Red Moscow

  Chapter 1667 A new official takes office

  When Zhukov headed to the airport in a jeep, an ambulance followed, and Sokov, who was still unconscious, was lying in the car. But in order to prevent any accidents on the way to Sokov, the dean specially sent two capable medical staff to accompany him.

Arriving at the airport, Zhukov got out of the car and saw Konev, Lunev, Sameko and others standing by the runway, so he went over to shake hands with each other one by one, looked at Konev and asked: "Konev Comrade Husband, why are you still here, I thought you had already returned to the front army headquarters."

  Konev and Zhukov shook hands and replied: "I have reported the news of Sokov's injury to the Supreme Command and recommended Trofimenko to take over as the commander of the 27th Army."

  Zhukov asked: "What is the reply of the Supreme Command?"

"The Supreme Command has agreed to my proposal to let Lieutenant General Trofimenko take over from Sokov as the commander of the 27th Army and be responsible for the strategy of the existing area." Konev explained to Zhukov: " I'm staying here just to wait for Trofimenko's arrival."

  Konev saw Sokov being carried out of the ambulance, and asked with some concern: "Comrade Marshal, Sokov is not awake yet. Is it appropriate to rush him to Moscow in such a hurry?"

"Comrade Konev, I also feel that it is a bit too risky to send Sokov to Moscow under such circumstances." Zhukov said rather helplessly: "But the medical conditions here are too poor. If you want to keep him He can only be sent to a Moscow hospital with better conditions, and a famous doctor will be invited to give him further treatment."

After the two chatted for a few more words, Zhukov saw that Sokov had been lifted onto the plane, so he extended his hand to Konev and said in a friendly tone: "General Konev, we will meet later, I wish you good luck! "

   After Zhukov said goodbye to everyone, he boarded the plane.

   Seeing the plane carrying Zhukov and Sokov take off, Lunev asked Konev with some concern: "General Konev, is the commander okay?"

"Don't worry, General Lunev." Seeing Lunev's worried expression, Konev comforted him and said, "Sokov's luck has always been very good. He suffered so much during the defense of Stalingrad. Serious injuries, in the absence of medical treatment, didn’t heal. I believe he will be no exception this time.”

As he was talking, another transport plane landed at the airport. Konev saw the serial number on the fuselage and knew that the plane that Trofimenko was on had arrived, so he turned his head and said to Sameko and Lunev: " Your new commander has arrived."

  The plane was stable, the pilot opened the cabin door and lowered a gangway. After he got off the plane, he stood upright by the gangway, waiting for the commander in the plane to get off the plane.

Soon, a general wearing a military coat appeared at the cabin door. He looked around and immediately saw Konev and others standing not far away. He had a smile on his face and quickly got off the plane , came to Konev, raised his hand and saluted, and said: "Hello, Comrade Commander of the Front Army! Lieutenant General Trofimenko was ordered to report to you. I obey your order, please instruct!"

"General Trofimenko, welcome!" Konev shook hands with the other party and said with a smile: "I think that before you came here, Comrade Zakharov, the chief of staff, has already told you that due to the 27th Major General Sokov, the commander of the Army Group, was injured, and your superiors have decided that you will take over his position temporarily."

   "Yes, Comrade Commander of the Front Army." Trofimenko replied respectfully: "The chief of staff has notified me of my appointment from my superiors, and I came here on purpose."

"Let me introduce you to the other two chiefs of the group army. This is the chief of staff, Major General Sameko, and next to him is the military commissar, Lieutenant General Lunev." Konev stood among the three, doing for them They introduced each other: "Sameko, Lunev, this is your new commander, Lieutenant General Trofimenko."

After Konev finished his introduction to both parties, he raised his hand and looked at his watch, and said to Trofimenko: "General Trofimenko, from now on, you are the commander of the 27th Army. What is unclear?" You can ask Chief of Staff Sameko or Military Commissar Lunev."

   Hearing what Konev said, Trofimenko immediately realized that the other party was going to leave, so he tentatively asked: "Comrade Commander of the Front Army, are you leaving?"

"Yes, I am staying here just waiting for you to take office. Now that you have arrived, my task will be completed." Konev said, extending his hand to Trofimenko: "I hope you will take over the office after receiving the appointment." In the next battle, we can achieve greater results."

   "Don't worry, Comrade Commander of the Front Army." Trofimenko said confidently: "We will never let you down."

  After Konev left by plane, Sameko politely said to Trofimenko: "Comrade Commander, this is not a place to talk, let's go back to the headquarters first."

  Trofimenko nodded, and asked Sameko when he got in the car: "Comrade Chief of Staff, is our headquarters located in Klemenchug?"

"A few hours ago, our headquarters was indeed located in the church in the city." Sameko explained to Trofimenko: "Now the 69th Army is taking over the defense of the city one after another, so our headquarters has been Withdrew outside the city and headed to the landing site area on the right bank of the Dnieper River."

   On the way to the new headquarters, Trofimenko continued to ask Sameko: "How many troops are there in the group army, where are they now, and what kind of combat missions are they performing."

To a series of questions raised by Trofimenko, Sameko answered in an orderly manner, and finally said: "Comrade commander, when the troops of the 69th Army take over our defense of the landing field on the right bank, we can concentrate more troops. , advancing south of the landing field, to occupy Alexandria and Kirovograd, which are still under German control."

  Unexpectedly, after hearing this, Trofimenko frowned slightly: "Comrade Chief of Staff, was your original battle plan to push south regardless?"

"Yes, Comrade Commander." Although Sameko did not understand the purpose of Trofimenko's question, he replied truthfully: "As long as we occupy Alexandria and Kirovograd, it will be tantamount to A sharp knife pierced the enemy's heart, forcing the enemy to deploy more troops to deal with us, thereby reducing the resistance encountered by the friendly forces when they broke through the Dnieper defense line."

"Comrade Chief of Staff," Trofimenko waited for Sameko to finish, and added: "I think you chose the wrong direction of attack. Now the 7th Guards Army on the right is being besieged by superior German forces. Not only did they not send reinforcements, but instead they concentrated all their forces and attacked southward, I think this is putting the cart before the horse.”

  Sameko was stunned when he heard what Trofimenko said.

After a long time, he said with difficulty: "Comrade commander, if we want to deploy troops to reinforce the friendly forces on the right wing, it means that we have to stop operations in the south of the landing field, re-deploy our troops, and redo the battle plan. ..."

"Comrade Chief of Staff, have you ever thought about it?" Trofimenko sensed Sameko's resistance to his opinion, and said displeasedly: "If we allow the Germans to drive the right-wing friendly troops into the first The Dnieper River, even if we can occupy Alexandria and Kirovgrad, if there is no cooperation from friendly forces on the left and right flanks, we may be cut off by the Germans at any time, and we will become an isolated and helpless army. By that time , Let alone destroying the enemy and seizing the city, whether we can keep ourselves is unknown.”

  The muscles on Sameko's face twitched violently a few times, and then he said cautiously: "Comrade Commander, this matter is of great importance. I think it's better to ask the superior for instructions, and then proceed after obtaining permission."

But Trofimenko said stubbornly: "I am the commander of the group army, and I have the final say on how to fight. Comrade Chief of Staff, when we return to the headquarters, we will immediately study and adjust the deployment. A surprise blow."

  (end of this chapter)