USSR 1941

"Comrade Yeremenko!" Vasilevsky said to Yeremenko on the phone: "The National Defense Committee has decided to entrust Comrade Rokossovsky with the final elimination of the enemy Stalingrad Group, so you should Transfer of command of the 57th, 64th and 62nd Armies of the Stalingrad Front to the Don Front.”

There was silence on the other end of the line, Yeremenko was evidently stunned by the sudden order.

After a while, Yeremenko's unbelievable voice came from the other end of the phone: "Why do you want to do this?"

Vasilevsky repeated what Stalin told him, but it obviously failed to convince Yeremenko.

"But our plan is progressing steadily, isn't it?" Yelymenko was a little excited: "Everything is going smoothly, we have won several battles, and although there were some minor problems, they were quickly resolved! Why divide the Stalingrad Front, at this time?!"

Vasilevsky didn't know how to persuade Yeremenko, because he didn't think it was right to do so.

So he could only suggest: "You need to control your emotions, Comrade Yeremenko! We made this decision not because your command is not good enough, nor is it because the Stalingrad Front Army is not brave enough to fight! This is a combat need... ..."

"But I don't think there will be any problems if we fight like this!" Yeremenko retorted: "Although I don't know why the Germans didn't retreat, maybe it's because the Germans didn't want to give up Stalingrad, or they thought Reinforcements can easily push us back! I want these arrogant Germans to know that they were wrong and they will pay for this mistake..."

Yelyomenko made a pun, and on the surface it seemed to be referring to the Germans, but he was actually referring to the Supreme Command.

Vasilevsky realized that such a conversation could not continue, otherwise Yeremenko might be convicted, so he hurriedly interrupted Yeremenko.

"You are very emotional, Comrade Yeremenko!" Vasilevsky said: "I suggest you call me later, after you have thought it through!"

After 15 minutes, the phone rang.

Yeremenko's frustrated voice sounded on the other end of the phone: "Comrade Vasilevsky, I still don't understand why the troops of the Stalingrad Front were suddenly assigned to the Don Front? I ask you to report to Comrade Stalin! I Request that this battle continue to be fought like this until the enemy is wiped out!"

Vasilev was a little helpless and could only answer: "About this question,

I suggest you call the Supreme Commander yourself! "

"I have already called!" Yeremenko replied.

It turned out that in the 15 minutes just now, Yeremenko did not use it to "calm down" as Vasilevsky said, but directly called Stalin.

"How did Comrade Stalin respond to you?" Vasilevsky asked curiously.

"He told me that all I had to do was talk to you about such matters!" replied Yeremenko.

So Vasilevsky knew that there was no room for change in this matter.

This is actually playing football, Stalin asked Vasilevsky to give orders, Vasilevsky had to do it, Yeremenko asked Stalin, Stalin pushed the question to Vasilevsky... so it became a An inextricable knot.

Unless Yelymenko submits.

So Vasilevsky's tone became tough: "Let's put it this way, Comrade Yeremenko! It is an unwise choice to disobey orders, and the situation will be very unfavorable to you, understand?"

Yeremenko could only answer helplessly: "Yes, Comrade Vasilevsky!"

So, the command was quickly executed:

One: The Stalingrad Front Command shall lead the troops operating in the direction of Kotelnikovo and continue to annihilate the enemy forces in the Kotelnikovo area.

Two: The Stalingrad Front was renamed the Southern Front.

Three: The 62nd, 64th and 57th armies were transferred from the Stalingrad Front to the Don Front Army.

The execution of these orders immediately caused quite a commotion among the troops, especially the 51st Army.

Army Commander Trufanov even once thought it was a rumor, and contacted the Front Army several times to confirm, but all the answers he got disappointed him.

"It's confirmed!" Trufanov looked at the map and said distressedly: "The order is true. The Stalingrad Front changed the Southern Front. There are only the 51st Army, the 28th Army and the 8th Aviation Army!"

In fact, this is only superficial data. As a reserve, a considerable part of the tank troops of the 28th Army has been transferred to the command of the 57th Army to outflank Karachi. The River Front was used to siege Stalingrad.

The Stalingrad Front... At this time, it should be called the Southern Front, with only a few mixed aviation regiments left before the reform.

"The point is... when our strength has been weakened to this extent, our offensive plan has not changed!" Trufanov said angrily: "We have no troops to cover the flanks, no reserves, and not enough The air force cover, but still the main force?"

Shulka knew what was going on.

While overall the units did not appear to have changed much after the plan change, the 51st Army was left alone.

To put it simply, the 51st Army actually became a bait, a bait to attract German reinforcements.

Only if the 51st Army continues to intersperse, can the German reinforcements have to deal with the 51st Army first.

As a result, the German reinforcements could not reinforce Stalingrad, so the victory of the Battle of Stalingrad was like a double insurance.

In order to keep the city named after him, Stalin worked hard, even at the expense of an elite army.

Trufanov was no fool, and he soon realized that.

What is even more uncomfortable is that even though everyone understands this point but cannot say it, the meeting room is dead for a while, and everyone has a feeling of imminent disaster.

After a while, Trufanov turned his eyes to Shulka and asked with a glimmer of hope: "Can I contact Comrade Khrushchev?"

Shulka understood what Trufanov meant, and he hoped that Shulka could use Khrushchev's relationship to make some changes.

But Shulka shook his head and rejected the plan without even thinking about it.

It's not that Shulka doesn't help, but Khrushchev is a shrewd politician, and he knows that he should disappear at this time.

Otherwise, Khrushchev would have contacted them long ago.