When Smirnov returned to the headquarters, the first thing he did was to pick up the phone on the table and said into the receiver: "I am Smirnov, and I want the director of the reconnaissance department to come to my place."
A few minutes later, the short director of the reconnaissance department appeared in the headquarters. After Sokov waited for him to salute, he asked straight to the point: "Comrade director, is there any news about the scouts sent?"
"No, Comrade Commander." The head of the reconnaissance department shook his head and said, "We have not been able to contact them so far."
Sokov frowned: "Why is this happening? Did they have an accident?"
"I think not." The director of the reconnaissance department replied cautiously: "In order to find the location of the open-pit mine as soon as possible, I sent five reconnaissance teams. Even if one or two were intercepted by the Germans, there will always be small ones.
The detachment arrived in the Uman area."
Seeing that he could not get any useful information from the Director of the Reconnaissance Division, Sokov waved his hand at him and said: "Okay, Comrade Director, you have nothing to do here. You can go back first. Once you have the latest information,
If you have news, remember to report it to me in time."
After the director of the reconnaissance department left, Smirnov said to Sokov with a worried look: "Comrade Commander, judging from the current situation, the reconnaissance team we sent is somewhat unreliable. Otherwise, we should ask the reconnaissance team to
Commander Nev contacted Comrade Khrushchev to see if he could get any useful information from him."
"Okay," Sokov was unwilling to wait indefinitely, so he readily agreed to Smirnov's proposal: "I personally called the commander of the front army and asked him to contact Comrade Khrushchev to find out.
The exact location of the open-pit mine.”
Unexpectedly, after getting through the call to the Front Army Headquarters, the person who answered the phone was Front Army Military Commissar Susaikov. When he heard that Sokov was looking for Konev, he said apologetically: "I'm sorry, General Sokov.
The commander is not at the headquarters, and Comrade Chief of Staff is taking an important call."
"Comrade Military Commissar," Sokov asked politely: "Has the commander of the front army gone out to inspect the troops?"
Unexpectedly, Susaikov replied: "No. Comrade General did not go to inspect the troops. Instead, he went to the First Ukrainian Front. Something happened there and he needed to go and deal with it."
Hearing that something happened to the 1st Ukrainian Front, Sokov couldn't help but feel a little in his heart, secretly thinking that it couldn't be that thing? He quickly covered the microphone with his hand and asked Smirnov: "Comrade Chief of Staff
, what’s the number today?”
"February 28th." Smirnov was curious when Sokov suddenly asked today's date: "Comrade Commander, why did you think of asking about the time?"
"It's okay, I'll just ask." After confirming the date, Sokov showed a helpless smile on his face. The day finally came. Vatutin went to inspect the troops in a light car, but he was ambushed and injured on the way.
It is certain that the husband is going to the 1st Ukrainian Front to visit the injured. Another possibility is that the high command may let him take over the command.
Sokov released his hand covering the microphone and asked Susaikov tentatively: "Comrade Military Commissar, I would like to ask, do you know what happened to the First Ukrainian Front?"
Hearing Sokov's question, Susekov hesitated for a moment, and then said in a low voice: "Comrade Sokov, to tell you the truth, the reason why Comrade General went to the headquarters of the First Front Army was because of Vatu
General Jing was injured not long ago."
"Injured?" Although Sokov knew the specific process of Vatutin's injury, he still pretended to be in disbelief and asked: "Comrade Military Commissar, can you tell me how he was injured?"
"Comrade Sokov, you are not an outsider. I can tell you what I know, but you must keep it secret. If the information is leaked, I am afraid it will cause instability in the morale of the military. Do you understand?"
"I understand, Comrade Military Commissar." Sokov was eager to know whether the development of the matter was consistent with the history he knew. After making his promise, he urged Susaikov: "Hurry up and tell me what happened.
whats the matter."
Susaikov said: "According to reports from friendly forces, Vatutin led his headquarters to conduct a routine transfer, preparing to change a village as the headquarters. The situation at that time was a bit chaotic. The convoy responsible for the security work actually collided with Vatutin.
The car in which Jing was riding got separated. As a result, he was ambushed by the enemy on the way, and Vatutin was unfortunately shot and wounded."
"Is his injury serious?" Sokov asked.
"The specific situation is not clear yet." Susaikov said: "But the headquarters asked Comrade General to rush to the headquarters of the friendly forces as soon as possible, probably because Vatutin can no longer command the troops."
When Sokov learned that Vatutin's injury was the same as what was recorded in the history books, he felt much more at ease. As long as Vatutin was unable to continue commanding the troops due to his injury, Zhukov, who had been idle, could regain his command.
was activated and sent to the 1st Ukrainian Front to replace Vatutin.
After a brief silence, Sokov asked tentatively: "Comrade Military Commissar, do you know when the commander of the front army will be back?"
Susaikov turned to look at Zakharov, who was answering the phone not far away, and replied: "Comrade General is on the phone with Zakharov, and he will not return to the headquarters for the time being."
After Sokov chatted for a few more words, he put down the phone. Smirnov on the side, because he heard a few words and was eager to know what happened, asked impatiently: "Comrade Commander, has something happened?
?”
Sokov glanced around the room and saw many staff officers and communications soldiers. If he talked to Smirnov and two people here, he would definitely be overheard by people nearby, so he coughed lightly.
With a loud voice, he said to the two of them: "Chief of Staff, Comrade Military Commissar, the room is too stuffy, let's go out for a walk."
When Smirnov heard what Sokov said, he was stunned for a moment, then understood what he meant, nodded quickly and agreed: "Yes, it's too stuffy in this room, you should go out for a walk." After that, he
Without any explanation, he pulled Gorokhov along and followed Sokov outside.
The three of them were walking on an almost deserted street, with five or six guards following behind them about ten meters away. The guards had carefully calculated this distance, so that they could neither hear what the leaders were saying nor be in close proximity.
Distance protects the safety of the chief.
"Chief of Staff, Comrade Military Commissar." Sokov knew that what he said was of great importance. Smirnov and Gorokhov would definitely be shocked when they heard it, so they vaccinated them first: "
The news you will hear soon is very shocking, I hope you can stay calm enough after listening to it."
"Please tell me, Comrade Commander." Gorokhov understood that Sokov must have something very important to say when he called the two of them out, so he said calmly: "No matter what we hear, we will remain silent.
Calm enough."
"General Vatutin encountered an enemy ambush during the transfer of his headquarters and was unfortunately wounded."
Although Sokov had greeted the two of them in advance, he still had a shocked expression on his face when he heard the news. After a while, Gorokhov cautiously asked: "Comrade Commander, this news is reliable."
?"
Sokov had already guessed that the two would ask this question, so he nodded and replied: "It's completely reliable. This news was told to me by General Susaikov, the military commissar of the Front Army."
"Is the injury serious?" Smirnov asked with concern.
"It's not clear." Sokov said vaguely: "But General Konev has arrived at the First Ukrainian Front at the moment. I don't know what he will do next."
Sokov didn't hide anything. After all, Susaikov was vague when he told him this, and he didn't know the extent of Vatutin's injury. But he didn't expect that his words would make Smirnov think about it.
: "Comrade Commander, I remember that shortly after the liberation of Kiev, because the German army launched the first counterattack in the Zhitomir area, and the German army in other directions also responded actively, the situation in Kiev became dangerous. In this case, the Supreme Commander
The Ministry transferred General Rokossovsky from the Belarusian Front and asked him to temporarily take over the command of General Vatutin."
"I think it's unlikely." Sokov shook his head and said, "If General Konev really wants to take over Vatutin's command, then who will command our Second Front?"
Smirnov frowned and thought for a while, then shook his head and said: "I really can't think of anyone who can take over Commander Konev's position. People with comparable abilities to him are now front-level commanders.
, their mobilization will produce a series of chain reactions."
Smirnov's statement is not alarmist. If Konev takes over Vatutin's position, the post of commander of the Second Front will be vacant, and new commanders will have to be transferred from other fronts.
As a result, the troops on other fronts will also face the situation of being leaderless.
"Comrade Commander," Gorokhov interjected and asked: "Based on your analysis, who will the High Command appoint to replace Vatutin?"
"Chief of Staff, Comrade Military Commissar, let's analyze it." Sokov did not give the answer immediately, but analyzed the two people: "The position vacated by General Vatutin will definitely not let Roko.
Sovsky or Konev, because this would have a negative impact on the original troops."
"Yes, yes," after Sokov's analysis, Smirnov had some idea: "Now the three major front armies in Ukraine and Belarus are the main force of our army to attack the German army. The commander of the front army
Not everyone can hold this position."
"Comrade Commander," Gorokhov waited for Smirnov to finish, then looked at Sokov and asked: "If General Vatutin is really no longer able to command the troops, who do you think the Supreme Command will send to take command?"
What about the army?"
Sokov did not give the answer immediately, but asked rhetorically: "Comrade Chief of Staff, Comrade Military Commissar, General Konev served as the commander of the Western Front in the early days of the Great Patriotic War, right?"
"That's right." Smirnov had accepted Konev's command during the defense of Moscow, so he naturally knew the matter very well: "He did serve as the commander of the Western Front for a period of time, and was later transferred to Gary.
Nin area, assuming the position of commander of the newly formed Kalinin Front."
"Comrade Chief of Staff, do you still remember who took over as commander of the Western Front?"
"Of course I remember, it was Marshal Zhukov, who was still a general at the time..." Smirnov was suddenly stunned when he was halfway through his words, and then asked tentatively: "Comrade Commander, you mean that the Supreme Command may let
Marshal Zhukov, take over the post of General Vatutin?”
Sokov nodded slightly and asked: "I think this possibility is very high, what do you think?"
Smirnov thought for a long time, and then said in an uncertain tone: "But Marshal Zhukov is now the deputy commander-in-chief. Will the Supreme Command let him serve as the commander of the front army?"
"Is there anything impossible?" Sokov said casually: "He will act as a temporary agent for a period of time. After General Vatutin recovers, he will hand over the command." When he said this, he was secretly sighing in his heart.
From this moment on, Jing's life began to count down. Before spring arrived, he died due to wound infection.
"I think what Comrade Commander said makes sense." Gorokhov said: "As long as General Konev is not transferred, it will have no impact on us."
While several people were talking, a staff officer ran out of the headquarters and reported to Sokov: "Comrade Commander, I have your phone number. It's General Zakharov."
Hearing that Zakharov had called him, Sokov did not dare to neglect and quickly returned to the headquarters with Smirnov and Gorokhov.
As soon as he entered the door, he saw the microphone on the table. He quickly stepped forward with a cane, picked up the receiver and put it to his ear: "Hello, Comrade Chief of Staff of the Front Army. I am Sokov!"
"Comrade Sokov, I heard from Comrade Military Commissar that you just called me just to ask about the open-pit mine?"
"Yes, I do want to ask about this." Sokov said cautiously: "But it seems that it is not the right time to ask about this."
"That's right, something happened with the friendly forces." Zakharov said: "Comrade Khrushchev is too busy, so it's not convenient to disturb him at the moment." Perhaps he was worried about what Sokov had in mind, so he
He added, "But don't worry, General Konev is at the headquarters of the friendly forces at the moment. He will learn about the open-pit mine from Comrade Khrushchev at the appropriate time."
"I wonder how serious General Vatutin's injury is?"
"It's not too serious, I just got shot in the leg." Zakharov said disapprovingly: "It's just a matter of a month or two to recover."
"Then can he continue to command the troops?"
"Although the injury is not serious, it is impossible to continue to command the troops." Zakharov said: "The Supreme Command has decided that while General Vatutin is recovering from his injury, his duties will be temporarily replaced by Marshal Zhukov."
After it was confirmed that Zhukov was about to return, Sokov couldn't help but feel ecstatic. You know, the command levels of Zhukov and Vatutin were completely different. Since the end of the Kiev Battle, the Ukrainian Army commanded by Vatutin
On the one hand, the performance of the army is unsatisfactory, but with Zhukov taking office, this frustrating situation will be effectively improved.
This chapter has been completed!