The problem of how to identify the correct direction in the smoke really stumped Sokov. He paced back and forth in the room with his hands behind his back, thinking about the solution in his mind. Whether it was Sidorin or Runev,
Everyone knew that Sokov was thinking about a problem, and no one bothered him. They just moved their eyes back and forth with him, waiting for him to come up with a good idea.
I don’t know which staff officer was smoking in the room, because he was sitting right next to the window. When the wind blew, the smoke drifted towards Sidorin’s position, causing Sidorin to choke and cough. “Who is smoking?
Ah, didn't you see that the commander is thinking about the problem?" Sidorin cursed impatiently: "Hurry up and put out your cigarette."
The staff officer who was smoking was startled. He did not expect that he was just smoking a cigarette as usual, and actually aroused the dissatisfaction of the chief of staff. He was so frightened that he threw the cigarette butt out of the window.
Sokov, who was pacing, heard Sidorin's voice and saw the staff officer smoking. Just when he was about to tell Sidorin not to take it out on the staff officer, he saw the cigarette butts flying out of the staff officer's hand.
, the cigarette butts with sparks rolled and disappeared out of the window. At this moment, an idea flashed in Sokov's mind, and he immediately thought of a good idea.
"Yes." He quickly walked back to the table and said to Sidorin and Lunev: "I thought of a good way to allow our commanders to find the correct attack position in the smoke without getting lost.
.”
While Sokov was pacing, Sidorin and Lunev were actually thinking about this problem as well. However, the two racked their brains and still could not come up with the best solution. At this moment, Sokov said that there is a solution.
The two of them couldn't help but their eyes lit up, and then they asked: "Tell me quickly, what is a good way?"
"New rocket launchers and rocket launchers." Sokov said: "We can use these two weapons to indicate the correct attack route for commanders and fighters in the smoke."
After listening to Sokov's words, the two looked at each other and shook their heads slowly, indicating that they did not understand. Sidorin said: "Comrade Commander, can you explain in more detail how we should use the rocket launcher?"
Or rocket launchers to indicate the correct direction of attack for our commanders and fighters in the smoke?"
Seeing that the two of them didn't understand what he meant, Sokov quickly took out a pen and paper, and while drawing a sketch, he explained to the two of them: "For example, we will arrange one every one or two hundred meters at the edge of the smoke zone.
The single-tube launch tube of the new rocket launcher used a compass to determine the correct position of the German position, and then began to fire rockets. The flame tail and heat of the rockets during flight can draw a channel in the smoke, and our commanders and fighters
You can rush towards the enemy's position along this passage."
"That's great, it's simply great." Lunev slapped the table hard, and then gave Sokov a thumbs up: "Misha, you are really a genius, you can think of such a good idea at once
It’s really amazing that it came out.”
"Actually, I was also inspired by the staff officer who was smoking just now." Sokov was not proud, but truthfully told the origin of his inspiration: "When he threw the cigarette butt out of the window, I saw the cigarette butt with sparks.
I rolled in the air and came up with this good idea."
After speaking, Sokov picked up the cigarette case on the table, came to the staff officer, and said enthusiastically: "Want one?"
"No, no." The staff officer said in a panic: "Thank you, Comrade Commander, I don't smoke."
"You're welcome, I saw you smoking by the window, and you were criticized by the chief of staff." Sokov once again stretched out the cigarette case in front of the other party and said: "Come on, smoke one! The chief of staff just had a bad attitude.
, I apologize to you on his behalf.”
"Comrade Staff Officer," Sidorin heard what Sokov said and said with a chuckle: "It was my bad attitude just now. I apologize to you. I'm sorry! Since it is Comrade Commander who invites you to smoke, you can take it."
That’s it, he doesn’t just invite people to smoke.”
Having said this, the staff officer did not dare to delay any longer and quickly took out a cigarette from the cigarette case in Sokov's hand. However, he did not light it, but clamped it directly to his ears and said with a smile.
: "Comrade Commander, I'll smoke it later."
Sokov returned to the table and said to Sidorin and Lunev: "What I just said is to place a rocket launcher at a distance of one or two hundred meters. Do you think this distance is too close or too far?
"
"I think it's a bit close." Sidorin said: "If too many rockets are fired in the same area, I'm afraid it will disperse a large area of smoke, which will give the Germans a clear view of our troops. So I think the separation distance is
Whether it’s close or far away, the separation distance should be kept at 300 to 400 meters.”
"Okay, then the distance from the rocket launcher tube will be set at 350 meters." Sokov said to Sidorin: "The approximate distance between the launch site and the German position must be measured in advance, so that
Accurate launch.”
As soon as they finished discussing business, Asya and Koshkin hurried in from outside.
Koshkin raised his hand and saluted Sokov: "Comrade Commander, I have escorted the military doctor Asiya back safely!"
"Thank you, Comrade Captain." Sokov nodded to Koshkin and said gratefully: "You must be tired from running back and forth. Go back and rest first."
After Koshkin left, Sokov poured a cup of hot tea for Asiya and said softly: "Asiya, I'm so sorry for keeping you running back and forth for so long."
"It's okay, Misha." Asiya took a sip of tea and said, "Yasha is our common friend. Knowing the news about his accident, even if you don't send me to visit, I will find a way to go there.
of."
"Tell me, how serious is Yasha's injury?" Sokov asked, "Is everything really okay?"
"Well," Asiya clicked, and then said: "I have read all the doctor's examination reports, and I can completely rule out the possibility of internal injuries. At best, I only suffered a slight concussion when I was shelled. Not much.
The problem is, it only takes two days to practice and it will be fine."
"What about General Chernyakhovsky?" Lunev asked: "How is his injury?"
"I accidentally broke into the operating room when I was looking for Yasha." Asiya said: "Judging from the situation in the operating room, there were no problems during the operation. Although I don't know about Chernyakhov.
How serious is General Ski's injury, but generally speaking, it should not be life-threatening."
Hearing Asya say these words with such certainty, Sokov began to wonder: In real history, Chernyakhovsky would have died of his injuries two days later, but he did not.
I thought that because of the appearance of my butterfly, many things had changed. Yakov, who was supposed to die in a German prisoner-of-war camp, is still alive and well. He even became a general and became the third Belarusian Front.
Deputy Chief of Staff. Since he happened to be beside Chernyakhovsky when he was being shelled, it may be because of his presence that history has deviated here. Maybe Chernyakhovsky can finally
Maybe he'll survive.
As soon as this idea came up, the more Sokov thought about it, the more likely it was that, among other things, Chief of Staff Sidorin, who was sitting opposite him at the moment, originally died on the bank of the Volga River in the early stages of the battle to defend Stalingrad.
, and are living well now. It seems that with his appearance, the fate of many people has changed. The history that he is familiar with may have more deflections in the coming days.
Runev looked at Sokov and asked: "Misha, what are you thinking about? Are you thinking about General Chernyakhovsky's injury?"
"Yes, Comrade Military Commissar, I am indeed considering this matter." Sokov nodded and said: "Once something happens to General Chernyakhovsky, then the Third Belarusian Front may lose its
Unified command has led to chaos in the original offensive plan. If they cannot successfully seize the East Prussia area in accordance with the instructions of the Supreme Command, I am afraid that our troops will have to turn around again and cooperate with their actions to liberate East Prussia."
"Yes, if this kind of thing really happens, it will bring a series of adverse consequences." Lunev stood up and said to Sokov: "I'll go out and make a phone call, and I'll be back soon."
Asia looked at Lunev's leaving figure and asked Sokov curiously: "Misha, where did Comrade Military Commissar go?"
"He may have gone to a nearby communications room and made a call to Moscow." Sokov explained to Asiya: "Some of his calls involve secrets, and we are not qualified to observe them, so we specially prepared them for him.
A telecommunications room so that he can make confidential phone calls at any time."
"Oh, that's it." Asiya nodded, and then said: "Misha, I'm still very busy at work. If you don't have anything to do, I'll go back first."
"Comrade Asiya, how could you just go back like this?" Unexpectedly, as soon as she finished speaking, Sidorin said with a smile: "You finally came to our place, how could you just go back like this?
Let’s have a meal before leaving.”
Faced with Sidorin's request to stay, Asiya hesitated for a moment, then nodded and said, "Okay, then I'll eat and leave. I just happened to be running for a long time, and I'm also hungry."
As soon as the cooks brought the food, Lunev came in from outside. Judging from the expression on his face, it seemed that he had received some unexpected information from Moscow.
After Luniev sat down, Sokov pushed a plate of salad in front of him and asked tentatively: "Comrade Military Commissar, have you heard any new news? If it does not involve confidentiality, can you tell me
us?"
"There is nothing confidential." Lunev said: "General Chernyakhovsky's operation has been completed. The operation was successful and he is fine. However, in his current condition, I am afraid that he will not be able to recover for a few months.
It’s time to command the troops again. Moscow will send a plane over by tomorrow night at the latest and take him to the best military hospital in the city for treatment.”
Sokov had expected that Chernyakhovsky would be sent to Moscow for treatment. The question he was concerned about was who would replace Chernyakhovsky after he left.
Will his position be replaced by Marshal Vasilevsky like in real history, or will there be someone new? With this question, he asked: "Comrade Military Commissar, I don't know who the superiors plan to send to replace him."
General Chernyakhovsky, commanding the Third Belarusian Front to continue fighting?"
"The Supreme Command just held an emergency meeting." Lunev said: "It was unanimously decided that Marshal Vasilevsky will succeed General Chernyakhovsky."
"Oh, it would be great to have Marshal Vasilevsky command the Third Belarusian Front." After Sidorin said this, he said to everyone: "Do you remember? The commander of the First Ukrainian Front last year
After General Vatutin was injured, Marshal Zhukov took over the command; now after General Chernyakhovsky was injured, Marshal Vasilevsky took over the command. What a coincidence, the two generals
Injured, the two marshals took over their command..."
"Chief of Staff, don't say such things." Sokov heard this and quickly interrupted Sidorin's words. "Last year, General Vatutin died due to postoperative infection. It was a huge loss for our army. We
I don’t want such a huge loss to happen again.”
Sidorin is also a smart man. When he heard what Sokov said, he immediately realized that he had made a mistake. Although everyone here was acquaintances, no one would take his words and say them everywhere, but in case someone in the room
If any of the staff or communications personnel overheard what he said and spread it disapprovingly while chatting with outsiders, he might cause unexpected trouble to himself.
"Comrade Commander is right." Sidorin quickly followed Sokov's meaning and continued: "Now we have the best anti-inflammatory drug - penicillin, which I believe can prevent postoperative infections. I
I believe it won’t be long before General Chernyakhovsky can return to his command post.”
After finishing lunch, Asiya stood up again and said to everyone: "It's getting late, I have to go back to the field hospital."
Sokov did not try to keep Asiya this time, but stood up and said to her: "Asiya, I will take you back."
The two walked out of the headquarters and walked along the street. Koshkin, who had received the news, followed with a dozen soldiers at a distance. This way, they would not disturb the chat between the two, but also allow them to watch.
When Sokov encountered danger, he stepped forward to rescue him in time.
"Misha," Asiya asked quietly, "how long do you think this battle will last?"
"What?" Sokov did not answer the other party's question immediately, but asked: "Are you tired of this war?"
"How could this be possible?" Asiya shook her head and said, "Every day I see so many wounded people being sent to field hospitals. Although most of them are saved, there are always a few who sacrifice themselves on the operating table or die. Postoperative infection. Although I am used to seeing life and death, it still makes me feel uncomfortable to see each living life disappear in front of me. I even worry that one day I may not be able to bear all this. And collapsed." As she said that, she raised her hands to wipe away her tears.
Sokov quickly took out a handkerchief to wipe her tears and comforted her, saying: "Asia, don't worry, judging from the current situation, this war will not last long. At most, we will be able to completely defeat the German invaders in half a year." .”