When Zhukov and Konev left, they took Ponedelin's people with them. After Sokov learned the news, he was ready to rush to see them off.
Samyko quickly grabbed Sokov and said earnestly: "Comrade Commander, I don't think you should send him off."
"Why?" Sokov asked.
"The reason is very simple," Sameko said plausibly: "These three generals were sentenced to death in absentia by the Supreme Military Court. If you have a too close relationship with them, I am afraid it will be very detrimental to you."
"Comrade Chief of Staff," Sokov retorted: "You were also there when I was talking to General Ponedelin just now, and you saw the scars on his body with your own eyes. You can't fake it. We can definitely
Convince Marshal Zhukov to recommend that the Supreme Military Court retry the cases of the three generals and restore their innocence."
While Sokov and Samyko were arguing, Lunev smiled and said nothing. When the two were almost finished arguing, he said: "Comrade Chief of Staff, I think the commander should go and see him off."
.”
"Comrade Military Commissioner, aren't you worried that the commander will be implicated?"
"Implicated, what kind of involvement?" Lunev deliberately said with a straight face: "Comrade Commander sent Marshal Zhukov and the front commander General Konev away, what can be wrong?"
Samyko originally wanted to say something, but when he saw Lunev winking at him, he immediately realized that the other party had something to say and wanted to say it to him privately, so he chose to give in to Sokov: "Okay,
Comrade Commander, since you insist on going, I won't stop you. There is still a lot of work to be done in the headquarters, so I won't accompany you."
Sokov had something to say to Ponedelin in private. Samyko and others were unwilling to go, and he was getting what he wanted. After a few perfunctory words, he left the headquarters with Samoilov.
As soon as Sokov left the headquarters, Samyko walked up to Lunev and asked curiously: "Comrade Military Commissar, you just kept winking at me. Is there something wrong?"
"Comrade Chief of Staff, you are worrying too much." Lunev asked Samyko to sit down and said to him with a smile: "You think Marshal Zhukov and General Konev took the three of them away to hand them over to the highest military level.
Does the court carry out the death penalty?”
"Is not it?"
"Of course not." Lunev shook his head and said, "Didn't you notice that when General Konev was troubling Nedelin, Marshal Zhukov sat next to him and didn't say a word?"
After Lunev's reminder, Samyko felt that this was indeed the case, and couldn't help but curiously asked: "Comrade Military Commissar, what on earth is going on? I'm so confused?"
"If I guess correctly, Marshal Zhukov plans to wait until Ponedelin and others have cleared their grievances and recovered their health before sending them to our army group." Lunev explained to Samyko with a smile: "
I think the two of them might have had a good time on the way here and discussed a countermeasure. General Konev launched the attack, while the comrade commander kept defending Ponedelin. This would increase Ponedelin's opposition to
Only if he is assigned to our group army in the future will he unconditionally obey all the orders issued by the comrade commander."
"Is that so?" Samyko felt that Luniev's statement was somewhat absurd. He asked tentatively: "Then why didn't Comrade Commander see it?" According to his idea, since Luniev can
If you can see something is wrong, why can't Sokov find it?
"It's very simple." Lunev said: "As Comrade Commander once said, anything that cares about will lead to chaos. The authorities are confused and the beholder knows clearly. When he said these words at the time, I didn't understand what he meant, but now I can understand
The meaning of these words is clear. He was just worried about the safety of Ponedelin and others, and did not realize that this was all a ploy by Zhukov and Konev."
"Oh, so that's what happened." Samek nodded vigorously after hearing this, and then asked: "Then do we need to tell Comrade Commander about this?"
"That's not necessary." Lunev shook his head and said, "Since neither Zhukov nor Konev has revealed the matter, we can just pretend that we don't know."
Sokov rushed to a nearby square, where Zhukov and Konev's motorcade was parked.
Seeing Sokov coming in a hurry, Zhukov and Konev looked at each other and said with a smile: "Comrade Konev, I think you should deal with Misha. I'm worried that if I come forward, he might see him.
There is a flaw.”
"Okay, Comrade Marshal." Konev replied very readily: "I will deal with him."
Konev walked towards Sokov and asked with a straight face even though they were still far away: "Comrade Sokov, didn't we just tell you that you can stay at the headquarters and command the troops in combat without coming here?"
Send us off?"
Seeing that the person blocking his way was Konev, Sokov quickly stopped and raised his hand to salute Konev. Naturally, he could not directly say that he was here to say goodbye to Ponedelin and others, but changed the subject in time.
: "Comrade Commander of the Front Army, the reason why I came here is because I have something I need to ask for your instructions on."
"Oh, do you have anything to ask me for?" Sokov's words aroused Konev's curiosity: "Tell me, do you have anything to ask me for?"
"That's right. Now that our department has taken control of Kremenchug, I would like to ask what our next task is." After Sokov finished speaking, he added without waiting for Konev to speak.
: "Do I mean to just hold on to Klementchuk, or continue to expand the occupied area?"
Hearing Sokov's question, Konev replied without hesitation: "The Germans are definitely not willing to lose Kremenchug, and they will definitely launch a crazy attack there next. If you disperse your forces and occupy other places
area, it may be difficult to defend the landing site established on the right bank of the Dnieper River."
"Understood, Comrade Commander of the Front Army." Sokov straightened his back and said: "I will transfer the main force of the group army to the area as soon as possible to consolidate the already established landing site."
"Comrade Sokov, don't worry, you are not fighting alone." Konev said to Sokov in an encouraging tone: "There are enough troops to attack Poltava now, and I plan to send the 53rd Army to reinforce you.
.I believe that as long as two armies are placed at the landing site on the right bank of the Dnieper River, no matter how crazy the German attack is, they will never be able to drive you into the Dnieper River."
When Sokov and Konev were talking, his eyes couldn't help but look around, trying to see clearly where Ponedelin and others were. Konev noticed Sokov's abnormality, and deliberately asked: "Comrade Sokov, what are you doing?"
looking at what?"
Seeing that Konev was aware of his purpose, Sokov did not hide it and asked truthfully: "Comrade Commander of the Front Army, I want to see General Ponedelin. Is it okay?"
Faced with Sokov's request, Konev did not make things difficult. He pointed at a covered truck standing in the distance: "Here, the three of them are in that car. What do you say?
Just stand under the car and say it."
Just when Sokov agreed and was about to turn around and leave, Konev added: "Remember, you only have five minutes. When the time is up, we will set off."
Sokov agreed and ran away quickly.
He came to the back of the covered truck and patted the tailgate twice with his hand. The tarpaulin lifted a corner, and a captain stuck his head out, looked down at Sokov under the car, and asked politely:
"General Sokov, what can I do for you?"
"I want to see General Ponejelin."
"I'm sorry, General Sokov." The captain replied politely but distantly: "The commander of the front army has an order that no one is allowed to see the people in the car before arriving at the destination."
"I came here on the order of the commander of the front army." Sokov was afraid that the captain would not be able to do it, and pointed at Konev standing in the distance: "No, you can ask him."
When the captain heard what Sokov said, he quickly raised his head and looked at Konev in the distance. Konev in the distance saw the captain looking towards him, and nodded to him, indicating that Sokov and Bo could be allowed to leave.
Meet Nedelin.
The captain received Konev's instructions, lowered his head and said to Sokov: "General Sokov, please wait a moment." After saying that, he disappeared behind the tarpaulin.
Not long after, a corner of the tarp was lifted again, and Ponedelin's head emerged from it. Looking at Sokov standing under the car, he asked with some surprise: "General Sokov, what are you doing here?"
What? When you come to see us, aren't you worried that you will be implicated?"
"General Ponedelin, I believe you are innocent." Sokov looked up at Ponedelin and said sincerely: "I have already said what needs to be said to Marshal Zhukov and General Konev.
If the Supreme Military Court retrials your case, as long as they testify, your chances of being acquitted are very high."
"Thank you, General Sokov." Ponedelin's eyes were red, but he tried hard to control his emotions and did not let tears flow out: "No matter what the outcome will be when I go to Moscow this time. You
I will always keep your trust in me in mind.”
After the two chatted for a while, a major walked up to Sokov from a distance and said politely: "General Sokov, the time has come and we are about to set off. Please do as you please."
Looking at the convoy going away, Samoilov tentatively asked Sokov: "Comrade Commander, do you think they have any hope of surviving after going to Moscow?"
"Yes, Comrade Lieutenant." Sokov turned to look at Samoilov and said in a positive tone: "As long as Marshal Zhukov and the commander of the front army help, they will definitely regain their freedom."
Sokov took Samoilov back to the headquarters. As soon as he entered the door, Samyko greeted him and reported to him with some excitement: "Comrade Commander, good news, good news!"
"What good news?"
"General Fomenko's 84th Infantry Division has successfully arrived at Kremenchug."
"This is great." After Sokov said this, he casually asked: "Have you reported it to the front army headquarters?"
"Not yet." Sameko said: "If you have no objection, I will report to the front army headquarters now."
"Wait a minute, Comrade Chief of Staff." Sokov waved his hand: "I think it's better to wait and report it later."
"Okay." Now that Sokov had spoken, Samyko would not go against his will and just asked: "Where do you plan to deploy the Fomenko Division? Is it to stay near Kremenchug to build fortifications?
Or send them to the landing site on the right bank of the Dnieper River to consolidate the defense there?"
"Just now when I went to see off General Ponejelin, I had a few words with the commander of the front army." Sokov said to Samyko: "He offered to send the 53rd Army to reinforce us. When I saw it, I
Let the 53rd Army be responsible for the outer defense area of Klemenkoug, while our army will be responsible for the defense of the landing site on the right bank."
Unexpectedly, after hearing this, Sameko's face changed drastically: "Comrade Commander, are our troops deployed at the landing site on the right bank?"
"Is there anything wrong with doing this?"
"Of course it's not appropriate," Samyko pulled Sokov to the table and pointed to the map above and said to him: "Comrade Commander, look at it, now we only control one crossing point at Klemenkoug.
, and other crossing points of the Dnieper River are controlled by the Germans. If their frontal attack on the landing site does not go smoothly, they will inevitably enter the left bank from other crossing points and launch an attack on Klementchug from the upper and lower reaches of the river. You
Do you think the 53rd Army can block the enemy’s attack?”
Without waiting for Sokov to speak, he added: "Anyway, I don't think they can stop them. Once the enemy reoccupies Kremenchug, we will be isolated on the right bank. You know, there are many subordinates of the group army now.
The divisions are all equipped with new assault rifles. This kind of weapon relies heavily on logistics. Once we are surrounded by the German army and cannot get enough supplies, the combat effectiveness of these divisions will be affected."
Samyko's words reminded Sokov that placing all his troops at the landing site on the right bank would certainly be able to block the enemy's frontal attack. But if the Germans crossed the river from other areas to the left bank and re-captured Kleminchug
, then your troops will be trapped in a tight siege. No matter how capable the troops are, once their supplies are cut off, their entire army will be annihilated.
After thinking about this truth, Sokov nodded, looked at Samyko and said: "Comrade Chief of Staff, you are right. Once the Germans' frontal attack on the landing site fails, they will definitely find a way to go back to the rear of our army and cut off
Our retreat."
He picked up a pencil and drew a circle around Poltava, and said with a smile: "Poltava is still in the hands of the Germans. If we are surrounded by the Germans, we can successfully cross the river and return to the left bank."
, and we need to walk more than two hundred kilometers to enter our army's defense zone. But by then, I'm afraid the 27th Group Army will no longer exist."
As a military commissar, Lunev rarely expressed any opinions when Sokov and Samyko discussed military affairs. But when Sokov actually mentioned the annihilation of the entire army, he couldn't help but feel moved: "Comrade Commander, the situation is really
is it so serious?"
"Yes, Comrade Military Commissar." Sokov replied seriously: "This is not an alarmist statement on my part, but it is a completely possible situation." In order to give Lunev a perceptual understanding, he also pointed to the map for details.
’s explanation, “You see, almost all crossing points along the Dnieper River are in the hands of the Germans. If they want to cut off our army’s retreat, they can cross the river at any crossing point and then go up or down the river.
Then go down to attack Klemenkoug and cut off all connections between the landing site on the right bank and the left bank.
As for our main force, we are still in Poltava, more than 200 kilometers away from the Dnieper River. Even if they knew that we were in danger, it would be difficult for them to come to the rescue in time. And once our supplies are interrupted, it will become
Lambs to the slaughter in the hands of the Germans, we can only watch helplessly as the Germans wipe us out."
"Actually, even if we are besieged, our superiors can provide us with supplies through air supplies." What Lunev was thinking was that if the entire 27th Army was on the right bank of the Dnieper River, then when it advanced deep into Ukraine, it would be
He could achieve greater results and achieve greater feats. If some of his troops were withdrawn to the left bank, the honor gained would be affected, so he still took a chance.
"The chief of staff has just said that many of our divisions are equipped with new assault rifles in large quantities. This kind of weapon is very dependent on logistics." Sokov shook his head and said: "Just air-dropping assault rifle ammunition must be enough."
It is very unrealistic to occupy a large amount of airdrop shares.
And more importantly, once our army is trapped in a tight siege, the Germans will definitely launch constant attacks to compress our living space, resulting in insufficient airdrop areas. As a result, our pilots risked their lives to airdrop all the supplies.
