Chapter 176 Return to Moscow

   After Zhukov finished talking with Malinin, he made a call to his chief of staff, Golushkevich. After the call was made, he asked straight to the point: "Comrade Major General, do we currently have transport aircraft within the 16th Army's combat area?"

   "Comrade General, I'll check right away." Golushkevich didn't know why Zhukov asked about this matter, so he said unhurriedly: "I'll let you know when I get the results."

  If it was normal, Zhukov might put down the phone and wait for Golushkevich's reply in peace. But at this moment, Rokossovsky was on the verge of death, and sending him to Moscow earlier would have saved his life earlier. Therefore, Zhukov said stubbornly: "You will make an inquiry immediately, and I will wait for your reply."

   "Comrade General," Golushkevich said dumbfoundedly, "I estimate that it will take ten minutes at the earliest to find out whether there are our transport planes in the defense zone of the 16th Army."

"No, I can only give you two minutes at most." Zhukov said firmly: "Rokossovsky is seriously injured and needs to be sent to Moscow for emergency treatment immediately. What danger."

   "What, Rokossovsky was injured?" Major General Golushkevich was taken aback by this unexpected news. He hurriedly flipped through the notebook in front of him and quickly checked the contents recorded on it. When he found the useful information above, he quickly said to Zhukov: "Comrade General, today we sent a C-47 transport plane to deliver supplies to the 61st Army, and it should have not returned yet."

"Get in touch with General Popov immediately." After hearing what Golushkevich said, Zhukov immediately ordered: "Let the plane forward Sukhinich immediately after unloading, and send Rokosov Ski back to Moscow."

   "Comrade General." Golushkevich waited for Zhukov to finish speaking, and asked carefully: "I wonder what hospital in Moscow we should send Comrade Rokossovsky to."

"I want to report the news of Rokossovsky's injury immediately to the Supreme Command to see which hospital they plan to arrange for Rokossovsky." Zhukov said hesitantly: "Your task is to arrange for him immediately." The plane diverted first to Susinich."

  Zhukov knew very well in his heart that if the reports were reported layer by layer according to the usual practice, it would take at least a few hours for Stalin to know the news of Rokossovsky's injury. So he picked up the high-frequency phone on the table and dialed the Kremlin switchboard directly. After two beeps from the receiver, he heard someone asking, "This is the Kremlin. Where do you want?"

   "I am General Zhukov." Zhukov said into the microphone: "Get me to Comrade Stalin's office immediately. I have important things to report to him."

  Stalin was sitting behind his desk, looking down at a speech. In another hour, he will go to the racetrack next to the Kremlin to participate in the March 8 Women's Day celebration held there. At the meeting, he will deliver an impassioned speech, allowing the majority of women comrades to extend their holiday congratulations. Just then, the door was pushed open, and Poskrebyshev appeared at the door.

   "Boskrebyshev," Stalin took off the cigarette **** in his mouth, stared at his bald secretary and asked, "What's the matter?"

   "Comrade Stalin." Boskrebyshev replied respectfully: "A call from General Zhukov, he is on the front line. Judging from his tone, it seems that there is something urgent."

Stalin nodded, reached for the phone on the table, and said to the receiver: "Hello, Comrade Zhukov, I am Stalin. Call me, do you have any good news for me?" Boskrebe Seeing that Stalin was already on the phone, Scheff quietly exited the office and closed the door behind him.

"Comrade Stalin, I'm sorry to bring you bad news." Zhukov said in a heavy tone: "Rokossovsky's headquarters was attacked by cold artillery from the German army. He himself was seriously injured and needs immediate attention. Return to Moscow for treatment."

   "What, Rokossovsky was injured?" Stalin was also taken aback when he heard the news, and quickly asked, "Have you contacted him with the military hospital in Moscow?"

"Not yet, Comrade Stalin." Zhukov said with some embarrassment: "According to the normal procedure, I should report this to the Supreme Command and the General Staff in advance, and they will report the matter to you. Then, after you know about the matter, come back again." The hospital where Rokossovsky was treated..."

Stalin waited patiently for Zhukov to finish speaking, and immediately said approvingly: "Comrade Zhukov, you are doing the right thing! At this time of race against time, there is no need to follow the previous procedures. By the way, from Sukhinich to Moscow is not close, how do you plan to send Rokossovsky back to Moscow?"

   "I have sent a C-47 transport plane to Sukhinich." After Zhukov finished his answer, he asked back: "Comrade Stalin, I wonder which military hospital you plan to arrange for him?"

"In my opinion, let's arrange him at the Timiryazev Agricultural Academy." After Stalin finished speaking, he was afraid that Zhukov would misunderstand, so he quickly added: "Because the academy has suspended classes, the army requisitioned several of the teaching buildings. And the dormitory building, as a military hospital. There is an open area outside the academy, and the plane transporting Rokossovsky can land directly there."

  After getting Zhukov's comrades, Ma Linin immediately ordered someone to clear an open area in the east of the city so that planes flying from the 61st Army defense area could land. As for who would **** Rokossovsky back to Moscow, several leaders of the group army quickly reached a consensus, and handed over this glorious and arduous task to Sokov and another staff officer.

  After the plane landed in an open area outside the city, Sokov helped the stretcher soldiers carry Rokossovsky onto the plane. Just when the plane was about to take off, a jeep came galloping, and a person poked his head out from the side of the co-pilot and shouted loudly: "Wait a minute, wait a moment!"

  Malinin, who was standing next to the plane, heard someone yelling and guessed that something might have happened, so he ordered the pilot to wait for a while, and took two soldiers to greet him.

  The jeep stopped five or six meters away from Ma Lining, and a political worker jumped out of the car. Ma Lining recognized that this was a staff member of the Political Department of the Army Group, and asked curiously, "What happened?"

After the political workers raised their hands to salute Malinin, they reported: "Comrade Chief of Staff, just received an order from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, saying that she needs to be further examined. I was ordered to send her to Lubyanka in Moscow." He finished Finally, he turned around and shouted in the direction of the jeep, "We're here, get out of the car." Following the shout, the back door of the jeep was pushed open, and a young female second lieutenant in a German uniform walked out of the car.

  Although many people in the Army Command knew that Elizabeth was an anti-governmentist and a member of an underground resistance organization. But before completing her review, Ma Lining still called her by her military rank: "Is it Second Lieutenant Elizabeth?"

  Elizabeth said respectfully, "It's me, Your Excellency the Chief of Staff."

Ma Lining pointed to the plane next to him and said, "Second Lieutenant Elizabeth, you will fly to Moscow on this plane later." After saying this, he paused for a moment, and then continued, "There is a familiar Suo on the plane." Major Kov, he will fly to Moscow with you."

  (end of this chapter)