USSR 1941

"But..." Vasilevsky hesitated for a while, then asked: "Comrade Stalin, what can we do now?"

There is indeed not much room for maneuver, because the entire battle has already been deployed, like an arrow shot from a bow that cannot be turned back.

We can't forcefully pull back those troops that are in full swing and start over again!

Stalin did not answer directly. He stood up and shifted his gaze out of the window, saying: "The National Defense Committee has discussed this issue. The Supreme Command believes that we should surround Stalingrad as soon as possible to smash the enemy's plan!"

"Transfer the focus of the battle?" Vasilevsky heard something tricky.

The original strategic plan was a large and deep encirclement, and a small deep encirclement such as the attack on Karachi was secondary. It was more to harass the German 6th Army so that it could not escape or divide its troops for reinforcements.

Now, fearing that German reinforcements would disrupt the large encirclement, the impatient and less confident Supreme Command decided to focus on the small encirclement.

In fact, the main reason is that the Supreme Command, including Stalin, is not confident enough.

As I said before, although the Soviet officers and soldiers did not show it, because of the large-scale defeat in the early stage, they generally lacked confidence when facing the German army, and it is not an exaggeration to say that they were afraid.

Under such circumstances, the thinking of the senior officials of the Supreme Command is: It would be good to rescue Stalingrad with a few small victories, and they still want to surround them and regain a large area of ​​lost ground in one fell swoop? !

It should be said that this idea is more secure and safer, because it can quickly complete the siege of Stalingrad. Manstein's reinforcements are too late for reinforcements, and the pressure on Stalingrad will increase in a short period of time. reduce.

But war has always been a game for adventurers, and another meaning of safety and security is conservative and missed opportunities.

"So!" Vasilevsky asked: "What about the troops engaged in a deep encirclement? Especially the 51st Army! Do you order them to stop attacking and turn to defense?"

The Soviet army implementing the deep encirclement had two units, one was the Southwest Front Army behind the German side in the north, and the other was the Stalingrad Front Army in the south.

The Southwest Front Army does not need to worry too much, because it is an entire front army as the northern pincer, and logistical supplies can also be guaranteed.

The problem is the Stalingrad Front,

Although it is also a front army as a southern pincer, several of its armies are not actually used to outflank but are fighting against the German army. Among them, the 62nd Army even fought the German army in full swing in Stalingrad.

Therefore, the Stalingrad Front actually had only two armies to outflank: the 57th Army implemented a small, medium and deep outflank while covering the right flank of the 51st Army, and the 51st Army implemented a large and deep outflank.

Now, Stalin intends to shift the strategic focus to close-range outflanking, so if the 51st Army continues to attack, it will be equivalent to going deep alone.

Therefore, Vasilevsky thought that Stalin would let the 51st Army stop attacking and garrison in place.

However, Stalin remained silent.

Vasilevsky, who had a deep understanding of Stalin, immediately understood what this meant... The silence meant that Vasilevsky guessed wrong, which meant that Stalin did not intend to stop the 51st Army from attacking. Hope it keeps attacking.

Sure enough, Stalin went on to say: "The offensive of the 51st Army is good for the battle. This is not just a matter of exciting victories. Their offensive will inevitably attract the enemy's main reinforcements, making it impossible to reinforce Stalingrad in time!"

Therefore, the 51st Army was used as a shield to ensure the smooth implementation of the small deep encirclement of the Soviet army and to force back or annihilate the enemies of Stalingrad.

Without waiting for Vasilevsky to speak, Stalin went on to say: "Therefore, the Supreme Command believes that the task of smashing the besieged enemy should be entrusted to one person. Now there are two commanders of the front army, which hinders this task. The completion of the meeting. The defense commissioners present at the meeting supported this opinion."

This is indeed a fact. The Stalingrad Front actually undertakes two different strategic tasks. One is to fight the Germans in Stalingrad, and the other is to encircle in depth. That is, the Don River Front and part of the Stalingrad Front are fighting the Germans.

But what have you been doing?

How come no one mentioned this when planning?

Now that the campaign is in progress, it turns out that these two parts should be merged into one? !

"We want to reorganize the front army?" Vasilevsky asked: "At this time?"

Stalin nodded: "It's just a matter of the transfer of command! The tasks of the army group are completely unchanged!"

"So, which commander should we entrust with the task of eliminating the enemy in the end?" Vasilevsky asked again.

"Someone suggested that all the troops encircling and suppressing the enemy should be handed over to Rokossovsky." Stalin turned around, took down his pipe and tapped it on the table.

This also meant dismantling the Stalingrad Front and handing over troops to the Don Front.

There was silence for a while, seeing that Vasilevsky was silent, Stalin raised his head and asked, "Why are you silent?"

"I'm thinking about whether this is appropriate!" Vasilevsky replied: "I think both commanders are very capable. If the troops of the Stalingrad Front are assigned to the command of Comrade Rokossovsky; Coe will definitely feel wronged, or it will be detrimental to the morale of the Stalingrad Front..."

"Now is not the time to talk about grievances or not!" Stalin interrupted Vasilevsky and ordered: "Call Yeremenko and announce to him the decision of the National Defense Committee."

As he spoke, Stalin threw a document to Vasilevsky and said, "This is the restructuring plan!"

"Yes, Comrade Stalin!" Vasilevsky answered, and took the documents from the table.

"There is also Zhukov!" Stalin said, "tell him!"

"yes!"

Only then did Vasilevsky know that Stalin did not come to him to discuss with him at all, but to let him come forward to be a bad guy... Stalin knew that these things were difficult to say, so he let him be a mouthpiece.

After Vasilevsky returned to the headquarters, he hesitated again and again. He picked up the phone several times but failed to make a call.

If you use a Chinese idiom, this is "changing generals in battle".

To be precise, it was not just "changing generals before the battle", but "changing generals just before the battle". The command of the troops that were fighting and the troops that were fighting fiercely was changed. The impact was by no means as simple as Stalin said.

But no one dared to resist Stalin's order, and in the end Vasilevsky pulled out the phone.