Actually, in mid-July, a lot happened.

For example, the German Army Group South advanced towards the Dnieper River with strong armored forces, broke through the defense line of the Soviet Southwestern Front, and surrounded the Soviet 26th, 6th and 12th armies. Although the Soviets threw the main forces of the 6th and 12th armies out of the encirclement after fierce fighting, the main Soviet forces in the lower bend of the Dnieper south of Kiev lost cover.

That is, in the Uman region, south of Kiev, the command of the Southwestern Front is also unable to support it in the south. Before the mobile units of Army Group Center moved south, Army Group South's own 1st Panzer Group and the 17th Army had already joined up in the city of May 1st in Ukraine, completing the encirclement of the 6th and 12th Soviet armies and the 1st 18th Army in the Uman area.

After the departure of the mobile units of Italy and Spain, the German Army Group South had already ended the Uman campaign, destroying 20 Soviet divisions, capturing 103,000 prisoners, and capturing 317 tanks and 858 artillery pieces.

This was the combined army of the Southwestern Front and the Southern Front of the Soviet Army, but neither of the two Soviet Front armies was able to solve this trouble.

At the same time, a series of fierce battles had already begun outside Kiev, and the armored vanguard of Army Group South had broken through to Zhytomyr on the outskirts of Kiev, but because the infantry regiments did not keep up with the lack of strength, Zhengcai did not launch a general attack on the base axis.

From the point of view of the Soviet army, many main forces of the Southwestern Front, which suffered heavy losses, were surrounded by the Germans, and the main forces of the German Army Group Center could move south at any time and form a north-south flank attack on Kiev, in which case, all the main forces of the Southwestern Front would have to be encircled.

Command of the Southwestern Front.

Commander Kirponos, together with the new Chief of Staff Tupikov, is listening to the report and recommendations of the Chief of Operations, Colonel Baglamyan.

Kirponos was named by Zhukov to return from Siberia, and along with him, the former chief of staff, Puerkaev.

It's a pity that on the second day after arriving in Siberia, Pu'er Kaev fell seriously ill due to water and soil discomfort, and later died of a serious illness on the train back.

For this matter, Kirponos already had a knot in his heart about Stalin, but it was not yet seen by anyone.....

At this moment, the chief of operations made a bold and at the same time helpless proposal for him.

This method will preserve as much as possible the remaining main forces of the Southwestern Front in the most unfavorable situation and make adequate preparations for defense in depth.

"There is no way to do it, but it is better than being completely annihilated by the Germans." Colonel Bagramian spread his hands and said very shamefully.

However, Kirponos was very hesitant about this, he knew that in the current situation, his proposal to abandon the defensive ground and shrink the defense would definitely touch Stalin's nerves, and the commander of the North-Western Front, Kuznetsov, was removed by Stalin half a month ago because he advocated a contraction of defense.

And he himself, because of this proposition, was directly thrown by Stalin to Siberia to fend for himself.

His old partner Pu'er Kaev also died in the Far East because of this......

Thinking of this, Kirponos couldn't help but clench his fists, trembling slightly with anger.

"Comrade Commander, the current situation is at a critical moment, the German, Italian, and Spanish armies' armored corps are closed and encircled quite quickly, and our troops have suffered serious losses, and among the four group armies, some divisions and regiments have only one-half or even one-third of the personnel, and some units simply leave only one number."

The new colonel minister was a little excited: "If we delay any longer, the consequences will be unimaginable, and we will be responsible for the lives of hundreds of thousands of officers and soldiers!" ”

Kilponos sat quietly and listened to Baghramyan's speech. Once upon a time, how similar he was to this new minister, he was also so enthusiastic.

It's a pity that the freezing Siberia is so cold, so cold that it has already drenched his hot pulse and boiling blood......

Immediately afterwards, Colonel Baglamyan spoke about the plan for shrinking the defense, and repeatedly pointed out its importance.

The new chief of staff of Kirponos, Tupikov, was persuaded by the young man: "Well, I'll send a telegram to Comrade Stalin, the leader. However, it is ...... to ask for a retreat at this time In short, we need to be prepared for both. ”

Stalin's answer came back very quickly that afternoon. It was an unusually simple telegram: "Hold on to Kyiv".

Sure enough! Kilponos couldn't help but sneer as he looked at the contents of the telegram.

In the headquarters of the Southwestern Front, everyone fell silent again.

Seeing that everyone did not speak, Kirponos sighed, and finally spoke: "Let me send a telegram to Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov and ask him to persuade Comrade Stalin."

Hearing this, everyone immediately thought of Zhukov, who returned to the General Staff, and they believed that the most famous general in the Soviet military would definitely have a way.

After Zhukov received the report of the Southwestern Front, after carefully studying the movements of the German army and the remaining strength of the Southwestern Front, he was fully convinced that Kirponos and their conclusions were correct. The Germans were to concentrate their main forces on Kyiv, seeking to annihilate most of the Southwestern Front and the Southern Front here.

Zhukov was also super heartbroken, and in mid-to-late July, he remained in the General Staff and was not sent to support the Western Front, so he immediately called Stalin and asked for an interview.

He then arrived at Stalin's office alone, with a map of the strategic situation, a map of the deployment of forces in the Allied bloc, and other relevant materials.

"The Germans in the Moscow direction could not carry out a large-scale offensive campaign in the near future, because their losses in Smolensk were too great and they lacked the strength to replenish the armies and secure the left and right flanks of Army Group Center. Moreover, I have instructed Comrade Timoshenko to repeatedly launch the recapture of Smolensk during this period of time, to contain and deplete the strength of the German army. ”

Zhukov bluntly said: "In Ukraine, the fighting will probably start in the Dnepropetrovsk, Kremenchuk region, because German tank clusters have already reached this area." It is likely that the enemy will strike on the flanks and behind the Southwestern Front, which is holding Kyiv. ”

"What's your suggestion?" Stalin also asked directly without any nonsense.

"Immediately draw reinforcements from the Far East to make up for the losses of this period, and at the same time, the Southwestern Front must immediately withdraw all across the Dnieper and concentrate reserves of no less than 5 reinforced divisions for them in the rear."

Stalin immediately retorted: "So what about Kyiv?"

Zhukov paused, he knew what the words "abandon Kiev" meant to Stalin. But at the same time, he understood that this was the time not to be emotional, and that as Chief of the General Staff, it was his responsibility to recommend what seemed to him to be the only right decision at the moment.

So he bluntly said: "Kyiv has to give up!"

After an embarrassing silence, Zhukov saw that Stalin did not speak, so he controlled his feelings and continued to report: "In the western direction, it is necessary to continue to organize counter-assaults in order to recapture the Yelnya salient occupied by the enemy. Otherwise, this bridgehead could be used by the Germans to attack Moscow. ”

"Where else is there a counter-assault? What nonsense!" Stalin erupted: "And to hand over Kyiv to the enemy, you can figure it out!"