Chapter 1062

At the end of the meeting, the commanders of all the front forces got up and went out.

When rokosovsky came up to me, he stopped to greet me and said, "Rita, I'm sorry. I should have stayed in the headquarters waiting for you. But, "he said with a shrug of his shoulders and an apologetic look on his face," there is an order for me and the military commissar to rush to Moscow immediately to attend an important military meeting, so I can only let chief of staff malining receive you instead of us. "

"Comrade commander, don't be embarrassed." I said politely to rokosovsky, "when I heard chief marinin mention this, I guessed that you had something more important."

We just said a few words, and vatukin and Khrushchev also came to say hello to me. While shaking hands with me, Khrushchev said with a smile, "Rita, when you visit our defense area this time, except for meeting us on the first day, you spend the rest of your time on the front line. When you have a chance in the future, the commander and I will treat you well."

After Khrushchev finished, vatukin echoed: "yes, comrade oshanina, next time you come to our defense area, we will treat you to authentic Russian food."

Rokosovsky stood beside him with a smile. After watujing finished, he asked me with a smile, "Rita, will you come with me to the reading unit of the central front army?"

For rokosovsky's invitation, I smile and shake my head, politely refused to say: "sorry, comrade commander. Although I also want to go with you to see the troops under review, it's a pity that I have something important to report to the marshal. I may not be able to go with you. "

Listen to me, rokosovsky looked at Zhukov's position, turned his head and said with regret, "since that's the case, I'll go first. I'll see you at the Red Square parade tomorrow. " With that, he reached out and shook me, then turned and left.

When vatukin and Khrushchev left, I saw Zhukov sitting opposite, talking in a low voice with vasilevsky and sokolovsky. I walked slowly, and they stopped two or three steps away, straightened up, put their hands close to their trousers, and looked at Zhukov, waiting for his next order.

"General oshanina, why didn't you leave?" Sokolovsky, who was sitting in Zhukov's left hand, saw me and asked curiously, "is there anything I need to report to the marshal?"

Sokolovsky's words, let me for a moment, let me do not know how to answer. Although he called me on Zhukov's order and urged me to go back to Moscow, he did not say that Zhukov would meet me alone. I stayed here without receiving their new order, which was a bit out of order.

When I was in a dilemma, Zhukov looked up at me, pointed to the chair beside vasilevsky, and said, "Rita, don't be embarrassed, sit down!"

After I sat down, Zhukov said, "Rita, you're late. Maybe you didn't hear me in the first half of the meeting. The purpose of the parade is to boost morale and strengthen the belief that the army and the people of the whole country will win over the Communist aggressors. What we are discussing now is who is the most suitable commander in chief of the parade? "

"Isn't there a suitable person yet?" Zhukov's words surprised me. You know, from the tank column on Gorky street, you can judge the scale of the parade. It's less than 20 hours since the beginning of the parade, but they haven't even determined the commander-in-chief of the parade. It's incredible.

"There are several candidates, but they haven't been decided in the end." When Zhukov finished slowly, he asked, "Rita, do you have a suitable person?"

As soon as Zhukov's voice fell, I instinctively replied, "I don't think I can find anyone more suitable to be the commander-in-chief of the parade than Comrade Stalin."

As soon as I spoke, I realized that I was wrong. According to the past practice, Stalin always stood on the rostrum of Lenin's tomb to make an important speech during the Red Square parade, and then stood on the rostrum to inspect the troops that had passed through Lenin's tomb. The proposal that Stalin should be the commander-in-chief of the parade is just a whim.

After a moment of silence, vassilevsky, who was sitting next to me, opened his mouth. Like an old friend, he asked me, "Comrade oshanina, do you know the important parade on November 7, 1941?"

As a participant in the Red Square parade on the October Revolution Day in 1941, I have a deep memory of that significant parade. When I heard vassilevsky's question, I quickly nodded my head to show that I remember it. At the same time, I added: "Comrade chief of general staff, I will take a mixed battalion with me to participate in the parade."

"Yes, since you are the witness of the parade, some things are easy to make clear." Vasilevsky looked at me with approval and said with a smile, "do you remember who was the commander in chief of the parade at that time?"

"Who else?" As soon as I heard vassilevsky's question, I could see in my mind the scene of Marshal bujoni with two big beards riding a horse to review the troops in red square. So I said casually: "of course, marshal bujoni, he is also riding a tall horse."

"Yes, he did ride a big horse when he reviewed the troops." Vasilevsky agreed with me. He went on to say: "at first, comrade Stalin also wanted to be the commander in chief of the parade himself, so he took time to learn how to ride a horse and planned to ride a horse to inspect the troops."

When I heard this, I suddenly had an unknown idea in my heart. My heart said, was there any accident when Stalin was riding a horse? Just about to ask, vasilevsky has said the answer to the question in my mind: "unfortunately, in the process of practicing horse riding, comrade Stalin's steed was frightened and bumped him off his back."

"Ah, comrade Stalin is injured?" This news really scared me, I exclaimed, involuntarily asked what I thought in my heart: "is the injury serious?"

"Not too serious." Vasilevsky hesitated to reply: "he just suffered a slight injury to his left hand. After the doctor's treatment, it's no big problem."

Although vasilevsky said so, I don't think Stalin's situation will be too optimistic, otherwise he won't let Zhukov and others discuss who will be the commander-in-chief of the parade.

Looking at the three people sitting in front of me, my brain was spinning rapidly, trying to figure out who would be the most suitable commander in chief of the parade. Molotov, not to mention now in the United States, even at home, it is estimated that this is obviously a military job, and it will not fall on him. Belia, on the other hand, belongs to the Ministry of interior, and his rank is not competent for the post of commander-in-chief of the parade. The most likely candidate is Zhukov, vasilevsky and sokolovsky.

When vasilevsky asked me again, "general oshanina, who do you think is suitable for this position?"

Before answering the question, I looked at the three people in turn, considering the right person. Sokolovsky is undoubtedly the lowest of the three in terms of rank and qualification. It is estimated that the other two will not agree to let him take the post. Among the remaining Zhukov and vasilevsky, Sui said that Zhukov was superior to vasilevsky in all aspects. However, judging from Stalin's failure to specify a replacement, he probably did not want Zhukov to be the commander-in-chief of the parade. After much deliberation, I think that vasilevsky is the most suitable person for this position.

"What are you thinking about, Rita, for so long?" I heard Zhukov's slightly dissatisfied voice: "do you have the right person?"

I quickly got up from my seat, with a little humility, and carefully said: "marshal, I still think it is most appropriate for you to be the commander in chief of the parade." the reason why I did not directly mention tivasilevsky, but tizhukov was because I knew his character very well. If I direct to tivasilevsky, I think he will strongly oppose it; When I took him as the best candidate, he would probably decline because of his face, and proposed that vasilevsky take up the post.

The development of the incident was as I expected. Although Zhukov looked happy after hearing what I said, he still said in an official voice: "I will accompany Stalin to inspect the troops at the viewing platform on Lenin's tomb tomorrow. I think Comrade vasilevsky will be the commander-in-chief of the parade, After all, he is our chief of general staff of the Red Army. No one will object to his coming to inspect the troops. "

After hearing this, vasilevsky said humbly, "Comrade Zhukov, it's not good. You know, I'm not as good as you in terms of post qualification and age. I think you'd better be the commander-in-chief of the parade."

"Yes, comrade marshal." Sokolovsky, who was opposite me, also said, "I don't think anyone is more suitable for this position except you. What's more, you used to be a cavalry. It's very convenient for you to review the troops on your horse. You might as well consider Comrade vasilevsky's suggestion. "

Although I, vasilevsky and sokolovsky all asked Zhukov to be the commander-in-chief of the parade, he waved his hand and resolutely refused: "no, No. I can't be the commander-in-chief of the parade. I think Comrade vasilevsky should take the post. Do you have any objection? "

"No objection." After hearing Zhukov's very frank suggestion that vasilevsky should be the commander-in-chief of the parade, my heart fell to the ground and I immediately went on to say, "marshal, I think we should report general vasilevsky to the headquarters, and Comrade Stalin will decide who will be the commander-in-chief of the parade."

"That's right," said vasilevsky, not interested in the official hat that fell on his head for some reason, and still trying to refuse.

"I think the proposal that vasilevsky should be the commander-in-chief of the parade is very appropriate." Zhukov didn't pay any attention to vasilevsky's integrity, but said directly: "I will report the resolution that vasilevsky is the commander-in-chief of the parade to Comrade Stalin later."

"But marshal," said vasilevsky, who finally fell to his head when he saw the post of commander in chief of the parade. "I can't compare with you in terms of length of service, seniority or outstanding military achievements. As far as I know, the commanders and fighters are privately discussing that wherever Zhukov appears, it means that a counter offensive is about to be launched. For the vast number of commanders and fighters, you are their guiding light. They hope to win one great victory after another under your command... "

I never thought that such a high-ranking person as vasilevsky would be so flattering. I couldn't help but be stunned. Long after he said that, I didn't wake up from the shock. Seeing that there was no consensus, Zhukov leaned back and looked at them with his chair back. In a firm tone, he said firmly, "Comrade vasilevsky, since I am your superior, I have appointed the commander in chief. Well, whether you are willing or not, Hess must be the commander-in-chief of the parade for me tomorrow. " He was deeply afraid that vasilevsky would go back on his words, and specifically stressed, "you have been in the army for more than ten or twenty years. At the same time, as a senior general, you should know that you must unconditionally carry out the orders of your superiors, whether you agree with them or not. Do you understand? "“ I see I can see that vasilevsky doesn't want to take the post of commander at all, so as long as there is a glimmer of hope, he is trying to shirk it: "marshal, the troops I want to participate in the inspection are more like Zhukov than I am vasilevsky."“ During the military parade, I stood on the viewing platform on Lenin's tomb, and the officers and soldiers who read about it could also see me. " Zhukov saw warcilevsky's little trick at a glance, and did not hesitate to expose him: "so you can't use these reasons to make me change my mind." Zhukov's obstinacy and persistence made vasilevsky hesitate. From the painful expression on his face, I know that he is not hypocritical, but really does not want to be the commander in chief of the parade. I said in my heart that he was in bliss and didn't know his fortune. If it wasn't for my shallow qualifications, even I would like to apply to be the commander in chief of the parade. Seeing that vasilevsky didn't make a statement, Zhukov stood up and walked up to him, patted him on the shoulder, comforted him and said, "Comrade vasilevsky, don't forget that you are the chief of the general staff of the Red Army. Seeing that you are the commander-in-chief of the parade, you can also play a role in boosting morale. Come on, let's not get entangled in this issue any more. That's the decision. "