When Stalin heard this, he immediately became happy: "Comrade Zhukov, you and Rokossovsky have come to me to fight for Xiao Misha's troops. I didn't expect that as soon as you heard that the Third Front also wanted him, you immediately
Changed my mind."
"Comrade Stalin, I understand." Zhukov replied: "If according to the original plan, Mischa and his troops go to Rokossovsky's Second Front, if anything happens to me, he will be there at any time.
I can provide support. But if I go to the Third Front Army and there is a Second Front Army in the middle, I'm afraid it won't be possible if I want them to support me."
After Stalin waited for Zhukov to finish speaking, he said unhurriedly: "The 48th, 65th and 70th Group Armies are assigned to the Second Front Army. This is the result of the research of the Supreme Command. No one has the right to change it casually. So, no matter what
No matter how many reasons you have to keep him, it won't work. Now that you have changed your mind and agreed that Xiao Misha and his troops will go to the Second Front, then arrange the transfer of troops as soon as possible."
"Okay, Comrade Stalin." Zhukov said: "Rokossovsky and I will immediately issue an order to move the troops to defense."
After ending the call with Stalin, Zhukov said to Rokossovsky: "Koschka, since the Supreme Command has made a decision long ago, let's follow the order. In this way, starting from tomorrow, on the 48th,
The troops of the 65th and 70th Group Armies will gradually move towards your Second Front Army defense zone."
"Well, before these three armies withdraw from the existing defense areas, the defense troops you arranged must be in place as soon as possible."
"Don't worry, Koschka." Zhukov said: "I know how to do such small things, you don't need to remind me."
Subsequently, Zhukov and Rokossovsky respectively issued orders to the 48th, 65th and 70th Group Armies to move their defenses. As for the defense areas they vacated, new troops would take over.
There is no airtight wall in the world. What happened in the headquarters was spread to the 48th Army Headquarters. When Sokov listened to the gossip relayed by Sidorin, he couldn't help being stunned. He looked at him in surprise.
Looking at Sidorin, his mind began to search for the history he knew.
According to his memory, the 48th Group Army had been incorporated into the combat order of the 1st and 2nd Belarusian Fronts since the Belarusian Campaign in June 1944. On February 11, 1945, it was assigned to the 3rd Belarusian Front.
Front Army. Just one week after the formation of the Third Front Army, that is, on February 18, the commander of the Front Army, General Chernyakhovsky, was shelled by the German army while commanding the battle and unfortunately died.
After Chernyakhovsky's death, Marshal Vasilevsky temporarily took over as commander of the Third Front. It was not until mid-April that Bagramyan officially took over as commander of the Third Front.
.
What Sokov didn't expect was that Chernyakhovsky also made a request to the Supreme Command, requesting that his troops be placed under the command of the Third Front. Thinking of this, Sokov shook his head with a wry smile and said to himself
People are as afraid of being famous as pigs are afraid of being strong. It seems that being too famous is not good. Commanders on all fronts want to recruit themselves into their ranks.
"Comrade Commander," Sidorin said to Sokov: "I think that in the next battle, the 1st and 2nd Belarusian Fronts, as well as Marshal Konev's 1st Ukrainian Front, may enter Berlin.
General Chernyakhovsky’s Third Belarusian Front seems to have nothing to do with the capture of Berlin.”
Sokov agreed with Sidorin's statement. According to his memory, at the end of the war, the troops of the Third Belarusian Front were still near Königsberg, still hundreds of kilometers away from Berlin.
"Yes, I also think that based on the current distribution of battle lines, the first unit to enter Berlin will be either Marshal Zhukov's First Belarusian Front or Marshal Konev's First Ukrainian Front. As for us, we are going
The reported Second Belarusian Front was only an assist at best, and it entered Berlin much later than the other two armies."
"Comrade Commander." Ponedelin reminded Sokov: "The troops are about to leave, but the candidate for the commander of the 3rd Infantry Division has not yet been determined. We can't always let the chief of staff, Lieutenant Colonel Myakov, act as his deputy.
?”
"General Kirillov has never had a clear position in the army, which is very detrimental to his future." Regarding the candidate for the new division commander of the 3rd Infantry Division, Sokov decided to choose Kirillov, but after
Before the official appointment, he felt it necessary to communicate with Ponejelin and Sidorin: "I plan to let him take over as the commander of the 3rd Infantry Division. What do you think?"
"I have no objection." Ponejelin was the first to speak.
"I have no objection either." Sidorin agreed: "It's a pity that our army group does not have an army structure, otherwise he could be appointed as army commander."
"Since everyone has no objections, let it be officially approved." Sokov said to Sidorin: "You will call General Kirillov later and ask him to take over the position of division commander in the 3rd Infantry Division."
"Okay, Comrade Commander." Sidorin nodded and said, "I'll call him right away."
But when Sidorin picked up the phone, he suddenly said: "I wonder what the current situation is like for Colonel Muzichenko and your classmates."
Sidorin's words reminded Sokov once again of the few people who were unwilling to follow him to the new army, and he thought that after not seeing each other for so long, he should really call them to check on them and see how they were doing.
But before making the call, Sokov asked Ponedelin: "Comrade Deputy Commander, do you know the recent situation of the 1st Ukrainian Front?"
"They have just concluded the Lviv-Sandomerz Battle." Ponedelin said: "In this important strategy, they severely damaged the German Army Group 'Northern Ukraine' and cleared the western Ukrainian states and Poland.
The German troops in the southeast region forcibly crossed the Vistula River and captured the large landing site west of Sandomierz, creating favorable conditions for the implementation of a new campaign."
After Ponejelin said these words, he asked curiously: "Comrade Commander, why do you ask this?"
"I want to call Marshal Konev and congratulate him." Sokov said: "At the same time, I want to know the current situation of General Muzichenko and those classmates."
After hearing Sokov's words, Ponedelin said: "Comrade Commander, I don't think this is necessary. Even if we don't call, I can guess that Muzichenko and the others must be having a hard time."
"Why?" Sokov asked rhetorically.
"When we left, Muzichenko was serving as a division commander." Ponedelin said to Sokov: "If he could go further, he would definitely call me and show off to me. But after so long
For a long time, I didn't receive a single call, which proves that Muzichenko's life is not as good as he originally imagined."
Knowing that Muzichenko was not having a good life, Sokov changed his mind and felt that it might be more appropriate to call the 51st Army Headquarters directly. Then he called the director of the communications corps and told the other party: "
Comrade Director, please help me get through to the 53rd Army Headquarters. I want to speak to their commander or chief of staff."
The person who answered the phone was Chief of Staff Smirnov. After hearing Sokov announcing his home, he casually asked: "Who?! Who do you think you are?"
The next moment, he exclaimed: "It turns out to be Commander Sokov, hello, hello, long time no see, how are you lately?"
"I'm fine, Comrade Chief of Staff." Sokov said with a smile, "How are you doing lately?"
"I'm fine too. Thank you for your concern, Commander." As Sokov's former chief of staff, Smirnov knew that the other party would not call for no reason, so he asked tentatively: "I didn't know you called today.
What's matter?"
Before making the call, Sokov was worried that Smirnov had been transferred to other units. Now that he found that his former partner was still in his original post, he stopped talking in circles and asked directly: "Comrade Chief of Staff
, I called you today to ask Colonel Muzichenko and some of my classmates how the situation is now."
When Sokov asked about Muzichenko, Smirnov fell silent.
Seeing that the other party suddenly stopped talking, Sokov immediately realized that something might have happened, and quickly asked: "Comrade Chief of Staff, has something happened? Please tell me the truth."
"You are right, Comrade Commander, something did happen." Smirnov said: "During the attack on Lviv, our army group failed to effectively destroy the enemy due to insufficient artillery preparations before the attack.
The defense system was so poor that Muzichenko and his division were ambushed by the Germans as they advanced towards the city. After a fierce battle, most members of the division died heroically, while the remaining personnel were rescued by the rescue force.
With help, I managed to escape from the German encirclement."
When Sokov heard this, he couldn't help but feel a thump in his heart. He asked tentatively: "Comrade Chief of Staff, so it means that Colonel Muzichenko and my classmates are all on the list of people who were attacked?"
"That's true." Smirnov said: "Since you left, Muzichenko arranged for all your classmates to serve as staff officers in the division headquarters. As a result, they all died when the Germans attacked them.
There are even some people who don’t even have complete corpses.”
Knowing that the people he left in the 53rd Army were all involved in the recent battle, Sokov felt extremely heavy in his heart. Although when he transferred out of the 53rd Army, these people refused to leave with him for various reasons, but
These people have more or less put their own stamp on it. When I heard that they sacrificed, it would be a lie to say that it was not uncomfortable.
After Sokov put down the phone, he announced to Ponedelin and Sidorin with a heavy heart: "Just now, General Smirnov, chief of staff of the 53rd Army, told me that Muzichenko and my classmates were attacking Lili.
During the battle of Wolf, the division headquarters on the way was attacked by the Germans, and unfortunately they all died heroically."
Sidorin was not familiar with Muzichenko and the remaining students. When Sokov said this, he just said: "It's such a pity." His expression did not change at all.
Not only were Ponedelin and Muzichenko old comrades-in-arms for many years, but they were also imprisoned in the same concentration camp after being captured by the Germans. They had a deep friendship with each other. When they learned of Muzichenko's sacrifice,
The eye circles suddenly turned red.
He turned around and raised his hand to wipe away the tears running down his cheeks, and asked with some choking: "Comrade Commander, do you know where he is buried?"
"I don't know." Sokov didn't ask about this at all just now. Naturally, he couldn't answer Ponedelin's question. He could only say with a wry smile: "I heard from General Smirnov that the battle situation at that time was very tragic and many sacrifices were made.
There are not even complete corpses of the commanders and fighters."
"Comrade Commander," Ponedelin said: "When the war is over, I will personally go to Lviv to see the area where my old friend died."
"Okay." Sokov nodded and said, "If you don't object, I can go with you."
Sidorin asked from the side: "Comrade Commander, do you need to tell General Kirillov about the death of Colonel Muzichenko?"
"There is no need." Sokov rejected Sidorin's proposal without hesitation: "We have just appointed Kirillov as the commander of the 3rd Infantry Division. Don't use these things to affect his emotions.
Allowing him to take over the army with peace of mind."
"Okay, then I won't tell him about this for now, so as not to affect his mood."
While Sidorin was on the phone, Ponedelin suggested to Sokov: "I think that after we arrive at the new defense area, we may not immediately launch an attack on the enemy, and we will definitely stay for a while. In this way
Come on, it involves the construction of fortifications. Do you think we should wait for the friendly forces to take over the defense before moving, or should the main force move first and only leave a part of the troops to wait for the friendly forces to take over the defense?"
"We still don't know whether there are enough fortifications in the newly assigned defense area, so it is not advisable to stay and wait until the defense is changed before moving." Sokov said: "What I mean is that each division should leave one
The regiment is responsible for handing over the defense, and the other troops will advance towards the area assigned to us by our superiors."
"Do I need to report the transfer to the front army headquarters?" Ponejelin asked.
Sokov laughed after hearing this, "Comrade Deputy Commander, I would like to report, but who should we report to? Is it Marshal Zhukov of the First Front Army or Marshal Rokossovsky of the Second Front Army?"
"
Ponyjelin thought about it, and it seemed to make sense. Since your superiors have given you the order to move the defenses, you just need to take the troops to move the defenses. Reporting to your superiors seems a bit superfluous. At best, you can wait until the troops are in place before reporting to them.
Just report it to your immediate superior.
The order was issued to the divisions and brigades of the 48th Group Army by phone. In the afternoon of the same day, the troops gradually withdrew from the defense area and moved towards the new garrison location.
When the troops departed, some of the seized materials could not be taken away. The director of the logistics department came to ask Sokov for instructions: "Comrade Commander, there are still a lot of seized materials in our defense area, but the vehicles are all used to transport soldiers.
, what should we do with these supplies?”
Sokov waved his hand and said boldly: "Since you can't take it away, let's keep it all. You know, these captured materials are not only useful to us, but also to the friendly forces who are defending.
