Chapter 619 The most critical day (Part 1)

He picked up the dry towel at hand and wiped the few drops of water left from washing his face from his chin. Churchill, who had already expected such a result, calmly spoke to himself as if nothing had happened.

"It's very simple, Mr. Special Envoy. Let Stalin know that even if we can't help him directly, we are still an essential ally on his side that will bring him practical help. Let Stalin understand that Russia today is inseparable. Let us go, as long as we do this, we can ensure that Stalin will not fall out with us."

"Then what do you think we should do?"

Seeing that Roosevelt's special envoy had not yet understood his hint, Churchill, who felt that this gentle guy in front of him was far different from the crippled president, could only tell the truth.

"Mr. Special Envoy, your American war machine is now in full swing. I don't think President Roosevelt would mind adding a few more figures to the list of aid supplies to the Soviet Union next month. What do you think?"

"this"

Being able to come with Churchill to meet Stalin, Harriman must have received great authorization from Washington. At least on issues related to the Lend-Lease Act, Harriman could basically make his own decisions unless Stalin asked the United States to provide one or two battleships for fun.

As Churchill expected, Harriman, after thinking for a moment, quickly responded in the affirmative.

"Well, I agree with you in principle, Mr. Prime Minister. Only after the real decision is reported to Washington can we give an exact list of how much more aid will be added. Before that, I cannot give Stalin an accurate answer. This I need you to help me explain this to Stalin."

To be honest, Churchill was a little disgusted with the ugly faces of these Americans who acted like cowards whenever something happened, and who had the advantage of reacting faster than anyone else.

But now even the British Empire itself is living a miserable life relying on American aid. Churchill, who took advantage of others, thought that the once empire on which the sun never sets has actually fallen to the situation it is today. He lamented in his heart and then turned to Harry. Mann replied no problem.

Churchill, who went to the Kremlin for the last time before leaving, could not help but have a little quarrel with Stalin in an unhappy tone.

Stalin, who had a small meeting with the people around him, became more convinced that the British and the Americans were cheating and wanted to watch Germany and the Soviet Union fight to the death and bloodshed, and then take advantage of it.

From a certain perspective, Churchill, who was somewhat misunderstood, argued hard and continued to explain to Stalin the reasons why Britain and the United States could not open a second battlefield in 1942.

The verbal argument lasted for more than two hours. Stalin and Churchill, who were both tired, understood that they could not change each other. There was no practical significance in continuing the argument and it would only be a waste of time.

The two "mutual understanding" bosses finally shook hands and made peace, ending this unnecessary quarrel as allies.

Churchill was relieved when he left Moscow.

He achieved the ultimate goal of his trip: to stabilize Stalin, an uncertain ally who, in his opinion, might fall out with Britain and the United States over the opening of a second battlefield.

But for the loving father Comrade Stalin, who was full of disappointment and only received a small amount of assistance and compensation from the British and Americans as an unequal exchange, it was obvious that the frontline war situation was indirectly caused by the British and American scheming. But it still continues to get worse.

Order No. 227, which shot panicked and cowardly people on the spot, could not prevent the Soviet army's rout. Stalin, who had lost everything due to one careless move, was forced to swallow the bitter consequences of his own actions with great aggrievedness.

On August 23, the seventh day after Churchill left Moscow, Stalingrad, which was as precarious as a lonely boat in the sea, finally ushered in the most dangerous day since the war spread.

Just after ten o'clock in the morning, in the headquarters of the Stalingrad Front, which was shrouded in the sound of dense aerial bomb explosions dropped by Luftwaffe bombers, a rapid ringing of the phone announced the arrival of the worst news.

"Hello? Front Army Headquarters? I am Lieutenant Colonel Malashenko, leader of the 1st Guards Heavy Tank Breakthrough Regiment. There are at least one regiment of German tanks in front of me that are approaching the tractor factory. The shells fired from the tank's direct aim are Several rounds have landed in the factory area. The factory is now very dangerous. We are planning to blow up some of the remaining important equipment. Do you approve?"

The person who answered the phone was General Yelyemenko, who had recently assumed the post of commander of the Stalingrad Front. General Vasilevsky, who came to supervise the operation from the Supreme Command, was not far from him, just half a mile away. General Yelyomenko, who had received more than a dozen emergency calls within a few hours in the morning, was already exhausted.

"Lieutenant Colonel Malashenko, listen! The Supreme Command has just sent an order. Our front army does not have any reinforcements now! You can only use your existing forces to destroy the incoming German group. The most important thing is not to panic. Don’t be afraid of the enemy even if you are at a loss!”

"You can blow up those machines and equipment. I authorize you to organize defenses near the factory area and command all friendly forces around you that you can unite! All the planes of the front army have taken off. I will try to send you some air support, but The main battle still has to be completed by yourself!”

"Remember, Lieutenant Colonel Malashenko, you are everyone's recognized tank hero! Let everyone believe that we will win! This is a task you must complete!"

call out--

boom--

"Bah! Damn it, that stupid German cannonball is so accurate! I'll catch your motherfucker!"

Malashenko, who was talking to General Yelyomenko in the telephone room of the factory area, was hit by a near-missile bomb again. A 75mm high-explosive grenade, which was not very powerful but made a lot of noise, hit the enemy across a wall. Malashenko was shocked.

Malashenko shook the dust off his head, shook his shoulders, and spat out the dusty saliva before he approached the phone again and spoke back to the other end of the phone.

"Don't worry, Comrade Commander! We are going to use the corpses of those Germans to lay the foundation for the new fence of the tractor factory!"

Buzz-buzz-buzz-

As soon as Malashenko put down the phone, the battle alarm in the entire tractor factory was sounded.

The factory workers and guard soldiers who had rehearsed this situation many times knew what this sound meant. Countless workers who had no time to take off their oil-stained work clothes picked up the weapons that had been distributed and had just been hand-assembled on the production line. The T34 tank was driven directly out of the factory by the workers.

Malashenko, who had reached the time to fight for his life with the Germans, was unequivocal. He picked up the Somi submachine gun on the table next to him and waved his hand towards the crew following him.

"Let those fascist fools know whose turf they're on, get in the car and crush them!"