"Comrade Commander, Moscow has ordered us to immediately organize the troops for a breakout!" reported Lieutenant General Malankin, Chief of Staff of the Russian Western Front Army.
"What? They only told us to break out? They didn't say they would send troops to support us?" Marshal Voroshilov's expression darkened.
Lieutenant General Malankin shook his head. "They say Moscow is short on forces. If they dispatch troops to support us, the Germans may seize the chance to attack. Therefore, Comrade Joseph has ordered us to organize the breakout ourselves. The troops that break out are to enter Moscow."
"Bastards! How can we possibly break through the German encirclement relying on our strength alone?" Marshal Voroshilov cursed.
"I heard that General Zhukov, commander of the Reserve Front Army, has become the Moscow Garrison Commander. All troops in and around Moscow are now under General Zhukov's command," Lieutenant General Ponomarenko said from the side.
After hearing that, Marshal Voroshilov's expression became even uglier. Clearly, he believed General Zhukov was deliberately refusing to send troops to rescue them.
"Comrade Commander, what should we do now?" Lieutenant General Malankin asked.
"If you don't want to die, organize the troops and launch a breakout! Only by breaking through the German encirclement can we have a way to survive. Otherwise, every one of us will die fighting here," Marshal Voroshilov said.
"But the frontal battlefield is already in critical condition. If we pull out more troops, I'm afraid the front will collapse. When that happens..." Lieutenant General Malankin was worried.
German Army Group B's offensive was exceedingly fierce. The Russian Western Front Army had been forced to deploy large numbers of troops on the frontal battlefield to guard against the German offensive. Pulling troops out now for a breakout would undoubtedly give the Germans an opening to