Age of Rebirth

More than 20 troops from the Transcaucasus Military Region were encircled by the main force of Tang Qiuli's independent division in the area from Hagengaol to Baiyinchagan in the northern part of Outer Mongolia. The general, adopted the approach of standing still and waiting for help. This move made the Soviet army lose a glimmer of hope for the final breakthrough.

At the meeting on how to rescue the troops of the Transcaucasus Military Region, Stalin, the supreme leader of the Soviet Union, first punished the dereliction of duty General Bessovsky, the director of the General Intelligence Bureau of the General Staff, and handed him over to the Chairman of the All-Soviet Cheka Committee, the Great Secret Service The leader Beria dealt with it. This move was tantamount to putting the head of the Soviet Army's military intelligence system to death. The top leaders of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union knew that Beria and the military would not deal with it.

The leader was furious and understatement. One general fell from his post, and all the senior officials were silent. The handling of General Bessovsky was just an episode of the whole meeting and did not affect the theme of the meeting.

God is sorry, Marshal Petroshilov, the chief of the general staff, is in a mess. The first to speak is to set the tone, but Comrade Stalin has no clear instructions on whether to rescue Kurykin's troops. One thing, Comrade Stalin will not just sit back and watch the more than 20 troops in the Transcaucasus Military Region be wiped out by Tang Qiuli.

Thinking of this, Marshal Petroshilov had some ideas, but the embarrassing thing came again. I knew about my own affairs. As the highest chief in charge of the Soviet armed forces, he knew the deployment of troops very well. Around the battlefield of Outer Mongolia, there are not enough troops for rescue. Near Lake Baikal, there is only a second-rate division of the Transcaucasus Military Region with more than 2 people.Pulling up a battlefield with a radius of hundreds of kilometers is almost the same as sending to death.

Zhukov's Far East Front Army has already mobilized four infantry corps, and it is obviously impossible to deploy more troops. If it is not done well, the Japanese Kwantung Army will take advantage of this opportunity, and the Far East Front Army has a mistake. Comrade Stalin still wants his head.

Seeing that the eyes of Stalin and his colleagues were all focused on him, Marshal Petroshilov said slowly: "The opinion of the General Staff is that before Tang Qiuli's encirclement is completely closed, order Kurykin to immediately command The troops broke through and retreated in the direction of the Selenge River, and ordered the Air Force of the Don River Military Region to reinforce the aircraft fleet on the battlefield in Outer Mongolia. All were dispatched, and the troops covering Kurykin from the air withdrew north.”

"The specific method is. All combat aircraft at the field airport around Lake Baikal are divided into three echelons, and they are launched into the air in a relay manner to ensure that our fighters always have air supremacy. We must use the most violent bombing to block the pursuit of the independent division troops. The retreat of the troops covering Kurykin until the troops of the Transcaucasus Military District have safely crossed the Selenga River, and other than that. The General Staff has no safer way."

After Marshal Petroshilov finished speaking, he looked at Stalin's face. Indeed, this is the most feasible way. It will be too late to count on the four infantry corps of the Far Eastern Front Army who are still marching along the border.

None of the people spoke, they were thinking about their own calculations, and from the corner of their eyes, they were watching Stalin's face. The opinion of the General Staff might not be Comrade Stalin's opinion. Besides, if there is no better strategy, say it. In addition to increasing the jokes, he also offended the chief of staff, which is not worth it!

However, Stalin kept smoking his pipe fiercely, without saying a word, and the light blue smoke enveloped his face, making it blurry, making it hard for people to figure out his thoughts.

Stalin took the pipe from his mouth, and said slowly: "No one has any different opinions, so it means that they basically agree with Comrade Petroshilov's method. Am I right?" Excited.

The senior officials racked their brains to ponder what Stalin said. Suddenly, Stalin raised his tone and said, "I wonder if the General Staff didn't use their brains when formulating this rescue plan? Or, in other words, they took it for granted while looking at the map in the office ?”

All the senior officials were shocked. Hearing what the leader said, he was dissatisfied with the General Staff. It seems that the military system is going to be unlucky today. First, it was a general and the director of the General Intelligence Bureau, and then it was the turn of the Chief of Staff.

Stalin's tone was filled with incomparable anger, and he continued: "It has been more than five hours since Kurykin's troops were surrounded by Tang Qiuli, and he was ordered to command the troops to break through? Petroshilov Comrade, do you think that Tang Qiuli has set up such a large encirclement circle, so that Kurykin's troops can easily break through and retreat northward? If five hours ago, there was still hope of breaking through, now, it is impossible!"

"The Air Force of the Don River Military Region, after two air battles, suffered not a small loss. Can it take on the heavy burden of covering the troops of the Transcaucasus Military Region to break through? Air cover, the General Staff can imagine it, but Tang Qiuli can't think of it? Petroshilov Comrade, do you think Tang Qiuli will let our air force complete this task? Could it be that the independent division has nearly a thousand combat aircraft, are they blind and unable to see the actions of our fleet?"

A series of questioning, sharp words, like knives, pierced Marshal Petroshilov's heart. Since he became the chief of the general staff and Comrade Stalin's most important assistant, he has never been so embarrassed in front of his subordinates and colleagues , I don't leave any room for myself!

Marshal Petroshilov's face turned red, white, and then livid. He swallowed with difficulty, sweating profusely, looked at Stalin with confused eyes, and sat down dejectedly.

As if Stalin didn't see his dead fish face, he stood up, walked slowly in the office, no one looked at himself and said: "Okay, since you have no better way, let me talk about my own Views."

All the senior officials raised their ears, "Kurekin's troops must be rescued as soon as possible. We are in the Far East, and we cannot lose the only mobile force. The General Staff will record it. First, appoint the deputy commander of the Air Force of the Don River Military Region. Comrade Jonasov, commander of the Air Force for the Outer Mongolia Campaign, has unified command of all air forces, is not under the command of the Transcaucasus Military Region Command, and directly obeys the orders of the Air Force Command.”

"Second, all air forces in the east are concentrated on the Outer Mongolia battlefield, including Zhukov's Far East Air Force, and one-third of its forces must also be deployed to support Comrade Jonasov. All air forces must be deployed today. Before six o'clock in the evening, the formation was completed and it was reported directly to the Air Force General Headquarters that we had to invest several times more troops than the independent division's aviation force in order to gain air supremacy."

"Thirdly, the garrison troops left by the Transcaucasus Military Region in the area around Lake Baikal, in addition to leaving the necessary garrison troops to guard the occupied areas and protect the logistics base, the main force will immediately go south to the Selenga River!"

Hearing these words, Marshal Petroshilov, the chief of the general staff, was shocked and raised his head in surprise, looking at Stalin. Although the plan he made hastily was refuted by Comrade Stalin, it was completely worthless and worthless. It doesn't mean that I agree to put a second-rate division composed of logistics and supply troops into the plan to rescue Kurykin's troops. In the same sentence, there are less than 2 people, which is useless and can't solve any problems.

Stalin glanced at him, and continued to speak slowly: "This army is not going to rescue Kulygin's surrounded troops, but to build a large number of pontoon bridges on the river after reaching the Selenge River, so as to facilitate the retreat of foreign troops. The troops of the Caucasus Military Region crossed the Selenga River at the fastest speed and got rid of the situation of being closely pursued by the troops of the independent division."

Marshal Petroshilov breathed a long sigh of relief, and looked at Stalin with admiration. With such a deployment, he never thought that the leader is not only an outstanding politician, but also an outstanding military strategist. All Tang Qiuli's conspiracies, but also come up with the best solution, I admire!

Of course, Stalin, who was immersed in his own plan, did not notice the almost superstitious gaze of the chief of staff, Marshal Petroshilov, and then said: "Fourth, order the reinforcements of the Far Eastern Front to immediately abandon the border along the border." The original plan of marching to the Selenge River is to transfer to the eastern region of Outer Mongolia. This point must be emphasized in the order. Do not rush to the area from Hagengaole to Baiyinchagan. The target of the reinforcements should take a shortcut and directly attack To Cullen!"

Marshal Petroshilov's eyes sparkled with surprise. After all, he is a military veteran. He has already grasped Comrade Stalin's intentions. Tang Qiuli's main force is concentrated in the area from Hagengaul to Baiyinchagan. If you encircle Kurygin's troops on the battlefield, then Kulun will definitely be empty of troops, and Kulun will be attacked. In order to keep the rear base, Tang Qiuli had to mobilize troops to help back, and the siege of the troops in the Transcaucasus Military Region will be easily solved. This is the leader's version "Surround Wei and save Zhao!"

"Brilliant! Extremely brilliant!" Marshal Petroshilov admired inwardly, almost jumped up excitedly and shouted loudly. When the crowd was still digesting the leader's words, he stood up first and applauded warmly. Applause flooded the office.

Stalin stopped in his tracks, waved his hands dissatisfied, and cheap applause did not arouse his interest at all. Originally, this kind of thing should be considered and planned by the General Staff, but. . . . . . !

Stalin shook his head speechlessly, and continued: "In order to unify the command of the Outer Mongolia Campaign, it was decided to set up the High Command. Members, the main comrades in charge of the General Staff, and Comrade Molotov, the task of the High Command is to focus on as soon as possible To solve the Outer Mongolia issue, after the meeting ended, Petroshilov notified Kurykin of our rescue plan to increase his determination to stand firm and wait for help. As long as he sticks to it until [-] o'clock tomorrow morning, our fleet will Will appear!"

"The meeting is adjourned, and comrades are responsible for their own duties!" After speaking, Stalin walked out of the office without looking back.

(to be continued) (to be continued..)