Shulka stuck his head out and looked at his jeep, which had been blown to pieces, feeling a little regretful.
In fact, he has always known this problem. Jeeps are actually not suitable for use as his own vehicle... If it is the US military, no problem. Every company commander, battalion commander and even platoon commander has a jeep.
The problem is that the number of jeeps that the US military reinforces to the Soviet army is very limited, so the Soviet army is usually allocated to officers with a certain level, so it becomes a key target of German pilots.
"Now you know what I'm worried about!" Shulka said.
"Planes?" Andrianka said: "The Germans moved their air force in our direction?"
Shulka nodded, this is for sure, the German army will not let the Don Army be surrounded, even if the air transportation of the 6th Army is suspended.
Things were indeed as Shulka thought. At this time, the Soviet Air Force and the German Air Force had already had a large-scale air battle. As a result, the Soviet Army lost more than fifty fighters and more than twenty attack aircraft.
This can be said to be the price of victory.
Because the previous victory was too smooth, or it can be said that the Soviet army thought that the main force of the enemy's air force was pinned down in Stalingrad and could not move, so it was seriously short of troops, so it relaxed its vigilance. As a result, when the Luftwaffe brought its fighters back, a counterattack caused losses to the Soviet air force.
heavy.
"Comrade Shulka!" A communications soldier braved the rain of bullets fired by enemy planes and jumped into the smelly ditch. Then he reported out of breath: "The political commissar asked you to report to the headquarters. They have crossed over."
Past Surovino!"
Shulka responded, then took Denisokov and ran back.
Zolotarev was still as aggressive as before, and so quickly led his command team to catch up from behind.
But this should be said to be an advantage. At least he is not the kind of political commissar who shouts for the soldiers to charge while he hides behind.
Not long after running back along the way they came, Trufanov and several guards were seen lying on the side of the road shouting into the walkie-talkies. Apparently they had also been attacked by enemy aircraft not long ago.
Shulka greeted Trufanov, and Trufanov raised his head toward the bridge.
Following that direction, Shulka found Zolotarev. His left arm was injured and bleeding, and the hygienist was dressing his wound.
"Comrade Zolotarev!" Shulka asked: "Is the injury serious?"
"It's just a minor injury!" Although Zolotarev's face was a little pale, his eyes were shining with excitement. He patted the open space beside him and motioned for Shulka to sit down, and said: "You performed very well this time, Shulka."
Comrade Erka! With your advice, we successfully captured Surovino, but now there are new problems..."
As he spoke, Zolotarev took out a map and spread it on the ground, and said: "We have just received intelligence that at least one infantry division of the Don Army Group is moving in our direction. In addition, there are several columns of Germans from the direction of Kharkov.
The trains set off one after another, and it is estimated that at least two infantry divisions and one armored division are on their way!"
At this time Trufanov came back, and he continued: "If it were before this, we might still be able to complete the encirclement before the enemy's reinforcements arrived, but now...the enemy's main air force has turned to us, and we can no longer
Go forward at the same speed as before!”
It goes without saying what problems we will face next.
The 51st Army may be delayed or blocked by waves of enemies coming in.
By then it is likely that there will only be dozens or even dozens of kilometers, and the 51st Group Army will be able to join forces with the Southwest Front.
But just these dozens or dozens of kilometers will seem like an insurmountable chasm standing in front of the 51st Group Army.
"We can strengthen our offensive efforts in other directions!" Shurka said.
This diverted the Germans' attention and dispersed their forces.
"We have already done this!" Zolotarev replied: "The Don Front is already attacking Stalingrad with all its strength! But the enemy used the ruins to defend, and they even began to collect our rifles and ammunition for defense... We were unable to do anything for the moment
Break through their defenses!"
Although Zolotarev spoke in an understatement, Shulka could imagine the tragedy in the direction of Stalingrad.
If the Don Front was still retaining its strength before, now in order to support the 51st Group Army or further consume German supplies, the Soviet soldiers will be ordered to charge towards the German defense line one after another... In fact, the sea of people at this time
The charge is still correct.
Because the German air transportation in the direction of Stalingrad has basically stalled.
I say "basic" here because the German army still took the risk of using transport planes and gliders to transport ammunition to the 6th Army at night, although the amount of transportation could only be said to be a drop in the bucket.
In this case, the consumption of German ammunition by human sea tactics became the key to victory.
Or, the German 6th Army could not withstand such pressure and forcibly pulled the main force of the air force back from the direction of the 51st Army.
Either situation would be beneficial to the Soviet army.
However, the German 6th Army actually pushed the Soviet army back... with bayonets and rifle butts.
Paulus's strategy was to engage in close combat with the Soviet army, which was originally something the Soviet army was good at but the German army tried to avoid.
But the situation is different now. Choosing melee combat when there is a lack of ammunition is obviously beneficial to the German army, because it does not require much ammunition to be consumed, and after repelling the enemy, equipment and ammunition can be obtained from the enemy.
Therefore, Paulus ordered the German soldiers to hide in every corner of the ruins, even pretending to be dead bodies, and then jump to their feet when the Soviet troops rushed up. At the same time, the main force was ready to launch a countercharge with bayonets drawn.
In this way, Stalingrad was like a monster, constantly devouring the lives of the soldiers who rushed to kill the troops.
The courage and sacrifice of the German 6th Army provided the German Air Force with the opportunity to comprehensively suppress the Soviet 51st Army.
"Our vanguard has just been attacked by the enemy and lost more than a dozen tanks!" Trufanov said with some frustration: "If this continues, it will not be a question of whether we can join forces with the Southwest Front, but whether we will
The problem of being flanked by enemies in the middle zone!"
Shulka has considered this situation.
However, he did not expect that the Soviet Air Force would be so weak. He thought that the Soviet Air Force could at least guarantee local air supremacy within one or two days to cover the rapid penetration of the 51st Army.
Or it can also be said that this is correct when the main force of the enemy's air force has not been transferred or has been partially transferred.
But now, the German army is piling almost all its air power in this direction in an attempt to stop or even strangle the 51st Army.