"Both wings? Attack the front slope?" Pavelkov couldn't help but be startled when he heard this.
"I seem to have heard you say that there is no point in seizing the positive slope!" Lermontov interjected from the side.
"It is indeed meaningless!" Major Mikhailovich continued: "To be precise, it is meaningless during the day, because it will only cause us unnecessary casualties... I think you have already experienced this, howitzer
, assault guns, various direct fires, coupled with strafing and bombing by air power, we killed most of the enemies without even touching them!"
Lieutenant Lermontov replied: "But we must do this. There can be no war without sacrifices, and we cannot be afraid of sacrifices!"
Shulka shook his head and asked: "So, Comrade Lieutenant Lermontov, have you ever thought about what we gain by doing this?"
"We held our position!" Lieutenant Lermontov replied louder: "More than two hundred of my men died on that land, and everyone else was wounded. We left blood there.
and life, and you say it’s meaningless!”
Speaking of this, Lieutenant Lermontov's eyes turned a little red. He didn't know whether it was because of his anger towards Shulka or because he felt the loss of his troops, or both.
"I don't mean any disrespect to them!" Shulka replied: "But we can achieve the same effect with smaller losses, so why not?"
"What do you think is the same effect?" Lieutenant Lermontov asked rhetorically.
"Mamaev Hill!" Shulka replied: "Why is it so difficult for us to defend on a positive slope? Because it was during the day, Comrade Lermontov! The Germans can easily use assault guns, artillery and even air power to defend the ground.
It provides covering fire, and the enemy is very good at that. But if it's at night, like now... all the things the Germans can rely on are gone!"
"That's not necessarily the case!" Lermontov smiled disdainfully: "It won't be too late to say this after you regain the front slope!"
"Comrade Lermontov!" Pavelkov stopped Lermontov from continuing.
However, Pavelkov also had reservations about Shulka's plan.
"I have to remind you, Comrade Captain!" Colonel Pavelkov pointed to the contour map and said: "The Germans are not defenseless on both wings. They even laid a large number of mines and wire posts there!"
"Yes, I know!" Shulka replied.
The Germans are not fools, they certainly know how to protect their own flanks.
"The problem is that there is curvature in the mountains on both sides!" Shulka replied: "And the curvature is very large, which means... we can easily engage in close combat with the enemy!"
Close combat is what the Soviet army needs to worry about least, no matter which unit it is.
This is indeed the case.
The Soviet army launched an attack on the German army at eight o'clock that night.
First, a battalion of troops took turns attacking the first line of defense and the hilltop position where the German troops were stationed.
This battalion was even part of the Guards Infantry Regiment commanded by Pavelkov.
As for the unified command, there is finally a new result... Colonel Pavelkov reported the situation at Mamayev Heights to his superiors.
Originally, a report like this would never reach the 62nd Army headquarters.
Because there is no doubt that the Guards Infantry is of course the leader on the battlefield, not to mention that it is the 13th Guards Infantry Division that really commands this battle.
Until Golikov asked the headquarters of the 13th Guards Rifle Division about the situation of the 82nd Infantry Regiment.
"What's the situation with the 82nd Infantry Regiment?" Golikov asked: "I haven't contacted them for a while!"
"They are fighting under our command!" Major General Fadeevich replied nonchalantly: "Maybe it is because they have been reporting to the 39th Regiment so they have not contacted you!"
"What? What did you say?" Golikov asked in an incredulous tone: "You mean, the 82nd Infantry Regiment is fighting under the command of the 39th Regiment?"
"Is there any problem?" Major General Fadeevich asked.
"Comrade Fadeevich!" Golikov replied: "Do you think it's okay? The deputy commander of the 82nd Infantry Regiment is Shulka, who is the well-known 'breakout hero'. Who he is may not matter.
, but Comrade Zhukov even personally ordered it, hoping that I would take every one of his suggestions seriously. I can say without exaggeration that the entire defensive battle of Stalingrad was led by him... Do you think this is no problem?"
Major General Fateevich's expression couldn't help but change after hearing this.
He could not care who Shulka was. "Breakout Hero" was just a nickname for a soldier, which could only explain his battlefield performance, but he could not put aside Zhukov's orders.
So, Major General Fateyvich made a phone call to the headquarters of the 39th Regiment.
"How is the situation?" Major General Fadeevich asked.
This is what he cares about most. Major General Fadeevich knows that no matter what happens, the battlefield situation is more important.
If the battlefield situation deteriorates, you may be held responsible for poor command.
But if the battlefield situation develops in a direction favorable to the Soviet army, it means that at least everything he has done so far is correct and reasonable.
"Everything is normal, Comrade Fateivich!" Pavelkov replied: "We are organizing an attack on the enemy's defense line, and we estimate that we will be able to recapture Mamayev Heights tonight!"
Major General Fateyevich breathed a sigh of relief when he heard this.
Then I thought that this was an opportunity for the 13th Guards Infantry Division... If the 13th Guards Infantry Division was able to surpass the "Breakout Heroes" and even command the "Breakout Heroes" to fight in Mamayev Heights with great vigor, that would be
Wouldn’t it make the 13th Guards Infantry Division famous?!
As for Zhukov's order.
Major General Fadeevich knows that in the end, it all depends on the result. This is an eternal law of the battlefield.
After thinking about it, Major General Fateivich replied: "Very good, I will immediately order the 38th Regiment to reinforce you, and we must recapture Mamayev Heights tonight. This time, we cannot let it happen again."
If it falls into the enemy's hands, not even an inch of land will survive..."
"Comrade Fadeevich!" Colonel Pavelkov replied: "Here's the thing, I think they are right!"
"What? Who's right?"
"The 82nd Infantry Regiment!" Colonel Pavelkov said: "To be precise, it is the deputy commander of the 82nd Infantry Regiment. I think you must have heard of him. His name is Shulka! We are now following the plan he proposed.
Fight! Therefore, we cannot give up even an inch of land!"
Major General Fateyvich was stunned when he heard this. He did not expect that the command of Mamayev Heights had fallen into the hands of the 82nd Infantry Regiment without his knowledge.