When I heard that Zhukov was going to arrange for me to meet Stalin, my heart couldn't help but beat faster. I asked myself, in the face of a stubborn man like Stalin, even Zhukov could not convince him, can a character like me achieve better results than him? It was with this consideration that I said, with some embarrassment: "Comrade Marshal, is this appropriate?" ”

Zhukov waved his hand and said with a big grin: "There is nothing inappropriate, let Colonel Bezikov accompany you later, as long as you have his lead, you can enter the Kremlin without being summoned." ”

"But, what shall I say when I meet the Supreme Commander himself?" Although Zhukov behaved with ease, I did not dare to take it lightly, and could only ask cautiously: "If he asks him whether he should counterattack the Germans, how shall I answer him?" ”

Zhukov only thought for a moment about my series of questions, and then said decisively: "Answer whatever you think, and don't have any scruples." Seeing my worried look, he specially comforted me and said, "Don't worry, according to my judgment, Comrade Stalin is very willing to listen to your real thoughts, which is why I will arrange for you to meet him." ”

After a long day of grinding in Zhukov's command and chatting about inconsequential matters, I came to the Kremlin accompanied by Beziakov.

It may be that Zhukov had called and communicated with him beforehand, and as soon as our car stopped in the square, a colonel immediately ran over, and after thinking about what Zikov had experienced, he turned to me and asked: "Is it Comrade Oshanina, please?" ”

"Yes, Comrade Colonel." I knew it might be the officer who came to pick me up, nodded his head. Tentatively asked, "Did you accompany me to see the Supreme Commander himself?" ”

"That's right. Comrade General. The Colonel said politely to me, "I have been ordered to take you up." Please come to me. ”

When I entered the building where Stalin worked under his leadership and went up the stairs, I walked cautiously for fear of hurting my wounds, and naturally I could not go fast. The Colonel was obviously aware of my situation, so when he saw that I was walking slowly, he couldn't help slowing down.

As we walked slowly down the hallway. The colonel also asked with concern: "Comrade General, are you hurting from your wound?" ”、

I nodded and replied, "Yes, Comrade Colonel." Although I had the surgery more than 10 days ago, the healing of the wound was not satisfactory, and if I walked too fast, I was worried that the wound would burst. ”

We soon came to a tall door, the colonel asked me to wait a moment, he opened the door and went in, and I clearly heard him saying: "Report to Comrade Poskorebeshev." General Oshanina arrived. ”

"Let him in." The bland voice of Stalin's chief of staff, Bosk Rebelshev, came from the door.

"Yes!" The colonel said yes and walked out of the door. Stepped aside and made a gesture for me to go in.

After thanking the colonel, I crossed the door and saw Boskrebeshev standing next to the desk, the office chief of the staff with a small shaved head and a military uniform, and said politely: "Hello, General Oshanina! As he spoke, he held out his hand to me.

I hurriedly stretched out my hands to hold his hand and said politely: "Hello, Boskrebeshev, it's a pleasure to meet you. ”

When he let go of his hand, he whispered, "The Supreme Commander himself is waiting for you inside, please come in." With that, he walked to another door that led to the room inside.

He was the first to go in, stood at the door and said inside: "Comrade Stalin, Comrade Oshanina is here!" ”

"Let her in." Stalin's majestic voice came from the room.

Boskorebeshev walked back to the door and said to me with a blank face: "Please come in, Comrade Oshanina, the Supreme Commander himself is waiting for you inside." ”

I nodded my head to him and walked into the spacious office. The first thing that caught my eye was a large writing desk, and on the other side was a long table, which was supposed to be used for meetings. There were several portraits hanging on the wall, three of which I recognized in the shortest possible time as Lenin, Marx and Engels. And Stalin himself was slowly pacing back and forth in front of the portrait with a pipe in his mouth.

Seeing Stalin appear in front of me, I forcibly suppressed the excitement in my heart and walked forward quickly. Stopping five or six paces away from him, after raising his hand and saluting, he reported loudly: "Comrade Supreme Commander, Lieutenant General Oshanina has come by your order, to listen to your order, please instruct!" ”

Stalin stopped, removed his pipe from his mouth, smiled and said amiably: "Leda, you have been to many battlefields in the past year or so, and you have made great achievements. Great work! ”

Hearing him say this, I hurriedly and habitually replied: "Willing to serve the Soviet Motherland!" ”

Stalin nodded in satisfaction, put his pipe back to his mouth, and said: "It seems that you have served well, and you have so many heavyweight medals." ”

I didn't say anything about his compliment, just smiled politely.

Perhaps seeing my restraints, Stalin beckoned me to sit down at the table and said slowly: "Leda, I have brought you here today because I want to hear your opinion!" ”

As soon as his words fell, I quickly got up from my seat and said respectfully, "I follow your instructions!" ”

"This is the case," said Stalin, while raising his hand to press the void and motioning for me to sit down, "the new commander of the Voronov Front, Comrade Vatutin, and the military commissar Comrade Khrushchev, called me and suggested to me that a counterattack on the Germans should be carried out in the near future, and that they should retake Kharkov while they are still on a firm foothold. ”

At this point, he paused for a moment, as if waiting for me to speak, and seeing that I was just looking at him without saying a word, he continued: "But Zhukov and Vasilevsky put forward the opposite opinion, and suggested that I hold on to the existing defensive zone and wait for the German forces to be depleted before carrying out a final counteroffensive. I don't know what you think about this, but I'd like to hear your opinion. ”

Although Stalin said that he was asking for my opinion, I knew in my heart that he probably had a plan for a long time, and asking me this was nothing more than trying to find someone to echo his opinion. Thinking that before the Battle of Kursk in history, the Soviet army did not have any major military operations, so I said boldly with confidence: "Comrade Stalin, with all due respect, I think that our army is not suitable to launch a counterattack against the German army under the current circumstances. ”

Hearing me say this, Stalin's face did not show the slightest expression of surprise. He sat down in the empty chair next to me and pointed at me with his finger holding his pipe, "Tell me what you think." ”

"Comrade Stalin," I said euphemistically, "judging from the current situation, although we have more troops than the Germans, the Germans have an advantage in weapons and equipment, and in addition our front-line airfields have been destroyed by the Germans, and the backup airfields are too far from the front, so the air supremacy is basically in the hands of the Germans." To launch a counterattack in such a situation, I don't think there is any certainty of victory. ”

"Then you agree with Zhukov and them?" After hearing this, Stalin asked noncommittally: "Do we really want to wait for the enemy Kharkov to gain a foothold before we have a big battle with them?" ”

"I don't think it's appropriate for General Vatutin, who has just taken over the Voronezh Front and is not even familiar with the troops below, to make a rash decision to attack." I suspect that Stalin, despite his hesitation, did not want to launch a counterattack with no certainty of victory, so he boldly said: "I suggest to you that Marshal Zhukov and General Vatutin inspect all the units of the Voronezh Front, help the commanders of the units to assess the situation and draw up plans for future battles." I believe that through this inspection, Marshal Zhukov will be able to make a comparison of the situation between the enemy and the enemy, and prepare a set of advance plans for a new battle plan. ”

Immediately after I said this, I looked intently at Stalin, waiting for his comment on me. Stalin took a puff of his pipe, and then said: "Leda, you have a more appropriate opinion. I will immediately arrange for Zhukov to inspect the troops, and when I have figured out the enemy's situation, I will decide whether to launch a counterattack. ”

I couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief when I heard that Stalin had approved of my statement, and before I could be happy, he suddenly asked again: "Leda, tell me again, if the Germans are going to attack the Kursk region occupied by our army, where should we build the main defensive area?" ”

Although I am not a roundworm in Manstein's stomach, I remember the general course of the Battle of Kursk in history, so I replied with confidence: "Comrade Stalin, I think we should place a heavy group of troops in the Prokhorovka region, because this is the barrier south of Kursk, and the Germans from Kharkov will definitely seize this place and turn it into a starting point for attacking Kursk." ”

"That's right, your analysis coincides with what the General Staff analyzed." As soon as I finished speaking, Stalin agreed with my analysis, "Vasilevsky said that if a major war is really going to be fought in the Kursk direction, then the Prokhorovka region will become the focus of contention between the enemy and the enemy. ”

After I waited for Stalin to finish speaking, I said cautiously: "Comrade Stalin, according to my judgment, although the Germans forced our Voronezh Front and Southwestern Front to retreat, they did not have the ability to launch a large-scale campaign in the short term, so we have ample time to deploy troops and strengthen our defense system. (To be continued......)