Chapter 1614

In the next few days, I have been paying close attention to the situation in Bulgaria, expecting that moraviev's government will suddenly announce that it will break ties with Germany, withdraw from the camp of the Communist Party of China, and disarm all German troops in Bulgaria. Then, until the evening of the 5th, moraviev's cabinet still did not give us any satisfactory reply.

Zhukov called Moscow and was going to ask the superior if he would agree with the attack launched by our department on the 10th. Unexpectedly, he heard an unexpected news. Stalin told him by telephone: "Comrade Zhukov, as we think that Bulgaria's current policy is to fight against the Soviet Union on the German side, I asked Comrade Molotov to deliver the war declaration note to the Bulgarian Embassy in Moscow at seven o'clock tonight, hoping to forward it to China through the minister."

Because the headquarters was quiet, all of us around Zhukov could barely hear the conversation between him and Stalin. It is said that we have officially declared war on Bulgaria. After looking at each other, torbhuin and gertov showed a relieved expression on their faces.

"Comrade Stalin," Zhukov asked respectfully after Stalin finished saying, "since our country has declared war on Bulgaria, do you think the army should launch an attack on the 10th of this month?"

"Don't worry, comrade Zhukov." However, Stalin said unexpectedly: "before submitting the note, I informed Comrade Dimitrov about this matter. He said that he would immediately call on comrades from the Central Committee of the Bulgarian workers' Party and the headquarters of the rebel army to hold an emergency joint meeting to discuss how to take necessary cooperation with our army troops who are about to enter Bulgaria."

As soon as Zhukov put down the phone, the impatient biliuzov asked, "Comrade marshal, do you know what the Supreme Commander thinks of our planned attack time?"

"Chief of staff, what do you think the higher authorities can think?" Zhukov looked at the other side and said, "according to my estimation, the time for the attack on Bulgaria will not be officially fixed until the joint meeting of the Bulgarian workers' party is over."

"Marshal, do you think the attack time will be delayed?" Asked tolbuhine tentatively.

"There should be no delay." Zhukov shook his head and said: "if the workers' party can work out a detailed plan to welcome our army into Bulgaria in the meeting tonight, I think the attack time will be advanced."

In the past, the leaders of the front army wanted to attack as late as possible, because they could gather more troops and technical equipment. But this time, it seems that everyone can't wait to enter Bulgaria as soon as possible. Gertov also said: "because our political workers are actively carrying out political and ideological work in the army, the morale of our commanders and fighters is high, so they can't wait to start attacking as soon as possible."

It seems that zhertov's statement had long been expected by Zhukov. He just nodded and then asked tolbusin, "Comrade General, have you made clear the situation of the enemy's defense in the front?"

"It's all clear." "The troops deployed along the border are all Bulgarian divisions, and there is no sign of the Germans," torbusin replied, nodding his head. Their fortifications are very simple, only a few temporary excavation of the trench, which has a small number of fire points. There is no minefield laid or wire mesh drawn in front of the position. Our tanks can carry out rapid assault in these areas. "

Some of what tolbuhin said is known to me, while others are heard for the first time. According to his account, Bulgarian troops deployed on the border are deployed in the form of exercises. As long as our troops launch a round of attacks, they can smash the enemy's skilful defense.

After listening to tolbuhine, Zhukov asked casually, "where are the enemy artillery deployed?"

"Their artillery positions are generally arranged in the open area at the edge of towns, which is a good target for our artillery bombardment or air force bombardment." "I think the reason for the enemy to deploy their positions in this way must be that the artillery can find a place to live when they rest at night," he said with a smile

"Although it seems very stupid for them to deploy artillery positions in this way, they also bring some inconvenience to our artillery preparation for attack." Zhukov knocked on the table with his hand and said solemnly, "once we bombard their artillery positions, it may affect the residents of the town. If there are too many civilian casualties, it will be very unfavorable for our troops to enter Bulgaria, so there will certainly be people inciting the Bulgarian people to rise up against us. "

In response to Zhukov's statement, biliuzov raised his own worry: "Comrade marshal, we can't ignore the enemy's artillery positions just because we are afraid of injuring civilians by mistake, can we? If the enemy's artillery intercepts us when our army is attacking, it is bound to cause serious casualties to our department. "

"Chief of staff, let me talk about my views." When I saw that this issue was going to be debated, I might have been unable to come up with a good result after half a day's discussion, so I broke in and said, "I suggest that our artillery should be divided into two groups, one large and the other small. A large artillery group is responsible for the preparation of artillery fire before the attack. The target of their artillery attack will be the forward position of the Bulgarian army instead of the enemy's artillery position. As for small artillery groups, they are responsible for monitoring the enemy's artillery positions. If the enemy does not fire, they will be covered by our heavy artillery fire. "

Zhukov thought for a moment, finally nodded and agreed with my proposal: "I agree with Rita's proposal. We have never had a fight with the Bulgarian army. We do not understand the tactics they use and the combat effectiveness of the army. Therefore, when we fight with them, we must adopt new tactics. "

At nine o'clock in the evening, Stalin called again from Moscow, where he said happily, "Comrade Zhukov, I have two good news for you. After receiving the declaration of war from China, the interim government of Bulgaria has passed our Embassy in Sofia, informed us that Bulgaria has severed relations with Germany and requested a truce.

Second, the joint meeting between the Bulgarian workers' Party and the headquarters of the rebel army has ended. At the meeting, the plan to hold an uprising to welcome our army into Bulgaria was adopted. It is expected that on the night of September 8, the armed forces led by the Bulgarian workers' party will launch an uprising in the capital Sofia. "

After hearing these two exciting good news, Zhukov's hands trembled slightly with excitement. He asked in a low voice, "Comrade Stalin, did the Ukrainian third front army launch an attack on Bulgaria on the 10th?"

"In order to cooperate with the anti Communist uprising launched by the Bulgarian people, I think the attack time should be advanced." Stalin said on the phone: "the uprising led by the Bulgarian workers' party is bound to bring moraviev's government into chaos. We should take advantage of this favorable opportunity to launch a decisive attack and cooperate with the uprising army's righteous war in Bulgaria."

After Zhukov finished his call this time, he turned his eyes to gertov, who was sitting next to torbhuin: "Comrade military commissar, I just talked to Comrade Stalin. I think you have heard me?"

Although gertov did not understand the reason why Zhukov said this to himself, he stood up and said politely, "yes, comrade marshal, I have heard two good news from the Supreme Commander himself."

"Now that I have heard it," Zhukov said with the same expression, "then I have an important task for you to complete. Do you have confidence?"

Gertov stood there with a solemn expression, silent, waiting for Zhukov to give orders.

"Comrade gertov," Zhukov said after pausing for a moment, "I want you to establish contact with the Bulgarian National Liberation uprising army and the local committee of the Bulgarian workers' party operating in the border area, so that our army can quickly carry out all kinds of work after entering Bulgaria."

"No problem, comrade marshal." Gertov nodded his head and said confidently: "our political department has been keeping in touch with them. I will have a good talk with their leaders these two days to see how the two sides can cooperate effectively."

…………

In less than two days, Zhukov received a report from the grass-roots troops that now on the Bulgarian border, Communists can be heard everywhere calling on the people to take action and cooperate with the Soviet Red Army to eliminate Hitler's gangs. All kinds of signs show that the time is ripe for the Bulgarian people's uprising and our army's entry into Bulgaria. The troops already ready to go at the border can cross the border and enter Bulgarian territory at any time.

Seeing the good situation, Zhukov was very happy, so he said to me, "Rita, we have nothing to do now, so we'd better go to the current group army. What do you think? "

Although Zhukov and I are representatives of the base camp, in the final analysis, it is torbhuin who is in charge of commanding the front army. Our stay here every day has some influence on his command of the subordinate troops. In order to avoid embarrassment, I had thought of the following troops to go for a walk. Since Zhukov took the initiative to raise this issue, I pushed the boat forward and said, "OK, marshal, I will follow your instructions!"

When tolbuhine heard that we were going to the following troops to check the preparations for the campaign, he immediately asked Zhukov, "Comrade marshal, I don't know which group army you are going to visit?"

Zhukov thought for a moment, then said: "if war breaks out, the first one to attack the Bulgarian border is the 57th army of general Gagan, let's go to him first."

"I see, comrade marshal." "I'll arrange it for you right now," tolbuhine said with a relaxed expression

An hour later, Zhukov and I arrived at the 57th army headquarters in kochmar. General Gagan and a group of commanders stood outside to meet us.

Zhukov came forward to shake hands with Gagan, and without going into his headquarters, he directly said, "general Gagan, I won't go into your headquarters. You can take me to the front."

Hearing Zhukov's request, Gagan hesitated for a moment, then said: "marshal, the frontier is too dangerous. You'd better stay in the headquarters and listen to the report?"

"Will your front be attacked by cold guns and artillery from the enemy?" Zhukov only asked faintly after listening.

"No," Gagan said, shaking his head, "the Bulgarian Army on the opposite side has never fired a single shot at us since our army entered the position."

"Since we are in the forward position and will not be attacked by cold guns and artillery from the enemy, there is no danger." Zhukov said: "your report is full of content that can make us happy. It doesn't really reflect the situation on the front line, so I have to go in person." At this point, he stopped. Seeing that Gagan was still hesitating, he urged, "if you don't want to go, just send a staff officer to show us the way."“ How can we only send the staff to guide you? " When Gagan heard Zhukov say this, he was a little anxious. He called his chief of staff to give orders. Then he said respectfully to Zhukov, "marshal, I'll take you to the frontier observation station myself." We were led by Gagan to the frontier observatory. Zhukov and I were standing in front of the lookout, looking through the telescope or the artillery mirror to see the situation on the opposite side. I saw that on the outskirts of a small town, there was a circular line of defense built by the Bulgarian army. It's a defense line, only a long trench, and a small number of reinforced concrete firepower points. As the report we have received says, when the enemy is in front of the position, no minefield is set up and no barbed wire is set up, our tank column can rush into the opposite town in one go“ Rita, do you see the enemy? " I was carefully observing the enemy's defense line when Zhukov's voice suddenly came to my ears: "look, the chimneys in the town are smoking. It should be the residents who are cooking lunch; There are also the farmlands outside the town, and the farmers are busy. It's not like a battlefield here. It's just a peaceful life. "“ "Marshal," Gagan said with some embarrassment when he heard Zhukov say so, "maybe it's all false. On the surface, the residents are living a normal and peaceful life, but the enemy is hiding in the fortifications in an attempt to make our army relax its vigilance." Instead of commenting on Gagan's words, Zhukov said to himself, "I only saw a few Bulgarian soldiers on duty at the post on the border of Bulgaria. Besides, I didn't see any enemy."