Age of Rebirth

General Zhukov, the commander of the Soviet Far East Front Army, stayed up for several nights in order to get the troops out of the battlefield as soon as possible, and carefully formulated the evacuation plan. The measures, the beginning of the plan, went relatively smoothly. The first three group armies of the first echelon to evacuate had already withdrawn from the battlefield without any interference.

General Zhukov, who had just breathed a sigh of relief, forced himself to eat breakfast unwillingly for the sake of his health. A sudden phone call made his heart, which had just relaxed, tense to the point of exploding.

The No.14 Army on the left wing of the frontal position was suddenly hit by a strong counterattack by the Japanese Kwantung Army. The troops dispatched in surprise exceeded the strength of the army. Zhukov immediately realized that this was not a good omen. The No.14 Army's position , The location is relatively remote, and it has never been the main battlefield for fighting the Japanese army. At this moment, a strong Japanese army emerged. What do the Japanese want to do?

Could it be that he wanted to take advantage of the opportunity of his own troops to withdraw to make a breakthrough from the weak position of the Far East Front Army?And then delay the withdrawal of the front army?

Zhukov was not afraid of the sudden appearance of the Japanese troops. What he was worried about was the latter situation. With sweat on his forehead, he walked to the telephone in a few steps and just picked up the phone, "Dinglingling!—Dinglingling! "In the tent of the Front Army Command, the ringing of the phone one after another, like thunder, echoed in Zhukov's ears.

All the staff members in the tent answered the phone in a hurry, "Comrade Commander, the No.13 Army Group reported that a large number of Kwantung Army troops appeared in their frontal position. They are launching a crazy attack!" "Comrade Commander, received No. .19 According to the report from the Group Army Headquarters, when the troops were preparing to evacuate their positions, the Kwantung Army troops on the opposite side suddenly rushed out and launched an attack across the board!"

"Comrade Commander, after receiving a report from the No.16 Army Group, our department was about to evacuate, but was suddenly hit by a large-scale counterattack by the Kwantung Army, and is now fighting with the Japanese army. It is temporarily impossible to evacuate according to the plan formulated by the Front Army!" "Comrade Commander , The Third Group Army, which was responsible for the covering task, reported that the position was attacked by the superior Japanese army in an all-round way, and many places have been lost!" "Comrade Commander...!"

The same content was almost repeated in all the calls that the staff officers answered.Suddenly met with a large-scale counterattack by the Japanese army, shouting "Comrade Commander"!the sound of.in the tent.Mixed into a hustle and bustle with panic.

With a "click", the phone in General Zhukov's hand fell weakly on the table made of cannonball boxes, "Conspiracy! - a huge conspiracy of the Japanese, which has been launched since the Kwantung Army troops began their partial counterattack. Conspiracy! The object of the conspiracy is more than one million troops of my Far East Front Army!" General Zhukov instantly understood that he had fallen into a huge conspiracy of the Japanese!

Using the Kwantung Army, which did not hesitate to consume more than half of it, as a bait, it firmly attracted my attention, and the situation on the battlefield changed fundamentally.When the Far East Front Army showed signs of withdrawing from the battlefield, the Kwantung Army launched a partial counterattack with a broken army. The purpose was to entangle the Far East Front Army and delay the retreat. Outside the battlefield, there is a bigger layout!

The uneasiness I felt stemmed from this, "This Japanese commander is a forbearing and cunning opponent!" Zhukov muttered. With the sound of rumbling artillery, the Kwantung Army has entered into full-scale battle with the troops of the Far East Front Army!

Zhukov forced himself to calm down, mobilized all his troops, and carried out a counterattack. With the current strength and combat effectiveness of the Kwantung Army, it is believed that they will be completely repelled in no more than a day, and in another week or so, the Kwantung Army will be completely defeated. Buried in the Far East battlefield, but, in this way, wouldn't it be in the hands of the Japanese, the Far East Front Army will not be able to get out of the Far East battlefield, and will be entangled by the Japanese army here.

And the larger layout, Zhukov can be sure that outside the Far East battlefield, there must be a large number of Japanese troops encircling the Far East Front Army, "Order the No.13 Army of the second echelon and the No.16 Army Group army, stop the evacuation, immediately assist the cover troops, and start counterattacking the Kwantung Army's attack! Zhukov ordered a staff officer.

At the same time as the order was issued, Zhukov's heart ached sharply, and he invested two more army units. The Far East Front Army had already invested about half of its troops. Deploy to the left wing for defensive deployment. The No.15 Army is in its current position and deploy to the right flank for defensive deployment. The No.18 First Army immediately joins the Outer Xing'an Mountain Front Army in the direction of Chita at the fastest speed!" Order after order was issued continuously from Zhukov's mouth.

Since the Japanese designed a huge encirclement, the two armies spread out on the left and right wings and made a defensive layout. It is absolutely necessary for a group army to get in touch with the Outer Xing'anling Front Army and establish a communication channel. It is said that a corridor will be built for the evacuation of other troops of the Far East Front Army, so that the Far East Front Army troops will not be caught in the encirclement of the Japanese army!

In a hurry, he was busy but not chaotic, and made the deployment that was most beneficial to his own side. Zhukov can be said to be an outstanding general among the Soviet generals. , but such a deployment will undoubtedly enable the Far East Front Army to get rid of the fate of being encircled to the maximum extent. If the contact channel is communicated with the Outer Xing'anling Front Army, Zhukov believes that even if the Japanese army has an encirclement circle, they will have no appetite. A front army unit.

A burst of exhaustive deployment, a series of tense and hasty orders, almost exhausted Zhukov's efforts. He sat back on the canvas chair weakly, staring blankly at the sky that was already dawning, and there were clouds of dark clouds. The direction of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk was churning rapidly, almost before the sun showed warmth, the eastern sky was covered by dark clouds, and the cold wind at dawn became more and more biting, blowing through the tent, the temperature inside the tent, and the wild field There is no difference!

Zhukov fought a cold war. From the depths of his heart, there was a chill that almost froze his thinking. He was struggling and hesitating in his heart. The way to get the Far Eastern Front Army out of the current crisis is very simple. It is a matter of an order. , in the name of the commander-in-chief of the Soviet Army in the eastern region, ordered the Baikal Front Army and the Waxinganling Front Army to immediately turn around and return to aid. It's only a deterrent!

However, he could not and did not dare to do so. Once the order was issued, relying on his personal relationship with General Kilganin, the commander and political commissar of the Outer Xing'an Mountains Front Army, and General Gregarif, the commander and political commissar of the Baikal Front Army, Both armies would turn back to rescue at any cost, and Zhukov firmly believed in this.

But how to explain it to Comrade Stalin, no! ——It’s not an explanation, but an explanation. If I ordered the Outer Xing’an Mountains Front Army and the Baikal Lake Front Army to turn back to rescue the Far East Front Army, wouldn’t the state of the battlefield go in a funny circle and return to the starting point?

He worked hard to formulate a series of plans so that the three front armies in the Far East would not continue to be trapped in the Far East battlefield. The situation in the European battlefield was precarious. The German army had already formed a situation of approaching the city of Moscow. The Soviet troops in Europe could not withstand the German army. Fierce offensive, Comrade Stalin is waiting for the elite troops in the East, go back and save lives?

A serious question is before Zhukov, which is more important than the Far Eastern Front, Moscow, and the European territories of the Soviet Union?In other words, how does Comrade Stalin choose?Zhukov's silent wry smile dispelled the report to Comrade Stalin that the Far East Front Army was about to fall into the encirclement of the Japanese army. After all, that was just his own speculation and judgment. Part of the Japanese army.

If it was just that I was too nervous and misjudged the enemy's situation, wouldn't it be a big joke, delaying the time for the three front army troops in the Eastern region to return to the European battlefield? With the Lake Baikal Front Army, the idea of ​​returning to the Far East Front Army, and the plan to report the current situation in the Far East to the General Staff, I hope the situation on the battlefield is not so bad?

"Wait and see, will the reconnaissance team confirm their judgment?" Zhukov comforted himself in his heart, perhaps, there was still a little luck in his heart, "I hope my judgment is wrong! —— I hope it is wrong of!"

After making the decision, Zhukov's chaotic mood seemed to calm down a lot, but the instinctive uneasiness deep in his heart became more and more intense. At around nine o'clock in the morning on May 60st, the two army groups After the Soviet army pushed up across the board, together with the previous three group armies, more than [-] troops, they built a thick line of defense on the battlefield and stabilized the battle. The Kwantung Army's offensive went smoothly from the beginning to the end. Now the edge is frustrated.

"Your Excellency, Commander-in-Chief, the No.15 Division reports that on the front of their attack, the strength of the Soviet Army has suddenly increased, and our attack has been blocked. Now, we are in a stalemate with the Soviet Army!" A senior staff officer put down the phone, Report to General Nanjiro, Commander-in-Chief of the Kwantung Army.

"Your Excellency, Commander, I have received a report from the No. 20 Eighth Division that the division's troops that rushed into the Soviet position were suddenly counterattacked by the superior Soviet army. The troops suffered heavy casualties and were forced to retreat!" Another staff officer, also Follow up with the report.

General Nanjiro's slightly closed eyes suddenly opened, revealing a cold look like a hungry wolf smelling blood, "Is Zhukov finally willing to turn back?"

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