Shaposhnikov, waiting for Stalin to finish, was already standing still. www.biquge.info He waited for a while, and when he saw that the anger on Stalin's face had dissipated, he hurriedly said: "Comrade Stalin, I think there is something wrong with this matter, and it should be handled cautiously, and such an order cannot be given lightly. ”

"Boris Mikhailovich," said Stalin, whose mood gradually stabilized after he had become angry, and he pressed the shredded tobacco into his pipe and addressed Shaposhnikov as usual, "I see that you seem reluctant to give such an order, and give your reasons." ”

Although Shaposhnikov has always had a good impression of Rokossovsky, he has been somewhat hesitant about whether to intercede for him. After hearing Stalin's question, he hesitated for a moment, and finally mustered up the courage to say: "Comrade Stalin, as far as I know, General Rokossovsky is a very combative commander and very capable, so the troops he led can achieve a series of dazzling victories in the battle. As for the statement that he led the group army headquarters to break away from the troops, I think it is absurd, and we should send a special person to investigate this matter and make a decision on how to deal with it after clarifying the specific situation. If it was really him who escaped, we would have severely punished him at that time and would not tolerate him. ”

To this proposal of Shaposhnikov, Stalin did not immediately answer. He put the pipe in his mouth, lit a match, and took a few deep breaths. After walking slowly back and forth in the house a few times, he stopped and said to Shaposhnikov: "We should immediately send an investigation team to the command of the Western Front to find out why Rokossovsky left the troops and why the defense of the Western Front was broken through by the Germans." Who do you think you should send? ”

"I think it would be fitting to send Marshal Voroshilov, who has not yet held any specific post since he returned from Leningrad, to carry out this task." Shaposhnikov said and took two steps towards Stalin, and continued: "There is another candidate, Comrade Molotov is fully competent. ”

Speaking from the heart, Shaposhnikov's proposed candidate was very close to Stalin, so as soon as he put it forward, it was immediately approved: "Okay, Boris Mikhailovich, do as you say, let them rush to the Western Front as soon as possible to investigate." ”

"Yes, Comrade Stalin." The old marshal said respectfully: "I will go and call the two of them and ask them to get to Konev as soon as possible." ”

Just as Shaposhnikov was about to leave his office, Stalin stopped him again and asked in an uncertain tone: "Do you think Moscow will become a second Kiev in the near future?" ”

"No, Comrade Stalin." Hearing this, Shaposhnikov immediately and decisively replied: "Our troops will resolutely hold the Germans in the way and never let them get close to Moscow." ”

While Stalin and Shaposhnikov were discussing the dispatch of an investigation team to the Western Front, Rokossovsky, who was on the outskirts of Vyazma, made a decision to order Malinin to set up a new command in the city with a part of his staff and communications staff, and to continue to communicate with the Front command by radio. As for himself, he and Lobachev continued to stay here, waiting for the return of Orel, who had gone to the north to reconnoitre.

Orel, who went on a reconnaissance mission, did not return to Rokossovsky until the afternoon at the fork in the road where they stayed. Seeing the commander and military commissar waiting for him here, he said with a look of shame: "Comrade commander, I think I have brought you bad news. From there, less than twenty kilometers to the north, German columns of tanks and motorcycles had already been spotted, and they were moving along the road towards us, and in front of them, no of our troops were found. ”

After listening to this, Rokossovsky nodded and asked expressionlessly: "Comrade Colonel, according to your estimates, how long will it take for the enemy's armored forces to get here?" ”

"Two hours at most, no more." After saying this, Orel turned his head and glanced at the road ahead, which had long been uncongested, and then suggested to Rokossovsky: "Comrade commander, we have immediately rushed to Vyazma and used the troops of the city to build a new defense. ”

"Get in the car!" Rokossovsky shook his head at him and ordered: "We will rush to Vyazma immediately." ”

As the car drove along the road towards Vyazma, Lobachev said with a hint of luck: "Comrade commander, if the troops given to us by the higher authorities can arrive in time, maybe we can still use the existing fortifications to carry out a round of defensive warfare." ”

When Rokossovsky heard this, he smiled bitterly, looked at the fortifications passing by outside the car window, and said to Lobachev: "Comrade Military Commissar, remember this fortification?" ”

"Yes." Lobachev looked at the fortifications passing by outside the car window, nodded and said: "This was built by the citizens of Vyazma led by Comrade Borisova, and later we also sent Jewish regiments to defend here." It's a pity that such a good fortification, but no troops to defend it, made it easy for the Germans to drive straight in. ”

As the convoy approached the entrance to the city, Rokossovsky's eyes sharpened and saw a two-wheeled motorcycle parked on the side of the road in front of him. Seeing the arrival of the convoy, the motorcyclist started his motorcycle and turned around and drove towards the city. Rokossovsky hurriedly patted the driver on the shoulder and instructed him: "Keep up with the motorcycle in front, he is probably going to take us to the new headquarters." ”

After five or six minutes, the motorcycle stopped in front of a building where two fighters were standing guard, and the motorcyclist waited until Rokossovsky got out of the car and hurriedly ran over to report: "Comrade commander, the new headquarters is in the building, please come in!" ”

When Rokossovsky and Lobachev walked into the new headquarters, they found that it was already up and running, with several operators sitting in front of the intercom, shouting desperately into the microphones. After coming over and saluting the two, Malinin reported: "Comrade commander, we are in contact with the command of the front. It's a pity that the other party has not responded to the current position. ”

"What about the troops?" Lobachev asked with some emotion: "What about the troops assigned to us by the superiors, have you gotten in touch with them?" ”

"No, I can't get in touch." After Malinin finished speaking, he turned to one side, and a commander stood behind him, and at the same time introduced Rokossovsky: "Comrade commander, this is General Makitin, the commander of the city defense of Vyazma, who has been waiting for you here since the establishment of our new command. ”

The commander of the city defense, a major general in his thirties, who was short in stature, introduced his identity to Rokossovsky, hurriedly took two steps forward, raised his hand and saluted, and reported: "Hello, comrade general, I am the commander of the city defense, Major General Ma Kitin......"

Rokossovsky didn't wait for him to finish, then interrupted his later words and asked straight to the point: "Comrade Major General, how many troops are there in the city?" ”

Ma Kitin shook his head and said: "I'm sorry, Comrade General, there are no troops in Vyazma City now, and there are no suburbs of the city, although there are policemen, many of them have moved to the rear with their families. The situation was terrible, the remaining residents of the city were in a state of panic, and among them news was circulating that German tanks were coming from the south and southeast of Yukhnov. ”

"Where are the local soviets and the dang organization?" Rokossovsky then asked.

Makitin replied briefly: "In the cathedral, all our state leaders are there. ”

As soon as Rokossovsky finished speaking, he immediately ordered: "Comrade Major General, take me to meet them." ”

"You just came from outside the city, don't you need a break?" Makitin didn't know why Rokossovsky was in a hurry to go to the church to meet the leaders, and said flatteringly: "At least have a cup of tea before leaving." ”

"Comrade Major General, there is no time for tea, the Germans will arrive here in a short-time manner. I'll tell you about that in the car later. After Rokossovsky said this, he instructed Malinin: "Chief of staff, the Germans are approaching the city, and we don't have much time. You now immediately take the members of your headquarters and withdraw from the city from the east of the city. Do you understand? ”

"But, Comrade Commander, won't you evacuate with us?" Malinen asked with some surprise.

"I'll go and meet the state leaders first, it won't take long." Rokossovsky was deeply afraid that Malinin would not carry out his orders, and specially explained to him: "If you do not move as soon as possible with your headquarters, and wait until the Germans rush into the city, it will be too late to evacuate." ”

When heading to the church, he asked Ma Jijing to sit in the co-pilot seat and give directions to the driver in case the driver who was not familiar with the terrain got lost.

The cathedral is perched high on a hill like an ancient castle perched high above the commanding heights of Vyazma. After the jeep stopped at the gate, Rokossovsky got out of the car with Makitin, and when he walked into the church, he saw that the doorway and the dimly lit hall were crowded with local residents, and he couldn't help frowning and asked Makitin: "Comrade Major General, where is the state leader?" ”

"They're in the basement, and it's a little better there than here." As he spoke, Makitin led Rokossovsky and Lobachev into a small room, where stairs led to the basement below.

As the three of them walked down the stairs to the basement below, Rokossovsky saw that there were many people sitting around the table, and they were sighing sadly. Hearing someone coming down the stairs drew everyone's attention.

Suddenly, a soldier standing at the table stood up and took the initiative to greet Rokossovsky: "It turned out to be you, General Rokossovsky." ”

Rokossovsky heard his name called, and quickly squinted his eyes and identified each other by the candlelight on the table. He quickly recognized from the uniform of the political workers on the other side that he was greeted by the director of the Political Department of the Western Front, and hurriedly stepped forward, stretched out his hand first, and said happily: "Hello, Comrade Retesev, it is a pleasure to meet you here!" ”

After the two shook hands, Letesev turned his head and said loudly to the people sitting at the table: "Comrades, now it's okay, Comrade Commander is here, let's get to know him." ”

A middle-aged man wearing a Lenin hat sitting to the right of Ledesv stood up, stretched out his hand to shake hands with Rokossovsky, and introduced himself: "I am Popov, the secretary of the party committee of the Smolensk region, and they are all responsible comrades of the Smolensk and the city committee of the literary program, and I welcome you on behalf of everyone!" ”

"Comrade Popov," Rokossovsky said apologetically, shaking Popov's hand, "I may be about to disappoint you." Although the commander is there, but the troops are not, we are now not able to organize a defense in Vyazma. ”

"What, Comrade Rokossovsky, what did you say, there were no troops?" Somewhat surprised, Reteev asked rhetorically: "I have seen the order signed by General Konev, he said that you and your command will receive troops here. ”

Rokossovsky thought that Redev might not know the specific situation, so he stretched out his hand and pointed at Makitin next to him and said: "Information about the troops and the Vyazma area, I can let General Makitin report to you." ”

Lestyev was taken aback after listening to Makitin's report: "How can this be? "I have just come from the Front Command, and it is moving to a new location." General Konev told me that Vyazma had at least 5 divisions, and that these divisions were waiting for the command of the 16th Army to arrive ......"

"I'm sorry, Comrade Lestyev." Rokossovsky wrinkled his face and said: "We did not see any troops in Vyazma, and the scouts sent did not find our troops in the vicinity......"

Before Rokossovsky could finish his words, suddenly a man stumbled down the stairs and shouted: "Oh no, no, something happened." ”

"Comrade commander, let me introduce you, this is Comrade Vakhterov, Chairman of the Smolensk City Soviet." After Popov introduced the identity of the other party to Rokossovsky, he asked with a little dissatisfaction: "Comrade Vakhterov, what happened to make you so panicked?" ”

"Tank!" Vakhterov breathlessly said: "There are German tanks in the city!" ”

Popov frowned after hearing this and asked, "Who reported this to you?" ”

"No one reported it to me." Vakhterov gasped and said: "I saw it with my own eyes on the bell tower!" ”

Popov and Rydesev next to him glanced at each other, and both saw panic in each other's eyes. Then Popov said: "Go up to the bell tower and see." ”

Seeing Popov and Letesev running out along the stairs together, Lobachev also wanted to follow immediately, but was stopped by Rokossovsky's outstretched hand, and then he heard a familiar voice saying: "Comrade Military Commissar, you don't have to go up to the bell tower." You immediately go outside, ask the driver to start the car, and drive as soon as we get out. (To be continued.) )