,!
Sokov's words opened up an idea for Konev: "Comrade Sokov, what you said makes perfect sense. Now I have an idea. I plan to contact the National Defense Committee to see if there are any original establishments in the area where we are fighting now. How many arms warehouses there are. As long as these arms warehouses are not discovered by the Germans and the materials inside are seized or destroyed, they can be used to arm our troops, thereby reducing the transportation pressure on the logistics department."
"This is a good idea, Comrade Marshal." Sokov thought of sending people out to search for hidden arsenals, which felt a bit like finding a needle in a haystack. If Konev could really obtain a detailed distribution map from the National Defense Committee, he would be looking for Get up and get twice the result with half the effort. "With enough ammunition, we can ensure the continuity of our army's offensive."
"That's right," Konev agreed very much with Sokov's statement. After all, no matter how much he added, the ammunition possessed by the troops could not be unlimited. After a battle, you must wait until the logistics are supplied before you can launch a new round of attack on the German army. Sometimes just in waiting, many good opportunities are missed in vain: "If our troops can find more arsenals, I think we can maintain the offensive posture before May."
Just when Sokov was about to put down the phone, he suddenly heard Konev say again: "Comrade Sokov, there is one more thing. I want to hear your opinion."
Hearing Konev say that he wanted his advice on something, Sokov couldn't help but be startled, wondering if there was anything he could do to advise Konev? However, out of politeness, he still said respectfully: "Comrade Marshal, please tell me. I'll see if I can give you some useful ideas."
"The situation is like this, Comrade Sokov." Konev said carefully: "I received a call from the Supreme Commander himself. He said that he planned to gather all the transport aircraft of our army and launch a powerful attack behind the enemy's rear. Airborne operation.”
"What, airborne operation?" Sokov was shocked by this unexpected news. He never dreamed that Stalin would come up with such a combat plan on a whim. He asked tentatively: "Comrade Marshal, I would like to ask where Comrade Stalin plans to let our paratroopers land."
"In the Lublin area of Poland." Konev explained: "According to the Supreme Commander's own ideas, once our army airborne in this area, occupied the city and built a defensive line, it would be able to cut off the German army's retreat in Ukraine."
Konev's words made Sokov think of a term: "Operation Market Garden."
This was a special form of attack launched by the Allies after the successful landing in Normandy. Its main purpose was to seize a series of bridges on major rivers in the Netherlands that were still controlled by the Germans through the largest surprise attack by airborne troops in history, combined with fast-moving coordinated operations by ground armored forces. The strategic goal is to seize control of these bridges, allow the Allies to cross the Rhine River, the last natural barrier on the German border, and end the Second World War in a short time while the German army has not yet gained a firm foothold. Great war.
This operation was initially considered a success. The Allies captured the Waal Bridge in Nijmegen on September 20, but ultimately failed because infantry reinforcements could not reach the last bridge in Arnhem and fully capture it. . Although the British 1st Airborne Division held on there longer than originally expected, until March 1945, the Rhine River remained an insurmountable barrier between the Allied forces and the German mainland. Sadly, this The bridge that cost the lives of countless Allied and German troops was destroyed by a squadron of B-26 bombers to prevent the German counterattack.
"Comrade Marshal," Sokov did not ask Konev how many transport aircraft the Soviet Air Force had. You must know that this kind of data is absolutely confidential. Let alone himself, I am afraid that even people at Konev's level are not qualified to know. So he asked another question: "I wonder how many troops the superiors plan to send to participate in this attack?"
"As far as I know, it's probably an airborne brigade, with a total number of about three thousand people." Konev replied: "However, due to the limited load capacity of the aircraft, they cannot carry heavy weapons."
When Sokov heard this, his head suddenly got big, and he thought that this must be Stalin's decision to drop 3,000 paratroopers to the enemy's heavily guarded rear, and let them seize the city and cut off the territory of Ukraine. The German army's retreat, doesn't this mean they are going to die?
But there are some things that he can just understand in his heart, but he can't say them casually. If you rashly say that after these paratroopers landed in Lublin, they will not be able to cut off the German army's retreat in Ukraine, but they will be eaten up by the German army. At best, they will be criticized as nonsense by their superiors; if it is more serious, they will be criticized by their superiors as nonsense. Some people will immediately say that this is obviously a defeatist argument. By then, you'll be on your own.
In order to prevent a similar tragedy from happening to him, Sokov cautiously asked: "Comrade Marshal, have you ever thought that an airborne troop without heavy weapons landed in the rear of the heavily defended German army? Can we seize the city from the enemy and establish a defensive line to cut off the enemy's retreat?"
Konev thought for a moment and then replied: "I don't think they can stop the attack of the German armored forces at all."
"That's right." Seeing that Konev's thoughts were consistent with his own, Sokov nodded and said: "In other words, if the airborne brigade is parachuted into Lublin behind enemy lines, it is equivalent to letting them die."
"Comrade Sokov, what you said makes sense." Konev is also a smart man. From Sokov's simple words, he realized the seriousness of the problem. He said solemnly: "I will Feedback what you want to the Supreme Commander himself, hoping he can change his mind and cancel this unrealistic plan."
"No, Comrade Marshal, please don't come forward." Sokov knew that Konev was in Stalin's heart and had only re-established a good relationship with him. If he made the other party angry because of this matter, I'm afraid Konev would have a hard time in the future. So he advised me kindly: "I think it would be more appropriate to ask others to come forward in this kind of matter."
"Ask someone else to come forward?" Konev asked with some confusion: "Then tell me, who is more suitable to come forward?"
Sokov recalled carefully in his mind for a while, and vaguely remembered that in Shtemenko's memoirs, he had seen Stalin preparing to send paratroopers to airdrop in Lublin, so he said cautiously: "I think Marshal Zhukov and General Shtemenko of the General Staff came forward to persuade the Supreme Commander himself to abandon this unrealistic battle plan.”
After listening to the two names proposed by Sokov, Konev thought about them carefully. Although Zhukov is now the headquarters of the 1st Ukrainian Front, he still holds the title of deputy commander, so he is more convincing in this matter. As for the Deputy Chief of General Staff, General Shtemenko, who is also the Minister of Operations, the two of them went to see Stalin at the same time, and they were indeed sure to persuade the other party to cancel this unrealistic combat plan.
"Comrade Sokov, what you said makes sense." Konev nodded and said, "I will get in touch with Zhukov and Shtemenko to see what method can be used to persuade the Supreme Commander himself to change his mind. Cancel this unrealistic battle plan."
When Sokov put down the phone, Trofimenko asked curiously: "Comrade Commander, what combat operations have you and Comrade Marshal discussed canceling?"
Sokov looked around. In addition to Trofimenko, there were also Samyko and Smirnov. Then he waved to everyone and said: "You all come here, I will tell you what happened." Something happened."
When the three of them gathered around the table and stared at the map on the table, Sokov began to tell them about Stalin's unrealistic plan: "...our army will use all transport aircraft to parachute an airborne brigade to In the Lublin area, let them seize the time to build defensive positions after occupying the city to cut off the retreat route of the German troops in Ukraine."
"This plan is too unrealistic." After hearing this, Sameko immediately shook his head and said, "If we really do this, it will be equivalent to letting the commanders and fighters of this airborne brigade die..." Just after saying this, Sameko suddenly His whole body was shocked, and he immediately stopped talking.
Seeing that Samyko stopped talking, Trofimenko urged with some curiosity: "Speak, Comrade Chief of Staff, why don't you stop talking?"
"Comrade Deputy Commander," Sameko smiled awkwardly and said, "I was too reckless. This is an order personally issued by Comrade Stalin. How can we discuss it? Naturally, we must obey it unconditionally."
Seeing that Samyko's words were accurate, Trofimenko did not ask any more questions. Instead, he turned to look at Sokov and asked: "Comrade Commander, do you think our airborne brigade can complete the mission after airborne in the Lublin area?" Is it a task assigned to them by their superiors?”
"It can't be done." Sokov shook his head and replied in a positive tone: "No matter how elite the troops are, if they are airdropped to this area, they will definitely be attacked by German troops from all directions. They do not have any heavy weapons. Under the strong attack of the German army, it is a question of how many days it can hold out, let alone cut off the movement of the German army in Ukraine." Sokov's words opened up an idea for Konev: "Comrade Sokov, what you said makes perfect sense. .I have an idea now. I plan to contact the National Defense Committee to see how many arms warehouses were originally built in the area where we are fighting today. As long as these arms warehouses are not discovered by the Germans and the materials inside are seized or destroyed, it will be fine. Use it to arm our troops and reduce the transportation pressure on the logistics department."
"This is a good idea, Comrade Marshal." Sokov thought of sending people out to search for hidden arsenals, which felt a bit like finding a needle in a haystack. If Konev could really obtain a detailed distribution map from the National Defense Committee, he would be looking for Get up and get twice the result with half the effort. "With enough ammunition, we can ensure the continuity of our army's offensive."
"That's right," Konev agreed very much with Sokov's statement. After all, no matter how much he added, the ammunition possessed by the troops could not be unlimited. After a battle, you must wait until the logistics are supplied before you can launch a new round of attack on the German army. Sometimes just in waiting, many good opportunities are missed in vain: "If our troops can find more arsenals, I think we can maintain the offensive posture before May."
Just when Sokov was about to put down the phone, he suddenly heard Konev say again: "Comrade Sokov, there is one more thing. I want to hear your opinion."
Hearing Konev say that he wanted his advice on something, Sokov couldn't help but be startled, wondering if there was anything he could do for Konev to advise him? However, out of politeness, he still said respectfully: "Comrade Marshal, please tell me. I'll see if I can give you some useful ideas."
"The situation is like this, Comrade Sokov." Konev said carefully: "I received a call from the Supreme Commander himself. He said that he planned to gather all the transport aircraft of our army and launch a powerful attack behind the enemy's rear. Airborne operation.”
"What, airborne operation?" Sokov was shocked by this unexpected news. He never dreamed that Stalin would come up with such a combat plan on a whim. He asked tentatively: "Comrade Marshal, I would like to ask where Comrade Stalin plans to let our paratroopers land."
"In the Lublin area of Poland." Konev explained: "According to the Supreme Commander's own ideas, once our army airborne in this area, occupied the city and built a defensive line, it would be able to cut off the German army's retreat in Ukraine."
This was a special form of attack launched by the Allies after the successful landing in Normandy. Its main purpose was to seize a series of bridges on major rivers in the Netherlands that were still controlled by the Germans through the largest surprise attack by airborne troops in history, combined with fast-moving coordinated operations by ground armored forces. The strategic goal is to seize control of these bridges, allow the Allies to cross the Rhine River, the last natural barrier on the German border, and end the Second World War in a short time while the German army has not yet gained a firm foothold. Great war.
This operation was initially considered a success. The Allies captured the Waal Bridge in Nijmegen on September 20, but it ultimately failed because infantry reinforcements could not reach the last bridge in Arnhem and fully capture it. . Although the British 1st Airborne Division stayed there longer than originally expected, until March 1945, the Rhine River remained an insurmountable barrier between the Allies and the German mainland. Sadly, this The bridge that cost the lives of countless Allied and German troops was destroyed by a squadron of B-26 bombers to prevent the German counterattack.
"Comrade Marshal," Sokov did not ask Konev how many transport aircraft the Soviet Air Force had. You must know that this kind of data is absolutely confidential. Let alone himself, I am afraid that even people at Konev's level are not qualified to know. So he asked another question: "I wonder how many troops the superiors plan to send to participate in this attack?"
"As far as I know, it's probably an airborne brigade, with a total number of about three thousand people." Konev replied: "However, due to the limited load capacity of the aircraft, they cannot carry heavy weapons."
But there are some things that he can just understand in his heart, but he can't say them casually. If you rashly say that after these paratroopers landed in Lublin, they will not be able to cut off the German army's retreat in Ukraine, but they will be eaten up by the German army. At best, they will be criticized as nonsense by their superiors; if it is more serious, they will be criticized by their superiors as nonsense. Some people will immediately say that this is obviously a defeatist argument. By then, you'll be on your own.
