Red Moscow

  Chapter 300 The situation has taken a turn for the worse

Watching Antonov and Semoxikin leave, Belkin said to Sokov in a reproachful tone: "Comrade Brigadier, how can you say that to General Antonov? You know, the German army The possibility of an attack on Stalingrad is just your guesswork, it may not happen at all."

Regarding Belkin's question, Sokov did not argue with him, but said to him: "Let's go, Comrade Political Commissar, let's go and settle the soldiers first, I think they must be tired and hungry now. "

   After Antonov returned to the General Staff Headquarters on Gogol Boulevard, he wanted to report to Vasilevsky about his trip to the station. Unexpectedly, in the office, he did not see the shadow of the Chief of Staff. He stopped a passing staff officer and asked curiously, "Where did Comrade Chief of Staff go?"

   Seeing that the person who asked him was the Deputy Chief of Operations, the staff quickly replied respectfully: "Comrade Deputy Minister, an hour ago, the Chief of General Staff received a call from the Supreme Commander himself and has already rushed to the Kremlin."

Antonov learned that Vasilevsky had gone to the Kremlin, and knew that there must be something important, and he would not be able to return for a while, so he turned his head and walked to his office, preparing to leave the work he had left behind. done.

  At the same time, Vasilevsky was in Stalin's office, reporting to him the latest information he had just obtained. Stalin, with a livid face, was walking back and forth in the room with his pipe in his mouth. The situation had changed far beyond his imagination.

After Vasilevsky finished his report, he took the pipe out of his mouth, held it in his hand, and asked with a serious expression: "Comrade Vasilevsky, is the current battlefield situation really so critical?" time?"

"Yes, Comrade Stalin." Vasilevsky stopped his body and replied: "From the current situation, the next offensive target of the German army is Stalingrad. Once the city named after you is occupied, They can cut us off from the south in one fell swoop, and they can encircle Moscow while seizing food and oil resources."

  Stalin put the pipe back into his mouth and asked: "How is our defense in the direction of Stalingrad?"

"It's terrible, Comrade Stalin." Vasilevsky, who knew about the defense situation of Stalingrad, said without hesitation after hearing Stalin's question: "Because Stalingrad has been far away from the battlefield, it was not until April this year that the first After being attacked by the German army for the first time, the Supreme Command issued an order to the city defense committee to build fortifications in early May. You know, this city has never built any fortifications, which means that everything must be built from the ground up. Starting from scratch. I think it is unrealistic to achieve any significant results within two months."

   "Then what kind of troops do we deploy in the direction of Stalingrad?" Stalin then asked.

"Currently in the direction of Stalingrad, there are only about 160,000 troops from the 62nd and 63rd armies. The only defensive forces that can be mobilized in the city are the civilian police and the factory militia." After the report, Vasilevsky suddenly remembered Sokov's troops were about to leave for Stalingrad, and he quickly added, "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov's 73rd Infantry Brigade will head to the Stalingrad area in the near future."

   "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov?" After Stalin repeated the name, he suddenly remembered who this Sokov was mentioned by Vasilevsky: "You mean Misha, right?"

"Yes, that's him." Vasilevsky replied with a smile: "His troops are now in Moscow and are preparing to take a train to Kazan, and then take a transport ship from there to Stalingrad. The military column they took is scheduled for one and a half months later, and I have sent Antonov to deal with the matter."

"Comrade Vasilevsky, we must quickly form troops and drive to Stalingrad to strengthen the defense forces there." Stalin told Vasilevsky: "Let Comrade Antonov come here immediately. "

  Hearing that Antonov was to be invited to the Kremlin, Vasilevsky said with some hesitation: "Comrade Stalin, I don't know where he is now."

Stalin pouted at the phone on his desk and said: "Call immediately and find out where he is. If he has returned to the General Staff, let him rush over immediately. He will need to draft and prepare orders later." convey it."

Antonov, who was busy in his office, was about to report to him about Sokov after receiving a call from Vasilevsky, when Vasilevsky said in an orderly tone: "Deputy Comrade Minister, you are needed here, come to the Kremlin immediately."

   Ten minutes later, Antonov appeared in Stalin's office. As soon as he entered, Stalin nodded at him, and then said: "Comrade Antonov, you are here. We now have an order, and we need you to draft it."

   Hearing what Stalin said, Antonov immediately sat down at the conference table and got ready to record. Seeing that Antonov was ready, Stalin said: "Order 1, the main force of the 5th Reserve Army, rush to the left bank of the Don River, and make defenses there, and prevent the Germans from crossing the Don River at all costs;

  Order 2, the reserve army stationed in Tula, immediately reorganized into the 64th Army, with Lieutenant General Gordov as commander and Lieutenant General Chuikov as deputy commander, immediately marched to Stalingrad and strengthened the defense there..."

When Antonov heard that Stalin said that he wanted to strengthen the defense of Stalingrad, he couldn't help being stunned. He stopped the pen in his hand, looked up at Stalin, and asked with some surprise: "Comrade Stalin, is the newly formed army going to start?" To Stalingrad?"

"General Antonov, didn't you hear my order clearly?" Stalin said with a straight face: "Continue to record the order, and the commander of the 62nd Army, Kolpakchi, should lead the troops from Kletskaya to Soviet Union." Lovikino built a solid defense line to stop the enemy who might rush towards Stalingrad..."

While recording Stalin's order, Antonov was shocked in his heart: what is going on? Not long ago, he said that the enemy's attack target might be Sokov in Stalingrad, and he was reprimanded by himself . Unexpectedly, just over two hours later, the situation on the battlefield really appeared like the situation he analyzed.

   After Antonov recorded the order, he handed it over to Stalin and asked him to check and sign it. After quickly browsing the contents of Antonov's records, Stalin took a pen and signed his name on the back. But when he handed the order to Antonov, he found that the expression on his face was a little strange, so he asked curiously: "Comrade Antonov, what's wrong with you, what's on your mind?"

  Hearing Stalin's question, Antonov couldn't help hesitating. He was hesitating whether he should report the conversation between himself and Sokov to Stalin. After some thinking, he felt that even if he didn't say anything, maybe Stalin would learn about his conversation with Sokov from other channels, so he summoned up the courage to say: "Comrade Stalin, I remembered that I had a conversation with Sokov not long ago." Conversation with Lieutenant Colonel Cove."

   "The conversation with Xiao Xiaosha was really interesting." Stalin took out two cigarettes from the cigarette case, crushed them, put the shredded tobacco into the pipe, lit them, and asked with great interest, "What did you talk about?"

"Lieutenant Colonel Sokov told me," Antonov said slowly, "the enemy's next attack target may be Stalingrad. Because as long as the enemy captures this city, they can attack from the south of our country." Get the food and oil they need, and at the same time encircle Moscow..."

  Stalin and Vasilevsky showed shocked expressions on their faces, because what Antonov said was actually exactly the same as the analysis he had just made. Especially Vasilevsky, if he hadn't personally called Antonov to temporarily recruit Antonov from the General Staff, he even suspected that when he reported the situation on the battlefield to Stalin, Antonov was in a certain part of the room. A corner, quietly listening to their conversation.

   After a long time, Vasilevsky asked: "Comrade Deputy Minister, is what you just said true? Did Lieutenant Colonel Sokov really say this to you?"

"Yes, Comrade Chief of Staff." After Antonov gave Vasilevsky an affirmative answer, he said with shame on his face: "It's a pity that I scoffed at his analysis and thought he was scaremongering." Unexpectedly...his analysis was completely correct."

  Vasilevsky waited for Antonov to finish speaking, and asked impatiently, "Where is he now?"

   "At the Yaroslav Railway Station." Antonov replied: "He and his troops will stay there until 6:15 tomorrow morning, and then take the train to Kazan."

"Comrade Vasilevsky," Stalin couldn't help asking Vasilevsky when he heard this: "If I remember correctly, you seem to have said that Sokov's troops will be transferred to Stalingrad for rest and reorganization. , why are they sent to Kazan again?"

"Comrade Stalin, please listen to my explanation. The situation is like this." Vasilevsky hurriedly explained to Stalin: "I have just reported to you that the 73rd Infantry Brigade will go to Kazan by military column, and then go to Kazan from there." From there, I changed to a transport ship and went down the Volga to Stalingrad."

   "Who arranged this itinerary?" When Vasilevsky reported to Stalin at first, Stalin hadn't paid attention. Now that I heard that Sokov's troops were at the Yaroslav train station, I couldn't help being a little angry: "This is a hell. If you go to Kazan, you should go to Kazan train station. Why should you go to Yaroslav train station? Also, if To go to Stalingrad, you can go to Paveletsky Railway Station, where there is a direct line, why detour to Kazan?"

  (end of this chapter)