The next day, Zhukov flew back to Moscow from the front line and reported to Stalin the situation on the front line.
The entire reporting process went smoothly. Within an hour, Zhukov came out of the office, greeted Boskrebyshev who was sitting outside, and was about to leave for the General Staff Headquarters to understand the overall war situation. Nothing changes. Unexpectedly, as soon as he walked to the door, he met Beria.
Zhukov didn't have a good impression of Beria, so he greeted him politely and prepared to pass him by. But Beria stopped him: "Marshal Zhukov, please stay!"
"Comrade Beria," Zhukov looked at Beria and asked coldly, "What's the matter?"
"Marshal Zhukov, do you have time?" Beria said pleasantly: "I would like to invite you to my office for coffee and a casual chat."
Hearing what Beria said, Zhukov couldn't help but feel a little in his heart, wondering why Beria suddenly invited him to his office. Did something happen?
Seeing Zhukov's silence, Beria glanced at Boskrebyshev sitting in the office and lowered his voice and said: "It's about Comrade Sokov."
Knowing that Beria wanted to talk to him about Sokov, Zhukov, who was eager to find out what was going on, nodded and agreed to Beria's proposal: "Okay, I just finished reporting on my work and I'm thirsty." , go to your office now and taste how your treasured coffee tastes.”
Arriving at Beria's office, Zhukov sat down opposite Beria. He asked straight to the point: "Comrade Beria, what exactly do you want to see me for today?"
Beria said: "Comrade Marshal, do you know about Sokov studying at the Frunze Military Academy?"
Zhukov nodded and said, "Yes! He was able to enter without taking the exam because of my recommendation."
Beria said: "Do you know how he behaved in the academy?"
"I don't know," Zhukov shook his head and said, "You also know that as a representative of the base camp, I have been staying on the front line during this period, and I really don't know much about his situation."
Beria's secretary came in with a tray, placed the coffee in front of the two of them, and turned to leave.
"Comrade Marshal, you also know that General Sokov's injury has not recovered yet, and he goes to class in a wheelchair every day." Beria said: "In order to ensure his safety, I am going to let Lunev send an adjutant to take charge every day. Pick him up and drop him off.”
Zhukov picked up the cup, took a sip of coffee calmly, and asked casually: "Comrade Beria, is there anything Mischa did inappropriately?"
Beria picked up a folder and handed it to Zhukov: "Comrade Marshal, take a look at this."
Zhukov guessed that the folder must contain information about Sokov collected by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and he couldn't help but frown slightly. He opened the folder and saw the top piece of paper with the names, military ranks, and which unit they came from.
"Comrade Beria," Zhukov saw that he didn't recognize anyone on the list, so he looked up at Beria and asked, "What does this list mean?"
"These people are all students in the intermediate training class, and they are in the same class as General Sokov," Beria further explained: "Sokov tried to use his method to keep these students after they completed their studies. In the academy.”
Zhukov laughed: "I understand, Misha wants to form his team."
Beria nodded: "Yes, according to the information we have, he does have such a plan, and even plans to summon these people to meet with Ponejelin."
"His idea is not too much. If you really want to form your own team and win on the battlefield, it is completely necessary for the commanders you like to get familiar with each other in advance."
"I have no objection to him forming his own team." Beria said: "But is it a bit too dangerous to bring a problematic person like Ponejelin into his team?"
"Comrade Beria," Zhukov keenly sensed the point of Beria's point: "Isn't the review of Ponedelin, Muzichenko, and Kirillov ended long ago?"
"Comrade Marshal, you don't know something. The reason why the review of Ponedelin and others was concluded in only a month or two was entirely because General Sokov vouched for them." Beria sighed. He said in a tone: "Although the nominal review has ended, the private investigation of the three of them has not stopped. Tell me, how can such a person be placed next to General Sokov?"
Beria's words made Zhukov realize the seriousness of the problem. He asked with a straight face and an expressionless face: "Comrade Beria, what are you going to ask me to do?"
Beria smiled and said: "Comrade Marshal, I hope you can persuade General Sokov, tell him the stakes of this matter, and ask him not to put a guy with unreliable positions like Ponedelin in front of him. By my side."
Zhukov understood what Beria meant and did not want Ponedelin to stay and work beside Sokov. However, since the other party did not take action and instead threw this hot potato to him, it proved that he must have some scruples.
"Comrade Beria," Zhukov said, "I will meet Misha at the Frunze Military Academy later and convey your wishes to him."
"Thank you so much." Seeing that Zhukov was willing to help him persuade Sokov, Beria breathed a sigh of relief and said gratefully: "Comrade Marshal, you have really done me a big favor."
Zhukov waved his hand towards Beria and said: "Comrade Beria, I can convey your thoughts to Sokov, but I can't guarantee whether he agrees with your views."
Beria's smile froze on his face, and after a while, he forced himself to say cheerfully: "Comrade Marshal, as long as you convey my words to General Sokov, as for whether he is willing to adopt my opinions, it will be up to you. Just let nature take its course.”
"Your coffee is good." Zhukov picked up the cup and took another sip of coffee and asked, "Is it coffee from abroad?"
"Yes, this is coffee from Brazil. Someone gave me a kilogram as a gift." Beria smiled and asked: "Comrade Marshal, how about I ask the secretary to give you half of it."
"No need." Zhukov stood up and said, "I'm afraid I'll get addicted to it and I won't be able to find it after I drink it."
Zhukov came out of the building, got into his car, and told the driver: "Go to the Frunze Military Academy."
When the driver heard Zhukov's instructions, he was stunned for a moment, and then carefully reminded Zhukov: "Comrade Marshal, according to the plan, shouldn't you go to the General Staff Headquarters?"
"The situation has changed. Let's go to Frunze Military Academy first."
"Okay, Comrade Marshal." The driver confirmed that he heard what Zhukov said correctly and started the car.
The car arrived at the entrance of the Frunze Military Academy. The sentry at the door stopped the car and stepped forward to ask the driver for his ID. When the sentry bent down and looked inside the car, Zhukov rolled down the window and said to the sentry: "I am Zhukov, and I want to see Dean Verevkin."
When the sentry saw clearly that the person sitting in the car was actually Zhukov, he was immediately frightened. He quickly took a step back, stood at attention and saluted, and at the same time tilted his head and shouted towards the duty room at the door: "Comrade Second Lieutenant!"
The second lieutenant sitting in the duty room heard the sentry's shout, opened the door and walked out, asking unhappily: "What are you talking about?"
The sentry stammered: "Yes, it's Comrade Marshal!"
The second lieutenant walked over casually, lowered his head and looked into the car, and met Zhukov's eyes. The second lieutenant was so frightened that he took a few steps back. While raising his hand in salute, he shouted to the sentry standing at the door: "What are you still doing? Why don't you quickly pull up the railing and let Comrade Marshal's car go in?"
After the second lieutenant waited for Zhukov's car to drive into the school gate, he immediately rushed into the duty room at a sprint speed of 100 meters, grabbed the phone on the table, dialed a number, and said nervously: "I am a guard here, help. I transferred to the dean’s office and told him that Marshal Zhukov had entered the academy.”
The campus of Frunze Military Academy is very large. When Zhukov's car arrived at the office building, the dean of the academy, Velevkin, was already waiting outside the door with several subordinates.
As soon as the car stopped, Verevkin stepped forward, opened the door, and said to Zhukov respectfully: "Hello, Comrade Marshal, on behalf of all the teachers and students of the college, I welcome you!"
The next day, Zhukov flew back to Moscow from the front line and reported to Stalin the situation on the front line.
The entire reporting process went smoothly. Within an hour, Zhukov came out of the office, greeted Boskrebyshev who was sitting outside, and was about to leave for the General Staff Headquarters to understand the overall war situation. Nothing changes. Unexpectedly, as soon as he walked to the door, he met Beria.
Zhukov didn't have a good impression of Beria, so he greeted him politely and prepared to pass him by. But Beria stopped him: "Marshal Zhukov, please stay!"
"Comrade Beria," Zhukov looked at Beria and asked coldly, "What's the matter?"
"Marshal Zhukov, do you have time?" Beria said pleasantly: "I would like to invite you to my office for coffee and a casual chat."
Hearing what Beria said, Zhukov couldn't help but feel a little in his heart, wondering why Beria suddenly invited him to his office. Did something happen?
Seeing Zhukov's silence, Beria glanced at Boskrebyshev sitting in the office and lowered his voice and said: "It's about Comrade Sokov."
Knowing that Beria wanted to talk to him about Sokov, Zhukov, who was eager to find out what was going on, nodded and agreed to Beria's proposal: "Okay, I just finished reporting on my work and I'm thirsty." , go to your office now and taste how your treasured coffee tastes.”
Arriving at Beria's office, Zhukov sat down opposite Beria. He asked straight to the point: "Comrade Beria, what exactly do you want to see me for today?"
Beria said: "Comrade Marshal, do you know about Sokov studying at the Frunze Military Academy?"
Zhukov nodded and said, "Yes! He was able to enter without taking the exam because of my recommendation."
Beria said: "Do you know how he behaved in the academy?"
"I don't know," Zhukov shook his head and said, "You also know that as a representative of the base camp, I have been staying on the front line during this period, and I really don't know much about his situation."
Beria's secretary came in with a tray, placed the coffee in front of the two of them, and turned to leave.
"Comrade Marshal, you also know that General Sokov's injury has not recovered yet, and he goes to class in a wheelchair every day." Beria said: "In order to ensure his safety, I am going to let Lunev send an adjutant to take charge every day. Pick him up and drop him off.”
Zhukov picked up the cup, took a sip of coffee calmly, and asked casually: "Comrade Beria, is there anything Mischa did inappropriately?"
Beria picked up a folder and handed it to Zhukov: "Comrade Marshal, take a look at this."
Zhukov guessed that the folder must contain information about Sokov collected by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and he couldn't help but frown slightly. He opened the folder and saw the top piece of paper with the names, military ranks, and which unit they came from.
"Comrade Beria," Zhukov saw that he didn't recognize anyone on the list, so he looked up at Beria and asked, "What does this list mean?"
"These people are all students in the intermediate training class, and they are in the same class as General Sokov," Beria further explained: "Sokov tried to use his method to keep these students after they completed their studies. In the academy.”
Zhukov laughed: "I understand, Misha wants to form his team."
Beria nodded: "Yes, according to the information we have, he does have such a plan, and even plans to summon these people to meet with Ponejelin."
"His idea is not too much. If you really want to form your own team and win on the battlefield, it is completely necessary for the commanders you like to get familiar with each other in advance."
"I have no objection to him forming his own team." Beria said, "But is it a bit too dangerous to bring a problematic person like Ponejelin into his team?"
"Comrade Beria," Zhukov keenly sensed that the point of Beria's point was coming: "Isn't it that the review of Ponedelin, Muzichenko, and Kirillov has ended long ago?"
"Comrade Marshal, you don't know something. The reason why the review of Ponedelin and others was concluded in only a month or two was entirely because General Sokov vouched for them." Beria sighed. He said in a tone: "Although the nominal review has ended, the private investigation of the three of them has not stopped. Tell me, how can such a person be placed next to General Sokov?"
Beria's words made Zhukov realize the seriousness of the problem. He asked with a straight face and an expressionless face: "Comrade Beria, what are you going to ask me to do?"
Beria smiled and said: "Comrade Marshal, I hope you can persuade General Sokov, tell him the stakes of this matter, and ask him not to put a guy with unreliable positions like Ponedelin in front of him. By my side."
Zhukov understood what Beria meant and did not want Ponedelin to stay and work beside Sokov. However, since the other party did not take action and instead threw this hot potato to him, it proved that he must have some scruples.
