Seeing that the Soviets were on the defensive in the existing occupied territory, Hitler felt that the Soviets would not attack in a short time, so he decided to carry out a risky battle plan, and he convened a group of senior officers in the new headquarters "Eagle's Nest" for a military meeting at the highest level.

Seeing the generals sitting on either side of the conference table, Hitler first gave them a speech: "There has never been an alliance in history as complex as our enemies, with so many different aims. On the one hand, there are extreme capitalist countries, and on the other hand, extreme Marxist countries...... The United States wanted to inherit the mantle of Britain, the Russians wanted to take the Balkans, and Britain wanted to keep his territory in the Mediterranean...... Now these countries are fighting over their own interests......

If we launch a few attacks, this common front, which is supported by human strength, may collapse at any time and at any time...... As long as we in Germany do not let up.

At present, the most important thing is to break the enemy's belief that victory is in sight...... The war depends on which side admits defeat in the end, and we must let the enemy know at all times that no matter what they do, they must not make us surrender, absolutely not, never! ”

After listening to Hitler's speech, the room was silent, and the generals were waiting to hear what he had to say next.

Sure enough, after a while, Hitler continued: "I have made a momentous decision. I'm going to counterattack! ”

Keitel waited for Hitler to finish speaking, and asked respectfully: "My Führer, I wonder where you plan to carry out a counteroffensive?" ”

"Right here, Ardennes." With his slightly trembling right hand, Hitler slapped the map on the table a few times and said hysterically: "Our army should concentrate superior forces to counterattack in the Ardennes area, which is the junction of Germany, Belgium, and Luxembourg, located at the junction of the US First Army and the US Third Army, and is defended by only five US infantry divisions with weak combat effectiveness. After breaking through the Allied lines at the Ardennes, our troops could force their way across the Maas River between Liège and Namur, seize Antwerp, the main Allied supply port, divide the Allied forces in two, cut off the lines of communication between the US First Army and the British 21st Army, and if all goes well, we will destroy the main enemy forces of 20 to 30 divisions and create a second Dunkirk retreat. When the situation on the Western Front is stabilized, we will turn our heads against the Russian army on the Eastern Front. ”

Hitler's crazy plan stunned the senior officers attending the meeting. Jodel stood up and said to Hitler: "My Führer, although our army broke through the French line from the Ardennes in 1940, the situation today is very different from 1940, and our military strength has been seriously weakened, especially the air force, and the Allied forces at this time are much stronger than our army, and the equipment is much better. ”

"Yodle," said Hitler, staring at Yodling, "I will give you a week, and you will be responsible for drawing up a battle plan for a counterattack in the Ardennes according to my intentions." Do you understand? ”

Although Jodel was not at all optimistic about a counterattack in the Ardennes, the fact that Hitler had ordered him to draw up a plan showed that the decision could not be changed. Therefore, he could only bite the bullet and reply: "Understood, my Führer." ”

A week later, Yodel's battle plan was introduced. After handing over his plan to Hitler, he respectfully introduced: "My Führer, according to the plan, our army will use the forces of three army groups, plus 12 mechanized divisions and 18 infantry divisions, to carry out a forced breakthrough on a front about 130 kilometers wide. According to the plan, the troops carrying out the counter-assault were to cross the Maas River the day after the assault was launched and reach Antwerp within a week. ”

Hitler was very satisfied with Yodel's draft plan, and he nodded and said, "Very well, Yodel, you have done quite well with this plan." Our counterattack not only wiped out 30 Allied divisions, but also shoeed a shoe between the British and American armies, causing them to sue for peace after a crushing defeat. At that time, we will be able to draw more troops to the Eastern Front to deal with the Russians. ”

After adopting Jodl's plan, Hitler scraped together 250,000 troops in a short period of time, and the battle was handed over to Field Marshal Moder for command. On the right flank was the 6th SS Panzer Army commanded by Dietrich, with 4 SS Panzer Divisions and 5 Infantry Divisions; In the middle is the Fifth Panzer Army commanded by Mantufer, with 3 armored divisions and 4 infantry divisions; On the left flank was the Seventh Army under the command of Brandenburg, which had four infantry divisions and was tasked with protecting the flanks of the Fifth Panzer Army.

Just when the German army was in full swing to deploy the Ardennes counterattack, Rokossovsky, who was familiar with this period of history, was in a daze at the map on the table. Military Commissar Su Bojing walked over, looked down at the map, and saw that it was not Rokossovsky who was looking, not a map of Prussia, but a map of the route of the Allied attack on the Germans. He looked at the arrows representing the Allies one by one and said with emotion: "The British and American troops have reached the German border, and it seems that they will enter Berlin earlier than we do." ”

"Into Berlin?!" Hearing Su Bojing say this, Rokossovsky couldn't help but laugh dumbly, but he did not correct the other party, but asked rhetorically: "Comrade Military Commissar, if you were Hitler, how would you react in the face of such a powerful offensive by the Allies?" ”

Su Bojing looked at the map again, shook his head and said, "Comrade commander, I am a political worker, and I am a layman in military affairs. But in the face of such a powerful offensive by the British and American armies, I really can't think of any countermeasures. ”

"Comrade Marshal." Chief of Staff Bogolyubov also came over to join in the fun, saying: "If I were Hitler, if I wanted to block the attack of the British and American troops, I could only transfer troops back from the Eastern Front." You know, he did this at the time of the Battle of Kursk. I think it's possible that he's going to do that this this time as well. ”

"Comrade Chief of Staff, your statement is unrealistic." Rokossovsky smiled and said to Bogolyubov: "At the time of the Battle of Kursk, the Germans were slightly superior to us, so he dared to transfer troops to leave to resist the landing of British and American troops." Now that the troops of several of our fronts are approaching the German border, if Hitler were to reinforce the Western Front from the Eastern Front, there would be a huge hole in their Eastern Front defenses. ”

"That's right, Comrade Rokossovsky." A familiar voice suddenly came from the door, and everyone turned their heads to look and found that it was Zhukov. Bogolyubov and Subojing hurriedly raised their hands to salute Zhukov: "Hello, Comrade Marshal! ”

Rokossovsky got up and walked in front of Zhukov, took the initiative to extend his hand to him, and said enthusiastically: "Marshal Zhukov, welcome to the Second Belorussian Front." ”

After Zhukov shook hands with Rokossovsky, he casually asked: "Comrade Rokossovsky, what are you talking about?" When I entered the door, how could I hear you say that it was impossible for the Germans to draw troops from the Eastern Front to reinforce the Western Front? ”

"That's right, Marshal Zhukov." Su Bojing hurriedly explained to Zhukov: "Comrade Commander was looking at the road map of the Allied attack on Germany, and he asked us if there was any way to stop the Allied offensive? ”

"I see." After hearing this, Zhukov nodded, turned his head and asked Rokossovsky: "Comrade Rokossovsky, since you asked so, I guess you must have something in your heart, I wonder if you can tell me about it?" ”

"I'm just figuring it out." Rokossovsky smiled, pointed to the map and said to Zhukov: "Judging from the situation on the map, the British and American armies have approached the German border, and with Hitler's character, he will definitely not sit idly by, and will definitely make some moves." ”

After hearing this, Zhukov asked with interest: "Koschika, then tell me what the Germans will do." ”

Rokossovsky smiled faintly, and then said: "I think the Germans may carry out a counter-assault on the British and American troops in a certain area, so as to save their precarious defensive line." ”

"Where do you think the German counterattack will be carried out?" Zhukov asked without moving.

Rokossovsky hesitated for a moment, but finally decisively pointed to the Ardennes and said to Zhukov: "I think that if the Germans want to carry out a counterattack, they will definitely choose the direction of the breakthrough here." ”

Zhukov stared at the map for a while, then nodded, and said thoughtfully: "It was in this area that the Germans broke through the French defense line in 1940, and this is undoubtedly the best place to carry out a counter-assault on the Allied forces." But ......," Zhukov asked, looking up at Rokossovsky, "where do you think the Germans should go and draw the forces needed for the counterattack?" ”

"It's definitely not going to be the Eastern Front." Rokossovsky replied without hesitation: "Our five fronts are a direct threat to the German mainland, and Hitler will never dare to risk the transfer of troops from this direction, so he can only use domestic reserves." ”

"Comrade Rokossovsky, your combat plan can remain theoretical, at best." After hearing this, Zhukov said disapprovingly: "If the Germans want to launch such a surprise attack, they must cobble together enough troops, but according to the information we have, they obviously do not have these troops, so I think your worries are completely unnecessary." ”

"Comrade Marshal," Rokossovsky said sincerely, after waiting for Zhukov to express his opinion, "I always had a bad premonition that the British and American troops would suffer great losses in the Ardennes. Perhaps the leaders of Britain and the United States will ask us for help when they see that the situation is not good, but it is entirely possible that our new offensive campaign will be launched when we are not fully prepared. ”

To this statement of Rokossovsky, Zhukov was silent. He walked back and forth in the house with his hands behind his back, and after a long time, he stopped, faced Rokossovsky and asked: "Comrade Rokossovsky, do you really think that the Germans will launch a counterattack against the British and American troops in the Ardennes area?" ”

"That's right, according to my analysis, this is quite likely." Rokossovsky can say without blushing that all the history he knows is his own judgment, and as for whether it is accurate, it will naturally be tested when the time comes. "Even if the enemy doesn't launch a counterattack, we should take measures accordingly."

"I will report this matter to Comrade Stalin, so that he can know it in his heart." Zhukov said and picked up the high-frequency telephone on the table, dialed it, and said into the microphone: "I'm Zhukov, pick me up from the Kremlin switchboard......"

Stalin was also taken aback when he received a call from Zhukov and heard about the possibility of a counter-assault by the Germans in the Ardennes region, and hurriedly ordered: "Give the microphone to Rokossovsky, I will talk to him personally." ”

"Hello, Comrade Stalin." After Rokossovsky took the phone in Zhukov's hand, he said respectfully into the microphone: "I am discussing with Marshal Zhukov the possibility of a counter-assault by the German army against the British and American troops in the Ardennes. ”

"Then what do you think is the possibility of the German army carrying out a counter-assault?" Stalin asked without moving.

"Thirty percent." Although Rokossovsky knew in his heart that there was a 100 percent chance that the Germans would carry out a counter-assault in the Ardennes, in order to avoid being left unexplained, he estimated that he said vaguely: "I am 30% sure that the Germans will carry out a counter-assault on the British and American troops in the Ardennes." Comrade Stalin, if it is possible, did we remind Britain and the United States. ”

"Reminder, how to remind?" Stalin said angrily: "Could it be that I called President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill and said that my subordinate Field Marshal Rokossovsky judged that the German army might be in the Ardennes and counterattacked your troops, and you should have taken countermeasures earlier." Do you think they'll listen? ”

Stalin's words made Rokossovsky realize that he was taking it for granted. He was silent.

Hearing that Rokossovsky did not speak, Stalin continued on the phone: "We and Britain and the United States have formed an alliance because of the common enemy of Germany, but there are still many contradictions between them. If this kind of personal judgment is irresponsibly told to the leaders of Britain and the United States, I am afraid that it will arouse their dissatisfaction and suspicion. ”

"Comrade Stalin, I was wrong." Rokossovsky saw that his idea did not work, so he could only apologize to Stalin, "It was my analysis that was too irresponsible." ”

"Alright, alright, Comrade Rokossovsky, this is the end of the matter, and you don't have to apologize to me." Stalin reasonedly said: "Instead of worrying about the Allies, you should think more about how to seize East Prussia." ”