Upon receiving the telegram of the 9th Mechanized Corps, the communications staff officer immediately handed over the telegram to Vashukin. After a brief glance at the contents, he went straight to the large map hanging on the wall. At this moment, Kirponos and Pulkaev are standing here, conducting exercises according to the plan of the exercise.

Seeing Rykov coming in a hurry, Kirponos took off his reading glasses clipped to the bridge of his nose and asked in wonder: "Comrade Military Commissar, is there something wrong?" ”

Vashukin handed the telegram to Kirponos and said: "Comrade commander, as soon as I received a telegram from the 9th Mechanized Army, Rokossovsky requested that the course of the exercise be changed so that they would attack the Blues attacking Kowell alone, without waiting for the arrival of Fedyuninsky's infantry corps and the 19th mechanized corps. ”

Since Vashukin had already told all the contents of the telegram, Kirponos did not read the telegram, so he directly handed it to Pulkaev next to him, and asked casually: "Comrade Chief of Staff, what do you think of this telegram from Rokossovsky?" ”

After carefully reading the contents of the telegram, Pulkaev put his hand on his glasses and said with a smile: "This Rokossovsky usually does things quite measured, how could he send such a telegram today inexplicably, doesn't he know that after the exercise plan is announced, no one has the right to change it?" ”

"Comrade Chief of Staff," Kirponos asked with a serious expression, "did Comrade Rokossovsky say on the telegram the reasons for his request to change the program of the exercises?" ”

Pulkaev glanced at the telegram again, nodded and said: "His troops have not yet entered Cowell, and the vanguard of the Blue Army, which arrived early, is staying on standby in the western suburbs of Cowell at the moment." As for the main forces of the Blue Army, they built field fortifications in the area of Leubom, so that when they were surrounded by our superior forces, they could rely on the terrain to resist. ”

Vashukin asked dissatisfiedly: "Why is Rokossovsky's troops moving so slowly, and they have not yet entered Kowell?" Look at the Blues, they were in attack early. ”

"Comrade Military Commissar, there are many reasons why the troops did not enter Cowell on time." After Pulkaev glanced at him, although he was very disgusted with this political worker who did not understand military affairs, he still had to pretend to be casual on the surface and explained: "The mechanized corps has not been formed for a long time, and the commanders and fighters are not familiar with the newly equipped tanks and armored vehicles. As for the Blues, they were held by the 99th Infantry Division stationed in Vvodava, and they were less than fifty kilometers away from Kowell, and it is not surprising that they arrived before Rokossovsky. ”

After Pulkaev finished speaking, Vashukin, who did not understand military affairs, uncharacteristically analyzed: "If I am not mistaken, there is a cavalry regiment in the sequence of the 99th Division. If Rokossovsky had taken the lead in attacking with only one tank division, he would have been crushed by the cavalry units of the Blues. ”

After listening to Vashukin's layman's analysis, Pulkaev turned his head to look at the map, as if trying to see from above where Rokossovsky's troops were marching. And after being silent for a while, Kirponos said with some tears and laughter: "Comrade Military Commissar, the reason why our army wants to abolish the huge cavalry units and form a mechanized army in favor of them is because cavalry is no longer practical in modern warfare.

When fascist Germany attacked Poland two years earlier, the Germans shattered the armed forces of Poland with lightning lightning, despite the heroic performance of most of the Polish officers and soldiers. This is ample proof of the superiority of Germany, with its powerful armor and motorized army, in front of which Poland's proud cavalry is simply vulnerable. It is precisely because of this that our country began to form a large number of mechanized corps and large tank and mechanized corps, which are indispensable for victory in modern warfare. ”

Vashugin said unconvinced: "Even so, even if one of Rokossovsky's tank divisions wants to eat this blue army, it is bound to pay a heavy price." ”

"Comrade Military Commissar, I don't see it that way." Kirponos retorted: "With the strength of Rokossovsky's tank division, even with only half the force, this blue army can be wiped out." ”

"With only half the troops, you can defeat the Blue Army?" After listening to this, Vashukin asked in a skeptical tone: "Comrade commander, you are not wrong. ”

To this question of Vashukin, Pulkaev patiently explained to him: "Comrade Military Commissar, our tactical thinking is that the offensive is not the defense, and the blue army, which plays the role of the enemy, except for the provocative attack at the beginning, the rest of the time, they can only stay in the fortifications and become the target of our army's attack, and it is only a matter of time before they are destroyed." After saying that, he turned to Kirponos and asked, "Comrade commander, how to reply to Rokossovsky?" ”

Kirponos frowned and pondered for a moment, and said solemnly: "The purpose of this exercise is to test the combat capability of the entire military district troops, not to let Rokossovsky's troops show off alone. He immediately called him back and told him that he must complete his tasks in strict accordance with the exercise plan and that he must not make any further troubles. ”

When Tang Shaohua received a call back from the military region, the troops had just arrived in the eastern suburbs of Cowell. Although he had been mentally prepared for a long time, when he saw the telegram, his heart was still half cold, and he knew that this exercise could only be carried out in full accordance with the plan.

At the same time, the vanguard of the Blues, who had stayed on the western outskirts of Cowill, had taken advantage of this time to dig a rudimentary trench more than half a man deep. Most of the commanders and fighters stayed in the trenches, standing or sitting, waiting for Rokossovsky's troops to enter the city.

An observation post on a nearby dirt slope had spotted the arrival of the 20th Tank Division through the dust raised high in the distance. A second lieutenant quickly ran down the hill and into a tent set up behind the trench and reported to the battalion commander who remained inside: "Comrade Major, our enemy is entering the city. ”

An elderly major, who was lying on the marching bed with his eyes closed, heard the second lieutenant's voice, he opened his eyes and asked lightly: "Has the other party entered the defensive position?" ”

The second lieutenant shook his head vigorously and replied, "Not yet, Comrade Major." They are currently driving into the city one after another. ”

The major closed his eyes again and commanded the lieutenant, "Alright, I see." You go back and continue to monitor the opponent's movements, and when they are all in the defensive position, then report back to me!" ”