Since the end of the battle, Ponedelin's battle group was automatically disbanded. After he handed over the command of the 41st Guards Division to Chief of Staff Colonel Sidorin, he returned to Otats. After receiving the call from Koshkin
He received a call and learned that Sokov had something urgent to see him. Without saying a word, he went directly to the designated place.
Seeing Ponedelin walking into the conference room, Sokov stepped forward to shake hands with him and said politely: "General Ponedelin, you are here! I'm so sorry. I originally planned to let you have a good rest for a few days.
But something urgent happened and I had to call you here."
"It's okay, Comrade Commander." Ponejelin responded politely: "I wonder if something happened when you came to me in such a hurry?"
"Yes, General Ponedelin, something did happen." Sokov asked Ponedelin to sit down, "Sit down first, and then I will tell you slowly."
After Ponedelin sat down, Sokov organized some vocabulary in his mind and said: "General Ponedelin, I have bad news to tell you. After a while, I will
Being transferred."
"What, you are going to be transferred?" Upon hearing the news, Ponejelin showed a shocked expression on his face: "Comrade Commander, I wonder where you will be transferred?"
"General Ponedelin, you are not an outsider, so I won't hide anything from you." Sokov said: "Marshal Konev will soon be transferred to the First Ukrainian Front and serve as the commander of the front. I
And as his subordinate, I will follow him to the First Front Army."
"Comrade Commander, I wonder what kind of position your superiors will give you after you go there?" Ponejelin asked tentatively: "Will you be appointed as the deputy commander of the front army?"
"Impossible, this is absolutely impossible." As soon as Ponedelin finished speaking, Sokov waved his hand to deny his speculation: "With my current qualifications, as a combat group commander, there are many people gossiping.
.If he were to serve as deputy commander of the front army on any major front, I'm afraid more people would be dissatisfied."
"Then what position will you hold if you join the First Front Army?" Ponejelin thought of a possibility, but quickly rejected it in his mind, thinking it was impossible. Although he thought of this possibility in his heart,
The guess was rejected, but he still couldn't help but ask: "You won't be allowed to serve as the commander of the group army, right?"
"That's right." Sokov nodded and said affirmatively: "General Ponedelin, before you came here, General Zakharov, Chief of Staff of the Front Army, came and told me that the Supreme Command transferred me to Ukraine.
The First Army is preparing to let me serve as the commander of the group army and let me choose one of the three positions of commander of the group army."
"I wonder which three armies they are?"
"Lieutenant General Pukhov's 13th Army, Lieutenant General Trofimenko's 27th Army, Lieutenant General Zhimachenko's 40th Army."
After listening to the names of the three armies mentioned by Sokov, Ponedelin couldn't help but frowned: "Comrade Commander, I think you can be the commander of any group army, but the position of commander of the 27th Group Army is the only one.
You can’t serve.”
Hearing what Ponedelin said, Sokov couldn't help but become interested and asked curiously: "Why?"
"The reason is very simple," Ponejelin said without hesitation: "You are now the commander of the combat group, commanding the 53rd and 27th Army Groups, as well as two tank armies. If you really go to serve as the commander of the 27th Army Group
It will make others misunderstand that you made some mistakes and were demoted by the Supreme Command. This will have a bad impact on your reputation."
Sokov laughed after hearing this. He did not expect that Ponedelin's ideas coincided with his own.
Seeing Sokov smiling, Ponedelin thought that his statement of laughter was incorrect, so he explained: "Comrade Commander, believe me, you really don't want to serve as the commander of the 27th Army. This will treat you badly."
Reputation can have a negative impact."
"General Ponedelin, you misunderstood." Seeing Ponedelin's misunderstanding, Sokov quickly explained to him: "The reason why I laughed was because what you said coincided with my thoughts.
"
"So, you will not assume the position of commander of the 27th Group Army?"
"No, General Ponejelin." Sokov shook his head and said, "Although this army has achieved a series of results under my command, but now I am asked to go back and command this army.
I’m afraid it will be difficult to perform decently. Instead of disappointing my superiors in the future, it is better to join a new army and let this army, which was originally looked down upon, establish a series of eye-catching feats.”
"Comrade Commander, after hearing what you say, I can guess which army you are going to join!"
"Then tell me, which army will I join?"
"If I guess correctly, the 20th Army you want to go to is Lieutenant General Zhmachenko." Ponedelin said confidently: "When General Moskalenko was the commander, this army once had
It has performed well. But since General Moskalenko returned to the 38th Army as commander, this unit has begun to decline. I think, even if you do not choose this unit, your superiors will probably persuade you to serve as this unit.
The headquarters of this force is to change the status quo of this force."
"You are right, General Ponejelin." When Sokov and Zakharov were talking, they noticed that the other party seemed to want him to take over the position of commander of the 40th Group Army. When he expressed his willingness to take over
When Zhimachenko was on duty, he accidentally discovered that Zakharov secretly breathed a sigh of relief, "I also noticed that my superiors had such intentions."
After discussing Sokov’s future position, Ponedelin finally turned the topic to himself: “Comrade Commander, if you leave the Second Ukrainian Front, then I don’t think I can stay in this army for long.
Yes, after all, I am the one who was put in another book."
"Not only you, but also colonels Muzichenko and Kirillov." Seeing that Ponedelin had already guessed the reason why he asked him to come, Sokov simply explained the matter: "You three
I'm afraid no one can continue to gain a foothold in the Second Front."
"Then what do you think?" Ponedelin looked at Sokov and asked: "Are you going to let us stay here and wait for fate, or are you going to let us follow you to a new unit?"
"General Ponedelin, from the bottom of my heart, I very much hope that the three of you can follow me to the new unit." Sokov said sincerely: "This is why I asked you three to come here."
"I understand, Comrade Commander." Ponedelin nodded and said: "I personally express my position to you now, and I am willing to go to the new army with you. As for Muzichenko and Kirillov, even if
If they don't want to, I will try to persuade them."
"That's great." Sokov didn't expect things to go so smoothly. Before he could use the persuasion he had prepared in advance, Ponejelin took the initiative to agree to follow him to the new army. Since the other party was so supportive
Naturally, Sokov cannot treat the other party badly, "General Ponedelin, don't worry. When we get to the 40th Army, I will ask my superiors to appoint you as my deputy commander, so that we can fight side by side again."
"Comrade Commander," Ponedelin obviously didn't care about the position given by Sokov: "As long as I can fight alongside you, not to mention deputy commander, even if I am an ordinary soldier, I will be very happy."
Although he said this, how could Sokov let Ponedelin be an ordinary soldier? Instead, he smiled and said: "General Ponedelin, you are joking. With your ability, you are enough to serve me as a military soldier."
Teacher, I hope that when I ask you for advice in the future, you should not hide your secrets."
Sokov's words moved Ponedelin very much. He was very grateful for Sokov's care and new appointment. He nodded and tried his best to say in a calm tone: "Don't worry, Comrade Commander, I will definitely do it."
We will fully assist you in your work.”
Next, the two started a discussion on how the new unit should carry out its work. Ginger is still hotter, and Ponedelin has far more experience in this area than Sokov. Sokov met himself
If you don’t understand anything, you will ask again and again and write it down in your notebook.
While the two were busy, Koshkin came in from outside and reported to Sokov: "Comrade Commander, Colonel Muzichenko and Colonel Kirillov have arrived!"
"Invite them in!"
The next moment, Muzichenko and Kirillov appeared at the door. They saw Sokov and Ponedelin sitting next to the conference table. They were about to raise their hands to salute, but Sokov raised his hands to stop them.
He said: "We are all our own people, so there is no need to be so polite. Come and sit down."
After Muzichenko and Kirillov sat down, Sokov winked at Ponedelin, indicating that he would tell them what happened. Ponedelin understood the situation and nodded, then turned to face
The two colleagues said: "Muzichenko, Kirillov, the commander called the three of us here today because he has something important to announce to us."
"Important things?!" Kirillov interrupted: "Now that the battle is over, there will be no more fighting in a short time, and the commander called us here, there must be important things. General Ponejelin, you
Just don’t beat around the bush and tell us directly what’s going on.”
"Kirillov, don't worry, I'm just about to tell you what's wrong with you." Ponedelin glanced at Sokov, and then said something that surprised Muzichenko and Kirillov.
: "After a while, Comrade Commander will be transferred from the Second Front Army to the First Front Army to serve as the commander of the group army."
After hearing the news, the expressions on the two people's faces were the same as Ponejelin's just now, both of which were expressions of disbelief. After a while, Muzichenko said: "Comrade Commander, can you tell us what happened?"
What happened? You know, with your current ability, even if you cannot serve as the deputy commander of the First Front Army, you will not be given the position of commander of the group army? "
"This is an order from a superior." Sokov couldn't explain too much to the two of them, so he could only say vaguely: "Since I have been informed to report to the First Front Army in a while, I must obey."
"You should talk to your superiors to see if you can continue to stay in the Second Front." Muzichenko said.
"Colonel Muzichenko, as a veteran commander with decades of military experience, you naturally understand that no matter whether the orders in the army are right or wrong, you can only obey them and there is no room for bargaining." Sokov said calmly.
He said: "Since my superiors asked me to serve as the commander of the group army, I will just follow the order and take office."
After saying this, he carefully observed the expressions of the two of them, and seeing that they both looked disappointed, he continued: "I called General Ponejelin and you here today just to ask you what's next.
What are your plans? Are you going to stay in the Second Front Army, or are you going to join me in the First Front Army?"
"Comrade Commander, I will go wherever you go." As soon as Sokov finished speaking, Kirillov took the initiative and said: "I am willing to follow you to the First Front."
Muzichenko, on the other hand, looked hesitant, as if he was reluctant to give up his current position. Seeing this, Ponedelin showed dissatisfaction: "Muzichenko, what are you still thinking about? Don't you want to follow?
Will the commander go to the First Front?"
"General Ponedelin," Muzichenko said hesitantly after hearing what Ponedelin said: "I feel that even if I go to the First Front Army, I will only serve as a division commander. Instead of running around here and there.
, it is better to stay in the First Front Army and continue to serve as the commander of the 233rd Division."
"You...!" Ponjelin was so angry that he couldn't even speak when he heard what Muzichenko said. He pointed at him with his finger and his whole body was shaking with anger.
Seeing this, Sokov quickly raised his hand to stop him, and came out to smooth things over and said: "General Ponedelin, everyone has his own ambitions. Since Colonel Muzychenko is unwilling to join the First Front Army, I will not force him.
Let him remain in the Second Front."
When Muzichenko said that he wanted to stay in the Second Front, he kept beating the drum in his heart. He could not achieve his current status without the help of Sokov. But what he is doing now feels a bit like burning bridges. If
If you meet someone with a bad temper, you might just fight with fists and kicks.
Seeing Sokov being so reasonable at this moment, the heart hanging in his throat returned to his stomach again. He stood up and murmured: "Comrade Commander, since I won't follow you to the First Front, then I won't
It's obviously inappropriate to stay here. Do you allow me to leave?"
"Permission!" Sokov readily agreed, and took the initiative to extend his hand to him, saying in a friendly manner: "Colonel Muzichenko, then I wish you good luck!"
After Muzichenko left, Kirillov took a sip at his back and cursed dissatisfied: "What the hell? Without the help of the commander, you would still be in the cell of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. You are a prisoner today."
A division commander who doesn’t know his own surname actually commits suicide by crossing a river and destroying a bridge.”
Sokov is quite tolerant. Since Muzichenko doesn't want to hang out with him anymore, there is no need to force him to do anything, so he can just let him go. He only hopes that he will stop being so generous after suffering losses in the future.
Just find your own face.
"Okay, let me talk about my thoughts next." Sokov said to the two of them: "When we arrive at the new unit, I plan to appoint you Kirillov as the commander of the army, and bring the military commander from Frunze
All the students from the academy will be under your command, which will help us control the troops in a short time."
