red moscow

Chapter 3004

Rokossovsky and Lobachev stayed in Moscow for one night, and early the next morning, they went to bid farewell to Vasilevsky, preparing to return to the front immediately.

“General Rokossovsky!” Vasilevsky said to Rokossovsky, “According to intelligence I’ve received from the Air Force, the enemy has recently intensified its bombing of the roads leading from Moscow to the front lines. You may be bombed by enemy aircraft on your way back. For your safety, I’m going to equip you with an anti-aircraft machine gun company to escort you back to the front.”

Rokossovsky immediately and politely declined Vasilevsky's offer: "Comrade Vasilevsky, thank you for your kindness. If we are bombed by enemy planes on our way back to the front, we will take shelter in the roadside forest in time."

“General Rokossovsky,” Vasilevsky said, his tone more forceful as he saw Rokossovsky’s reluctance to have an anti-aircraft machine gun company accompany him, “arrange for an anti-aircraft machine gun company to escort you back to the front. This is the Supreme Commander’s personal instruction, and I hope you will not refuse his good intentions.”

Upon learning that it was Stalin's idea to send an anti-aircraft machine gun company to escort him back to the front, Rokossovsky naturally did not object and nodded in agreement: "Comrade Vasilevsky, do you know where I can find this anti-aircraft machine gun company?"

“They’re waiting on the street outside the building; you’ll see them as soon as you go out.”

After bidding farewell to Vasilevsky, Rokossovsky and Lobachev left the General Staff Headquarters building.

Not far from the building, a row of quadruple 14.5mm anti-aircraft machine guns, towed by vehicles, were parked on the street, with dozens of anti-aircraft gunners standing beside them. Seeing this, Lobachev nudged Rokossovsky with his elbow and tentatively asked, "Comrade Commander, could this be the anti-aircraft machine gun company General Vasilevsky mentioned?"

Just as Rokossovsky was about to go over and ask, a lieutenant came running over.

The lieutenant stopped in front of Rokossovsky, saluted, and asked respectfully, "Are you General Rokossovsky, commander of the 16th Army?"

“Yes, I am Rokossovsky.” Rokossovsky stared at the lieutenant in front of him and asked tentatively, “Why are you asking this?”

"Hello, General!" the lieutenant replied respectfully. "I am Lieutenant Berinzin, the company commander of the anti-aircraft machine gun company. I am here to escort you back to the front line."

As the convoy set off, three anti-aircraft machine guns, towed by vehicles, led the way. Two anti-aircraft machine gunners sat on each gun, vigilantly looking up at the sky, ready to fire at any moment.

Sitting in the jeep, Lobachev saw the anti-aircraft machine gunners looking as if they were facing a major enemy and couldn't help but ask Rokossovsky, "Comrade Commander, do you think we'll be bombed by enemy planes on our way back to the front?"

"It's hard to say," Rokossovsky said, shaking his head. "Although we weren't attacked by enemy planes on our way here, no one can guarantee that we won't be bombed by enemy planes on our way back to the front."

"Shall we go straight back to headquarters?"

Rokossovsky thought for a moment, then shook his head and said, "Malinin is in charge at headquarters, so it doesn't matter if we go back a little later. It's the Klin direction that's making me uneasy. When we pass through Klin, we'll go into the city to take a look and find out about yesterday's battle."

An hour and a half later, the convoy successfully entered the city of Klin.

Rokossovsky looked out the car window. At this moment, there were hardly any residents on the streets of the city. He didn't know if they were hiding in their homes or had fled the city when the fighting broke out yesterday.

Soon, the convoy stopped in front of Zakharov's command post.

Rokossovsky and Lobachev got out of the car and went straight inside.

Upon seeing the two men, Zakharov immediately went to greet them and asked somewhat eagerly, "Comrade Commander, Comrade Military Commissioner, you're back! Ever since you left yesterday, I've been uneasy, worried that something might have happened to you."

“What could possibly happen to us?” Rokossovsky said casually. “Just as I suspected, the General Staff simply needs a detailed report from us regarding our withdrawal to the Istra Reservoir.”

After a brief pause, Rokossovsky got straight to the point: "By the way, Comrade Deputy Commander, how did yesterday's battle go?"

“We repelled the enemy’s attack,” Zakharov replied. “They abandoned six destroyed tanks and more than a hundred corpses in front of our positions before retreating in panic.”

Although the result seemed rather ordinary, Rokossovsky still praised it, saying, "Well done! Although the casualties inflicted on the enemy were not great, it made them understand that it is impossible to take this city without paying a certain price."

“By the way, Commander, there’s something else I need to tell you,” Zakharov said. “Around 2 a.m. this morning, a group of tank division officers and soldiers from Green City arrived in Klin City.”

Upon hearing this, Rokossovsky raised his eyebrows and then asked, "How many men are in this unit, and how many tanks did they bring?"

Upon hearing Rokossovsky's question, Zakharov quickly organized his thoughts: "There are probably more than two hundred people, but as for tanks, there isn't a single one."

Zakharov's words greatly surprised Rokossovsky: "Didn't the tank division have more than two hundred tanks? How come there isn't a single one left? What happened?"

“I heard from the commanders,” Zakharov said in a deep voice, “that when we were attacked by the Germans, the enemy also bombarded Green City. Although the tank division’s tanks were scattered throughout the city, the enemy’s artillery fire was too intense, and many tanks were buried under collapsed buildings. Seeing the situation was bad, the tank division commander immediately ordered the remaining tanks to break out. But the enemy had already positioned tanks and anti-tank crews on the roads leading out of the city, and the tanks that tried to leave were destroyed almost immediately. The commanders who escaped, under the cover of darkness, bypassed the enemy’s area and fled into the forest. After several detours, they finally arrived here in Klin.”

"Fool, utterly idiot!" Rokossovsky gritted his teeth in hatred at the thought of the tank division commander he had never met. If it weren't for the commander's stubbornness, and if he had brought his tank division to join Klin's garrison sooner, how could they have suffered such a near-total annihilation? "It was because of his stupidity that a fully-organized tank division was wiped out by the enemy in less than a day. If he died in battle, that would be one thing; but if he escaped alive, he would face a military court." "I've already inquired with the officers and soldiers," Zakharov sighed. "It's said that shortly after the division commander issued the breakout order, the building he was in was hit by German artillery fire and collapsed. His chances of survival are probably slim."

“If Green City is occupied by the enemy, then they will concentrate all their forces to attack Klin.” Rokossovsky looked at Zakharov and asked seriously, “Comrade Deputy Commander, give me a definite answer: how many days can you hold out in this city?”

Zakharov thought for a moment, then held up three fingers: "Three days, Comrade Commander! Given our current troop strength and equipment, we can only hold out for three days at most."

Rokossovsky frowned and asked, "Can't we hold out for a couple more days? You know, once Klin falls, the army group's retreat will be basically cut off by the Germans. From then on, whether it's ammunition supplies brought in from the rear or wounded soldiers being evacuated, they'll have to detour to other areas."

“If we want to hold out for two more days, it’s not impossible,” Zakharov said hesitantly, “but you need to agree to one condition!”

For Rokossovsky, nothing was more important than holding Klin at the moment. Upon hearing Zakharov say that there was a chance to hold Klin for two more days, he eagerly asked, "What are the conditions?"

“Transfer all the troops from Sun Mountain City to Klin,” Zakharov requested of Rokossovsky. “With their reinforcement, we should be able to hold out for another three to five days without much trouble.”

But Rokossovsky rejected his words immediately: "No, absolutely not. If we abandon Sun Mountain now, the enemy can concentrate their forces to attack Klin. In that case, even if we have more troops in Klin, we probably won't be able to hold out for long against such a powerful enemy."

Zakharov fell silent, agreeing with Rokossovsky's assessment. Currently, both Sunhill and Klin were tying down significant German forces. If Sunhill were abandoned, Guderian could redirect the troops attacking Sunhill towards Klin. Even with the reinforcements from Sunhill, the city's garrison would only number around ten thousand, utterly incapable of withstanding an enemy several times their size; holding Klin would become a joke.

After some thought, Zakharov nodded and said to Rokossovsky, "Comrade Commander, I will do everything I can to hold out in the city for two more days."

Rokossovsky nodded in satisfaction at Zakharov's statement and then said, "Comrade Deputy Commander, if you can hold out for two more days, we will have time to adjust our deployment, free up some troops as reserves, and may even send them to strengthen the defenses in Klin."

After exchanging a few more words with Zakharov, Rokossovsky had a communications soldier connect him to the army group headquarters.

Upon hearing Malinin's familiar voice through the receiver, Rokossovsky immediately cut to the chase, asking, "Comrade Chief of Staff, where is General Kazakov, the Director of Artillery?"

“His command post is only a few hundred meters from here.” Ma Lining asked tentatively, “Should I send someone to call him?”

“No need.” Rokossovsky knew very well that although the two command posts were only a few hundred meters apart, it would take a long time to travel back and forth. He didn’t have any spare time to waste, so he said directly, “Comrade Chief of Staff, please tell General Kazakov that Klin urgently needs more artillery. Ask him to find a way to send as many artillery pieces as possible to Klin so that the defenders of the city can receive sufficient artillery support in the battle.”

“Comrade Commander, I was just about to report this to you,” Malinin said. “General Kazakov dispatched three artillery regiments and two rocket artillery battalions to Klin two hours ago. I believe they will arrive in Klin soon.”

"Oh, three artillery regiments and two rocket artillery battalions?!" Rokossovsky exclaimed in surprise after hearing the report, "I really didn't expect Kazakov to be so willing to go all out, sending so many artillery units to Klin."

“We all know the importance of Klin,” Malinin said. “If the Germans occupy Klin, they can not only cut off the army group’s retreat, but also advance towards Dmitrov and Yakhroma, directly threatening the security of Moscow. Therefore, we must take all measures to hold Klin and prevent the enemy from occupying the city.”

"Comrade Chief of Staff, we all want to hold Klin," Rokossovsky said in a heavy tone. "But after careful observation, I know that this city is simply not defensible against a powerful enemy. All we can do now is try our best to delay the fall of the city as much as possible."

Malining was silent for a moment on the phone, then cautiously asked, "Comrade Commander, are you in Klin now? When will you return to headquarters?"

“That’s right, I’m in Klin with the Military Commissioner right now,” Rokossovsky said. “I have to go to Sun Mountain City later, and it will take at least another four or five hours to get back to headquarters.”

"I understand," Malinin replied, then reminded Rokossovsky, "Comrade Commander, enemy planes have been bombing us very frequently today. You should be careful of being bombed by enemy planes on your way back to headquarters."

"Don't worry, Comrade Chief of Staff," Rokossovsky replied with a smile. "Before we left Moscow, the higher command sent an anti-aircraft machine gun company to escort us. Even if we encounter the enemy on the way, we will be able to fight them."

After hanging up the phone, Rokossovsky discussed the plan to defend Klin with Zakharov for a while, and then got up to say goodbye.

After leaving the city, Lobachev asked Rokossovsky, "Comrade Commander, are you really still going to Sun Mountain?"

Rokossovsky nodded and gave Lobachev an affirmative answer: "Yes, Comrade Military Commissar. If Sunhill falls, the enemy can concentrate their forces to attack Klin. Therefore, I must have Misha find a way to defend the city and tie down a certain number of German troops so that they cannot concentrate their forces to attack Klin."

To Rokossovsky's surprise, as soon as his convoy reached the outskirts of Sun Mountain, he saw a dozen commanders standing on one side of the road ahead, with several jeeps parked nearby, seemingly waiting for someone to arrive.

Seeing this, Rokossovsky couldn't help but wonder, under such circumstances, what important figure could possibly be coming to Sun Mountain City for an inspection? If so, how come he hadn't heard a word about it beforehand?

To find out what was going on, Rokossovsky instructed the driver: "Comrade driver, speed up, overtake the anti-aircraft machine gun ahead, I want to see what those people standing by the roadside are doing."

(End of this chapter)