"Why?" Stalin had heard Timoshenko praise Rokossovsky many times, thinking that he was a rare handsome talent, but he did not expect that as soon as he raised this matter, he was rejected by the other party without hesitation, so he asked curiously: "Comrade Timoshenko, I remember that you seem to appreciate him very much, can you tell me the reason for your refusal to hold a higher position?" ”

"Comrade Stalin, in my heart, Rokossovsky was a very good commander. Pen & Fun & Pavilion www.biquge.info" Timoshenko said carefully: "Whether he led the Ninth Mechanized Corps through the gap in the German army to seize Lublin; Still in the Shepetovka region, commanding troops to defend the military materiel of the South-Western Front, his performance was remarkable. ”

"If that's the case, then why are you objecting?" Stalin asked.

"Before the outbreak of the war, Rokossovsky was nothing more than the commander of the mechanized corps, and Konev was already the commander of the army group." At this moment, Timoshenko remembered the report of the personnel of the secret service, and Rokossovsky actually used rocket artillery without asking for instructions, and did not report to himself afterwards. It was precisely because Rokossovsky did not respect his actions that he was deeply angered, so he unceremoniously said to Stalin: "Compared with Konev, in addition to his low qualifications and prestige, he also has no experience in commanding large corps operations, and it is irresponsible to rashly let him take the post of commander of the front." ”

"Well, you have a point." Stalin, in agreement, then asked: "Then how long do you think he needs to train before he can be qualified for the post of commander of the Front?" ”

As for Stalin's question, Timoshenko pondered for a while before he cautiously said: "Comrade Stalin, I can't say this well, if there are no accidents, and the troops under his command continue to make great achievements, then in the second half of next year, he may be appointed commander of a certain front. ”

When Stalin heard this, he put the pipe he had been holding in his hand in his mouth, lit it with a match, and continued to ask: "What do you think of him if he is now made chief of staff of the Front?" ”

"Comrade Stalin, if it were up to me to decide, I would never agree to let him hold the post of chief of staff." Timoshenko said from an objective point of view: "He is a handsome man in his own right, not a staff candidate who gives advice." If he were to be appointed chief of staff at the Front Command, I fear that such an excellent commander would become ineffective. ”

After Timoshenko's words, Stalin grinned, and then said teasingly: "Comrade Timoshenko, you have a very high opinion of Rokossovsky. Well, I remember this person, and I will definitely reuse him when I have the opportunity in the future. ”

After Timoshenko finished the phone call with Stalin, Bulganin, who was standing next to him, asked curiously: "Comrade Marshal, what did you just talk about with Comrade Stalin, how can I see that you are sweating profusely?" ”

Temoshengo sat down, picked up the cup of tea in front of him, which was already cold, and drank it in one gulp. Then he took a deep breath and said to Bulganin: "Comrade Stalin asked me about the candidate for the commander of the new Front. ”

"Didn't the Supreme High Command have already made a decision to put General Konev in this position?" Bulganin was a little surprised and said: "I wonder who Comrade Stalin is going to appoint to this post?" ”

"Rokossovsky," Timoshenko said with a serious expression, looking at his military commissar, "the current commander of the 16th Army, Lieutenant General Rokossovsky. ”

"But among the candidates we recommend, there is no Rokossovsky." Bulganin asked puzzledly: "Whose nomination has actually attracted the attention of Comrade Stalin?" ”

"Who else, of course, is Zhukov." Timoshenko shrugged his shoulders and said with some helplessness: "To tell the truth, when Comrade Stalin asked for my opinion, I did not include Rokossovsky in the list of options at all. If Zhukov hadn't specifically mentioned it, I guess the Supreme Commander-in-Chief himself would not have thought of Rokossovsky at all. ”

Bulganin waited for Timoshenko to finish speaking, frowned and thought for a moment, then tilted his head slightly to the other party, and said in a calm and measured tone: "Comrade Marshal, according to Rokossovsky's command skills after the outbreak of the war, I think he should be included in the list of candidates for the commander of the Front, and this time he was not reported as a candidate, I think this is a mistake in our work." ”

Timoshenko did not expect that his military commissar would actually stand on Zhukov's side and say good things about Rokossovsky, who did not yet have any prestige. After a long pause, he asked in a hoarse voice that could barely be distinguished: "Comrade Military Commissar, you know the results of Rokossovsky as well as I do, but I always think that it is not appropriate for him to be the commander of the front army. After all, he had only been the commander of the group army for a short time, and he had little experience in commanding large corps operations. You must know that the Western Front will soon increase to hundreds of thousands, and if the troops are handed over to him at this time, I am not at ease. ”

"Comrade Marshal, I carefully studied those battles under the command of Rokossovsky." Bulganin expressed his opinion slowly, pausing from time to time, carefully considering his every word: "For example, he led tens of thousands of men through the gaps in the German defensive line, made a long journey on hundreds of roads, attacked the German army's logistics and supply bases, and achieved a great victory with very few casualties." … I thought carefully that if there was a different commander, maybe he would command the troops on the border and fight the Germans face to face, and he would never have thought of this kind of fighting..."

"Comrade Military Commissar, I didn't expect you to have a lot of research on Rokossovsky." Bulganin's words aroused Timoshenko's interest, and he felt that Bulganin would come up with some conclusions that he had never expected, so he asked, "Then you can tell us about his performance in other battles?" ”

"The next battle was to defend the military depots of the South-Western Front in Shepetovka." Bulganin wrenched his finger and said to Timoshenko: "At this time, Rokossovsky's troops have been broken up by Potapov, but he still relied on a division of Lukin's division and some contained troops to stubbornly resist the German attack there for a month. ”

When Timoshenko was still in the General Staff, he had clearly understood the battle reports fed back from the front, and when he heard Bulganin mention it again, he actually had a strange feeling. He finally humbly asked: "Comrade Military Commissar, do you really think that Rokossovsky is a suitable candidate for the commander of the Front?" ”

"I think so." Bulganin did not hide his point of view in the slightest. "At least I think he's better suited for the job than Konev. According to my observations, Comrade Konev behaved too conservatively in many ways. With him as the commander of the front, he may be able to block the enemy's attack, but it is not so easy to switch from offensive to defensive. ”

The first and second in command of the Western Front were discussing the differences between Rokossovsky and Konev, and a staff officer walked in. He came to Timoshenko, raised his hand and saluted, and asked politely: "Comrade Marshal, the jeep is ready for you, I wonder when you can leave?" ”

"Comrade Marshal, where are you going?" Hearing that Timoshenko was going out again, Bulganin couldn't help but ask curiously.

"I'm going to check it out to Lukin." Timoshenko took off his military hat from the coat rack and put it on his head, "Their defense area has been continuously attacked by the Germans in the past two days, and I want to find out the specific situation." ”

"Wait a minute, Comrade Marshal." Bulganin got up from his seat, put on his military cap as well, and said to Timoshenko: "I'll go with you. ”

As the two walked outside, the staff officer followed closely behind. Unexpectedly, after walking a few steps, Timoshenko stopped, turned his head and said to the staff officer: "You don't have to go, stay on duty in the headquarters." If there's a call, you'll be responsible for keeping a record of it and reporting back to me when we get back. ”

"Yes!" The staff officer agreed, and then stood still, watching Timoshengo and them leave.

Just as the sound of jeeps outside was fading away, the phone on the table suddenly rang. The staff officer walked over and picked up the phone, put the headset to his ear, and said politely: "Hey, hello, this is the headquarters of the front army, do you have anything to ask for?" ”

"Hello," the other party also said politely: "I am the commander of the 19th Army, Konev, please help me find a Marshal Timoshenko, I have something to report to him." ”

"It's you, General Konev." When the staff officer heard that it was Konev calling, he immediately smiled and said: "I am Lieutenant Kavilin, Comrade Marshal is not there, and I went to inspect the 20th Army with the military commissar." ”

"Oh. So late, they're still out? Konev heard that the person who answered the phone was actually his fellow countryman, Lieutenant Kavelin, so he asked him about the specific situation: "Do you know what they are doing in the 20th Army? ”

"It is said that the 20th Army has been frequently attacked by the Germans recently, and the marshal is not at ease, so he wants to go and see for himself." Kavirin said to Konev: "And Comrade Military Commissar followed. ”

"Kavirin, in a week's time, I'll be taking up my post at the Front Command." Konev asked his fellow countrymen in a friendly manner: "How about it, do you want to come to the grassroots troops, I can let you start from the company commander?" ”

"Forget it, General Konev, I'll continue to be my staff officer at the Front Command." After saying this, Kaverin suddenly thought of the other party he had overheard, and said carefully: "By the way, General Konev, I just heard something, and I don't know whether to say it or not." ”

"You and I are so familiar, what else can't be said." Konev thought that Kaverin was going to beg him to do something, so he said nonchalantly: "If you need help, just say it, as long as I can do it, I will help you do it." ”

"It's not mine, it's yours." Seeing that there was no one around, Kaverin decided to tell Konev the secret he had just heard.

"My business?" When Konev heard his fellow countryman say this, he couldn't help but pout: "What can I do?" ”

"It's related to your position as commander of the front."

As the two walked outside, the staff officer followed closely behind. Unexpectedly, after walking a few steps, Timoshenko stopped, turned his head and said to the staff officer: "You don't have to go, stay on duty in the headquarters." If there's a call, you'll be responsible for keeping a record of it and reporting back to me when we get back. ”

"Yes!" The staff officer agreed, and then stood still, watching Timoshengo and them leave.

Just as the sound of jeeps outside was fading away, the phone on the table suddenly rang. The staff officer walked over and picked up the phone, put the headset to his ear, and said politely: "Hey, hello, this is the headquarters of the front army, do you have anything to ask for?" ”

"Hello," the other party also said politely: "I am the commander of the 19th Army, Konev, please help me find a Marshal Timoshenko, I have something to report to him." ”

"It's you, General Konev." When the staff officer heard that it was Konev calling, he immediately smiled and said: "I am Lieutenant Kavilin, Comrade Marshal is not there, and I went to inspect the 20th Army with the military commissar." ”

"Oh. So late, they're still out? Konev heard that the person who answered the phone was actually his fellow countryman, Lieutenant Kavelin, so he asked him about the specific situation: "Do you know what they are doing in the 20th Army? ”

"It is said that the 20th Army has been frequently attacked by the Germans recently, and the marshal is not at ease, so he wants to go and see for himself." Kavirin said to Konev: "And Comrade Military Commissar followed. ”

"Kavirin, in a week's time, I'll be taking up my post at the Front Command." Konev asked his fellow countrymen in a friendly manner: "How about it, do you want to come to the grassroots troops, I can let you start from the company commander?" ”

"Forget it, General Konev, I'll continue to be my staff officer at the Front Command." After saying this, Kaverin suddenly thought of the other party he had overheard, and said carefully: "By the way, General Konev, I just heard something, and I don't know whether to say it or not." ”

"You and I are so familiar, what else can't be said." Konev thought that Kaverin was going to beg him to do something, so he said nonchalantly: "If you need help, just say it, as long as I can do it, I will help you do it." ”

"It's not mine, it's yours." Seeing that there was no one around, Kaverin decided to tell Konev the secret he had just heard.

"My business?" When Konev heard his fellow countryman say this, he couldn't help but pout: "What can I do?" ”

"It's related to your position as commander of the front." (To be continued.) )