"I think you all already understand, Maria, our best tank driver, how to drive tanks." Zhukov looked at the foreign reporters and said with pride, "When our tanks change gears, they need to use a hammer to smash them, and Maria obviously doesn't use a hammer." The 'KV' heavy tank must have driven smoothly and nimble in her hands, like a tame elephant. ”

Zhukov's remarks again aroused warm applause from the Soviets, and foreign reporters gathered around one after another and began to ask questions to the "521" crew.

"How old are you? Miss Maria? ”

"I heard that you volunteered to join the army, right?"

"It's incredible that you single-handedly stopped an attack by a German panzer division, can you tell us about the situation?"

"I heard that your tank was destroyed, and you captured one of the enemy's tanks to continue the fight, is this true? ……”

In the face of reporters' questions, Ye Chuchu did not answer, but said loudly to Zhukov: "Comrade General, we hope to get a new tank and immediately put it into battle on the front where we are most needed." ”

Ye Chuchu's voice instantly suppressed the reporters' questions, and the hall suddenly fell silent again.

Ye Chuchu's gaze swept over the reporters, and he raised his head proudly, "We will fight in the most dangerous places, you can all go there to watch, I believe that all your questions will be answered at that time." "Then you will see how we are fighting." ”

Listening to Ye Chuchu's extremely domineering answer, the reporters immediately exploded again.

Zhukov glanced at the officers around him and smiled happily: "I like them." ”

After returning to his room, Zhukov kept thinking about whether to arrange such a battle for them, as the "521" crew had requested, so that foreign journalists could watch it with their own eyes.

He wondered what Stalin would have looked like when he saw reports in foreign newspapers about the invincible image of the "521" crew.

If history is made up of many interrelated and mutually restrictive events, then this kind of history is the history of human feelings and entanglements. As chief of the General Staff, Zhukov's daily routine consisted of listening to instructions from the State Defense Committee, primarily Stalin. He had mixed feelings about Stalin, and he often pondered about it. Whenever he was ready to go to see Stalin, he always had such mixed feelings. Telephone calls are not counted, and twice a day and night he must appear before the chairman of the National Defense Committee, at which time he will report in the Kremlin not only on all the major problems at the front and on the opinions that have been studied and summarized by the General Staff, the working body of the "Stavka", but also on the well-brewed conclusions, ideas and draft of the current campaign and strategic determination.

And the battle reports from the front did not bring any consolation. The losses of the Red Army were growing, and the Germans were advancing from many directions, encroaching on the territory of the USSR. As a result, the atmosphere in Stalin's office was tense. When Zhukov left the office, he often felt a tension in every nerve and cell.

He always had an unpredictable feeling about Stalin, which could not be expressed in words. Whenever he thinks about this, he often recalls the first time he and Stalin met. That meeting was related to the events that took place in the Far East in the spring and summer of '39. Zhukov, who was then deputy commander of the Belarusian Military District, was urgently summoned to Moscow to meet with People's Commissar of Defense Voroshilov, where he learned that Japan had invaded Mongolia and that the Soviet Union was supposed to provide military assistance to Mongolia in accordance with the treaty. At that time, Voroshilov asked him: "Can you take off immediately to go there and, if necessary, take on the responsibility of commanding the army?" ”

Zhukov glanced at the map of Mongolia on the conference table and saw that a Japanese invasion route was drawn east of the Kharakha River. He suddenly realized a truth, the reason why commanders can command Ruoding is mainly because they know themselves and know their opponents, so they can make the right determination. And although he did not know the other or himself at that time, he was still willing to try his skills to meet the difficulties and dangers, and he immediately replied: "Comrade Marshal, I can take off now!" ”

Zhukov thought that after that, he might be invited to the General Staff, where he would sit down and study the maps and study the tactics of the Japanese army. After that, go to see Stalin again...... As a result, nothing like that happened.

"Very well," Voroshilov said to him with satisfaction, "the plane for you will be at the central airfield, and it will take off at sixteen o'clock......

The outcome of the Battle of the Haraha River is well known. The Red Army dealt a blow to Japan's ambitions and made it afraid to act rashly against the Soviet Union after the invasion of fascist Germany...... If it was not Zhukov who went, but someone else who commanded the Battle of the Harakha River, it is not known what the result would be. Zhukov showed a deep understanding of the art of conducting, courage and perseverance. He was promoted to the rank of general and was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, which is well deserved.

Later, he was transferred back to Moscow to take up a new position, and only then was he invited to the Kremlin for the first time.

When he learned that he was going to see Stalin, he was very excited, as if he had never been so excited, as he had seen the four girls and the young man to-day.

On that occasion in Stalin's office, Molotov, Kalinin and Voroshilov were also met. They talked over tea. He, the 44-year-old general at the time, turned out to be the main role in the banquet. Everyone listened attentively to Zhukov's views on the Japanese army, its strengths and weaknesses, and also talked about the situation of the Red Army fighting against the Japanese army. The members of the Politburo asked questions one after another, and Zhukov answered them in a chic and crisp manner. Suddenly, Stalin asked an unexpected question: "How much help did Kulik, Pavlov and Voronov give you?" ”

During the operation on the Kharakha River, Pavlov, as the chief of the armored corps of the Red Army, and Voronov, as the chief of artillery, personally went to the front and helped. Zhukov made a truthful report to the members of the Politburo. He really knew how to help them. As for the Deputy People's Commissar of Defense, Marshal Kulik? …… He glanced at Voroshilov, unwilling to hide the truth, and continued in a gloomy tone: "As for Marshal Kulik, I can't say what useful work he did......"

Until then, Stalin had been pacing back and forth indoors, when he suddenly stopped. He exhaled a puff of cigarette, leaned slightly over Zhukov, and touched his shoulder with the mouth of his pipe, as if to peek into the depths of his soul.