On the left flank, the 47th Army, the 8th Guards Army and the 69th Army, while attacking the German defensive positions west of Kovelli, Rokossovsky also gave orders to the troops on the right flank to continue the offensive against the Germans and advance towards the Brest fortified area.

After issuing a series of operational orders, Zhukov, who had just arrived at the headquarters of the Front, suddenly remembered an old incident and couldn't help but ask Rokossovsky curiously: "Comrade Rokossovsky, if I remember correctly, shortly after the outbreak of the war, you once commanded the Ninth Mechanized Army, which successfully passed through the gap in the ranks of the German army and seized the German logistics base in Lublin. ”

"That's right," Rokossovsky replied with a nod to Zhukov's question: "At that time, I received an order to cooperate with several other mechanized corps to carry out a centripetal assault on the Lublin region. However, it is regrettable that after the occupation of Lublin by our troops, the rest of the troops disappeared, which led to the fact that the tasks assigned by the superiors were not completed. ”

"This is also understandable," Zhukov explained to Rokossovsky: "At that time, our communication lines were damaged by the Germans, and the command of the Front could not get in touch with the combat units below, and the situation in which the combat units were located, the head of the Front did not understand, so it was inevitable that some unrealistic orders were given." ”

"After receiving the order from my superiors to break through the encirclement, in order to avoid being surrounded by the Germans, I decided to change the route of the march." Rokossovsky took a map, put it in front of Zhukov, and explained to him: "When I learned from the mouths of the rescued prisoners of war that the defenders of the Brest Fortress were still fighting stubbornly, I decisively ordered the troops to advance towards the Brest Fortress. There we routed some of the enemy forces and rescued some of the commanders and fighters who were still fighting from the fortress, such as Commissar Fuming. ”

Speaking of this, Rokossovsky stopped, he remembered the commissar of Fomin who had been rescued by himself. In real history, Fomin was killed by the Germans before the complete fall of the Brest Fortress. After he was rescued by himself, he was left in Lutsk, and I don't know how he is now, still alive? Sacrificed? Or was it captured by the Germans?

Rokossovsky also thought about the question, Zhukov also thought of it, and he asked curiously: "What happened to this commissar of Fuming?" Did he die, or did he hold an important position in which unit? ”

"I don't know." Rokossovsky shook his head, "Maybe it was sacrificed, when I broke out, I left him in Lutsk, and I led my troops to Shepetovka to defend the military warehouse of our army there, and then I never heard from him again." ”

Zhukov agrees with Rokossovsky's statement very much, after all, the Southwestern Front, where Rokossovsky had been at the beginning, was almost wiped out during the defense of Kiev, and even the commander, military commissar, chief of staff, and other senior generals were all sacrificed, not to mention a small political commissar. Thinking of this, he nodded and said: "In order to defeat the fascist invaders and defend our great Soviet Motherland, we paid great sacrifices. ”

"Yes, Comrade Marshal." Rokossovsky nodded and said: "We have indeed paid a huge price, and now the time has come for us to pay the blood debt to the enemy." ”

"Comrade Rokossovsky, according to the intention of the Supreme High Command," Zhukov said to Rokossovsky, dotting his hand on the map, "after your left flank forces have managed to break through the direction of the enemy west of Kovil, the composite armies should throw tank corps and cavalry corps into battle and coordinate with them to develop an offensive towards Shedelce and Lublin. ”

Rokossovsky, having clearly seen where Shedelce and Lublin were, said to Zhukov with a smile: "Comrade Marshal, it seems that after our troops have successfully broken through the direction of the enemy west of Kovel, it will be possible to throw General Behringer's Polish 1st Army into battle and allow them to participate in the battle for the liberation of their homeland. ”

Just as Rokossovsky picked up the phone and wanted to call General Behringer, Zhukov suddenly said unexpectedly: "Comrade Rokossovsky, there is something that I almost forgot, and I want to congratulate you!" ”

"Congratulations to me?" Hearing Zhukov say this, Rokossovsky couldn't help but be stunned, and then asked rhetorically: "Is the base camp going to award me another medal for the liberation of Bobruisk and for assisting friendly forces in liberating Minsk?" ”

"It's a greater honor than an award." Zhukov got up from his seat, stretched out his hand to Rokossovsky and said with a smile: "I congratulate you on receiving the rank of marshal." From today, I think that when all your ranks are called, you should be called Marshal Rokossovsky! ”

Zhukov's words made Rokossovsky completely stunned, he stared at Zhukov intently, and said in his heart: "Although I know that in real history, Rokossovsky was a wartime marshal, but I can't remember the specific time of promotion. Zhukov suddenly said that, it wouldn't be a joke with me, right? ”

Zhukov saw Rokossovsky staring at him in a daze, so he raised his hand and patted him on the arm, and said with a smile: "Konstantin Konstantinovich, what's wrong with you?" Scared silly when you heard the news? ”

"Comrade Marshal." Zhukov's words sobered up Rokossovsky, and he asked a little nervously: "What you just said, is it true?" Did the Supreme High Command really award me the rank of marshal? ”

"Yes, yes," Zhukov nodded vigorously, and said affirmatively: "Before I left Moscow this morning, the Supreme High Command had just made a decision to award you the rank of marshal. It may take a day or two before you are officially notified. ”

After receiving Zhukov's confirmation, Terekin, Malinin, and Zakharkin rushed over one after another, stretched out their hands to Rokossovsky in turn, and said in a friendly manner: "I sincerely congratulate you on receiving the rank of marshal, comrade commander!" ”

Facing his colleagues who congratulated him, Rokossovsky said with a smile on his face: "Thank you, thank you, comrades, it is my honor to fight side by side with you!" ”

The news that Rokossovsky received the rank of marshal soon reached the armies. When reporting on the battle situation, the commanders of those army groups specially called Rokossovsky and expressed their sincere congratulations to him.

And General Behringer, after hearing the news that Rokossovsky had received the rank of marshal, thought that his troops belonged to the second echelon and did not have any combat missions for the time being, so he personally rushed to the headquarters of the Front, ready to mention the matter of letting them participate in the battle after congratulating Rokossovsky.

In order to get a task from Rokossovsky, he did not go to the headquarters of the Front alone, but also brought with him the military commissar Zavatsky, as well as the chief of staff Kolchitsa and others.

Seeing Behringer and a group of his subordinates walking into his headquarters, Rokossovsky guessed the other party's intention, but he still pretended to be surprised and asked: "Isn't this General Behringer, why did you have time to come to me today?" ”

"Comrade Rokossovsky," Bellinger said solemnly, looking at Rokossovsky, "allow me to congratulate you on your achievement of the rank of marshal. ”

"Thank you, General Behringer!" Rokossovsky shook hands with the other party and asked with a smile: "I think you came to my headquarters, there must be something else besides congratulating me." Am I right? ”

"That's right, Comrade Marshal." Behringer promptly adjusted his address to Rokossovsky, pretending to be pitiful and said: "Seeing that we are getting closer and closer to the Polish border, you have not yet given us any battle orders. I beg you to consider the request of all our Polish officers and soldiers and to assign us combat missions. ”

As soon as Behringer's words were finished, the elderly Zavatsky helped: "Yes, comrades marshal, seeing that the great Soviet Red Army is fighting stubbornly against the fascist invaders, while we are doing nothing on the sidelines, the commanders and fighters are in a mood. I, the military commissar in charge of political work, also feel that it is a headache. ”

"Comrades two marshals," said the two leaders of the group army, and the chief of staff, Korchicha, also continued: "All the commanders and fighters of our group army are ready for all battles and are ready to carry out any combat mission at any time. We sincerely ask that the head of the front army give us operational orders. ”

After hearing the heartfelt words of the three commanders of the Polish 1st Army, Zhukov and Rokossovsky glanced at each other, and then said with a smile: "Comrade Rokossovsky, I see that the time is almost up, and I can give combat missions to the comrades of the Polish Army." ”

When Bellinger and the three of them heard Zhukov say this, their eyes suddenly lit up, and they all thought in unison: "Since Marshal Zhukov said so, it seems that there is a drama." So their eyes turned to Rokossovsky, and some of them couldn't wait for the other side to give them the order to fight.

"Please come here, Comrade Commander." Rokossovsky beckoned the three to the map, picked up the baton leaning against the wall, pointed to the map and said to them: "After our research, it has been decided to deploy the Polish 1st Army in the area of Staraya Vizhvka, west of Kovel, and when our left flank troops break through the frontal defense of the German army, you will quickly attack westward." Go out to the Sibug River, choose a suitable place to cross the river and enter the territory of Poland. Do you understand? ”

"Understood!" The three commanders of the Polish Army replied in unison: "We promise to complete the mission." ”

After Bellinger and the others left, Rokossovsky was ready to tell Malinin: "Chief of Staff, tell the commanders of the armies on our left flank that the Polish 1st Army must be the first army to enter Poland. ”

"Don't worry, Comrade Commander." Ma Linin said with a smile: "I have already greeted several commanders, and they all know it. If it were to liberate other cities, they would definitely do it, but when it came to who should be the first to enter Poland, everyone thought that it would be the Polish First Army. ”

While a few people were talking, the phone on the desk rang. Zhukov glanced at the phone on the table, and found that it was a high-frequency phone that could talk to Moscow, so he coughed lightly, and then said to Rokossovsky: "It may be a call from Moscow, I suggest you answer it yourself." ”

Rokossovsky nodded, picked up the phone on the table, and said into the microphone with some nervousness: "Hey, I'm Rokossovsky, I don't know who I'm honored to talk to?" ”

Stalin's hearty laughter came from the earpiece: "Hello, Konstantin Konstantinovich! I am Stalin! ”

"Hello, Comrade Commander." Hearing that the person who spoke on the other side was indeed Stalin, Rokossovsky couldn't help but be a little nervous, and even his breathing became short: "Do you have any instructions?" ”

"I'm calling you to have good news for you." Stalin said kindly: "I think Zhukov may have told you, but here I would like to officially inform you: in recognition of your immortal exploits in the Great Patriotic War, as well as the great results you have achieved. After careful study, the Supreme High Command decided to officially confer on you the rank of marshal. ”

"Thank you, thank you, Comrade Stalin." After Rokossovsky said this, he quickly straightened up and said loudly into the microphone: "Serve the Soviet Motherland!" ”

"You've been serving very well." After listening to Rokossovsky's reply, Stalin nodded with satisfaction, and then asked: "I want to ask, how long will it take for your troops to advance to the Polish border?" ”

"Report to Comrade Stalin," Rokossovsky quickly replied, hearing Stalin's question: "At the moment the offensive launched by the left flank of our army west of Kovely has made great progress. Coupled with the active cooperation of the 1st Ukrainian Front of Marshal Konev to the south, the enemy's defense line may be broken by us at any time. ”

In order to reassure Stalin, Rokossovsky, after a quick thought, decisively said: "I think that in three days at the latest, our troops will be able to successfully break through the German defenses, and then advance to the West Bug River, and successfully cross the river into Poland." ”

"Then which troops do you intend to let enter Polish territory first, Comrade Rokossovsky?" Stalin asked slowly.

"General Behringer's Polish First Army is the most suitable candidate." Rokossovsky confidently replied: "They will be the first troops to set foot on Polish territory." ”

"Good." Stalin expressed satisfaction with Rokossovsky's arrangement: "Comrade Rokossovsky, you have made this decision very correctly, as the Polish First Army enters Poland, when our troops set foot on Polish territory, they will be welcomed by the friendly Polish people. Good luck! ”