Soon after the telegram was sent, Zhukov's call back arrived. Pen? Interesting? Pavilion wWw. ｂiquge。 The content on the INFO telegram was brief: "Hold on to Klin, and don't forget that behind you is Moscow." ”

Holding this telegram from Zhukov, Rokossovsky simply wanted to cry without tears. Lobachev carefully took the telegram in his hand, and after reading the contents, he also anxiously asked: "Comrade commander, what should we do next?" ”

Rokossovsky weighed the weight, and then replied: "Comrade Military Commissar, it is obviously unrealistic to hold Kling and Sol Hill at the same time, with our existing forces. If we force ourselves to defend it, we will definitely end up with the destruction of our army and the loss of two cities. ”

"Is there no other way?" Hearing Rokossovsky say this, Lobachev was also anxious: "If we give up Klint without permission, we will be sent to a military court." ”

Rokossovsky was also concerned about Lobachev's concerns, and he frowned and thought for a long time, and finally said: "Comrade Military Commissar, in fact, it is not impossible, but we must take risks. ”

"How to take the risk?" Hearing that there was a way, Lobachev's eyes suddenly lit up, and he urged again and again: "Comrade commander, hurry up and tell me what you think." ”

"Abandon the city of Mount del Sol and concentrate all your forces on Klin." Rokossovsky replied decisively: "Then send a telegram to Kazakov asking him to transfer the artillery over to deal with the German tanks rushing towards Kling." ”

Lobachev was happy for a moment, but then he thought that Zakharov might not be able to contain many troops, and his face became gloomy again: "I don't know how many troops General Zakharov can contain, and his troops are enough for us to build a defense in Klin?" ”

"You can't have it both ways," Rokossovsky said to himself, ignoring Lobachev's seemingly incomprehensible Chinese idiom: "Even if we have 10,000 or 20,000 troops in our hands, we can't all be in the city, because it would be easy to fall into the encirclement of the German army." So I intended to place my troops on the road to Moscow, and to delay the German advance towards Moscow by means of the tactics of blocking along the way. ”

"Will this work?" Lobachev asked worriedly.

"If you can't do it, you have to do it." Rokossovsky gritted his back molars and said: "We have no other choice but to gamble." ”

At this time, a guard soldier ran over. He came to Rokossovsky, raised his hand and saluted, and said: "Comrade commander, some observation posts saw the car in which the deputy commander was traveling, coming towards us. ”

"Zakharov is here!" After listening to the guard's report, Rokossovsky's face suddenly showed an expression of surprise, he shook his head at Lobachev and said: "Let's go, Comrade Military Commissar, let's go together to meet the deputy commander." ”

The first thing Rokossovsky said when he saw Zakharov was: "Comrade Deputy Commander, I don't know how many troops you contained?" ”

"There is only the 58th Tank Division," Zakharov sighed softly after seeing the joyful expression on Rokossovsky's face during the report, and then added: "However, all the tanks of the division have been lost in the previous battles, and at present the tank crews of the division have become infantry." ”

Rokossovsky was disappointed a little by the fact that the tank division did not have tanks, but he quickly returned to normal and was able to participate in the defense even if he was an infantryman. He coughed lightly and continued to ask, "Comrade Deputy Commander, you haven't told me how many troops you have contained so far?" ”

"About 3,000 people." After Zakharov said this, his face turned red, and he added with some embarrassment: "Comrade commander, I have done my best, but I really can't find troops. ”

Rokossovsky calculated in his heart that there were nearly 1,000 defenders in the city, and with the more than 3,000 people contained by Zakharov, the total strength had exceeded 4,000. Although this amount of troops is far from enough for offense, it is barely enough for local defense. He raised his hand and patted Zakharov on the shoulder, comforting the other party and said: "Comrade Deputy Commander, don't blame yourself, it is already very difficult for you to contain so many troops. ”

"But, Comrade Commander." Zakharov said anxiously: "We only have 4,000 troops in our hands, and it will not be enough to disperse them in both directions at the same time, Klin and Sun Hill City. ”

"Don't worry, the forces won't be scattered." Rokossovsky said decisively: "We have limited forces, and in order to ensure the success of the defense, I have decided not to build a defensive line in the city of Mount Sol, but to focus the defense entirely on Klin. ”

"Even if all the troops are placed in Klin, our 4,000 men are far from enough." Zakharov muttered in a low voice: "Besides, we don't have heavy weapons yet, and if the Germans use tank assault, we won't be able to stop their attack at all." ”

"Comrade Deputy Commander, you can rest assured of this." Lobachev, after glancing at Rokossovsky, said to Zakharov: "Comrade Commander has already sent a telegram to General Kazakov ordering him to immediately rush to Kling with artillery and use artillery fire against the German tanks. ”

"Comrade Zakharov," Rokossovsky waited for Zakharov to finish, and then continued to say to Zakharov: "If we build a defense in the city, these 4,000 troops will not be enough, so I intend to build defensive positions on both sides of the road to the north and south of the city. Our troops could rely on favorable terrain to resist the Germans and slow down their advance towards Moscow. ”

After listening to Rokossovsky's plan, Zakharov showed an embarrassed expression on his face: "Comrade commander, we have already taken the initiative to give up Sun Hill City, and if we give up Klinn again, I am afraid that we will not be able to explain it to the Front Command." ”

"Comrade Deputy Commander, who said that Kling would be abandoned." Rokossovsky pointed at his hand casually, and then said: "Didn't our troops build a defense near Klin, and after the battle, withdraw from these areas, I think the higher authorities will understand our difficulties." ”

"All right, Comrade Commander." Seeing that Rokossovsky looked confident, Zakharov also let go, and he patted his chest and promised: "As long as there is artillery support, we will definitely be able to hold off the German army here for three to five days, and buy precious time for the troops behind to establish defense." ”

After waiting for Zakharov to finish speaking, Rokossovsky raised his hand and looked at his watch and said: "Since this is the case, Comrade Zakharov, Klin's defense, I will hand it over to you." Use all your forces and weapons to stop the enemy's advance on Dmitrov and Yakhrom as much as possible, and buy time for our friendly forces. ”

Just as Rokossovsky was about to leave, he was stopped by Zakharov. Rokossovsky looked at each other and asked strangely: "Comrade Deputy Commander, do you have anything else?" ”

"That's right, Comrade Commander." Zakharov said with some embarrassment: "My radio station is damaged, see if you can leave me a radio station so that I can keep in touch with the army group command at all times." ”

Rokossovsky considered that he was going to return to the headquarters of the army group, and it did not matter whether he brought the operator and the radio with him. So he called the telegraph operator and instructed: "Comrade telegraph operator, from now on, you and your radio station will obey the command of the deputy commander, understand? ”

"Understood, Comrade Commander." The operator replied resoundingly.

When Zakharov shook hands with Rokossovsky and said goodbye, he offered to say: "Comrade commander, the road is not very safe, I will send a cavalry division to escort you for a while." ”

"No," Lobachev said, without waiting for Rokossovsky to speak, "we also have a platoon of guards who will keep us safe on the way." ”

"Well, Comrade Military Commissar, since you say so, I will not send troops to escort you." Zakharov said helplessly: "You have to be more careful on the way back to the headquarters." ”

…………

On the way back to the headquarters of the army group, Lobachev thought that things were more and more wrong, and then took the initiative to propose to Rokossovsky: "Comrade commander, I think we should still give up the reason for voluntarily abandoning the city of Sol Hill and make a report to the front command, so as not to cause trouble for ourselves in the future." ”

Rokossovsky glanced out the window, and then said to Lobachev with a smile: "Comrade Military Commissar, even if I want to report now, I can't do it." You know, I left both the radio station and the operator to Zakharov. If we want to report, we can only wait until we return to the headquarters of the group army. ”

Lobachev listened to Rokossovsky's words with a look of disappointment, but he quickly came up with an idea. Then he turned to Rokossovsky and said: "Comrade commander, if our car drives forward for another half an hour, we will pass through a small city called Pokrovka, and we can use the local telephone line to report to the front command. What do you think? ”

Since Lobachev said so, it is obviously inappropriate for Rokossovsky to oppose it again. So he nodded and replied: "Okay, Comrade Military Commissar, when we get to the place, we will go to the post and telecommunications office and use the local line to inform the front army headquarters of our deployment." ”

Seeing that Rokossovsky agreed with his opinion, Lobachev showed a knowing smile, he raised his hand and patted the driver's back, urging: "Comrade driver, speed up, we must get to Pokrovka as soon as possible." ”

The driver had already heard the conversation between the two, and at this moment he heard Lobachev urging himself, and after nodding his head, he stepped on the accelerator to the bottom and rushed as fast as he could along the potholed road towards the small city in the distance.

After waiting for Zakharov to finish speaking, Rokossovsky raised his hand and looked at his watch and said: "Since this is the case, Comrade Zakharov, Klin's defense, I will hand it over to you." Use all your forces and weapons to stop the enemy's advance on Dmitrov and Yakhrom as much as possible, and buy time for our friendly forces. ”

Just as Rokossovsky was about to leave, he was stopped by Zakharov. Rokossovsky looked at each other and asked strangely: "Comrade Deputy Commander, do you have anything else?" ”

"That's right, Comrade Commander." Zakharov said with some embarrassment: "My radio station is damaged, see if you can leave me a radio station so that I can keep in touch with the army group command at all times." ”

Rokossovsky considered that he was going to return to the headquarters of the army group, and it did not matter whether he brought the operator and the radio with him. So he called the telegraph operator and instructed: "Comrade telegraph operator, from now on, you and your radio station will obey the command of the deputy commander, understand? ”

"Understood, Comrade Commander." The operator replied resoundingly.

When Zakharov shook hands with Rokossovsky and said goodbye, he offered to say: "Comrade commander, the road is not very safe, I will send a cavalry division to escort you for a while." ”

"No," Lobachev said, without waiting for Rokossovsky to speak, "we also have a platoon of guards who will keep us safe on the way." ”

"Well, Comrade Military Commissar, since you say so, I will not send troops to escort you." Zakharov said helplessly: "You have to be more careful on the way back to the headquarters." ”

…………

On the way back to the headquarters of the army group, Lobachev thought that things were more and more wrong, and then took the initiative to propose to Rokossovsky: "Comrade commander, I think we should still give up the reason for voluntarily abandoning the city of Sol Hill and make a report to the front command, so as not to cause trouble for ourselves in the future." ”

Rokossovsky glanced out the window, and then said to Lobachev with a smile: "Comrade Military Commissar, even if I want to report now, I can't do it." You know, I left both the radio station and the operator to Zakharov. If we want to report, we can only wait until we return to the headquarters of the group army. ”

Lobachev listened to Rokossovsky's words with a look of disappointment, but he quickly came up with an idea. Then he turned to Rokossovsky and said: "Comrade commander, if our car drives forward for another half an hour, we will pass through a small city called Pokrovka, and we can use the local telephone line to report to the front command. What do you think? ”

Since Lobachev said so, it is obviously inappropriate for Rokossovsky to oppose it again. So he nodded and replied: "Okay, Comrade Military Commissar, when we get to the place, we will go to the post and telecommunications office and use the local line to inform the front army headquarters of our deployment." ”

Seeing that Rokossovsky agreed with his opinion, Lobachev showed a knowing smile, he raised his hand and patted the driver's back, urging: "Comrade driver, speed up, we must get to Pokrovka as soon as possible." ”

The driver had already heard the conversation between the two, and at this moment he heard Lobachev urging himself, and after nodding his head, he stepped on the accelerator to the bottom and rushed as fast as he could along the potholed road towards the small city in the distance.