"Comrade Commander," the chief of staff covered the microphone with his hand and reported to Chernyakhovsky with some emotion: "General Rokossovsky is not only the commander of the Belarusian Front, but also the commander of the base camp.
Representative of the 1st Ukrainian Front. Not long ago, he took over the command of the army as acting commander."
For Chernyakhovsky, the previous words are nonsense, and only the last sentence is the key. Zhukov and Vasilevsky were also representatives of the base camp in the past, but most of the guidance they put forward was
Being directly ignored by Vatugin, the two of them chose to tolerate each other most of the time because they saw that the other was the Supreme Commander's favorite general.
At this moment, he learned that Rokossovsky had taken over the command of the front troops. He couldn't help but be overjoyed. He quickly took the microphone from the chief of staff, put it to his ear and said: "Hello, General Rokossovsky,
My name is Chernyakhovsky."
"Hello, General Chernyakhovsky." After greeting the other party, Rokossovsky asked straight to the point: "I heard that you just went to the front to inspect the battle situation. I wonder what the situation is now.
?”
"Comrade Acting Commander," Chernyakhovsky said to Rokossovsky: "The enemy defending the city of Korosten is the German 59th Infantry Army. Faced with the fierce attack of our troops, this army
Two divisions have been withdrawn from the city, leaving only the 291st Infantry Division still resisting."
"Oh, the enemy has withdrawn two divisions from the city?" Rokossovsky couldn't help but be stunned when he heard the news, and then asked: "Where are the two divisions that have withdrawn from the city now?"
Chernyakhovsky quickly replied: "The two divisions that evacuated the city did not choose to retreat westward and join other German troops, but moved to the north and south of the city respectively. It seems that they
The plan is to form an encirclement around us after our army captures the city."
Hearing what Chernyakhovsky said, Rokossovsky chuckled: "General Chernyakhovsky, it seems that the Germans have quite a big appetite. They are trying to use science and technology.
Luo Jian is acting as bait to eat you."
"Comrade Acting Commander, the enemy does have fewer troops than us. When they form a siege on the city, they also face the danger of being outflanked by our troops outside the city." Chernyakhovsky finished this.
After speaking, his expression suddenly became serious: "I heard that the 38th Army in the center has been driven out of Zhitomir by the Germans. The 3rd Guards Tank Army on the left is also facing being cut off by the Germans.
Danger on the road back..."
"General Chernyakhovsky," although what Chernyakhovsky said was true, Rokossovsky interrupted him before he finished speaking: "You
Your mission is to ensure that the attack on the right wing goes smoothly, and you don’t have to worry about operations in other directions.”
"Comrade Acting Commander, my current strength is limited." Chernyakhovsky said with a solemn expression: "Even if we occupy Korosten, I'm afraid it won't be enough to continue to expand the results."
"You can rest assured on this." Rokossovsky said: "I have ordered General Pukhov's 13th Army to move towards you. After you join forces, you will be responsible for commanding the two armies.
."
Knowing that Rokossovsky had given him command of two armies, Chernyakhovsky couldn't help but feel ecstatic. Out of gratitude, he respectfully asked: "Comrade Acting Commander, I don't know if our army is occupying
After Korosten, what is the next combat mission?”
"After you capture Korosten," Rokossovsky knew that Chernyakhovsky's chief of staff might not have conveyed what he just said to him, so he took the initiative and said: "After consolidating
At the same time, the 13th Army sent some troops to Chernobyl and Pripyat to the north, and responded to the troops of the Belarusian Front to the north, forcing the enemy to divide their forces for defense."
"Understood, Comrade Acting Commander." Chernyakhovsky said quickly: "After the 13th Army arrives, we will definitely capture Korosten in the shortest possible time and consolidate the situation in the area.
defense."
"Very good." Rokossovsky arrived and was very satisfied with Chernyakhovsky's statement. Before putting down the phone, he finally asked: "General Chernyakhovsky, what are you doing?"
Do you have any other requirements?”
"Comrade Acting Commander," Chernyakhovsky thought for a while, and finally made a request to Rokossovsky: "I wonder if you can provide us with air support so that we can seize it more smoothly.
City."
"As long as the weather conditions permit, I will definitely send out the air force." After Rokossovsky finished saying this, he hung up the phone without waiting for Chernyakhovsky to speak again, and then turned to Bo
Golyubov said: "Comrade Chief of Staff, please record my order. If the weather conditions permit tomorrow, the Air Force will provide the necessary air support for the 60th Group Army to capture Korosten."
"Okay, Comrade Acting Commander." Bogolyubov replied: "I will call the Air Force Commander later and ask him to prepare for the attack."
After saying this, Bogolyubov glanced at the expressionless Vatutin next to him, and continued: "I just received a telegram from the 3rd Guards Tank Army saying that there was a fire in Brusilov's west.
In front of the anti-tank position in the south, it successfully destroyed a certain number of German tanks and killed Colonel Schönberg, the commander of the 1st Armored Regiment of the Flag Guard Division and the commander of the 1st Tank Regiment."
After learning that the 3rd Guards Tank Army had killed a German armored regiment commander during the battle, Rokossovsky felt that this was a good opportunity to boost morale, so he ordered Bogolyubov: "Comrade Chief of Staff,
Immediately send a commendation telegram to General Rybalko, commander of the 3rd Guards Tank Army, to commend them for their achievements."
"Comrade Acting Commander, based on current indications, the battle on the center and left wing will be concentrated in the Brusilov area." Bogolyubov asked Rokossovsky cautiously: "We need to send troops for reinforcements.
They?"
"There is no need." Rokossovsky rejected Bogolyubov's proposal without hesitation: "Now our center and left wing, as well as the 38th Army and the 3rd Guards Tank Army, we
I believe they have the ability to block the enemy's attack."
Bogolyubov originally wanted to tell Rokossovsky that Katukov's 1st Tank Army had arrived in Kiev and whether to send them to reinforce the center or left wing, but after hearing what Rokossovsky said,
He wisely gave up the idea and asked tentatively: "Comrade Acting Commander, General Katukov, Commander of the 1st Tank Army, has arrived in Kiev. Do you think you can meet him?"
"Oh, Katukov has arrived in Kiev?" Hearing that Katukov had arrived in Kiev, Rokossovsky showed an expression of surprise on his face, and he quickly said to Bogolyubov: "Comrade Chief of Staff, you immediately
Inform him to come to my place, I want to have a good chat with him."
Half an hour later, the dusty Katukov arrived at the headquarters.
Seeing Katukov entering, Rokossovsky immediately greeted him with a smile. Even though he was far away, he reached out his hand and called the other person by name in a friendly tone: "Hello, Mikhail."
!”
But when Katukov saw Rokossovsky here, he had a look of astonishment on his face. He quickly stopped, raised his hand to his forehead, and said respectfully: "Hello, Comrade Commander, I'm very sorry.
Nice to see you again!”
Rokossovsky took two steps forward, pulled down Katukov's right hand, shook it hard twice, turned to Bogolyubov and explained: "When the war broke out, I was the first
Commander of the 9th Mechanized Corps. Comrade Katukov was the commander of the 20th Tank Division at the time, so he was considered one of my old subordinates."
Hearing Rokossovsky introduce himself to others in this way, Katukov said with some embarrassment: "Comrade Commander, when the war broke out, I happened to be undergoing surgery for kidney disease and temporarily left the army.
It is my greatest regret to fight side by side with you against the Germans."
"Since the end of the Moscow Defense War, we haven't seen each other for almost two years, right?"
"Yes, one year and ten months." Katukov asked Rokossovsky with some curiosity: "Comrade Commander, why are you here?" When he said this, his eyes looked at
He turned to Vatutin, who was sitting in the corner drinking tea, and wondered why Vatutin didn't react at all when he saw him coming in. But Rokossovsky looked like the master of this headquarters.
"Mikhail, you may not know that I am the representative of the First Ukrainian Front from the base camp." Rokossovsky smiled and said to Katukov: "I just took over the job not long ago.
I have the right to command the troops. In other words, from now on, your troops are also under my command. Do you understand?"
"Understood." After Katukov answered loudly, he asked again: "Then who is acting on your behalf on the Belarusian Front?"
"When I am away, Chief of Staff Malinin will be in charge of daily work. When he encounters something that cannot be handled, he will call me." Rokossovsky explained: "In other words, from now on,
I am responsible for commanding both the Belorussian Front and the 1st Ukrainian Front."
Katukov was not surprised at all when he heard what Rokossovsky said. As an old subordinate of Rokossovsky, he naturally knew the commanding ability of his superior. He even secretly prayed in his heart that it would be best if he could
Let Rokossovsky serve as acting commander longer.
"Comrade Commander," Katukov said, "I heard that Zhitomyr has been lost, and the Germans are advancing along the Kiev-Zhytomyr highway in the direction of Kiev. Do you plan to send us to support it?
Retreating friendly forces?"
As soon as Katukov finished speaking, he saw Rokossovsky shaking his head. He only heard the other party say: "I don't think it is necessary. The next battle should start in the Brusilov area, and we
There are the 38th Army and the 3rd Guards Tank Army here. If you are sent up again, the troops will not be able to fully deploy. Instead, they will be crowded together. This will risk being encircled by the Germans. So I decided to let your army temporarily
Stay in Kiev and wait until the time is right before launching a fatal offensive against the Germans."
"Then when can we launch a counterattack?"
"Don't be anxious, Mikhail." Rokossovsky said to Katukov with a smile: "Let our troops hold the enemy in the Brusilov area and consume part of their effective strength. Then,
Then in the defense battle of Kiev, we will further weaken the enemy's strength, and then we can launch a counterattack."
Katukov knew that in the Battle of Kiev two years ago, although the Soviet army had a numerical advantage, due to command problems, it was severely damaged by the German army. Not only was the command system broken, hundreds of thousands of people were killed or injured, but also
Hundreds of thousands of commanders and soldiers were captured. When he thought of this, he couldn't help but asked worriedly: "Comrade Commander, can our friendly forces stop the enemy?"
"Even if they can't stop them, they can still slow down the German advance towards Kiev, thereby strengthening our defense and buying us precious time." Rokossovsky said to Katukov: "How did your tanks get here?
, should we take the train or drive in by road?”
"Comrade Commander," Katukov said with a wry smile after hearing Rokossovsky's question: "Kiev has just been liberated not long ago, and the railway traffic leading here has not been restored. Our tanks are all along the road.
Drive in."
As the former commander of the mechanized army, Rokossovsky naturally knew that the tank would need repairs after it had continuously traveled a certain mileage, so he said to Katukov: "Mikhail, I will not arrange for you to fight for the time being.
, you should seize the time to maintain the tanks, and strive to have all the tanks in good condition when the counterattack begins, and can launch assaults on the enemy's defense areas at any time."
"I will arrange manpower as soon as possible to maintain the tank." After Katukov said this, he raised his difficulties to Rokossovsky: "Comrade Commander, we have come all the way and the fuel consumption
It is very big. And the vehicles transporting fuel are still far behind. I wonder if you can provide us with the necessary supplies. Otherwise, without fuel, even if there is a combat mission, the number of tanks I can put into combat will not be too many.
many."
"Comrade Chief of Staff," Rokossovsky heard this and turned to Bogolyubov: "Can you solve this problem with General Katukov?"
"Comrade Acting Commander." Bogolyubov replied: "Due to the speed with which we captured Kiev and were defeated, when the German troops were driven away from the city, they did not have time to destroy some important facilities..."
"Comrade Chief of Staff, what I'm asking is not whether the facilities in the city have been damaged by the Germans." Rokossovsky interrupted Bogolyubov before he could finish his words: "I'm asking if you can
Do you want to refuel General Katukov's troops?"
"No problem." Bogolyubov realized that Rokossovsky wanted to hear a concise and accurate answer, and quickly replied: "The warehouses storing fuel in the city are still intact so far, Katukov
The general's troops will be there, getting the fuel they want."
"Mikhail, it seems that you are in good luck." Rokossovsky turned to Katukov and said: "When you return to the army, immediately arrange people to go to the warehouse to collect the fuel you need.
"
This chapter has been completed!