"Yes, Comrade Chief of Staff of the Front Army." Sokov said affirmatively: "I believe that with the strength of the Belarusian First Front Army and the cooperation of several friendly forces, we will be able to liberate all of Belarus within three months.
territory."
After Malinin heard what Sokov said, he cast a look at Rokossovsky for help. He hoped that his commander could refute Sokov. But what he did not expect was that Rokossovsky
Ki actually supported Sokov's statement: "Misha, if your superiors can really agree to your combat plan, then I think it is entirely possible to liberate the entire territory of Belarus within three months."
Since Rokossovsky was speaking for Sokov, Malinin felt that maybe after the launch of the campaign to liberate Belarus, the entire territory of Belarus could really be liberated within three months.
"Comrade General." After Sokov waited for Rokossovsky to finish speaking, he added: "The military attack alone is not enough. We also need the cooperation of the guerrillas active in Belarus, allowing them to destroy railways, bridges and culverts behind enemy lines.
, as well as the German communication lines, military depots, etc. When the enemy is overwhelmed, our offensive will go more smoothly."
"Yes, you are right." Rokossovsky nodded and said: "Since Belarus was occupied by the Germans shortly after the war broke out, many of our dispersed troops had no chance to withdraw to us.
They stayed in the local area to fight guerrillas. They are familiar with the local terrain. With their cooperation, I think the battle will go more smoothly than imagined."
"The reason why our army's offensive in Ukraine is not progressing smoothly is entirely because we cannot get support from the guerrillas." Sokov said with emotion: "They are all guerrillas in name, but they are divided into three factions. 1.
The second is the guerrillas formed by the dispersed troops of our army; the second is the guerrillas supported by the Germans. This kind of troops are our enemies, and we will destroy them every time we find them; there is also the guerrillas who want to fight the Germans as well as
If they want to attack our army, General Vatutin will be injured in their hands."
"Well, you are right. The Belarusian guerrillas are much simpler and more reliable than the Ukrainian guerrillas." Rokossovsky said: "It is said that they also have a unified guerrilla headquarters.
, all guerrillas must obey the command of the headquarters. I am considering that, if possible, these guerrillas can be incorporated into our troops to supplement our lack of soldiers."
After the three of them talked for a while, Malinin asked tentatively: "Comrade Commander, will you report the plan proposed by Sokov to the Supreme Command?"
"Don't be anxious yet, my Comrade Chief of Staff." Rokossovsky said cautiously: "Although the plan proposed by Misha is very good, after all, it is a major event involving hundreds of thousands of troops, so we must be cautious.
I see that the two of us have been further improving this plan recently, and when I go to Moscow for a meeting, I will submit this plan to the Supreme Command for discussion."
"Okay," since Rokossovsky is not in a hurry to hand over the plan, Malinin is also happy to see the results. After all, the temporary plan is still somewhat immature and needs a professional staff member like him to carry out it.
Improvement: "We will wait until the plan is more complete before reporting it to our superiors."
"Misha," Rokossovsky said to Sokov: "There is nothing to do here, you can go back."
But Sokov did not leave immediately. Instead, he looked at Rokossovsky and asked: "Comrade General, I would like to ask when can we go to the 47th Group Army?"
"Don't be anxious, Misha." Rokossovsky said hesitantly: "The chief of staff and I have a lot of work to do recently, and we can't get away from it for a while. I think you should stay here for a few more days and wait for me.
When there is not so much work at hand, it will not be too late to send you to the 47th Group Army."
After Sokov returned to the place arranged for them by Rokossovsky, Ponedelin immediately came up to him and asked: "Comrade Commander, did General Rokossovsky say when we will go to the new unit?"
?”
"Don't be anxious, General Ponedelin." Sokov said with a wry smile: "Comrade General told me that he is very busy recently and really can't spare the time. Let us wait patiently for a few more days and wait for the work in his hands.
We are almost busy, it won’t be too late to send us to the 47th Group Army.”
"Comrade Commander," as soon as Sokov finished speaking, Kirillov reminded him with a frown: "I feel like something is wrong!"
"What's wrong?"
"You think, it's not our first day entering the army. When we take office somewhere, we still need the commander of the front army to accompany us? As long as we provide us with a certificate, we can go directly to the 47th Group Army to receive the troops." Kiri
Love said cautiously: "Now that we continue to stay here, I feel a little uneasy. I hope nothing will happen."
"Colonel, I think the situation is not as bad as you said, right?" Sidorin said: "The reason why General Rokossovsky said that he would personally send the commander to take office is because he is worried that someone in the 47th Group Army will be interested in him.
The commander was not convinced, so he went to endorse him. I think even if it is delayed for two more days, there should be no problem."
Sokov thought reasonably. Since Rokossovsky asked him to stay here for a few more days, he should stay for a few more days. Finally, he had an opportunity to be unofficial and light-hearted. If he didn't take the opportunity to relax, how could he be worthy of himself?
So he said to everyone: "Okay, there is no need to argue anymore. Since Comrade General asked us to stay, then we will stay. Please tell all students, don't stay in the room every day, you can go out when the time is right."
Let’s go for a walk and treat ourselves as if we are here on vacation.”
Since Sokov said this, Ponedelin and others could no longer object, so they conveyed his intention to the students. The students all cheered excitedly when they heard that they no longer had to sit in the room doing nothing every day.
In the next few days, the cadets went shopping in small groups. Although the city had just been liberated and supplies were still scarce, as officers, they were qualified to enter special officer stores to buy their favorite products. Seeing them
Being so free and comfortable, many officers in the front army headquarters were envious and wished they could become one of them, so that they could wander on the streets every day and buy a lot of goods they needed.
However, such a lively day did not last for a few days. On this day, Sokov and Sidorin returned from shopping in the officer's store. As soon as they entered the building, an officer came to him, raised his hand in salute and said: "You
Okay, General Sokov, Comrade Commander, if I have something to ask you, please come with me."
After Sokov handed everything in his hand to Sidorin, he followed the officer to Rokossovsky's office.
"Misha, you're here!" Rokossovsky first asked Sokov to sit down, then winked at the officer, then stood up and came to Sokov, and asked with concern: "These days
How are you doing?"
"It's simply great." Sokov replied truthfully: "Everyone feels that living here is a blessing. We are used to living in cars, bunkers, and tunnels, but we are suddenly surrounded by luxurious interior furnishings: there is heat
A bath with water, a bed with clean sheets, a bright, warm, quiet room, no gunfire, no explosions of shells and bombs. Everyone said that if possible, they would like to live there for the rest of their lives.
Don’t leave here.”
"Misha, I am now officially informing you: your vacation life is over!"
When Sokov heard what Rokossovsky said, not only was he not disappointed, but he also seemed a little excited: "Comrade General, so we can report to the new unit soon?"
"Yes, you can go there today if you want."
"Great, this is really great." When he heard that he could go to the army today, Sokov stood up suddenly and said with some urgency: "I will go back and inform everyone so that everyone is ready to go.
"
"Wait a minute, Misha, don't be anxious." Unexpectedly, Rokossovsky put his hand on Sokov's shoulder, asked him to sit down again, and then continued: "I haven't finished speaking yet.
.”
What Sokov was most afraid of hearing was his superior saying, "I haven't finished speaking yet," which meant that certain things would be deflected later. He said nervously: "Comrade General, please continue talking."
"Malinen and I, as well as Military Commissioner Telekin, have studied your offensive plan and feel that it is completely feasible. After further improvement, we will report it to the Supreme Command."
When Sokov heard this, he couldn't help but murmured in his heart: Since you have adopted my plan, you can just call me and tell me. There is no need to send someone to call me here?
Just as he was thinking wildly, he heard Rokossovsky continue: "I called you here today because I have an important decision to tell you."
A big decision?! Sokov couldn't help but start to beat the drum in his heart, secretly thinking that he would not let me serve as the deputy commander of the 1st Belarusian Front? This title sounds quite resounding, but he is not qualified for this position.
.
But what Rokossovsky said the next moment made him feel like he was falling into an ice cave: "After research, we feel that you are not suitable to be the commander of the 47th Group Army."
"Comrade General," Sokov looked a little flustered when he heard what Rokossovsky said: "Did I do something wrong that my superiors want to dismiss me from my post?"
Unexpectedly, Rokossovsky just smiled faintly after hearing this, and then called Sokov to the map hanging on the wall. He pointed at the map and asked Sokov: "Misha, tell me, what are you planning to do on the map?"
Where to attack the enemy?"
Sokov stared at the map on the wall for a while, then bent down to pick up the explanation stick placed on the wall, and explained according to the plan he proposed: "According to my plan, the troops on the right wing of the front attack from two directions at the same time.
Facing the German defense line, launch an unexpected attack to catch the enemy by surprise and break through their defenses in the shortest possible time."
"Do you know where the 47th Group Army is?"
"Here." When Sokov just looked at the map, he had already found the location of the 47th Army. He pointed in the direction of Kovel and said: "The combat area of the 47th Army is near the Kovel area."
"If you serve as the commander of the 47th Group Army and your troops are put into battle, which enemy will you fight?"
"Needless to say," Sokov knocked the position of Kovel with an explanation stick and said angrily: "Once it engages the enemy, the first enemy the 47th Group Army will face is the German army in Kovel.
Regional troops.”
"Yes, you are right." Rokossovsky nodded and said: "Since you are one of the planners of this offensive campaign, we all hope that you can also attack this time. And the 47th Army
Your troops are now on the left flank of the front army and cannot participate in the subsequent offensive operations, so we plan to re-adjust your duties."
Hearing that it was a re-adjustment of positions, not a removal from his post, Sokov couldn't help but secretly breathed a sigh of relief, and then asked: "Comrade General, I wonder which army you plan to arrange for me to go to?"
Rokossovsky did not give an answer immediately, but pointed to the map and said: "According to your plan, our right-wing troops will carry out two assaults from different locations. The attack plan after we have supplemented it is
: One is to use the 3rd and 48th Army to launch an assault on Bobruisk Osipovich from the Rogachev area; the other is to use the 65th and 28th Army to attack from the Ozarich area on the lower reaches of the Berezina River.
, carry out an assault in the direction of Slutsk."
Sokov is also a smart man. After hearing what Rokossovsky said, he immediately understood what he meant: "Comrade General, do you mean to let me serve as the commander of one of the group armies?"
"You are really smart, you guessed my intention right away."
Sokov felt that these four group armies were only stronger than the 47th Group Army. No matter which group army he served as commander, he would be a good choice: "Comrade General, I wonder which group army commander you plan to let me serve as?"
"I am going to let you serve as the commander of the 48th Group Army," Rokossovsky said: "After you take over the army, the original commander Lieutenant General Romanenko may be transferred back to Moscow to serve as a reserve in the base camp.
New position."
Sokov was only concerned about whether he could take over the command of the 48th Group Army this time. As for where the original commander went, he did not care at all. After he waited for Rokossovsky to finish, he said tentatively: "General
Comrade, so I can bring people over to take office in the afternoon?"
"Yes." Rokossovsky nodded: "You can lead people to the defense area of the 48th Group Army in the afternoon and take over the command of the army from General Romanenko."
"Comrade General, I have another question." Sokov asked cautiously: "I have been transferred to the 48th Army now, so will the original appointments continue to be valid?" Maybe he was worried about Rokossovsky.
Not understanding what he meant, he added, "For example, General Ponedelin is my deputy commander, and Colonel Sidorin is my chief of staff. This won't change, right?"
"No, no," Rokossovsky shook his head and said with a smile: "Although the unit you serve has changed from the 47th Group Army to the 48th Group Army, the positions originally assigned to your subordinates are not the same.
There will be any changes, you can rest assured of that.”
"That's good, that's good." Although the number of the unit he was going to report had changed, the positions of his men had not changed, which reassured Sokov. He stood up and asked Rokosov respectfully
Sky: "Comrade General, do you allow me to go back and make preparations for departure?"
"Permission!" Rokossovsky stretched out his hand to Sokov: "I wish you good luck!"
