Steel Soviet Union

It is far more effective to highlight a person from the side than to use fancy language to praise a person. Zhukov, who has served in the Red Army for many years, knows this very well and used this method on Malashenko. In order to make everyone present Getting to know Malashenko again cannot be accomplished by just giving verbal orders.

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

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

The army is a place that worships the strong. It is an eternal truth that whoever has a bigger fist has more say. No matter which army in the world, it cannot do without this absolute law, and the Soviet Red Army is certainly the same.

Malashenko was not only able to win battles on the front line, but he was also able to provide suggestions for the future development of the Red Army's tank troops. He was also able to make quite accurate predictions about the development direction of the German armored forces, which no one present had the ability to do. Advantages worthy of envy and admiration.

Seeing that Malashenko was a little jealous and displeased, people swallowed the words that came to their lips and forced themselves to smile, praising the foresight of the person whom they had just criticized to the point of being almost worse than shit.

Not to mention the idiots and smart people who adapt to the changing circumstances. He was full of smiles and compliments, just asking for Malashenko's autograph. The excitement was comparable to celebrity fan meetings in later generations.

In fact, in addition to marveling at Malashenko's own deeds, most of the people present who couldn't help laughing were flattering Zhukov, the Red Army God of War who had just airborne.

Anyone who is not blind can see that Zhukov is obviously partial to Malashenko. Although I don’t know how Malashenko climbed to Zhukov’s high position, he does not want to build a mutual relationship with Malashenko. It is always true that good interpersonal relationships between people will not offend Zhukov, but will develop in the opposite direction for the better.

The meeting, which had lasted for more than two hours, ended with Zhukov's speech. Finally, Major General Nikishev, Chief of Staff of the Front Army, announced that the end point would be to consider the feasibility of the new combat model proposed by Malashenko. The participating tank units Commanders can go back to their respective homes to wait for subsequent orders to be completed.

It is worth mentioning that Malashenko, who was about to take the order to leave, was left alone by Zhukov, who had just arrived at the front army headquarters.

After borrowing an office from Vasilevsky, Zhukov sat on the sofa and looked at Malashenko standing in front of him with his head held high, a smile that was not false at all immediately appeared on his face.

"I read the battle report of the Stalingrad Front in Moscow before I came here. To be honest, your First Guards Heavy Tank Breakthrough Regiment showed the style and strength that a Guards tank unit should have! I transferred you to the Southern Front. The right decision is the only place where you can maximize your impact. ”

"You did not disappoint me, Malashenko."

Being able to rely on Comrade Lao Zhu as a backer is certainly something that Malashenko plans to work hard to accomplish, but the principles of "a thousand-mile horse often exists but a bole does not always exist" and "a scholar dies for a confidant" still apply.

Since the counterattack began this summer until now, the battles Malashenko has experienced have been several times more stubborn than last year.

Malashenko led the 1st Guards Heavy Tank Breakthrough Regiment non-stop. At the beginning, they were either on the way to counterattack or in the middle of the counterattack.

After the situation was reversed, Malashenko also had no time to relax. Being chased by the German army and giving him a bad meal became a daily activity, and the German air force above his head, which was more annoying than flies, became a daily routine.

During the day, Malashenko only dared to take deserted detours in order to avoid large-scale German air strikes and large groups of pursuing troops. At night, he did not even have time to sleep peacefully. He commanded the troops to immediately return to the main road under the cover of darkness and march through the starry night. The chasing Germans behind their backs tested their speed.

Abandoning half the regiment's tanks because they ran out of fuel on the way was just an episode.

In the last week of the retreat, Malashenko, who was really out of gas, even ordered his troops to drive one or two cars to look around in the dark after nightfall to see if there was any possibility of a friendly force getting there. Find some oil from the debris and supplies left behind during the retreat and pump it back for use.

If he happens to encounter friendly troops who are also retreating, Malashenko will have to beg like a beggar to give him some of the little oil left.

When I met those commanders who were lower in rank and position than me, they said that even if they didn’t have fuel, they could give Malashenko some other useful materials, and they sent this famous Red Army tank hero away with laughter. .

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

It is obvious that this infantry division unit without a single tank has a lot of diesel fuel left with nowhere to use, but no matter what Malashenko personally says, this man who is very good at pulling and coaxing will never let go. They just refused to give Malashenko permission to take the diesel away, saying that the diesel should be kept at any time in case of emergency needs.

Malashenko, who was so angry that his head was filled with smoke, experienced firsthand the truth that "the official level crushes people to death". When it really didn't make sense, he had no choice but to turn around and leave in anger.

That night, Malashenko, who was hurrying to get on his way, lost 12 KV1 heavy tanks again and for the last time due to lack of fuel. He used the little fuel left from the tanks of these tanks to fill other tanks. , and then finally reluctantly retreated to that small, inhospitable village to finish the work.

Thinking of these painful past events that are still vivid in my mind, and thinking of the sacrifices of a large number of comrades such as Maxim, even Malashenko, who always showed a strong face, after hearing Zhukov's meaningful words, His eyes became wet and red on the spot, and the pain and grievance from the bottom of his heart was so unbearable that Malashenko shed tears on the spot.

"It's too difficult, Comrade Zhukov, what I have experienced in the past few months is really too difficult. Many people who could have escaped were sacrificed in the end. If I could have had those people who were thrown away halfway in the village at that time, If we get rid of the abandoned tanks, the losses will never be as great as they were later!”