Moscow, the Kremlin, Stalin's operational command room was a gloomy fog.

With the loss of Kupyansk, the German Army Group B and Army Group A closed their iron pincers, encircling most of the Southwestern Front, about 300,000 troops, and at the same time opening a large gap of more than 200 kilometers wide in the Soviet defense line. The originally balanced battlefield situation has taken a sharp turn for the worse, and the defense line on the Severodonets River in the south of the front no longer exists.

Looking at the crowd in the command room, Stalin's dissatisfaction was palpable.

"Can any of you stand up and offer me a practical solution? Hurry up, if it drags on any longer, the Germans will have to break into Moscow, into the Kremlin. ”

In the face of Stalin's questioning, everyone's heads were buried lower, and only one person held his head high.

Marshal Shaposhnikov said: "I think it is necessary to abandon the defense line on the Severodonets River. Let the Voronezh Front halt its southward movement, merge with the remnants of the Southwestern Front, the 21st and 28th Armies and the 38th Army, and rebuild the defensive line south along the Kalitva River. At the same time, three or four army groups were allocated from the High Command and handed over to Marshal Timoshenko, asking him to form a new Don Front on the east bank of the Don and take advantage of the natural dangers of the Don for defense.

We all know that the enemy's target is Moscow, and I speculate that after advancing east to the Don, they will rely on the Don to turn east to the defense, and the main forces will go north, in the direction of Moscow. Our main forces are still going to intercept them on the line of the Kalitva River. Don't forget that Heinz von Rosen's villain is in the middle and lower reaches of the Kalitva River, and his forces have captured several small bridgeheads north of the Kalitva River. We must build a strong enough defence before their large forces cross the Kalitva River. ”

Stalin's gaze followed Marshal Shaposhnikov's words, constantly going around the map, falling on the names of places spoken by the old marshal, and nodding his head again and again as he looked.

"Very good, the deployment in the north will be done according to your wishes first, and the staff will draw up a detailed plan for me immediately. Now let's talk about what to do with the defense line of the Mius River to the south? ”

Stalin said angrily: "After the enemy broke through from the strip between the Mius and Severodonets rivers, he divided his forces into two routes, the north and the south, not only outflanking the Southwestern Front in the north, but their 1st Panzer Army is outflanking the Southern Front behind the defense line of the Mius River in the south, do you have any good ideas?" ”

Marshal Shaposhnikov glanced at Admiral Vasilevsky, who cleared his throat and said thoughtfully: "I think we must first figure out the purpose of the German army in the south, the goal of their summer offensive is Moscow, and the attack on the south is contained. I think that their purpose is to drive our troops in the south across the Don, of course, if they can destroy it. The ultimate goal is for them to be safe in the south when they attack Moscow. ”

"So, what should we do?" Stalin asked.

Facing Stalin's questioning gaze, General Vasilevsky stretched out his hand and rubbed his neck, and continued: "While Rostov has not yet been lost, quickly let the Southern Front retreat to the south bank of the Don River." The enemy will definitely stop when he pursues the Don. Their goal is Moscow and will not let the troops go south.

Also, we had to let Marshal Budyonny's North Caucasus Front meet the Southern Front on the south bank of the Don River, block the passage of the German army to the south, and at the same time replenish it. When the enemy attacks Moscow in the future, we can launch a counteroffensive on their defensive strips. The enemy's forces in the south, including the Hungarians, Romanians, and Italians, are very poor in combat, and when we launch a counteroffensive, we can focus on attacking these forces, opening gaps in the defense areas of these units, and further disrupting the enemy's disposition. ”

Stalin pinched his pipe, listened to General Vasilevsky with a calm face, and said in a low voice: "So, you still want us to continue retreating, do you?" ”

Admiral Vasilevsky nodded and whispered: "Yes, in terms of the current situation, we can only retreat and use space for time, at least on the southern front." ”

Stalin's gloomy gaze swept over Vasilevsky's face, and he said helplessly: "Then prepare a telegram according to what you just said." Also, let Comrade Yeremenko of the Voronezh Front come to Moscow if he has time. In the next battle, whether or not Heinz von Rosen can be stopped will depend on the ability of Comrade Yeremenko. ”

After Stalin finished speaking, he suddenly asked: "What is new in the radio of the Germans today?" ”

Colonel-General Vasilevsky's lips squirmed a few times, and he said softly: "Major General Kozlov of the 37th Army and Major General Shamsin of the 22nd Tank Army were captured by the Germans, hmm······ It was Vlasov's traitorous man who caught them. The Germans also said that in recognition of the outstanding performance of Vlasov that traitor, he would be promoted to general. ”

Without saying a word, Stalin nodded and turned away, and the moment he turned around, he muttered in a low voice: "The battle can be lost, but the traitor must die." ”

Looking at Stalin's distant back, Marshal Shaposhnikov said to Vasilevsky: "The general secretary hopes that Yeremenko will be able to block Heinz von Rosen, what do you think?" ”

General Vasilevsky looked around cautiously and whispered to Marshal Shaposhnikov: "That guy Yeremenko is not very smart, and that traitor Vlasov is much more capable than him." Vlasov, who was more capable than him, was captured by the Germans, what do you think will happen to Yeremenko? ”

The old marshal nodded sadly.

"We're going to have a tough time fighting not only Heinz von Rosen, but also Yeremenko's stupid guy."

Just when Marshal Shaposhnikov was worried about the war years ahead, the town of Svato, southeast of the city of Kupyansk.

Chen Dao is in the headquarters, in accordance with the guiding ideology of "a piece of selfishness in the jade pot", and is doing ideological work for Mantufeier.

"Our next task is very simple, it is to preserve our strength and hide ourselves. On the road to Moscow, there are two cities of Voronezh and Tula to be captured, and fierce battles will inevitably break out, and this kind of peripheral fighting will be left to the men of Army Group B, and we will go south and return to the area of operations of Army Group A for repairs. When the cities of Tula and Voronezh are occupied by us in the future, and the road to Moscow is open, we will go north to Moscow, and we must be the first to enter Moscow. ”

After fighting side by side for many years, Mantufer was still a little uncomfortable with Chen Dao's style, and said hesitantly: "If the superiors order us to participate in those peripheral battles, what should we do?" ”

Chen Dao said: "You have no other superiors, I am your top leader." ”

Mandolfil nodded helplessly.

"Okay, then we'll take the prisoners seriously, let the troops trim, and then wait for your orders. You're going south now? ”

"Yes, if you were Russian, where do you think I would go next?"

Without thinking, Mandolfil said: "I think you will attack Moscow." ”

"You're right, if I were Russian, I would think the same thing. I just want them to be unexpected, and I'm not going to go in the direction they envisioned. I led the motley troops south, and you led the main army to stay here to repair. When the Russians' eyes are drawn to the south, I will fly back. By that time, Voronezh and Tula should have already been occupied by us. At this time, I will lead our main army into Moscow under the horrified eyes of the Russians, take a photo with you in front of the Kremlin, and then wait for the Führer to come and celebrate the celebration. ”

"When are you leaving?" Mandolfil asked.

"Tomorrow at noon, before leaving, I will hold a ceremony on behalf of the Führer to promote General Vlasov to the rank of general. With this ceremony, tomorrow there will be promotional materials for the propaganda department. After the ceremony, Vlasov would follow me south to the south on the banks of the Volga River, around the city named after Stalin. I firmly believe that General Vlasov will be able to provide us with more spiritual weapons near this city, which can be used to destroy the spiritual defense line of the Russians. ”

。 m.