USSR 1941

  Chapter 96 Prejudice

  Admiral Kirponos' statement is not unreasonable. The Soviets like simple, cheap, and practical things that can be equipped in large quantities.

   Pulling a telephone line from the tank is in line with these characteristics, and the telephone is simply too cheap, as long as there are raw materials for communication soldiers, it can be easily modified.

   Of course, there are still flaws in this, and there are many flaws.

  For example, soldiers in charge of communications must know some semaphore.

   But this is not a defect. Signal flags are widely used in the Soviet army. After all, their communication equipment is backward. Moreover, learning semaphore is not too difficult. It is almost enough to train for a few days to strengthen the memory, so it is easy to find a group of infantry suitable for communication.

   The more serious flaw is that these infantry are dangerous.

You must know that it is on a tank. The tank is rushing forward on the battlefield under the rain of bullets. The bullets and shrapnel will "clank" on the armor of the tank and then fly around, and these infantry will be like tarnished boards. The fleshy ones can only hang behind the tank and cannot move or dodge.

  Of course, this is not a problem for the Soviet army. They will not take this danger seriously, as long as they can effectively attack the enemy.

  So, this method of making the communication of Soviet tanks from scratch is predictable, as General Kirponos said, will soon sweep the entire army.

  But the two staff officers of Major General Tolicka, commander of the 9th Army, didn't think so.

   While Major General Toliczka watched in a daze as the tanks were fitted with phones and tested one by one, the staff officer spoke beside him.

   "Those idiots!" said one of them, "They think they can defeat the Germans with these little tricks! They don't know that the most important thing to win is courage!"

"I don't understand why Comrade Admiral would trust that sergeant!" Another said, "That's ridiculous, he's just an infantryman, a sergeant! I'm sure he never got into a tank and taught us how to use a tank fight..."

   "Shut up, you useless guys!" Major General Toliczka interrupted the two staff officers impatiently: "If any of you can think of such a trick, then I will be happy to apply for the Red Star Medal for you!"

  The staff officers couldn't help being stunned after hearing this.

   It's not that the staff couldn't see the function of the phone call, but they knew how to speak to make Major General Toliczka feel comfortable after observing their facial expressions.

If it is in other aspects, Major General Toliczka may follow the words of the staff officer and admit it, but this telephone line... Major General Toliczka really cannot make a negative offer, because he knows it will help the tank troops, great help.

   "Comrade Major General!" At this moment, Admiral Kirponos walked up to Major General Toliczka and called out.

   Major General Toliczka hurried forward to salute: "Comrade General!"

  Admiral Kirponos waved his gloves lightly to signal Major General Tolic to follow, then turned his gaze to the tank being modified, and asked casually, "What do you think of this modification?"

   "Very good, Comrade General!" Major General Toliczka replied.

   "Tell me what you think!" Admiral Kirponos crossed his hands behind his back and asked as he walked, "What good will it do?"

   "Please allow me to apologize first, Comrade General!" Major General Toliczka said: "I always thought that the sergeant..."

   "Shuerka, his name is Shurka!"

"Yes, Comrade Shulka!" Major General Toliczka went on, "That's why I disagree with his theory, Comrade General! Because our tanks can't conduct effective command, but he seems to have solved the problem. The question! That's the way he thought of it, isn't it?"

   Admiral Kirponos nodded.

"Although I don't like him, Comrade General!" Major General Toliczka said: "But I think he is right. Such modification and training can indeed greatly improve the combat capabilities of tank troops. If not, it can also improve tanks. Communication and coordination with the infantry, there is no question about that...and all we need is a phone in the tank!"

   "Do you have a problem with him?"

   "No, of course there is no opinion, like I said... this method is very good!"

   "Comrade Major General!" said Admiral Kirponos, "I don't mean this method, but Sergeant Shulka. Do you have a problem with him?"

  Major General Toliczka was stunned for a moment, then shook his head: "No, Comrade General. I have no objection, I just..."

   "Just think he is too young?" Admiral Kirponos followed up Major General Toliczka: "Think he is inexperienced? Think he is whimsical?"

   After thinking for a while, Major General Toliczka nodded and said, "Maybe, I can't believe that a person like him can come up with a correct theory based on imagination and deduction..."

"But the fact is that he did it, Comrade Major General!" Admiral Kirponos said, "You may have heard his story. Although Moscow does not recognize his achievements, we all know how difficult it is. I I mean from the Brest Fortress to the 'chalet camouflage', and now this..."

   Speaking of this, Admiral Kirponos stopped in his tracks, turned around and handed Major General Toliczka a cigarette: "This is why I came to you, Comrade Major General!"

   "What?" Major General Toliczka didn't understand what he meant.

   "I need an army!" General Kirponos said: "This army will go into battle with a new set of tactics. I don't know if it will be successful..."

  Admiral Kirponos lit cigarettes for the two, and then continued: "Because we don't have much preparation time, insufficient training, and uncertainties in equipment, etc., but we have no other choice..."

   Having said that, Admiral Kirponos didn't say any more.

  But Major General Toliczka understood what the general meant... The armored troops of the German Central Army Group were outflanking the rear of Kyiv, but their requests to retreat were rejected time and time again. This was tantamount to letting the Southwest Front Army wait to die in Kyiv.

   "I won't let you down, Comrade General!" Major General Toliczka replied, knowing that the army General Kirponos was talking about was his 9th Army.

   "It's not enough!" Admiral Kirponos breathed out the smoke and said, "You must let go of your stereotypes about Comrade Shulka!"

   After thinking for a while, Major General Toliczka stepped forward and replied: "This is not a problem, Comrade General!"

   "Very good!" Admiral Kirponos patted Major General Toliczka on the shoulder: "You have retained your position as army commander!"

  Major General Toliczka was stunned by these words... In other words, if he didn't let go of his prejudice against the sergeant, General Kirponos planned to replace him as the commander.

  (end of this chapter)