"I think the situation is moving in our unfavorable direction, Comrade Mehris!" Shulka frowned: "We should rush to the aid of the Krimu. We know that for the Battle of Moscow, we almost emptied the troops of the Crimea......"

This can also be said to be success and failure.

Historically, the German army attacked Moscow and Crimea at the same time, so the Soviet army deployed about 500,000 troops to defend Crimea.

But now, because Shulka blocked the attack of the main German army on the Kiev front, Crimea was not in danger of being attacked for the time being, which made the Soviet army constantly transfer Crimean forces to Moscow for defense.

At this time, the Crimea had only about 200,000 troops.

"Yes!" "I also don't understand, I've reminded them, why don't they take action? ”

"I believe that they did not reinforce the Crimea, partly because of Sevastopol!" Shulka pointed to the map and said, "It's a very tight fortress, isn't it?" ”

"Of course!" Mehris nodded: "Not only that, but it also has many large-caliber guns, and it will be difficult for the Germans to capture them!" ”

Shulka certainly knew this, it was a twin-mounted 305-mm cannon made by the Soviet Union in 1934, with a range of 44 kilometers and a turret with armor plates of 200 to 300 mm thick, which could be said to be almost indestructible.

The fortress held off the Germans for six months before being captured by Manstein's railgun.

But that was history, and when the Crimean forces were relatively sufficient, it may not be now.

At this time, the communications corps on the other side raised his head and shouted to Mekhlis: "Comrade Mekhlis, the latest information, the enemy has broken through the defense line of our army on the Dnieper!" ”

Breaking through the Dnieper defense line means that they have broken through the Kiev defense line of General Kirponos, and if they continue south, they can block the exit of the Crimean Peninsula.

"We should immediately reinforce the Crimea!" Shulka said: "Otherwise it will be too late, especially in the Caucasus!" ”

The Caucasus Mountains are a mountain range that runs east-west, it almost crosses the Caucasus and divides it into the South and North Caucasus, and there are only a few mountain passes between them, several of which are narrow valleys through which the railway passes.

If the Germans preemptively occupied these mountain passes, then the Soviets would not be able to reinforce them even if they wanted to.

Although Mehris did not understand this, perhaps because of his previous confidence in judging correctly, he immediately called Stalin.

"Comrade Stalin!" "The military situation is urgent, and I think we must send reinforcements to the Crimea immediately!" ”

Stalin on the other end of the line was silent for a moment, and at this point he seemed to realize that he had miscalculated.

On the other hand, he also knew the importance of the Crimean Peninsula.

Its importance is not only land-based, but also strategic...... Soviet bombers taking off from here could bomb directly into the Romanian oil fields across the Black Sea.

If it fell into German hands, the Germans could enter the South Caucasus from the Kerch Strait without attacking the steep mountain passes.

"I agree, Comrade Mehris!" Stalin replied: "Because of your extraordinary insight and the first step to see the enemy's strategic intentions, I think that you should immediately rush to the Crimea as a representative of the Supreme High Command to assist in command, and I will send reinforcements to the Crimea!" ”

Mehris almost jumped for joy, which can be said to be a kind of recognition of him by Stalin...... Mekhlis was never assigned to command a campaign. If there was, it was also his interference in the front-line command as a representative of the Supreme Command.

Mehris agreed without thinking about it.

"Yes, Comrade Stalin!" "But I have one request...... Exactly, it is not a request, but a 'request', Comrade Stalin! Please forgive me for being reckless......"

This is the difference between Mehris and the professional soldier, who always speaks simply and clearly, but Mehris cares deeply about this subtlety.

"Say, what request?" Stalin interrupted Mehlis with some impatience.

"I hope to bring the 1st Guards Tank Brigade with reinforcements to the Crimea!" "You know, I've been training this unit all this time," Mehris said. It's a good unit, just like what it did on the battlefield, and I have an affection for it, I feel like it's my hands and feet, and I believe that I can command them to defeat the enemy on the battlefield......"

Shulka almost spit out when he heard these words, he couldn't imagine that Mehris would be included in the 1st Guards Tank Brigade like this, and he would also train himself? Affection?

But Shulka didn't speak.

Not only because he knew it was useless, but also because it was what he wanted.

"I agree to your request!" Stalin replied: "But you have to move quickly, because the Germans will soon blockade the Crimea!" ”

"Yes, of course, Comrade Stalin!"

As soon as Mehris put down the phone, he immediately shouted to the staff officer beside him: "Did you all hear that? Gather troops and reinforce the Crimea! ”

Shulka's jaw almost dropped when he heard this.

Gather reinforcements like this?

What are the reinforcement routes and plans?

Shulka's idea was then quickly verified...... Mehris didn't have any plans, he only knew reinforcements.

The 1st Guards Tank Brigade urgently assembled in the snow, only to find out that there were no trains.

So Mehris and his party were anxious to contact the vehicle, and it turned out that it would be an hour later to arrive in Rzhev at the earliest.

The troops, of course, could not stand in the snow for an hour waiting for the train, so they were disbanded on the orders of Mehris.

"What happened?" Katukov asked Shulka, he looked at Mehris's headquarters, and then asked in a low voice: "That guy is not going to attack again!" ”

"No, Comrade Colonel!" Shulka replied: "We're going to reinforce the Crimea!" ”

Hearing this, Katukov couldn't help but nodded.

Although he did not agree to continue the offensive against the Germans in the front, he had no opinion on reinforcing the Crimea...... He understood the situation in the Crimea and knew that it was right.

It's just that there is one thing that worries Katukov.

"You mean to say......" Katukov again turned his gaze to the Mehris command: "We are going to reinforce the Crimea under his command?" ”

"I'm afraid so, Comrade Colonel!" Shulka nodded helplessly: "This is Comrade Stalin's order!" ”

After a moment of silence, Katukov said to Shulka: "Then, it is your task to keep an eye on him, Comrade Shulka!" Don't let him do anything out of the ordinary! ”