Sokov's 48th Army, as the vanguard of the Third Front, took the lead in advancing towards the west. The day after they set off, General Popov's 70th Army also began to take action, assuming the task of covering Sokov's flanks.
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Two days later, the 65th Army, which had cleared the German troops in the Crokow area, also advanced to the west. The 2nd Assault Army, which was supposed to advance alongside them according to the opportunity, had to wait until the 5th Guards Tank Army to take over its defense.
The departure time has been temporarily postponed.
The 19th Army, sent from the base camp to strengthen the Third Front, was originally intended to be the main force to attack Berlin. However, due to changes in the battlefield situation, they were left behind by Rokossovsky after the Battle of East Pomerania.
to the Danzig area, responsible for consolidating this occupied area and avoiding counterattacks launched by Army Group Vistula.
Rokossovsky was urgently summoned to Moscow to receive further offensive orders.
When he arrived at Stalin's office in the Kremlin, he discovered that not only was he in Moscow, but Zhukov and Konev were also here.
Seeing that the commanders of the three front armies had arrived, Stalin asked everyone to sit down, and then said to Chief of General Staff Antonov who was standing aside: "Comrade Chief of General Staff, please explain to the marshals their next task.
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Antonov nodded, walked to the wall, picked up the explanation stick, pointed at the map on the wall and said to the three people: "Three comrades, marshals, I will now introduce to you the combat order of the headquarters of the Supreme Command: Zhukov
Marshal Konev's 1st Belorussian Front carried out an assault in the general direction towards Berlin, while detouring the city from the north with part of its forces; Marshal Konev's 1st Ukrainian Front carried out a divided assault south of Berlin and detouring the city from the south.
Marshal Rokossovsky's Second Belarusian Front carried out a split assault from the north of Berlin, while ensuring that the First Belarusian Front was protected from possible enemy counterattacks from the north, and drove the enemies north of Berlin to the sea.
Annihilate them all."
After Stalin waited for Antonov to finish introducing the situation, he stood up, held his pipe and walked slowly around the room. At the same time, he asked: "Three marshal comrades, do you have any different opinions on the latest deployment of the base camp?"
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"Comrade Stalin." Zhukov stood up and asked: "When should we launch a full-scale attack on Berlin?"
"According to the plan, it should be April 16th." Stalin put the cigarette butt into his mouth, took a puff of smoke, blew out the smoke ring and asked, "Are you guys okay?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Rokossovsky stood up and said seriously: "Comrade Stalin, please forgive me, I feel that my troops cannot launch a new attack on the enemy's defense zone within the time specified in the base camp.
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Stalin was stunned after hearing this, and then asked displeasedly: "Why?"
"Comrade Stalin, you should know that our troops have just concluded the Battle of Eastern Pomerania. If we want to launch a fierce attack on Berlin, it will take some time to adjust the deployment of the troops." Rokossovsky explained to the other party.
: "Each troop needs to walk three hundred kilometers on average. Due to the very bad traffic conditions in East Pomerania, it is difficult for our troops to use vehicles such as cars and trains. They can only march on foot, which seriously affects
It will greatly affect the mobilization speed of our army."
Zhukov knew the situation of Rokossovsky's troops best. When he saw what the other party said, Stalin's face showed an angry look, and he hurriedly said: "Comrade Stalin, what Rokossovsky said
The situation is true. The 48th Group Army, which was the first to set out, took three days to complete the journey that was originally scheduled to take two days. Moreover, by the time the commanders and soldiers arrived at the designated area, they were already exhausted. Fortunately, they were just taking over.
The defense of our unit is not to fight the enemy, otherwise they may suffer heavy losses."
"The 48th Army?!" Stalin repeated the unit number and asked tentatively: "Is it the army commanded by Xiao Misha?"
"Yes, Comrade Stalin, it is the troops he commands." Zhukov explained: "His troops can be regarded as the most elite troops in our army, and they have been serving as reserves throughout the Eastern Pomerania campaign.
, they all stayed in the rear to recuperate their strength and did not participate in any battles. Just a three-day long march, the commanders and soldiers of the army were exhausted, and I can’t imagine whether other troops would be even worse."
Zhukov's narration made Stalin fall into deep thought. He knew very well that in the case of abnormal transportation, it would not be easy to deploy all the troops in place according to the plan. Thinking of this, he put down the cigarette butt.
He took it out from his mouth, then pointed at Rokossovsky with the fist holding the pipe, and said: "Comrade Rokossovsky, tell me, when do you think is the most appropriate time to launch an attack?"
Rokossovsky replied confidently: "Comrade Stalin, I think the troops will have to wait until early May at the earliest before they can be fully prepared for the offensive."
"No, this is absolutely not possible." As soon as Rokossovsky finished speaking, Stalin shook his head like a rattle: "If we have to wait until May, it will be a bit too late. By then, there will be enough time.
The Germans will strengthen their defense system and deploy more troops for defense, thereby increasing the casualties of our army during the attack. Another point is that the Allied forces are also advancing towards Berlin from another direction. We must not let
British and American troops entered Berlin ahead of us."
Before convening this military meeting, the three front commanders were thinking about whether they could be the first to enter Berlin before friendly forces. When they heard Stalin say this, they immediately realized that their thinking was too narrow.
Competing with him for the honor of being the first to enter Berlin are not only the friendly forces advancing towards Berlin with him, but also the allied forces attacking from another direction.
After thinking about this, Rokossovsky felt that it was obviously inappropriate to postpone the attack on Berlin until early May, so he humbly asked Stalin: "Comrade Stalin, I wonder where you think my troops should be?"
When will we launch an attack on Berlin?"
Stalin glanced at Zhukov and Konev, and then said: "Comrade Rokossovsky, I know the difficulties you are facing, but there is really not much time left for us. Even if you cannot fight with Zhukov and Konev,
My husband's troops will launch an attack at the same time, but the delay should not be too long. I think it will be postponed to April 20th. What do you think?"
Hearing that his attack time was only postponed for four days, Rokossovsky showed an embarrassed expression on his face. He was about to ask Stalin to give him a few more days, but when he thought of the Allied forces approaching Berlin from the west, he
It was entirely possible to enter Berlin ahead of him, so he changed his mind and nodded in agreement with Stalin's arrangement: "Okay, Comrade Stalin, since you have given the order, we will officially launch the attack on April 20."
"Marshal Rokossovsky," Antonov, who was standing nearby, interjected: "Actually, the attack time set by the base camp was also carefully considered. Now there are strange phenomena on the battlefield, and we are attacked by the Allies.
The German troops received an order from Mustache, allowing them to lay down their weapons and surrender to the Allies if conditions permitted. However, the German troops facing our side received exactly the opposite order.
We must fight resolutely to the last man, and no one is allowed to surrender to our army."
"Is it true?" Konev, who had never spoken, asked in surprise: "Comrade Chief of General Staff, is everything you said true?"
"That's right, Marshal Konev." Antonov nodded and answered Konev in a positive tone: "This is confirmed and reliable information."
"Everyone is aware of the current situation." Stalin continued: "The Allied forces are closer to Berlin than we are, and the Germans have also received orders not to resist. If we do not speed up the attack, then we will first enter
The troops in Berlin may be Allied forces, which we absolutely will not allow."
"A few months ago, we discovered that the Germans had sent emissaries to secretly contact the Allies." Antonov said: "This is an attempt by the Germans to negotiate a separate peace with the British and American troops, and then they can mobilize more troops from the Western Front.
We sent more troops to stop our advance towards Berlin. Since their conspiracy was discovered and stopped in time, the Germans lost the opportunity to negotiate a separate peace, so they racked their brains and used other methods to try to reverse the current situation against them.
Unfavorable situation.”
"I understand, Comrade Chief of General Staff." Rokossovsky, who originally thought that launching the attack on April 20 was a bit rushed, truly realized the seriousness of the problem and could only launch the final general attack on the enemy as soon as possible.
, in order to enter Berlin before the Allied forces. Therefore, he once again expressed his position: "My troops will follow the orders of the Supreme Command and launch the final general attack on the German army on April 20."
In order to ensure that the troops could launch an attack on the enemy on time within the specified time, Rokossovsky prepared to call Bogolyubov and inform him of the contents of the meeting before leaving the Kremlin.
Bogolyubov couldn't help being surprised after hearing this, and said quickly: "Comrade Marshal, most of our troops today are staying two or three hundred kilometers away from the designated area. Without sufficient transportation means, our commanders and soldiers can only take the method on foot."
By marching to a designated area, by the time they arrive at their destination, they are already exhausted and have no physical strength left to fight the enemy."
"Comrade Chief of Staff." Rokossovsky interrupted Bogolyubov's last words and said in a serious tone: "I am the commander of the front army. I know as well as you what the situation of the army is. The superior asked us to leave on 4
The decision to launch the attack on the 20th was made after considering the practical difficulties we faced. Since it is an order from a superior, we have no room for bargaining and can only execute it unconditionally. Do you understand?"
"Understood, Comrade Marshal." Bogolyubov heard that Rokossovsky was very angry and could only say helplessly: "I will immediately convey your order and ask all the troops to speed up their march and arrive at the designated location as soon as possible.
Assemble at the location and make all preparations for the attack."
After listening to Bogolyubov's reply, the expression on Rokossovsky's face softened. He was worried that the other party would not realize the seriousness of the problem, and specifically explained: "Comrade Chief of Staff, I want to remind you...
The thing is, the troops advancing towards Berlin now, in addition to me, Marshal Zhukov and Konev's troops, there are also large Allied troops to the west. Their current position is closer to Berlin than us. You can't
I want to give the honor of being the first to enter Berlin to the British and American troops."
"What, the Allied troops are also approaching Berlin?" Rokossovsky's words made Bogolyubov break into a cold sweat: "If they attack Berlin before our troops have completed their deployment,
They will definitely enter Berlin earlier than us, and it seems that I have to urge the troops to speed up their march to ensure that they can reach the designated location within the specified time and be ready for all battles."
"Have Misha's troops arrived at the designated place?" Rokossovsky asked.
"Here we are." Bogolyubov replied: "He called not long ago and said that General Belov's 61st Group Army has handed over its defense to him and his troops are gradually entering the designated combat positions."
"How is the situation in the area controlled by the 61st Group Army?" Rokossovsky asked: "Have all the enemies there been eliminated? Can our newly stationed troops solve part of the supply problem from the local area?"
Facing the two questions raised by Rokossovsky, Bogolyubov replied with some embarrassment: "I'm sorry, Comrade Marshal, I don't think I can answer the questions you asked. General Sokov should be reporting
The situation was not mentioned at all.”
"Strange, how could this happen?" Rokossovsky said with some surprise: "Misha has always been a very careful person. How could he not report such an important matter to you?" He thought for a while and warned.
The other party said, "Well, give him a call and find out how he is doing there."
"Okay, Comrade Marshal, I'll call him right now."
Bogolyubov did not expect that while he was on the phone with Rokossovsky, Sokov was furious in his headquarters.
"What a hell, the troops have been stationed here for nearly a week, and they still haven't figured out whether all the enemies in the defense area have been cleared, and where to solve part of the army's supply tasks." Sokov took off the big-brimmed hat on his head and said
He threw it heavily on the table and said angrily: "How did you become the commander?"
Next to him, Lunev quickly comforted him and said: "Misha, don't get angry. I think the reason why General Belov was unable to provide us with such information was entirely because he regarded this place as a temporary transit station, so he was
He was not interested in finding out the situation here at all. When the defense was just handed over, he also seemed very impatient, thinking that we arrived two days later than the stipulated time, delaying their departure to the new area."
After some persuasion from Lunev, Sokov's mood gradually stabilized. He said to Sidorin: "Comrade Chief of Staff, although General Belov did not provide us with any useful intelligence when handing over defense, but
Since we are going to be stationed here for a period of time, it is a top priority to understand the local situation. You immediately send out a reconnaissance team to conduct reconnaissance nearby, and you must find out whether the German troops in the defense area have been completely eliminated."