Steel Soviet Union

In the following narrative, what Zhukov told Stalin was nothing more than what Malashenko had done.

Including how Malashenko came up with the idea of ​​bypassing the national small arms design competition and privately building guns for direct battlefield testing, and then how he put this idea into practice and found Kogin, who was capable and had military industrial power. The strange process of making small arms in a tank factory.

The main thing is that Malashenko really succeeded in convincing Kogin to help him. This is the focus of the narrative.

Zhukov even noticed that Stalin was obviously very serious when listening to this narrative, and there was even a look of expectation in his eyes, which was really unexpected.

There are not many highlights in the subsequent narrative, which is basically the actual combat situation of various weapons and the feedback and evaluation of the soldiers.

But all in all, it can be boiled down to one thing: this is a super good gun that almost all fighters who have used it can't stop praising it. As Malashenko said earlier, it can change the history of human development of small arms. This is a landmark weapon that can truly bring about changes in small arms.

Zhukov, who was asked by Stalin to describe the entire process in detail, talked without stopping for four or five minutes before he managed to finish the whole process. At the same time, Stalin also attached his own handwritten actual battlefield investigation report to explain the situation in more detail. Stalin, who was attentive, faced all this and listened with great interest.

"Well, as you said, this is indeed a rifle born in an unconventional way. Its name is an assault rifle? Right?"

Judging from the current situation, even Zhukov has no way of judging Stalin's attitude towards this matter. It is completely impossible to know whether he is happy or angry. It has not been easy to figure out the holy will since ancient times. If it were so easy to do it accurately, there wouldn't be so many people losing their heads because of it.

Zhukov, who was not even as good as Kotin in this aspect, could only talk about it realistically and observe the changes in Stalin's expression and demeanor little by little. There was no other way.

"Yes, Comrade Stalin. The name was given to it by Malashenko and Kalashnikov. The implication is that it can launch a fierce assault on the enemy like a storm, combining rifles, submachine guns, and machine guns. The combination of the three advantages can easily take away the enemy's lives, destroy their will to fight, and advance all the way until the final victory is won."

Zhukov recounted what Malashenko had told him in full and told it to Stalin.

After hearing such an answer, Comrade Stalin, the loving father, nodded again. The mouth hidden under the beard seemed to be smiling, but it was fleeting and not obvious. This important detail was revealed by Zhukov. See it in your eyes and remember it in your heart.

"How many people currently know about the existence of this new rifle?"

Zhukov thought for a moment and quickly gave Stalin an answer.

"As far as I know there are not many. You and I, plus the commander of the First Ukrainian Front Vatutin. The rest are the soldiers who have used it on the front line, as well as the instigators Malashenko and Kalash Nikov, and Comrade Kotin who helped him accomplish this."

"Well, what does the enemy know about this new rifle? Has it ever been captured?"

""

The questions became more and more difficult, and Zhukov needed to think carefully before he could give the most stable answer.

"There is a high probability that the enemy is not aware of our new rifles. This is almost certain."

"In the battle with the Germans, this new rifle only participated in two fierce and short battles in Cherkasy. The enemies that fought against it did not escape in organized form, and the results of the battle were all with the Red Army Victory is the end, and all enemies are either destroyed or captured."

"There may be a small number of deserters who have escaped, but according to Malashenko's report, all 763 new assault rifles put into battle have not been lost, and each gun has been recorded and individually numbered. So even if there are It is impossible for the enemy's deserters to take away our new assault rifles. At most, the information is just verbal descriptions without any physical proof."

"It can be inferred from this that the enemy, in the best case scenario, can only have a partial understanding of our new rifles, and probably knows that there is a new gun with unknown conditions being put into battle. I think there are more situations that the enemy cannot grasp. Clearly, there is no evidence to support or prove this, that is what I am sure of, Comrade Stalin.”

Zhukov, who was born in the General Staff Department of the Red Army and once served as the Chief of the General Staff of the Red Army, has rigorous and meticulous logical thinking, and can translate it into language to express it completely without leaving any mistakes.

Such an answer obviously satisfied Comrade Stalin, the loving father who was the highest authority in power.

"Any new weapon must have the suddenness when it is put into battle. The stronger and more violent this suddenness is, the greater the tactical advantage it can achieve and the more substantial impact it will have on the enemy. Strong, this is the unique and greatest value that new weapons can exert. "

As the supreme leader of the Soviet Union, he was a commander who had led troops and commanded battles on the battlefield.

Stalin has his own unique insights into new weapons. Even a new assault rifle will have its special value. The more inconspicuous changes in basic weapons can often have greater effects.

"I want to hear your thoughts, Zhukov. You came to me specifically for this matter. What answer do you hope to get from me?"

Once again, Stalin transferred the right to speak to Zhukov.

It was true that this was a hot potato that was difficult to answer, but after gritting his teeth, Zhukov still firmed up his thoughts and went ahead as usual without flinching.

"My thoughts are the same as those of the front-line soldiers, Comrade Stalin. I hope that this new assault rifle can be approved, mass-produced as quickly as possible, and installed on a large scale in front-line troops to strengthen our combat capabilities."

"Although this is not a weapon born through conventional means, actual combat has proven its efficiency and power. Now is the wartime background. In wartime situations, we must follow the actual requirements of the war and deal with some special things. System It is people who formulate it, not the system that formulates how people must behave. These are two completely different concepts from the constraints and requirements under the institutional framework. "

He first explained the final result that he hoped would happen, and then added the reasons why he had such hope.

Zhukov believed that he had done everything he could and said everything he needed to say.

As for the rest, we can only wait for the final moment when Comrade Stalin makes the final decision.

Fortunately, Zhukov did not wait too long for this moment to arrive. Stalin, who was still holding the rifle and looking at it carefully, gave the answer not long after.

"I have always firmly believed that there is one thing we must be firm and aware of in war, no matter when or under what circumstances."

"As long as it is a weapon that can scare the enemy and allow us to win this war faster, lead to victory, and usher in peace, we will definitely use it!"