As soon as our car arrived near the National Grand Theater, it was stopped by the soldiers and traffic police under martial law. After bezikov stopped the car, a traffic policeman in a gray uniform and a cotton police cap went to the window on his side, raised his hand to salute, and politely said, "sorry, comrade commander, there is a celebration in front of you. Your car can't go any further."
"I know." After a simple reply, bzikov turned to me and said, "Rita, let's get off here. Anyway, it's not far away."
I have been to this place many times. Naturally, I know that Marx square and the National Grand Theater are about 200 meters apart. It takes only a few minutes to walk, so I nodded and agreed, "OK, Colonel, let's get off here."
Bzikov turned around and drove into a parking space pointed out by the traffic police. When we got out of the car, Yushchenko and dornikov's truck stopped next to us. Seeing the soldiers of the guard class jumping out of the car like dumplings, I called Yushchenko to him and told him, "Captain Yushchenko, you and the soldiers will stay here. I can go in alone with colonel bezikov."
As we passed through the wide and empty streets, I couldn't help asking bzikov, "Colonel, what are your plans for the future? Do you plan to stay in Moscow all the time?"
After listening, bzikov sighed and said to me helplessly, "Rita, do you think I don't want to go to the front line? The promotion of the front line is easier than that of the rear. You see, when I knew you, you were still a lieutenant, but now you are all lieutenant general. What about me? It's still the colonel
Hearing that bezikov wanted to go to the front line, I couldn't help but feel excited. I thought that if he could go to my group army as chief of staff, or to the next division, it would be better. So I began to beat around the Bush to persuade him: "in this case, you can apply to your superiors. Now there is a shortage of commanders with rich combat experience everywhere, I think your request will be approved. "
"It's no use, Rita." Bezikov waved his hand and said with regret: "I have repeatedly proposed to Marshal Zhukov to go to the front line. Even general rokosovsky has said good things for me, hoping that I can go to his hands and become a brigade commander or deputy division commander, but Marshal comrades firmly do not agree."
From his words, I heard his real idea, that is to say, as long as Zhukov allowed, he would still like to be a commander in the army below. So I had an urgent idea in my heart. I planned to talk to Zhukov later and try to let bzikov follow me to the 6th army. It's always good to have someone who I know and trust around me.
We unknowingly came to Marx square. It was said to be a square. In fact, it was only a small open space of two or three hundred square meters, with a three meter high marble statue standing in the middle. At the moment, there are more than one hundred officers and soldiers of the honor guard standing upright like pine trees in a neat square array beside the statue. On the front of Marx's head, there are only a dozen people standing, of whom Stalin stands in the front. He is reading aloud a manuscript in his hand, and behind him are members of the supreme command or the Central Committee. But I and bezikov's level is low, can't stand side by side with the leader standing in front, can only quietly stand at the back of the whole team.
The ceremony lasted for a short time. After reading the manuscript, Stalin turned around and said a few words to the leaders attending the ceremony, and then announced the end of today's ceremony. With that, he took the lead to leave, accompanied by boskhlebeshev.
With Stalin's departure, the guards of honor, under the command of the officers, turned their direction and walked towards the red square with neat steps. After all the guards of honor were gone, the leaders who took part in the celebration scattered and went back to their work places.
Zhukov turned to see me and waved to me to come to him.
I quickly walked up to Zhukov. After standing at attention, I raised my hand to salute him and vasilevsky. At the same time, I politely said, "Hello, marshal and chief of general staff
"Hello, Rita!" Vasilevsky asked amiably, "you just got off the train, right? Are you tired? Do you need to go back and have a rest first? What can I do for you tomorrow? "
"No, not at all, comrade chief of the general staff." Although I am extremely tired at the moment, I still said with a swollen face: "I don't know what instructions you have. I'm at your command."
Zhukov said: "follow me!" With that, he turned and left. After two steps, he stopped, turned around, pointed to bezikov and said, "Colonel, come with me, too."
Although I don't understand the specific reason why Zhukov called bezikov, I vaguely realized that he might have something to do with me.
When he got to Zhukov's office, Zhukov asked me and bezikov to sit down, and then said to me, "Rita, I think Colonel bezikov has told you everything on your way here. Is that right? "
"Yes, comrade marshal." Hearing Zhukov's question, I quickly stood up and replied respectfully.
"Sit down and say Zhukov raised his hand, pressed it down, motioned me to sit down, and then said, "according to Comrade Stalin's idea, he is going to let you leave the army and go to work in the local area. Specific positions can start from the municipal Soviet leaders. According to your future performance, you may be promoted to a higher position. "
"But Marshal Zhukov and I thought," interjected vassilevsky, who came to the office with us, "that you are still fit to serve in the army." When he said this, he looked at Zhukov, "we have contacted thousands of middle and senior commanders, but the capable commanders like you are very limited. If you are transferred to work in the local area, it will be a huge loss to our army. Based on this consideration, Marshal Zhukov and I went to the Supreme Commander several times to persuade him repeatedly, hoping that he would let you stay in the army for development. "
Although I knew that my appointment as commander of the sixth group army had finally come without danger, when I heard that vasilevsky was talking about the process, my heart was still beating wildly.
Finally, when vasilevsky finished speaking, Zhukov went on to say, "this time when you go to the sixth group army, I plan to send you some more deputies to help you, so that you will not be harmful to the work after you go as a bare commander." After a pause, he called out to bzikov, "Colonel bzikov."
When Zhukov called his name, bzikov got up from his seat and stood straight like a flagpole, waiting for Zhukov to give orders. Zhukov said, "Colonel, after my study with Comrade vasilevsky, I have decided to send you to the sixth group army to take the post of deputy chief of staff. Do you have any opinions?"
When bizikov heard Zhukov say this, he was stunned at first, and then his face showed a happy expression. He quickly shook his head desperately and said, "no, no opinions, comrade marshal. I am entirely at your command. "
Zhukov took a look at him, and then said slowly, "since you don't have any opinions, take the time to hand over your work and prepare to follow Rita to the 6th army."
"Yes, comrade marshal." "When I get back, I'll carry out the handover immediately," bzikov replied loudly
I heard that Zhukov had arranged for bezikov to take the post of deputy chief of staff in my army. Although it was a bit unexpected, I was more happy. Who is the leader? He doesn't want to be surrounded by a few people he can trust. Bizikov happens to be such a person.
Before I could speak, Zhukov asked me, "Rita, I'm going to transfer an army to form a new guard regiment for you. Do you have any suggestions?"
"No problem, comrade marshal." I had planned to let Yushchenko take charge of the formation of the guard regiment after I arrived at the 6th army. But Zhukov had thought about it in advance and made arrangements for me. To his this kind of arrangement, I gratefully say: "thank you, thank you!"
"There are 1200 people in the guard regiment, all of whom are commanders and fighters from the Moscow garrison headquarters and the militia in the city." Seeing that I didn't object to his arrangement, Zhukov then introduced to me the situation of the new guard Regiment: "the head of the new guard regiment is your old subordinate Yushchenko. His current rank is too low. Let's promote him to major. The deputy commander is also your acquaintance
When I heard Zhukov say that the deputy head of the guard regiment was also an acquaintance of mine, I couldn't help staring at him. My heart said that I didn't know many people in Moscow, and there was no acquaintance.
Zhukov couldn't help laughing when he saw my exaggerated expression. He didn't want to play a riddle with me and said directly, "the deputy commander is major bukov of the garrison command. If I remember correctly, he was your guard battalion commander when you were in the eighth division of guards. In addition, the selection of the battalion commander and company commander below is up to you. "
I didn't expect that Zhukov even arranged my former subordinates to come in when he set up the guard group. From this we can see his care and love for me. For his kindness, I said excitedly, "thank you, marshal. Thank you for all you have done for me."
Before I had finished, he raised his hand and interrupted me, saying, "Rita, thank you. Your 6th army will be deployed in Prokhorovka. According to your previous analysis, once the German army attacks us, it will be attacked first. It's up to you whether you can stop the German attack. If your troops are on the verge of collapse, even if I have a good relationship with you, I will not show mercy. "
When I heard the name prohorovka from Zhukov's mouth, I was a little flustered. You know, it was the main battlefield of Kursk battle. I really didn't know whether the fighting capacity of the sixth group army could resist the fierce attack of the German army. However, when I heard Zhukov's last few words, my blood rushed to my head and said to Zhukov recklessly: "marshal, please rest assured that if my troops can't defend Prokhorovka area, I won't need you to send me to the military court. I will take my pistol and shoot my own temple."
"Rita, your joke is not funny at all." Maybe what I said was too serious, and the office suddenly fell into silence. A moment later, it was vasilevsky who broke the awkward atmosphere with a smile and said jokingly, "you were in charge of the mamayev post with one division. Under the repeated attacks of several German divisions, you didn't lose an inch of land. Now your strength is several times higher than that at that time, and with the assistance of the air force, artillery and tank group army, don't you have the confidence to hold prokholovka? "
"What, is there a tank group army near our defense area?" When I heard that there were tanks in the neighboring troops, I immediately felt that I saw a glimmer of victory. Seeing that vasilevsky nodded his approval, he immediately asked, "I don't know who is the commander of the tank group army? Is that general rebalko? " I ask this question because I remember that during the Kursk war, general rebalko and his troops also made great contributions. I didn't expect that after I asked, vasilevsky shook his head and said, "no, it's not general rebalko. His tank army will be deployed in other areas It is said that the commander of the tank group army is not rebalko. I feel a little disappointed. I secretly say that if I were an unknown tank commander, I would not know whether I could deal with him. When I was suffering from loss, I heard Zhukov say: "Rita, I think you seem to be very disappointed. Have you ever been a partner with rebalko before, and think that no one else can do it except him?" Zhukov's words were a little heavy. I quickly shook my head to deny them: "no, marshal, you misunderstood me. I'm not..." "although I'm not rebalko, the commander of the tank group army is also your acquaintance." Zhukov did not wait for me to finish, he impolitely interrupted me and said to himself, "general katukov is also a good tank commander. With him in your defense area, are you still worried about the tanks that can't stop the German attack?" Originally, when Zhukov told me that the commander of the tank group army was my acquaintance again, I couldn't help complaining to myself: how many acquaintances can I have when I run around in various battlefields all the year round. Who knows, when I heard katukov's name, I was overjoyed. Compared with rebalko, he would be better. With his tank group army beside him, I can basically rest easy. Even if I want to lose the battle at that time, it is not easy. Maybe I was too happy when I heard that katukov was the friendly commander I would cooperate with in the future, and was ridiculed by vassilevsky: "Rita, just when you heard that the commander of the tank group army was not rebarko, it was like a frosted eggplant; Now when I hear katukov's name, I feel as if I have picked up my wallet. " Zhukov looked at me, shook his head with a smile, and said to silevsky, "Comrade General Staff Chief, you may not know that Lida had fought side by side with katukov when she was the commander of the eighth division of the guards, and had achieved a series of brilliant results. Now she's not happy to hear that she can work with katukov again. "