissar, after the meeting is over, you will have a heart-to-heart talk with the commanders at all levels. , to prevent them from being dissatisfied with their superiors’ arrangements.”

"Don't worry, Comrade Commander." Gorokhov said with a smile: "Ideological work has always been my strength. I assure you that even if we can only act as a reserve team during the entire campaign, we will definitely There will be no resistance among commanders at all levels.”

On the way back to the headquarters, as soon as the car started, Yakov, who was sitting on the right side of Sokov, said: "Misha, since our group army is not involved in this offensive mission, then the reconnaissance team sent, especially Captain Feng and the others, will , can you withdraw it?"

"No." But Sokov shook his head after hearing this and said: "Although the Kwantung Army's combat effectiveness is far inferior to that of our army, and the friendly forces responsible for offensive missions are not likely to be frustrated, it is completely understandable to understand the enemy's troop strength and defensive deployment. It is necessary. Just in case, I mean just in case, if one of the troops fails to attack smoothly, the superiors want to put us into battle. If we do not understand the enemy's situation, after entering the battlefield, we can only look at each other with two eyes. To smear it, nothing can be understood clearly. Waiting until that time to send out a reconnaissance team to conduct reconnaissance, I am afraid it will delay the major event."

"Well, Misha, you are right." Yakov agreed with Sokov's statement: "Then I will let each reconnaissance team continue to perform reconnaissance missions and be responsible for figuring out the enemy's strength and equipment in the depth of defense. and deployment status in case of emergencies.”

Even though Sokov looked disapproving in front of everyone, he still felt a little disappointed when he failed to get the combat mission assigned by his superiors. From the history he knew, the Kwantung Army only lasted for less than a week, so he probably didn't have much chance of participating in the war. I tried every means and came to the Far East. I thought I could command the troops to teach the Kwantung Army a severe lesson. However, the plan failed to keep up with the changes and ended up as a reserve force.

"By the way, what's that super bomb about?" Yakov remembered the super bomb Zakharov mentioned at the meeting, and asked Sokov tentatively: "Misha, do you know?"

"The scientific name of that super bomb is the atomic bomb." Sokov told Yakov: "Germany was the first to develop it. As early as 1938, two German physicists discovered that the element uranium undergoes nuclear fission. It will release huge power. Based on this discovery, soon after, French physicists and two American scientists further discovered that the decay of uranium atoms under certain conditions can lead to a chain reaction, resulting in an explosion with astonishing destructive power.

These discoveries provided a theoretical basis for nuclear explosions, making the Germans the first to realize the importance of atomic research to the military. In April 1939, a university professor in Hamburg, Germany, took the lead in proposing the development of atomic weapons to the German High Command, which aroused great interest in Mustache.

Not long after, the Germans established a research institution headed by a famous physicist in Berlin, which meant that Germany began to make initial preparations for the development of atomic weapons. In addition, Germany is a world leader in metallurgy, machinery, electricity and chemistry, and has all the financial and material resources required to develop an atomic bomb..."

Just as Sokov was talking non-stop, he heard snoring next to him. When he turned around, he saw that Yakov had fallen asleep at some point. Sokov estimated that maybe what he said was too boring and Yakov couldn't understand it at all, so he was successfully hypnotized by him and fell asleep unknowingly.

Now that Yakov was asleep, Sokov shut up and stopped talking. Instead, he tilted his head back, leaned on the back of the chair and closed his eyes to rest, so as not to miss the meeting when he returned to the headquarters later. Spirit.