At five o'clock sharp, the troops entered the predetermined positions in batches.
It started to rain lightly again in the sky. The Soviet Union has a temperate continental climate. Rainfall is concentrated in July and September. In addition, the ice and snow melted before, so the Soviet Union will be particularly humid in these months and the river water will rise.
Like the trenches that Shulka and the 8th Infantry Regiment entered, the water was up to their shins, forcing everyone to carefully protect their ammunition from getting wet.
Captain Kharichev looked at Shulka who was not far away, then walked to Shulka and asked in a low voice: "Is this attack what you meant?"
"Is there any difference?" Shulka asked.
"Of course there is a difference!" Kharichev replied: "The difference between life and death!"
In this battle, Kharichev's naval infantry battalion was used as ordinary infantry.
In fact, not only the naval infantry battalion, but also the cadet battalion are also used as ordinary infantry.
Therefore, there is no need to ask Kharichev this question at all. He just wants to get some comfort or a little luck.
Shulka didn't answer, and then Kharichev knew the answer.
"It doesn't matter, Comrade Shulka!" Kharichev saw that Shulka looked like he was about to kill someone, so he comforted Shulka in turn: "This is a battlefield, isn't it? It will get to this point one day, not to mention
this is not your fault!"
Shulka smiled helplessly.
This is indeed not my fault, but it can also be said to be my fault.
Because Shulka failed to change all this and failed to think of a solution in time... Although this is not Shulka's obligation, it is his own life and that of his subordinates that are at stake. This is a bloody reality.
At this time, there was a burst of resentment from Kharichev. It turned out that he accidentally slipped when he turned to leave, and his whole body was soaked in water.
"Damn!" Kharichev said: "How I wish I could fight in the sea instead of in this stinking ditch!"
"Be content, Comrade Captain!" Vavilovicch continued: "If the water here has reached this level, the Germans should have already reached their thighs!"
"So, are we luckier than them?" Kharichev replied: "Fuck you, Vavilovitch! We are going to charge at their guns and muzzles in this damn weather!"
"What? What did you say?" Shulka asked.
"I said we should charge at the enemy's guns!" Captain Kharichev replied.
"No, I'm asking about Vavilovitch!" Shulka said: "You said the Germans' fluids have reached their thighs?"
"Yes!" replied Vavilovic, who didn't understand why Shulka cared about this.
"How do you know?" Shulka asked again.
"I served in Surovino!" Vavinovich replied: "I was a staff sergeant at that time. Two years ago, the war had not yet broken out! We all know that Surovino is lower, so
It’s this time of year when we’d rather be out there training than in the defensive line!”
"You mean those permanent fortifications will also accumulate water?" Shulka asked again.
"Of course!" Vavilovicz nodded: "So most of the beds in the fortifications are double-decker, and the beds on the lower floors must be prepared to be flooded!"
"Will the water level get higher?" Shulka asked.
Vavinovich seemed to know what Shulka meant. He shook his head and replied with some regret: "No, Comrade Shulka, the water level is usually at the waist! This is why those fortifications still exist today.
reason!"
Shulka nodded.
If stagnant water floods those fortifications once a year, then there is no point in building these fortifications. The enemy only needs to wait for the rain to come and flood these fortifications, and then the defense line will collapse on its own.
The problem is that……
Shulka suddenly thought of something, and then ran towards the rear along the traffic ditch.
Perhaps because he was too impatient to adapt to running in stagnant water, Shulka fell down before taking a few steps, causing the soldiers to burst into laughter.
But Shulka no longer cared about this. He got up from the muddy water and continued running bumpily.
Shulka asked several soldiers along the way before finding Trufanov's frontline headquarters.
Political Commissar Zolotarev is discussing something with Trufanov.
"Comrade Political Commissar!" Shulka stepped forward and panted: "Can we delay the attack?"
Zolotarev was stunned for a moment, and then asked with a serious face: "What's going on, Comrade Shulka?! You must know that you are a 'breakout hero' and the commander of the main force of our attack! You
How can you be so timid at this time..."
"No, Comrade Zolotarev!" Shulka said: "I have thought of a way, I have thought of a way to quickly break through the enemy's defense line..."
"What can be done?" Zolotarev asked.
"I hope to delay the attack!" Shulka said: "Comrade political commissar, please believe me!"
"If we don't delay the attack, it will be too late!" Trufanov looked at his watch and said to Zolotarev: "The artillery preparations will start in ten minutes, and we will not have enough time to notify the troops!
"
In fact, it is not entirely because there is not enough time, but once artillery preparations begin, the earth-shattering sound of artillery will affect the issuance of orders.
At the same time, the enemy will also suppress the Soviet army with artillery fire, which will inevitably blow up the telephone lines or make the communication soldiers unable to hear the sound.
Therefore, once the artillery preparations started, even if Shulka had the conditions to convince Zolotarev, the command headquarters would not be able to accurately convey the order to delay the attack to the various units.
As a result, many troops will inevitably jump out of the trenches and rush towards the enemy... which means that losses cannot be avoided.
Zolotarev looked at his watch, glanced at Trufanov and Shulka, and said coldly: "I think you were using this method to delay the troops from launching an attack before! I don't believe it.
Your! The attack must go on! I will discuss your issues with you after the war, but now...I order you to return to your posts!"
Shulka was stunned for a moment.
He didn't expect Zolotarev to be so tough.
However, this does not seem surprising. Firstly, the 51st Army is suspected of delaying the battle, and secondly, Zolotarev does not know Shulka and Trufanov well... This means that he cannot
He trusted two people and canceled such a large-scale attack plan.
In the next second, Shulka almost didn't think twice and quickly pulled out his pistol and put it against Zolotarev's head.
Suddenly, the space fell silent as if it had been drained.
Trufanov was stunned for a while before he reacted, and then shouted to the signalman: "Order the artillery, the mission is cancelled!" (To be continued)