The coordination between the German artillery and the air force was going very well.
The Air Force reconnaissance aircraft guided the artillery to the target, and the artillery cleared the enemy's ground anti-aircraft firepower for the Air Force, and the excess firepower was used to intercept the Volga River transportation channel.
As a result, the Volga River was filled with water columns blown up by artillery shells and aerial bombs. Fighters and bombers swooped down from the sky, and Soviet transport ships were blown to pieces or set on fire.
In a short time, corpses and fragments of supply and transport ships were floating everywhere on the river. Large areas of water were ignited by leaked fuel and burst into flames, dyeing the river red.
Shulka, who was at the headquarters of the 82nd Infantry Regiment, also felt pressure from supplies.
These troops fighting on the front line were originally given two slices of bread every day... Two slices of bread could only be said to be enough to satisfy their hunger, because fighting on the front line consumes a lot of physical energy, and soon their feet will become weak from hunger. This is not resting on the second line.
Even though there was only one piece of bread during the break.
But now, the food is reduced to one piece of bread a day.
It is conceivable that the number of troops on the second line that did not directly participate in the war will also be reduced by half.
If hunger can be tolerated for a few more days, then the reduction in ammunition is even more alarming... Frontline troops like the 82nd Infantry Regiment only have half a base of about fifty rounds of ammunition.
"Half a base!" Major Mikhailovich yelled anxiously at the quartermaster on the phone: "Do you know what this means? The enemy only needs to charge at us continuously for half an hour, and we will be defeated because we have no bullets.
And we can’t resist their attack!”
"I know this, Comrade Mikhailovich!" the quartermaster replied: "But we only have so much ammunition in our hands, and we are working hard..."
"Then you'd better hurry up!" Mikhailovich said and hung up the phone with a bang.
In fact, Mikhailovich also knew that urging the quartermaster was useless. This was obviously caused by the German army further strengthening the blockade of Stalingrad.
Andrianka ran in from outside where the cannons were rumbling, and then dusted himself off and reported worriedly: "Every department is reporting a shortage of ammunition, and many soldiers are picking up the enemy's equipment and ammunition for use. Of course, there are also
There’s food!”
At this time, two figures flashed into the commander in the smoke. Shulka took a closer look and immediately stood up and saluted with Mikhailovich. It turned out to be the group army commander Golikov and staff officer Major Akimovich.
Golikov's visit to the headquarters of the 82nd Infantry Regiment can be said to be routine or intentional.
This is routine because at this time the troops have already experienced serious supply problems. At this time, military morale is often easily shaken, so superiors need to go to the front line to inspect to stabilize military morale.
This was intentional, because many surprising things had happened to the 82nd Infantry Regiment recently, and Golikov wanted to see it for himself.
"How is the situation?" Golikov asked.
"The situation is not good, Comrade Golikov!" Major Mikhailovich said: "There are not enough supplies. If you want to hold on, you will have to pay a heavy price..."
Golikov frowned and nodded.
Major Akimovich on the side explained: "The enemy suddenly increased the bombing of our transportation lines. The supplies on the east bank can hardly be transported across the Volga River. If we had not continued to produce ammunition in the underground factory, we would not even be able to transport these supplies."
Ammunition is not guaranteed!”
Stalingrad was originally an industrial city, with complete production lines for the production of ammunition, equipment and even tanks.
However, due to the German bombing, the Soviet army could only move a limited number of production lines to the basement to continue production. Of course, the production capacity and output were not as good as before.
"Where is our air force?" Major Mikhailovich couldn't help complaining: "Why are all the German planes seen in the sky? If they could share the downforce, we wouldn't be in this situation!
"
No wonder Major Mikhailovich complained.
In fact, this is a common problem in the army... Competition is everywhere in the army, there is competition within the army, there is competition between the troops, and there is competition between the arms.
Major Mikhailovich looked at the problem from the perspective of the infantry. The air force usually enjoyed higher ranks and better treatment, but in wartime it was almost ineffective. The infantry was almost always responsible for the battle.
So of course sometimes I feel dissatisfied and complain.
Major Akimovich shook his head and replied: "Our air force cannot help, Comrade Mikhailovich! They mainly fight in the Caucasus, and we only have a total of more than a hundred in the direction of Stalingrad...
We use them more for emergencies or reconnaissance!”
Shulka doesn't ask such questions at all, because he considers the overall situation more.
"They stepped up the artillery blockade, didn't they?" Shulka asked.
Golikov nodded, then pointed to the map and said: "We actually have always had a crisis. From west to east to the Volga River, our defense depth is only 5 to 10 kilometers, and the enemy's howitzer has a maximum range of 10 kilometers.
! This means that the Germans actually only need to deploy artillery near Stalingrad to shoot the artillery shells across Stalingrad to the Volga River."
After a pause, Golikov continued: "Of course, if the Germans limit themselves to this, they will not cause much damage to our river transportation lines. However, as the German army deepens, their artillery also follows them.
After that, the river section that its artillery can control is getting farther and farther, and the scope is getting wider and wider! Especially the artillery on the front of Mamayev Hill... they not only suppress our army's air defense firepower, but also cause damage to our supply lines.
A devastating blow!"
"The artillery blockade is sometimes more terrifying than the enemy's aircraft!" Major Akimovich added: "Because the bombing of aircraft at night will be restricted. Although they can also bomb at night, the number is not large. But the artillery blockade...
…As long as the reconnaissance plane fires a few flares in the air, swarms of artillery shells will soon fly to the Volga River and blow our transport ships into pieces!”
Shulka certainly knows this.
Artillery has a special status on the battlefield. If we talk about the cost-effectiveness of equipment on the battlefield, it is undoubtedly the artillery... It can shoot out pieces of shells and cause devastating blows to targets within the range in a simple and crude way, and it is still
Long-term, large-scale and even continuous attacks, sometimes even continuous bombing for days and nights.