The Germans probably never dreamed that after the Soviet offensive began, the artillery fire from the Modlin Fortress they relied on did not arrive as expected. Facing the tide of Soviet commanders and fighters, the German commanders were as anxious as a hot pot.
Ant on the ground, he immediately called the commander of the Modlin Fortress to try to get artillery support from the fortress.
But what is regrettable is that the commander of the fortress said in a serious tone: "I am under a crazy attack by the Russians. They are crossing the river from the bridge before we can get there."
Modlin Fortress is a hexagonal red fortress. The fortress is surrounded by water and maintains contact with the outside world by several iron bridges. However, these bridges were all blown up when the German army captured the fortress from the Polish army in 1939.
However, since it has not been repaired for a long time, it can only rely on several newly built ferry bridges to communicate with the outside world.
The Soviet troops attacking the fortress, under the cover of artillery fire and air force, had reached the outskirts of the Modlin Fortress, and were crossing the river one after another towards the fortress from the bridge that the Germans had not had time to blow up.
Don't forget that the Soviet army was unable to enter the fortress before the walls of the fortress were blown down, but the situation was still not optimistic. In order to prevent the Soviet army from seizing the fortress, the defenders braved Soviet bombing and artillery shelling and kept moving towards the offensive.
The Soviet army opened fire and the war entered a stalemate.
The German commanders in the triangle area knew very well that although they relied on the eight thousand defenders in the fortress, even if they faced an attack of hundreds of thousands of Soviet troops, the risk of losing the defense was not great, but if they wanted to let them provide them with
Artillery support is obviously impossible. If you want to block the Soviet attack, you have to rely on yourself.
He stared at the map on the wall for a long time and felt that if he wanted to defend his defense zone, the best way was to blow up the reservoir dam on the Narew River and flood the Soviet attack road with the bursting river water.
So as to protect your own defense zone.
However, when he proposed his plan to his subordinates, he encountered opposition from everyone, including the chief of staff. The chief of staff said plausibly: "Your Excellency, Commander, I don't think it is possible to blow up the dam. Although the flood that bursts the embankment can
Block the Russians' path forward, but our defense area will also become an isolated island under siege by floods."
The chief of staff's words immediately aroused the agreement of most people. They all believed that if the reservoir dam was blown up, the floods that would break the embankment would indeed block the path of the Soviet army's attack, but many areas of their defense area would be destroyed.
If it is submerged, the remaining area will become an isolated island. At that time, logistics and supplies will be greatly restricted.
However, the commander could not listen to everyone's opinions at all. What he was thinking now was that as long as he could block the Soviet attack, it would be worth paying any price. So he said decisively: "Gentlemen, I admit that
What you say makes sense. But have you considered that if we don't blow up the reservoir dam, with the current offensive momentum of the Russians, we may be driven away from the triangle area before dark. By that time, no
Did you give the Russians an advantage?"
The commander's words silenced everyone. This was a dilemma. Don't blow up the reservoir, because the Russians' seizure of the triangle area is obviously inevitable. Bombing it would certainly block the Russian attack, but the triangle area would still be unavoidable.
In some defense areas, at least half will be flooded, and all troops can only retreat to the remaining areas for defense.
After some careful consideration, the Chief of Staff spoke first: "Your Excellency, Commander, I think you are right. In order to block the Russian attack, we must make the necessary sacrifices."
In this way, a consensus was reached at the officers' meeting to immediately blow up the reservoir on the Narew River and use the rapid water to prevent the Russian attack.
A German company was stationed on the reservoir dam. After receiving the order to blow up the dam, they began to install explosives at key locations, lay out wires, and make final preparations before blasting.
The small unit dispatched by the 109th Division arrived at this moment. The company commander who led the team saw through the telescope that the enemy was installing explosives on the reservoir dam. He turned to his deputy company commander and asked: "Deputy company commander, Germany
People are setting up explosives, and it seems they are preparing to blow up the reservoir dam."
"Company commander, what should we do?" The deputy company commander saw this and became a little anxious: "If the enemy blows up the dam, our attacking troops will be blocked by the flood."
"I see there are a lot of Germans on the dam," the company commander said. "If we use a force attack, the troops will definitely suffer huge casualties. And when the Germans find that they can't withstand it, they may jump over the wall and blow up the dam directly."
dam."
"Should we report the situation here to the division headquarters?" the deputy company commander reminded: "Let the division commander also have an understanding of the situation here."
The company commander quickly contacted Brazinski through the walkie-talkie he carried and reported the situation here to him.
When Brajinski learned that the Germans were placing explosives on the dam, he couldn't help frowning. He knew very well that once the Germans blew up the dam, the surging floods would kill many attacking troops.
It will be swallowed up, and the remaining troops will be blocked by the flood, unable to continue to attack the depth of the enemy's defenses according to the original battle plan.
"Comrade Captain." Brajinski asked in a deep voice: "How much time do you think it will take for the Germans to detonate these explosives?"
"It's hard to say, comrade division commander." The company commander replied cautiously: "Although the Germans are planting explosives at the moment, if they see something is wrong, they may detonate it in advance."
"I understand, Captain." Brakinski said: "You continue to stay where you are and monitor. No one is allowed to act rashly without my order. Also, I will send troops to reinforce you so that you have enough strength.
, seize the reservoir dam from the Germans."
As soon as he put down the phone, he said to the communications staff officer next to him: "Get me through the group army headquarters immediately. I have important matters and need to report to the commander immediately."
Soon, Sokov received a call from Braginski: "Comrade Commander, this is Braginski. The small unit I sent has arrived near the reservoir, and they found that the Germans were attacking
Explosives are placed on the dam, and it seems that they are ready to blow up the dam at any time."
"We have long judged that when the Germans find that they cannot resist our army's attack, they may jump over the wall and directly blow up the reservoir on the Narew River." Sokov asked rhetorically: "Colonel Brakinsky,
What are your orders to your men?"
"I asked them to closely monitor the movements of the Germans. No one is allowed to act rashly without my order."
"You did the right thing, Colonel Brakinski." Sokov was very satisfied with Brakinski's deployment. He continued: "As long as your troops do not easily attack the reservoir, there will be no irritation."
To reach the enemy, let them detonate the explosives placed on the dam in advance."
"Then what should we do?" Brakinski asked: "Should we continue to advance deeper into the German defenses according to the original battle plan?"
After staring at the map in front of him for a while, Sokov made a decisive decision: "Colonel Braginski, in order to prevent the Germans from blowing up the dam prematurely, I have decided to temporarily stop the attack of your division.
, and switch to defense on the spot."
"Ah, stop the attack?" Brajinski asked in surprise: "Comrade Commander, why is this?"
"The reason is very simple." Sokov explained to the other party: "The Germans know very well that if they do not receive artillery support from the Modlin Fortress, they will not be able to stop our army's attack at all. But if they bomb it prematurely,
Destroying the reservoir dam will certainly block our army's offensive, but it will also make most of their defense areas submerged. By then, their contact with the outside world will be interrupted due to floods. Therefore, it is not possible until the last moment.
, the Germans will not blow up the reservoir dam easily."
After listening to Sokov's explanation, Brajinski immediately understood. He quickly said: "I understand, Comrade Commander, I immediately ordered the troops to stop the attack and switch to defense on the spot, so as not to irritate the enemy and let them
Choose to blow up the reservoir dam.”
"Comrade Commander," Sidorin asked tentatively after Sokov put down the phone: "The troops on the right stopped attacking and switched to defense on the spot. What about the troops on the left, do you want them to stop too?"
"No, no, no." After hearing this, Sokov shook his head and said, "Comrade Chief of Staff, not only can the 3rd Division attacking from the left not stop, but on the contrary, it must increase the intensity of its attack and strive to capture more of the enemy's territory.
position."
Seeing Sidorin's confused look, Ponedelin explained to him: "Comrade Chief of Staff, you don't know something. The terrain on our left wing is higher. Even if the German army blows up the reservoir dam, it will not affect our attack."
The impact is not big. If we adopt the tactics of attacking on the left and defending on the right, then the Germans will have to weigh whether it is necessary for them to blow up the reservoir dam. After all, even if they blow up the dam, the flood that bursts will have a negative impact on us.
The influence of the left-wing troops is also not great."
"Oh, that's it, now I understand everything." After listening to Sokov's explanation, Sidorin nodded and said: "If our army only sends the left wing to attack, then the Germans will no longer be able to blow up the reservoir.
Because the flood has little impact on the left wing troops."
"Comrade Commander, even though I say this, I am still a little worried," Ponejelin said.
"What are you worried about?" Sokov asked.
"You think, if our right-wing troops stop attacking and turn to defense on the spot," Ponedelin explained to Sokov, "the Germans may sense our intention and think that we are asking the right-wing troops to stop attacking."
We are worried that they will blow up the reservoir dam and use water instead of troops to block our attack. They may leave some troops on the right wing to monitor the 109th Division, and then transfer the main force to the left wing. In this way, the 3rd Army will
The resistance encountered by the division during the attack was even greater."
"Comrade Deputy Commander, what you said makes sense." Sokov agreed with Ponedelin's statement: "This situation is indeed possible."
"Then what should we do?" Sidorin felt a headache when he heard this: "The sacrifice of the commander of the 3rd Division originally had an adverse impact on the morale of the troops. If the German army deploys troops from other locations to strengthen
, I am worried that the division’s attack will end in failure.”
"Chief of Staff, don't be so pessimistic." But after hearing this, Sokov said disapprovingly: "I asked the 109th Division on the right to stop attacking temporarily. As long as the troops sent by Brajinski can successfully occupy
Reservoir dam, then they can definitely go into battle again."
"That's right, that's right." Ponyjelin agreed: "If the main German forces in front of the 109th Division are transferred to the left wing, when they launch another attack, they can easily break through the enemy's defense and successfully occupy the original position.
The goal to capture.”
After listening to Ponejelin's words, the worry on Sidorin's face finally disappeared, "Yes, why didn't I think of this? We are asking Colonel Brakinski to stop the attack now entirely because the Germans have
The reservoir may be blown up. But if his men capture the reservoir from the Germans, the situation will change."
After formulating a combat strategy in the triangle area, which was to attack from the left and defend from the right, the three of them talked about the ongoing attack on the Modlin Fortress. "Comrade Commander," Sidorin asked curiously: "Do you think we can
Take Magdalen Fortress?"
Sokov replied without hesitation: "We can definitely take the Modlin Fortress, but definitely not now."
"Why?"
"Although there are only a few thousand defenders in the Modlin Fortress, and we have hundreds of thousands of offensive troops, it does not mean that the initiative on the battlefield is in the hands of our army." Sokov said: "We must
We know that Modlin Fortress is surrounded by water, and the defenders in the fortress only need to focus their defense on locations with bridges to make our attack difficult.
On the other hand, our army, although there are hundreds of thousands of people, cannot be deployed due to terrain restrictions, so the number of troops that can be put into battle at a time is only one regiment at best. You also know that a strong fortress like Modlin,
What role can a mere regiment play? It can only increase casualties. This kind of fueling tactic is a loss-making business."
"So, our army won't be able to capture the Modlin Fortress in the near future, right?" Sidorin asked cautiously.
"Yes, it is indeed like this." Sokov nodded and gave the other party a positive answer: "Unless we implement a siege on the fortress and cut off their contact with the outside world. We will wait until their supplies are exhausted before launching an attack.
, we can minimize casualties.”
"Siege is indeed a good idea." Ponejelin once again echoed Sokov's opinion: "Modelin Fortress, like Brest Fortress, is surrounded by rivers and can only communicate with the outside world through a few bridges on the river.
Keep in touch. As long as our troops block the road, the German ammunition supplies cannot be sent into the fortress, and the wounded in the fortress cannot be sent out. In this case, the enemy will have to give up resistance due to a shortage of supplies."
"I think the Germans must have stored a sufficient amount of ammunition and supplies inside the fortress," Sokov said about the difficulties faced by besieging the fortress. "In other words, they fought against us tenaciously before the ammunition and supplies were exhausted.
every attack."
"Comrade Commander, your phone number." A communications staff officer not far away reported to Sokov: "It's a call from Marshal Zhukov."
Knowing that the call was from Zhukov, Sokov dared not be negligent and quickly took the phone: "Hello, Comrade Marshal, this is Sokov. What instructions do you have?"
