General Zhukov, commander and member of the Political Committee of the Soviet Far Eastern Front, walked very quickly when he returned to the tent of the headquarters, his hard boots kicked up small stones on the ground from time to time, and the withered yellow grass rose with the strong wind on the howling ground, almost lost his eyes, except for the night sky in the south reflected by the artillery fire in the distance, which was as dark red as blood, and the night sky in other places could not even see a cold star, and there seemed to be a layer of black clouds, formed in the night sky.

"Could it be that another great snowstorm is about to fall on the land of the Far East? It's the end of April, and the weather is still so bad! Zhukov secretly thought to himself that in his mood at the moment, among the many layers of suspicion, there was also a deep uneasiness, the kind of unspeakable uneasiness that came from the sensitivity of a soldier.

When there was still about twenty or thirty meters away from the tent of the front headquarters, Zhukov was about to arrive, and a person hurriedly walked out of the tent, looked around left and right, and asked the guards standing guard outside the tent in a loud voice, "Guard!" Where did Comrade Commander go? Find me the commander right now, quick! "Even in the strong night wind, you can hear it, and there is anxiety and anxiety in the sound!

Zhukov saw that it was his chief of staff, Lieutenant General Godayav, who was a very calm person and a very well-educated officer, what happened now, could it be that something unexpected happened? Zhukov's heart couldn't help but fold!

"Comrade Godayav, I'm here, what's the situation?" Zhukov walked over quickly and asked in a deep voice.

Lieutenant General Godayav, Chief of Staff of the Far Eastern Front, rushed in front of Zhukov in a few steps and said hurriedly: "Comrade commander, the situation is very strict, this is an urgent telegram from the commander of the Trans-Khinganling Front, General Kirganin!" With that, he handed the telegram to Zhukov.

Zhukov couldn't help but glance at his chief of staff again, and said intentionally to ease the atmosphere: "Comrade Godayav, it's late at night. You're not going to let me read the telegram outside! First of all, what is the situation that is very strict? ”

Lieutenant General Godayav, not in the slightest being infected by the commander's pretended easy words, said eagerly as he walked into the tent: "Just now, I received an urgent telegram from the commander of the Trans-Khinganling Front, General Kirganin, that his vanguard was ambushed by the troops of the Independent Division in the Chita area, and the strength of one army was lost!" And that's not all. Troops from other directions, all engaged the troops of the independent division, but not on a large scale! The losses of the troops are also not large! ”

"What?" Zhukov was suddenly startled, and his face became extremely ugly. Has your judgment come true? Tang Qiuli's troops. Really waiting for the Outer Khinganling Front in the middle of the way? "Comrade Gregarif there. Is there a report of the same? Zhukov stretched out his hand and vigorously lifted the curtain of the tent, and asked as he walked towards the map.

Chief of Staff Godayav followed closely behind and replied: "Not yet, the main route of the retreat of the Baikal Front is in the Irkutsk direction!" ”

Zhukov frowned. Staring at the map, through the dim light, I looked at it carefully, ten minutes later. His face had already returned to normal, and he asked a very strange question, "Comrade Godayav, why are you so sure that it was Tang Qiuli's independent division troops who ambushed them, and not other units of the Japanese army?" Does Comrade Kirganin have any specific opinions and views? ”

Zhukov's question, it seems strange, but in fact it is very strategic, the Trans-Khinganling Front can be sure that the troops fighting with it are Tang Qiuli's independent division, which means that their premonition is correct, the Chinese are on the Chita line, and they have long been waiting for the troops of the two fronts, although the Baikal Front has not encountered a similar situation for the time being, Zhukov is sure that it will appear soon.

With Tang Qiuli's cunning and military command skills, he would not have left such a big hole in the direction of Irkutsk, and then thought of the current situation of the Outer Mongolian Front, Zhukov could be sure that Tang Qiuli did not intend to let the Soviet troops in the east safely withdraw to the European battlefield, and had already used all his forces in the north to lay one obstacle after another between the Tangnu Mountains and the Ural Mountains.

This is also reasonable, Comrade Stalin used troops in the East three times, all aimed at the troops of the independent division, that time was not a bloody battle, corpses everywhere, now, with such a good opportunity, the Soviet Red Army troops in the East, eager to rush back to the European part to fight the fire, can not take the opportunity to make a stumbling block, but to do it himself, do more ruthless than this, this is also one of the reasons for Zhukov's anxiety, once Tang Qiuli's troops join the Eastern battlefield, the trouble it will bring is by no means simple.

If on the Chita front, it is the Japanese troops who fight with the Outer Khinganling Front, then the problem will be even more serious, dare to intercept more than 2 million troops of the two fronts head-on, the Japanese will never be less troops, and the troops evacuated from the Far East will face one bloody battle after another, even if they can finally break through the Japanese army's interception and blockade, I am afraid it will be a few months later, the key is, can Comrade Stalin afford to wait?

Zhukov even thought of a more strict point, the troops that appeared on the Chita line, if it was the Japanese army, then, it is very probable, it was the Germans who asked the Japanese to do this, with only one purpose, to drag down the most elite troops of the Soviet Union in the East, to win enough time for the Germans to fully occupy the European part of the Soviet Union, and the capital Moscow, Leningrad and other important cities will soon be lost, if so, the Soviet Union is afraid that there is a danger of extinction?

Zhukov couldn't help but shudder, whether it was Tang Qiuli's independent division or another unit of the Japanese army, in front of the Trans-Khinganling Front and the Baikal Front, it was extremely bad news, which meant that the plan to rush back to the European battlefield as quickly as possible was completely frustrated.

And Lieutenant General Godayav, Chief of Staff of the Far Eastern Front, looked at the face of Comrade Commander, one moment iron-blue, the other pale, with his own understanding of Comrade Zhukov, unless the problem is very strict and difficult to solve, otherwise, he will not be such a gaffe!

Chief of Staff Godayav could not help but feel anxious and hurriedly replied: "Comrade commander, according to the telegram of the Trans-Khinganling Front, from the fierce firepower. In terms of combat methods, it is certain that it is Tang Qiuli's independent division troops! ”

"Whew!" Zhukov exhaled heavily, his mood was unusually heavy, and he had no good way to do anything but fight all the way through the current situation, but time, damn time, can drive himself crazy, and in the same way, Comrade Stalin, who is on pins and needles, can also drive himself crazy!

"Send a telegram to Comrade Kirganin, the Outer Khinganling Front should not be bothered by the immediate blocking of the troops of the independent division, nor should it be entangled with it, and take the fulfillment of Comrade Stalin's order as the first priority, and the specific method is to gather the troops, concentrate in a few main directions, break through the resistance of the troops of the independent division, and if necessary, leave part of the troops behind to take on the task of covering!"

Zhukov's response is absolutely correct, but it is also very cruel, this is a typical way of throwing pawns and protecting cars, part of the troops left to cover, will definitely not return to the land of the Soviet Union, that Chinese Tang Qiuli will not let them go again, but this is also a decision that must be made at a critical moment.

Before Chief of Staff Godayav could send a telegram, a staff officer hurriedly entered the tent, "Report to Comrade Commander, I have received an urgent telegram from the commander of the Baikal Front, General Gregariv, that the vanguard of our army, in the direction of Irkutsk and Ulan-Ude, has been ambushed by the troops of the independent division, the battle is fierce, and our vanguard has suffered heavy casualties. ”

Zhukov's eyebrows twitched a few times, and as expected, on a long line from Chita to Irkutsk, Tang Qiuli's troops had already spread their nets, "Hey! With a heavy sigh, he said to the Chief of Staff of Godayav: "Comrade Chief of Staff, the same telegram, send another copy to the command of the Baikal Front, and you will encounter the same trouble!" ”

"In addition, convey my order, the 47th, 48th, and 50th Group Armies will continue to maintain pressure on the Japanese Kwantung Army and resolutely repel the Japanese counterattack, and the rest of the troops, after three hours, will immediately withdraw from the battlefield and move to the direction of Chita, and the three group armies fighting in place can only withdraw from the battle after receiving the order from the front army headquarters!"

Chief of Staff Godayav froze for a moment and said: "Comrade commander, are we going to retreat on all fronts?" ”

Zhukov did not answer, his eyes were fixed on the military map again, his heart was by no means calm, in fact, the Far Eastern Front withdrew from the Far Eastern battlefield at this time, it was by no means the best time, the Japanese Kwantung Army still had the power to counterattack, and the three group armies left behind, in terms of strength, were already at a disadvantage, relying on the small consumption, and in a short period of time, they could draw with the Japanese Kwantung Army.

In a long time, the advantage on the battlefield will definitely be reversed, but Zhukov must withdraw the main forces of the front army as much as possible, otherwise, the three army groups that served as cover tasks will be broken through the defense line by the Japanese Kwantung Army, and the Japanese who are like mad dogs will definitely chase after them.

The other two front armies, relying on superior forces, broke through Tang Qiuli's troops, and after the interception and killing of the Chita and Irkutsk fronts, if the Far Eastern Front did not quickly keep up and the independent division troops re-blocked the opening, the Far Eastern Front would have to withstand the pursuit of the Japanese Kwantung Army, and in the front, it would have to face the interception and killing of Tang Qiuli's independent division, and it would become a lone army with the enemy on its back.

The answer is yes, the Japanese and Tang Qiuli are not joining forces, and they can exhaust more than one million people of the Far Eastern Front in the vast areas of the Far East and Outer Mongolia, Zhukov is very helpless, the Chinese have done it, and the situation in the Far East has become extremely complicated.

(To be continued)(To be continued......