118 исторических миниатюр и 108 авторских текстов на 13 иностранных языках. Сборник (СИ)

- You, comrade Vasilevsky, almost age-mates with comrade Zhukov. Korolev, - the successor of the ideas of Tsiolkovsky, - has to carry out the main plans until 1960, maximum till 1965. New times, new people will come. Will sing new songs. Tell to the twenty-six-year-old general. Goodbye, comrade Vasilevsky.

December 13, 2017 10:47

Translation from Russian into English: December 13, 2017 16:02, December 15, 2017 13:39.

Владимир Владимирович Залесский 'Сказка о новых песнях'.

LXIII. The Fairy Tale about October 10, 1941

October 10, 1941. The room was entered by Stalin.

- Good afternoon, comrade Vasilevsky.

- Good afternoon, comrade Stalin.

- We plan departure of the General Staff from Moscow for October 15th, 1941.

- The assignment, comrade Stalin, is almost finished by preparation.

Stalin has begun to read the draft of the military order:

- The General Staff leaves Moscow, and you, comrade Vasilevsky, remain?

- The first echelon of the General Staff will remain, comrade Stalin. For the solution of operational tasks. The list of tasks is previously agreed with the chief of the General Staff.

Stalin has returned the draft of the military order:

- Finish up.

He have become interested in one of the maps lying on a big table. He have raised the map. Under the map the submachine gun lay.

- The General Staff's employees need to have submachine gun, comrade Vasilevsky?

- Today, comrade Stalin, I have come back from an office trip to the area to the east of Gzhatsk. At one of roads we had to drag the car, was destroyed by the opponent's airplane, to a roadside. The living military personnel in her wasn't. There also the submachine gun lay. The enemy seeks to Moscow. I have taken the submachine gun, brought it to Moscow. Of course, the submachine gun isn't necessary to the employee of the General Staff, but when make the submachine gun - number million, I will ask it as an official gift. I will give a factory copy to the museum, and this - the front's weapon - will be - as an official gift.

- Do you have skills of firing from such type of weapon, comrade Vasilevsky?

- I trained a little on the way. Skills of handling of small arms are available. Even from imperialistic war. The individual weapon was given after completion of studies of military college, one may say, with officer shoulder straps, with officer's rank.

Stalin walked over to the bookcase. Took one of the books. Became visible the icon with the St. George.

Stalin has looked through the book and has returned book into place.

- Be in Kremlin in an hour, comrade Vasilevsky.

In an hour Vasilevsky was near Stalin's office-room. The assistant in a reception has informed that during the period of the most powerful phase of Hitlerite offensive toward Moscow for Vasilevsky is allocated one of the the rooms in the Stavka's location, near Stalin's office-room.

Vasilevsky has entered an office-room.

Stalin handed him the sheet of paper:

- The ordinary Moscow inhabitant has sent me the letter. Read.

Vasilevsky has begun to read. The inhabitant of Moscow asked Stalin to organize religious Christian procession around Moscow. It was clear that the religious procession, in the usual sense - on foot, - is impossible. The Moscow inhabitant asked to organize flight around of Moscow with an icon - by airplane.

Vasilevsky has read the letter, and, without knowing what to tell, was silent.

Stalin was also silent.

At last, Vasilevsky has said:

- The trip to the district of Gzhatsk has shown that visual operational information, direct acquaintance to a situation promotes analytical planning of operations. Now the organization of defense of Moscow is intensively conducted. Flight of perimeter of Moscow by plane, visual acquaintance to current situation would be very useful to the organization of defense.

- Begin to act , - Stalin has spoken. - I have ordered to allocate you the plane for flight around of Moscow on perimeter.

In the second half of October, 1941 during the hardest fights plans of blitzkrieg have been ruined.

The opponent has temporarily suspended approach, attacks. Behind of the front-line, in the rear, ten reserve armies were formed. These armies in December ensured a victory over the opponent in a battle of Moscow.

At the end of October, 1941 during telephone conversation Stalin has asked whether Vasilevsky could write the resolution on assignment of the next military rank to one of generals. Vasilevsky has agreed and has asked, what rank and to whom, absolutely, of course, without suspecting that his name will be told. Having heard the surname, Vasilevsky has asked to exempt him from performance of this assignment.

Stalin have answered, joking:

- Well, fulfil your own tasks, and in this affair we somehow will do without you.

On October 28, 1941 the resolution of the Government of the USSR to Vasilevsky has given the next rank of the lieutenant general, and to two of his employees on task force of the General Staff - the major general's rank.