Red Moscow

"It's a good thing to set up a new combat group." After reading the telegram, Vasilevsky showed a relaxed expression on his face: "In this way, our army can force the enemy to fight in two directions. It was very helpful for us to hold Stalingrad."

"I don't agree with the establishment of a battle group." Zhukov said clearly: "Have you ever thought about where the troops that form the battle group come from? How to supplement?"

"Now there are five infantry divisions and seven infantry brigades, and they are rushing to Stalingrad day and night." Vasilevsky said unconvinced: "We can definitely let these troops enter the city and form what Chuikov mentioned. Combat group. As for supplies, we can issue a mobilization order to the Volga Fleet to dispatch more ships to deliver troops and supplies to the city."

"Now the German air force has mastered the air supremacy over Stalingrad. They have used bombing and shelling to impose a tight blockade on the Volga River, trying to cut off the connection between the east bank and the city." Zhukov patted the table and said: "In Sending a large number of ships across the river without air supremacy would make them a target for enemy bombing and shelling."

Stalin had no say in the dispute between Zhukov and Vasilevsky. Instead, he lit his pipe and listened with interest to their debate, hoping to gain useful information from it.

"Even if the Luftwaffe gains air supremacy over Stalingrad, we can still dispatch planes to drive enemy planes away from the Volga River." Vasilevsky tapped the location of the Volga River on the map on the table with red and blue pencils. Next, continued: "We can also deploy anti-aircraft artillery fire along the river bank to assist the air force to drive away the enemy planes."

"Comrade Chief of the General Staff, have you ever thought that casually using those troops heading to Stalingrad will affect the counterattack plan we just made." Zhukov slapped several times on the map with his palm, "such a Come on, the counterattack plan that we worked out with great difficulty must be modified again..."

…………

When the two had almost quarreled and Stalin finished smoking, he knocked the ashes of his pipe into the ashtray, and then said unhurriedly: "I have listened to the debate between the two of you, and I think you are right. It makes sense. Chuikov's colleagues objected because they were worried that their superiors would not allocate more troops to them; they worried that even if the superiors gave new troops, the logistical supply of these troops would still be a big problem.

Zhukov objected because the troops that Vasilevsky was going to use were all that we planned to use to participate in the Stalingrad counteroffensive.

The reason why Comrade Vasilevsky and Comrade Gurov who proposed this plan wanted to set up a new combat group in the city was to disperse the enemy's strength and let them fight in two directions at the same time, so as to reach the lightening factory. The pressure on the district defenders. "

"Comrade Stalin," Zhukov saw that Stalin did not favor any side, so he asked with luck: "Then what do you mean, should this new combat group be formed, or should it not be formed?"

"I think that in order to defend Stalingrad, we should take any effective measures. Therefore, I think it is absolutely necessary to form a new combat group." When Stalin said this, he paused intentionally to observe the expressions of the two. When Vasilevsky saw that Stalin agreed with his opinion, he couldn't help but feel elated; while Zhukov, when he heard that his opinion was rejected, he looked depressed.

"Comrade Zhukov, don't worry." Seeing Zhukov's disappointed face, Stalin felt that he should comfort him: "Although the formation of a new combat group will use the troops that are rushing to Stalingrad. But we can completely think about it." A compromise solution to this problem."

Zhukov looked up at Stalin and asked in amazement: "Comrade Stalin, is there any compromise?"

"We can give priority to supplementing the incomplete units that have been withdrawn from Stalingrad, so that they can take over from those units and participate in the counter-offensive." Stalin said confidently: "These units have all fought in Stalingrad. However, I have a good understanding of the situation in the city, and if they can participate in the counterattack, I think their role will be far greater than those originally planned.”

Now that Stalin had already talked about this, Zhukov knew that even if he opposed it, it would not help, so he simply asked: "Okay, Comrade Stalin, since you agree to form a new combat group, I will resolutely Obey your orders. But I want to ask, who are the candidates for the commander of the battle group?"

Stalin turned his head and looked at Antonov who was standing aside, and asked: "Comrade Minister of Operations, did Yeremenko only send you a telegram?" Regarding the establishment of a combat group, there was no mention of who would be the commander.

Antonov quickly shook his head and said, "Comrade Stalin, there is only this telegram. I don't know who General Chuikov plans to recommend as the commander of the battle group."

Stalin pointed at Ivanov with his hand and said: "Then you call Yeremenko now and say that I have agreed to form a combat group in Stalingrad and ask him to report the candidate for the commander immediately. "

Antonov walked to the desk, picked up the phone on the desk, and let the switchboard of the Kremlin contact the Stalingrad Front Command. Hearing Yeremenko's voice coming from the receiver, Antonov quickly said politely: "General Yeremenko, hello! I am Antonov, Minister of Operations. Comrade Stalin asked me to tell you that he It has been agreed to form a new battle group in the city of Stalingrad. I would like to ask, who is the commander of the battle group?...What, he is the only one? Was it recommended by General Chuikov?...Understood, I will pass your words on to Comrade Stalin, good luck! Goodbye!"

After Antonov put down the phone, he walked up to Stalin, straightened his body and replied: "Report to Comrade Stalin, I have already asked General Yeremenko, and he said that the commander recommended by General Chuikov is the 41st Guards Colonel Sokov, division commander."

"Who, who do you think?" Stalin, who was filling his pipe with tobacco, couldn't help trembling when he heard what Antonov said, and scattered a lot of tobacco on the table. He didn't care about continuing to fill the tobacco, he put the pipe on the table, looked at Antonov and said, "Who are you talking about, tell me again."

"Colonel Sokov, commander of the 41st Guards Division." Antonov replied quickly.

"Ah, it's him?!" After hearing Sokov's name, Vasilevsky couldn't help saying in surprise, "Is he too young, is he qualified for this position?"

"Comrade Chief of the General Staff," Zhukov said with a smile on his face when he heard that the candidate recommended by Chuikov turned out to be Sokov. In my memory, he has never lost a battle, and I think it is very appropriate for Chuikov to recommend him as the commander of the battle group."