"How is the terrain there?" Sokov asked. "Can the tank be deployed?"
"No." Cidolin shook his head and replied: "There are ruins and craters everywhere. Even if we use tanks in this area, we may not be able to increase the speed. Then they will become targets for German anti-tank players."
Knowing that the precious tank would become the target of the German anti-tank player, Sokov immediately changed his mind: "Since that is the case, then you inform General Makarenko that the task of their division changed from attack to feint attack to achieve the effect of restraining the German troops."
"This is not very good." Sidolin reminded Sokov: "The several divisions involved in the attack knew that Paulus's headquarters was in the department store, and they wanted to rush in and catch Paulus in person. At this time, you will let the 321st Infantry Division stop the attack. I am worried that everyone will have any emotions."
"The 321st Infantry Division among the three divisions attacking the department store did not cooperate with the tanks." Sokov said with a wry smile: "It is obviously not enough to rely on simple infantry to break through the German defense. If they were allowed to continue attacking, the troops would probably pay a huge price."
"As long as I can catch Paulus, I think no matter how much the price it costs, it is worth it."
"Comrade Chief of Staff," Sokov knew very well that shortly after the Battle of Stalingrad, the Soviet army launched an attack on Manstein's troops again, and was still beaten to the ground while having superior military strength and technical equipment. Golikov, the commander of the Voronezh Front, was even removed from his post due to this failure. Therefore, he felt it necessary to remind Cydolin: "In addition to Paulus, he also had Manstein and Hot. According to my estimate, after the elimination of Paulus' troops, our next combat targets were Manstein and Hot. If our living power was consumed too much in the final battle, then in the new offensive battle, we could only sit aside and watch the fun."
After hearing Sokov's words, Sidolin was silent for a long time, and finally said, "Comrade Commander, you are right. After destroying Paulus's troops, with the existing strength of our division, it is entirely possible that it will be assigned to a certain army group to command to participate in the attack on Manstein's attack. If the troops are too small, it may be very unfavorable at that time."
After saying this, Cidolin immediately picked up the phone, called Makarenko, and ordered his troops to change from a strong attack to a feint. After receiving such an order, Makarenko was immediately anxious: "Comrade Chief of Staff, other troops are attacking and are approaching the department store step by step, but you asked our division to change it to a feint attack. Tell me, what's going on?"
"This is the commander's order." Sidolin didn't want to explain too much to him, so he said bluntly: "Execute it."
Although Makarov's rank is higher than Sokov, he really dared not disobey the order issued by Sokov, so he could only agree: "Okay, Comrade Chief of Staff, I will notify the troops immediately, and change from attack to feint attack."
Sokov always felt that the troops that rushed into the department store first should be his 41st Guard Division, so he connected Ivanov's command center and asked with a smile: "Comrade Deputy Division, how are your progress?"
"It's not going well, comrade of the division commander." Ivanov sighed and said, "The German army hid anti-tank guns in the ruins, revealing only one gun barrel. We can't see them, but they can see us. As long as our tanks enter range, they will fire immediately. After destroying the tanks that opened the road in front, they replaced them with high-explosive bombs and bombarded the infantry following behind, causing us a considerable loss."
When Sokov learned that the German army had hidden artillery in the ruins, he couldn't help but curse a few swear words, and then asked back: "Comrade Deputy Division Commander, what measures have you taken?"
"No." Ivanov shook his head and replied, "Without the cover of the tank, our infantry could not get close to it."
"Blast the hidden ruins of the enemy's anti-tank guns with artillery fire, and then send a combat team equipped with rockets to quietly approach the enemy's defense zone." Sokov thought that in his combat troops, there were many rocket launchers equipped with rocket launchers, and the opponent's artillery or fire points hidden in the ruins were very effective, so he said to Ivanov: "Use rocket launchers to destroy the enemy's artillery or fire points. Do you understand?"
"Comrade Commander," said Ivanov hesitantly: "We will make the bazooka warriors not have many left now. If they lose them in the battle, I am worried..."
"There is nothing to worry about." Sokov interrupted the words after Ivanov without waiting for him to finish. "The use of the bazooka is very simple, and it only requires simple training to be used." After he said this casually, he immediately realized that it might mislead Ivanov, and quickly added, "Of course, only the bazooka produced by our country itself can be used in this way. The Bazooka bazooka provided by American allies should not be used close to it, as it will make our soldiers the target of the enemy."
"Comrade Commander, I don't understand that the bazooka produced by our country and the bazooka bazooka produced in the United States are all used to deal with enemy tanks or firepower points?" Sidorin and others of Sokov put down the phone and asked in confusion: "Why are our bazooka able to shoot near the enemy's positions, but the bazooka bazooka can't do it?"
"Our bazooka is lighter and a soldier can carry it around. The Bazooka bazooka is inconvenient. They are usually divided into several parts and are only reassembled when used."
Sidolin believed Sokov's far-fetched explanation and even called Colonel Sivakov to use the bazooka equipped for them appropriately to destroy the enemy's firepower points at close range.
In the evening, the vanguard of the 41st Guard Division was only more than 300 meters away from the department store. The German troops deployed on the rooftop used machine guns and artillery fire to suppress the attack of Guard soldiers.
Seeing this, Ivanov called Sokov to complain: "Comrade Commander, the enemy's artillery deployed on the rooftop poses a huge threat to our offensive forces. As long as our troops enter the open ground in front of the department store, they will be bombarded and machine guns. In just a few minutes, our casualties were close to two hundred."
"Stop the attack for the time being, comrade of the deputy division commander." Sokov said to the microphone: "Let the troops find a place to regroup. When it gets dark and the enemy can't see the target clearly in the guns and machine guns above the department store, it's not too late to launch a new round of attack."
Not only was the 41st Guard Division not going well, but Sivakov's troops also went very well. Although they were covered by tanks and artillery, they still did not gain any advantage when they launched close combat with the enemy in the ruins.
When Sokov heard the news, he was not in a hurry, but decisively issued an order to stop the attack, preparing to let the officers and soldiers rest overnight and wait until the next morning to continue fighting.
Cidolin was opposed to Sokov's decision. He said anxiously: "Comrade Commander, our troops have finally achieved some results in some areas. If the attack is stopped at this time, all their sacrifices will be in vain."
"It's not okay to continue fighting," Sokov said: "After a day of fighting, the commanders and soldiers were all red in their eyes. If they were not allowed to calm down, the commanders of each division would become impatient. If they ordered the troops to attack desperately, our army would probably suffer huge casualties."
After dark, the commanders of each division came to Mamayevgang and reported to Sokov the attack on that day.
"Comrades in the division," Sokov said, seeing that everyone was here, "You have performed very well in today's offensive battle and achieved great results."
After hearing Sokov said this, Shivakov muttered dissatisfiedly: "After fighting for a day, the troops advanced one or two hundred meters forward. Can this be considered a victory?"
"If you fight in the field, push forward one or two hundred meters is indeed not worth mentioning." Sokov saw that everyone was a little depressed, so he cheered them up and said, "But urban combat is another matter. In the past few months, although the German army launched attacks on us again and again, their daily attack distance can only be calculated in meters. And for every meter forward, they have to pay a huge price."
When everyone heard Sokov say this, they couldn't help but look up and all looked at him.
Seeing that everyone's attention was attracted by him, Sokov continued to say: "Although we did not achieve the original effect in today's attack, we would seriously consume the German ammunition through a day of battle. I believe that when the attack is launched again tomorrow, the German resistance will be greatly weakened."
Sokov's words reminded everyone of Paulus's troops being encircled by hundreds of thousands of troops, and their supplies were almost cut off. Without supplies, how many days can they support the German army rely on the original inventory? Thinking of this, everyone couldn't help but straighten their backs and listen carefully to what Sokov was about to say next.
"In today's battle, the 41st Guard Division of Colonel Ivanov." Sokov said: "But when they tried to approach the department store, they were bombarded by artillery deployed in the building and made great sacrifices. What we are going to discuss today is how to solve the enemy's artillery deployed in the building."
Several division commanders who participated in the war knew about the artillery deployed by the German army in the building. Now that they heard Sokov raise this difficult question, everyone couldn't help but fall into deep thought.
Seeing that everyone was not talking, Cidolin was a little anxious and urged: "Dear division commanders, I believe that in the next battle, you may face the artillery deployed by the German army in the building. If there is no effective way to deal with it, I am afraid that the casualties of our troops will be small by then."
"We can use artillery and enemy artillery to fire." Makarenko said: "We can completely destroy the German artillery deployed in the building by relying on the advantage of numbers."
"This method is not possible." As soon as he finished speaking, he was opposed by Ivanov: "There are so many windows in the building that when the enemy's artillery is attacked, it can be transferred at any time. I am afraid the results can be achieved are limited."
"Then tell me, what should we do?" During the day, Makarenko was already full of anger. When he heard Ivanov sang against him, he immediately started to fire: "Can we only wait until the German army consumed all the shells before continuing to attack the department store?"
The two disputes divided the commanders attending the meeting into two factions. Some supported Makarenko and some supported Ivanov. The two sides argued endlessly, and the entire command center was buzzing.
"Enough, don't argue anymore." Seeing his subordinates quarreling as if no one was around, Sokov was so angry that he slapped the table several times, but his voice was covered by the quarrel. Seeing that the situation was not good, Cidolin quickly stood up, raised his hand and pressed down hard, signaling everyone to be quiet.
"Comrades Commander, what's wrong with you? Why are you quarreling? Have you all forgotten your identity?" Cidolin said expressionlessly: "Since our purpose is to eliminate the enemies entrenched in the department store, even if there is any tactical disagreement, there is no need to make a big fuss, right? You can sit down and discuss it calmly."
The two groups of people who had just competed for the blushing face, after hearing what Cidolin said, they didn't feel their faces blushing, and they sat obediently in their seats and did not dare to say anything.
Sokov stood up, glanced at everyone, and said, "Comrades Commander, we should not just rely on our passion to fight, but we should use our brains more. Think about how to minimize the casualties of the troops. Otherwise, even if you barely take down the enemy's position, once you are counterattacked by the enemy, you will not be able to defend at all."
"Comrade Commander," Merkulov asked, looking at Sokov, "Is there any good way?"
"There is a solution, but it depends on whether it can achieve the desired effect." Sokov said to everyone: "Before tomorrow's attack begins, comrades led by Comrade Ublich from the Anti-Faxi Temple Alliance can go to the front of the position to shout to the enemy. It will take at least half an hour to shout, and if there is no effect, then launch an attack."
There is no meaning to everyone's plan proposed by Sokov. Although the effect of calling to the enemy's position is not great, it is worse than nothing. Anyway, there is still a lot of work to do before the attack tomorrow. It is better to take advantage of the time when the alliance members shout to make the preparations before the attack more detailed.
Everyone quickly reached a consensus and prepared to let political workers shout at the enemy's positions before tomorrow's attack began, trying to dismantle their defenses.
Just when Sokov felt that the purpose of the meeting had been reached and was about to announce the end of the meeting, the company commander of communications Maxim suddenly hurried over, took out a telegram, and said to Cydolin: "Report to the Chief of Staff, I just received a call from the Front Command."
Sidolin received the telegram and looked at it for a moment, and was shocked. Seeing his expression, Sokov asked quickly: "Comrade Chief of Staff, what happened?"
"Comrade Commander," said Sidolin, looking up at Sokov: "The Front Command intercepted the German telegram. Half an hour ago, Hitler promoted Paulus to German Field Marshal."
"What, promotion to Paulus to Field Marshal?" This news shocked everyone.
Chapter completed!