On June 1, which was supposed to be International Children's Day, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics suddenly launched an attack on the neighboring Kingdom of Finland on the pretext that the Finnish army had shelled the Soviet village of Manila, killing Soviet soldiers.

The village of Manila is located on the Hanko Peninsula on the border between the Soviet Union and Finland, which served as a natural barrier for Finland to defend itself against the Soviet Union. Originally, in April last year, the Soviet Union and Finland began diplomatic negotiations, and the Soviet Union hoped to unite with Finland to resist Germany, and hoped that Finland's territory on the periphery of Leningrad would be exchanged with the northern territory of the Soviet Union in order to achieve the goal of protecting Leningrad. But the negotiations lasted for a year without substantive results.

Finland was already wary of the Soviet Union, especially after receiving a warning from the British government, and sent some additional troops near the Hanko Peninsula. But he didn't expect that the Soviet Union would really attack them, and it was so fast and so unprepared...... After the Manila incident, the Soviet Foreign Ministry immediately called the Finnish government, demanding that the Finnish government apologize and withdraw the troops 20 to 25 kilometers, the Finnish government did not know that the Manila incident had occurred, and immediately expressed its refusal, as a result, in less than two hours, the Soviet Union used this as an excuse to abolish the original "Soviet-Finnish non-aggression pact", and after that, 23 divisions and 450,000 troops directly launched an attack on Finland.

……

"How many days can you take Finland?"

Moscow, the Kremlin, after learning that the battle had begun, Stalin shook his famous beard and pinched the equally famous pipe and asked those around him.

"The front line will try to resolve the fighting within a week." Voroshilov, a member of the General Military Committee of the People's Commissariat of Defense, replied on the side.

"A week? That means I can appoint the leader of the 'Finnish People's Republic' now? Stalin laughed.

"Of course." Voroshilov also laughed.

"That's good. So that we don't have to worry about those Japanese monkeys making trouble in the Far East. Stalin also laughed.

"But the German side has not yet reacted." Molotov, chairman of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR and at the same time in charge of foreign affairs, suddenly said with some concern.

"Don't worry." Stalin waved his pipe lightly, "Hitler is planning to attack Poland...... We will act with them. He's not going to give us any trouble. And Finland was just a pilot before we liberated Poland. The sooner we can solve Finland. The more you can make those who have ill intentions towards the great Soviet Union feel afraid. …… Isn't it because the Japanese have massed up heavy forces in our Far East, but they are afraid to act, because they are afraid of our retaliation? Then let them see how strong the USSR is, since we can destroy a country that looks like them in a week, or even less than a week. Well, the great Red Army could also sweep away their power in the Far East along the Trans-Siberian Railway! ”

"I'm only worried about Germany," Molotov smiled, "Comrade Stalin, I'm not as afraid of the Japanese monkeys as the Chinese." ”

"Hahaha, that's right. Those monkeys only deserve to bully weak China! Stalin seemed to like the words, "Let them fight." That hateful Chiang was actually behind the scenes...... Go and call back a batch of our aviation volunteers. I'm going to teach him a lesson. ”

"Some of the armaments we promised to China have not yet been sent." Voroshilov said suddenly: "Buckle them down." Let the Chinese go anxious. ”

"That's a good idea. However, according to the intelligence of our comrades in China, it seems that Chiang has some advantage in the battlefield against the Japanese...... So, he planned to eliminate the Communist Party in China first. Molotov said: "In that case. Why don't we send this batch of armaments to the northwest of China? I think this lesson will definitely impress the Chinese government even more. ”

"Yes." Stalin thought about it for a moment, "The Chinese comrades behaved well in this incident. They kept us informed of the plans of the Japanese...... Although they still don't want to belong to our leadership. But it's a good sign. Give them a little favor and bring them closer. In due course. Perhaps they could be placed again under the leadership of the Comintern. ”

"Then I'll do as instructed?" Molotov asked.

"Go ahead." Stalin waved his hand and said to Voroshilov: "I want to hear the news of the occupation of Helsinki by the Red Army in the shortest possible time!" ”

"Yes."

……

"I heard that Zhukov sent a telegram saying that the Japanese forces in the Far East were extremely strong, even more than twice as strong...... Although I look down on those Japanese monkeys, I am afraid that Zhukov will have a hard time with such a comparison of strength. …… Marshal Voroshilov. Is it true that the People's Commissariat of Defense cannot draw more troops? ”

Walking out of Stalin's "palace", Molotov suddenly asked Voroshilov again.

"Why, Comrade Molotov, you are actually afraid of those Japanese? Those monkeys deserve nothing but to tremble under the powerful offensive of the Red Army. Voroshilov asked rhetorically with a smile.

"Of course, I am not afraid of the Japanese, I am worried in case of defeat in the Far East. It would cause problems for our great USSR. We must do everything possible to dispell this possibility...... Because that would upset Comrade Stalin. Molotov secretly glanced at Voroshilov with disdain. The first five generalissimos of the Soviet Union, Tukhachevsky, Egorov, Blyukhel, Budyonny, Voroshilov. The other four people are speechless, they are all outstanding military strategists and commanders and fighters, but Voroshilov, although he is brave in battle and does not want to die, is actually just a martial artist. But such a person, because he closely followed Comrade Stalin's steps early and resolutely carried out every instruction of Comrade Stalin, actually entered the ranks of marshals. And it was precisely because he was a staunch supporter of Stalin that Voroshilov became the executor and commander of the Great Purge of the Red Army...... But no one expected that in the great purge of the Red Army, except for Budyonny, the other three marshals were all purged. Tukhachevsky is just that, although he is talented and capable, it is a pity that he was born in the old aristocracy, and he has a grudge against Comrade Stalin, and it is still expected that he will be purged, but how can the dignified Marshal of the Red Army in Blyucher be a spy for the Japanese? What's the use of his treason? Go to Japan to be a marshal? Especially Yegorov, who has always had a very good relationship with Comrade Stalin, was actually the target of purges at the beginning of the year. It's a pity that at this point in the purge, who would dare to follow those agents to be interrogated? Yegorov argued with reason, and after the last shot, he pulled out his gun and resisted, and was shot dead in the melee! This finally shook Comrade Stalin so much that he stopped the purge. It is a pity that the Soviet-wide purges stopped, but not in the Far East.

Because of the information obtained from China, Stalin ordered Voroshilov to investigate military leaks in the Far East with all his might. As a result, after a "small-scale" purge that affected the entire Far Eastern garrison, Zhukov took over, and after that, the guy sent a telegram saying that he needed commanders and fighters and all kinds of assistance...... Although Molotov was not in charge of it, and he only heard about it occasionally, he was very worried that something would happen there.

True, the purged Far Eastern Military District must have been quite "clean", especially the high-ranking officers, who were almost carefully sifted again, but who dares to guarantee that there will be no case? The Japanese can get their information at one time, and if they can't keep it, there will be a second and a third time...... The Soviet offensive on Finland may soon end, but for quite some time they will also need to maintain the "occupation" of Finland. This requires a certain amount of troops. Moreover, Britain and France and other countries have always connived at Germany, just to get Germany to launch an attack on the Soviet Union, although Germany is also secretly discussing with the Soviet Union to launch an attack on Poland together, but those who are engaged in diplomacy know one thing: do not trust your opponent. What if that was just a means by which Hitler confused the Soviet Union? Therefore, even after conquering Finland, the Soviet Union still needed to maintain a large number of troops in the European part...... And this requires that the Far Eastern Military District be able to achieve victory in the face of the Japanese, and it is best to win a decisive victory, so that the Japanese can completely die to the Far East.

"The USSR was facing a great test. If we do not want to anger Comrade Stalin, we need to eliminate all possibilities. Marshal Voroshilov, give Zhukov a little help, so that he can defeat those Japanese monkeys in the shortest possible time, so that it is in the best interests of the Soviet Union. ”

After Molotov finished speaking, he said goodbye to Voroshilov and left. He didn't want others to misunderstand how much personal friendship he had with Voroshilov...... Although the purge has passed, Stalin is still there. As the commander of the Great Purge of the Soviet Union, I don't know how many people in Lu Dao are staring at him, of course he has to be careful. In the Soviet Union, it was taboo to make Comrade Stalin angry, and to provoke Comrade Stalin was to seek death. However, Molotov's words apparently did not arouse Voroshilov's alarm, and one of the only two generalissimos of the Soviet Union could not help but shake his head as he looked at his back:

"Inexplicable guy. Isn't Zhukov's strength enough? If they are all defeated by the Japanese monkeys, then I really have to wonder if there is something wrong with him as well. ”

Then, too, he staggered away, not taking the matter to heart.

Then, both he and Molotov received news at the first time: The Far Eastern Military District was bombed by the Japanese Air Force on a large scale, and a large number of airfields, ammunition depots, artillery positions, command posts at all levels, and other baggage were destroyed...... (To be continued......)