"Nice to meet you, Comrade Shulka!" When Zhukov saw Shulka, he immediately stepped forward and gave him a big hug. Then he said to Khrushchev with some embarrassment: "I'm sorry, political commissar."
Comrade, Comrade Shulka and I are old comrades-in-arms!"
"That's understandable, Comrade Zhukov!" Khrushchev shook hands with Zhukov.
There were only a few generals in the conference room, and Shulka immediately recognized Air Force General Novikov, who was sitting by the window, drinking tea and looking at the others coldly... He seemed to be thinking about what to do.
How to deal with these "enemy" offensives, to him, this meeting was like a debate between the Air Force and the Army, the outcome of which would determine the fate of the Air Force.
Of course, Novikov believed that the decision-making power was always in his own hands... No one could persuade him to change his mind unless the High Command removed him.
"Nice to meet you, Comrade Novikov!" Khrushchev stepped forward, shook hands with Novikov, and then introduced: "This is the Comrade Shulka I told you about!"
Novikov nodded, glanced at Shulka, and then said calmly: "Sorry, Comrade Khrushchev, I didn't know that the Army needs a captain to formulate an offensive plan, and this offensive plan even includes the Air Force.
!”
"Military rank means nothing!" Khrushchev replied: "What we need is a useful plan, don't you think? Comrade Novikov?"
"That's just because you think it's useful!" Novikov replied coldly.
Zhukov, who was standing nearby, interjected: "Comrade Novikov thinks this plan is unrealistic. Even if the air force has a tactical advantage, that is, we can lay traps first, we will probably be repelled by the enemy's air force!"
"
Obviously, Zhukov and others had argued with Novikov before. Zhukov sided with Shulka, while Novikov was on the opposite side.
"What I want to say is..." Novikov stared at Shulka, and he decided to take a preemptive strike: "You don't understand air combat, Captain! Do you think that air combat is like infantry or tanks on the ground, a simple ambush or something more?"
Victory can be achieved if more fighter planes attack first. No, that is not the case. As far as I know, the Germans have even installed radars on their planes. They can detect the position of our fighter planes dozens of kilometers away. Even if
We hide behind the clouds!”
Shulka knew that what Novikov said was true. For example, the German night fighters were equipped with radars.
But of course, radar in this era was not very reliable, and the signal was easily interfered, so it was not as exaggerated as Novikov said.
"We will always counterattack, Comrade Novikov!" Khrushchev expressed dissatisfaction with Novikov's words: "I think that at any time, we should not assume that the enemy will defeat us. We should believe that the enemy will defeat us.
Own!"
"I believe in myself and I believe we will win!" Novikov replied: "But not now, our pilots need time to grow!"
"But the current war situation does not allow us to wait any longer!" Khrushchev retorted: "You have to know that we are talking about Stalingrad now. If this city is lost, Moscow's rear will also be exposed to the enemy.
Under the edge... At that time, I wonder what is the use of keeping the air force? I mean, if Moscow is surrounded by enemies, can you still say that our pilots need time to grow? "
"The problem is that even if I am willing to invest the air force in this plan, we may not be able to win!" Novikov said: "And the price of failure is, as you said, Comrade Political Commissar, we may completely lose the air force.
barrier, and the Soviet Union will be in danger!"
"So what do you think we should do? Just let Stalingrad be occupied by the enemy?"
"We can make another battle plan!"
"We have no other plan, this is the only way!"
…
The two sides are arguing with each other, and what they say makes sense.
Sometimes things on the battlefield are so ironic: both sides arguing with each other have the same purpose, which is to defeat the enemy and defend the Soviet Union. At the same time, both sides believe that if they do not follow their own ideas, they will lead to the same result...the collapse of the Soviet Union.
They argued so fiercely that Shulka was left alone and unable to say anything.
In fact, Shulka didn't want to interrupt, he just listened quietly.
Until Khrushchev said angrily: "Comrade Shulka, don't you say something? Is it possible to implement the plan you proposed without the air force?"
"No, Comrade Political Commissar!" Shulka replied: "We must have air force cover, otherwise we cannot win this war!"
"So what if we win this war?" Novikov said: "If the pilots suffer heavy losses in this battle, it may take us two years or even more to recover. By then we will have more people like Stalin.
Gullah’s problem! You don’t understand the consequences of this!”
"Comrade Novikov, I agree with your statement!" Shulka said.
Khrushchev couldn't help but look at Shulka in astonishment, and Zhukov and Novikov were no exception.
"You are crazy, Comrade Shulka!" Khrushchev still couldn't believe that Shulka would say such a thing.
"No, Comrade Novikov is right!" Shulka said: "We cannot let the Air Force suffer heavy losses, because training pilots, especially excellent pilots, takes a long time. It takes several months or even several months to train infantry.
It’s different to be able to form an army in one day!”
Novikov cast an unexpected look at Shulka again. He realized that the captain in front of him was not simple. He seemed to know some knowledge about air combat.
Moreover, Novikov believed that Shulka would never be that simple.
Sure enough, Shulka changed the topic and said: "But, Comrade Novikov, why can't we win the Battle of Stalingrad and preserve the strength of the Air Force at the same time?"
Novikov couldn't help laughing: "Just rely on those so-called tactical advantages? I have already said that although they are useful, they will not be useful to the point of defeating the enemy's air force!"
"No, it's not just this!" Shulka said: "If we use ground troops as bait, do you think this advantage is enough?"
"What do you mean?" Novikov asked.
"I mean... the ground troops are in front, waiting for the enemy to attack!" Shulka said: "When the enemy fighters and bombers launch attacks on our army, our fighters will enter the battle again!" (To be continued)