Major General Fadeevich reported the situation to Golikov truthfully.
After hearing this, Golikov couldn't help laughing and said to Krylov: "We were just worried about what would happen to Shulka on the front line due to the issue of command authority. Unexpectedly, we should be more responsible for the Guards Infantry Regiment.
It’s the right thing to worry about!”
Krylov nodded and said: "We really don't need to worry too much, because very realistically, if we don't hand over the command to Shulka, it is very likely that no one will survive!"
Krylov is right.
Therefore, rather than saying that the command power was delegated by Pavelkov on his own initiative, or that the command power was fought for by Shulka, it is better to say that all of this was forced out by the battlefield.
Failure to listen to Shulka's advice means death and failure.
Listening to Shulka's advice can often lead to victory alive.
Then, even a fool knows how to choose.
At this time, Shulka was commanding the 82nd Regiment, which was lurking on the two wings of Mamaev Hill.
To be precise, the right wing is divided into the first and second battalions: the first battalion is the main attack force, and the second battalion is the reserve force.
There are only three battalions on the left wing.
Therefore, the left wing is also a feint attack, and the real main attack direction is the right wing.
The reason for this arrangement is to consider several factors.
First of all, the right wing of Mamayev Ridge faces the "Red October" Metallurgical Plant, and even the "Red October" New Village opposite it is still behind the German army's front slope. (Note: The "Red October" New Village is the Metallurgical Plant.
Workers’ residences, the Soviet Union had a planned economy, and urban planning was relatively regular and neat)
This brings great convenience to the 82nd Infantry Regiment.
For example, Shulka can arrange some artillery at the "Red October" Metallurgical Plant. As long as these artillerymen measure the distance and height, they can fire the artillery shells to the flanks of Mamayev Hill to provide fire cover for the attacking troops.
The artillerymen of the New Village in "Red October" could even hit the front slope where the German troops were stationed.
But of course, these were not arranged by Shulka... The 82nd Infantry Regiment did not have that many artillery, and the mortars they had were even of small caliber.
The artillery was arranged by Pavelkov. He transferred a mortar battalion directly from the rear, then deployed them to the metallurgical plant and the new village, and established an artillery headquarters in the metallurgical plant.
It is necessary to establish an artillery headquarters to unify the command of these artillery units and coordinate with the 82nd Infantry Regiment, otherwise these artillery shells are likely to hit the head of the 82nd Infantry Regiment.
Time passed by, and Shulka felt that the time was almost up, just like Major Mikhailovich nodded.
Major Mikhailovich shouted into the microphone: "Fire!"
As soon as he finished speaking, artillery shells roared from the air, and then hit the minefields and roadblocks laid by the German army accurately.
This is of course not luck, but the artillery observers were well prepared during the day. At this time, the artillerymen only need to adjust the elements according to the calculated data and then fire the shells.
Dense artillery shells exploded on Mamayev Hill, row after row, like a comb going back and forth on the German position. In a short while, mines and barbed wire were all blown into the sky.
If there is anything left, it is the crater covered by the ground.
This bombing lasted for a full twenty minutes... The Soviet artillery seemed to be letting out a bad breath. During the day, they were suppressed by the enemy's air power and did not dare to let out air. At night, it was time for them to feel proud.
But of course, the German artillery also began to suppress the Soviet army.
The battle between enemy and our artillery is no easier than the battle between infantry. The infantry fights face to face, while the artillery usually does not see people. They use calculation, speed, and gun control. In short, they use the shortest time to shoot out the artillery shells.
, but also to be able to hit the target accurately, sometimes they don't even know whether they hit the target.
Especially at night, artillery observers saw the fire of enemy artillery fire, calculated the position and then guided the artillery to suppress it. Whether a hit was hit could only be based on feeling, or it could be guessed from whether the enemy artillery stopped firing.
However, this time the German artillery was in a state of confusion.
Because they could see the fire and smoke from enemy artillery... These were so obvious in the dark that they couldn't hide them even if they wanted to.
German artillery observers immediately calculated the target's location and accurately guided the artillery fire into the target area.
However, no matter how the German artillery bombarded the area, the Soviet artillery fire seemed completely unaffected and continued to bombard the Mamayev Heights in rows.
Shulka actually used a trick in this.
"The target of our artillery is Mamayev Hill!" Shulka pointed to the map and said: "If we deploy artillery at the metallurgical plant to bomb Mamayev Hill..."
As he spoke, Shulka connected a line between the two points to represent the trajectory.
"This way we have an advantage!" Shulka said: "We can hide the artillery on the east side of the building, while most of the enemy's artillery is deployed on the west. In other words..."
"In other words, our artillery is in the blind spot of the enemy's artillery?" Pavelkov cast a shocked look at Shulka. He could not believe that Shulka still had research on artillery warfare.
"Yes!" Shulka replied: "But this does not affect our bombing of Mamayev Heights!"
Colonel Pavelkov turned his attention to Captain Kovalenko, who was the commander of the artillery battalion and had just sent reinforcements to Stalingrad from the east bank of the Volga River.
"What Comrade Captain said makes sense!" Captain Kovalenko nodded: "Besides, the metallurgical plant and the 'Red October' New Village have a large number of buildings that can be used, which means that the enemy's artillery shells will be blocked by the buildings.
Unless the artillery shells penetrate the building, they will not pose a threat to our artillery. But we can shoot the artillery shells towards Mamayev Heights without any hindrance!"
"Then what are you waiting for?" Colonel Pavelkov ordered: "Get ready immediately!"
"Yes, Comrade Colonel!"
Then Colonel Pavelkov breathed a sigh of relief.
As the commander of the Guards Infantry Regiment, he certainly has some combat experience, and he knows that the smooth progress of battles, especially night battles, largely depends on artillery.
The reason is that the attacking force must blow up minefields and barbed wire... these are a major obstacle for infantry to charge quickly and engage the enemy in close combat.
However, the artillery positions in Stalingrad were blocked by the Germans because of supplies and were often bombed by enemy air power, so the artillery was often at a disadvantage even at night.
Now, the proposal put forward by Shulka actually made the Soviet artillery in an invincible position.
Then, this plan to counterattack Mamayev Heights can be said to be half successful.