Pedzisa mutsara unotevera: Muna 1939, Vatutin akaronga mashandiro ekurwiswa kweSoviet kwePoland neGermany, uye akashanda saChief of Staff weRed Army Southern Group. Muna 1940, vachitungamirirwa naGeorgy Zhukov, boka iri
vakatora Bessarabia kuRomania. Somubayiro wokurwisa uku kusiri kwehondo, Stalin akasimudzira Vatutin kuti ave Lieutenant General ndokumugadza kunzvimbo inokosha yeChief of the Operational Directorate of the General Staff. Vatutin, zvisinei, akanga asina kukodzera kugadzwa kwake kutsva: apo akanga achivandudza uye achishanda nesimba, akanga asina ruzivo rwokurwa uye ruzivo rwake rweunyanzvi hwekushanda uye hurongwa hwaive husingazivikanwi. Kunyange zvakadaro, mavambo ake omurimi, zera rake duku, uye kushingairira bato zvakamugadzira mumwe wavaduku vashomanene vaStalin vaaida zvikuru muuto reSoviet. Vatutin, pamwe chete navamwe vakuru vakuru veRed Army, vakakundikana kugadzirira mauto kurwisa kweGermany kwaJune 22, 1941.