At the headquarters of the 4th Tank Brigade, Major Zahakavich looked at the map with a frown.

Seeing Shulka come in, Major Zahakavich nodded and signaled Shulka to wait, then looked at the map and said nothing.

After a while, the main officers were almost there, and then Major Zahakavich said: "Comrades, our superiors ordered us to launch a counterattack against Tula. The purpose is to drive the German 3rd Armored Division out of the Tula area to make up for it.

gap!"

The officers couldn't help talking after hearing this.

"Comrade Zahakavich!" Major Gavrilov said: "But we are seriously short of tanks. With the 5 tanks we just added, we only have 31 tanks!"

"The superiors will add some other types of tanks to us!" Major Zahakavich replied.

Although Major Gavrilov didn't say anything, everyone knew that it was difficult for other tanks to cooperate with the T34, and they were more used to make up numbers.

"How many tanks does the enemy have?" Venyakov asked.

"Preliminary estimate is about 100 vehicles!" Major Zahakavich replied.

The officers in the conference room stopped talking after hearing this.

"We have almost no chance of victory!" Shulka said: "Because we have to end the battle before dawn and hide ourselves, but attack them with 31 tanks..."

"I know all this!" Major Zahakawicz said with some annoyance: "I also know that the time to launch a counterattack has not come yet. We should wait for the enemy to break into the minefield, and then take advantage of the minesweeper tanks."

Less wins more. But this is an order from a superior, understand? We have no room to bargain with an order from a superior!"

"Then, the superiors should at least give us a little more time!" Major Gavrilov said: "In another ten days, ten more tanks will be added, and by then we may still have the ability to counterattack!"

"No, Comrade Gavrilov!" Major Zahakavich said: "The order from above is to launch a counterattack within ten days and drive the enemy out. The garrison in Tula will cooperate with our attack!"

After a moment of silence, Major Gavrilov asked: "Is this an order from the Supreme Command?"

Major Zahakavich shook his head and replied: "It was Comrade Zhukov's order!"

There was silence in the headquarters, and the officers' faces and eyes showed a bit of unwillingness.

Shulka knew what this meant. They could have played a greater role on the battlefield, but they had to die because of an inexplicable order... Although there are many things like this in the army, and they also know that the army is

It is the bounden duty to obey orders, but that does not mean that everyone has no complaints.

After a moment of silence, Shulka asked: "Why ten days? Our superiors ordered us to do it within ten days!"

"I don't know!" Major Zahakawicz spread his hands and replied: "I know this much!"

Then Shulka turned away in his head.

Assuming that this order was indeed issued by Zhukov, and that Zhukov issued this order even though he knew that the Fourth Tank Brigade had insufficient tanks, then he must have his own reasons, otherwise he would not let the Fourth Tank Brigade do this.

Go up and confront a German armored division.

What difficulties would there be?

Ten days?

Ten days later is...

Then Shulka suddenly understood that it was a military parade on Red Square, and the Supreme Command decided to hold the military parade as usual at this difficult time to boost the morale of the military and civilians.

It should be said that this was indeed useful. After the military parade was held and broadcast across the country, almost everyone changed their previous belief that the German army would soon occupy Moscow and then the entire Soviet Union.

Perhaps it can be said that this military parade inspired an atmosphere of common hatred and hatred, making many troops and even civilians have a tragic mentality of stepping over their corpses even if they eventually failed.

Of course, there are other reasons for this. For example, the temperature dropped sharply after the Red Square military parade on November 7, which was obviously extremely detrimental to the German army. In addition, reinforcements from the Far East Front also arrived one after another, which finally led to the battle.

Turn defeat into victory.

But these were not issues Shulka needed to consider. He guessed the reason why Zhukov issued this order: to prepare for the military parade in Red Square.

During the military parade, the defense line will be weak in all directions. Once the German army knows that the Soviet army is parading, they will launch a fierce attack at that time, and the German 3rd Armored Division, which has crossed the defense line and surrounded Tula... may take risks.

Attack on Moscow.

Although this is a risk for the German army, they do have the possibility of success, even if they fail in the end... If the Soviet army had just finished the Red Square military parade and the Germans attacked the city of Moscow, this would undoubtedly greatly reduce the effectiveness of the military parade.

Even counterproductive.

Shulka was about to tell the reason, but then he thought about it and stopped immediately.

The military parade in Red Square was undoubtedly a military secret at this time.

Once this news leaks out, the German army will prepare in advance and even have a complete offensive plan, which will exponentially increase the pressure on the Mozhaisk defense line, and the entire defense line may even collapse as a result.

If this is the case, then Shulka, the instigator of leaking the news, will be wasted no matter how much credit he makes and how much effort he makes.

"Why are you so stunned, Shulka!" Major Gavrilov asked: "Think of a way how we can complete this mission!"

"Major!" Shulka replied: "We...maybe we can complete this task in another way!"

"What about another way?" Major Gavrilov said: "As long as the task can be completed, no matter what way it is, there is no problem!"

"The Germans occupied the railway bridge and then successfully broke through the defense line and surrounded Tula from the rear!" Shulka said: "That is to say, the German penetration troops completely relied on this railway bridge. If we blow up this railway

Where is the bridge?”

"No, Shulka!" Major Zahakavich said: "You are not completing the mission in a different way, but you are not completing the mission at all. Blowing up the railway bridge and driving the enemy out of Tula are two different things!"

Shulka said nothing.

This does seem to be two different things, but it would be the same thing if the German 3rd Armored Division, which the superiors were worried about, took advantage of the Soviet military parade to attack Moscow with all its strength.

Because, if the railway bridge is blown up, the German 3rd Armored Division will certainly not be able to attack Moscow so quickly.
Chapter completed!