"Yes, Comrade Stalin. The air intelligence station has recorded about 90 reconnaissance sorties in the direction of Moscow. Zhukov confirmed Stalin's statement that "nine planes broke into the city...... The pilots of our 6th fighter regiment tried to shoot them down......"

"This proves that they are not clear about what we actually do." Stalin said thoughtfully, as he walked to a window facing the Moscow Armoury Exhibition Hall, "which is also very inconsistent with their usual style, for I have always believed that German science has studied the tactics of air defense in large administrative and industrial centers......"

Zhukov wanted to explain to Stalin that this was the latest German reconnaissance aircraft, and that, according to the descriptions of the pilots of the German Volunteers, measures were taken to reduce the weight of this aircraft: the amount of fuel carried was strictly controlled, some weapons were removed, and the lightest pilots were selected to fly the aircraft...... Thus, the flight altitude can reach more than 8 km. But Stalin, still looking out the window, did not allow Zhukov to explain, and continued: "Report it...... How has the situation changed at the front? ”

Reporting on the general staff's comprehensive front-line combat situation has become accustomed to Weikov. On the table, he unfolded a map of the strategic situation, a map of the enemy's deployment, the state of our army, and a report on the state of material and technical reserves of various armies and the central headquarters. He thought clearly and calmly, and began to report: In the past few days, the 11th Army of the Northeast Front began to carry out a counter-assault on the 4th Chinese armored cluster in the Chiapino area on February 14. As a result, the Red Army successfully captured Ciapino, and the squadron was repulsed by 10-18 km. Zhukov leaned over the map and counted a series of settlements in the area where the 11th Army was currently located.

Then the Chief of the General Staff spoke about the current situation, saying that the 22nd Army had abandoned the city of the Great Rubyan under the assault of the superior forces of the Squadron [***].

On the Southeastern Front, the 26th Army, located in the area south of Stalingrad, turned to the offensive against the 1st Panzer Group of the Chinese Army. But no progress was made, only forcing the enemy troops to go on the defensive in Roklintov, Sibini Cathedral, Tavart, etc.

Stalin listened, attentively remembering some important information, while at the same time his thoughts were split in two, as if diverted by two channels. He stood by the window, listening to Zhukov's report, and at the same time looked out the window at the scene that he was a little tired of seeing: the small garden around the slab wall was potholed beyond recognition, and the conveyor belt lifted the earth from the ground, and it was constantly and tirelessly sliding towards the top of the wall. Outside the walls, large trucks roared, sending the wagons under the conveyor belt in turn...... Subway workers are busy trying to finish the construction of the bomb shelter as soon as possible. Stalin remembered the pre-war May Day, when the Kremlin's subway construction had just begun. On the eve of the festival, he addressed the graduates of the Military Academy in the conference hall of the Supreme Soviet. This was followed by a traditional political axe reception at St. George's Hall.

Molotov, who was the chairman of the reception, announced that Comrade Stalin was going to give a toast to everyone. When, after a storm of applause, it began to calm down, Stalin began to speak, in which he bluntly said that war was knocking on the door of our country, and that in modern warfare, artillery is the "god of war" and that it will play a major role, and then he proposed to toast to artillery.

However, young people are carefree. Stalin's reminder did not disturb anyone's mood. The banquet was full of laughter and laughter. The actors sing and dance in St. George's Hall...... The very next day, the Kremlin's bomb shelter work began, which was still ongoing until the Chinese reconnaissance plane flew over Moscow.

Stalin was in a depressed mood, turned around, and saw Zhukov having finished his report and was looking at him expectantly.

"I think, Comrade Zhukov," said Stalin, "that it is time to check the situation in the Moscow air defense zone and see if preparations are made for counter-air raids......," he paused for a moment, and then further clarified, "first check the preparations against daytime air raids." ”

"Is it okay tomorrow, Comrade Stalin?" Zhukov asked.

"Yes."

On this day, People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs Molotov sat in his office furnished with old-fashioned walnut furniture, in a very anxious mood. He had just been informed that Strassell's reply to Stalin had been picked up by the German Embassy. While the letter was being translated into Russian, Molotov hurriedly reviewed the pending documents so that he could devote himself to studying the German Prime Minister's reply. He was in a hurry, reading the documents one by one, and he could not forget the letter, and tried to guess its contents. From time to time, he looked at his watch uncertainly, the time to go to the headquarters of the territorial air defense was approaching, and the National Defense Committee was going to check the combat readiness to deal with the upcoming Chinese air raid on Moscow.

Molotov thought that he would save some time if Strassell's letter went directly to Stalin, so he called Stalin.

"Comrade Stalin!" Molotov heard the voice "I am Stalin" in the earpiece and felt a little excited. "Comrade Stalin, Mr. Strassel greets you...... The mail from the German embassy has been picked up ......"

"You have a trip." Stalin spoke briefly, without showing any emotion.

"I'll come, and I'll send it as soon as the letter is translated."

Molotov walked through the silent corridors and soon arrived at Stalin's office. Kalinin and Malenkov were seen there. Before he could speak to them, Boskerebeshev had already reached the door, holding a pale green folder in his hand.

"Comrade Stalin, Strassell's letter to you." He was a little smug, as if he had been the first to know of the German Chancellor's letter.

"Impossible!" Stalin exclaimed, pretending to be surprised. "Come, read it, and see what this Nazi wrote to the Bolsheviks in the Kremlin."

Stalin took the folder, opened it, and sat down at the conference table. He looked at all those present with meaningful eyes, and began to read the letter slowly:

"Mr. Stalin, I am very pleased to receive your telegram and am very pleased to hear from many sides about the heroic battles and many powerful counteroffensives of the Russian [***] squad in defense of the Motherland. I am fully aware that you have gained military advantage by forcing the enemy to deploy forces and engage in battle on the eastern frontier protruding forward, in order to partially deplete the forces of the enemy's initial assault. ”

"We are to do what we can to do what is feasible and effective for you. But I ask you to understand the constraints we face in terms of resources and geography. From the first day of the attack on Russia by the Chinese [***] team, we carefully considered the possible surname of the attack on China. Our Chiefs of Staff of the three armed services cannot find any way to take an action of the magnitude that may be of some small benefit to you. Germany had already committed 14 divisions in Russia, and Germany had been defending along the coasts of England and France for more than a year. The only place where we can temporarily gain air superiority and have fighter cover is in the North African theater. If we were to send a large number of troops from North Africa to support you, the Afrika Korps would suffer heavy casualties and be repulsed, and a small support operation would only lead to a defeat for both of us. This can be done without the enemy having to draw a force from other fronts, or before they have had time to draw a force. ”

"As you will recall, we have been fighting alone for more than a year. And, while our resources are growing, and will grow rapidly from now on, our Army and Air Force are in a state of extreme tension both at home and in the Middle East. In addition, although the strength of our navy is growing, the time is not yet ripe for an attack on the United States mainland, and it will not directly help Russia's situation. ”

"However, we can seek any possibility of immediate assistance in other areas. For the past three weeks, the German General Staff has been planning to provide more material aid to Russia, and intends to build up a strong army among our allies to go to Russia to assist you in your war, and this is what we can do at the moment. I wish I could do more......"

Stalin stopped, said in a hoarse voice: "He wants to ...... If he really wanted to, he wouldn't have to rap again......"

The letter went on to say that, as a next step, Germany was studying sending several fighter squadrons to Russia, but feared that China would immediately send a more powerful fighter and bomber formation as soon as it learned of the Luftwaffe's presence in the Soviet Union.

Strassel concluded his letter by writing: "If you have any other suggestions, please do not hesitate to ask us. We are also striving to find other ways to fight our common enemy. ”

The office was quiet for a while, and the little sunlight shining through the window shone on the opposite wall, trembling slightly, faintly like a human figure.

Stalin closed the folder, angrily pushed it to Molotov, who was sitting next to him, stood up and began pacing. Everyone was expecting him to say something...... The smell of tobacco wafted in the air...... "Habit is the next day's surname." Stalin smiled dumbly, shook his head, and continued, "This statement is not false at all! …… The habits and surnames of German politicians have been fused together, and they have been scheming and scheming in European politics for centuries...... War and peace in the East are insignificant and indifferent to them. For them, the benefits are always ......"

"For them, in the event of a war, it is all about getting more benefits," Kalinin added, taking a break in Stalin's speech. "The whole history can prove it."

"That's right," Stalin agreed. "I believe that when we defeat the barbaric Chinese and start living peacefully, these diehards who hate Bolshevism will still come to interfere with us."

"It's true." When Stalin stopped talking, Molotov said. Then, he asked nonchalantly, "So, what is the conclusion?" Strassel will not rush to help us and will not rush to open up the American theater. ”

"Yes, he won't be busy!" Stalin's voice implicitly indignant, "Therefore, it is necessary to continue to make the Germans clear through diplomatic means, so that we can be more aware of their position." I will not reply to Strassell's non-existent and perfunctory letter. Time will tell......"

"Well," Molotov agreed, brushing his slightly whitish beard with his fingers and asking Stalin a little apologetically: "If I don't go to the headquarters of the Territorial Defense Headquarters, you won't object, right?" …… There's a whole lot of work to do...... I do not want to reschedule the meeting with the leading cadres of the tank industry. I've got to carry this burden! ”

Stalin nodded in agreement, and Molotov left. There was silence in the office. Everyone seems to be thinking about one thing: in recent days, Chinese bombers may have to carry out intensive air strikes on Moscow. What will happen to the end? Every city in Russia that had been bombed by the Chinese Air Force was now terrified and helpless. Large swaths of the city's houses lay in ruins...... And what about Moscow's air defense? …… Stalin always felt that there was something unfinished and unforeseen that needed to be dealt with urgently. He was troubled and worried.

However, since the decision "on Moscow's air defense" was made, it seems that everything that can be done has been done to the maximum.

The warehouses where weapons were stored were already quite empty, and the weapons that had just left the factory were put into service. The anti-aircraft artillery units covering the city were fully equipped with technical equipment and replenished troops. Four newly formed anti-aircraft artillery regiments and two anti-aircraft machine-gun regiments were incorporated into the 1st Air Defense Army. Despite the urgency of the situation at the front, on the whole, the existing forces are a formidable force capable of withstanding the enemy...... Now 1644 anti-aircraft guns and 796 machine guns are ready, majestically peeping into the skies of Moscow. An anti-aircraft artillery regiment has fortified the city centre, especially the Kremlin, by digging artillery mounts in the courtyards, in the streets, in squares and in street gardens. The number of searchlights has reached 726, and many beams of light can be emitted at the same time high in the night sky. Each anti-aircraft artillery regiment had a fully equipped searchlight battalion. Therefore, it was decided to transfer the searchlight regiments out of the antiaircraft artillery defense zone so as to form six irradiation zones in close proximity to the north-east and southeast of the capital, as well as an interception and irradiation zone for fighter night warfare. Recently, it is also planned to establish 10 such zones.

The balloon interdiction unit has also been strengthened. In the center of the city, over the water towers and over the eastern and southern suburbs of Moscow, these fixed balloons are hung high. When the balloons are close to the ground, they look like pot-bellied sows, and when they float into the air with a long barricade below, they look from the ground like a herd of piglets running through the thick sky of the sunset.

However, the main hope is still pinned on fighters who are good at night flight. Thus, the 1st Army of Aviation, which was tasked with covering the capital, was quickly replenished with two regiments equipped with new rapid fighters of the PE-3. This kind of aircraft is made by Fergus? Rice? Designed by Petriakov, it is armed with a powerful machine gun, machine guns and rockets. This corps was also incorporated into two test pilot brigades as special assault forces, and in these two brigades there were some nationally renowned figures, such as Yumashev, Yuganov, Calais, Shevchenko, Yakimov, Chukalov, Fedorov, and others. A total of 920 fighters are on standby and can take off day and night to meet enemy aircraft.

The Air Intelligence Unit is the eyes and ears of the Territorial Air Defense Command, and this unit can forecast incoming enemy aircraft within 250 kilometers of the city. A total of 1,024 air intelligence posts are located around the capital. The main air intelligence post of the Moscow air defense zone has established direct telephone contact with the air intelligence posts of the northern, northeastern, eastern, Kursk and southern air defense districts. Although this radar cannot determine the country, number, and flight altitude of the aircraft, it can determine the position of the aircraft and ensure that it can be tracked and monitored within 80 kilometers. In any case, they can rule out a surprise air strike on Moscow. But also it was possible to navigate the fighters of the Red Army flying at night and intercept the bombers of the Chinese.

Moscow itself is busy in an atmosphere of tension and unease. Workers, government officials, students, housewives and retirees were busy answering the call to the Moscow Soviet, signing up for firefighting, ambulance, anti-poison and anti-danger work. The citizens of Moscow suddenly became excited, as if they had been electrocuted, and all they thought was about one goal, doing everything possible to prevent a catastrophe. Pronin, chairman of the Moscow City Soviet, Yasnov, deputy chairman, and Shcherbakov, first secretary of the Moscow City Party Committee and the Moscow Oblast Party Committee, worked day and night to prepare for severe tests, relying on the functionaries of the organs and relying on the executive committees of the district soviets and the district party committees. Under the command of the Executive Committee, eight regional specialized air defense regiments and 52 air defense battalions have been established, and hundreds of self-rescue teams and more than 1,000 medical rescue teams have been set up in various enterprises and housing management departments. Regiments, reading battalions and companies were also formed to clear the consequences of the bombing. 300,000 people have joined professional fire brigades and thousands of bomb shelters have been built. Men and women, young and old, learn everything from fire fighting, rescue and poison prevention to the public. It is as if people have gone through the process of being reborn, forgetting their joys and sorrows. The residents living in the apartments became a family, and the residents of each building became a fighting collective bound together for the common good. And the main thing is that everyone is working hard at their own post. The war requires them to do so.

In order to make it difficult for enemy aircraft to find their targets, the most visible buildings and squares in the city were captured from the air, and camouflaged colors were painted, as well as at the bend of the Moskva River near the Kremlin. Even the landscape of Moscow's suburbs has been given a new look. Within 200 kilometers of the Bolshevik capital, there were countless factories, gasoline supply stations, granaries, airfields, bridges, and warehouses...... It's all just a model. It was built by engineering units with the assistance of the citizens of Moscow and the vicinity of the Moscow region in order to confuse enemy aircraft and make it impossible for them to distinguish between real military and industrial targets. Deputy Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Moscow City Soviet, Mikhail? Alexievich? Yasnov, relying on the chief architect of Moscow Dmitry? Nikolaevich? With the assistance of Chechulin and military experts, this brilliant feat was accomplished.

(To be continued)