"Comrade Shaposhnikov, Comrade Zhukov, what suggestions do you have regarding the current situation?" Joseph asked after venting his fury.
Though Joseph was still extremely angry, he knew they had to find a way to solve the problem. They had to reduce their losses to the minimum. Only then could they preserve more strength and hold out against the Germans' fierce offensive.
"Comrade Joseph, the Germans are targeting the Western Front and the Northwestern Front this time. Together with the Southwestern Front, which has practically been wiped out by the Germans, they clearly intend to annihilate our main forces in one stroke. Without these troops, not only will we be unable to hold Moscow, we will have no strength left to counterattack the Germans. What awaits us will likely be defeat at German hands," Marshal Shaposhnikov said.
After hearing Marshal Shaposhnikov's words, Joseph's expression grew even uglier.
"Comrade Joseph, we must find a way to let the Western Front and Northwestern Front break out. Otherwise, if these troops are also wiped out by the Germans, then we are truly finished." Marshal Shaposhnikov seemed somewhat pessimistic. He truly did not know what they could use to stop the German offensive if they lost these several million main-force troops.
"If we order the Western Front and Northwestern Front to break out, can they successfully retreat back to Moscow?" Joseph asked.
"That will be extremely difficult. We have just received word that the Germans have left behind two army corps to block the Western Front's retreat. However, they have transferred two Ukrainian Army Corps north from the vicinity of Podolsk. The German 9th Army Corps and the 16th Army Corps are advancing northward, intending to cut off the Northwestern Front's retreat. In addition, German Army Group B and Army Group A on the frontal