"Comrade Chief of General Staff," Stalin said slowly after waiting for Antonov to finish speaking: "The new weapon you are talking about is not a V1 missile, is it?"
Antonov was shocked: "Comrade Stalin, how did you know?"
Stalin glanced at Ustinov and Yakov standing in front of his desk, and then said into the microphone: "Because Comrade Ustinov, the People's Commissar, is standing in front of me at this moment, this matter is
He told me personally."
After figuring out what was going on, Antonov said oh and continued: "After I heard about this incident, I thought it was very important, so I called you to report it."
"So, did Marshal Konev say where he got this information?"
Stalin's question stopped Antonov: "Well, I didn't ask about this. I don't know how he knew that the enemy was going to launch a distant attack on Cherkasy."
"Oh, you don't know either." After hearing Antonov's reply, Stalin couldn't help but frowned: "Then can the reliability of this news be guaranteed?"
"It can be guaranteed." Before Antonov could speak, Stalin suddenly heard a firm voice coming from the other side: "I can guarantee that this information is absolutely reliable."
Seeing that the person speaking was his son, Stalin couldn't help but frowned: "Yasha, do you know what Chief of Staff Antonov and I were talking about?"
"Yes, I heard it." Yakov nodded and said: "I knew about the German army's preparation to attack Cherkasy with V1 missiles as early as in Mischa's headquarters. He sent to Uman
The scouts captured a German messenger and seized an order from him regarding the attack on Cherkasy with V1 missiles at three o'clock in the morning."
Stalin still believed his son's words. He nodded and asked into the microphone: "Comrade Chief of General Staff, did Marshal Konev say what measures he took?"
"Marshal Konev has given orders to the command of the Cherkasy garrison." Antonov said on the other end of the phone: "First, set up air defense positions in areas where German missiles may pass through, and use anti-aircraft artillery to target these missiles.
Shoot it down; secondly, issue a combat warning and ask residents to enter air-raid shelters. In this way, even if the German missiles fall on the city and explode, they can only destroy some buildings, and the casualties of the residents in the city can be minimized."
"Yes, I understand." Stalin knew that he would not get any more useful information if he continued to ask, so he said casually: "If there is any new situation in the direction of Cherkasy, remember to report it to me in time."
After hanging up the phone, Stalin looked at his son and asked: "Yasha, tell me, why do the Germans launch missiles at our city at night?"
Faced with Stalin's question, Ustinov naturally didn't know how to answer. Even Yakov thought for a long time before he said: "I think the main reason why the Germans chose to launch missiles at night is because
The visibility at night is low, making it difficult for both aircraft and anti-aircraft artillery to effectively intercept."
Yakov's explanation obviously did not satisfy Stalin. He put his pipe in his mouth, lit it with a match, and asked slowly: "Since the visibility is poor at night, why did the Germans choose this time to launch?"
"Comrade Stalin," it was Ustinov who came out to explain this time: "The Germans use missiles that can hit targets a hundred kilometers away. I think they may have calculated the range and target parameters in advance, so that no matter what
Whether it is launched during the day or at night, the nature is similar to them. The only difference is that when launched at night, the Germans may judge whether the missile has deviated from the attack target based on the tail flame of the missile."
"Comrade Ustinov," Stalin waited for Ustinov to finish, then remained silent for a moment and asked, "Can we create a long-range strike weapon similar to the V1 missile?"
"No." Hearing Stalin ask, Ustinov's face turned red. He explained with some embarrassment: "At least under the current circumstances, we have not been able to create this kind of weapon that can carry out long-range strikes.
weapons."
As soon as Ustinov said this, he suddenly noticed that Stalin's expression changed, and quickly added: "But if we can capture a V1 missile, we can figure out the structure of the missile through reverse reasoning, and then
It will take a while to copy it."
Stalin was quite satisfied with Ustinov's answer. He raised his hand and was about to send the other party away when Ustinov spoke again: "Comrade Stalin, on the way here, Colonel Yakov
I mentioned something."
"whats the matter?"
"Well, last year we manufactured a batch of hovercrafts and tried them with the 27th Group Army commanded by General Sokov. The results were very good. But in order to prevent this new type of transport from falling into the hands of the Germans,
We sealed it before the end of the Battle of Kharkov." Ustinov said: "Now we plan to transport a batch of supplies to General Sokov's troops, but due to the transportation capacity of roads and railways,
The limit has been reached, and according to normal arrangements, it will take at least a month before the supplies can be transported to the 53rd Army. Therefore, General Sokov asked whether those hovercrafts can be unblocked and used to transport supplies?"
"Yasha," Stalin turned to his son and asked, "What do you think of this matter?"
"Misha's troops have backward equipment. If they are responsible for defense, such equipment may be barely enough." Yakov cautiously replied: "But if they are responsible for offensive tasks, such backward equipment will definitely cost them a lot.
casualties."
Stalin hummed after hearing this, and then said: "If that's the case, then unseal the hovercraft as soon as possible, and transport all the weapons and ammunition that Xiao Misha needs to the front line as soon as possible. You know, he is a legend that scares the Germans.
General, if he loses the battle with the German army because of his inferior weapons, I am afraid it will damage his honor."
Seeing that Stalin agreed to unseal the hovercraft, Ustinov quickly replied: "I understand, Comrade Stalin, I will carry out your order immediately after I return."
"Since there is nothing else, you should go back first." After Stalin said this to Ustinov, he pointed at Yakov with the hand holding the pipe, "Yasha stays, I want to talk to you.
.”
When only the father and son were left in the room, Stalin put down the pipe in his hand, stood up, walked to Yakov, and asked amiably: "Yasha, how are you working in the weapons and equipment department? Are you still used to it?"
"Very accustomed." Yakov replied: "Thank you for arranging the work for me."
Stalin nodded, circled Yakov twice with his hands behind his back, and then continued to ask: "You went to see little Misha yesterday. Do you think he is qualified for his current position?"
Hearing Stalin's question, Yakov couldn't help but raise his eyebrows and asked in confusion: "Misha has served as the commander of the 21st and 27th Group Armies before and achieved many achievements. Although he served as the commander of the 21st and 27th Group Armies this time,
The post of commander of the 53rd Army was short-lived, but he also performed well in the Battle of Cherkasy."
"Don't you think that his performance in the 53rd Army fell far short of his original performance?"
"You can't say that," Yakov noticed that his father seemed dissatisfied with Sokov, and quickly defended him: "The 53rd Army currently commanded by Misha cannot compete with Sokov in terms of soldiers and equipment.
The two previous armies are comparable. If he can obtain the same weapons and a large number of veterans with rich combat experience, I believe that the results he achieves will also satisfy you."
As soon as these words came out, Stalin was thoughtful.
In fact, Stalin had already known about Sokov's performance in the Battle of Cherkasy through various battle reports and reports. Although the 53rd Army's record was good, he was not satisfied with it, and even thought about Sokov.
Is it just this ability? If you change the command of another unit, your ability will be reduced to a certain extent.
After Yakov told the truth, Stalin's thinking suddenly became clear, and some of his previously vague feelings suddenly became completely clear.
"So that's it." He nodded and said, "The results achieved by the 53rd Army are obviously not as good as before. It turns out that it is because there are too many recruits in the army and the weapons and equipment are backward."
"Yes, it is precisely this that affects Misha's performance." If it were another person, I am afraid that he would not dare to speak so blatantly for Sokov in front of Stalin, and bring Yakov as Stalin's son to speak.
It seems much more casual: "He is also aware of this problem, so he calls me from time to time, hoping that I can provide them with sophisticated equipment."
"Then how did you reply to him?"
"I refused his request most of the time." Yakov sighed and said: "Although I know that Misha's troops are poorly equipped, the weapons produced every month have been allocated to their destinations, so I don't care.
Even if I want to help him, I can't do anything."
Even Ustinov did not have the right to change the distribution of weapons at will, but for Stalin, it was just a trivial matter. He said thoughtfully: "Yasha, please tell Xiao Misha that I can
Give him all the weapons and equipment he wants, but he must promise me that in the next battle, he will achieve a more brilliant result."
"Don't worry." When Yakov learned that his father planned to fully support Sokov and provide him with all the equipment he needed, he was even happier than Sokov and said repeatedly: "On behalf of Misha, I express my gratitude here.
Show your attitude, the results achieved in the next battle will definitely not be less than this time."
The next conversation between father and son became a little absent-minded. Stalin wanted to rest because he was tired, while Yakov was anxious to find a place to call Sokov to tell him the great news.
tell him.
Fortunately, Stalin saw that Yakov was absent-minded and guessed what he was thinking, so he waved to him and said: "It's okay, you can go back and rest early. If Xiao Misha asks you for anything in the future and you can't handle it, you can
Tell me and I will handle the matter myself."
Yakov responded excitedly, raised his hand to salute Stalin, turned and left the office.
He left the office building and unexpectedly found Ustinov sitting in the car waiting for him. He quickly opened the door and got in. He asked somewhat unexpectedly: "Comrade People's Commissar, why haven't you gone back yet?"
"If I leave, how will you return to the weapons and equipment department later?" After Ustinov said this, he did not ask what Yakov and his father talked about, because he knew that even if he asked, Yakov
The husband wouldn't tell him, so he simply didn't ask. He patted the driver on the shoulder and ordered: "Drive, let's go back to the weapons and equipment department."
After the two returned to Ustinov's office in the Weapons and Equipment Department, Yakov closed the door and then said to Ustinov: "Comrade People's Commissar, I talked with my father, and he said that for
As long as Misha's request is not too excessive, he can be satisfied with it."
"Are we going to provide Comrade Sokov with all the weapons and equipment he needs?" Ustinov asked tentatively: "But will this affect the distribution of weapons to other troops?"
"I think my father will personally negotiate with various departments." Yakov further explained his father's intentions to Ustinov: "He hopes that after obtaining these weapons and equipment, Misha can establish a
More glorious achievements."
When Ustinov heard this, he couldn't help but think: When Sokov commanded the 27th Army, both in the Battle of Kursk and the Battle of Kharkov, he achieved good results, and sometimes he could even turn the tide.
.But since he took up the post of commander of the 53rd Army, his achievements have been obviously not as good as before.
There are many reasons, but the main reason is the quality of the soldiers and weapons and equipment. The quality of the soldiers has little to do with you; but the weapons are simple and crude, and it seems a little inadequate to deal with an enemy who is armed to the teeth.
"Colonel Yakov," after thinking about this, Ustinov decided to be a favor: "Since Comrade Stalin is willing to come forward in person to negotiate for the weapons needed by the 53rd Army, we will naturally cooperate fully. Let's do this.
, as soon as it gets light, you will take people to complete the unblocking work of the hovercraft."
After receiving Ustinov's promise, Yakov returned to his office and asked the operator to connect him to the headquarters of the 53rd Army.
Although it was already midnight, Sokov did not fall asleep. He was sitting at the table studying with Smirnov and Gorokhov what kind of damage the V1 missile would cause to Cherkasy.
Knowing that it was Yakov calling him, Sokov took the phone from Smirnov's hand with some surprise: "Hello, Yasha, this is Misha. Have you returned to Moscow safely?"
"Yes, Misha, I have arrived in Moscow safely." Yakov said on the phone: "I just went to see my father and just came back from him, so I wanted to call you."
Sokov raised his hand and looked at his watch and found that it was already a quarter past three in the morning. In other words, the German V1 missile was flying towards Cherkasy. He thought that the other party wanted to know about Cherkasy, so he was smart.
He said calmly: "Yasha, the German missiles should have just been launched at this moment, and they should not have reached Cherkasy yet. If you want to know the damage to the city, it is useless to call me. It is better to call Marshal Konev directly.
If you fight, you can also get first-hand information.”
