"The attack launched by us and the 70th Group Army towards the Modlin Fortress successfully attracted part of the German army's attention." Batov said: "This reduced the artillery fire hit by the 48th Group Army during the attack."
"Even so, it is not easy to seize the triangle area." Rokossovsky continued to ask: "Do you know the specific battle process of Misha?"
"Yes, Comrade Marshal, I understand." Seeing that Rokossovsky was eager to know the performance of the 48th Army in the battle, Bartov repeated to him what he knew.
Rokossovsky fell silent after hearing this. He put himself into Sokov's role and wondered if he could command the troops to capture the Triangle if he were in the same situation at that time.
When there was no sound in the receiver, Bartov thought Rokossovsky had hung up the phone, so he tapped the receiver gently with his fingers to hear if there was any movement on the other side.
"Batov, what are you typing?" Rokossovsky's voice came from the receiver again.
"Comrade Marshal, I didn't hear you speak, and I thought you hung up the phone."
"Hey!" Rokossovsky sighed softly and said, "I was just thinking, if I were in Mischa's position, could I successfully escape from the Germans with the loss of friendly forces?
Seize the triangle area. Regrettably, I found that I couldn't do it at all. In addition to causing additional casualties to the troops, it is simply impossible to complete this combat mission under the current conditions."
"Comrade Marshal, I'm so sorry." Batov knew that Rokossovsky's call today meant that his days in the First Front had entered a countdown, and the last battle made him feel irrelevant.
He blushed and said to Rokossovsky: "Our performance is so disappointing to you."
"Batov, don't be so downcast." Rokossovsky comforted Bartov and said: "No one in this world is a victorious general. It is inevitable to lose one or two battles. You must not carry anything."
I’m burdened with my thoughts so as not to affect the next battle, do you understand?”
"I understand, Comrade Marshal." Batov said, "I wonder where you plan to deploy us?"
"I plan to deploy your three armies on the left wing of the front army," Rokossovsky said: "Because the terrain on the right wing is too high, it would be quite difficult to launch an attack from this direction, so I plan to choose the direction of attack on the left wing.
, so after you come to the Second Front, you will take on this arduous main offensive task."
Bartov, who was eager to save his face, couldn't wait to ask after hearing this: "Comrade Marshal, I wonder when we can be transferred?"
"Don't be anxious, Bartov." Rokossovsky said into the microphone: "I still need to communicate with Marshal Zhukov about your specific departure time to see what he says. But you can make preparations first.
, when friendly forces come to take over your defense, you can leave."
After ending the call with Batov, Rokossovsky called the First Front Army Headquarters to discuss the mobilization of troops with Zhukov.
The person who answered the phone was Malinin. When he heard Rokossovsky's voice, he exclaimed: "Comrade Commander, when will you be discharged from the hospital?"
"I just got out of the hospital yesterday." Rokossovsky replied: "The condition was not serious at first. After lying in the hospital for two days, it was almost healed. I thought that I had more important things to do, so I
Discuss with the hospital director and ask him to agree to my discharge."
"You still need to pay more attention to your health. After all, the sequelae of that injury were too serious." Ma Lining asked with concern: "The weather has changed a lot during this period. Does your back still hurt a lot?"
After the counterattack under the city of Moscow began, when Rokossovsky was commanding the troops to fight, his headquarters was hit by a German artillery shell. He was seriously injured at the time and lay in the hospital for several months. After his injuries recovered,
There are sequelae. When it is windy, rainy or has a strong drop in temperature, the vest will be in unbearable pain, which is why Ma Lining asked this question.
"Much better." Rokossovsky said with a smile: "When I was discharged from the hospital this time, the military doctor gave me a new type of anti-inflammatory drug, and the effect was much better than the previous drugs. The climate changes in the past two days, I
I don’t even feel anything.”
After a pause, he asked tentatively: "Is Marshal Zhukov here?"
"Yes, Comrade Commander." Malinen said, "He is sleeping in the room next door. Do you need me to wake him up?"
"Yes, wake him up." Rokossovsky said: "I have something important to talk to him about."
A few minutes later, a somewhat sleepy Zhukov walked in from the outside and picked up the microphone on the table: "Koschka, this is Zhukov!"
"Georgy Konstantinovich, I'm really sorry for disturbing your rest." Rokossovsky said apologetically on the phone: "I want to talk to you about letting the 48th, 65th and
The matter of the return of the 70th Group Army."
Zhukov was silent for a moment, and then said in a gentle tone: "Koschka, I want to discuss something with you."
When Rokossovsky heard that Zhukov, who had always been tough, actually spoke to him in such a calm tone, he suddenly had an ominous premonition in his heart. He tried hard to control his emotions and asked in a calm tone: "Go on, tell me.
Georgi Konstantinovich, if you have any questions, just ask."
"The three armies that the Supreme Command planned to transfer from the First Front Army, in order to compensate, assigned General Tsvetaev's 33rd Army to us." Zhukov said slowly: "I want you to
Take this army back and leave Misha’s 48th Army behind. What do you think?”
"What, leave Misha's 48th Army behind?!" After hearing Zhukov's proposal, Rokossovsky rejected it without hesitation: "No, no, the mobilization of troops is decided by the Supreme Command. How can we
Can it be changed at will? Regarding the plan to replace the 48th Army with the 33rd Army, I don’t agree."
Zhukov originally reserved his own opinion on the plan arranged by the base camp to transfer three armies and bring in one army. In the offensive battle that ended not long ago, he saw with his own eyes the capabilities displayed by Sokov's troops, which made him
He felt that it would be a waste to hand over such a good unit to Rokossovsky, so he proposed a plan to exchange the 33rd Army for the 48th Army.
But what he didn't expect was that Rokossovsky refused so simply. But Zhukov was also a man who did not give up easily. He continued: "Koschka, if you are worried that my plan will be rejected by the Supreme Commander
You can rest assured of the opposition of the Supreme Command. In any case, I am the deputy commander-in-chief, so there should be no problem in asking the Supreme Command to modify such a small order."
"Marshal Zhukov." When Rokossovsky saw that Zhukov insisted on keeping Sokov's troops, he couldn't help but feel a little angry, and his title to Zhukov also changed, from the original affectionate title to a business-like one.
Last name: "Misha is my subordinate, and I will not compromise on this."
Sokov, who was far away in the headquarters on the Narew River, did not know that Rokossovsky and Zhukov had a serious dispute over his stay. He only felt that his nose was itching.
, couldn't help sneezing several times in succession.
Ponedelin, who was sitting next to him, looked at Sokov with a smile. Every time Sokov sneezed, he would say next to him: "I wish you good health!"
Sokov knew that this was a Russian tradition, an auspicious word spoken when someone sneezed. He wanted to respond, but the sneezing continued endlessly, and he did not stop for more than twenty times in a row.
Sokov's strange behavior attracted the attention of other people in the headquarters. Sidorin, who was talking to the director of the communications corps, saw Sokov sneezing non-stop and quickly came over and asked with concern: "Commander
Comrade, do you have a cold? How about I ask the military doctor to check your body?"
"No, no need." In order to stop sneezing, Sokov pinched his nose with his hand and replied angrily: "I'm fine. It may be an allergic reaction caused by something. It will be fine in a moment."
After finally waiting until the sneezing stopped, Sokov breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Thank God, the damn sneezing finally stopped."
The phone rang, and the person who answered the phone was Sidorin. He listened for a moment, with a shocked expression on his face, and then turned to Sokov and said: "Comrade Commander, this is the call from Chief of Staff Malinin. He said
Marshal Zhukov and Marshal Rokossovsky are quarreling over you."
When Sokov heard this, he was immediately confused. He thought that he seemed to have done nothing recently. How could he let the two marshals have a dispute over him?
In order to find out what was going on, he pointed at Sidorin with his hand and said: "Chief of Staff, ask General Malinin what is going on?"
"Okay." Sidorin agreed, and then asked Malinin: "Chief of Staff Malinin, can you tell me what happened? Why did the two marshals quarrel over our commander?"
Malinin went to another room specifically to make the call, so he did not have to worry about speaking or deliberately lower his voice. He simply said: "Marshal Rokossovsky called today to discuss with Marshal Zhukov."
The three armies have joined the formation of the Second Front. However, Marshal Zhukov proposed that the 33rd Army of General Tsvetaev be returned to the formation, and your 48th Army should remain in the sequence of the First Front. Luo
Naturally, Marshal Kossovsky disagreed, and the two had a dispute."
He finally said: "I estimate that in the end, both parties will seek Sokov's opinion, so I called you in advance just to make him mentally prepared."
After Sidorin put down the phone, he repeated what Malinin said to Sokov and Ponedelin, and finally said: "Comrade Commander, I don't know what you think about it, is to stay in the First Front Army?"
, or follow Marshal Rokossovsky to the Second Front?"
Sokov did not answer the question immediately, but looked at Ponedelin and said: "Comrade Deputy Commander, I want to hear your opinion on this matter."
Ponedelin did not expect that Sokov would suddenly throw this problem to him. After hesitating for a while, he said cautiously: "To be fair, I hope to stay in the First Front Army. After all, this army is the main force attacking Berlin.
He will be the first unit to enter Berlin and will have more time to build up his merits.
But considering your relationship with Marshal Rokossovsky, there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with joining the Second Front. Although you won't be able to achieve such a great feat as conquering Berlin, you can still achieve great results in the battle to capture East Prussia.
achievements."
Ponedelin's words are as good as unsaid. The final decision of which army to stay in remains in Sokov's hands.
Just when Sokov began to think about his future, Zhukov and Rokossovsky had already reported the matter to Stalin, both wanting to keep Sokov's troops in their front ranks.
After listening to what the two of them said, Stalin couldn't help but laugh, "I really didn't expect that little Misha has become your hot commodity."
Zhukov said: "Misha has been in the First Front Army for more than half a year and is already familiar with the environment here. If he is allowed to stay, I think he can give full play to his military command talents."
Rokossovsky had different concerns from Zhukov. He felt that there was something in what Stalin just said, so he asked tentatively: "Comrade Stalin, I want to ask, besides Marshal Zhukov and me, who else is there?"
Is anyone interested in Misha?"
Zhukov couldn't help but be stunned. He felt that what Rokossovsky said made sense. If it was just a dispute between himself and the other party, Stalin would have made a decision long ago. But from his tone, it seemed that he wanted Sokov to join his own army.
People, not just myself and Rokossovsky.
So he also echoed: "Yes, Comrade Stalin, I wonder who else is interested in Misha?"
Seeing that both of them had guessed something from his words, Stalin did not hide anything, but said truthfully: "You are right. Apart from the two of you, there are indeed people who want Xiao Misha to be part of his army."
."
"Who is it?" Zhukov and Rokossovsky asked in unison, their voices full of anger.
"It's General Chernyakhovsky, the commander of the Third Belarusian Front." Stalin said: "He feels that the combat effectiveness of several armies under his command is mediocre, and he hopes that I can send him a strong force to improve other groups.
The combat effectiveness of the troops. And what he is optimistic about is precisely Xiao Misha's 48th Group Army."
Zhukov and Rokossovsky never dreamed that Sokov, who was so at odds with them, would actually be taken into consideration by others. If Sokov was really allowed to go to the Third Front, what would happen to them?
is very disadvantageous.
After thinking about this, Zhukov changed his mind and even took the initiative to propose to Stalin: "Comrade Stalin, I think Mischa's 48th Army should stay in Rokossovsky's Second Front."
When everyone was surprised, he continued: "According to the resolution of the base camp, the left wing of Rokossovsky's Second Front should be equipped with a powerful assault force, but when my First Front encounters difficulties, it can
Come to help. And Misha’s troops are suitable for the role of assault force, so I still think he should be assigned to the Second Front Army.”
This chapter has been completed!