As soon as the telegram here was sent, Sokov received the telegram from Ponedelin and couldn't help but fell into deep thought.
Seeing Sokov's expression, Trofimenko couldn't help but asked curiously: "Comrade Commander, what happened?"
Sokov handed the telegram he had read to Trofimenko: "Take a look, Comrade Deputy Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Ponedelin provided a very important piece of information. I am considering whether I should report it to Trofimenko."
Report from superior."
Trofimenko, full of doubts, took the telegram from Sokov. After reading the contents clearly, he couldn't help being shocked: "What? The Romanians contacted Lieutenant Colonel Ponedelin and planned to announce
How is this possible considering Bucharest as an undefended city?"
"Yeah, I think it's impossible." Sokov expressed his doubts without hesitation: "If we have more troops entering Romania, or even approaching Bucharest, the Romanians will make their capital
Setting it as an undefended city is understandable. But now that our troops are still one or two thousand kilometers away from their capital, it would be a bit unbelievable to propose such a plan at this time."
Sameko on the side also interjected: "Comrade Commander, I have read this telegram, and I think it is a conspiracy. Even if the Romanians do not intend to fight us, our army has just entered Romania, and it is still
Without launching a larger-scale military operation, they hastily proposed to make Bucharest an undefended city, which is problematic no matter how you look at it."
Just when the three people agreed that this was definitely a conspiracy created by the Romanians after getting hints from the Germans, Smirnov said: "Comrade Commander, I think this matter should be considered from another angle.
Maybe the Romanians did this not as a conspiracy, but as a signal to us that they intended to break away from German control and join our camp."
"Oh, do they want to express this?" Trofimenko said in a skeptical tone: "If they really want to escape from the control of the Germans, they can send special envoys to contact us privately. Now such an inexplicable announcement
Their intentions in building an undefended city are questionable."
He turned his attention to Sokov and asked: "Comrade Commander, what do you think of this matter?"
Sokov naturally knew that Romania finally broke away from German control, joined the Soviet camp, and participated in the battle to defeat Germany and liberate Europe. But at this time, the other party suddenly came out like this, which made him feel at a loss.
After thinking about it for a long time, he finally said: "Comrade commanders, don't forget that we are soldiers. Soldiers are responsible for marching, fighting, and protecting the country. Headaches like this should be left to professionals.
Ask about it."
After saying that, he called the director of the communications corps and told the other party: "Comrade director, please help me get through to the front army headquarters. I have important matters and I need to report to Marshal Konev immediately."
It didn't take long for the director of the communications corps to get through the phone call from the front army headquarters. The person who answered the phone was originally an ordinary staff officer. He heard that Sokov had something important and needed to report it to Marshal Konev immediately.
Not daring to neglect, he immediately reported it to his superior and asked his superior to ask Marshal Konev if he wanted to answer the call.
If it were a call from someone else, and it was not something particularly important, Konev would not answer the call at all. But now the call was from Sokov, and he said it was something important, so Konev would not answer the phone.
Weird.
"I am Konev." Since there was something important, Konev did not waste precious time on small talk, but asked directly: "Comrade Sokov, what can I do for you?"
"Comrade Marshal, the situation is like this." Seeing Konev getting straight to the point, Sokov did not beat around the bush, but went straight to the point: "I just received a telegram from Lieutenant Colonel Ponejelin. He said that the Romanian side
Contact him and plan to turn Bucharest into an undefended city."
"What, what did you say?" This information was so important that Konev thought his ears had heard it wrong, and quickly ordered Sokov: "Say it again."
"Comrade Marshal," Sokov knew the importance of this matter, so he deliberately slowed down his speech speed when repeating it so that Konev could hear every word clearly: "The Romanian side sent Lieutenant Colonel Ponedelin to carry out the investigation.
Contact us and say we plan to turn the capital, Bucharest, into an undefended city.”
"Turn Bucharest into an undefended city?!" After Konev confirmed that he heard clearly this time, he also felt puzzled. He also specifically checked the location of the Ponejerin battle group and the distance between it and Bucharest.
Then he blurted out: "What the hell, our troops are one or two thousand kilometers away from Bucharest. How could the Romanians come up with such a plan? Isn't there some conspiracy?"
"Comrade Marshal, after I saw the telegram, my first reaction was the same as yours. I also thought it was a conspiracy." Sokov explained: "Don't talk about Chernivtsi, even if our troops come from north of Wingene
Entering Romania, it is thousands of kilometers away from their capital Bucharest. Moreover, our troops entering Romania have not taken large-scale military operations yet. How could they be so eager to build an undefended city? I think this
There must be something wrong with it.”
"Not only is there a problem, this is a big problem." Konev said: "I can't figure out what the Romanians' intentions are, so I am going to report the matter to the High Command immediately and let them figure it out.
what's going on."
After Konev ended the call with Sokov, he called directly to the Kremlin switchboard and asked the operator to transfer it to Boskrebyshev's office.
When the call came through and he heard Poskrebyshev's familiar voice coming from the receiver, Konev said directly: "Poskrebyshev, I'm calling you because I have something important to do.
Report to Comrade Stalin immediately. Excuse me, is he in the office at the moment?"
"Yes, Comrade Marshal." Poskrebyshev said politely to Konev: "If you have something urgent, I can transfer the call."
"Please transfer the call for me, Comrade Boskrebyshev, this is a very important thing."
Poskrebyshev pressed a button on the phone, and a moment later, Stalin's majestic voice came from the receiver: "What's the matter?"
"Hello, Comrade Stalin!" Poskrebyshev quickly stood up from his seat, standing at attention and said: "Konev is calling you. You are on the third line. Please ask if you can transfer in."
"Turn the call over." Stalin muttered, "I'd like to hear if he has anything important to talk to me about."
Soon, Poskrebyshev transferred the call. "Hello, Marshal Konev." Stalin greeted Konev on the other end of the phone politely: "You are in such a hurry to see me.
Did something important happen?"
"Yes, Comrade Stalin, something important has indeed happened." Konev said respectfully: "Otherwise I would not have the temerity to disturb you."
"Then let's talk about it." Stalin took out a cigarette from the cigarette case, crushed it with his fingers, filled the pipe with tobacco, struck a match and lit it, and continued: "I want to hear about this.
Whether it is really what you said is very important."
"Comrade Stalin," Konev said cautiously: "Sokov reported to me that the Ponejelin battle group that entered Romania received information from Romania that they planned to make the capital Bucharest undefended.
city. I think this news is very important, so I will report it to you as soon as possible."
"What, Romania is planning to treat Bucharest as an undefended city?!" Stalin was also stunned by this unexpected news. He held his pipe in a daze for a long time, and finally said: "Is this news reliable?"
"Comrade Stalin, this news was reported to me by Sokov. And he got this news from Ponedelin. I think it is not false."
"Konev, tell me, why did the Romanians suddenly think of changing Bucharest to an undefended city, and even took the initiative to contact Ponejelin?"
"I'm not sure, Comrade Stalin." If Konev was asked to charge into the battle, he would have no problem; but now this difficult question stumped him and he didn't know how to answer: "As for why the Romanians
The reason for notifying Ponejelin is that the battle group has entered Romania. If our army wants to take any major military action in Romania, the force that will carry out the task will be this Ponejelin battle group."
Stalin took a puff of his cigarette, and then asked slowly: "What is the rank of this Ponejelin?"
After hearing this, Konev hesitated for a moment, and then replied: "The rank of lieutenant colonel."
"Then how many troops does the battle group under his command have?"
"There are three divisions, namely the 41st Guards Division, the 98th Guards Division and the 254th Infantry Division." Konev hurriedly reported: "He himself also serves as the commander of the 41st Guards Division."
"Sounds like a good commander, but why does he only have the rank of lieutenant colonel now?"
This question stopped Konev. He didn't know how to answer Stalin's question for a while. If he told the truth, it might implicate Sokov. After all, letting a person under the surveillance of the Ministry of Internal Affairs hold such an important position, Soko
My husband took a huge risk.
"Konev," Stalin asked with some displeasure when Konev didn't speak for a long time, "Why don't you speak?"
"Comrade Stalin, Lieutenant Colonel Ponedelin had something happen to him before and was scrutinized by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, so no one dared to give him a higher military rank." Konev said tremblingly: "Sokov originally proposed
He was awarded the rank of colonel, but I considered his problems and reluctantly gave him the rank of lieutenant colonel."
"What happened to him?" Stalin asked.
"When the war broke out, he was the commander of the 12th Army of the Southwest Front and was captured in the Battle of Uman." Konev said: "Due to the enemy's deceptive propaganda, we misunderstood him, and the military court even conducted
A death sentence was issued in absentia. But Sokov's troops rescued him from an enemy prisoner-of-war camp during the battle to liberate Klemenkoug last year. Only then did we know that he had been staying in the prisoner-of-war camp.
, fought tenaciously against the German invaders and never gave in."
Konev's explanation gave Stalin a little impression of the matter: "Konev, I think about it. In addition to Ponedelin who once served as the commander of the 12th Army, is there anyone who has served as the commander of the 12th Army?
Muzichenko, commander of the 6th Army, and Kirillov, commander of the 13th Infantry Army?"
"Yes, that's right, it's the three of them."
"Except for Ponejelin, what positions do the other two hold?"
Konev answered carefully: "Muzichenko is now the commander of the 233rd Division of the 57th Army, and Kirillov is the commander of the 252nd Division of the 57th Army. Both of them have the rank of lieutenant colonel."
"Grant them the rank of colonel." Stalin said suddenly.
"What?" Konev couldn't believe his ears. He originally thought that Ponedelin, Muzichenko, and Kirillov would reach the rank of lieutenant colonel, which would be the ceiling of life, but he didn't expect Stalin to actually
They were directly promoted to the rank of colonel. He quickly thanked Stalin on their behalf: "Thank you, Comrade Stalin. I would like to express my gratitude to you on behalf of Muzichenko and Kirillov."
He suddenly remembered that Stalin seemed to have forgotten Ponedelin, and quickly reminded him cautiously: "What about Lieutenant Colonel Ponedelin? Will you also promote him to colonel?"
"Promote him to lieutenant general!" Stalin said in an unusually firm tone: "He and the new people I sent will be responsible for the next negotiations with Romania."
Konev was so shocked that his jaw almost hit the ground. He never dreamed that Stalin would suddenly promote Muzichenko and Kirillov to the same rank today. What was even more surprising was that he actually promoted Pony.
Jielin was promoted from colonel to lieutenant general. This span was too big.
The sudden promotion of Ponedelin and others certainly shocked Konev. But when he informed Sokov of the news, Sokov was also shocked. He even thought that his ears had heard it wrong.
After asking several times, I confirmed that I had not heard wrongly, but that Ponyjelin and others had been promoted in rank.
Of course, the person who has benefited the most is Ponijelin. When he was captured in the Battle of Uman, he was just a major general, but now he has been directly promoted to lieutenant general, three levels in a row. This promotion
The range is a bit large.
After some thought, Sokov thought that it would be more appropriate not to send a telegram but to directly call the other party to inform him of the good news. So he asked the director of the communications corps to call the battle group.
He was going to tell Ponyjelin the good news personally.
After the call was connected, Sokov took the microphone from the hands of the director of the communications corps, put it to his ear, and asked nervously: "Is it Ponedelin?"
"Yes, it's me, Comrade Commander." Ponejelin thought that Sokov called him to ask about the undefended Bucharest, so he quickly explained: "The information I provided is all true, Romanians
They sent a representative to see me and specifically raised the issue of leaving the city undefended. I felt that this matter was of great importance, so I reported it to the headquarters via telegram as soon as possible."