Chapter 3002: Farewell Gift

Two consecutive military parades, one in Moscow and one in Berlin, the constant running back and forth is finally over.

But Malashenko did not have time to take a breath and rest. Time is still very tight for Malashenko, and the real big things for Malashenko have just begun.

The morning of the second day after the four-nation joint military parade, Malashenko received a call from Zhukov and was called to his office to talk face to face.

On the way there, Malashenko had a strong premonition that this trip was probably for some long-awaited things to finally be settled, and now it was time to have a final statement.

When Malashenko actually entered Zhukov's office and came to the Red Army God of War and his own mentor, the strong premonition along the way really came true as Zhukov slowly opened his mouth.

"The final version of the combat deployment has been released. You should have gone to the General Staff Headquarters in Moscow to receive it in person. But considering that your army has a long march from Berlin to the Far East, and there are a lot of heavy equipment, it will inevitably take a lot of time on the road, so I will try to save as much as possible for you, with military efficiency as the priority."

"Before I set out for Berlin, Vasilevsky found me and asked me to hand over the combat deployment to you. The detailed written documents are in this file bag. You can take it back and study it slowly. I will tell you about the general deployment here, at least so that you can have a basic understanding of what to do next."

Suppressing the excitement and mania in his heart, the old leader is willing to give him a "class", then Malashenko must accept it. How much face does it take for the marshal to explain the combat deployment to you one-on-one? Others can't even ask for it.

He took the initiative to get up from the chair behind the desk, and walked all the way to the combat map at the other end of the office with Malashenko, indicating that he should follow him.

The huge battle map hanging on the wall had been replaced by Zhukov's people in advance to a style that Malashenko felt very familiar with at first sight.

That was his hometown in his previous life, and he still thought about it day and night, and was obsessed with it - Northeast China.

The obvious traces of drawing on the map at least showed that Zhukov had studied it for a while.

Malashenko guessed what he should do next and how the leader's army would deploy operations. Zhukov had already deduced it all and understood it clearly. What happened next could only be said to be true.

"First of all, this Far East operation was not commanded by me. I believe you should have heard the news.

"Moscow specifically asked me to stay in Berlin to continue to deal with the next matter, so this Far East military operation will be commanded by Marshal Vasilevsky personally. "

"You know the relationship between us, we are relatives. So even if you are under his command for the first time, you don't have to worry too much. I have already said everything that needs to be said for you in advance. Just treat Marshal Vasilevsky the same way you treated me. There is no difference. "

At this moment, only Malashenko and Zhukov were alone in the office, and only in such an environment could they talk privately.

This was indeed the first time that Malashenko was directly ordered by Vasilevsky to participate in a major strategic military operation. Zhukov would have many benefits if he had arranged everything in advance.

This was not only due to personal relationships and human relations, but also to enable the generals to better run-in and cooperate with each other, and better exert the earth-shaking offensive energy of the leader's army.

Malashenko must be grateful for Zhukov's advance arrangements.

A marshal can take the initiative to help you, a lieutenant general, and use personal relationships to do this. That is no longer a general official business.

Comrade Lao Ma was about to say something with gratitude, at least to express his feelings to Zhukov, but he did not expect that Zhukov's next words would have a bigger surprise.

"There is one more thing I want to tell you. You should be very interested in this. No, to be precise, you should be very happy to hear this news. "

"The High Command has decided to appoint Marshal Vatutin as the commander of the First Far Eastern Front. In view of the long-term tacit cooperation between the two of you, and the excellent combat experience you have shown in previous battles, and the fact that the First Far Eastern Front is responsible for the battle direction, it is indeed necessary to have a very offensive force like the Leader Army. "

"Therefore, you will command the Leader Army to be assigned to Vatutin's First Far Eastern Front, directly under the command of the Front, responsible for attacking from east to west, and breaking through all Japanese defense lines encountered along the way, quickly advancing to Harbin, cutting off the retreat route of the Kwantung Army's northern group to the south, and completing the north-south division of the Kwantung Army Group. "

"After the follow-up troops arrive and take over your defense zone, continue to move south to Changchun, and meet with the Trans-Baikal Front here, so that we can control the core area of ​​the entire Northeast region, and at the same time cut off the possibility of the Kwantung Army Group escaping to the peninsula. "

"The entire Kwantung Army Group was cut off from north to south and from east to west, and was forced to be divided and surrounded into several independent blocks that were not connected to each other, and were annihilated one by one by the Red Army with its absolute superior force.

Following the direction of Zhukov's finger, Malashenko clearly understood what he had to do next and how to do it on the map. He still had doubts and spoke quietly.

"So what happens after we arrive in Changchun? Comrade Marshal, I don't think the entire Kwantung Army Group will surrender immediately when we arrive in Changchun. These stubborn militarists will resist to the end, and they must be resolutely and thoroughly destroyed."

Zhukov nodded when he heard Malashenko's question. In terms of specific combat plans, Malashenko's guess was indeed correct.

"Good question. The command headquarters did have high expectations for the performance of the leader army in this operation. Of course, your combat mission planning will not stop at arriving in Changchun."

"If you complete the encirclement after arriving in Changchun and joining the Trans-Baikal Front, and the situation at that time still requires you to continue fighting and complete further combat tasks. Continue south, all the way through Shenyang to Dalian, smash all Japanese obstructions along the way, and then complete all combat tasks."

Zhukov's baton continued to move down from Changchun, all the way to Dalian, the southernmost tip of the Northeast.

If the Leader Army is indeed capable of completing such additional mission objectives, it will mean that the Leader Army's assault route runs through the entire Northeast, which literally splits the Kwantung Army in half.

Of course, according to Zhukov's additional explanation, the mission objectives after Changchun are not mandatory.

This should have been the combat operation that the Trans-Baikal Front was responsible for, but the Supreme Command decided to give priority to the Leader Army if the actual situation permits in order to test the combat capabilities of the Leader Army, an experimental mechanized army of various arms.

In other words, this is a competition.

The competition is whether the Leader Army has the ability to prepare for the subsequent attack to the south with Changchun as the starting point before the Trans-Baikal Front.

If so, you can accept the combat mission and take it. Every step to the south will be considered an additional mission. You can fight wherever you can until the Japanese entrenched in the direction of Dalian are destroyed.

If not, it is still considered that the Leader Army has completed the established combat mission. As the military chief of the Leader Army, Malashenko will not be punished for stopping in Changchun.

No one knows how strong the current Leader Army is, and how far such a long-distance, high-intensity mechanized march can go. A blank test paper has been handed to Malashenko, and it depends on how many points he can answer next.

A preliminary combat plan has begun to take shape in Malashenko's mind. As for whether it can be implemented, it depends on the actual situation encountered after arriving at the place.

At present, it is hard to say if it is just a paper talk facing the map.

After all, it sounds awesome to split the Kwantung Army in half, but if it is actually implemented, even if it is a 100% fully mechanized Leader Army, it is really hard to say whether it can definitely do it.

"How is it? Do you feel too much pressure to speak?"

""

Looking at Zhukov's obviously joking expression and his words, Malashenko laughed dumbly and then responded with his usual firm answer.

"If it is still the previous leadership division, then what you said is indeed the reality; but now it is not the leadership division but the leadership army. The Japanese devils will face a devastating blow that is several times the damage suffered by the Nazi defenders in Berlin, so"

"Malashenko is confident that he can complete the combat mission, Comrade Marshal, including the established combat mission and additional combat mission."

"You have defeated those Japanese devils in the Far East. This time you can't go there in person, so I will do it instead. Malashenko will definitely make those Japanese devils miss the intense fear even more than in 1939."

The combat order has been officially issued, and Malashenko will immediately lead his troops to set off for the Far East for the final battle preparations.

The troops of the Kurbalov 1st Division, stationed in the suburbs of Moscow and on standby since the end of the military parade, have now officially set off to the Far East as the vanguard of the leadership army to deploy.

In Berlin, Malashenko will set off with the military organs of the leadership army, bringing the troops of the Varosha 2nd Division, which had just participated in the Berlin military parade, back to the country via Poland. And cross the entire Soviet Union from west to east to the Far East, and finally meet with the Kurbalov 1st Division that arrived first, and then complete all the battle preparations and wait for the attack.

There are a lot of various jars and pots of household items, and it takes several days just to complete the preparations for departure.

The leadership army cannot just drive tanks all the way back to the country. It is necessary to use the railway line for strategic maneuvers, and such a large-scale railway transportation capacity mobilization is not an easy task. It is busy just to coordinate various units to cooperate in formulating railway transportation schedules.

Fortunately, with Zhukov's green light and full assistance, Malashenko was busy in the office every day, and had to look at the telegrams in his hands and use his hands and eyes, but at least the efficiency and actual progress were unprecedentedly fast.

Time was running out and all matters were ready. More than half of the troops and heavy equipment of the Second Division of Varosha were on the train, and the leadership army's area in Berlin had basically been transferred to friendly forces for exchange of defense. The important matters were basically done, and it was time for Malashenko to board the plane and leave Berlin.

That is to say, on the morning when Malashenko was about to take the flight to leave Berlin, Malashenko, who had gotten up early, welcomed a man who said it was unexpected, not that unexpected, but that it made sense, but he actually seemed to be there. some sudden guests.

It was Major General Jack Morrison, commander of the U.S. Army's Fourth Armored Division stationed in the same city as the leader's army, Malashenko's apprentice and old friend.

"This day has finally come. Ever since the banquet when we met in Berlin, I have always had a premonition that one day you would march eastward and teach those Japanese devils a harsh lesson."

"For the last battle of the anti-Fascist war, I hope you can accept it. I commissioned Colt's top gunsmith to make it specially for you. It is the most advanced private customization. It is the only one in the world. A limited edition one symbolizes your uniqueness in the field of armored combat. You deserve it, and I hope it will bear witness to our friendship.”

""

Jack made a special trip to visit him to say goodbye and give him gifts. Malashenko, who was holding a delicate wooden box in his hand, must say that he did not expect it.

Opening the lid of the wooden box, Malashenko could suddenly see a Colt M1911A1 pistol decorated with exquisite silver reliefs and supported by carved solid wood grips, lying quietly in the box. On top of the red cloth, waiting for acceptance.

“In fact, at first I wanted to make it with gold and silver, but the gunsmith persuaded me to give up this idea because I said it would be a gift to a general with outstanding military exploits, and I hope it can become his sidearm. From a practical perspective, gold inlaid with silver is not a good choice. I hope you like it.”

""

Malashenko once gave Jack a commemorative Tokarev TT33 pistol as a reward for outstanding students in the first "Tank Biathlon" competition, but it was done in an official name.

Now Jack reciprocates the favor and uses his identity, status, and financial resources to find the best gunsmiths from the best firearms companies in the United States to tailor-make this pistol, the only one in the world, for Malashenko. Return gift.

"Dmitri Drukovich Malashenko, 3."

What Malashenko slowly read out was his own name. Together with the date of completion of the gun, it was typed in two rows, engraved on the silver sleeve, neat and magnificent. The English handwriting of seems to have been written by a woman.

And Jack's next words indeed confirmed Malashenko's guess.

"It was not easy to invite Mrs. Goldstein to take on this job. She is known as the ".45 caliber artist." Every .45 caliber pistol made by her is a unique and rare treasure. One of them belongs to you, old friend."