Zhu Ke couldn't bear it, and said loudly: "If you think that the Chief of the General Staff will only talk nonsense, then what else do you want him to do!?" I request that I be immediately relieved of my post as Chief of the General Staff and that I be sent to the front. There I may be a little more useful to the Motherland. ”

And the dismissal of Zhukov from the post of Chief of the General Staff?

Although it was Zhukov who took the initiative this time, Stalin understood how bad the impact would be if he did it.

The two dismissals of Zhukov, who was increasingly expected by people to hold high hopes for the Soviet military, seemed to everyone to have the feeling that Stalin was mediocre and unknowing.

"Please calm down," Stalin did not choose to rebuke Zhukov this time, but said with rare patience: "Say it again...... If you ask the question like that...... We don't have you without you....."

Having said that, Stalin did not go on.

The next one to speak, Zhukov.

"I, as a military man, am always ready to carry out any decision of the Supreme High Command. But I have my own opinion on the situation and methods of warfare, and I believe that this opinion is correct. And what I and the General Staff think, I will report as I want. ”

Stalin did not interrupt Zhukov, he had already calmed down. When he summoned Zhukov back, he already thought that this could happen.

Thinking of another Pavlov who bowed down to him but could not win the battle, Stalin suddenly felt that Zhukov, whose opinions often conflicted with his own, would not seem to be unable to do it.

He said softly to Laikov, "Go back to work, we'll study it right away, and call you later." ”

When he heard this, Zhukov put away the map and left the office with a heavy heart.

He knew that Stalin, although he did not reprimand himself, did not support himself either. From this point of view, the plan to abandon Kiev should be impossible.

After about half an hour, Zhukov was called back to Stalin.

"We discussed," Stalin said to Zhukov, who had returned, "and the High Command has decided to remove you from the post of Chief of the General Staff again, but this is because we want you to take up the actual job." Everyone unanimously agreed that if you have the practical experience of commanding troops under actual combat conditions, you will certainly be able to play a greater role in combat units. ”

At the end, Stalin did not forget to add: "Of course, Comrade Zhukov, you are still a member of the Deputy People's Commissar of Defense and the Supreme High Command, and there is no need to worry about this." ”

It seems that Stalin was not able to send Zhukov to Siberia and was unwilling to listen to his advice. Therefore, a way was chosen to retain Zhukov's fictitious post, get in touch with his actual post as chief of the General Staff, and then send him to the front line as a pawn.

"Where did you order me to go?" Zhukov didn't care about this, and instead of letting him stay in the high command to fight against Stalin every day, quarrel about the battle plan, and the two sides chattered endlessly but without any conclusion, it was better to let him go to the front line and be a front-line commander.

In this way, it may be a good decision for him and for Stalin.

"Where would you like to work?" Although it was to drive out Zhukov, Stalin was no longer as merciless as last time.

"I can go anywhere to work, drive a tank or command a front, a group, an army, or even a division." Zhukov no longer received Stalin's petty affection.

"So be it, Comrade Zhukov. You just said that you are going to organize a counter-assault in Yellnia, so please take charge of this. I have come to order that all reserve armies on the Rzhevvyazma line be united as a reserve front, and that you be the commander of this reserve front."

"Look, when can you leave?" Stalin couldn't wait to send Zhukov to a place that he couldn't see, but could use Zhukov's abilities.

"I need to bring some paperwork and the deduction plan I made, and I will be able to clean it up in about an hour." Zhukov replied without a hint of expression.

"Well, let Shaposhnikov take your job. Please note that you are still a member of the High Command. Also, nominally, you are still the chief of the general staff of our army externally. ”

In the end, Stalin did not forget to do superficial work. He didn't want others to accuse him of driving Zhukov away behind his back, so he wanted to reserve a seemingly big job for Zhukov, so as to show that he was generous.

。

"So, you came to us like this, and then you taught me?"

In the joint command of the Western Front and the Reserve Front, Timoshenko chatted with Zhukov with a wry smile.

He originally thought that Zhukov came here because Stalin suddenly woke up and realized that Moscow was in danger and needed to rely on a military strategist like Zhukov to turn the tide.

Although Timoshenko is not much less famous than Zhukov, he himself knows how far apart he is from the battles he fought with Zhukov.

He thinks that he is not a good general at most, but Zhukov is definitely a great handsome talent!

It's a pity that Stalin doesn't seem to realize this.

Zhukov was sent to the Western Front with his troops, just to get rid of Zhukov and try to be quiet.

"Forget it, I heard that your attack on Yernia, met the SS troops, and suffered heavy losses." Zhukov didn't seem to want to mention what he had experienced in Moscow, but only focused on talking to Timoshenko: "Let's study how to spend two long months with these supposedly the most elite troops in Germany......

Command of the Southwestern Front.

Kirponos received an order from the Kremlin to reiterate.

Moreover, when this order comes, it is still a double order!

First, hold on to Kiev, and all troops are not allowed to retreat across the Dnieper.

Second, to cut off the German 1st Panzer Group from the infantry corps and attack the flank of the enemy Panzer Corps.

Kilponos tore up the telegram of the order from Moscow on the spot.

Again, this simply impossible task!

However, now that the high command has decided, they can only prepare to defend Kiev to the death, and even if it is finally lost, it will drag on - for a period of time, and consume some more German forces.

As for the order to attack the German armored forces, it was better to wait for Stalin in his sweet dreams to attack alone.

"Inform the ministries to station themselves in place and strengthen or build new fortifications." Kirponos sent a telegram to his officers: "The hardest days have come......"

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