Red Moscow

When the two entered the General Staff Headquarters, a major general greeted them immediately, saluted them, looked at Vasilevsky and asked respectfully: "Comrade Chief of Staff, what can I do for you?" Did it work?"

"Comrade Zhukov," Vasilevsky did not immediately answer the other party's question, but first introduced the general with two beards to Zhukov: "This is Major General Shtemenko, the director of the direction department of the War Department, he In June of this year, as a representative of the base camp, he was sent to the Caucasus region. After returning from the Caucasus two days ago, he has been assisting me in sorting out the intelligence of the enemy and us in the Stalingrad region."

"Hello, General Shtemenko." Zhukov shook his hand and said politely, "According to the order of the Supreme Commander himself, Comrade Chief of Staff and I are going to formulate a new counterattack plan. Can you help us prepare it?" Is there any necessary information?"

Hearing Zhukov's order, Shtemenko nodded slightly and replied: "Yes, Comrade General, I will send you the information as soon as possible."

Shtemenko's work efficiency was very high. Not long after Zhukov and Vasilevsky sat down, he came to them with a stack of documents and said respectfully: "Comrade General, these are what you need. Documents." After speaking, he put the documents on the table, turned and walked out.

"Comrade Vasilevsky," there were only Zhukov and Vasilevsky in the room, so Zhukov didn't call each other's positions anymore, but asked straight to the point: "What is the location of our army in the vicinity of Stalingrad and in the city?" Inside, in the desperate struggle with the enemy, the losses of soldiers, technical equipment, and various materials were extremely serious. With their current strength, it is impossible to crush the German attack. Tell me, how much do we need? How long will it take to replenish them with enough soldiers and technical equipment?"

"Judging from the current situation, the Supreme Command will have to wait until mid-October at the earliest before a new battle reserve team can be formed." Vasilevsky knew in his heart that if he wanted to formulate a feasible counterattack plan with Zhukov, he would He had to understand the real situation, so he said without hesitation: "However, the mechanized corps and tank corps equipped with the most advanced T-34 tanks will not be able to attack the position until November at the earliest..."

"So, the time for us to carry out a new round of counter-offensive can only be chosen in November, and we must wait until the mechanized corps and tank corps are in place." After Zhukov finished speaking, seeing Vasilevsky nodded, Expressing his agreement with his statement, he continued to say: "You are talking about the situation of the Germans."

Vasilevsky took out a few sheets of paper from the stack of documents, looked at the serial number in the upper right corner, and then placed it in front of Zhukov: "Comrade Zhukov, according to the information we have, the German army's most effective guard Luce's 6th Army and Hoth's 4th Panzer Army were severely weakened in the battle with our army in the Stalingrad area, and they simply did not have enough strength to complete the battle to capture the city."

"Comrade Vasilevsky." Zhukov interrupted after hearing this: "That is to say, the Germans will not be able to capture our city until the counter-offensive plan we have formulated is implemented. I am right?"

"Yes, Comrade Zhukov, you are quite right," Vasilevsky replied briefly.

"Then you go on."

"After a long period of fighting, the German army in the Stalingrad area has become exhausted. Judging from the current situation, they do not have more troops to invest in the Stalingrad area, so they may turn to defense." Vasilevsky continued: "The armies of slave countries such as Italy, Hungary, and Romania that cooperated with them are now low in morale and poor in combat effectiveness, and cannot pose any threat to our army..."

After listening to Vasilevsky's analysis of the German army, Zhukov nodded and said: "Comrade Vasilevsky, so to speak, the German army has been unable to complete their strategic plan in 1942, while our army has enough Strength, carry out a powerful counter-offensive campaign against them to seize the initiative in the war."

"Comrade Zhukov, I think we can study various possible plans all night and choose a more realistic one." Vasilevsky waited for Zhukov to finish speaking, and immediately continued: "The defenders in the city continue to Use active defense to contain and exhaust the active forces of the German army, and then we will launch a large-scale counterattack to find ways to encircle and annihilate the enemy in the Stalingrad area, thereby fundamentally changing the strategic form of the southern part of our country." The two reached an agreement. After agreeing, they began to lie down in front of the table, staring at the map in front of them, and began to study various combat plans.

After a night of repeated demonstrations, Zhukov was delighted to discover that the current battlefield situation is actually very beneficial to the Soviet army. The Soviet army is now occupying the positions on both wings of the front, faintly encircling the German army; while the German army has only a small battle reserve between the Don River and the Volga River, with a total strength of no more than six divisions, and they are scattered in a wide area. On the positive side, it cannot be concentrated and used in a short period of time.

Busy until noon, Zhukov finally worked out a feasible counterattack plan. He threw the red and blue pencils in his hand on the table, looked at Vasilevsky opposite and asked: "Comrade Vasilevsky, since From yesterday to now, I only ate a few slices of bread in Comrade Stalin’s office, do you have anything to eat here? I’m starving to death.”

"I'm sorry, Comrade Zhukov. It was my negligence. I'll arrange for someone to prepare the food." After Vasilevsky finished speaking, he turned and shouted to the outside: "Come here, come here!"

Following Vasilevsky's shout, a major walked in from outside. He came in front of the two, straightened his body and asked, "Comrade Chief of the General Staff, do you have any instructions?"

"Comrade Major," Vasilevsky said to the Major, "go get us something to eat, we're starving to death. By the way, bring a pot of hot tea and remember to add sugar."

After the major left, Vasilevsky immediately asked Zhukov: "Comrade Zhukov, now that our counterattack plan has been formulated, do you think you should report to Comrade Stalin immediately?"

"Don't worry, Comrade Vasilevsky." Regarding Vasilevsky's proposal, Zhukov immediately denied it: "The plan has just been drawn up, and I think we need to review it again to see if there is anything else that needs to be done." Revised or perfected. In my opinion, it’s not too late to report to him after the time he stipulated.”

"Okay then," Vasilevsky also felt that this counterattack plan needed to be improved, and agreed with Zhukov: "Then let's wait for the stipulated time and report to Comrade Stalin."

…………

The reporting time stipulated by Stalin was nine o'clock in the evening. Ten minutes before nine o'clock, Vasilevsky picked up the phone on his desk and called Poskrebyshev's office. When he heard a voice coming from the receiver, he immediately asked politely: "Comrade Poskrebyshev, this is Vasilevsky. Is Comrade Stalin free? General Zhukov and I will report to him immediately. A counterattack plan was formulated.”

"I'm sorry, Comrade Vasilevsky." Unexpectedly, Poskrebyshev said coldly after hearing this: "Comrade Stalin is temporarily unable to receive you."

"Why?" Vasilevsky asked in amazement.

"The Supreme Commander himself is on the phone with British Prime Minister Churchill." Boskrebyshev replied on the phone: "I don't know when he will finish the call, so please wait patiently for a while. Wait for him to call." After the phone call, I will notify you to come and see him."

After putting down the phone, Vasilevsky said to Zhukov: "Comrade Zhukov, the Supreme Commander himself is talking to Churchill. We may have to wait a while before we can report the counterattack plan to him."

"Vasilevsky, tell me." Zhukov heard the conversation between the two and learned that Stalin was on the phone with Churchill. He couldn't help asking curiously, "What will be discussed between Comrade Stalin and Churchill?"

"What else can it be? It's nothing more than letting the British and American troops open up a second battlefield." Vasilevsky said with some helplessness: "Shortly after the war broke out, we aimed at the British and American troops opening up a second battlefield behind the German army. Discussions were held. At that time, both Britain and the United States said that they would open up a second front as soon as possible, but it was almost 1943, and their second front was still on paper.”

The phone call between Stalin and Churchill lasted for an hour. After putting down the microphone, an angry Stalin walked quickly to the door, opened the door abruptly, and asked Poskrebyshev who was sitting outside: "Where are Zhukov and Vasilevsky?" ?”

"Comrade Stalin," Poskrebyshev did not expect that Stalin would suddenly open the doors and come out, and hurriedly stood up and replied, "Zhukov and Vasilevsky should still be at the General Staff."

Stalin raised his hand and glanced at his watch, and said dissatisfiedly, "Didn't I ask them to report to work at nine o'clock? It's already nine forty, why are they still staying at the General Staff Headquarters?"

"Excuse me, Comrade Stalin." Boskrebyshev replied nervously: "Before nine o'clock, the Comrade Chief of Staff called to ask if you had time to meet them. I saw that you were talking to Churchill. When the prime minister called, let them wait at the General Staff Headquarters, intending to inform them to come and see you after you finished the call."

"Okay, call them all here now." After finishing these words, Stalin turned and walked into his office.

Zhukov and Vasilevsky, who received the notification from Poskrebyshev, immediately rushed to Stalin's office as quickly as possible. After Stalin saw the two, he asked in a low voice, "Guess who I was talking to just now?"

Hearing Stalin's question, Zhukov and Vasilevsky couldn't help but glance at each other, and they both saw surprise in each other's eyes. Zhukov looked away, took a step forward, and replied, "Comrade Stalin, aren't you talking to Prime Minister Churchill? How about it, is it about opening a second front?"

"What is the second battlefield? This is still nothing." Stalin said impatiently. I bought the Hurricane fighter. I was haggling with him just now for this, our pilots don't like this fighter at all,..."

When they learned that Stalin was actually bargaining with Churchill for the fighter jets aided by the United States, they couldn't help being surprised. Just as the two were considering how to bring up the counterattack plan to Stalin, Stalin first asked in a calm tone: "I asked the two of you to formulate a counterattack plan last night. How is it? Has the plan been drawn up?"

"Yes, Comrade Stalin." Zhukov nodded and replied affirmatively, "We have already drawn up a plan for launching a counteroffensive in the Stalingrad area."

After Stalin stuffed the tobacco into the pipe, he did not light it immediately. Instead, he looked at the two and asked with great interest, "Then who will report to me next?"

Zhukov turned his head and glanced at Vasilevsky, and then replied: "You can ask any of us to report, because we both have the same opinion."

Stalin pointed at Vasilevsky with his hand and said, "You are the chief of the general staff of the Red Army. I think it's up to you to report." After speaking, he put the pipe in his mouth, lit a match and lit the tobacco. .

Vasilevsky took out the folder under his arm, pulled out two sheets of paper, and handed them to Stalin. Stalin stared at the two pieces of paper, but did not reach out to take them. Instead, he asked blankly, "What is this?"

"Comrade Stalin," Vasilevsky quickly and respectfully replied: "This is the preliminary draft of the Stalingrad regional counteroffensive plan. Please see if there is anything else that needs to be revised and improved."

Stalin still did not reach out to take the document, but looked at Zhukov and asked: "Comrade Zhukov, do we have enough strength in the Stalingrad area now to carry out this counterattack?"

Seeing that Stalin didn't read the draft plan and didn't ask Vasilevsky, Zhukov could only take a step forward and said truthfully: "Comrade Stalin, with the current strength of our army, it is certain that we will not be able to launch a strong counterattack against the German army immediately. We need one and a half months to replenish the frontline troops with troops and technical equipment, and get ready to launch an offensive campaign.”

"One and a half months?" Stalin couldn't help frowning when he heard the time Zhukov said. After thinking for a while, he looked at Zhukov and asked, "If I ask to launch a full-scale counterattack against the German army in the Stalingrad area in two weeks' time, do you think it can be done?"