"Comrade Stalin!" Boskrebyshev straightened his back and replied respectfully: "General Vatutin called from Kiev and said that he had something important to report to you. I want to ask, can you answer the phone?
Come in?"
"Did he say anything?"
"No." Poskrebyshev shook his head and said, "He only said it was a very important thing."
Stalin took the pipe out of his mouth, knocked it lightly on the ashtray twice, and then said: "Put the phone in." Although Stalin was dissatisfied with Vatutin for his poor command due to the Battle of Zhitomyr,
He even ordered Rokossovsky to take over his command. But after such a long time, the anger in his heart had long been extinguished, otherwise Rokossovsky would not have been allowed to return the command of the troops next week.
"Put the phone in." Stalin took out a cigarette from the cigarette case, crushed it with his fingers, and stuffed the tobacco into the pipe. "I want to hear what important matter he has."
Poskrebyshev, who was standing at the door, breathed a sigh of relief. He was still worried that Stalin would not agree to answer Vatutin's call, and he didn't know how to explain it to the other party.
Soon, Vatutin got on the phone with Stalin: "Hello, Comrade Stalin, I am Vatutin. How are you doing?"
"I'm fine!" Stalin asked coldly: "Tell me, why are you so anxious to find me? Why is it so important?"
"Comrade Stalin," Vatutin heard Stalin's cold tone, so he wisely did not mention Sokov's matter immediately, but asked tentatively: "I heard a piece of news. It is said that I will be able to recover by next Monday.
Regarding the command of the 1st Ukrainian Front, I would like to ask, is this true?"
"This is an order I personally issued. I should formally inform you tomorrow at the latest." Stalin said displeasedly: "Is this why you called me in the middle of the night?"
"This is just one of the things." Vatutin heard the signs that Stalin was getting angry, and quickly spoke faster: "In addition, I also heard that when General Rokossovsky left, he planned to take Sokov to
to the Belorussian Front and appointed him commander of one of the armies."
Vatutin said with full of grievance: "Comrade Stalin, you also know that before Sokov was injured, he was the commander of the 27th Army. Even if he wanted to return to the army, he would definitely give priority to returning to the original unit. How could he go to other units?
Where are the front troops?"
"Misha is going to Rokossovsky's army?" Stalin couldn't help being stunned when he heard the news, and then asked: "Who did you hear about this?"
Vatutin became hesitant. If he told the truth, he would be betraying the staff officer who tipped him off. But since Stalin asked about it, he couldn't help but tell the truth.
Seeing that Vatugin didn't speak for a long time, Stalin became a little impatient: "Vatugin, are you still there?"
"Yes, Comrade Stalin!"
"Then why didn't you say anything?" Stalin asked in a serious tone: "Who told you that Rokossovsky was going to take Misha to the Belarusian Front?"
Vatutin glanced at the staff officer standing next to him and thought that if he didn't tell the truth, Stalin would definitely be furious. He could only bite the bullet and said: "Comrade Stalin, although I have been temporarily relieved of my duties during this period, if
If anything happens, the staff of the staff department will still report it to me specifically."
"Oh, that's it." After hearing Vatutin's explanation, Stalin was not angry. On the contrary, he felt that Vatutin was very popular. Even after he was dismissed from his post, some staff members from the headquarters still took the initiative to contact him.
Tell the news.
Vatutin heard that Stalin was not angry, so he continued: "Comrade Stalin, I strongly recommend that General Sokov be returned to my First Ukrainian Front."
"Vatutin, you must be mentally prepared. Even if Sokov does not join the Belarusian Front, I am afraid he will not return to your Ukrainian team to serve as the commander of the 27th Army."
Stalin's words confused Vatutin. He asked puzzledly: "Comrade Stalin, why is this?"
"This afternoon, I received a call from Konev." Stalin replied: "He said that Misha was his unit before the battle in Kursk. If he recovered from his injuries, he should return to his unit as soon as possible and give Misha
Shah arranged for a group army commander's position."
Hearing that besides Rokossovsky, there were others competing with him for Sokov, Vatutin suddenly became anxious: "Comrade Stalin, I think it is most appropriate to let Sokov return to us. After all, he is injured."
The 27th Group Army that he formerly commanded is now within the organizational structure of our front army."
"Do you think Mischa can continue to serve as the commander of the 27th Army after returning to the army?" Stalin asked with a sneer: "Then how do you plan to place the current commander, General Trofimenko?"
Vatutin was asked. Although Trofimenko's commanding ability was far inferior to Sokov's, in any case, he had commanded the 27th Group Army for more than two months, so he rashly revoked his command.
Is the position a bit inappropriate?
Seeing that Vatutin was silent, Stalin continued: "It is completely impossible for Rokossovsky to take Misha to the Belarusian Front. Because Misha's injury has not recovered yet and he is in a wheelchair every day.
Go to the Frunze Military Academy to attend classes. Think about it, how can he go to the front line to command operations like this?"
Vatutin really didn't know that Sokov was still injured. Hearing the news, he couldn't help but be stunned: "What, his injury is still not healed?"
"Yes, I told Yakov yesterday that if it is convenient, let Misha come to the Kremlin to see me." Stalin said: "Unexpectedly, Yakov told me that Misha's injury has not recovered yet.
Even when I went to the Frunze Military Academy to attend classes, I had to sit in a wheelchair."
Since Sokov's injury has not yet recovered, it shows that he will not be poached by other front army leaders in the near future. The stone hanging in Vatutin's heart finally fell to the ground. He asked cautiously: "Comrade Stalin, I want to go back tomorrow
Can I take a trip to Moscow?"
"Go back to Moscow tomorrow?" Stalin frowned and asked, "What are you doing back?"
"I feel it is necessary to visit Sokov." Vatutin did not hide his true intention in front of Stalin: "I will see if I can convince him and return to my unit after the injury recovers."
.”
"You can give this a try." Considering the Battle of Zhitomyr, Stalin had already seen that many senior commanders' command abilities were too weak. If Sokov went to the First Ukrainian Front, it would be easier to find a suitable position.
However, he did not explicitly express support for Vatutin, but said vaguely: "After you get to the hospital, you can tell Misha what you mean and see what he thinks."
After thanking Stalin profusely, Vatutin put down the phone in his hand, and then ordered his adjutant: "Adjutant, you should contact the airport immediately. I will take a flight back to Moscow tomorrow morning and let them prepare for the take-off in advance.
Prepare."
Early the next morning, Vatutin took his adjutant and flew to Moscow on a plane that had been prepared. Since the sky from Kiev to Moscow was now controlled by the Soviet Air Force, he did not allow fighter aircraft to escort him.
.
When the plane took off, the adjutant asked Vatutin worriedly: "Comrade Commander, it takes almost two hours to fly from Kiev to Moscow. Do you really not need fighter escort?"
"No need." Vatutin said carelessly: "Comrade Adjutant, don't you know that from the sky on the left bank of the Dnieper River, our military's fighter planes control the air?"
Seeing that Vatutin was so confident, the adjutant could not say anything more. He just stared out the window tightly, fearing that an enemy plane would appear from somewhere. You must know that there was no armed transport plane and no fighter escort.
, if it encounters a German fighter jet, it will be a lamb to be slaughtered.
Fortunately, such a thing did not happen. When the plane arrived over Moscow, the adjutant finally relaxed a little. Looking at the runway appearing in the distance, the adjutant smiled with relief.
The plane landed on the runway. As soon as it stabilized, two black cars drove over from the runway and drove directly to the plane and stopped.
When Vatutin got off the plane, he saw several soldiers standing next to the black car. He was about to send his adjutant to ask them if they were here to pick him up.
Before the adjutant came forward to ask, a general walked over quickly. After raising his hand to salute Vatugin, he asked politely: "Comrade General, is your journey going well?"
Vatutin recognized the speaker as Lieutenant General Lunev, the former military commissar of the 27th Army. He quickly reached out to shake hands with the other person and asked in surprise: "General Lunev, why are you here?"
Luniev replied with a smile: "I received the order from my superiors and came here to pick you up."
"An order from a superior?" Vatutin asked tentatively: "Is it an order from Beria himself?"
Regarding Vatutin's question, Lunev did not answer, but smiled faintly, indicating that the other party guessed correctly.
"General Lunev, where are you going to send us?"
"Comrade General." Lunev raised his eyebrows slightly, showing a look of surprise: "Aren't you going to visit General Sokov in the hospital? I was ordered to send you there."
Vatutin had been thinking about how to go to the hospital. After all, the place where Sokov was hospitalized was the most heavily guarded hospital. Even if he was the commander of the front army, it would be very difficult to enter the hospital without documents.
Things. Now the appearance of Lunev has helped him solve a big problem.
"Thank you so much." Vatutin said gratefully: "General Lunev, you have done me a big favor."
"It's just a little effort." Lunev said humbly: "I just want to go to the hospital to visit General Sokov, so I will take you there along the way."
On the way, Vatutin specifically asked about Sokov's injury: "General Lunev, I wonder how Sokov's injury is? When will he be fully recovered and discharged from the hospital?"
"It's hard to say." Lunev shook his head and said, "If he wants to recover, I think it will take two months at the earliest. And after he is discharged from the hospital, he will not go to the front line immediately. After all, he
The training at the Frunze Military Academy is not over yet."
"It's better to study for a while." Vatutin learned that Sokov would stay in the military academy for a long time, and he couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. Now he is fighting a war with the German army, and Sokov is such a shrewd and capable commander.
A hot commodity. If he can systematically study military theory in the military academy and return to the army in the future, he can entrust him with important tasks: "After all, it only took more than a year for him to go from corporal to general, so he lacks a commanding officer."
The experience and theory of corps operations. Now in the military academy, you can just use this time to enrich yourself."
When the two cars stopped at the entrance of the hospital, Lunev saw at a glance that the car he sent to Sokov was parked in a shed covered with camouflage nets, and he couldn't help but feel curious.
When Lieutenant Koshkin, who was sitting in the car, saw Lunev arriving in person, he quickly got out of the car, jogged up to Lunev, raised his hand and saluted him.
"What's going on?" Lunev raised his hand and looked at his watch, scolded Koshkin and said: "Lieutenant Koshkin, what's going on? It's already half past ten, why don't you go to the military academy?
You don’t know, the college starts classes at eight-thirty, and you’re already two hours late.”
"Comrade General, you really can't blame me for this." Koshkin explained aggrievedly: "Originally, I set the car on fire, but before the car drove out, a sentry came over and called me, saying that there was
My emergency number. I went to answer the phone and found out that someone came to visit General Sokov today and we didn’t have to go to school.”
"So that's what happened." Lunev nodded, and then asked: "Is General Sokov in the ward now?"
"Yes, Comrade General." Koshkin replied respectfully: "He is in the ward, waiting for the people who are going to visit him."
"Comrade General." After figuring out what was going on, Lunev returned to Vatutin and said to him with a smile: "General Sokov is in his ward, we can go in now."
The sentry on duty at the door saw clearly that the person coming was Lunev, and beside him was actually a general. He let Lunev, Vatutin and others in without even asking.
"Comrade Sokov," Vatutin greeted Sokov who was lying on the bed as soon as he entered the ward: "I am Vatutin. I came here specifically to visit you today. How are you? How is your physical condition?
?”
"The recovery is going well." Sokov replied: "But I'm afraid it will take a long time to recover."
After a pause, Sokov asked: "Comrade General, I heard that there is a fierce fighting near Kiev. How can you have time to come to my place?"
Hearing Sokov's question, Vatutin couldn't help but blush: "Now it's General Rokossovsky who is commanding the troops for me, and I have no official position. I went back to Moscow to report on my work this time, and I thought of you being hospitalized here.
, I came here specifically to visit you."
Although Sokov had known Vatutin’s purpose for a long time, he still deliberately made a surprised expression when he heard what he said: “Comrade General, thank you so much for taking the time to come when you are so busy at work.
I was so touched by visiting me.”
Vatutin laughed twice, and then asked: "Comrade Sokov, I wonder how long you have to wait before you can recover and be discharged from the hospital?"
"It's hard to say." Sokov shook his head and said, "I follow the military doctor's instructions. I rest when he tells me to rest, and when he tells me to go for a walk, I just follow his instructions."