artillery arc

Chapter 161 Princess Olga’s Time
Saint-Ekaterinaburg, afternoon of August 8th.

Princess Olga Nikolayevna Antonovna, the second in line of succession to the Ante Empire, once again entered the office of General Turgenev, Chief of the Military Order Division of the High Command.

The general looked up and said, "Good afternoon, Your Highness. The combat office is next door."

Olga: "I was kicked out."

"Then I have no way to send you back." General Turgenev spread his hands, "Our Military Command Office is just a stamping agency. The Operations Office makes plans and we stamp them. Our real function is personnel, you Just come to us when you need to make personnel adjustments. In addition, we will also be responsible for issuing medals..."

Princess Olga frowned: "Why do I feel like you are telling me what you can do?"

"Yes. Is there any problem in explaining one's functions to the royal family?" Admiral Turgenev shrugged.

Olga: "Okay, can you..."

At this time, the staff officer opened the door: "Lieutenant General Chekhov has arrived."

"Let him come in. Your Highness, you can sit down and drink some tea." Admiral Turgenev pointed to the tea set on the table.

Princess Olga walked to the side, and Lieutenant General Chekhov came in before he could sit down.

The Lieutenant General was stunned when he saw the princess: "Huh?"

Princess Olga: "Talk about your business and don't pay attention to me."

Chekhov saluted the princess, and after completing the duties of an ordinary soldier to the royal family, he turned to General Turgenev: "Why did you call me back? Agsukov's situation is very bad now. I, the logistics commander, If we leave, their supplies will soon be in disarray."

General Turgenev waved his hand: "Don't worry, such a large army will form inertia, and your short departure will not cause too many problems."

"Short time? How long?"

Turgenev: "That depends on how fast the Prosins move."

It took Lieutenant General Chekhov a second to realize that Turgenev would not let him go back, so he stepped forward and knocked on the table with his wedding ring: "Are you kidding me? I..."

General Turgenev: "Your new assignment is to serve as the logistics commander of the Reserve Front. It was suggested by Patriarch Belinsky. After consideration, we found that you are very suitable. What you did in Agsukov Very good, the army will definitely be able to achieve results in the reserve force.

"But because you have no military merit, there are some problems with promotion. Serving as the logistics commander of a front army does not require the rank of general. You can go to the post now and get familiar with the situation as soon as possible. We predict - er, the War Department predicts that St. The situation in Yekaterinburg will gradually become severe starting in mid-September.”

Lieutenant General Chekhov stared at the general for a while and said: "You abandoned Agsukov's heavy troop group."

"'We' didn't give up. We have been working hard to save it, and now we are still sending troops to Duke Myshkin, who has the best hope of rescuing the siege. It was the incompetence of the high command and the incompetence of the senior generals that ruined this army."

As he spoke, General Turgenev picked up his pipe and filled it with tobacco as he said: "As early as July, General Gorky Konstantinovich believed that Agsukov was in danger of being surrounded, but then At that time, the headquarters was full of optimism, feeling that as long as our new tanks were put into battle, the war would be over soon.

"So General Gorky was dismissed from his post and sent to the Fort St. Andrew Front to sit on the bench. The only advantage of this transfer is that General Gorky will soon show his talents in the coniferous forests and mountains around Fort St. Andrew, because The Northwest Front can’t stand it anymore.”

Princess Olga frowned and looked at Admiral Turgenev with a suspicious look on her face.

Lieutenant General Chekhov: "You don't need to shirk responsibility from me, Lieutenant General. Let's leave this to historians! Where is my appointment?"

General Turgenev took out a document and threw it in front of Lieutenant General Chekhov: "It was just stamped. In addition, here is an appointment for your follower. Where are the others? Why don't you come in?"

Lieutenant General Chekhov turned around and shouted: "Rokossov!"

Olga was shocked. She stood up and looked at the door with passionate eyes.

The person who came in was a fat brigadier general.

Princess Olga hesitated and said, "Isn't that right? I remember that Count Rokosov was a tall, well-built young man. I saw him from a distance at the ball."

"Then you should be talking about my brother Count Rokosov. I am Duke Rokosov, His Royal Highness the Princess." The Brigadier said, saluting the princess and completing the courtesy to the royal family.

Lieutenant General Chekhov handed over the appointment on the desk of General Turgenev to Brigadier General Rokossov.

The brigadier general looked at it and exclaimed: "Why do you want to transfer me to the logistics force? What I study is the formulation of combat plans..."

General Turgenev: "We originally wanted you to command the troops. After all, your brother performed so well, and your father also performed very well. One can't help but suspect that this is a family inheritance.

"But Brigadier General, your exercise performance on the map is too poor. You lose everything every time. Now we can't take the risk of letting you command the troops. What if you destroy Rokosov's sign?"

The brigadier general's fat face wrinkled up: "You called me back just to prevent me from becoming a stain on my brother?"

General Turgenev: "No, no, no, we think you have performed well in logistics organization, so we will transfer you to a place where your expertise can be better utilized. After all, the main function of our Military Command Office is to mobilize personnel and let the right people If you have no questions, you can leave. My secretary has arranged accommodation and transportation for you." Lieutenant General Chekhov saluted the general, turned to the brigadier general and said, "Okay, let's go, brigadier general. ”

The brigadier general saluted and then followed the lieutenant general out of the room.

After the door was closed by the secretary, Admiral Turgenev and Her Royal Highness the Princess were left in the room.

Olga: "Is this the 'main responsibility' of the Military Command Office?"

Admiral Turgenev: "Yes, it is still a very important responsibility. Without us as lubricant, this huge old machine cannot run for a day. Your Highness, let's talk about the issues you are concerned about."

Olga: "You are sending troops to Prince Myshkin, are you preparing to save Agsukov?"

"It shouldn't be possible to save, just to rescue as many troops as possible. The enemy is very powerful. If we don't send more troops to Myshkin, we may even lose Shepetovka. After all, aerial reconnaissance shows that the enemy's 9th Infantry Group Army is about to move to the end. Petovka faced off.

"Although the enemy's army group has this name, it is different from our army group."

Olga asked again: "Will Rokossov participate in the defense of Shepetovka?"

"No, his troops will soon withdraw from Shepetovka and retreat to Shostka. We expect that he will have a month to build defensive positions here. There is also a cement production plant in Shostka. Enough cement pipes.”

Olga frowned: "I don't know anything about military affairs, but it doesn't sound like the same place as Shepetovka?"

"There is a railway connection. After the fall of Shepetovka, Myshkin's troops will retreat through Shostka. In addition, there is a river in this place. It is not the flood season in September, but it is still difficult to cross. Rokoso General Fu can fully demonstrate his defensive talents here."

Admiral Turgenev explained enthusiastically.

“In addition, after the troops arrive here, we plan to ask the major general to bring his meritorious personnel to the capital. At that time, we will award him a medal and let him accept an interview with the newspaper.

"We will need these after Agsukov's massive defeat."

Princess Olga's brows were almost twisted into knots: "You are already planning this?"

"Yes, if the defeat is determined, we must prepare for the aftermath. Don't underestimate the things we have done. This can prevent a big defeat from turning into a complete rout.

“The Plosen High Command must think that the situation is settled by annihilating one million of us in Agsukov, but the Reserve Front has already organized more than one million people, and there will be more in the future.

"But if morale collapses, millions of people will surrender faster than pigs, do you understand? Her Royal Highness Princess Olga Nikolayevna!"

Olga's lips trembled and she didn't answer.

Admiral Turgenev: "You have to get used to this as soon as possible! I heard that your goal is to become a female tsar like Catherine the Great. The emperor will not have his lips trembling because of this."

Olga bit her lip with her teeth and forced herself not to tremble.

General Turgenev: "That's it. As the chief of military command, I can assure you that after this time, Rokossov will be fully replenished."

Olga: "Are you ready to promote him?"

General Turgenev waved his hands repeatedly: "No, although he has performed very well, he has just been promoted to major general. In addition, he was previously promoted from colonel to brigadier in an unusual manner. This promotion speed is too unreasonable. We plan to promote him at the end of this year." Promoted to lieutenant general.

"Not raising the military rank will not prevent us from shaping him into a war hero. If he was in the United States, it would be time for him to completely leave the front line and go around giving speeches and selling war bonds.

"But we are on the verge of national subjugation, and an outstanding general like him must continue to be on the front line. Of course, as a war hero commanding the troops, we will give him many privileges. For example, veterans who have recovered and returned to the army will try their best to return to the army instead of replenishing To other troops.

"Another example is giving them slightly more technical weapons than others. Many things will become easier to operate after he returns to the capital."

The admiral stopped and looked at Olga: "When he is in the capital, Princess, you can accompany him more often. Of course, if your brother comes back, you won't need to accompany him."

Olga stared at Turgenev for several seconds and asked, "What do you mean?"

The admiral stared at the princess for a long time before saying: "During the civil war, I was actually not a secularist, but a centrist. I was trying to be on guard against Bohemia and Manaheim, and was ready to resist the interventionist forces at any time. Later. I just became the military commander.

"The secular faction that won at that time wanted the tsar because the Chongsheng faction had the support of so many people. The secular faction said that divine arrows and hymns are all natural phenomena, and one day they will be used by humans like radio. master.

"Old farmers in remote areas don't think so. They are all worshipers. Do you understand?

"But now, the old farmer has been persuaded by sausages, champagne and caviar, my princess."

Princess Olga held her chin, lost in thought.

(End of this chapter)