Seeing Rokossovsky and them enter his office, Shaposhnikov quickly got up from his seat and went around his desk to meet them. Pen ~ fun ~ Pavilion www.biquge.info After the two of them saluted him, the old marshal stretched out his hand to them and said in a friendly manner: "Comrade commanders, welcome to Moscow!" ”

After waiting for Shaposhnikov and Lobachev to shake hands, Rokossovsky asked respectfully: "Comrade Marshal, do you have any instructions for summoning us to Moscow?" ”

"That's right, Comrade Rokossovsky." The marshal put a hand on Rokossovsky's shoulder, took him to the desk, and explained: "Last time we got the wrong information, thinking that you led the command to leave the unit without permission. Later, Comrade Stalin read the investigation reports of Molotov and Voroshilov, and realized that you were to blame, so he specially asked you to come to Moscow, where he intended to explain to you and apologize again by the way, so that you would not be burdened with any mental baggage. ”

"No need, Comrade Marshal, no need." Hearing that Stalin was going to apologize to himself, Rokossovsky suddenly broke out in a cold sweat, waved his hand again and again, and said: "As long as Comrade Stalin knows that we will definitely not run away, this is enough." ”

Shaposhnikov beckoned the two to sit down on the benches, returned to their seats, and then asked Rokossovsky: "Tell me about your current situation." ”

"Comrade Marshal!" As soon as Rokossovsky stood up and was about to report to Shaposhnikov, the latter had already made a gesture to him and motioned for him to sit down. So he sat down on a bench and reported to the marshal: "At the moment we have very limited forces at our disposal, only Dovatol's 3rd Cavalry Corps, Panfilov's 316th Infantry Division, Cherneshov's 18th Militia Division, the Mixed Cadet Corps, the 126th Infantry Division and a tank brigade. And in front of us, the German concentrating the 5th Army, the 4th Tank Cluster and the 46th and 40th Motorized Armies. The 106th and 35th Infantry Divisions took up starting positions north of Volokolamsk. To the west and southeast of Volokolamsk, on the left flank of our army, four tank divisions were deployed, the 2nd, 11th, 5th and 10th tank divisions, as well as an SS motorized division called the Reich Division. ”

After Shaposhnikov heard a series of data reported by Rokossovsky, he couldn't help but show a surprised expression on his face: "The enemy is in front of your defense, and actually deploys so many divisions? ”

"Yes, Comrade Marshal." Rokossovsky replied affirmatively.

Shaposhnikov got up from his seat and, after walking back and forth in the room with his hands behind his back a few times, stopped and asked tentatively: "Comrade Rokossovsky, have you verified all this information you said, and you can't be mistaken, right?" ”

"It can't be wrong, Comrade Marshal." Rokossovsky said without humility or arrogance: "We have already reported the information we have detected to the command of the Front, but they do not believe it, apparently believing that the information we have seriously exaggerates the enemy's strength. I also understand that they want the enemy to have fewer troops, and I will not object to this. However, the capture of prisoners in Skirmanovo and other areas confirms the complete accuracy of our intelligence. ”

"If the enemy really has such a strong force, with your current strength, it is estimated that it will be difficult to hold the defensive line." After listening to this, Shaposhnikov said thoughtfully: "It seems that you must immediately replenish the necessary forces. ”

Hearing that he was going to replenish his troops, Rokossovsky couldn't help but turn his head to look at Lobachev next to him, and it happened that the other party was also turning his head to look at him, and both of them saw surprise in each other's eyes. Rokossovsky was looking over at Shaposhnikov and asked cautiously: "Comrade Marshal, I don't know what kind of troops can be replenished for us." ”

"There are no infantry for the time being, and neither are the tank units." Shaposhnikov asked the two for their opinions with some difficulty: "Otherwise, let me add a little cavalry to you, they have just been transferred from Central Asia." ”

The cavalry from Central Asia, hearing Shaposhnikov say this, Rokossovsky immediately thought of the cavalry unit he saw on the way to Moscow, nodded and said: "Comrade Marshal, this is really good. In today's situation, every warrior is precious. ”

Seeing that Rokossovsky agreed to his suggestion, Shaposhnikov walked to the table, picked up a folder and opened it, looked at the materials inside, and said: "I put the 17th, 20th, 24th and 44th cavalry divisions under your command, these four cavalry divisions have 3,000 men each, you can deploy them in the second line of defense first." ”

Hearing that the four cavalry divisions were only 12,000 men, Rokossovsky could not help but be a little disappointed, but he still pretended to be happy on the surface and said to Shaposhnikov: "Thank you, Comrade Marshal. ”

"I'll say hello to the people below, and let these four cavalry divisions report to your defense area. I will send you the fodder that the horses need as soon as possible. Before he finished speaking, the telephone on the desk rang, he put the headphones to his ear and listened, and immediately said in a respectful tone: "Yes, Comrade Stalin, General Rokossovsky and his military commissar, are with me. …… Okay, I'll take him over to you right away! ”

After Shaposhnikov put down the phone, he smiled and said to Rokossovsky: "Comrade Stalin wants to see you now, and I will take you there." Then he smiled at Lobachev and said apologetically, "As for you, Comrade Lobachev, please go to the duty room outside and wait for a while." ”

……

Rokossovsky followed Shaposhnikov into Stalin's spacious office. When Stalin had finished saluting, he shook his hand and affectionately addressed him by his real and patronymic names: "Hello, dear Konstantin Konstantinovich, welcome to Moscow." ”

Hearing Stalin's name for himself, Rokossovsky's heartbeat couldn't help but accelerate, knowing that Stalin's full name means closeness, and Shaposhnikov is the only one who has always enjoyed this treatment. Does Stalin's call for his full name now mean that he has become the person he values?

While Rokossovsky was thinking about it, Stalin asked with concern: "Are you currently facing any difficulties there?" ”

Hearing Stalin's question, Rokossovsky hurriedly reported to Stalin the current strength of the 16th Army and the deployment of the German army on the defensive front.

After listening to Rokossovsky's report, Stalin frowned and smoked his pipe, then looked at Shaposhnikov on the side and asked: "What help did you provide to Comrade Rokossovsky?" ”

"Comrade Stalin," Rokossovsky replied, hearing Stalin's question, and hurriedly rushed ahead of Shaposhnikov: "Comrade Chief of the General Staff has just replenished our army group with four cavalry divisions, each of which has three thousand people, all cavalry from Central Asia. ”

"Comrade Shaposhnikov," Stalin said, walking up to Shaposhnikov, pointing at him with his pipe clenched fist, "on such a wide defensive front of the 16th Army, only four cavalry divisions were sent to them, which were seriously undermanned, and the role was very limited. Look, can you send them some more tanks? ”

"Comrade Stalin," Shaposhnikov said with some embarrassment, "tank units are needed on all fronts, and the number of tanks at our disposal is very limited. ”

"The defensive positions of Comrade Rokossovsky are very important, so it is necessary to replenish them with tanks and artillery." Stalin did not give Shaposhnikov any orders, but said in a consultative tone: "Look, can you transfer a few tank brigades for them somewhere first, even one or two?" ”

Shaposhnikov thought only for a moment about Stalin's proposal, then nodded and said: "Well, Comrade Stalin, since you say so, then I will find a way to transfer two tank brigades for him." After speaking, he turned to Rokossovsky and said, "I assign the 4th and 85th tank brigades to your command." Katukov, the commander of the 4th Tank Brigade, used to be your subordinate before, and I believe that you will be able to cooperate tacitly in the next battle. ”

Hearing Katukov's name, Rokossovsky couldn't help but think to himself, saying that this was a great tank genius, and if he hadn't been hospitalized for surgery when the war broke out, maybe his troops would have achieved greater results.

Seeing the joy on Rokossovsky's face, Stalin nodded with a smile, and then continued: "In addition to the tank brigade, I will send you a few more artillery regiments and rocket artillery battalions, I hope it will help you in the next battle." ”

"Great, Comrade Stalin, it's wonderful." Hearing that Stalin personally said that he would send several artillery regiments to himself, Rokossovsky was even more overjoyed, and the role played by an artillery regiment on the battlefield would definitely not be worse than that of an ordinary infantry division. Because of this, he repeatedly expressed his gratitude to Stalin.

After talking about the replenishment of troops and equipment, Stalin suddenly opened his mouth and asked again: "Comrade Rokossovsky, I ask you a question, and I hope you will answer me truthfully." Do you think we can hold Moscow? ”

Hearing Stalin's question, Rokossovsky, who had memories of later generations, organized the vocabulary in his mind and said: "Comrade Stalin, on the way here, I heard rumors that German tanks were about to break into Moscow, and I also saw looting in the city. Rumours and looting have exacerbated the atmosphere of panic in Moscow. In order to mobilize the masses to repel the enemy, and to stabilize the people's minds, I feel that some necessary measures should be taken. ”

"What measures?" Rokossovsky's words aroused Stalin's curiosity.

"Immediately declare martial law in Moscow and its suburbs, and stipulate that all violators of the peace will be immediately handed over to military courts, and that all incitements, spies and other swedges should be immediately shot." Rokossovsky knew the advantages of using heavy canons in troubled times, so he suggested to Stalin: "At the same time, in order to stabilize the hearts and minds of the people, it should also be announced that the defense of the capital on the defense line west of Moscow was under the command of General Zhukov appointed by the Supreme High Command." ”

"Comrade Rokossovsky, why do you want to emphasize that the defense of the capital was commanded by General Zhukov?" Shaposhnikov was puzzled by Rokossovsky's statement, so he decisively asked his own question, "What good will it do us to do this?" ”

"Comrade Chief of the General Staff." Rokossovsky looked at Shaposhnikov and said with a smile: "From the outbreak of the war to the present, whether it is the victory of the Yelnya counterattack or the successful blocking of the German army outside the city of Leningrad, these achievements of General Zhukov have put a halo of victory on him, so that the commanders and soldiers or citizens are full of confidence in whether the next battle can be won when they hear his order." ”

"Is that really the case?" When Stalin heard Rokossovsky say so confidently, he couldn't help but ask in disbelief: "Are the commanders and fighters really so confident in Zhukov?" ”

"That's right, Comrade Stalin, that's exactly what happened." Rokossovsky nodded affirmatively.

"In that case," said Stalin, after striking a match and lighting the tobacco in his pipe, he turned to Shaposhnikov, "Comrade Chief of the General Staff, when we convene a meeting of the Supreme Command, you must tell everyone all these suggestions that Rokossovsky has said." ”

"Don't worry, Comrade Stalin." Shaposhnikov said respectfully: "I will not forget this. ”

"By the way, Comrade Rokossovsky, you have not yet answered my question." After taking a puff of his cigarette, Stalin repeated the question he had just asked: "Do you think we can hold Moscow?" ”

"I think we can hold Moscow." Although Rokossovsky knew that Stalin never left Moscow during the entire defense of Moscow, he was deeply afraid that his arrival would make history skewed, so he said tactfully: "As long as you stay in Moscow, it will have the effect of stabilizing the people's morale and boosting morale." ”

"What, let Comrade Stalin stay in Moscow?" Hearing Rokossovsky say this, Shaposhnikov almost jumped up directly, and he suppressed the anger in his heart and said: "We have no right to risk Comrade Stalin's life, he should immediately withdraw to ...... with the government organs."

Before Shaposhnikov's words were finished, he was interrupted by Stalin's raised hand, who looked at Rokossovsky and said: "Comrade Chief of the General Staff, Rokossovsky's words are right, I should stay in Moscow!" (To be continued.) )