On July 21, 1944, the day after the troops of the 1st Belorussian Front crossed the Sibug River, two major events occurred that could affect the course of the war.

First, the pro-Soviet Polish highest authority, issued an order. The formal establishment of the Polish National Liberation Council was announced, with Moravski as chairman, Vitos as vice-chairman and minister of agriculture and agrarian reform, and Vasilevskaya as vice-chairman; Colonel-General Zhimelsky was appointed Minister of Defense, and the commander of the First Polish Army, General Behringer, was appointed Deputy Minister of Defense.

The Committee issued a declaration in which it stressed that the National People's Congress, a body composed of representatives of the broadest strata of the Polish people, the peasant party, and other democratic groups, recognized a number of Polish organizations abroad, the Polish Patriotic League and the Polish Army formed in the Soviet Union. The manifesto was a striking attack on the political activities of the government-in-exile in London aimed at dividing the Polish people. And by special decree the formation of the Polish army, which was incorporated into the ranks of the Polish First Army and Lyudov. The former fought alongside the Soviets on the left flank of the 1st Belorussian Front, while the latter united the partisan units representing the democratic forces on Polish territory.

While Rokossovsky and the members of the Front Command were listening to the Polish radio, the director of the communications corps, Maximenko, suddenly rushed over with a telegram, and he excitedly said to Rokossovsky: "Comrade Marshal, take a look, this is very happy good news." ”

"Good news?!" When Rokossovsky received the telegram, he said in his heart what other news could there be, more important than the establishment of a National Liberation Committee in Poland? But after reading the contents of the telegram, he couldn't help but slap his forehead in annoyance, and secretly said in his heart: Damn, how could he forget such an important historical event.

Terekin, who was on the side, saw Rokossovsky's unusual behavior and couldn't help but ask curiously: "Comrade Marshal, what's wrong with you, is something wrong?" ”

"Comrade Military Commissar, look at this telegram." Rokossovsky handed the telegram to Terekin, and at the same time said with a smile: "When you read the above, you will know what is going on?" ”

Terekin took the telegram with a suspicious face, only looked down at a few lines, and suddenly almost jumped up excitedly: "What, yesterday there was an assassination of Hitler in Germany, and it almost succeeded?" ”

Since Terekin only said a word, he shut up and continued to read the contents of the telegram, and Malin, Zakharkin, and others sitting next to him were so anxious that they poked their heads into Terekin one after another, trying to see the contents of the telegram clearly. And Kazakov asked thoughtfully: "Comrade Marshal, did we parachute a sabotage team to Berlin to carry out the assassination of Hitler?" ”

"Impossible, General Kazakov." As soon as Kazakov's words were finished, Orel retorted: "Hitler did not live in Berlin, but in a black forest far from Berlin, where the security was so high that not to mention a sabotage team, even ten or eight sabotage teams, could not penetrate it." ”

"Don't guess." When Rokossovsky saw that Terekin was holding the telegram and did not want to let go, he explained to other colleagues who could not see the telegram: "Yesterday in Nazi Germany there was a case that shocked the world: an anti-Hitler group of officers attempted to assassinate Hitler. Although Hitler was covered in blood and seriously injured by a time bomb. However, Hitler, who was dying, miraculously survived. ”

Hearing that Hitler was fine, all the commanders present sighed in unison and said, "It's a pity, it's a pity." Why didn't Hitler be killed, and if he had been killed, maybe the war would have ended abruptly. ”

"Comrade commander," Rokossovsky said to the crowd after the room had been quiet again, "although the assassination attempt organized by these German officers ended in failure, and they were brutally murdered by the Nazis. But from this incident, we can also see that more and more Germans have realized that they cannot win this war, so they have resorted to various means to try to end this meaningless war. ”

"Comrade Marshal," Malinin asked tentatively, "do you say that the German front-line troops will cause confusion when they learn of this news?" He further suggested, "We may be able to use this incident to make a fuss." ”

"Makes sense." Rokossovsky thought it would be better to give Malinin's suggestion a try, so he nodded and replied: "I am just going to Chuikov's, and we can inform ordinary German soldiers about this through the loudspeakers they have set up in front of the positions." ”

An hour later, Rokossovsky came to Chuikov's command. The location of this headquarters, which was further forward than Rokossovsky had imagined, showed that Chuikov's troops were advancing very smoothly.

Seeing Rokossovsky coming to his headquarters, Chuikov hurriedly stepped forward to salute and gave a brief report on the current situation of the troops. After Rokossovsky waited for him to finish, he asked: "General Chuikov, what are you going to do next?" ”

"Comrade Marshal, I think so." Chuikov replied with a smile: "The task that our army group has received is to advance to Lublin, Denblin, and Praga, on the outskirts of Warsaw, in order to make a detour back to the rear of the German army group and cut off their way to retreat westward. Therefore, I propose that General Bogdanov's 2nd Tank Army be immediately thrown into the breakthrough in order to ensure the speed of our army's advance. ”

"Yes." The tactic of using tanks to expand the breakthrough has always been very effective in the past two years of fighting, so Rokossovsky very simply agreed: "I will immediately ask Chief of Staff Malinin to give an order to the tank army to enter the battle from the breakthrough as soon as possible." ”

Seeing that Rokossovsky agreed to his proposal, Chuikov's eyes suddenly lit up: "Comrade Marshal, I wonder when the tank army will be able to enter the battle?" ”

"Tomorrow morning at the earliest." Rokossovsky, after answering Chuikov's question, pointed out their current problems: "To cross the river for tank units, it is necessary to erect three pontoon bridges of greater tonnage, understand? ”

"Comrade Marshal," said Chuikov, with some embarrassment, "we have already erected four pontoon bridges over the river, and if we have to build new ones, it may be very difficult. ”

"If there is a difficulty, you have to overcome it." Rokossovsky stared at Chuikov and said with a serious expression: "Don't look at the fact that you have four bridges now, but two of them can only pass through infantry. And what about the other two? Although tanks were passable, trucks transporting troops and supplies had to pass through, far exceeding the bridge's capacity. ”

"Understood, Comrade Marshal." As soon as Rokossovsky finished speaking, the chief of the engineer group stood up and said: "Please rest assured that we will quickly erect a pontoon bridge that can pass through the tank units in the shortest possible time." ”

After discussing the operational aspects, Rokossovsky asked Major General Pronin: "Comrade Military Commissar, have you received today's news from Poland?" ”

As the military commissar of the army group, Pronin was naturally extremely sensitive to these political matters, and when he heard Rokossovsky ask this, he immediately nodded and said: "Yes, Comrade Marshal, we all listened to the radio. With a new provisional government in Poland, more Polish people will be able to understand that our troops have entered Poland in order to free them from the clutches of fascism. ”

After listening to Pronin's tirade, Rokossovsky smiled and nodded: "Comrade Military Commissar, you are right. I also have important news, I want you to broadcast to the Germans on the other side through the loudspeakers set up at the front, maybe it will break their morale? ”

"Can break the morale of the German army?" Hearing Rokossovsky say this, everyone, including Chuikov, looked dazed. Chuikov asked curiously: "Comrade Marshal, what is the news?" Can you tell us? We all want to know what important news can break the morale of the German army? ”

Seeing that everyone was staring at him intently, Rokossovsky smiled and said: "We have received reliable information that yesterday an assassination of Hitler was carried out by a group of Wehrmacht officers and others. As soon as he said this, he saw Chuikov and the others staring at him dumbfounded, and he couldn't help asking, "Are you listening to me?" ”

"Yes, yes, Comrade Marshal, we are all listening to you." Pronin hurriedly said: "What was the result of the assassination, did you kill Hitler?" ”

"It is a pity that Hitler was bruised by the bombs planted by the officers," Rokossovsky said in a regretful tone, "but he miraculously survived and carried out a bloody massacre of the officers who participated in the assassination." ”

Hearing that Hitler was fine, Chuikov and his colleagues also looked annoyed, and some even thought to themselves: If I go on this demolition mission, I will definitely blow Hitler to pieces.

After waiting for calm to return to the room, Pronin straightened up and asked Rokossovsky for instructions: "Comrade Marshal, are you allowed me to leave?" I would like to broadcast this to the German officers and soldiers through the frontier broadcasts now. I am sure that the German commanders, in order to prevent panic, would have concealed this from them. ”

"Wait a minute, Comrade Military Commissar." Rokossovsky stopped Pronin, who was in a hurry to leave, took out a folded piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to him: "This is a radio script written by Comrade Terekin, you can give it to the comrades who are propagandizing against the enemy." ”

Less than half an hour later, dozens of loudspeakers deployed by the 8th Guards Army at the front were simultaneously broadcasting to the Germans hidden in their positions.

The German officers and men who were in the trenches immediately blew up when they heard that yesterday in Berlin an officer had organized the assassination of Hitler. A few officers who stayed in the trenches, in order to prevent a riot among the soldiers, hurriedly shouted at them: "Quiet, quiet, this is a rumor, a rumor made by the Russians." No one can assassinate our Führer at all! ”

But as soon as they finished speaking, they heard the loudspeaker of the Soviet army continue: "...... The mastermind of the assassination was Colonel Klaus von Stauffenberg. Other participants in the coup d'état included Field Marshal Erwin von Witzleben, Colonel General Ludwig Beck, Colonel General Erisi Heppner, etc...... The assassination of Hitler by these German officers shows that even the Germans are aware that this war cannot escape defeat, and they hope to end it early through such actions......"

…………

Bogdanov's 2nd Tank Army, in the early morning of July 22, all crossed the West Bug River and, under the cover of infantry, advanced in the direction of Lublin.

Rokossovsky, who was in Chuikov's headquarters, received Bogdanov. He shook the other man's hand and said, "General Bogdanov, the German officers and soldiers in front of you today have been terrified by the assassination of Hitler, and as long as you advance quickly, I believe that it will only take two or three days to capture Lublin." ”

Unexpectedly, after listening to what Rokossovsky said, Bogdanov actually smiled and said: "Comrade Marshal, I heard that soon after the outbreak of the war, you led the troops of the 9th Mechanized Corps, passed through the gap in the German defense line, occupied Lublin, and captured a large amount of supplies. ”

"Yes, there is." The surprise attack on Lublin was a remarkable battle for Rokossovsky, and at this moment, I was quite happy to hear my subordinates mention it.

"It only took you half a day to capture Lublin." Bogdanov said confidently: "The tanks of our army group are much more advanced than you were at that time, and I believe that my troops will be able to occupy Lublin in the same time." ”

When Rokossovsky heard Bogdanov say this, he thought to himself, I was a sneak attack, and the German army was focused on the territory of the Soviet Union, so Lublin can be said to be extremely empty; And now, although the Germans are retreating, they still have heavy troops in the Lublin area, and even if you are better equipped than I was at the time, there will inevitably be a fierce battle. However, in order not to discourage the other party's enthusiasm, he still said with a smile: "If that's the case, it would be great." General Bogdanov, I will wait for good news from you at the command. ”

Immediately after Bogdanov left, Rokossovsky asked Chuikov: "Chuikov, which unit are you going to send to assist General Bogdanov's tank army?" ”

"General Ryzhov's 28th Infantry Army," Chuikov hurriedly replied, "they will take Lublin together with the tank army." ”