As soon as the German bombing ended, the infantry, under the cover of tanks, launched an attack on the positions of three Guards regiments at the same time.
Faced with the fierce German offensive, the Soviet army put up tenacious resistance. However, due to the disparity in strength and equipment between the two sides, and the fact that the German army had already figured out the Soviet army's firepower configuration and troop distribution, the commanders and fighters of the three regiments passed by
After a fierce battle, they gradually abandoned their first-line positions and retreated along the communication trenches to the second line of defense, intending to continue to resist the German attack.
The news that the German army had occupied the first line of defense quickly reached the division headquarters at Mamayev Heights. After seeing the battle reports of the three regiments calmly, Sokov looked at Sidorin and asked: "Staff
Comrade Commander, although the forward positions of the three regiments were captured by the Germans, have you noticed that the 122nd Regiment of Lieutenant Colonel Papuchenko held out the longest."
"Yes," Sidorin immediately agreed with Sokov's statement: "Commander, I have also discovered the problem you mentioned."
"What do you think?"
Sidorin thought for a while and replied: "According to the battle reports, the German army used roughly the same amount of troops and equipment to attack the positions of the three regiments. Lieutenant Colonel Papuchenko's 122nd Regiment was the only one not equipped with rocket launchers.
Logically speaking, they should be the first to be broken through by the enemy. But the actual situation is just the opposite. They persisted until the end, which makes me very puzzled."
"Yes, I think so too." Ivanov agreed: "We all know that rocket launchers are very effective weapons against German tanks. However, due to the limited number, the 122nd Regiment is not equipped with this weapon.
, it is simply a miracle that they can sustain it for so long despite the lack of anti-tank weapons."
"Actually, it's not a miracle." Sokov waved his hands and said, "The rocket launcher is indeed an anti-tank weapon, but its shortcoming is that its range is too short. The reason why the 122nd Regiment was able to persist for such a long time is entirely because they were equipped with
Self-propelled artillery, a cannon mounted on a tank chassis, can not only fire high-explosive grenades, but also armor-piercing shells to deal with German tanks."
After Sokov's reminder, Sidorin and Ivanov both remembered the tank battalion under Bely's personal command, which was on the position of the 122nd Regiment. They were indeed equipped with several self-propelled artillery.
"Comrade Division Commander," since this kind of self-propelled artillery is a good thing, Ivanov naturally hopes that the troops can be equipped with more equipment. He tentatively asked Sokov: "I wonder if the superiors can provide us with more self-propelled artillery?"
"Comrade Deputy Division Commander." Unexpectedly, as soon as he finished speaking, Sidorin reminded him: "The self-propelled artillery equipped by the First Tank Battalion are all provided by the Red October Factory. I'm worried about their current situation.
There are not enough raw materials to produce more self-propelled artillery to equip our troops."
"What should we do?" Ivanov had a disappointed expression on his face: "I wonder where the factories that can produce self-propelled artillery are located?"
"Comrade Deputy Division Commander." Sokov happened to know the answer to the question Ivanov asked, so he informed him: "The main tank factories in our country are the Kirov Factory in Leningrad and the Kharkov Factory.
Factory. When Leningrad was about to be besieged by the Germans, the Supreme High Command decided to move the Kirov factory and move the entire factory to the rear, to Chelyabinsk in the Urals.
With sufficient organization and mobilization, the Kirov factory took only 2 months and the relocation was basically completed in early October. Fifteen thousand employees and 8,000 family members came to the new factory in Chelyabinsk.
Work. The new factory was named the Chelyabinsk Kirov Factory, also known as the 'Tank City'. It mainly produced KV-1 heavy tanks. Starting in 1942, the production line of T-34 tanks was added.
Before I left Moscow, I heard that this factory had added several more self-propelled artillery production lines. I believe that with the technical level and production capacity of this factory, it will not be long before it can produce a large number of self-propelled artillery to equip our
force."
"Chelyabinsk is not close to here." Ivanov waited for Sokov to finish, then sighed and said: "Even if they produce it now, they have to transport it to the left bank by rail, and then drive over from the left bank.
It will take at least a week. I'm worried that our troops simply won't be able to sustain it for that long."
"Comrade Deputy Division Commander, you are too pessimistic." Sokov said with a smile: "Although the enemy is so rampant now, their strength is almost exhausted. As long as we hold on for a few days, their destruction will be just around the corner.
Already."
When the situation is unfavorable to one's side, the commander's attitude will directly affect the commanders and fighters below. Although all three regiments have lost their forward positions, the staff officers in the headquarters saw Sokov's calm face and felt that he
I must have a detailed plan in my mind to repel the enemies who occupied the position, and I felt much more at ease.
Sokov knew very well that in order to crush the German attack on the second line of defense, he must get the support of the left bank artillery and use their powerful artillery fire to block the path of the German attack. At this moment, he must immediately contact the headquarters and let the artillery
Be ready to fire.
After dialing the number of the Army Group Headquarters, Sokov heard that the person who answered the phone was Krylov, and said bluntly: "Hello, Comrade Chief of Staff, this is Sokov. The Germans have occupied our division.
They are likely to continue to attack the second position. I request the artillery on the left bank to intercept and shoot at the attacking enemy."
Since Sokov has reported to Chuikov and Krylov in advance, if necessary, he may abandon the first position, put the enemy deep into the defense, and rely on long-range artillery fire and supporting fortifications to inflict heavy damage to the German army.
.So when he received Sokov's call, Krylov said without saying a word: "I will call the artillery immediately and ask them to establish contact with you."
After saying this, Chuikov's voice came from the receiver: "Colonel Sokov, do you think you can hold the second line of defense?"
"Don't worry, Comrade Commander." Sokov said confidently: "Although the enemy has occupied our forward position, if they want to seize the second position, it is simply a daydream. We have made all preparations, as long as they
If the enemy dares to come, we will definitely beat them until their corpses are everywhere."
"It's a good thing to have confidence, but you can't underestimate the enemy." Although Sokov showed extra confidence, Chuikov still warned him uneasily: "If you need anything, call me immediately. Do you understand?"
"Understood." With Chuikov's words, Sokov became more confident in holding the position. "Comrade Commander, I assure you that we will never let the Germans pass the second line of defense."
Sidorin and Ivanov, who were standing next to Sokov, couldn't help showing worried looks on their faces when they heard him assure Chuikov in such a confident tone. As soon as Sokov put down the phone, Sidorin
He said anxiously: "Comrade division commander, if the German army launches another fierce attack, I'm worried that our troops will not be able to hold the second line of defense."
"What's wrong with you, Comrade Chief of Staff?" Regarding Sidorin's concerns, Sokov said with some astonishment: "Don't you have confidence in our soldiers?"
"That's not possible, Comrade Commander." Sidorin said sheepishly, "I'm just worried that an accident may happen."
"Our troops have built strong fortifications on the second line of defense. There are minefields and barbed wire fences in front of the fortifications. It is not an easy task for the Germans to successfully approach our positions." Soko said.
The husband said calmly: "Not to mention that we can get artillery support from the left bank. Even without artillery support, it is not difficult to hold the position."
Seeing that Sokov was so confident, Sidorin originally wanted to retort, but then he thought about it. It seemed that he had never missed what the division commander said. Since he said he could hold the second line of defense, he must be able to hold it. He thought
Here, Sidorin obediently kept his mouth shut and no longer discussed with Sokov whether the second line of defense could be defended.
Sidorin did not speak, but Ivanov felt that as the deputy division commander, it was necessary to remind Sokov a few words to prevent him from underestimating the enemy and causing irreparable consequences: "Comrade division commander, I think we should start from Ma Ma
Yevgan mobilizes its forces to strengthen the third line of defense..."
"Deploy forces from Mamayev Hill?" Before Ivanov could finish speaking, Sokov interrupted him: "Now, there are only more than 300 soldiers in the tunnels of the north and south hills.
They are all wounded. Can't you just let the wounded hold weapons and fight the enemy?"
"Comrade Division Commander," Ivanov said plausibly: "I think we should arm the lightly wounded as soon as possible and be ready to fight at any time. After all, the attack launched by the enemy today is more than ours.
This is the most serious incident in months. It’s not that I don’t trust our soldiers, I just want to prepare for the worst.”
"Comrade Chief of Staff, you immediately get in touch with the artillery on the left bank." Sokov did not want to have a useless argument with Ivanov, so he ordered Sidorin: "Once the German army launches an attack on our second line of defense, then
Let the artillery intercept artillery fire and eliminate as many of the enemy's effective forces as possible."
…………
After the German army occupied the Soviet forward position, Lensky, the commander of the 24th Armored Division, could not help but be overjoyed. He personally called Paulus and said triumphantly: "I am reporting to your Excellency, Commander, that my troops have retaken the territory that was occupied by the Russians."
Occupied position."
"Well done, General Lensky." After listening to the report, Paulus said happily: "After letting the troops rest for a while, we will launch another attack on the Russian second line of defense. We must do it in the shortest possible time.
Seize their position. In this way, our army may be able to advance to the foot of Mamayev Hill again before dark."
Although the 24th Armored Division paid a heavy price when seizing the Soviet first line of defense, losing nine tanks and more than 200 soldiers. But Lenski felt that as long as the position could be captured, the cost was worth it.
According to his idea, the Soviet troops who had just retreated to the second line of defense must be in a state of confusion at this moment. Maybe when they saw his tanks rushing up, the Soviet troops hiding in the trenches would immediately flee.
After Lensky issued the offensive order to the troops, he even asked his chief of staff to prepare and report to Paulus on the successful capture of the second line of defense. Unexpectedly, he did not wait for the offensive troops to approach the Soviet position.
, it was hit by intensive artillery fire from the left bank of the Volga River.
Seeing one tank after another destroyed by artillery fire, burning like torches on the battlefield, his heart was bleeding. This was the only capital left by the 24th Armored Division. As a result, in the Soviet Union
Under the intense artillery fire of the army, it was torn to pieces like a toy.
The commander of the tank regiment immediately gave Lensky an idea: "Your Excellency, division commander, the reason why we were able to successfully capture the Russians' first line of defense was entirely because of the support of the air force. Their bombing destroyed a large number of Russians.
Fortifications. Why don’t you ask Your Excellency, Commander, to let the air force come again to help us bomb the Russian positions.”
Lenski's eyes lit up at the regimental commander's proposal, and he quickly ordered the communications soldier, "Get me through the headquarters phone immediately. I want to speak to the commander in person."
After the call was connected, Lensky said respectfully: "Your Excellency, Commander, when my troops attacked the Russian second line of defense, they were hit by artillery fire from the left bank of the Volga River. Now our officers and soldiers have suffered heavy casualties. Therefore, I
I implore you to send out the air force to carry out intensive bombing of the Russian positions and the artillery positions on the left bank."
Lensky thought that as soon as his request was made, Paulus would immediately agree. Unexpectedly, after the other party was silent for a long time, he said leisurely: "There is no air force, at least for a few days, we will not get any
A little bit of support from the Air Force."
Paulus' words startled Lensky, and he quickly asked: "Your Excellency, Commander, what happened? Why can't we get support from the air force? Did something happen?"
"You guessed it right, General Lensky." Paulus said weakly: "I just received a call from Marshal Manstein. He said that due to the stubborn rent from the Russians and the discovery of the Russian army on both wings,
There are signs of movement of the People's Army. In order to avoid being encircled like us, they plan to stop the attack and withdraw to their original starting position. During their retreat, the air force will provide them with necessary air cover."
"Damn it, Your Excellency, Commander." Lensky became anxious when he heard what Paulus said: "Without the support of the air force, our tanks alone cannot destroy the fortifications on the Russian positions."
"I'm sorry, General Lensky." Paulus said helplessly: "It is true that I cannot let the air force provide you with air support, but I can let the artillery carry out intensive shelling on the Russian second line of defense to destroy the position.
