On the 15th, the momentum of the Red Army's offensive withered. In the afternoon, the Red Army stopped the offensive on the central [***] team. The decision to stop the attack on the Central [***] squadron was made at the firm request of the rank and file officers of the Red Army. In the history of the Red Army, junior commanders made demands to their superiors to 'not fight' during battles. It's so rare, why is that? The casualties were simply too great. To what extent, the first eight regiments to participate in the attack suffered more than 5,000 casualties. The three regiments of the 40th Army alone took part in the attack suffered 1,830 casualties, and almost all the officers and men of the 3rd Battalion of the 359th Regiment were killed. The battalion commander Belikov refused to leave the position strewn with the corpses of his soldiers when he retreated, and was finally dragged down. The commander of the 357th regiment, Unikin, wept silently because of his pain when he reported the casualties of the soldiers to his superiors. Comparatively speaking, the casualties of the squadron [***] were much smaller. This is the gap between the tactics of the sea of people and the tactics of the sea of fire. ”

"The Red Army's counteroffensive against the central [***] team was, on the whole, a failure. The command has made a special review for this purpose. This campaign had a great impact on the strategy and tactics of the Red Army, and also had a very great impact on the psychology and morale of the commanders and fighters of the two armies. ”

"In addition, on the day of 14 February, the troops of the 39th and 40th armies, which were attacking about 35 kilometers southeast of Melinsk, had a column marching during the day and was spotted by the aerial observation planes of the [***] squadron, and the 2nd division of the [***] squadron bombarded this column with nearby artillery fire for four hours. This column was about 10,000 people, and under the artillery fire of the squadron, more than 7,000 people were killed and wounded. ”

"The aircraft and artillery fire determine the outcome of the ground battle. At about 4:30 p.m. on the 14th, when the 5th Regiment of the 1st Cavalry Division came to relieve the siege and forced about 250 Chinese soldiers into the 23rd Regiment's firepower net, all of a sudden, the Red Army units began to retreat, and the whole unit began to panic, and they got up from the foxholes and fled. I had never seen and never expected to see such a sight. The hills around the defensive front were filled with fleeing Red Army soldiers! Bombardment, artillery fire, roaring anti-aircraft guns, all mortars and infantry are firing! The number of targets far exceeds the number of our weapons. What an unbelievable sight! ……”

Although the squadron was already approaching Moscow, in the Kremlin Stalin's office, as usual, dealing with all kinds of things related to the war, war has become a cold thing in the Kremlin. Molotov and Shahulin sat at a long table covered with a green carpet, while Stalin stood at his desk with his back to them. He was talking on the phone with the "Red Solmovo" plant in the city of Kursk. The other side is the People's Commissar of the Tank Industry Malyshev.

At this time, Molotov was repeatedly reading copies of Stalin's personal letters to German Prime Minister Strassel. This letter was sent to the Soviet Embassy in Berlin on January 18. In reply to two of Strassell's letters in December, Stalin informed that the Soviet Union was in a difficult situation under a large-scale attack by China and that he hoped that Germany would come to the aid of the East as soon as possible. Now the Kremlin is anxiously waiting for a response from Berlin. Molotov was speculating about the content of the reply and pondering where new efforts should be made in Soviet diplomacy.

People's Commissar of the Aviation Industry Shahulin restrained his sleepiness. Alexei? Ivanovich had barely bothered for a few days and nights, and he traveled back and forth between the People's Commissariat Department, the Design Bureau, and the Aviation Plant, asking for his attention, intervention, and help. In front of Shahulin lay a large stack of secret documents, the top of which was a comprehensive material on the production of aircraft engines and aircraft over the past week. He tried to think of some numbers, but the printed manuscript flickered in front of him, his head fell to the table, and then, leaning back in his chair, listened carefully to the conversation between Stalin and Malyshev.

Stalin's high-frequency telephone receiver resonated in the reeds, and the familiar staccato voice of Malyshev could occasionally be heard. How could Shahulin, in his drowsiness, hear the voice of Malyshev? It was probable, because he had closed his eyes and vaguely saw that Malyshev was right in front of him, but for some reason he came to the meeting hall of the People's Commissariat again. Malyshev shoved him a notebook and wiped his broad bald forehead with a handkerchief, and the result was a mess of thick eyebrows, and under them were a pair of large eyes full of wisdom, which were serene, smiling, and added a calm expression to the face of the intellectual. Shahulin seemed to hear again what Malyshev had said long before the war: "Alexey? Ivanovich, we are far from forty years old, but we are almost old men, except for the People's Commissariat and the factory, we do not know anything...... Let's take our wives together, drink and sing as Christians do......"

Alexei? Ivanovich was lightly touched from the side, woke up, raised his head, opened his eyes, and saw Molotov looking at him with a smile.

"After the war, if you write a memoir," Molotov whispered to him, "don't forget to write that you dozed off in the office of the Supreme Commander...... No one has ever done this......"

Shahulin finally got rid of his sleepiness and replied embarrassedly: "I haven't slept for three nights...... In a hurry to build a new plane. When he saw Stalin turning towards them, with a stern glint in his eyes, he said nothing.

Only then did Shahulin understand what Stalin meant by calling Malyshev.

“…… Yes, yes...... Comrade Malyshev, we entrust you with the formation of a new center for the tank industry. "Stalin said with a pronounced Caucasian accent." Now we have a part of the tank industrial base that is still under the blows of the enemy's air force, and the Central Committee wants you to make appropriate arrangements, as well as our factories in the rear areas of Moscow and along the Dnieper......"

At this moment, Boskryabeshev appeared softly at the door of the office, his face tired and his eyes bloodshot from the lack of sleep for a long time. Stalin, as if seeing him with the back of his head, turned his face to the door, glanced at Poskerebeschev, and then at the wall clock on the door of the factory, and nodded to him. Then the Chief of the General Staff, Zhukov, and a general who accompanied him, walked in with heavy leather bags. They saluted by touching the heels of their shiny black boots, and when they saw Stalin standing with his back to the door, they sat down at the table. The general opened the thick briefcase, took out the map and papers, and placed them on the table covered with a green carpet.

Stalin continued into the microphone and said: "Comrade Malyshev, make no mistake about what kind of tanks will be produced at the factories in the city of Kursk, and what kind of tanks will be produced at the factories in Vilnius and Minsk. Now the front line needs tanks of the 'T34' and 'KB' types......"

Stalin stopped, and now not in Shahulin's tired imagination, but through the telephone he heard the low voice of Malyshev: "Comrade Stalin, the General Directorate of Tank Repair must be helped...... Not everyone on the front line understands that a broken tank is not a waste or garbage in war...... It is simply impossible for the tank to be completely destroyed...... It has several thousand parts...... In the worst-case scenario, two can be repaired with three tanks. ”

"How can we help?" Stalin asked.

"Please order Comrade Mehris to mobilize the political workers at the front. This will help us to fill the gap in the production of new tanks, because now the plant is being demolished to the west and needs to be rebuilt in new areas......"

"Good. Goodbye, Comrade Malyshev. Stalin put the microphone on the telephone, picked up a blue pencil, and leaned over the desk to take notes.

Zhukov and his assistants saw that Stalin was free and stood up.

"You may be seated, comrade soldiers." Stalin waved at them, glanced at Shahulin, and said, "Someone complains about Stalin's harsh ......," he looked at Vikov pointedly. "Tell me, what kind of harshness is this; People's Commissar came to his office to report...... I actually slept ...... We're not in your way, are we? ”

"I beg your pardon, Comrade Stalin." Alexei? Ivanovich felt like a schoolboy who had made a mistake. "Don't take it as an example."

"Nothing, as it always happens. I know you're not having an easy time...... Malyshev's phone call interrupted us. Where did you just talk about it? Stalin looked at Shahulin, and now his eyes became serious again.

"You talked about the role of the Deputy People's Commissar." Alexei? Ivanovich reminded.

"yes...... That's it, we have some great deputies! …… Dementiev, Yakovlev, Khrunichev, Voronin...... It's really some outstanding experts and excellent party workers. They should also follow your arrangement to see distant factories, test airfields, and design bureaus. …… But why did you go to Kursk in person? ”

"There was a dispute between the designers and the managers at the aviation machinery factory." Shahulin explained.

"Comrade Patolichev is the best at handling disputes, he is a first-class organizational expert, he is very good at doing human work, and he is good at figuring out the bottom of things at once."

"Yes, I didn't expect ......"

"Let's be sure, you can't leave Moscow without my permission. In addition to your other tasks, you have to report daily to the Central Committee and the People's Committee...... Written report! …… Report on the production of aircraft and engines. It is necessary to talk not only about the aircraft that have been assembled, but also about the aircraft that have been tested and targeted......"

"All understood, Comrade Stalin." Shahulin stood up and began to collect the papers into his purse. Alexei? Ivanovich wanted to hear Zhukov's report on the situation at the front, but in the reception room of the People's Commissariat there were "envoys" from the factories waiting for him, and he saw that Stalin, as if he had forgotten about him, walked to the other end of the table, where the map was spread out.

General Zhukov saw that Stalin was beginning to think about military affairs at the front, so he decided to tell him what he wanted to say. But Stalin spoke first: "Once, at lunch, we chatted and said that Stalin could not be blamed for scolding Comrade Zhukov. He held up his extinguished pipe as if to draw attention. Stalin scolded Zhukov, and if Zhukov scolded the commanders of the front and army groups, things would have been better. However, scolding Zhukov and the commanders should be just right, so that they do not hold back in their work and do things worse......"

Zhukov's heart trembled, he himself wanted to say this to Stalin in a more tactful way.

"Please tell Comrade Timoshenko and don't let him blame Lukin, Kurochkin and Konev too much. Not only that, but they must be rewarded with a noble political axe, which may give Lukin and Kurochkin a boost to drive their enemies out......"

"You are right, Comrade Stalin...... "Only then did Zhukov find an opportunity to speak." Can you report it?"

"Wait a minute." Stalin turned to Molotov. "It would be better to let the Chief of the General Staff know about our telegram to Strassel." Then he explained to Zhukov, "We suggested to German Chancellor Strassel that troops be sent to our aid as soon as possible. ”

"We have even put forward various combat scenarios that we think are feasible." Molotov explained.

"I beg your pardon, I don't quite understand." Zhukov frowned, his eyes became small and dim, "Don't you need to listen to the opinion of the General Staff?" ”

Stalin and Molotov looked at each other, as if they did not know how to answer Zhukov's question.

Stalin was a little disappointed, he chuckled, picked up his pipe, and said kindly: "We have studied all kinds of factors that can help us. ”

"To get more help militarily and politically," Molotov added as he opened a folder. "Hey, Georgi? Konstantinovich, you can look at Comrade Stalin's private telegram to Mr. Strassell. ”

Zhukov noticed Molotov's emphasis on the word "private telegram", and he immediately said: "I am not a diplomat...... Since it was necessary to adopt the method of exchanging personal letters between the heads of the political axes, the General Staff did not need to intervene. ”

"Read," said Stalin sternly, turning his back and slowly walking to his desk.

Zhukov picked up the two clearly printed pages and began to read softly:

"I thank you for sending you two private telegrams. Your telegram is the beginning of the political axe of our two countries. Now, as you said with good grounds, the USSR and Germany have formed an alliance in the fight against a common enemy. I have no doubt that, despite all the difficulties, our two countries will have enough strength to defeat our common enemy......"

Stalin went on to inform the German Prime Minister that the situation at the front was still tense and explained the reasons for this...... He wrote: "It seems to me that Germany should now consider not helping Ben to attack the United States. If Germany can help us defeat the Chinese, then the military situation of the Soviet Union and Germany will be greatly improved. ”

"The advantage of this is that it will not only contain Yang Shuoming's troops in the Soviet Union, but also make it impossible for the Chinese to invade Germany." This was in line with the wishes of the German team and the entire population of eastern Germany. This is not only good for our common cause, but also for Germany itself. Now is the most favorable time to attack the Chinese, because the main forces of the Chinese army have been concentrated in the Soviet Union and have not yet had time to consolidate the territories they occupied. ”

"If Germany wanted to attack the United States, it would be easier to open another battlefield at sea. Here, Germany only had to act by the Navy and Air Force, without sending troops and artillery to land. The army, navy and air force of the USSR were to take part in this campaign. If Germany could draw some or more troops from its British and French forces to the Soviet battlefield, it could move these troops to northern Ukraine to organize military operations to prevent Chinese attacks. January 18, 1945. ”

"Everything is impeccable, Comrade Stalin...... Thinking rigorously is like a bullet in a magazine. Zhukov still felt guilty for saying something inappropriate about Stalin's failure to involve experts from the General Staff in the study of this program. It is true that the personnel of the General Staff have also studied the question of the possible surnames of the [***] team of the German [***] team in a heavy blow in a certain area.

"A bullet in a magazine, that's a good point." Stalin looked at Zhukov with an imperceptible smile. "Still, your question - why did you not ask the General Staff for help, still makes sense. In the future, whenever we negotiate with our allies to open up new battlefields and to provide us with assistance, we must rely not only on the General Staff, but also on the statistical organs of the People's Commissariats working for national defense. ”

"It is also necessary to consult Comrade Khrushchev, head of the General Logistics Department of the Red Army." Molotov added.

"I'd rather see how the Germans react to your proposal, Comrade Stalin." Zhukov said. He was satisfied that Stalin understood what he had just said.

"There's not going to be a response anytime soon." Molotov slapped the folder. "I think they are currently collecting and synthesizing information on the situation on the front in our country, relying mainly on German materials. Compare it to our materials...... And, I think, they are waiting to see how Moscow will react after the massive bombardment by the Chinese. See if you can hold it? ……”

"Yes, they are waiting for the effects of the bombing," Stalin agreed, "especially in recent days, when the Chinese have been frantically clamoring to completely destroy Moscow with air strikes and drown it in flames." Perhaps these threatening words were meant to intimidate the people themselves, because they had tasted the air strikes. They may be worried that you and I will die without a place to be buried, and by that time, there will be no one to negotiate with them......" Stalin suddenly stopped talking, looked at Zhukov, and seemed to be trying his best to search for the following wording, "As early as November 4 last year, a German reconnaissance plane sneaked into the sky over the western suburbs of Moscow. Since then, they have been conducting constant aerial reconnaissance......"

(To be continued)