Watching Antonov and Semosykin leave, Belgin said to Sokov in a reproachful tone: "Comrade Brigadier, how could you say that to General Antonov? You know, the German army The possibility of attacking Stalingrad is just your guess, and this may not happen at all."
Regarding Belkin's doubts, Sokov did not argue with him, but said to him: "Let's go, Comrade Political Commissar, let's settle the soldiers first. I think they must be tired and hungry now. "
After Antonov returned to the General Staff Headquarters on Gogol Boulevard, he wanted to report his trip to the station to Vasilevsky. Unexpectedly, he did not see the shadow of the Chief of General Staff in the office. He stopped a passing staff officer and asked curiously: "Where has Comrade Chief of General Staff gone?"
When the staff officer saw that the person asking him was the Deputy Minister of Operations, he quickly and respectfully replied: "Comrade Deputy Minister, an hour ago, the Chief of General Staff received a call from the Supreme Commander himself and rushed to the Kremlin."
Antonov learned that Vasilevsky had gone to the Kremlin and knew that there must be something important and he would not be able to come back for a while, so he turned and walked towards his office, preparing to transfer the remaining work Done.
At the same time, Vasilevsky was in Stalin's office, reporting to him the latest intelligence he had just obtained. Stalin, with a pale face, walked back and forth in the room with his pipe in his mouth. The situation had changed far beyond his imagination.
After Vasilevsky finished his report, he took the pipe out of his mouth, held it in his hand, and asked with a serious expression: "Comrade Vasilevsky, is the current battlefield situation really so critical?" moment?"
"Yes, Comrade Stalin." Vasilevsky stopped and replied: "Judging from the current situation, the German army's next offensive target is Stalingrad. Once the city named after you is captured, They can cut off our connection with the south in one fell swoop, and while seizing food and oil resources, they can also encircle Moscow in a roundabout way."
Stalin put the pipe back into his mouth and asked: "How is our defense situation in the direction of Stalingrad?"
"It's very bad, Comrade Stalin." Vasilevsky, who knew the defense situation in Stalingrad, said without hesitation after hearing Stalin's question: "Because Stalingrad has been far away from the battlefield, it was not until April this year that the first After being hit by German air raids for the first time, the Supreme Command issued an order to the city's city defense committee to build fortifications in early May. You know, this city has never built any city defenses, which means everything has to start from scratch. Starting from scratch. I think it is unrealistic to achieve any significant results within two months."
"Then what kind of troops do we have deployed in the direction of Stalingrad?" Stalin then asked.
"Currently, in the direction of Stalingrad, there are only two armies, the 62nd and 63rd, with about 160,000 troops. The only defense forces that can be mobilized in the city are the police and factory militia." After Vasilevsky finished his report, he suddenly remembered Sokov's troops were preparing to head to Stalingrad, and he quickly added, "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov's 73rd Infantry Brigade will head to the Stalingrad area in the near future."
"Lieutenant Colonel Sokov?" After Stalin repeated the name, he suddenly remembered who Vasilevsky said about Sokov: "You are talking about Xiao Misha, right?"
"Yes, that's him." Vasilevsky replied with a smile: "His troops are now in Moscow, preparing to take a train to Kazan, and then take a transport ship to Stalingrad from there. Because the station The military train they are riding in is scheduled for one and a half months later, and I have sent Antonov to deal with the matter."
"Comrade Vasilevsky, we must quickly form troops and march to Stalingrad to strengthen the defense there." Stalin ordered Vasilevsky: "Let Comrade Antonov come here immediately. "
When he heard that Antonov was to be recruited to the Kremlin, Vasilevsky hesitated and said: "Comrade Stalin, I don't know where he is now."
Stalin pouted at the phone on his desk and said: "Call immediately and find out where he is. If he has returned to the General Staff Headquarters, ask him to come over immediately. He will need to draft and prepare the orders later. Convey it.”
Antonov, who was busy in his office, received a call from Vasilevsky and was about to report to him about Sokov when he heard Vasilevsky say in a commanding tone: "Deputy Comrade Minister, you are needed here, come to the Kremlin immediately."
Ten minutes later, Antonov appeared in Stalin's office. As soon as he entered the door, Stalin nodded to him and then said: "Comrade Antonov, you are here. We now have an order that we need you to draft."
Upon hearing what Stalin said, Antonov immediately sat down at the conference table and prepared to record it. Seeing that Antonov was ready, Stalin said: "Order 1, the main force of the 5th Reserve Army, to quickly move to the left bank area of the Don River and set up defenses there to prevent the German army from crossing the Don River at all costs;
Order 2, the reserve army stationed in Tula, immediately reorganized into the 64th Army, with Lieutenant General Gordov as commander and Lieutenant General Chuikov as deputy commander, immediately moved to Stalingrad and strengthened the defense there... "
When Antonov heard Stalin say that he wanted to strengthen the defense of Stalingrad, he couldn't help being stunned. He stopped the pen in his hand, looked up at Stalin, and asked with some surprise: "Comrade Stalin, let the newly formed group army start... To Stalingrad?"
"General Antonov, didn't you hear my order clearly?" Stalin said with a straight face: "Continue to record the order. The commander of the 62nd Army Kolpakchi should lead the troops from Kletskaya to the Soviet Union. Rokino established a strong defensive line to stop the enemy who might rush towards Stalingrad..."
While Antonov was recording Stalin's order, he was shocked: What the hell is going on? Not long ago, Sokov said that the enemy's attack target might be Stalingrad, and he was reprimanded by himself. . Unexpectedly, just over two hours later, the situation on the battlefield would actually turn out like what he analyzed.
After Antonov recorded the order, he handed it to Stalin for inspection and signature. After Stalin quickly read through the contents recorded by Antonov, he took a pen and signed his name on the back. But when he handed the order to Antonov, he noticed that the expression on his face was strange, so he asked curiously: "Comrade Antonov, what's wrong with you? What's on your mind?"
After hearing Stalin's question, Antonov couldn't help but hesitate. He was hesitating whether he should report the conversation between himself and Sokov to Stalin. After some thinking, he felt that even if he didn't say anything, Stalin might learn about his conversation with Sokov through other channels, so he mustered up the courage to say: "Comrade Stalin, I remembered my conversation with Sokov not long ago. Conversation with Lieutenant Colonel Koff.”
"The conversation with Xiao Misha was really interesting." Stalin took out two cigarettes from the cigarette case, crushed them, put the tobacco into the pipe, lit it and asked with interest: "What did you talk about?"
"Lieutenant Colonel Sokov told me," Antonov said slowly, "the enemy's next attack target may be Stalingrad. Because as long as the enemy captures this city, he can attack from the south of our country. Obtain the food and oil they need, and at the same time form a roundabout encirclement of Moscow..."
Stalin and Vasilevsky had shocked expressions on their faces, because what Antonov said was exactly the same as the analysis they had just made. Especially Vasilevsky, if he hadn't personally called Antonov to temporarily recruit Antonov from the General Staff, he even suspected that Antonov was somewhere in the room when he reported the battlefield situation to Stalin. corner and listen to their conversation quietly.
After a long time, Vasilevsky asked: "Comrade Deputy Minister, is what you just said true? Did Lieutenant Colonel Sokov really say this to you?"
"Yes, Comrade Chief of General Staff." After Antonov gave Vasilevsky a positive answer, he said with shame: "Unfortunately, I sneered at his analysis and thought he was alarmist. . Unexpectedly...his analysis was actually completely correct."
Vasilevsky waited for Antonov to finish speaking, and then he couldn't wait to ask: "Where is he now?"
"At the Yaroslav train station." Antonov replied: "He and his troops will stay there until 6:15 tomorrow morning, and then take the train to Kazan."
"Comrade Vasilevsky," Stalin heard this and couldn't help but ask Vasilevsky: "If I remember correctly, you seemed to have said that you would transfer Sokov's troops to Stalingrad to rest and recuperate. , why did you let them go to Kazan again?”
"Comrade Stalin, please listen to my explanation, the situation is like this." Vasilevsky quickly explained to Stalin: "I have just reported to you that the 73rd Infantry Brigade will go to Kazan by military column, and then from There we will transfer to a transport ship and go down the Volga River to Stalingrad.”
"Who arranged this trip?" When Vasilevsky reported it to Stalin at first, Stalin didn't pay attention. At this moment, I heard that Sokov's troops were actually at Yaroslavl Railway Station, and I couldn't help but feel a little angry: "This is hell. If you want to go to Kazan, you should go to Kazan Railway Station. Why should you go to Yaroslavl Railway Station? Also, if To go to Stalingrad, you can go to Paveletsky Railway Station, where there are lines to Stalingrad, so why take a detour to Kazan?”
