After visiting the wounded Bogdanov, Rokossovsky hurried back to his command. Here he met Zhukov, the representative of the base camp who had just arrived.

Zhukov shook hands with Rokossovsky and asked with a smile: "Comrade Rokossovsky, it seems that your progress is going well, can you tell us about the specific situation?" ”

"Chuikov's 8th Guards Army, starting from July 18, had advanced about 180 kilometers, forcibly crossed the Sibug and Vepsy rivers, and by the early morning of July 24, advanced to the lines of Palchev, Philley, Kamenka, Petrovta, Stasin, Glusk, and Piasky.

The advance force of the 4th Guards Infantry Corps, attacking immediately after the 2nd Tank Army, had advanced to the Vistula River and captured Pouvy and Demblin. The 28th Guards Infantry Corps of General Rezhov occupied the defense around Lublin.

Comrade Marshal, if you want to know more detailed information, I would like to ask our Chief of Staff, General Malinin, to report back to you. ”

Zhukov turned his gaze to Malinin on the side, smiled and said, "General Malinin, please introduce me to the overall situation of the front army." ”

Malinin nodded, picked up the baton on the table, walked to the map hanging on the wall, pointed to it and said to Zhukov: "The troops on our left flank, except for the 8th Guards Army, the rest of the troops are also progressing very well. The 47th Army has moved out to the lines of Lomazi, Komarivka, and Vohern; And the 69th Army liberated the city of Helm.

…… According to the latest order of the Front Command, the 8th Guards Army, after the capture of Lublin, was to stay in the area for a day and night in order to allow artillery and logistics units to keep up and replenish fuel and ammunition reserves.

Comrade Marshal, since the 2nd Tank Army and the 8th Guards Army have advanced to the Vistula, the connection between the German Army Group 'Center' and Army Group 'Northern Ukraine' has been destroyed by us.

In the north, the 70th Army, the 11th Tank Army and the 2nd Guards Cavalry Army succeeded in capturing Palchev and Radzen, which sharply deteriorated the operational situation of the enemy's Brest group. ”

After listening to Malinin's account, Zhukov turned his head to look at Rokossovsky and asked: "So, Comrade Rokossovsky, are you planning to let the 70th Army go to liberate the Brest Fortress?" ”

"That's right, Comrade Marshal." Rokossovsky nodded and gave Zhukov an affirmative answer: "Since the war in Belarus began with the Brest Fortress, then let's end it in the same place." ”

"You have a point." Zhukov highly agreed with Rokossovsky's consideration: "Although the Brest Fortress was the first target of the German army after the outbreak of the war, our heroic defenders held out in the city for a month in a difficult environment. ”

"Our commanders and fighters held out in the fortress for a month," Rokossovsky said of the unsuccessful rescue operation, and his heart was full of regret, and he was now anxious to regain the fortress, which had been occupied by the Germans for four years, and then go in to see for himself the places where the heroes had fought. "But I hope that our troops will be able to completely destroy the enemy in the fortress in two to three days."

"Comrade Marshal," said Malinin, who was standing aside, and after Zhukov and Rokossovsky had finished speaking, he said to them with a smile: "Our commanders and fighters are ready for all attacks, and I believe that in two or three days, there should be no problem in completely destroying the enemy in the fortress." ”

"The matter of liberating the Brest Fortress, let it go for the time being." Zhukov waved his hand at Malinin, and then asked Rokossovsky: "Our current task is to liberate Lublin so that the newly established Polish government can have a foothold." How about it, Comrade Rokossovsky, how long will it take for you to storm Lublin? ”

"I guess it's only two or three days." After answering this question, Rokossovsky proposed to Zhukov: "Since Lublin will be the temporary residence of the new Polish government, I suggest that before the attack, artillery preparations should not be made, so as not to cause great damage to the city." ”

"And what do you think?" Hearing Rokossovsky say that he did not intend to use artillery fire, Zhukov asked curiously: "Cover the infantry with tanks to storm the city?" ”

"Yes, Comrade Marshal." Rokossovsky nodded and said affirmatively: "I intend to let the tanks cooperate with the infantry to launch an attack on Lublin, so that the commanders and fighters can find out the skills of street fighting." You know, in the next battle, our battle will shift from sparsely populated open areas and no man's land to economically developed and densely populated central cities. Allowing the commanders and fighters to master the skills of street fighting will be of great help in future battles. ”

Rokossovsky's words silenced Zhukov. For a long time, he was thinking about how to destroy the enemy, and he did not notice that the battlefield where the enemy and us were fighting was moving from the field to the city. After thinking for a long time, he nodded and said to Rokossovsky: "What you said is very reasonable, our commanders and fighters may be accustomed to fighting the Germans in the field, and in terms of urban warfare, there is still a blank. It seems that it is necessary for us to find a set of effective street fighting skills in a series of offensive battles. ”

After Zhukov finished speaking, Rokossovsky suddenly remembered about Bogdanov and said to him: "Comrade Marshal, there is one more thing that I forgot to report to you. The commander of the 2nd Tank Army, General Bogdanov, was unfortunately wounded by a German sniper during last night's battle and withdrew from the combat sequence. ”

"What, Bogdanov is wounded?" When Zhukov heard the news, he was also taken aback, and he hurriedly asked nervously: "How is the injury, is it serious?" ”

"It's not going to be sacrificed, is it?" But Ma Lining asked timidly.

"No, no sacrifices." Rokossovsky shook his head and said: "When the German snipers fired, the armored car in which Bogdanov was riding happened to jolt, and as a result, the bullet only hit him in the arm. However, because the warhead was stuck in the bone, the military doctor with the army could not remove the warhead, so he could only be sent to the rear for treatment. ”

"Who is in charge of the 2nd Tank Army today?" Zhukov asked with a straight face: "Will it affect the next battle?" ”

"Don't worry, Comrade Marshal." Rokossovsky confidently said: "I asked Deputy Commander Radzievsky to take over the post of Bogdanov, who, as a deputy, will take over the command of the tank army when he comes, and I am sure that he is fully competent." ”

Although Rokossovsky had already said this, Zhukov was still a little uneasy, he called Maksimenko and instructed: "Comrade Chief of the Communications Corps, immediately take me to the headquarters of the 2nd Tank Army, find General Radzyevsky, I will talk to him personally." ”

After the phone was connected, Zhukov said into the microphone: "Hey, General Radzievsky?" I'm Zhukov! ”

Radzyevsky, who had just taken over the post of commander of the army group, heard that it was Zhukov who personally called him, and he couldn't help but get a little nervous: "Hello, Comrade Marshal, may I ask you for any instructions in the future?" ”

"That's right, General Radzievsky." Zhukov looked a little nervous when he heard Razievsky's voice coming from the earpiece, and hurriedly slowed down his tone and said: "I heard that General Bogdanov was wounded, and now you are in command of the tank army, so I called and asked." ”

"That's right, that's right, Comrade Marshal." Radzyevsky hastened to reply: "Comrade Commander was wounded by German snipers, and now I am taking over his command." ”

"How is it, General Radzievsky." Zhukov smiled and asked: "Are you confident that you will take Lublin?" ”

"Comrade Marshal, please rest assured of this." Radzyevsky swore to Zhukov: "Our commanders and fighters are ready for all battles and will definitely be able to assist General Ryzhov's 28th Infantry Army in taking Lublin in the shortest possible time." ”

Zhukov was silent for a moment, and then said into the microphone: "General Lazievsky, let me remind you that Lublin will serve as a temporary residence for the new Polish government for a long time to come, so when you attack, try not to beat the city too badly. Do you understand? ”

"Understood, Comrade Marshal." Radzyevsky said with some hesitation: "I will give orders to the troops below and let them resolutely follow your instructions." ”

After Zhukov put down the phone, he looked up at Rokossovsky and asked: "Comrade Rokossovsky, your command is a little too far from the front line, which is not in line with your usual character, how about it, what are you going to do to move the command forward?" ”

"Comrade Marshal." As soon as Zhukov's words were finished, Malinin continued: "According to our original assumptions, as soon as our troops conquer Lublin, then we will transfer the new command to the Shedelce area. ”

Hearing Ma Linin say this, a smile appeared on Zhukov's face: "Comrade Chief of Staff, it seems that you are very thoughtful." As long as our troops occupy Lublin, then the entire Shedelce region will be under the control of our troops. Yes, then wait until you take Lublin, and then transfer the command. ”

While Malinin was busy, Zhukov and Rokossovsky sat at the table and chatted. While smoking a cigarette, Zhukov said to Rokossovsky: "Comrade Rokossovsky, after liberating Lublin, the next task of your troops is to establish a landing ground on the other side of the Vistula River and attack Huaza. As long as Warsaw is taken, then it will be difficult for the Germans to gain a foothold in Poland, and they will have to retreat to Germany itself, when we will be able to gradually lead the war to German territory. ”

When he heard the word Warsaw, Rokossovsky could not help but shudder, and he suddenly remembered the Warsaw uprising that was about to break out. The uprising was organized by the Polish government-in-exile in London, which hastily launched the uprising when the conditions were ripe for casualties, without prior contact with the Soviet troops approaching Warsaw.

After the outbreak of the uprising, they not only did not ask the Soviet army for help, but refused the Soviet army's request for assistance. It wasn't until the Germans were beaten all over the ground that they ran to the Soviets for help in a panic, but it was too late, although the Soviets were on the other side of the Vistula River, but they were helpless in the face of the defeat of the rebels.

In addition to this, Rokossovsky remembered one thing, that is, not long after the October Revolution, Stalin suddenly let Zhukov take his place as commander of the 1st Belorussian Front, and he himself was transferred to the 2nd Belorussian Front and held the post of commander, thus losing the honor of liberating Berlin.

Rokossovsky stared at the map on the table, wondering if history would be deflected here with the appearance of himself as a traveler, for example, the Warsaw rebels, with the support of the Soviet army, succeeded in destroying the German army in the city and turning the city into a foothold for the Soviet army on the west bank of the Vistula; And Stalin did not transfer himself to the Second Belorussian Front, but allowed himself to remain in the post of commander of the First Front, and thus the supreme commander of the final command of the troops to occupy Berlin, from Zhukov to himself?

He was so absorbed in his thinking that Zhukov called him a few times, but he did not hear it. It wasn't until Zhukov pushed him a few times with his hand that he woke up from his contemplation, looked at Zhukov and asked with a blank face: "Comrade Marshal, is there something wrong?" ”

"I just asked you," Zhukov saw Rokossovsky's absent-minded look, although he didn't know what made him so distracted, but he still repeated his question to him: "Tonight, the 28th Infantry Army and the 2nd Tank Army will launch an attack on Lublin, will you go with me to Chuikov's headquarters then?" ”

"Needless to say, Comrade Marshal." Hearing that this turned out to be the case, Rokossovsky immediately nodded and said: "Of course, I will definitely personally go to Chuikov's command and see how his troops liberated Lublin!" After a pause, he continued, "By the way, Comrade Marshal, if Chuikov's troops take Lublin, I wonder if the Supreme High Command will salute them by firing a cannon salute on Red Square?" ”

"This estimate is difficult," Zhukov said with some embarrassment when he heard Rokossovsky's question: "Generally the salute on Red Square is a tribute to the troops who liberated the big cities of our country. And Lublin is Polish territory, so I guess the High Command will not agree to do this. ”

Seeing Rokossovski's disappointed look, he hurriedly comforted him and said: "Don't worry, even if you can't enjoy the treatment of firing a salute on Red Square, the new Polish government will have their way of celebrating." ”