"Comrade Commander, I was wrong." Gusev, who had insisted that Sokov be dealt with seriously, now said with shame: "Although Lieutenant Colonel Sokov's behavior was disobedience on the battlefield, from this point of view
Judging from the actual effect, he not only saved the lives of hundreds of commanders and soldiers, but also effectively ensured that the enemy could not break through our defense line."
Chuikov waited for Gusev to finish speaking and then asked: "Comrade Military Commissar, didn't you say that if the commanders of other troops learn from him, it will result in us being unable to command the troops below?"
"The current knowledge of this matter is very small. We can completely control it and it will not have much impact." Gusev said sincerely: "Under the current circumstances, if a commander with great military exploits is dealt with casually,
, may have a negative impact on our military morale and morale."
Seeing that Gusev was unwilling to hold Sokov accountable, Chuikov couldn't help but secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He nodded and said: "Then this matter will be settled everywhere, and no one is allowed to spread it, so as not to bring trouble to Lieutenant Colonel Sokov."
It will have a bad impact.”
"Don't worry, Comrade Commander." Not long ago, only Chuikov, Gusev and Krylov were studying how to deal with Sokov. Since neither Chuikov nor Gusev intends to hold Sokov accountable at this moment,
Krylov naturally followed suit and said: "I will definitely keep the secret strictly and not leak this matter."
Sokov, who was staying at the Mamayev Hill headquarters, naturally had no way of knowing what was happening in the Army Group Headquarters. He was paying attention to the battles taking place in the North Hill. While the Germans were attacking the South Hill, they dispatched a regiment of
With their strength, they launched wave after wave of offensives against the Beigan position held by the Briski Battalion.
For both the Soviet Union and Germany, Mamayev Kurgan was a battleground for military strategists. Since it was a battleground for military strategists, once the battle started, both sides could only try their best to fill it with ammunition and human lives.
In order to achieve the purpose of capturing or defending the Beigang position, the German officers and soldiers braved the dense rain of bullets from the defenders and rushed forward like a tide under the cover of mortars and machine guns. Then they seemed to be cut down in the rain of bullets.
Pieces of wheat fell in front of the position.
Although the German casualties were considerable, the situation of the fourth battalion holding the position was not much better. The casualties of the troops increased sharply. In less than an hour, more than 300 commanders and fighters of the 10th Company, which was the first to enter the position, were all killed or injured.
Briskey had to urgently send the 11th Company to the position.
"The enemy's offensive is very fierce." Belkin said with emotion: "They are attacking regardless of casualties. If our brigade had not had enough troops, I am afraid that the position would have been broken through long ago."
"There are various signs that the German army is preparing to seize our city." After making two important phone calls, Sidorin said to Sokov and Belkin: "I just called and asked acquaintances in the headquarters.
, the enemy launched a fierce offensive on Mamayev Hill, the factory area in the north of the city, and the suburbs of Minin in the southwest of the city, trying to capture our city in one fell swoop."
"Where is the station?" Sokov waited for Sidorin to finish and asked immediately: "If the enemy captures the train station, then the army headquarters will be surrounded by the enemy."
"It's strange." Sidorin said hesitantly: "The German troops stationed north of the train station, although they are making frequent moves, have never launched an attack. It's really strange."
Sokov heard that the German troops north of the train station were mobilizing frequently but did not launch an attack. He was also surprised. He said to himself: "What the hell are the Germans doing? The fighting is in full swing elsewhere, but here at the station
But they have been holding back for so long, there must be some conspiracy."
Sokov could never have imagined that the reason why the German army delayed attacking the train station was inseparable from him. Because the commander of the 21st Grenadier Regiment, Colonel Lengok, and his battalion commander Major Haydn were killed by Vasily
Sniper killing, resulting in the troops being leaderless and unable to carry out the mission of attacking the station.
Paulus received a report from division commander Schild and learned that the commander of the 21st Grenadier Regiment had been sniped by Soviet snipers and that the regiment also suffered heavy losses in the battle. He couldn't help but become angry. He and Chief of Staff Major General Schmid
After deliberation, it was felt that Schild could not continue to serve as the commander of the 24th Armored Division, so he reported to the high command and approved it, revoking Schild's position as division commander, and replaced him with Army Lieutenant General Arnold von Lensky.
The first thing Lieutenant General Lensky did after taking office was to deploy an attack on the Central Railway Station. Since the commander of the 21st Grenadier Regiment was killed in the battle, the unit was also disabled and could no longer continue the task of capturing the Central Railway Station.
, so Lensky ordered Colonel Heim's 26th Grenadier Regiment and the 21st Grenadier Regiment to change defenses and prepare to attack the station.
After receiving Lensky's order, Colonel Heim quickly assured on the phone: "Your Excellency, Division Commander, please rest assured that as long as our 26th Grenadier Regiment is dispatched, we will definitely be able to take the Central Railway Station from the hands of the Russians.
Take it off."
In response to Heim's cliché, Lenski asked calmly: "How long will it take for your regiment to take over the Central Station from the Russians?"
Although the German army's work efficiency was quite high, it only took four hours from the time Lenski took office to the change of defense between the 21st and 26th Grenadier Regiments, but it was also past noon. Heim heard Lenski's words.
After the question, there was silence for a while, and finally he replied with some hesitation: "Your Excellency, division commander, my troops are still changing defenses with friendly forces. It will take an hour at the earliest before we can launch an attack on the station. If everything goes well, before dark,
We should be able to take the station."
Lensky raised his hand and looked at his watch and found that the hour hand was already pointing to two o'clock, which meant that there were still five hours until dark at seven o'clock. He immediately shook his head and said: "No, Mr. Colonel, between now and midnight
There are still five hours left in the dark. It actually takes you five hours to capture a small station. It's really too slow. You know, other troops are attacking Stalingrad right now. Your regiment can't hold everyone back.
Legs."
Heim raised his head and looked out of the window without a window frame. He saw the city of Stalingrad with flames rising into the sky, smoke filling the air, gunshots, and explosions. It showed that the troops from both sides were fighting fiercely in the city. Judging from various signs, if his troops could not
If we capture the train station quickly, we may become the last unit to enter the city. Thinking of this, he gritted his molars and spoke to the microphone: "Your Excellency, division commander, after our regiment completes the defense change, my troops will definitely
We will capture the train station within an hour."
"Very good, Mr. Colonel." Lensky was very satisfied with Heim's statement: "Then I will wait for the news that your troops have captured the train station."
In order to quickly seize the Central Railway Station controlled by the Soviet army, Heim ordered the 1st and 3rd companies that had already entered the position to launch an attack on the station. Although Heim promised Lensky that the Central Railway Station would be captured within an hour,
However, due to insufficient preparations before the attack, the hastily organized attack by the German army was quickly repelled by the 42nd Guards Regiment who stayed at the station.
After hearing the news that the attack had been thwarted, Heim was unwilling to fail and immediately transferred the 5th anti-aircraft gun company. The anti-aircraft gun company used its only two 88mm anti-aircraft guns to fire at the tanks used as forts in the station to cover the infantry.
Charge towards the station.
The Soviet tanks parked in the station did not expect that the Germans would actually use their 88mm anti-tank guns as anti-tank guns. In less than a quarter of an hour, the five tanks whose positions were exposed were all destroyed one by one by the German anti-aircraft guns. The Soviet Army
Without the support of tanks, the firepower on the position was suddenly much weaker. The German infantry took the opportunity to break through the Soviet outer defense line and rushed towards the station building and platform.
Since the enemy to the north of the station had not yet launched an attack, Rodimtsev transferred the main force of the 42nd Guards Regiment to other areas to fight, leaving only one company of troops in the station. Facing the fierce German offensive
, the Soviet commanders and fighters who stood firm at the station put up a tenacious resistance, but due to the huge disparity in strength between the two sides, they were unable to withstand the fierce German attack, and in the end they all died heroically.
After learning that the station had been lost, Rodimtsev was immediately shocked. He quickly called the commander of the 42nd Guards Regiment: "Comrade Colonel, the enemy has occupied the central railway station. I order you to lead your troops back immediately.
We need to take back the station."
The 42nd Guards Regiment was engaged in a fierce battle with the enemy in the Tsaritsa River area. After receiving Rodimtsev's order to retake the station, the regiment commander couldn't help but be in a dilemma. At this moment, the troops had been held back by the enemy. Once they withdrew from the battle,
As long as the enemy chases them from behind, there is a danger of the entire army being destroyed. However, the order from above to retake the station must be carried out. After repeated consideration, the regiment leader finally reluctantly pulled out two incomplete companies and let them
They hurried back to the station to destroy the enemies occupying it.
Since most of the commanders and fighters in the 42nd Guards Regiment are new recruits, even if the strength of both sides is roughly equal, it will not be easy for them to win, not to mention that they are still at an absolute disadvantage in terms of strength at this moment. In this situation
Next, their counterattack not only made little progress, but also gave the German troops occupying the station another victory.
Fortunately, the sacrifices of these commanders and fighters were not completely worthless. It was precisely because of their desperate counterattack that the German army was unable to quickly expand its results after occupying the station. Seeing night fall, Heim saw that his troops had completed the capture of the station.
In response to the mission of the station, the troops were ordered to stop the attack and build a defense line inside the station to prevent possible Soviet counterattacks.
…………
After a day of fierce fighting, most of the urban areas of Stalingrad fell into the hands of the Germans. Chuikov's headquarters also showed faint signs of being surrounded. Seeing this situation, Chuikov, in order to prevent his headquarters
He was killed by the Germans and decisively gave the order to retreat.
He said to Krylov: "Comrade Chief of Staff, there are enemies everywhere around us. It is no longer suitable to continue to serve as a headquarters here. We need to move immediately."
"Transfer?" Krylov was stunned when he heard what Chuikov said, and then asked: "Comrade Commander, where do you think we should transfer the headquarters to?"
Chuikov patted the ground on the table with his hand and said: "We have moved the headquarters to the factory area in the north. According to my estimation, after the German army captures the city, the next focus of their attack will be the factory area in the north of the city.
We moved the headquarters there so we can command the troops more conveniently."
"Comrade Commander," Krylov said with some embarrassment: "Our road to the north has been cut off by the Germans. Unless there are troops to help us open a passage, we will not be able to reach the factory area in the north of the city."
"In order to prevent the group army headquarters from being annihilated by the enemy, we can evacuate here in two ways." Chuikov called Gusev and Krylov in front of him, pointed to the map and said to them: "One way will be led by Comrade Military Commissar.
Mainly staff members, carrying important documents and materials, set off from the mouth of Tsarica River to Krasnos Loboda on the left bank of the Volga River, and then took a bus north from there to 62 on the other side of Zaitsev Island.
ferry, then transfer to an armored boat and return to the right bank of the Volga River, and then quickly arrive at the new headquarters.
The other way, led by Comrade Chief of Staff and myself, passed through the streets blocked by the enemy..."
"No, I don't agree with your arrangement, Comrade Commander." Unexpectedly, before Chuikov finished speaking, Gusev interrupted him: "You are the commander of the group army and you have no right to risk your own life."
Take risks. I think you should lead this force by water, and let me and the chief of staff walk through the streets and rush to the new headquarters."
"Comrade Commander," Krylov immediately agreed with the plan proposed by Gusev: "In order to ensure that our headquarters can continue to exist, I agree with Comrade Military Commissar that you will lead the staff and carry the
All kinds of important documents and materials were sent to the new headquarters by water."
"The decision I made is the final one and cannot be changed." Chuikov was worried that there would be endless arguments over who took the waterway and who crossed the street, so he decisively exercised his authority as commander of the group army and ordered Gusev
He will set off immediately with his staff, while he and Krylov will lead the remaining people through the streets blocked by German infantry and tanks and rush to the new headquarters in the factory area as soon as possible.
Seeing that Chuikov had made up his mind, Krylov knew that there was no point in trying to persuade him, so he asked tentatively: "Comrade Commander, although the German infantry and tanks have blocked many streets, there are still us near these streets.
There are quite a few troops fighting. Do you think we should get in touch with them and ask them to open a passage for us?"
