Summoned. (September 1941)

ZHUKOV, Moscow
Commander of the Reserve Front

September 8 1941

I commend the Soviet Army for making known to the Germans who exactly they have decided to invade! My comrades have fought an excellent and resilient offensive against the Germans off Smolensk. We've forced the German Fourth Panzer Army to evacuate from the Yelnya salient. We are responsible for Guderian's misery. Our vacillation between offensive and defensive strategies worked marvelously. We've managed to absorb much of the shock our of Hitler's Blitzkrieg warfare and finally turned the tables on them in terms of casualties and strategic advantage. Our shield is the 'Smolensk Line'! Curse to the Germans for attempting to hold onto Yelnya. We've manged to claim as many as five divisions of the German Army in the salient alone! Everything has gone as planned, save for that minor glitch with Stryana. We won't need to be on the offensive for now,

Stalin summoned me back to Moscow right after that minor success in Yelnya. He acknowledged I was right and that the Yelnya victory would be instrumental in defendingMoscow. Leningrad however, is now in peril danger. Voroshilov has lost his plot and the Leningrad Front would be hard to defend against the surrounding German forces. The priority remains with Stalingrad. Army Group Center will have to consolidate her forces and positions. I predict that the Germans will not begin an offensive towards Moscow just yet, but we have to be prepared nonetheless. Stalin seemed to listen to my opinions and took them into consideration. I was able to warn Stalin about the dangerous situation in Ukraine and the Southwestern Front. Once again I had to emphasize the need to abandon Kiev as there was simply no other way out. Army Group South would overwhelm our 21st Army and may break into the rear end of our Southwestern Front. I hope Stalin takes my word for it.

ZHUKOV, Moscow

Commander of the Reserve Front