Zhukov made a large-scale adjustment of the deployment of troops, which, as is customary, required immediate reporting to the Supreme High Command. But after careful consideration, he decided to inform Antonov of the matter anyway, and the deputy chief of the General Staff went to report to Stalin.

After receiving Zhukov's call, Antonov was taken aback, and he nervously asked: "Comrade Marshal, for such a major adjustment of the troops, did you get permission from Comrade Stalin?" ”

"I haven't had time to report to Comrade Stalin yet," Zhukov said with a big grin: "As far as I know, in half an hour, you will have to go to his office to report to him, and by the way, report to him about it." ”

Antonov hesitated for a moment, and reluctantly said: "Well, Comrade Marshal, I can help you report to Comrade Stalin, but you have to tell me your true intention to adjust the direction of the battle, so that I can help you say good things." ”

After recording what Zhukov said, Antonov raised his hand and looked at his watch, politely said into the microphone: "Comrade Zhukov, the time has come to report to the Supreme Commander himself, and I will report to him in detail about your adjustments." ”

"Thank you, Alexei Innokentievich." After thanking Antonov, Zhukov put down the phone and said to Vatutin: "The Deputy Chief of the General Staff has promised to report in detail to Comrade Stalin about our adjustments. ”

"Comrade Marshal," Hearing Zhukov say this, Vatutin nervously asked, "do you say that Comrade Stalin will agree?" ”

"I think so." Zhukov said in an affirmative tone: "The two successive attacks we launched from the south of Kyiv did not achieve the expected goals, proving that the direction of breakthrough we had chosen earlier was completely wrong." Therefore, we must adjust our original deployment according to the situation on the battlefield. I think Comrade Stalin should have understood this very well in his heart. ”

Don't look at Zhukov's unequivocal words that Stalin will agree to adjust the deployment, but he also has no bottom in his heart. Although Stalin's personality has changed greatly since the outbreak of the war, when making major decisions, he is no longer rigid and self-serving, but will take the initiative to discuss with some senior commanders and study feasible plans. However, this time, without consulting Stalin, he adjusted the direction of the army's offensive without authorization, and I don't know what Stalin would think.

When Antonov came to Stalin's office, Boskrebeshev got up and shook hands with him, and said politely: "Hello, Comrade Deputy Chief of the General Staff, Comrade Stalin has been waiting for you, hurry up and get in!" ”

Antonov pushed open the closed door of his office and strode inside. Stalin was standing by the wall looking at the map, when he heard the door, he instinctively turned his head to look over, and when he saw clearly that the person who came in was Antonov, his face showed a smile: "Comrade Antonov, how is it, what good news has it brought me today?" ”

"Comrade Stalin," Antonov replied, walking up in front of Stalin and straightening up, "in the area of operations of the Belorussian Front, all the counter-assaults launched by the enemy were crushed by our heroic Red Army. At the same time, General Rokossovsky also reported that they had transferred the reserves of the Front to the Loyev region, preparing for a new offensive from there. ”

"Rokossovsky is good," after listening to Antonov's report, Stalin nodded and said with satisfaction: "He is such an excellent military commander, and every time he can fulfill the tasks assigned to him by his superiors very well." ”

Stalin walked back to his desk with his pipe in his mouth, sorted out the documents on the table, and casually asked: "Deputy Chief of the General Staff, I wonder if there is any good news from Vatutin?" ”

Antonov, who was about to report this to him, hurriedly replied: "Comrade Stalin, I was about to report this to you, and before I came here, I received a call from Marshal Zhukov, who said that the 1st Ukrainian Front was ready to adjust the direction of the offensive and launch an attack on Kyiv from the landing ground of Lyudezh in the north. ”

"What, attack from the north?" Stalin, who had just struck a match and was about to light a cigarette, could not help but be stunned: "Comrade Antonov, why did they change the direction of the offensive, did they not know that the liberation of Kiev was of special political and military significance?" ”

Seeing that Stalin was showing signs of anger, Antonov hurriedly explained: "Comrade Stalin, according to the battle report of the 1st Ukrainian Front, their offensive from the Bukrin landing ground in the south has failed again. So far, the two offensives they have launched have not been successful, and the German fortifications south of Kiev are too strong for us to succeed from this direction. Therefore, I believe that it is absolutely necessary to adjust the direction of attack. ”

After Antonov finished speaking, he happened to see Stalin throwing the burned matches into the ashtray, and hurriedly stepped forward to pick up the matches, lit cigarette butts for him, and asked cautiously: "Comrade Stalin, I wonder if you have any views on their adjustment of deployment?" ”

Stalin looked at him and said: "Didn't the offensive launched by Chernyakhovsky's 60th Army some time ago fail? ”

"Comrade Stalin," Antonov secretly breathed a sigh of relief in his heart when he saw that Stalin was not angry, and then said: "The reason why General Chernyakhovsky's offensive was not successful was that Vatutin's troops were still far from the Dnieper River at that time, so that the Germans could concentrate the main forces north of Kiev and make every effort to block the southward advance of our army. And now, Vatutin's main forces have established a landing ground south of Kiev, forcing the Germans to transfer the main forces from the north, so that the defenses north of Kiev become weak. ”

Stalin thought about it carefully, as if this was the case, nodded his head, directly picked up the phone on the table, and called the command of the 1st Ukrainian Front.

Zhukov and Vatutin, who were chatting in the headquarters, heard the high-frequency telephone ringing in front of them, and guessed that it might be from Stalin. After the two glanced at each other, Zhukov opened his mouth and said: "Comrade Vatutin, you are the commander of the front army, you should answer this call." ”

Vatutin smiled bitterly, reached out to pick up the phone, put it in his ear and said, "Hello, I'm Vatutin!" ”

"Hello, Comrade Vatutin!" Stalin politely said: "I am Stalin!" ”

"Hello, Comrade Stalin!" Vatutin abruptly stood up from his seat and said respectfully, "Do you have any important instructions?" ”

"I heard Antonov say that you have adjusted your operational deployment and are preparing to change the direction of the offensive from the south of Kyiv to the north." Stalin asked noncommittally: "Is there such a thing?" ”

"Yes, Comrade Stalin." Vatujing hurriedly replied: "But whether this plan should be implemented or not, we still need to listen to your opinions." ”

"You don't have to pay attention to my opinion." Stalin said with some displeasure: "Zhukov is the representative of the base camp, as long as he nods and agrees, you can do it." By the way, if you attack from the north, when do you think you'll be able to attack? ”

Vatutin, who had been thinking that Zhukov had given him too little time to prepare, was so angry that he heard Stalin's question at this moment, and hurriedly replied: "Comrade Stalin, Marshal Zhukov gave us ten days. You know, it is very difficult for so many troops, and quite a few of them mechanized, to traverse an area of forests, swamps and rivers for 200 kilometers in such a short time. Therefore, after much calculation, the most suitable time to attack is November 20. ”

As soon as Vatutin's words were finished, Stalin said categorically: "Comrade Vatutin, Kyiv must be taken on November 6, and our troops should celebrate the Great October Revolution Day in the city." ”

Hearing the deadline given by Stalin, Vatutin was a little dumbfounded. After a long silence, he could only stubbornly reply: "Understood, Comrade Stalin. Rest assured, I will faithfully carry out your order to liberate Kiev from the clutches of fascism on November 6. ”

Zhukov waited for Vatutin to put down the phone, chuckled, and then said to him: "Comrade Vatutin, so to speak, Comrade Stalin agreed that we should turn the direction of the offensive to the north?" ”

"Yes, Comrade Marshal." Vatutin nodded and replied, "That's right. ”

"If Kyiv is to be liberated within the stipulated time, then your offensive should not be later than November 5." Zhukov saw that Vatutin was still absent-mindedly standing in a daze, and hurriedly urged him: "Comrade Vatutin, don't be in a daze. The operation of the secret transfer of troops was to be carried out at the time of the transfer. ”

"Yes, yes, Comrade Marshal, you are right." After Vatutin finished speaking, he hurriedly shouted at Ivanov: "Chief of Staff, give orders to those troops who are ready to be transferred to the north, let them act immediately, and be sure to arrive at the designated place within the specified time." ”

When the chief of staff went to give the order, Vatutin still felt a little uneasy, and personally picked up the phone, dialed the headquarters of the 3rd Guards Tank Army, and the officer who answered the phone said: "I'm Vatutin, let General Rebalko answer the phone." ”

"Hello, Comrade Commander." Rybalco's voice soon came from the earpiece, "What instructions do you have?" ”

"General Rybalko," Vatutin said bluntly, not going around in circles, "transfer your tanks from the Bukrin landing ground to the left bank of the Dnieper tonight." Your army group must march as fast as possible along the Dnieper River in a covert march northward, and re-cross the Dnieper in the vicinity of the village of Nuggis. ”

"Comrade commander," Rybalko immediately asked rhetorically, hearing Vatutin's words, "it is too difficult to quietly smuggle hundreds of tanks to the left bank of the Dnieper under the nose of the enemy. ”

"Don't worry, General Rybalko," Vatutin, comforting Rybalko, "in order not to be perceived by the Germans, I asked the Chief of Staff to prepare a false order for you to go on the defensive, and ordered General Moskalenko to send this information to the Germans in an instant. ”

"Alright then, Comrade Commander." General Vatutin had already considered all the issues that should be considered, and Rebalko secretly breathed a sigh of relief and readily agreed: "I will prepare the tank troops to cross the river." ”