At about 8 p.m., the columns set out on their journey. The rain was getting heavier and heavier, and the roads became muddy and difficult to walk. Soon the cars got bogged down in the mud and had to be pushed away with tanks.

On the road, there was the sound of shooting from time to time, and it was the scout exchanging fire with the [***] team. In the middle of the night, the troops came to a forest village. Rokossovsky, Malinin, Lobachev walked into a farmhouse.

Despite the late hour, the people in the cottage got up to receive them.

"Any new news? Lad. Lobachev asked the child near the fire. The boy was very shy, and the hostess replied on his behalf: "Chinese pass by here during the day......"

"Three tanks," said the young man, suddenly emboldened, "and five cars full of soldiers." ”

"There are a lot of Chinese in Tumak and La Sova."

"Where are these two places?" Malinen became intrigued, "Now let me look at the map." Yes, about 15 km to the north. He added, turning to Rokossovsky.

At this time, a man's hoarse voice came from the corner of the hut: "Comrade commander, what have you done?" ”

Everyone turned to the place where the sound was coming from. In the corner, an old man is lying on the bed.

"This is my father, he's sick." The hostess said apologetically. She walked over to the bedside, as if to stop the old man from continuing. Ignoring his daughter's hints and looking at Rokossovsky, it became clear that he identified Rokossovsky as the main chief, continued: "Comrade commander...... Are you done with throwing us down? ”

A few minutes of silence hung over the room. Lobachev was the first to break the silence: "Our defeat is temporary, we must crush the brutal ...... of the [***] team"

The old man ignored Lobachev and still said only to Rokossovsky: "You know, for the sake of the Red Army we do not spare anything...... We'll take out the last shirt if you need it. ”

His voice began to become hoarse, trembling all over, and he said excitedly: "I am a veteran who was wounded twice in the war to defend Soviet power. If it weren't for this damn disease, I would have gone to defend Russia a long time ago. I know the Chinese, and I fought with them. At that time, we didn't let the [***] team hit our capital. But what did you do? ”

Rokossovsky lowered his head, listened to the old man's complaints, silently and intently stared at the floor of the hut, and finally, he straightened up and said, "It's time for us to go." After taking a few steps towards the door, he suddenly turned around and said solemnly to the old man, "Old man, please believe me, we will be back!" ”

Along the way, the words of the veteran rang in his ears from time to time.

But at this time Rokossovsky did not know that this would be a promise that would never be kept.

On December 18, Rokossovsky led his troops to bypass Grakuk from the north and found a suitable position in the second half of the night to cross the Grakuk River while fighting, and only in the forest north of Utlov, 40 kilometers from Melinsk, did Rokossovsky's troops make contact with the command of the Eastern Front.

A plane immediately flew to pick up Rokossovsky and Lobachev.

Before getting on the plane, Malinin said to Rokossovsky: "I think you should take with you the order to transfer the 16th Army to Yershakov." ”

"Why is that?" Rokossovsky asked in surprise.

"It's going to work, take it with you."

They flew away with the order.

At this time, the situation in the Moscow direction of the Sino-Soviet battlefield became more serious.

On December 16, after breaking through the Stalin-Gorky line, the tank units of the Chinese [***] team had advanced to the fortified line of Melinsk, about 50 kilometers east of Moscow. The defensive line, which was remodeled in the summer of 1941, was built from a series of fortified fortresses. However, the few troops guarding it could not be expected to be able to hold back the large number of squadrons advancing westward. And the reinforcements they desperately need are coming from the west.

At the same time, the squadron [***] drew several divisions from the Stalingrad region and sent them to Moscow to participate in the battle. The 1st Tank Division went directly to Army Group Center without resting. The 19th and 20th tank divisions were on their way to Army Group Center. A Kazakh division was sent to Stalingrad in early December.

At this critical moment, Stalin once again called Zhukov back.

On the evening of December 16, Stalin called Zhukov and asked him how the situation was in Stalingrad. Zhukov reported that the [***] team had stopped attacking. According to the confessions of the captives, the squadron [***] suffered heavy losses and has now moved to the defensive. But the city is still suffering from shelling and air strikes by the [***] team. Zhukov reported that Soviet aerial reconnaissance had detected a massive movement of the mechanized and tank columns of the Squadron from Stalingrad to the north, and expressed the opinion that the command of the Squadron [***] was apparently moving these units to Moscow.

After listening to Zhukov's report, Stalin was silent for a while, and then said that a serious situation arose in the Moscow direction, especially in the territory of the Eastern Front. Stalin said to Zhukov: "Give your job as commander of the Stalingrad Front to the chief of staff, General Khotzin, and you will come to Moscow by plane." ”

On the evening of December 17, General Zhukov landed by plane at Moscow's central airfield. The captain of the guard met him at the airport and told him that the head of the house was sick and asked him to go to the Kremlin immediately.

Stalin had a cold and had a bad complexion, he nodded to Zhukov, then pointed to the map and said: "You see, the situation here is serious. I could not get a detailed report on the real state of affairs from the Eastern Front and the Reserve Front. Because we do not know the location and deployment of the attack of the [***] squadron and the situation of our army, we cannot make up our minds. Now please go to the headquarters of the Eastern Front, find out the situation there in detail, and call me at any time, I will wait for your news. ”

And so the conversation ended.

Fifteen minutes later, Zhukov arrived at the office of Marshal Shaposhnikov, Chief of the General Staff, who had returned to the post of Chief of the General Staff when Zhukov had been the commander of the reserve front in Smolensk until the end of July. He looked very tired.

After greeting Zhukov, he said that Stalin had called and instructed him to prepare for Zhukov a map of the approach to Moscow, where fierce fighting was taking place.

Shaposhnikov said: "The map will be ready immediately. The Eastern Front Headquarters is located in the same place where the Reserve Front Command was stationed in August. At that time we had a campaign in the salient there. ”

After describing the critical situation of several fronts, Shaposhnikov added that the construction of fortifications on the Merlinsk Line and in close proximity to Moscow had not yet been completed, and that there were almost no troops stationed in these places. He believed that it was necessary to send troops to occupy these lines. The first is the Melinsk Line.

After Zhukov got acquainted with the situation, he left for the headquarters of the Eastern Front.

On the way, he illuminated it with a flashlight and continued to study the situation on the front line and the actions of both sides. When he was so sleepy that he yawned, he asked the driver to stop the car and go for a short run.

Arriving at the headquarters of the Front, the officer on duty reported that all the leading personnel were in a meeting with the commander. The commander's room was lit with candles and was a little dim. Next to the table sat Konev, Sokolovsky, Bulganin, Malankin, Voroshilov and Molotov. Everyone is extremely tired.

Zhukov explained the purpose of Stalin sending him. The Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Malankin, answered Zhukov's questions, and Jing reported on the situation from December 2 to 7.

By this time, the squadron had readjusted its disposition close to Moscow, so that their infantry forces outnumbered the Soviets on the fronts of the Eastern Front, the Reserve Front, and the Moscow Front. The biggest fear now is that the Squadron [***] may launch a concentrated assault on these three fronts, because there are gaps in the defenses and there are no reserves on hand to fill these gaps.

At 2:30 a.m. on December 18, Zhukov called Stalin, who was still working. Zhukov reported that at present, the main danger is the lack of troops. "The main danger now is the weakness of the covering forces of the Melinsk Line," he said. Therefore, it is possible that the tank units of the squadron [***] will suddenly appear near Moscow, and it is necessary to try to reinforce the Melinsk line as soon as possible by drawing troops from elsewhere. ”

Stalin asked Zhukov: "Where are the clusters of the 16th, 19th, 20th armies of the Eastern Front and Balkin?" Where are the 24th and 32nd armies of the reserve front now? ”

"It is encircled to the east of Gorky and to the northeast." Zhukov replied.

"What are you going to do?"

"Now I'm going to find Budyonny."

"Do you know where the headquarters of the Reserve Front is?"

"I'll go somewhere in that area and find it."

"Okay, you go to Budyonny and call me immediately from him."

Zhukov set off to find Budyonny. It was snowing, foggy and visibility was poor. At dawn on December 18, Zhukov arrived at the Olgask station, about 60 kilometers from Moscow. Two signal soldiers came over the Merlin River Bridge with wires. He asked them where to pull the string. One soldier replied casually: "We are ordered to pull wherever we want." ”

Zhukov told the two fighters that he understood their duties and was right not to answer the questions of strangers. Then he gave his name and told them that he was looking for the headquarters of the Reserve Front and Marshal Budyonny. The soldier told Zhukov that he had already passed the headquarters of the Front and instructed him how to go.

10 minutes later, Zhukov came to the house of the representative of the Supreme High Command, Mekhlis, where the Chief of Staff of the Front, Major General Anisov, was also there.

However, neither Mekhlis nor Anisov could provide him with specific information about the position of the squadron [***] and the state of the various units of the Front. So, Zhukov went by car in the direction of Yuritav, hoping to quickly find out the situation of the troops at the scene.

When Zhukov arrived there, he did not meet a single person. The city looks like it's in ruins. Near the building of the district executive committee, he saw two small cars. A driver is sleeping on his stomach on the steering wheel.

Zhukov woke up the driver and asked, "Whose car is this?" ”

"Comrade General, this is Marshal Budyonny's car."

"Where is Marshal Budyonny?"

"In the office of the District Executive Committee."

"Have you been here for a long time?"

"We've been here for three hours."

Zhukov walked into the district executive committee and saw Budyonny, who was looking at the map.

Having heard that Zhukov had been to the command of the Eastern Front, Budyonny asked him to talk about the situation there. He hadn't been able to contact the command for almost two days.

Zhukov told Budyonny about the location of the headquarters and gave him a profound explanation of the dire situation facing the Eastern Front - a considerable part of the troops were encircled.

"It's no better here than it is elsewhere." Budyonny replied, "The 24th and 32nd armies have been cut off, and there is no longer a defensive front. Yesterday I almost fell into the hands of the [***] team between Yuri Tav and Gorky. The squadron mobilized a large number of tanks and motorized units in the direction of Gorky, apparently trying to encircle the city from the east. ”

"In whose hands is Yuri Tav now?" Zhukov asked.

"I don't know now. The strength of about two infantry regiments of the [***] squadron was found near the Tuvara River, but there was no artillery. I think Yuri Taav is now in the hands of the [***] team. ”

"Who is responsible for covering the road from Yuritav to Yaklavic?"

"When I came here, I didn't meet a single person on the road except for seeing three militiamen. The local authorities have been withdrawn from here. ”

Zhukov said to Budyonny: "You go to the front command to find out the situation and report to the Supreme High Command. I kept going. Please report to the Supreme Commander-in-Chief about our meeting and say that I went to the Yuritav region, and then to Kalev, because it was necessary to find out what was going on there. ”

Along the way, Zhukov stopped his car from time to time to observe so as not to enter enemy-occupied territory.

As he passed through a forest, several armed soldiers in overalls and tank caps blocked his way. One of them walked up to the car and told Zhukov that he could not go any further. Zhukov gave his name and asked the soldier where their troops were stationed. The soldier replied that the headquarters of the tank brigade was in the forest, about 100 meters from here. Zhukov asked them to take him to the brigade headquarters.

Zhukov walked into the woods and was greeted by a small, neat-looking officer in blue overalls and a tank cap. Zhukov recognized him at a glance, he was a former comrade-in-arms of Zhukov, who was the chief of staff of the 11th tank brigade, named Trotsky.

The two hugged each other warmly.

Trotsky reported that the squadron [***] had captured Yuritav, and the vanguard had captured the bridge over the Tuvara River. The reconnaissance unit sent to Callev ascertained that there was no squadron in the city for the time being, but that fighting was going on not far from the city. Fighting there were some retreating units of the 5th Infantry Division and the 43rd Army. The tank brigade, which belonged to the reserve of the Supreme High Command, commanded by Trotsky, had been in this area for two days, but had not yet received any instructions.

Zhukov ordered Trotsky to send liaison officers to the headquarters of the reserve front, to report the situation to Budyonny, and to ask him to deploy a part of his tanks to the front and organize a defense to cover the approach of Moscow. Zhukov also instructed him to inform the General Staff of Zhukov's orders to him through the headquarters of the Reserve Front, and to report to the General Staff that Zhukov was going to Kalev's 5th Infantry Division.

Later Zhukov learned that the bridge over the Tuvara River was blown up by a detachment under the command of the head of service of the Eastern Front, Major Starchako. The detachment of 400 men was formed on 14 December on the initiative of Starchako by border guards who were ready to fight behind enemy lines. After blowing up the bridge, the detachment commanded by Starchako took up defensive positions along the Tuvara River. The detachment was soon supported by a detachment of cadets of the Podolsk Military School, commanded by Captain Mamchiko and Rosikov. The attempts of the squadron to force the crossing of the Tuvara River and advance were stopped by the heroic actions of these detachments.

After 5 days of fierce fighting, the detachment suffered heavy casualties, but they blocked the attacks of the squadron and smashed the plan of the squadron to quickly occupy Yaklavetz, and bought valuable time for the Soviet troops to organize a defense close to the ground in Moscow. During this period, cadets of the Podolsk Artillery School and the Rifle Machine Gun School were marched on the fortified area of Yaklavets.

Before the end of December 18, Zhukov returned to the headquarters of the Reserve Front. He was greeted by the Chief of Staff of the Front. He told Zhukov that the Supreme High Command ordered that Budyonny be recalled and that he (Zhukov) be appointed commander of the reserve front. Soon Zhukov received another telegram with the words that the Supreme Commander ordered him to go to the headquarters of the Eastern Front, and he was appointed commander of the Eastern Front.

Zhukov was a little confused all of a sudden, and he called Shaposhnikov and asked which order exactly was carried out. Shaposhnikov replied: "Here's the thing: the State Defense Council is now ready to abolish the Reserve Front and give its troops and defensive positions to the Eastern Front. By December 20 you have to find out the situation of the reserve front and do everything possible not to allow the Central [***] to break through to the Merlinsk-Yakravets region and the Arakev region in the direction of Dudayekhov. ”

In the early morning of December 20, Zhukov came to the headquarters of the Eastern Front, located about two miles northeast of Melinsk. In addition to Konev and Bulganin, there were members of the State Defense Committee, Voroshilov, Molotov, as well as Rokossovsky and Lobachev, who came in half an hour before Zhukov.

(To be continued)