Early one morning in early December, Rokossovsky received a call from Stalin. Stalin asked with some hesitation on the phone: "Konstantin Konstantinovich, how is your situation there?" ”

Although Rokossovsky clearly remembered that he had just reported to the General Staff last evening the latest situation of the battle, and this information should be on Stalin's desk at this moment, he replied respectfully: "Comrade Stalin, since we went on the defensive, the German troops on the opposite side have behaved very quietly, and there have been no major battles except for a few sporadic skirmishes. ”

"If that's the case, that's good." Stalin instructed on the phone: "Then you immediately hand over the command to your deputy, and you immediately take a plane to Moscow." ”

When Rokossovsky handed over command to Malinin, Terekin came over and asked: "Comrade commander, is there an order for me to go with me?" ”

"No," Rokossovsky heard Terekin's question, and remembered that Stalin had only asked him to rush to Moscow as soon as possible, and did not mention that he should bring someone with him. In order not to embarrass Terekin, Rokossovsky could only say euphemistically: "Perhaps Comrade Stalin did not let me take someone with him, considering that my time to Moscow was too short." ”

When Terekin heard that he didn't let him go to Moscow with him, he couldn't help but feel a little disappointed, but on the surface he still pretended to be casual: "It's okay, Comrade Commander, it really doesn't matter, I just asked casually, since my superiors didn't let me go to Moscow with me, then forget it." ”

Immediately after giving instructions on the mission, Rokossovsky called Rudenko and ordered him to prepare a plane for himself, and he was to fly to Moscow as soon as possible.

What Rokossovsky explained, Rudenko will naturally do his best to help. When Rokossovsky arrived at the airport, he found that a transport plane had already been parked on the runway, and there were two escort fighters next to it.

Seeing Rokossovsky's car parked on the shell, Rudenko hurriedly ran over and saluted: "Comrade commander, the plane is ready for you and ready to go." ”

"Thank you, Sergei Ignatievich." While shaking hands with Rudenko, Rokossovsky said to him: "This time it was the Supreme Commander himself who urgently summoned me to Moscow, and I don't know what is important, and I don't know when I will return." I have already handed over the command of the troops to Malinin, and if you have any questions, just ask him for instructions. ”

"Understood, Comrade Commander." After saying that, Rudenko took a step back and raised his hand again to salute Rokossovsky: "I wish you a safe journey!" ”

…………

As soon as Rokossovsky's plane landed at a military airfield in Moscow, he saw the chief of operations of the General Staff, Shtemenko, who was standing next to a black sedan outside the runway and waved at him.

Shtemenko shook hands with Rokossovsky, took the initiative to open the door in the back of the car, and made a gesture of please: "Comrade Rokossovsky, please get in the car, the Supreme Commander himself is waiting for you in his office." ”

On the way, Rokossovsky curiously asked Shtemenko: "Comrade Minister, I wonder if there is anything important about urgently recruiting me to Moscow this time?" ”

Instead of answering his question directly, Shtemenko asked rhetorically: "Do you know the situation with the 1st Ukrainian Front?" ”

Hearing Shtemenko's question, Rokossovsky immediately recalled in his mind the battle report he had seen recently, and then said cautiously: "I know a little bit." After liberating Kiev, General Vatutin's troops pursued westward in great stride, successfully liberating Zhytomyr on 13 November. But the Germans began to counterattack from the 15th, and our troops, unable to resist their attack, had to abandon Zhytomyr again. ”

After waiting for Rokossovsky to finish speaking, Shtemenko nodded with a smile and said: "General Rokossovsky, it seems that you still know the situation on the battlefield very well. The reason why I urgently summoned you to Moscow today is related to the tense situation near Kiev, and the specific situation will be explained to you by Comrade Stalin himself when he arrives at his office. ”

Forty minutes later, Rokossovsky arrived in Stalin's office. He saw that here, in addition to Stalin, there was also Deputy General Staff Antonov. Stalin saw Rokossovsky's arrival, a smile appeared on his face, he walked over quickly, and took the initiative to reach out his hand: "Hello, Konstantin Konstantinovich, is the journey still smooth?" ”

"Yes, Comrade Stalin." Rokossovsky hurriedly replied: "Since the battlefield is now in Ukraine and Belarus, the air traffic to Moscow is safe, and there are no encounters with enemy aircraft on the way." ”

Stalin nodded, and then said to Antonov, who was standing aside, "Deputy Chief of the General Staff, tell Comrade Rokossovsky about the situation on Vatutin's side." ”

Antonov made a gesture of invitation to Rokossovsky, motioned for him to stand in front of the map hanging on the wall, pointed it at it with a stick, and began to introduce the situation: "...... In order to recapture Zhytomyr and Kiev, the German high command transferred the 25th Panzer Division from France, the 1st Panzer Division from Greece, and the Waffen-SS Panzer Division of the Hitler Guard Banner from Italy. In addition, the Waffen-SS Reich Panzer Division, the 3rd and 19th Panzer Divisions, the 10th Panzer Infantry Division, and the 198th Infantry Division were transferred from other parts of the Eastern Front. The 24th and 48th Panzer Corps were also placed under the command of the 4th Panzer Army......"

Although Rokossovsky knew that the German army was adding troops in the direction of Kiev, he did not expect that the frenzied Hitler would transfer so many troops at once, not to mention that the Soviet army of Lenkyiv and Zhytomyr had become the end of the crossbow, even when the combat power was at its strongest, it was very difficult to win with so many German troops.

After waiting for Antonov to finish briefing on the situation, Rokossovsky turned his attention back to Stalin, feeling quite puzzled in his heart, and secretly said that I am the commander of the Belarusian Front, and not the commander of the First Ukrainian Front, what are you asking Antonov to give me a briefing on these situations?

Stalin stepped over, pointed at Rokossovsky with his fist holding the cigarette butt and said: "Rokossovsky, after discussion in the Supreme Command, we intend to appoint you as the temporary commander of the First Ukrainian Front, I don't know if you have any different opinions?" ”

"Comrade Stalin," Rokossovsky, who was suddenly appointed commander of the 1st Ukrainian Front, asked puzzledly, after a short silence: "I don't understand why you appointed me as the commander of the 1st Ukrainian Front, knowing that General Vatutin did a good job in this position......"

Before he could finish his sentence, he was interrupted by Stalin's raised hand. Stalin said to him earnestly: "Comrade Rokossovsky, Vatutin is sick, the situation is very serious, and he is no longer able to command the troops. And Zhukov, who is currently in charge of the coordinated work of the 2nd and 3rd Ukrainian Fronts, simply cannot take over the work of Vatutin. After careful study, we feel that it is only fitting that you should take over the duties of this commander. ”

After listening to Stalin's words, Rokossovsky immediately understood that the situation in the Kiev direction was now precarious, and Vatutin's ability could not restore the situation, so he could only temporarily retreat into the background and let himself, a "firefighter", come out and turn the tide.

Seeing that Rokossovsky was silent, Stalin's face showed an expression of displeasure. He raised his voice and asked: "Comrade Rokossovsky, what do you think about this arrangement of the Supreme Command?" ”

Stalin's voice woke Rokossovsky from his contemplation, and he quickly straightened up and replied: "Report to Comrade Stalin, as the commander of the Ninth Mechanized Army before the war and the commander of the garrison of Zhytomyr, it is one of the greatest regrets of my military career that I was not able to personally command the troops to liberate this city, which had been ravaged by the German army for two years.

Comrade Stalin, now that you have personally given me the opportunity to liberate Zhytomyr, I cannot ask for it. I am ready to take over Comrade Vatutin as commander of the 1st Ukrainian Front, direct the troops to crush the attempts of the German troops to rush to Kiev and liberate Zhytomyr again. ”

Rokossovsky's generous and decent words brought the smile back to Stalin's face. He put his hand on Rokossovsky's shoulder, patted it lightly a few times, and said with a smile: "Very well, Konstantin Konstantinovich, I have confidence in you." I am confident that the 1st Ukrainian Front, under your command, will succeed in crushing the German counterattack and reliberating Zhytomyr. Well, time is pressing, I won't keep you, you go to Kyiv as soon as possible to take office. ”

Before leaving, Rokossovsky still asked: "Comrade Stalin, I went to the First Ukrainian Front as the commander, so who should be in charge of the Belarusian Front?" ”

"I've thought about this too." Stalin put his pipe back in his mouth, took a beautiful puff, and said: "I think the commander of the 65th Army, General Batov, will be temporarily in charge." ”

Rokossovsky only thought for a moment about letting Batov temporarily act as commander of the Front, and then nodded in agreement, after all, in his mind, Batov is still a very capable military commander, as long as he continues to implement the plan he originally formulated, then the battle in Belarus will still be very smooth: "Comrade Stalin, I have no meaning to the candidate you proposed. Permission to go to Kyiv right now and readjust the deployment of troops? ”

"Go," said Stalin with a smile, "I hope I will soon hear the good news of your victory." ”