As soon as it gets dark the next day, the situation becomes even more serious...
The entire Volga River and even the skies over Stalingrad were filled with German fighter planes and bombers.
The aircraft over the Volga River were mainly aimed at transport ships and Soviet anti-aircraft firepower... As mentioned before, there were two long sandbars in the middle of the Volga River, and the Soviet army deployed a large amount of antiaircraft firepower on the sandbars.
The purpose of this is obvious.
On the one hand, it saves ammunition while protecting river transportation.
The so-called saving of ammunition is relative to deploying anti-aircraft firepower on the banks of the Stalingrad River... If you want to deploy firepower on Stalingrad, you must transport anti-aircraft machine guns, anti-aircraft gun bullets and artillery shells to Stalingrad, and then transport them to Stalingrad.
Pieces were shot into the air.
Obviously, it will be much easier to deploy these firepower on the sandbar, and the pressure on logistical supplies will be much less.
On the other hand, the anti-aircraft fire on the sandbar will reduce the pressure on the transport ship to a certain extent... Enemy planes will sometimes let go of the transport ship in order to attack the anti-aircraft fire.
After all, German pilots are not stupid. They know that between anti-aircraft firepower and transport ships, they should give priority to anti-aircraft firepower.
Because as long as the anti-aircraft firepower is eliminated, the transport ship is just a lamb to be slaughtered.
The aircraft over Stalingrad provided fire cover for German attacks in other directions.
This is what Golikov predicted last night. The enemy will exert pressure from two directions at the same time: while increasing the intensity of the blockade and accelerating the pace of the attack, Stalingrad will soon be in a supply dilemma.
The situation in Stalingrad is indeed not optimistic.
This can be seen from the severe shrinkage of supplies... Last night at meal time, there was still a piece of black bread one finger thick.
Although the taste of this black bread is not very good, especially because the Soviets were saving food, they would add grass seeds and indigestible mineral powder to the black bread (Note: Indigestible mineral powder makes the stomach less hungry).
But when you are hungry, you will not be picky about food.
As of today, there is nothing after breakfast time, and still nothing after lunch time...
The soldiers were so hungry that their chests were pressed against their backs, but they only replenished a few boxes of bullets in company units.
"What's going on?" Valery asked: "Are we going to use bullets as bread? Even if my teeth are strong enough to chew it, I'm worried that I won't have enough ammunition to go to the battlefield!"
"Shut your mouth, Valery!" Major Mikhailovich responded: "That's all they give us!"
"But Comrade Major!" Valery said: "We can't just go to the battlefield with these bullets without eating anything!"
"Did you see the dirt at your feet?" Major Mikhailovich replied: "It must be much softer than bullets. I believe your teeth can chew it, and it may still taste like fried noodles. In this way,
You can fill your stomach without worrying about running out of bullets! Look, the problem is solved!"
There was a burst of laughter from the troops, who were amused by Major Mikhailovich's words.
The Soviets had their own sense of humor, which could be crude or even crude.
For example, in Major Mikhailovich's answer, he did not explain the reason at all, and perhaps he himself did not know the reason.
But these words can indeed silence his subordinates.
But of course, this is not a long-term solution, and problems will occur over time.
So Shulka added.
"Don't think too much, Valery!" Shulka said: "I think you have seen how crazy the German planes are. This is the fundamental reason for the reduction of our supplies."
"But we also have to eat, comrade captain!" Valery replied.
"Of course there will be!" Shulka said: "You have to know that we are the 82nd Infantry Regiment. The 82nd Infantry Regiment successfully repelled the German attack at Mamayev Ridge. Do you think they will let us starve to death easily?"
The soldiers nodded with proud smiles on their faces, including Valery... The 82nd Infantry Regiment at this time was different from the previous 82nd Infantry Regiment. It was no longer a "punishment" unit.
Instead, priority should be given to the heroic troops for allocating supplies.
"I think the reason why we haven't gotten food yet!" Shulka continued: "Probably because there is a fierce battle on the front line..."
As he spoke, Shulka raised his head toward the sound of gunfire and artillery coming from the west, and then continued: "We must prioritize the distribution of food to the troops fighting on the front line, what do you think?"
"That's right!" Andrianka came up with an assist at the right time: "At least we can still lie here chatting, sleeping, and have the leftover Wotega from yesterday. But the troops on the front line, what they have to face are bullets.
Artillery shells, planes, and German charges, do you think we should take food from them?"
The soldiers nodded one after another.
"Yeah, we shouldn't do that!"
"Of course they should get the food first!"
"If one day we are fighting the enemy on the front line, we won't want to go hungry!"
…
So the troops quickly reached a consensus, and in the end even Valery, who was the first to propose this, felt a little embarrassed.
"Sorry, Comrade Captain!" Valery sat next to Shulka and said, "I didn't think of this!"
"I know, Comrade Valery!" Shulka nodded.
Soviet people's thoughts are often simple and direct, just like Valery, he only thinks about being hungry and in need of food, and cannot fight without food...that's all.
"In principle, you are actually not wrong!" Shulka continued: "Because what you said is what a normal soldier would think of and want to say... You are just saying what others think!"
Valery nodded. What Shulka said was true, which convinced him, because other people often said some metaphysical truths.
"But!" Shulka said, changing the topic: "There is nothing wrong with being a soldier. The problem is that you are not just a soldier, you are also an officer, a second lieutenant battalion commander, and you command more than two hundred soldiers.
Soldier, if all your words and deeds will cause similar reactions from your subordinates, then there is a problem with what you say!"
"But, Comrade Captain!" Valery was a little confused: "In other words, what I did was wrong?"
"Yes!" Shulka nodded: "Especially as an officer of the 82nd Infantry Regiment!"
"So... what should I do?" Valery asked: "I mean if I encounter a problem like this next time!"
"You don't need to do anything!" Shulka replied: "The words you said should have been said by your subordinates!"
Valery said "Oh": "Then, I will answer with your words, right?"
Shulka nodded.
Valery has a good understanding. This is also the only way for the 82nd Infantry Regiment to transform from a "punishment" unit to a "hero" unit... First of all, officers can no longer complain or blame others, which will directly affect military morale and combat effectiveness.