Chapter 636: Grievances

It is far more effective to praise a person from the side than to praise him with fancy words. Zhukov, who has served in the Red Army for many years, knows this very well and uses this method on Malashenko. If you want everyone present to re-recognize Malashenko, it is not enough to just give orders verbally.

Zhukov's method is indeed effective. Of course, this is also closely related to the big chess game that Malashenko himself started to lay out last year.

With an extremely clear understanding of the entire Patriotic War and the future direction, Malashenko decided to find a backer for his future development since the beginning of his travel. Zhukov, who appeared at the right time, naturally became the best candidate for Malashenko to find a backer. Now it seems that all the efforts made at the time were indeed fruitful.

The army is a place that worships the strong. Whoever has the bigger fist has more say is an eternal truth. No matter which army in the world is inseparable from this absolute law, the Soviet Red Army is of course the same.

Malashenko was not only able to win battles on the front line, but also to offer advice on the future development of the Red Army tank forces, and to make a fairly accurate prediction of the development direction of the German armored forces. This was an advantage that no one present had and was worthy of envy and admiration.

Some people who were jealous and displeased with Malashenko swallowed their words back, and forced a smile to praise the person who had just been criticized by them as being worse than shit for his foresight.

Not to mention the fence-sitters and the smart people who followed the wind, who were full of smiles and praises, and only asked Malashenko for his autograph, the excitement was comparable to the fan meeting of celebrities in later generations.

In fact, in addition to being amazed at Malashenko's own deeds, the people present were more flattering Zhukov, the Red Army god of war who had just been airborne.

Anyone with eyes can see that Zhukov has a clear taste of favoritism towards Malashenko. Although it is unknown how Malashenko climbed up to Zhukov's high branch, it is always true that not making enemies with Malashenko and establishing good interpersonal relationships with each other will not anger Zhukov, but will develop in a positive direction that is completely opposite to him.

This meeting, which has been going on for more than two hours, ended with Zhukov's speech. In the end, Major General Nikishev, the Chief of Staff of the Front, announced that the feasibility of the new combat mode proposed by Malashenko would be considered at the end. The commanders of the tank units participating in the meeting could go back to their homes and wait for follow-up orders to finish the matter.

It is worth mentioning that Malashenko, who was about to leave, was left alone by Zhukov, who had just arrived at the Front Command.

Zhukov, who borrowed an office from Vasilevsky, sat on the sofa and looked at Malashenko standing tall in front of him. A smile without any hypocrisy immediately appeared on his face.

"Before coming here, I read the combat report of the Stalingrad Front in Moscow. To be honest, your First Guards Heavy Tank Breakthrough Regiment has shown the style and strength of the Guards Tank Force! It is the right decision to transfer you to the southern line. Only here can you play your role to the greatest extent."

"You did not disappoint me, Malashenko."

It is certainly within Malashenko's plan to be able to rely on Comrade Lao Zhu as a backer, but the principles of "there are often good horses, but there are not often good horse trainers" and "a man will die for his confidant" still apply.

Since the start of the counterattack this summer, the battles that Malashenko has experienced are simply several times more stubborn than last year.

Malashenko led the First Guards Heavy Tank Breakthrough Regiment non-stop. At the beginning, he was either on the way to the counterattack or in the battle of the counterattack.

After the situation reversed, Malashenko was also not idle. Being chased by the German army and beaten up has become a daily activity, and the German Air Force, which is more annoying than flies, has become a commonplace.

In order to avoid the large-scale air raids and large-scale pursuit troops of the German army during the day, Malashenko dared only take detours in the deserted roads. At night, he did not even have time to sleep peacefully. He commanded his troops to take advantage of the night to rush back to the main road and compete with the German army behind him.

Abandoning half a regiment of tanks due to lack of oil was just an episode.

On the last day of the retreat, Malashenko, who had no oil to use, even ordered his troops to drive one or two cars to search around in the dark after nightfall to see if it was possible to find some oil from the wreckage and supplies left by the retreating friendly troops.

If he happened to meet a retreating friendly force, Malashenko would have to beg them to share the little oil left with him like a beggar.

When they met commanders with lower ranks and positions than themselves, they said that even if there was no oil, they could give Malashenko some other useful supplies, and sent this famous Red Army tank hero away with a smile.

The most aggrieved time for Malashenko was when he met a colonel commander of an infantry division.

Obviously, this infantry division without a single tank had a lot of diesel left and nowhere to use it, but no matter how Malashenko personally came out and talked, this arrogant and boastful old man never gave in, and just refused to give Malashenko a note to allow him to take the diesel away, saying that the diesel had to be kept at any time in case of emergency.

Malachenko, whose head was smoking with anger, personally experienced the truth that "a higher-ranking official can crush a person to death". When he could not make sense, he had to turn around and leave in anger.

That night, Malachenko, who was in a hurry to get on the road, lost 12 KV1 heavy tanks again and for the last time because of lack of oil. He pumped the remaining fuel from the tanks of these tanks into other tanks, and finally withdrew to the small village where no one was going.

Thinking of these aggrieved past events that are still vivid in his mind, and thinking of the sacrifices of a large number of comrades such as Maxim, even though Malachenko, who always showed a strong face, could not help but wet his eyes after hearing Zhukov's meaningful words. The discomfort and grievance from the bottom of his heart almost made Malachenko shed tears on the spot.

"It was too difficult, Comrade Zhukov. What we have experienced in the past few months was really too difficult. Many people who could have escaped the disaster ended up dying. If I had been in the village with those tanks that were abandoned along the way, the losses would never have been as great as they were later!"