USSR 1941

In fact, it's not that Shulka is unwilling to join the R\u0026D department.

How good is the R\u0026D department. Occasionally, an idea or a suggestion is raised. There is no danger in not having to fight or go to the battlefield to stay away from the hustle and bustle.

But Shulka could no longer influence the situation on the front line.

If everything goes according to history, that's okay. Although there are dangers everywhere, the Soviet army will still win in the end.

Here's the problem... Shulka wasn't sure if her change would have some kind of impact that seemed positive but was actually negative.

For example, Kalashnikov was saved, but the result may have prevented him from leaving the position of a tank driver, so he could not develop the AK47. Another example is to defend Kyiv, but the result is that Moscow is surrounded in advance.

This is especially the latter. The early siege of Moscow is not only a matter of an extra month for the German army, but also a matter of the Soviet Union deploying reinforcements from the Far East Front Army... The Soviet army has never dared to deploy reinforcements from the Far East to reinforce Moscow because they were worried. The Japanese army would launch an attack until mid-October when the Supreme Command learned from intelligence personnel that the Japanese would not participate in the war against the Soviet Union before the autumn of 1942, so 11 divisions with a total of 250,000 people and a large amount of equipment were transferred back.

But now, because the German army launched an offensive ahead of time, there was a gap of more than a month between the defense of Moscow and the reinforcements from the Far East.

Therefore, Shulka could not and did not dare to transfer to the R\u0026D department, although it was very tempting for him.

"You can consider Comrade Kalashnikov!" Shulka said: "You know, he has designed other things before that, he is better at designing things than tank drivers, and more importantly, I think the research and development department lacks people like him who have battlefield experience and understand the actual situation..."

Hisoi nodded, then turned his gaze to Katukov.

"No problem!" Katukov agreed immediately: "But this is no exception. The Fourth Tank Brigade is also in short supply of tank soldiers with maintenance skills!"

"Of course, Comrade Katukov!" Sisoy replied, with a look of disappointment on his face... It can be seen that he has no great interest in Kalashnikov, otherwise Kalashnikov was in Stalin. He should have asked for it when he was working at the Guller Tractor Works.

But Shulka knew that Sisoi had been mistaken.

Ten minutes later, Kalashnikov came to say goodbye to Shulka.

"I don't know what to say, Comrade Shulka!" said Kalashnikov, "I don't even know if it's right or wrong!"

Shulka can understand Kalashnikov's mood at this time. He is not sure whether he can achieve anything after being transferred to the R\u0026D department. If not, he might as well be a driver in the 4th Tank Brigade... After all, this is The 4th Tank Brigade, Kling has gained fame after defeating a German armored division head-on in the First World War. Others who want to join this unit have to go through layers of selection.

"Have faith in yourself, Comrade Kalashnikov!" Shulka said. "You can do it for sure! At worst... just come back and be a tank soldier!"

Kalashnikov laughed, hugged Shulka and left.

Only then did Shulka secretly heave a sigh of relief.

Everything seems to be moving in Moscow's favor, Kalashnikov's problem is solved, and the gap in the Far East reinforcements is filled...as long as the 4th Tank Brigade continues to fight like this.

However, what Shulka didn't expect was that things were not as simple as he thought.

At the Western Front Command, Zhukov's phone rang.

Zhukov answered the phone, and Stalin's voice came from the other end of the microphone: "How is the enemy's situation now?"

"The concentration of the enemy assault group seems to be complete!" Zhukov replied: "It seems that they want to encircle the north and south again and break through the second line of defense!"

"Where will they make their main attack?"

"It is expected that the north will be in the Volokolamsk area, and Kedrian's army is likely to bypass Tula from the south and attack Kashila!"

"Comrade Shaposhnikov and I believe that our army should launch a pre-emptive counterattack to smash the enemy's offensive!" Stalin said.

Hearing this, Zhukov couldn't help being taken aback.

"Comrade Stalin!" Zhukov asked, "Is there any change in the situation on other fronts that made it possible to realize the counter-assault you mentioned?"

Zhukov thought that the battle in the direction of Kyiv or Leningrad had won, but he didn't know, so Stalin wanted to counterattack.

But Stalin's answer denied this speculation.

"No, the situation on all fronts is still tense!" Stalin said: "The enemy is still approaching!"

"Then..." Zhukov asked suspiciously: "What kind of force should we use to counterattack? Our current force can only defend!"

"We can't sit still, Comrade Zhukov!" Stalin said: "If we continue to defend like this, the second line of defense will be broken by the enemy just like the first line of defense! We need to take the initiative to disrupt their deployment, and we It is not that there are no redundant troops. We also have the newly formed 4th Tank Brigade, as well as the Cavalry Corps commanded by Dovator, as well as Belov's Cavalry Corps, Guttman's Tank Division and part of the 49th Army !"

"Comrade Stalin!" Zhukov objected: "These troops are our mobile force and the last bit of reserve force. If we invest in this unsure counterattack... Once it fails, we will no longer have the strength to consolidate the defense and we will not be able to implement maneuvers. Defense! At that time, we will be extremely passive..."

"You have 6 army groups under your command, isn't that still small?" Stalin interrupted Zhukov: "And the Fourth Tank Brigade can easily defeat an armored division of the enemy, which proves that we have the ability to counterattack!"

"Comrade Stalin!" Zhukov said helplessly, "Our defense line is more than 600 kilometers long. Six army groups are scattered on these defense lines. The strength of each position in the defense line is actually pitifully small!"

But Stalin did not give Zhukov any room to argue: "The matter of the counter-offensive has been decided in this way, you immediately formulate a counter-offensive plan!"

Then hung up the phone.

Zhukov was stunned on the spot, and it took a while before he hung up the phone.

Just when Zhukov was looking at the map and didn't know what to do, Bulganin, a member of the Military Council, appeared in front of Zhukov.

"Comrade Zhukov!" Bulganin said: "Comrade Stalin said you were proud, and asked me to come over and organize a counterattack with you immediately!"