Stalin was very annoyed by Sevastopol's fall.

"I don't know what happened on the Crim Peninsula!" In the conference room, Stalin glanced at the officers attending the meeting with a cold look and said coldly: "The original situation was very beneficial to us, right? Sevastopol is an insurmountable fortress. The Kerch Peninsula is also very suitable for defense in terms of terrain. They have 120,000 and 260,000 people respectively, while the enemy has only 160,000 people... Our troops are even on the left and right, facing the enemy in both sides, but they are easily captured by the enemy!"

Speaking of this, Stalin picked up his pipe and stuffed cigarettes into it while saying calmly: "Who can tell me why this is?"

Okjabridgesky, who escaped from Sevastopol, thought he needed to explain this, so he stood up and replied: "Comrade Stalin, because the enemy attacked the power station beyond our expectations, and... Sevastopol lacked troops and did not arrange necessary reserves in the city so that the interior was empty!"

Stalin didn't say anything, but just lit the pipe silently, took a deep breath and exhaled it again, and in an instant, a piece of smoke enveloped Stalin like a cloud.

As the smoke gradually dissipated, Stalin asked, "That's all?"

"Yes, Comrade Stalin!" Okjabrisky replied: "It was my command error, please hold me accountable!"

"No, Comrade Stalin!" Meheris, who was sitting on Stalin's left, stood up and said righteously: "I think the reason for the failure of this Battle of Sevastopol is not these. Of course, I think it was indeed a command error of Comrade Okjabrisky, but it was not the lack of troops or the enemy's sneak attack. In fact, what is more important is that Comrade Okjabrisky organized this battle with the idea of ​​passive defense. When the troops have an advantage, we should attack the enemy instead of passive defense. You must know that our total strength is 380,000, more than twice the enemy's. In addition, we also have the cannons and the Black Sea Fleet of the fortress. They could have easily annihilated the 160,000 fascists that attacked the Crim Peninsula, but Comrade Okjabrisky did not do so. Now, our advantage is losing a little bit..."

"But Comrade Mehlis!" Okjabrisky defended himself: "The enemy has air superiority, and it is difficult for our navy to play more roles. At the same time, the roads are muddy and not suitable for attack. Doing so will cause a large number of casualties in our troops..."

"This is exactly why you lost this war, Comrade Okjabrisky!" Meheris criticized in a compelling tone: "There is no such cowardly idea on the battlefield, and you should reflect deeply on this!"

Okjabrisky was speechless.

Meheris is the director of the General Political Department of the Red Army and deputy national defense member. He is the Pang Chen of Stalin and a typical figure from the Stalin period... he is ignorant, arrogant, has little combat experience, and only political correctness.

It is said that Mehlis once argued with people about whether the moon would shine... Others told him that the moon itself does not shine, it only reflects the sun's light, but Mehlis doesn't think so, because the moon you see clearly will shine.

Indeed, this is difficult to understand for a person who has not graduated from elementary school.

Stalin was silent for a while, and then said, "I think Comrade Mechlis's words make sense. We should boldly launch a counterattack against the Germans!"

"Comrade Stalin!" As soon as this statement came out, Okjabrisky hurriedly said: "I don't think our army is ready, and the current situation is not suitable for launching a counterattack!"

"Are you talking about the roads that are muddy?" Stalin asked back.

"This is one of the reasons..."

"But!" Stalin interrupted Okjabrisky's words: "Didn't the Germans launch an attack on these roads?"

After Stalin said this, Okjabrisky was speechless.

"Comrade Stalin!" Kuznetsov had to stand up and said, "I also think it is not suitable for counterattack at this time. Our preparations are not very sufficient..."

"The Germans were not prepared enough!" Stalin said: "In fact, we have sufficient intelligence to prove that the Germans' increased supplies and troops are below us, which means that if we can defeat them in the Battle of Moscow, we can defeat them now!"

After pausing, Stalin continued, "Comrades, you have seen the result of passive defense. A strong fortress like Sevastopol will be occupied by the enemy. I have reason to believe that if this continues, the Kerch Peninsula will have the same fate. On the other hand, we all know one thing... Once the Germans are ready, they will attack us, and we don't even know where they are going to attack. So, why don't we take advantage of the moment to launch a counterattack first? On the one hand, this can disrupt their plans, and on the other hand, it can also defend the Kerch Peninsula to take the initiative. You know, as long as we can defend the Kerch Peninsula, the enemy will not be able to attack!"

In some ways, Stalin's statement is still correct.

Because the four armies on the Kerch Peninsula are like time bombs buried behind the German defense line, like thorns in their eyes, the Soviet army did not allow it to be easily disintegrated by the German army like Sevastopol.

If the Soviet army launches a counterattack with the Kerch Peninsula in other directions, it can form a "internal response and external cooperation" trend, which will restrict the German army from implementing its offensive plan.

Seeing that no one objected, Stalin ordered: "I order Comrade Mehlis to go to the Kerch Peninsula as the representative of the Supreme Command to inspect the preparations. When the time is right, we are all in charge of our army head-on for the enemy!"

Upon hearing this, Okjabrisky's heart sank to the bottom... He knew that Mehlis was "checking and preparing" on the surface, but in fact he was a political representative with the power of life and death. This was destined to be a counterattack on the Kerch Peninsula, and Mehlis, who only talked about courage and spirit, could imagine what the four armies located in Kerch would end.
Chapter completed!