"Unable to contact, Comrade Marshal." Ivanov wiped the cold sweat on his forehead with his hand and reported to Zhukov: "When I received the enemy's counterattack, the first time I called the First Tank Army, hoping that Report this situation to Commander Vatutin. But the staff officer who answered the phone told me that Commander Vatutin and General Katukov went to the front for inspection, and I don’t know where they are.”
"Nonsense, this is simply nonsense." Zhukov said angrily: "As the commander of the front army, he does not stay at his headquarters, but runs around below. When encountering such an emergency, he is not at the headquarters, below. The troops are still in disarray.”
"Comrade Marshal," hearing Zhukov's anger, Ivanov quickly explained to him: "When I found out that I couldn't get in touch with Comrade Commander, I immediately issued combat orders to the troops in the counter-assault area... …”
"What combat order?!" Before Ivanov could finish speaking, Zhukov interrupted him impatiently: "It's nothing more than ordering commanders at all levels to stick to their positions and not to retreat even one step. Am I right? General Vanov?"
"Yes, Comrade Marshal, what you said is correct."
"If you just order the troops not to retreat even a step, but don't give them clearer instructions, then it means no order was given." Zhukov became more and more angry, and finally said: "I think I really can't leave your place, look at it. , Vasilevsky and I have just been away for a long time, and something like this happened. Wait, Vasilevsky and I will go back to your place right away."
Zhukov put down the phone and said apologetically to Konev: "Comrade Konev, I originally wanted to stay with you until our army liberates Kharkov, but now it can't be done. There is a problem with the Voronezh Front. I and Vasilevsky need to rush back immediately to deal with it.”
"Marshal Zhukov," Konev asked curiously, "Why did Vatutin suddenly want to run to the troops below?"
"Comrade Konev, you don't know something." Zhukov said with some laughter and laughter: "General Katukov's First Tank Army performed mediocrely in the Battle of Kursk; but when Belgorod was liberated, the performance of the First Tank Army was mediocre. Tutin originally wanted Katukov to send troops to assist Sokov and launch an attack from the west of the city.
Unexpectedly, after the battle started, Katukov's tank troops were still marching on the road, and Sokov's troops had already rushed into Belgorod and planted a red flag on the top of the municipal building. As a result, Vatutin felt that his face was shameless, and he always wanted to give Katukov's troops a chance to perform. I guess he left the army today just for this matter. But he didn't expect that just after he left, the enemy would launch a counterattack in the direction of Bogudukhov and the Akhtelka area. It was really unexpected. "
"Two comrades, marshals, you can go back with confidence." Konev believed that he could control the overall situation, so he did not feel the slightest loss in his heart when Zhukov and Vasilevsky left, but said calmly and calmly : "I have just reported the combat plan to you. After luring the enemy's main force out of the city and consuming a large amount of their effective forces in the field, we will launch the final general attack on Kharkov."
"Comrade Konev, although your plan will delay the entry into Kharkov, it will speed up the progress of the battle." Zhukov said to Konev: "I have approved your plan, so you can proceed with confidence and boldness." Just go ahead and do it, and if anything goes wrong, I’ll be responsible.”
After seeing off Zhukov and Vasilevsky, Konev returned to his headquarters and said to Chief of Staff Zakharov: "Chief of Staff, call Comrade Sokov and ask when his troops will Can we restart the attack on Dergach?”
Zakharov had obviously guessed what Konev was thinking, and quickly replied: "Comrade Commander, when you just sent the two marshals away, I called General Sokov and asked about this matter."
Knowing that Zakharov had called Sokov, Konev quickly asked: "What did Sokov say?"
"General Sokov answered me and said that his main force is moving in the direction of Dergach and that the attack on the city will be resumed by noon at the latest."
Considering that Sokov's troops lacked artillery and tanks and had no air cover, Konev said to Zakharov: "Tell Sokov that if you encounter any difficulties, just call me and I will think of you." There is a way to solve it for him.”
"Report!" While the two were talking, a voice shouted a report from behind.
Konev turned around and saw that it was the head of the intelligence department of the front army. He asked with great interest: "Does our intelligence chief have any important news that he wants to report to me?"
"Comrade Commander," the intelligence minister reported with a solemn expression: "According to an intelligence we intercepted, the German army has stored a large number of precious cultural relics of our country in the city of Dergach."
"Precious cultural relic?!" Konev asked in surprise: "What cultural relic?"
"It is said that in addition to a large number of oil paintings, these cultural relics also include precious manuscripts by Tolstoy and Tchaikovsky."
"Rare manuscripts of Tolstoy and Tchaikovsky?" Hearing what the Minister of Intelligence said, Konev's eyes almost fell to the ground. He asked nervously: "What manuscripts are there?"
"According to the list we have, these precious manuscripts include Tolstoy's "War and Peace" and "Anna Karenina," Tchaikovsky's "Nutcracker" and "Fifth Symphony" ", and Chekhov's manuscripts..."
Konev couldn't help being shocked when he heard the names of a series of precious manuscripts reported by the intelligence minister. She looked at the other person with her mouth wide open, her face full of horror and disbelief. After a while, he finally asked: "What the hell, how could these things appear in Dergach?"
The intelligence minister shrugged his shoulders, spread his hands, and said helplessly: "I'm sorry, Comrade Commander, I don't know why there are so many precious cultural relics stored in Dergach."
"Comrade Commander," Zakharov suddenly said: "Could this be fake news released by the Germans to divert our attention?"
"Comrade Chief of Staff, please forgive me, I don't think so." The intelligence minister looked at Zakharov and said: "According to the intelligence we have, during the defense of Moscow, the Germans occupied Yasnaya. Tolstoy Manor in the town of Polyana, and Guderian's headquarters was located there.
After the enemy entered the manor, they looted all the valuables inside, and then dug up Tolstoy's grave and took away his burial objects. The memorial halls of Chekhov and Tchaikovsky did not escape the fate of being looted after they were occupied by the Germans. I think these precious manuscripts were probably robbed by the Germans at that time. "
After Konev waited for the intelligence minister to finish speaking, he nodded silently, and then said: "I heard that after the Germans dug up Tolstoy's grave, they also buried some of the corpses of German soldiers who died in Tolstoy. Around Tai's tomb. After our army recaptured the town of Yasnaya Polyana, they dug out the corpses of these damn German soldiers and reburied Tolstoy's remains. Because the person who provided the information did not mention The grave goods were stolen, so I had no idea that these precious manuscripts had fallen into the hands of the Germans.”
Zakharov was a participant in the Moscow Defense War, and naturally knew that Konev had twice served as the commander of the Western Front. The reburial of Tolstoy might have been an order given by him, so he asked cautiously: " Comrade Commander, should we call Sokov and tell him about this so that he can be mentally prepared?"
"I think it's okay." After Konev agreed to Zakharov's proposal, he specifically told him: "Comrade Chief of Staff, you have to tell Sokov that whether it is an oil painting or a manuscript, they are the most precious cultural relics in Russia. It must be protected and there must be no loss.”
"Okay, Comrade Commander, I will call Sokov immediately and convey your wishes to him."
When Zakharov called Sokov's headquarters, Sokov was discussing with Samyko the time and route to attack Dergach. Samyko picked up the phone and listened for a moment, then handed the phone to Sokov: "Comrade Commander, this is the call from General Zakharov. I guess there must be new instructions from the front army headquarters."
Sokov put the phone to his ear and said politely: "Hello, Comrade Chief of Staff of the Front Army, please call me. Do you have any instructions?"
"Yes, General Sokov." Zaharov said solemnly on the other end of the phone: "We have just obtained information that the enemy has a large number of oil paintings and precious manuscripts stored in Dergach. When you capture the city, you must find a way to protect these cultural relics."
During the defense war in Moscow, Sokov once seized a cart of oil paintings that had been stolen by the Germans, and casually asked: "Comrade Chief of Staff of the Front Army, I wonder whose paintings these are?"
How did Zakharov know whose paintings were stored in the city? When he heard Sokov's question, he could only avoid the important point and said: "The paintings are important, but what is more important are those precious manuscripts."
"Precious manuscripts?" Compared to oil paintings, Sokov was not interested in these so-called manuscripts, but since Zakharov emphasized it so much, he couldn't help but curiously asked: "I wonder how precious they are?"
"Tolstoy's "War and Peace", "Anna Karenina", Tchaikovsky's "The Nutcracker", "Fifth Symphony", and Chekhov's manuscripts, do you think they are precious or not? ?”
Zakharov's words made Sokov tremble with fright. He never dreamed that there would be such precious cultural relics in the city that his troops were about to attack. He hurriedly asked cautiously: "Comrade Chief of Staff of the Front Army," After the enemy entered the manor, they looted all the valuables inside, and then dug up Tolstoy's grave and took away his burial objects. The memorial halls of Chekhov and Tchaikovsky did not escape the fate of being looted after they were occupied by the Germans. I think these precious manuscripts were probably robbed by the Germans at that time. "
After Konev waited for the intelligence minister to finish speaking, he nodded silently, and then said: "I heard that after the Germans dug up Tolstoy's grave, they also buried some of the corpses of German soldiers who died in Tolstoy. Around Tai's tomb. After our army recaptured the town of Yasnaya Polyana, they dug out the corpses of these damn German soldiers and reburied Tolstoy's remains. Because the person who provided the information did not mention The grave goods were stolen, so I had no idea that these precious manuscripts had fallen into the hands of the Germans.”
Zakharov was a participant in the Moscow Defense War, and naturally knew that Konev had twice served as the commander of the Western Front. The reburial of Tolstoy might have been an order given by him, so he asked cautiously: " Comrade Commander, should we call Sokov and tell him about this so that he can be mentally prepared?"
"I think it's okay." After Konev agreed to Zakharov's proposal, he specifically told him: "Comrade Chief of Staff, you have to tell Sokov that whether it is an oil painting or a manuscript, they are the most precious cultural relics in Russia. It must be protected and there must be no loss.”
"Okay, Comrade Commander, I will call Sokov immediately and convey your wishes to him."
When Zakharov called Sokov's headquarters, Sokov was discussing with Samyko the time and route to attack Dergach. Samyko picked up the phone and listened for a moment, then handed the phone to Sokov: "Comrade Commander, this is the call from General Zakharov. I guess there must be new instructions from the front army headquarters."
Sokov put the phone to his ear and said politely: "Hello, Comrade Chief of Staff of the Front Army, please call me. Do you have any instructions?"
"Yes, General Sokov." Zaharov said solemnly on the other end of the phone: "We have just obtained information that the enemy has a large number of oil paintings and precious manuscripts stored in Dergach. When you capture the city, you must find a way to protect these cultural relics."
During the defense war in Moscow, Sokov once seized a cart of oil paintings that had been stolen by the Germans, and casually asked: "Comrade Chief of Staff of the Front Army, I wonder whose paintings these are?"
How did Zakharov know whose paintings were stored in the city? When he heard Sokov's question, he could only avoid the important point and said: "The paintings are important, but what is more important are those precious manuscripts."
"Precious manuscripts?" Compared to oil paintings, Sokov was not interested in these so-called manuscripts, but since Zakharov emphasized it so much, he couldn't help but curiously asked: "I wonder how precious they are?"
"Tolstoy's "War and Peace", "Anna Karenina", Tchaikovsky's "The Nutcracker", "Fifth Symphony", and Chekhov's manuscripts, do you think they are precious or not? ?”
Zakharov's words made Sokov tremble with fright. He never dreamed that there would be such precious cultural relics in the city that his troops were about to attack. He hurriedly asked cautiously: "Comrade Chief of Staff of the Front Army,"
