The Politburo once again erupted in a fierce quarrel over the treatment of Kiev, and the Trotskyists, led by Trotsky, believed that Kiev should be abandoned for the time being, that the living forces trapped in the city should be transferred, and that the great burden of Kiev should be thrown to the Germans. However, the Leninists led by Xiao Si resolutely refused to give up Kiev, believing that they must stick to this mother city of Russia and must not give up lightly.

So who is right of these two opinions? It's hard to say, because there is a certain amount of truth on both sides. For example, Lao Tuo's reason is very simple, the Red Army is insufficient, although it has gradually stabilized the front on the Belarusian side, but the window on the Ukrainian side is still relatively large, and these gaps must be filled before the enemy moves. And now the only forces that can be drawn are the defenders of Kyiv.

Wouldn't it be nice to pump out these more than 300,000 people and use them to fill the holes in Ukraine? And it can also throw the burden of Kiev to the Germans, which indirectly increases the burden on the enemy, which can be regarded as a curve to save the country, right?

According to Tukhachevsky's plan, when the Ukrainian front is completely stabilized, the Red Army will be able to concentrate its forces on the Minsk front line to launch a counterattack, not to mention defeating the enemy in one fell swoop, it is still possible to fight one or two wars of annihilation that will turn the situation around, right?

Let's put it this way, Tukhachevsky believes that with the victory in the defense of Bryansk, the Red Army has reversed its previous passivity and can once again try to counterattack. He believed that it was entirely possible to start a counteroffensive in the spring of 1942.

And this was resolutely opposed by the Leninists, and the political status of Kiev in the Soviet Union can be said to be the third most important city after Moscow and Leningrad. The symbolism of the city was too important for the Soviet Union. If Kievan Rus' falls, it will be a heavy blow to the morale and morale of the army.

And Li Xiaofeng also thinks. Previously in order to defend Kyiv. The military and civilians in Kyiv have been fully and extensively mobilized. Even when surrounded by the enemy, the Kiev army and people were united in their efforts to thwart the German offensive.

And now, Kyiv has not been captured by the enemy, but it has been abandoned by its own people, and this effect is too bad, not only bad but far-reaching, I am afraid that even if the Great Patriotic War is won. The common people of Kiev will also lack a sense of identity and confidence in the Soviet Union, which is extremely detrimental to the future.

It is true that Kyiv put a lot of pressure on the logistics of the Red Army, and it would be much easier if this burden could be discarded, but this is not a reason for the Soviet Union to evade responsibility. If a regime can give up even its own defenders, what kind of national cohesion can it talk about?

What's more, Li Xiaofeng, Triandafilov and Ubolevich, after some deduction, decided that it was not a good idea to counterattack in Minsk. To make this clear, it is necessary to figure out why Tukhachevsky chose Minsk as the site of the counterattack.

Tukhachevsky considered Minsk to be the westernmost point on the Red Army front. It is also the closest point to Poland and Germany. A breakthrough from here will go straight to the Yellow Dragon. The German front will be crushed.

Is this judgment correct? There is some truth, but there are also problems. First of all, the German forces around Minsk are still very strong, and the main forces of the German army's 3rd Tank Group and Army Group Center are concentrated here, and it is quite difficult to defeat these enemies head-on.

For example, Ubolevich pointed out sharply: "Comrade Mikhail is still too eager for quick success, and it is true that defeating the enemy's central army group can turn the tide of the war in one fell swoop, but this style of play, knowing that there are tigers in the mountains and favoring the tigers, is simply extremely stupid." If I were him, I would categorically not choose Minsk as a breakthrough, but would have counterattacked in the Gomel direction or in the Kyiv direction. The enemy in these two directions has just suffered heavy losses, the strength and morale are low, and it is easier to hit them. ”

Ubolevich's analysis is not wrong at all, Tukhachevsky is indeed too eager for quick success, he always wants to turn the tables quickly, and always wants to turn the tide of the battle immediately. So I always want to be ruthless against the enemy's main force, and I want to finish it in one battle, but is this realistic?

Objectively speaking, the German army still has the upper hand in the war, and the Red Army's combat effectiveness is indeed still far behind that of its opponents. At such times, one should not gamble, but should be cautious and cautious in dealing with the enemy, and on the other hand, actively regain strength. Wait until you have exhausted the enemy's energy through a series of protracted battles before counterattacking.

According to the judgment of Triandafilov and Ubolevich, in the first half of 1942 it was better for the Red Army to stand on the defensive, stabilize the front and wear down the enemy through an active and solid defense, and then wait for an opportunity to counterattack in the second half of the year.

It's a pity that Tukhachevsky didn't care so much at all, and kept nagging a few nonsense words like chanting: "Fight back!" Counterattack! Counterattack! ”

This is irritating, and it is not so much a debate between abandoning and defending Kyiv as it is a debate about what tactics the Red Army should adopt in 1942.

"Abandon Kyiv and we will throw millions of people in Kyiv into the Nazi fire pit? This is extremely irresponsible. And how to discard the bad influence of Kyiv? Who is responsible for this? Ruzutak was so angry that he had the heart to spray Tukhachevsky's face.

Trotsky's face was cloudy, and to tell the truth, he had no final decision on whether to abandon Kiev or not, and he could see how risky Tukhachevsky's approach was. But what if Tukhachevsky's adventure succeeds? Yes, Trotsky always had a fluke mentality towards Tukhachevsky, who was too impressed by Tukhachevsky's defeat of Kolchak under extremely unfavorable conditions in the civil war of that year. So much so that Trotsky always believed that Tukhachevsky would be able to work miracles again.

It has to be said that on the question of Tukhachevsky, Trotsky was also somewhat idealistic. But Li Xiaofeng is not idealistic, Tukhachevsky has been wrong too many times since the outbreak of the Great Patriotic War, and it can even be said that he has not been right once. What credibility can such a person have?

In Li Xiaofeng's eyes, Tukhachevsky is already a gambler who has lost red-eyed, and he only has the idea of turning a book in his mind, but he has never thought about what will happen if he can't turn it. And Li Xiaofeng is not willing to let his precious capital be squandered by such a goods.

So as soon as Ruzutak sat down, he stood up. Roaring angrily: "Abandon Kyiv? Anyone who utters such bastard words. It doesn't matter who he is. Whatever contribution was made before, it should be dragged out and shot immediately. This is Chi Guoguo's treason and counter-revolutionary words and deeds! ”

Tukhachevsky finally couldn't help it and said loudly: "Comrade Andrei, please note, didn't you also emphasize the need to exchange space for time again and again? According to you, this is not treason and counter-revolutionary words and deeds? ”

Tukhachevsky thought that he was happy to use this trick in the other way, but he was soon ridiculed by Li Xiaofeng: "Trading space for time is an act that has to be taken, and the victory in the Battle of Bryansk also proved that it worked." And your kind of talk about abandoning Kyiv on your own initiative is trading space for time? Kyiv is deep behind enemy lines. Where is the room? And can you buy even a second? I think you, the chief of the General Staff, are dizzy! ”

Without waiting for Tukhachevsky to speak, Li Xiaofeng continued: "What else are you talking about transferring Kyiv's troops, and what are you throwing off the burden?" Is this human talk? Let me ask you, under the siege of Kyiv, how can the more than 300,000 troops be drawn out, just through your upper lip to your lower lip? The most infuriating thing is the so-called 'baggage' theory, are the more than one million soldiers and civilians in Kyiv a burden? Without their bloody battles before, dragging the enemy exponentially, what would the situation in Ukraine become? Without them, the enemy's front would have swept through Ukraine long ago. I'm afraid it's been swept towards Kursk, Volgograd (Stalingrad) and the Caucasus. At that time, the oil in the Caucasus and the mechanical industry in Kharkov were all in the hands of the enemy. And our Black Sea Fleet, I'm afraid, will not be able to stay in Sevastopol and will have nowhere to go like a lost dog. ”

Li Xiaofeng hasn't finished yet. The more he spoke, the more angry he became, and the louder he became: "Without Kyiv, Ukraine and Belarus will fall, not to mention a counterattack in Minsk, I'm afraid that now the General Staff will have to think about how to defend Moscow!" And now, the General Staff wants to do something that none of the enemy has ever done, to give the great Kievan Rus to the Germans, Comrade Mikhail, and Kornilov in 1917 is nothing more than that! ”

The most fatal and lethal of Li Xiaofeng's words is to use Kornilov as an analogy. It is well known that at the height of the revolution of 1917, Kornilov ceded Latvia and Estonia to the Germans in order to fight the revolutionaries led by the Bolsheviks. Exposing Leningrad to direct German fire in the hope of bringing the revolutionaries to their knees.

And now, Li Xiaofeng said that Tukhachevsky was Kornilov back then, and this accusation is very serious. This is tantamount to saying that Tukhachevsky is a counter-revolutionary, an attempt to attack dissidents with the means of bitterness and hatred of his relatives.

Tukhachevsky was naturally so angry that his whole body trembled, so much so that Trotsky had to immediately stand up and speak for him: "Comrade Andrei, Comrade Mikhail didn't mean that, he just wanted to solve our current problems with a more realistic approach......"

But before Trotsky could finish speaking, Sverdlov interjected: "What is a more realistic method?" Is abandoning Kyiv called reality? Could it be that the military and civilians in Kyiv have lost their fighting spirit and can no longer hold on? ”

Tukhachevsky interjected in a low voice: "Didn't Comrade Shaposhnikov say that the situation in Kyiv is bad? ”

Sverdlov was a little angry, he was talking to Trotsky, when was it Tukhachevsky's turn to interject, it would have been an exception to let this thing participate in the regular meeting of the Politburo, when was it his turn to speak casually? It seems that Lao Tzu doesn't show some real skills, and some people really think that I, Sverdlov, am a bully.

Immediately, Xiao Si shouted at Tukhachevsky: "Comrade Mikhail, please note that Comrade Shaposhnikov only said the current actual situation in Kiev, and he did not say that Kiev will not be able to hold on." And looking at what he means, it is more about hoping that the central government will strengthen its assistance to Kyiv and help them survive the difficulties, not to surrender, let alone give up! ”

If it is only these, the lethality of Tukhachevsky is not great, and more importantly, Xiao Si finally added: "The current bad situation in Kiev is inseparable from you, Comrade Mikhail." If it weren't for some lightning operation that you were going to do and take away most of the air transport forces, the situation in Kyiv would have deteriorated so quickly? Hum! ”

The knife made Tukhachevsky bloody. Operation Blitzkrieg not only failed to stop the German master from escaping. On the contrary, the elite paratroopers of the Red Army were wounded. It can be said that it is an out-and-out failure. Tukhachevsky, who strongly demanded the launch of the lightning operation, was naturally responsible for this, and although the Trotskyists helped him speak, the final assessment of the lightning operation was only that the actual combat proved that the operation was too hastily organized, seriously ill-prepared, and that it was extremely dangerous for the airborne troops to block the armored units in the open area.

Although it is not said that the blitzkrieg failed, everyone can understand the meaning between the lines, it is just to save face for the General Staff and Tukhachevsky. And now. Sverdlov directly peeled off this skin, and Tukhachevsky was naturally embarrassed.

What's more, there is another meaning in Xiao Si's words, that is, accusing Tukhachevsky of being responsible for the current bad situation in Kyiv, accusing him of not only not taking these responsibilities, but also pushing Kyiv into the fire pit, which is almost saying that Tukhachevsky is a despicable villain who evades responsibility.

At this point, both Trotsky and Tukhachevsky understood that the Leninists would not allow Kiev to be abandoned, but they were a little puzzled as to why the Leninists were so one-minded. And why pay so much attention to a half-dead Kyiv.

Let's start with the first question, there was some discord between Li Xiaofeng and Sverdlov before. However, after Ruzutak's adjustment, this point of filthiness was basically explained. The most important thing is that Xiao Si saw one thing clearly, if he continued to hold on to the idea of hitting Li Xiaofeng, then Ruzutak would definitely not be on his side, and after some thought, Xiao Si chose to reconcile.

Since Li Xiaofeng is no longer something he can suppress and manipulate casually, what good will it do him to continue to be so confrontational and deadlocked? In the end, I'm afraid it will be the betrayal of relatives, right?

This was not the result Xiao Si wanted, so after careful consideration, he decided to give in, as long as someone guaranteed his leadership core position, and the future problems would be slowly resolved later.

After this battle, the crisis of the Leninist split again was resolved, and Xiao Si and others naturally returned to the same front, and it was normal to work together to resist Tukhachevsky's misdeeds. After all, Xiao Si still needs to erase the bad influence of the past as soon as possible, and what can regain the prestige of the Leninists than by striking at the Trotskyists?

Moreover, Tukhachevsky made the biggest mistake again, he should never have offered to abandon Kiev at this time, which is really not the right time. Why?

It was January 1942, and the annual plenary session of the Central Committee was about to open in February, an important meeting to sum up last year's work and formulate plans for this year. All the merits and achievements of this Politburo in 1941 must be weighed in front of the Central Committee.

At this juncture, what is the nature of this Nima? Isn't this looking for scolding?

Some comrades may ask, in this case, why was Trotsky not afraid of being scolded? The reason is simple, Lao Tuo did it until 1945 at best. Now he is most concerned not about whether he will be scolded, but about the political layout after he retires. If Tukhachevsky's position can be secured by abandoning Kyiv and concentrating forces on a big victory in Minsk, Tukhachevsky's position will be secured, and the Trotskyists will have more say in military affairs.

Trotsky paved the way for the future of Trotskyism with his political prestige and his old roots, and he sacrificed a little. And Sverdlov, Li Xiaofeng, and Ruzutak really can't afford to sacrifice, the three of them can still mix in the Politburo for another ten years, and even Li Xiaofeng can mix for more than 20 years before retiring. At this time, how could it be possible to take the blame for Trotsky.

Especially Sverdlov, no matter what he says in the next term, it will be time for him to govern, if he wants to be less constrained in the future and can show his ambitions, then he should brush up more prestige and more merits. Let him pay for the abandonment of Kyiv, absolutely not!

For Xiao Si, if Kyiv had been captured by the Germans before, there would have been no way, but now he took the initiative to abandon Kyiv for the sake of the Minsk counterattack plan advocated by the Trotskyists, then he had to scream fiercely: "Why! ”

What's more, the Trotskyist proposition also gave Xiao Si an opportunity that if Tukhachevsky's proposition was leaked, then the Central Committee members of Kiev and Ukrainian nationality would not be allowed to fry the pot. This is a good opportunity to fight the Trotskyists and give yourself prestige!

After the meeting ended, Sverdlov specially wrote an editorial to Pravda entitled "On the Importance of the Battle of Kiev", in which Xiao Si praised the Kiev military and civilians as a flower, which infinitely elevated the importance of Kiev, and even called it the backbone of the victory in the Great Patriotic War. Although there is not a single word in the whole text to scold Tukhachevsky and the Trotskyists, everyone knows what he means.

What's more, Xiao Si still has a backhand, and his little cousin Yagoda, who does dirty work, soon secretly spreads all the ideas of Tukhachevsky and the Trotskyists. In fact, it won't last long if you don't spread this secret, mainly because Xiao Si is impatient and so on.

Sure enough, the Soviet political arena soon set off a huge wave, and the question of Kiev's future aroused the concern of all party members and the masses, especially among the masses, and the wave of opposition to abandoning Kiev was wave after wave, and for a time Trotsky and Tukhachevsky were under great pressure...... (To be continued......)

PS: Comrades, Happy Mid-Autumn Festival!

Bow down and thank the lost Remnant Feng, Millions, hzwangdd and Juventus comrades!