My own war game

Chapter 179 Grand Parade

November 1941, 11, Moscow, Kremlin, night.

"Comrade Stalin! Please consider again that Comrade Vyacheslav Molotov can complete the work of the military parade on your behalf." Zhukov, the chief person in charge of the military parade and the commander-in-chief of the Soviet Army's West-West Group at the time, suggested.

However, Zhukov knew he had said the wrong thing as soon as he opened his mouth. Apart from anything else, if he singled out the words "Molotov can replace you", it would be a huge taboo.

Fortunately, the supreme commander's mind was not here at the moment. Stalin, smoking his pipe, did not hear the ambiguity of this sentence at all.

"No, Comrade Commander-in-Chief, I will not leave Moscow. I am more concerned about the situation on the front line now." Stalin said, looking at the sand table in front of him that was full of flags.

Knowing that the other party's decision could not be changed, Zhukov simply gave up the idea of ​​persuading Stalin to leave. Moreover, from other perspectives, doing so would indeed help to rally morale.

"Comrade Stalin, the outer perimeter of the Mozhaysk defense line has now been breached, but we have held out longer than planned. At present, the enemy's Central Army Group has been blocked from establishing a new defense line on the Maloyaroslavets-Kaluga line."

"And we have new troops here. About 15 reserve troops have been added to the northern defense line."

"Oh?" Stalin raised his eyebrows. "15 people? So many?"

"It's General Kirponos. He selected about 1 combat-experienced personnel from the militia, as well as a team of hunter special shooters. In addition, more than 5 people evacuated from Kiev have assembled in Voronezh, completed repairs and equipment replenishment, and can be used as additional troops at any time." Zhukov stood at attention and reported.

Here, history has slightly deviated. 3 more people were evacuated from Kiev than in the original time and space, and because Kirponos was still alive, under his personal charm, more than 1 workers' corps were gathered. Therefore, the reinforcements Moscow received at this time were 15, not just over 10 in history.

"That's it. Take these new soldiers arriving in Moscow to the Red Square. I will review them personally. After the review, all troops will go directly to the front line from the Red Square!" Stalin put down his pipe.

"Comrade Stalin, I would like to remind you that these soldiers have not undergone special drills, and the review effect may be..."

"We are not asking the soldiers to march for us, but to boost their morale. Do you understand, Comrade Zhukov?" Stalin waved his arms emotionally, then put his pipe in his mouth and thought for a while.
"Speaking of boosting morale, I remember that Mozhaysk fought a good battle a few days ago, so we can definitely make some arrangements."

"Yes, Comrade Stalin, I understand what you mean."
-
November 11, snow, Red Square in Moscow.

The rumbling sound of artillery fire was still ringing in the suburbs of the city, and a large Soviet army was gathering on one side of the Red Square.

For nearly a month, all the buildings here have been covered in anti-aircraft camouflage, but today all of this has been removed.

St. Basil's Cathedral, the Kremlin, Lenin's Mausoleum, these buildings all revealed their true appearance on this day. The Moscow top leaders used this way to tell the soldiers around them that they were not afraid of the German Air Force.

Of course, all this was based on the premise that Zhukov assigned eight air defense regiments and two air force divisions to protect the surrounding areas.

This may be the most peculiar military parade in the world. There are more than 100,000 troops participating in the parade, but even the equipment and clothing of the participants are not unified.

There were PPSh, Mosin-Nagant, and even old Tsarist-era rifles mixed in the ranks, as well as clothing, with many different colored military coats, leather boots, rubber shoes, and even the newly formed militiamen were only given a military cap before joining the ranks.

Alexei rode his Orlov horse and stood with several other cavalrymen. In order to honor their previous achievements, these surviving cavalrymen were formed into a square formation and stood at the front of all the cavalrymen. Alexei, who had changed into a new military uniform, was a little nervous. He unconsciously pulled his collar with his hand and took a long breath. Only then did he feel his heartbeat calm down a little.

He was not even 20 years old and had never experienced such a scene. The inexplicable tension made all the muscles in his body tense.

"It would be great if Comrade Special Envoy was here." Alexei muttered involuntarily. Although the time they had met was not long, he had subconsciously regarded Comrade Special Envoy as a trustworthy leader and could not help but think of him at this moment.

"What are you looking at? Be careful not to fall off your horse." A familiar voice came to his ears, and Alexei looked around in surprise.

"Don't look, I'm right in front of you." A figure with a rifle on his back turned around in the militia team in front, and under his hat was a familiar oriental face.

"Comrade Special Envoy, what's wrong with you?!"

"Shh~" The Oriental man motioned for the other party to be quiet, and then stuffed a roll of something into Alexei's hand, with a small note attached: "A souvenir for you, remember to use it well."

Alexei opened a corner of the thing in his hand, and a surprised expression appeared on his face. "Comrade Special Envoy, this is too valuable, I..."

"Just follow my orders. You will remember what happened today for the rest of your life." After saying this, He Chi disappeared into the crowd without waiting for the young cavalryman to refuse.

Alexei put away the things in his arms, unfolded the note in his hand, and then his eyes widened...
-
"The whole world is watching you, soldiers, commanders and political workers of the Red Army and the Red Navy..."

"Peoples of Europe under fascist yoke, male and female guerrillas behind the lines of the invaders, the whole world is watching you..."

"A great mission has fallen on your shoulders, and you are fighting the most just war!"

Stalin's speech on the rostrum had been completed. On a snowy winter day in Moscow, under the gaze of Moscow citizens, 100,000 Soviet troops passed through the Red Square in formation. They marched in untidy steps and the parade looked messy, but the momentum was as strong as a mountain.

Infantry square, militia square, and air defense force square.

One by one, the columns passed by the rostrum, and Stalin stood on the high ground and saluted each passing column.

And behind this are the more important troops.

One of the few Moscow Internal Guard troops that achieved unified uniforms and equipment was the Dzerzhinsky Division.

The Siberian Division in white snow suits.

There was also the Soviet Army's newly formed T34 armored tank division rumbling past.

And the highlight was below, a square formation appeared with tractors pulling the shabby tank wreckage.

(End of this chapter)