After Rybalko's troops were encircled by the Germans, they switched to defense on the spot. For two days, they struggled to resist attacks from different directions.
The German troops, who were gradually gaining the upper hand, felt that it was only a matter of time before they destroyed the surrounded Soviet troops, so they gradually became arrogant. They felt that the Soviet troops no longer had the strength to launch an attack, so their vigilance at night became lax.
Unexpectedly, before dawn on March 5, the Soviet army unexpectedly launched an attack, which stunned the Germans.
After the battle lasted for more than ten minutes, the Germans discovered that the target of the Soviet attack was actually the town of Valki where Paul Hausser's headquarters was located, and hurriedly mobilized troops to come for reinforcements. However, because the town was surrounded by waist-high enemy tanks,
Snow, the German reinforcements won't be able to arrive for a while.
There are three infantry battalions and a machine gun company in the town. Although there are only less than 2,000 people, they are the elite of the SS. Otherwise, Paul Hausser would not use these troops to defend his headquarters.
Against the Soviet infantry that rushed into the town, they launched wave after wave of counterattacks, trying to drive all the Soviet troops out of the town.
But not long after the Soviet infantry was driven out of the town, they came back under the cover of tanks. The Soviet tank soldiers received Rybalko's death order. As long as they could eliminate the enemies in the town, they would even turn the whole town into ruins.
No matter what.
It was with Rybalko's order that the tank crews could let go and fight the enemies in the town with all their strength. In the past, when they found the enemies hiding in some building, the tank crews could only use machine guns in order not to destroy the town.
Suppress the enemy's firepower and cover the infantry to destroy the enemy's firepower points.
But things are different now. When you see an enemy fire point in a building, you will immediately bombard it with one artillery fire. If one artillery fire cannot solve the problem, then use two artillery pieces. Where the tanks and infantry pass by, you can hardly find anything intact.
building.
After Paul Hausser's headquarters entered the town, it was not that it was not attacked by the Soviet army. However, the attacking Soviet army was driven out by the elite of the town before they could gain a firm foothold in the town. Therefore, Paul
When Hausser heard the news of the Soviet attack, he continued to lie in bed and sleep soundly. According to his idea, his security forces would soon be able to eliminate this group of reckless Russians.
But he soon discovered that things seemed different from what he imagined. After lying in bed for more than half an hour, the gunfire outside not only did not stop, but on the contrary became more and more intense, and even tended to move closer to his headquarters.
.
At this time, Hauser's adjutant rushed in, pulled him up from the bed, and said in panic: "Your Excellency, commander, move quickly, otherwise it will be too late, the Russian tanks
There is less than two hundred yards left from our headquarters."
"What, there is less than two hundred yards left?" Paul Housel roared when he heard the adjutant say this: "Where are our troops? Why didn't the Russians be blocked?"
"Your Excellency, Commander, our troops put up tenacious resistance." the adjutant replied: "At that time, the Russians were like crazy, rushing forward regardless of casualties, and they would soon reach the headquarters. We are about to hit the headquarters.
Just leave, otherwise it will be too late."
Although the Soviet army was less than two hundred yards away from his headquarters, Paul Hausser was unwilling to leave easily. He ordered his adjutant: "Order the troops to counterattack immediately, and be sure to drive the Russians away."
Get out of town."
Seeing that Paul Hausser was unwilling to leave, the adjutant did not dare to persuade him. After all, the combat effectiveness of the Soviet army could not be compared with the elite SS. If he really escaped with the commander, but soon rushed into the town
The Russians were repelled by the defenders, which would make Paul Hausser the laughing stock of everyone. He did not want to bear such a scapegoat. So the adjutant turned around and walked out of Paul Hausser's bedroom and returned to command.
The department issued counter-assault orders to the battalion commanders.
Soon, the German army launched a counterattack from several directions against the Soviet army that rushed into the town. It must be said that the combat effectiveness far exceeded that of the SS of the Wehrmacht. Even in the face of the vastly superior Soviet army, they could not defeat it at all.
No one was afraid. On the contrary, an infantry battalion that invaded from the west of the town collapsed under the German counterattack. The soldiers scrambled to escape from the town. And a tank company covering the attack lost the cover of the infantry.
, were also completely destroyed by German anti-tank fighters.
"Comrade Commander," the tank commander commanding the battle at the front saw an infantry group rushing into the town and being defeated by the Germans. He quickly reported to Rybalko: "The enemy's defense is too tenacious. One of our troops
The attacking force has been defeated. I request to temporarily stop the attack and wait for the troops to readjust their deployment before restarting the attack."
"Comrade Colonel," Rybalko heard the tank commander's request without any room for negotiation: "According to the intelligence we have, the German commander Paul Hausser is very likely to be staying in the town.
If you attack quickly and violently, there is still a possibility of capturing him alive. But if you delay and wait until the enemy is ready to defend, it will not be so easy for you to capture the town again."
"I understand, Comrade Commander." When the tank commander learned that Paul Hausser was actually in the town, he quickly assured Rybalko: "Even if I wipe out all the tank corps, I will capture Paul Hausser."
’s headquarters.”
"Well done, Comrade Colonel." Regarding the tank commander's statement, Rybalko said with satisfaction: "I'm waiting for your good news here. Remember, whether our unit can break through the enemy's encirclement is completely dependent on
It depends on whether you can capture the entire Valkye town in the shortest possible time."
After the tank commander ended the call with Rybalko, he immediately spoke to all the tank crews through the vehicle radio: "Brothers, I just received information that the German Paul Hausser headquarters is in this town. This is also the face of the German army.
The reason for our fierce attack but desperate resistance. As long as Paul Hausser is captured or eliminated alive, the enemies besieging us will fall into panic because they have lost their unified command.
Brothers, the time for us to establish our merits has come, go forward, tank soldiers! Use your artillery and machine guns to beat the enemy to pieces!"
It has to be said that the words of the tank commander were very encouraging. Many tank soldiers who had already thought about retreating after seeing the infantry attack being frustrated became as excited as if they had been given blood. They knew very well that as long as they
If the tank he was driving could destroy Paul Hausser's headquarters, it would be a great achievement that could be recorded in history. So, the tanks that had been parked in place moved forward one after another, bombarding the firepower points in the house with artillery fire.
Use machine guns to destroy the German infantry who are counterattacking.
The infantrymen who had been beaten back steadily by the German army saw the tank soldiers suddenly starting to exert force. Even if there was only one tank, they dared to rush into the middle of the group of German troops. Even if it was blown up, the tank soldiers would continue to fight tenaciously after getting out of the tank.
Fighting with the surrounding German troops. Although the infantry did not understand what happened to make the tank soldiers become so heroic, their morale was encouraged, and they bravely jumped out of their hiding places and fought with the rushing German troops.
Engage in melee and hand-to-hand combat.
This chapter has been completed!