After the meeting, Commissioner Bull beckoned several deputies from the office to go to the officers' cafeteria for dinner. www.biquge.info While eating, everyone talked about the Finnish Field Marshal Baron Mannerheim. Major General Boer once had a relationship with this veteran who can be called the defining needle of the Finnish army.

"Baron Mannerheim is really old and strong, he used to be a personal bodyguard for Nicholas II, and this time he can be regarded as avenging the Tsar's family." Major General Bull said with a smile.

"Mannerheim also took advantage of the weather and terrain, mainly because the current Red Army is not good." Some people think that Mannerheim's strategy and tactics are nothing more than that, but they are lucky to run into pig opponents: "Stalin purged all those officers who had combat experience. Some of the current Red Army division commanders were captains not long ago. What kind of battle can a group of doll teachers fight. At the meeting, it was estimated that they would lose 500,000 people, which is definitely underestimated. ”

There have been many theories in history about how many casualties the Soviet Red Army suffered in the Soviet-Finnish "Winter War". In his report to the Supreme Soviet, Molotov, then Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR and People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs, stated that the number of casualties was 48,745 dead and 158863 wounded.

But even the Soviets themselves did not believe this. Because the Soviet Union has always had a poor accuracy rate in calculating casualties, some people even joked that the Soviet Red Army's "casualty statistics can only be accurate to one million." This kind of statistics, which are accurate to the single digits, are obviously used for external propaganda.

After his resignation, Khrushchev mentioned the casualties of the Soviet Red Army in the Winter War in his secretly published "Memoirs of Khrushchev", and his exact words were "We lost a million men." But given his usual big-mouthed and anti-Stalinist stance, it is quite possible that this figure is somewhat exaggerated.

John believes that the Soviet Union will probably suffer 500,000-700,000 casualties in this war of invasion of Finland. Combined with the loss of 2,000 tanks and more than 600 aircraft, the price paid by the Soviet Union for the acquisition of Finland's 5,700 square kilometers was a bit too high.

Therefore, regardless of the final outcome of the war, the Soviet Red Army was a disgrace this time. At present, the outside world generally does not have a high opinion of the military strength of the Soviet Union, believing that it has empty numbers and equipment, but does not know how to fight.

John was not a weaponist, but he did not agree with this judgment either. The current group of Soviet commanders still have the basic qualities, but they are just inexperienced, and it would be good to fight a few more battles. Didn't the commander of the Ninth Army of the Belorussian Front, Chuikov, who was divided and surrounded by the Finns and lost the 163rd and 44th divisions, also fought well during World War II. It can't be said that the German Army is inferior to the Finns.

"Anyway, Marshal Mannerheim fought a good battle. A slap in the face to Stalin was enough, and with that, he was enough to make a name for himself all over the world. "Major General Bull still has a lot of respect for Mannerheim.

"It's not just Mannerheim who is famous all over the world this time, don't forget that there was also a Molotov on the Soviet side." John's words made everyone present laugh.

Molotov, the People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs of the Soviet Union, worked hard enough, and within a month, he successively made image endorsements for the "Molotov bread basket" and "Molotov cocktail", two "world famous brands" that would later become famous in the future.

After the joke, Major General Bull patted him on the shoulder: "John, you did very well at the meeting today. ”

"Thank you, sir! Chief of Staff Marshall's question was so sudden that I was not prepared at all, and I said whatever came to mind. John thought Major General Bull was affirming his remarks at the meeting.

"That's a good question, but that's not what I'm talking about. You may not have even noticed it, but you were very engaged in the discussion session just now. That's very good, John, you're starting to have a real military heart. ”

Major General Bull's words won the unanimous approval of everyone. Deputy Chief Arthur Nevins (Brigadier General) in charge of the Strategy Section, served as Deputy Chief of Staff of the Second Army, Chief of Operations of the Fifth Army, and Chief of Operations Section of the Operations Division of the Allied High Command during World War II. Also happy with John's performance today.

"When you first came, we were afraid that you would get the shopping mall and the political scene into the plan. It's a nice job between you and Wells, but that's not a military style. Nevins drank the water in his hand, "We are impressed by your appearance today. John, you have to remember that feeling that you had today. As a soldier, how to win the war is the first place, and nothing else matters. You're starting to smell like a soldier, and you're going to be a good army officer. ”

I had worked so hard to prepare so much, but I couldn't win the acceptance and recognition of the deputy directors in the department. I didn't expect that I was a little forgetful out of curiosity at the meeting just now, but I unexpectedly integrated myself into the team, which I really didn't expect.

"John, there are not enough people in the department now, you can't just be busy with your own business forever, you have to start learning other aspects as well." Major Bull continued: "In addition to today's large-scale strategic analysis meetings, the General Staff will often hold some small discussion meetings to analyze and summarize some examples of foreign military operations and strategic and tactical issues. Arthur, when you go to participate in the future, bring John with you, and let him learn more. ”

"No problem, Harold, just give me that bottle of cognac hidden in my office." Nevins and Maj. Gen. Harold Bull had worked together in the same unit for a long time, and the two were close enough to joke around.

Major General Bull laughed and scolded: "You old drunkard, your nose is really pointy. Come to my office tomorrow and look for it yourself, and if you find it, it's yours. After speaking, he picked up the cup: "It's not too early, let's stop here today." This-We'll-Defend！ ”

“This-We'll-Defend！” (Army slogan, here we are protected.) ）

When John got home, it was late at night. Adele took Mary and Ella Jr. to Detroit because of FedEx's year-end audit. John lay alone in bed and couldn't sleep for a long time.

It wasn't until today that John felt like a career officer for the first time. Before, except for this military uniform, he was not much different from when he was in the Military Industrial Production Committee.

But today's emergency meeting gave him a new understanding of the job. Even those conservative old men who usually eat vegetarian meals, when discussing the war, their eyes are so focused and persistent, and there are hot sparks flashing in their eyes, as if they have changed a person.

Perhaps this yearning for war and dedication to victory is the biggest difference between them and ordinary people. In their eyes, there is only how to win the war. As for whether the Helsinki Olympics can be held next year, it is not on their list at all. (The 1940 Olympics were originally held in Tokyo, but were disqualified due to Japan's war of aggression and moved to Helsinki.) Later, it was completely suspended due to the Soviet-Finnish war, and it was not resumed until after World War II. ）