Chapter 261 Meeting in Progress

The bloody battle with roaring gunfire only existed on the front battlefield that had not yet broken through to the city of Moscow. Moscow, the heartland of the entire Soviet Union, was still a relatively peaceful scene at this time. Only when the officers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs' special operations team wearing blue-rimmed wide-brimmed hats appeared on the streets, people who were instinctively afraid would avoid them.

After all, if they did not really come to their door or had an inexcusable relationship with them, people who had seen Beria and his Ministry of Internal Affairs' swift and decisive methods in the early years would avoid this powerful department that could arrest people at will, forcibly arrest, and even directly shoot "traitors to the great motherland".

In sharp contrast to the somewhat cold and desolate scene in the cold wind blowing through the streets of Moscow, the scene in a main conference room in the Kremlin at this moment was a solemn scene where a pin drop could be heard.

There were only a few dozen people sitting in the large conference room that could accommodate nearly a hundred people at the same time. These people sitting opposite each other around the oval conference table seemed to be divided into two different factions. The subtle opposition between them and the slight disdain hidden in their eyes could be instantly distinguished by strangers who had just entered the conference room.

The leading man sitting at the far end of the conference table had a long beard that could be used as a mop. The corn pipe in his hand was leaking smoke as the corners of his mouth kept moving. The large portrait of Comrade Lenin hanging on the wall behind this man who seemed to be the master of the conference room was silently watching everyone at the conference table below with his unchanging eyes.

"Okay, everyone should have read the copies and reports that were distributed in their hands. This report is a precious document that our brave and combative comrade Zhukov prepared and sent back to Moscow based on actual combat conditions and relevant experience during the battle on the front line. Now I want to hear what the comrades think of this report."

The fatherly Stalin, who temporarily took his pipe away from his mouth, then slowly blurted out to the people sitting around the conference table below with a face without any emotional fluctuations. The faint pressure from the Soviet Union's highest ruler was like ripples in the entire venue and could not dissipate for a long time.

The crowd still held the copies of the reports in their hands and looked thoughtful, but no one stood up to speak. After waiting for nearly half a minute, Stalin still did not get the answer he expected. He was a little annoyed, and then raised the pipe in his right hand with an unquestionable serious expression, pointed to the middle-aged man closest to his right hand and gave an order.

"Kotin, you go first. Don't worry, just talk about your own ideas and opinions, and speak out what you really think in your heart so that the comrades can discuss it."

Kotin, who originally planned to wait and see, had no choice but to speak after Stalin called him out. After thinking for a while, he organized the appropriate words and began to speak carefully to Stalin.

"Comrade Leader, I personally think that the analysis and views expounded by General Zhukov in the report are very reasonable. From the perspective of empathy, those fascist invaders will certainly not just sit there and wait for death. Their current priority is how to solve the absolute quality disadvantage when facing our army's tanks. On this point alone, I agree with the views mentioned in General Zhukov's report."

As Marshal Voroshilov's son-in-law, Kotin has a set of ideas on how to figure out the supreme leader Stalin. Knowing that Stalin likes heavy tanks and large-caliber rough artillery, Kotin has made plans. The rest is just to slowly guide and persuade Stalin towards the final result he expects.

As expected by Kotin, after hearing Kotin's cautious words, Stalin's face randomly showed a relieved expression of "I think so too". The relatively kind expression of slowly smiling under the big beard made Kotin, who had been in a state of anxiety, finally relieved.

"That's good, Kotin, keep talking. I'm very interested in your views and ideas."

Having received the initial approval of his father Stalin, Kotin continued to carefully observe every facial expression of the supreme leader, weighing every word to see if it was appropriate before blurting out the words again after a little thought.

"Comrade Leader, I think that based on the long-term planning of this report submitted by General Zhukov, our Red Army should immediately start the research and development plan of new heavy tanks!"

"The primary research and development focus of new heavy tanks should be on armor protection. As General Zhukov mentioned in the report, only armor protection that can directly withstand the 88mm artillery of the fascist army within the conventional combat distance is a truly qualified new heavy tank, and it is also the tank that our Red Army needs most in the future."

As an ultimate lover of the mighty body of heavy tanks and the rough and large caliber of heavy artillery, the mighty and domineering armor protection like the Unyielding Wall alone cannot satisfy Stalin's heart. Stalin, who is more inclined to whether the power of the tank's main gun is up to standard, then leaned forward slightly to a position closer to Kotin's face and asked.

"This alone is not enough, Kotin. I want to know how you planned and conceived the main gun of the new heavy tank plan you mentioned. If those new tanks against the Nazis are really like what Zhukov mentioned It’s very thick armor, what plan do you have to deal with it?”

"Well"

Kogin, who only temporarily used the topic to speak freely after Stalin personally called the names, did not consider the issues related to the tank's main gun.

After all, the research and development project of the new heavy tank itself is just a bubble. How can a more sophisticated tank main gun provide a completely suitable and accurate answer in such a short period of time.

Stalin, who had already guessed the answer from Ke Jing's awkward and stuttering expression, couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. However, after thinking about it, Stalin felt that he had to ask Ke Jing to give him an accurate and reliable result in such a hasty time. It was indeed a bit unrealistic, but Stalin, who looked relieved, didn't pursue it too closely, and gently waved the pipe in his hand towards Kogin to indicate that he didn't need to take it to heart.

Seeing that his old rival Ke Jing was speechless for a moment, the middle-aged man sitting across the conference table facing each other blurted out the words he had already prepared.