red moscow

Chapter 2788

In the following week, the battle continued in the Mtsensk region. Although the tank brigade was at a disadvantage in terms of manpower and equipment compared to the German army, it achieved good results thanks to the excellent command of Katukov. In the eight-day battle, it destroyed 133 enemy tanks, shot down 2 aircraft, and killed nearly German officers and soldiers.

Because of the outstanding performance of the tank brigade, the Orel-Tula defense battle commanded by Potapov was recognized by the Supreme Command.

At a meeting of the Supreme Command held shortly afterwards, Voroshilov proposed to Stalin: "Comrade Stalin, General Zhukov returned to Moscow from Leningrad two days ago and replaced Konev to command the Western Front. They are the main force in defending Moscow. In order to strengthen their strength, I suggest reorganizing the 5th Army and letting General Potapov serve as the commander of the army again."

Stalin did not immediately express his opinion on Voroshilov's proposal. Instead, he looked at the people attending the meeting and asked, "Comrades, what do you think of Marshal Voroshilov's proposal?"

Marshal Shaposhnikov, who was sitting below Stalin, scanned everyone's faces and spoke first: "Comrade Stalin, judging from the recent results of the Battle of Mtsensk, if the Fifth Army is reorganized and General Potapov continues to serve as the commander, we will definitely achieve even more brilliant results."

Two marshals took the lead in expressing their opinions, setting an example for everyone. When the others spoke, they also agreed to rebuild the 5th Army. After all, the German army was getting closer and closer to Moscow, and it was always good to have one more army to defend the city. However, there were different opinions on whether to let Potapov be the commander of the army. The youngest People's Commissar Ustinov said: "I think the candidate for the commander of the 5th Army is still worth discussing. You know, the 1st Guards Army is responsible for defending Orel-Tula. If General Potapov is transferred back, who will take over his position?"

"When the 1st Guards Army was formed, someone suggested that General Lelyushchenko be appointed as the army commander." Voroshilov said, "I think he can take over Potapov's position and command the 1st Guards Army."

After saying this, Voroshilov looked at Stalin, who was sitting there smoking, and asked respectfully: "Comrade Stalin, what do you think?"

Stalin took the pipe out of his mouth, tapped it on the ashtray, and then said: "I agree that Comrade Lelyushchenko will replace Potapov as the commander of the 5st Guards Army. Marshal Shaposhnikov, if we want to reorganize the th Army, what troops do you think can be provided now?"

Shaposhnikov took out a small notebook and looked at it, then said: "Comrade Stalin, the newly formed Fifth Army should include the 5nd and 132rd Infantry Divisions, the 133th, 18th and 19th Tank Brigades, the 20th Motorized Regiment, as well as four anti-tank artillery regiments and five Guards Mortar Battalions."

But as soon as Shaposhnikov finished speaking, Stalin frowned and said, "Marshal Shaposhnikov, I remember that the 36th Motorized Regiment belongs to the 1st Guards Army. If it is incorporated into the 5th Army, wouldn't it weaken the strength of the 1st Guards Army?"

"Comrade Stalin," Shaposhnikov explained to him when he saw Stalin's displeasure, "Even if we rebuild the Fifth Army today, it will probably take several days for the troops I just mentioned to reach the designated locations. At present, the only troops General Potapov can use are the 5th Motorized Regiment."

"Oh, so that's how it is." Stalin took out two cigarettes from the cigarette box, crushed them with his fingers, and put the tobacco into his pipe. He said slowly: "Marshal Shaposhnikov, where do you think the Fifth Army should be deployed?"

"Comrade Stalin, the main forces of the Western Front, Bryansk Front and Reserve Front have been surrounded by the German Army Group Center in the Vyazma area. The situation west of Moscow is extremely dangerous. I suggest that a new line of defense be built on the Mozhaysk line. On the basis of the fortification troops, the troops I just mentioned can be added to form a new 5th Army, so that they can form combat effectiveness in a very short time."

"I think it's okay." Stalin agreed to Shaposhnikov's suggestion and brought up another matter: "By the way, what do you think should be done about the 16th Army Commander Lieutenant General Rokossovsky, who led the army headquarters away from the troops without authorization and completely lost contact with his superiors?"

"Comrade Stalin, abandoning your troops and running away on the battlefield is a cowardly act and must not be tolerated." Molotov, who had been silent for a long time, suddenly said, "I suggest that an investigation team be set up immediately and go to the Western Front Headquarters to investigate this matter."

Stalin agreed with Molotov's proposal: "I agree with Molotov's proposal. We should immediately set up an investigation team to go to the Western Front Headquarters to investigate Lieutenant General Rokossovsky's despicable behavior of abandoning his troops and escaping without authorization. I think the members of the investigation team should be Voroshilov, Molotov and Bulganin. As soon as the meeting is over, you will rush to the Western Front Headquarters."

"Okay, Comrade Stalin, as soon as the meeting is over, we will go to the Western Front Headquarters and investigate the matter." Voroshilov asked tentatively: "If the matter is true, how should we deal with Rokossovsky?"

"Needless to say, he will be sent to a military court," Molotov said angrily. "At the most critical moment on the battlefield, as an army commander, he not only did not organize the troops to resist, but abandoned the troops and fled. This kind of bad behavior cannot be tolerated."

After the meeting, Voroshilov, Molotov and Bulganin flew directly to the Western Front Headquarters.

When they arrived at the headquarters, they learned that General Zhukov had not yet officially taken office and that the troops were still commanded by General Konev. After discussion, Voroshilov and the other two decided to talk to General Konev and ask him to explain the recent defeat of the Western Front.

Facing Voroshilov's accusation, Konev naturally could not admit that it was his failure in command that led to the defeat of the Western Front troops, and he immediately started an argument with Voroshilov. Molotov and Bulganin sat next to them and watched the two men argue in silence.

Fortunately, at this time, Zhukov walked in from outside and the argument between the two sides came to a temporary end.

Voroshilov stepped forward, shook Zhukov's hand, and said with a smile: "Comrade Zhukov, we meet again."

"Yes, Comrade Marshal." Zhukov nodded and said, "We haven't seen each other for a month. The last time we met was in Leningrad. I took over the command of the Leningrad Front from you."

Although Voroshilov left Leningrad in disgrace, he was not discouraged at all. Facts have proved that the decision of the Supreme Command was correct. With Zhukov taking over the command of the Leningrad Front, he quickly stabilized the situation, blocked the German troops who tried to break into the city, and crushed their attempts to occupy the city again and again. Stalin transferred Zhukov back to Moscow because he saw that the situation in Leningrad was stabilizing.

After the two exchanged a few brief pleasantries, Zhukov took the initiative to speak up for Konev: "Comrade Marshal, I think your criticism of General Konev is a little inappropriate. He has been the commander of the Western Front for less than a month, but he prevented the Germans from advancing quickly towards Moscow for four weeks. It is obviously inappropriate to blindly criticize such an excellent commander as him."

Hearing Zhukov speak well of him, Konev cast a grateful look at him. From the moment Voroshilov's three-man team entered the room, he was filled with despair, thinking that he would be taken back to Moscow like General Pavlov, the first commander of the Western Front, to face a military court and end up with his head and body separated. But Zhukov's words gave him hope. Before Zhukov and Konev could have the handover ceremony, the door was pushed open and two dusty commanders walked in from outside.

Zhukov had sharp eyes and recognized at a glance that the people who came in were Lieutenant General Rokossovsky, commander of the 16th Army, and the army's military commissar Lobachev.

Seeing the two people appear, everyone widened their eyes in surprise.

Molotov, who had been sitting still, stood up, walked up to Rokossovsky, and asked seriously, "General Rokossovsky, I want to ask you, as the commander of the 16th Army, why did you abandon your troops and run away at the most critical moment?"

Rokossovsky was shocked when he heard what Molotov said. He took a deep breath and said to Molotov, "Comrade Molotov, I did not run away. I was ordered to hand over my troops to General Yershakov, commander of the 20th Army, and then lead members of the army headquarters to the Vyazma area to receive new troops."

Voroshilov also came over and asked, "How do you prove that everything you said is true?"

Rokossovsky took out a square piece of paper from his bag and handed it to Voroshilov: "This is the order I received. It has the signatures of General Konev, the commander of the front, and Military Commissar Bulganin."

Hearing Rokossovsky mention his name, Konev did not deny it, but nodded and said: "Yes, it was indeed my order to let General Rokossovsky go to Vyazma to receive the troops."

"Comrade Rokossovsky," Zhukov also asked at this moment, "since General Konev ordered you to go to the Vyazma area to receive the troops, why don't you organize defense there? Why did you come to the headquarters?"

"Comrade Zhukov," Rokossovsky said helplessly, "I was ordered to go to Vyazma to receive the troops, but when I got there, I found that there was no one there. And it happened that the German vanguard broke into the city again. I had no choice but to leave with the members of the headquarters."

"What's going on, General Konev?" Voroshilov stared at Konev and asked unhappily, "Didn't you ask Rokossovsky to go to Vyazma to take over the troops? Why is there no one there?"

Facing Voroshilov's questioning, Konev explained in feeble language: "According to the prior plan, there should be five divisions of troops in Vyazma, but unfortunately, these troops were entangled in the battle with the enemy and could not reach the designated position according to the prior order."

Everyone present understood that what Konev said about our troops being entangled by the Germans was just a euphemism. The actual situation was that these troops were surrounded by the German army and could not reach the Vyazma area on time.

As soon as Rokossovsky finished his explanation, the high-frequency telephone on the table rang.

Molotov was closest to the phone. He reached out and grabbed the receiver and put it to his ear. Stalin's voice came from the inside: "I am Stalin. Who are you?"

"Hello, Comrade Stalin." Molotov quickly and respectfully stated his identity: "I am Molotov."

"Did Zhukov take over command of the Western Front?"

Molotov did not answer the question immediately, but asked Stalin: "Comrade Zhukov is right next to me, do you need him to answer the phone?"

"Give him the phone!"

"Hello, Comrade Stalin, I am Zhukov!"

"Comrade Zhukov, the situation on the Western Front is very bad. You must take over the command immediately and organize a new defense to stop the Germans from rushing to Moscow." Stalin asked on the phone: "How is it, can it be done?"

"Comrade Stalin, I will do my best." Zhukov said this while looking at Konev not far away. He continued, "In order to better complete the new deployment, I need a deputy to go to the Kalinin area to command the troops there. General Konev, the former commander of the Western Front, is very suitable for this position."

"Since you think he is suitable, let him rush to Kalinin as soon as possible." After saying this, Stalin suddenly thought of Rokossovsky, who "deserted from the battlefield": "By the way, Lieutenant General Rokossovsky, the commander of the 16th Army who abandoned his troops and fled, do you have any news about him?"

"Comrade Stalin, Rokossovsky is right next to me." Seeing that Stalin had misunderstood, Zhukov quickly explained to him: "He did not abandon his troops and flee. Instead, he handed over his troops to General Yershakov, commander of the 20th Army, on the orders of Konev and Bulganin. Then he led members of the army headquarters to the Vyazma area to receive new troops. However, these troops were surrounded by the German army and could not reach the designated location on time. As a result, Vyazma had to be abandoned because there was no manpower to defend it."

"So that's how it is. It seems we have misunderstood General Rokossovsky." After listening to Zhukov's explanation, Stalin's tone softened: "I heard that he is an excellent commander and fought well in Yartsevo and Smolensk some time ago. Equip him with troops as soon as possible and let him organize a new defense in the existing area."

"Okay, Comrade Stalin, I will assign him a task as soon as possible."

(End of this chapter)