Steel Soviet Union

The ceremony of awarding medals can only be regarded as a brief interlude. Awarding Malashenko the title of Hero of the Soviet Union and the Medal of Gold Star was the decision personally made by his loving father, Comrade Stalin. Zhukov only completed this award on behalf of his loving father as a practitioner of his will. It’s just a process.

Malashenko, who had just officially become a veritable "Hero of the Soviet Union," hadn't even thought about what he should do next. A reporter who had been waiting beside Zhukov for a long time suddenly pressed the shutter of his camera.

The figure of Malashenko, who was wearing the recently released Gold Star Hero of the Soviet Union medal on his chest, standing with Zhukov, was forever recorded in a historical photo in this way.

Before Malashenko, who had been "secretly photographed" in a beautiful photo, could react, another beautiful young female reporter stepped forward, took out the notebook and pen she had prepared, and assumed the posture of conducting an exclusive interview. Came in front of Malashenko.

"Captain Malashenko, I am Sharapova, a reporter from Pravda. I would like to conduct an exclusive interview about your being awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union and the battle in Stalingrad. I now hope to obtain your consent."

Although he has dominated the headlines of Pravda for a long time, it is the first time for Malashenko to accept an exclusive interview with a Pravda reporter.

Not to mention being interviewed, Malashenko, who has never even appeared on TV in later generations, is obviously not ready for this.

Malashenko here has not yet said the words of polite refusal, but Zhukov on the side has already taken the lead and spoke first.

"Comrade Sharapova, Captain Malashenko and I still have some important things to discuss. Now that you have also got that important photo, I think the interview can wait until Captain Malashenko is finished. Let’s move on to the important things later, what do you think?”

Regarding this female journalist who was accompanying him from Moscow, Zhukov tried his best to be more gentlemanly and calm. After all, there is really no need to yell in front of a woman in the way men talk to each other.

Anyone who can stay in Pravda's editorial office for a long time will definitely not be a fool with low emotional intelligence.

Sharapova, who had interviewed Zhukov before and took notes, had some understanding of the conduct of the Red Army general in front of her. She immediately retreated and left temporarily after Zhukov's kind reminder.

Seeing that the two reporters who had followed him from Moscow to the front line for recording interviews finally left the hut temporarily, Zhukov smiled calmly and then pointed to the chair next to the small table next to him and took the lead in sitting down.

"Some propaganda is necessary, Malashenko. It can inspire people's courage and determination to fight to the end in the darkest moments. I hope you will not be unhappy about it."

Comrade Lao Zhu has talked about this, and Malashenko will naturally not continue to hold on to it without giving him some face. Moreover, Malashenko is only a little surprised that he was suddenly interviewed, but not much. Just rejection.

"Of course, I can understand it, Comrade Zhukov. I am willing to cooperate with any form of superior propaganda needs and interviews, as long as the situation permits."

"Um"

Zhukov, who did not intend to waste too much time on this trivial matter, brought the topic back on track, and soon looked directly at Malashenko, who was sitting on the chair next to him, with a serious look on his face and spoke.

"I think you have heard the general situation from Chuikov. The 1st Guards Heavy Tank Breakthrough Regiment suffered excessive losses in the Battle of Stalingrad this time, and it requires a fundamental reorganization and new construction of the troops. Given that this is A heroic unit, the General Staff Headquarters, with the permission of Comrade Stalin, is preparing to upgrade the 1st Guards Heavy Tank Breakthrough Regiment to the 1st Guards Heavy Tank Brigade."

"You will still serve as the military chief of the army, that is, the brigade commander. Your rank and position will be moved up one level to the rank of colonel and brigade commander. I will send someone to deliver the specific documents, promotion orders, and other things later. In your hands."

The facts are exactly as Zhukov said.

After the end of the battle to protect the Army Headquarters, Malashenko had already learned from Chuikov that the 1st Guards Heavy Tank Breakthrough Regiment would be upgraded.

The corresponding promotions of positions and military ranks are reasonably expected, so Malashenko does not feel much surprised by this.

But compared to these "virtual things", Malashenko, who has been hurt by huge and shocking losses in successive hard battles this year, is more concerned about the real things at the moment.

The 1st Guards Heavy Tank Breakthrough Regiment was upgraded to the 1st Guards Heavy Tank Brigade. Where are the additional personnel now? Is the equipment in place? How many troops and tanks can you expand now? This is what the pragmatic Malashenko is most concerned about.

As if he had some clues from Malashenko's changing expression several times, Zhukov, who had not finished speaking, quickly continued.

"After you leave my place later, you will take all the remaining personnel of the 1st Guards Heavy Tank Breakthrough Regiment to this location: Kremenskoya. All the technical equipment and personnel of the 1st Guards Heavy Tank Brigade We started gathering here three days ago.”

"When you arrive at Kremenskoya, you will see everything you need, and more personnel and equipment will arrive within a week. Because the formation of the 1st Guards Heavy Tank Brigade is temporary It’s decided, so this will take a while, during which you can first get familiar with the army and arrange other work.”

"The appointment and dismissal of all commanders and fighters below the brigade commander will be completed by your brigade headquarters. Subsequent reports to the Southwest Front Army Headquarters are enough. The 1st Guards Heavy Tank Brigade is still a unit directly under the Front Army and directly obeys the command and dispatch of the Front Army Headquarters. Wa Comrade Tujin serves as the commander of the front army.”

"In addition, Petrov's political commissar will be changed to political deputy commander, and Lavrinenko will remain as your deputy, or you can make other arrangements based on the actual situation. The power and decision-making rest with you. That's basically it. Is there any other problem? You can bring it up now.”

Political deputy commander? What does this mean? Not a political commissar anymore?

All day long he was either wallowing among the dead in Stalingrad or on his way to the dead.

Almost completely isolated from the outside world, Malashenko, who only knows how to fight and think about how to fight a war all day long, does not know that Order No. 307 of the People's Commissar of Defense, signed by his loving father Comrade Stalin, has already eliminated all members of the Red Army. All political commissars were "removed".