Chapter 417 Retreat (Part 1)

"Comrade Commander, I was wrong." Gusev, who had insisted on dealing with Sokov seriously, said with shame at this moment: "Although the actions of Lieutenant Colonel Sokov belonged to battlefield disobedience, but never Judging from the actual effect, he not only saved the lives of hundreds of commanders and fighters, but also effectively ensured that the enemy could not break through our army's defense line."

   After Gusev finished speaking, Chuikov asked, "Comrade Military Commissar, didn't you say that if the commanders of other troops learn from him, it will make us unable to command the troops below?"

"The current knowledge of this matter is very small, we can completely control it, and it will not have too much impact." Gusev said sincerely: "Under the current situation, if a commander with great military exploits is casually disposed of , may have a negative impact on our military spirit and morale."

Seeing that Gusev was unwilling to pursue Sokov's responsibility, Cuikov couldn't help secretly heaving a sigh of relief. He nodded and said, "Then this matter will be closed everywhere, and no one is allowed to spread it to the outside world, so as not to bring trouble to Lieutenant Colonel Sokov. bad influence."

"Don't worry, Comrade Commander." Not long ago, only Chuikov, Gusev, and Krylov were studying how to deal with Sokov. Since neither Chuikov nor Gusev intends to hold Sokov accountable, Krylov naturally pushed the boat along and said, "I will definitely keep it a secret and not let this matter out."

   Sokov, who was staying at the command headquarters of the Mamayev Gang, naturally had no way of knowing what happened in the Army Group Headquarters. He was paying attention to the battle that took place at Beigang. While attacking Nangang, the German army dispatched a regiment of troops to launch wave after wave of offensives against the North Hill position held by the Briski Battalion.

For both the Soviet Union and the Germans, Mamayev Hill is a battleground for military strategists. Since it is a battleground for military strategists, after the battle starts, the two sides can only do their best and simply fill it with ammunition and human lives. In order to achieve the purpose of seizing or guarding. In order to seize the Beigang position, the German officers and soldiers braved the dense bullet rain of the defenders, and under the cover of mortars and machine guns, rushed forward like a tide, and then fell in pieces like cut wheat in the bullet rain. In front of the position.

Although the casualties of the German army were not small, the situation of the fourth battalion holding the position was not much better. The casualties of the troops rose sharply. In less than an hour, more than 300 commanders and fighters of the tenth company who took the lead in entering the position were killed and injured. Briski had to urgently send the Eleventh Company into position.

   "The enemy's offensive is very fierce." Belkin said with emotion: "They are attacking regardless of casualties. If it weren't for the sufficient strength of our brigade, I am afraid that the position would have broken through."

"From all indications, the German army is preparing to capture our city." After making two important phone calls, Sidolin said to Sokov and Belgin: "I just called and asked my acquaintances in the headquarters , The enemy has launched a fierce offensive on Mamayev Hill, the factory area in the north of the city, and the outskirts of Minin in the southwest of the city, trying to capture our city in one fell swoop."

   "Where is the station?" Sokov waited for Sidolin to finish speaking, and immediately asked: "If the enemy occupies the station, then the army headquarters will be surrounded by the enemy."

   "It's strange to say." Sidolin said hesitantly: "Although the German troops stationed north of the train station are making frequent movements, they have never launched an attack. It's really strange."

Sokov heard that the German troops in the north of the train station were frequently mobilized, but did not launch an attack. He was also surprised. He said to himself: "What the **** are the Germans doing? Other places are fighting in full swing, but here at the station." But he has been standing still for a long time, maybe there is some conspiracy."

  Sukov never dreamed that the reason why the German army did not attack the railway station was inseparable from him. As Colonel Lengek, the head of the 21st Grenadier Regiment, and his battalion commander, Major Haydn, were killed by Vasily, the troops were leaderless and could no longer carry out the task of attacking the station.

  Paulus received a report from the division commander Schild, knowing that the head of the 21st Grenadier Regiment was killed by a Soviet sniper and that the regiment also suffered heavy losses in the battle, he couldn't help becoming angry. After discussing with the chief of staff, Major General Schmid, he felt that Schild could not continue to serve as the commander of the 24th Armored Division. Ski to replace him.

  The first thing Lieutenant General Lensky did after taking office was to deploy an attack on the Central Railway Station. Since the commander of the 21st Grenadier Regiment died in battle and the troops were disabled, Lensky ordered Colonel Heim's 26th Grenadier Regiment, and the 21st Grenadier Regiment The bomber regiments are on defense and ready to attack the station.

After receiving Lensky's order, Colonel Heim quickly assured on the phone: "Your Excellency, please rest assured that as long as our 26th Grenadier Regiment is dispatched, we will be able to take the Central Station from the hands of the Russians." Take it."

  Responding to Heim's cliché, Lensky asked calmly: "How long will it take for your regiment to take the Central Station from the Russians?"

  Although the efficiency of the German army is quite high, it took only four hours from Lensky's appointment to the change of defense between the 21st and 26th Grenadier Regiments, but it was already past noon. Heim was silent for a while after hearing Lensky's question, and finally replied with some hesitation: "Master Commander, my troops are still switching defenses with friendly troops, and it will take at least an hour before we can launch an attack on the station. If everything If all goes well, we should be able to take down the station before dark."

  Lensky raised his hand and looked at his watch, and found that the hour hand had already pointed to two o'clock, which meant that there were still five hours before it got dark at seven o'clock. He immediately shook his head and said: "No, Mr. Colonel, there are still five hours before dark. It takes you five hours to take down a small station. The action is really too slow. You know, don't Our troops are storming Stalingrad at the moment, and your regiment can't hold everyone back."

  Heim looked up from the window without a window frame, and saw that the city of Stalingrad was full of flames, gunpowder smoke, gunshots and explosions, indicating that the troops of both sides were fighting fiercely in the city. Judging from all indications, if one's own troops cannot take down the train station quickly, they may become the last troops to enter the city. Thinking of this, he gritted his molars and said into the microphone: "Your Excellency, after my regiment finishes changing defenses, my troops will definitely take down the train station within an hour."

   "Very good, Mr. Colonel." Lensky was very satisfied with Heim's statement: "Then I will wait for the news that your troops have captured the train station."

  In order to quickly capture the central railway station controlled by the Soviet army, Heim ordered the first company and the third company that had already entered the position to attack the station. Although Heim assured Lensky that he would take the Central Station within an hour, due to insufficient preparations before the attack, the German army hastily organized this attack, which was soon held by the 42nd Guards Regiment at the station. repelled.

Knowing the news of the setback in the attack, Heim was unwilling to fail, and immediately called in the 5th anti-aircraft artillery company. The anti-aircraft artillery company used only two 88mm anti-aircraft guns to open fire on the tanks that were used as forts in the station to cover the infantry. Charge towards the station.

  The Soviet tanks parked at the station did not expect the Germans to use 88mm anti-aircraft guns as anti-tank guns. In less than a quarter of an hour, the five tanks whose positions were exposed were all destroyed by the German anti-aircraft guns one by one. The Soviet army lost the support of the tanks, and the firepower on the position suddenly became weaker. The German infantry took the opportunity to break through the Soviet army's outer defense line and rushed towards the station building and the platform.

  Because the enemy in the north of the station had not launched an attack for a long time, Rodimtsev transferred the main force of the 42nd Guards Regiment to other areas to fight, leaving only one company of troops in the station. Facing the fierce German offensive, the Soviet commanders and fighters standing firm in the station put up tenacious resistance, but due to the disparity in the strength of the two sides, they failed to withstand the fierce German attack, and finally all died heroically.

After learning that the station had been lost, Rodimtsev was shocked. He hurriedly called the head of the 42nd Guards Regiment: "Comrade Colonel, the enemy has already occupied the Central Station. I order you to lead your troops back immediately. Take the station back."

  The 42nd Guards Regiment is currently engaged in a fierce battle with the enemy in the Tsaritsa River area. After receiving Rodimtsev's order to recapture the station, the head of the regiment couldn't help being in a dilemma. At this moment, the troops have been held back by the enemy. Once they withdraw from the battle, as long as the enemy chases up from behind, the whole army is in danger of being wiped out. However, the superior's order to recapture the station must also be implemented. After repeated consideration, the regiment leader finally managed to draw out two companies that were not fully organized, and asked them to return to the station in a hurry to destroy the enemy occupying there.

  Because most of the commanders and fighters in the 42nd Guards Regiment are recruits, even if the strength of the two sides is roughly equal, it will not be easy for them to win, not to mention that they are still at an absolute disadvantage in terms of strength. In this case, not only did their counterattack fail to make any progress, but it also gave the German army occupying the station another victory.

   Fortunately, the sacrifices of these commanders and fighters are not completely worthless. It was precisely because of their reckless counterattack that the German army could not quickly expand the results of the war after occupying the station. Seeing the night fall, Heim saw that his troops had completed the task of capturing the station, so he ordered the troops to stop the attack and build a defense line inside the station to prevent possible Soviet counterattacks.

  ...

  After a day of fierce fighting, most of the urban areas of Stalingrad fell into the hands of the Germans. And Cuikov's headquarters also faintly showed signs of being surrounded. Seeing this situation, in order to prevent his headquarters from being killed by the German army, Cuikov decisively issued an order to retreat.

  He said to Krylov: "Comrade Chief of Staff, there are enemies everywhere around us. This place is no longer suitable for continuing to be a command post. We need to transfer immediately."

   "Transfer?" Krylov was taken aback when he heard what Chuikov said, and then asked, "Comrade Commander, where do you think we should transfer the headquarters?"

Chuikov patted the ground on the table with his hands, and said: "We moved the headquarters to the factory area in the north. According to my estimation, after the German army occupied the city, the next attack focus will be the factory area in the north of the city. We moved the headquarters there so that we can command the troops more conveniently."

   "Comrade Commander," Krylov said with some embarrassment: "At present, our road to the north has been cut off by the Germans. Unless there are troops to help us open a passage, otherwise we will not be able to reach the factory area in the north of the city."

"In order to prevent the army headquarters from being annihilated by the enemy, we can evacuate here in two ways." Chuikov called Gusev and Krylov to his face, pointed to the map and said to them: "One way is led by Comrade Military Commissar, Mainly staff officers, carrying important documents and materials, set off from the mouth of the Tsaritsa River to Krasnosloboda on the left bank of the Volga River, and then took a car north to the 62 No. 1 ferry, then changed to an armored boat to return to the right bank of the Volga River, and then quickly arrived at the new headquarters.

  The other road, led by me and the comrade chief of staff, crossed the streets blocked by the enemy..."

"No, I don't agree with your arrangement, Comrade Commander." Gusev interrupted Chuikov before he finished speaking: "You are the commander of the army group, and you have no right to risk your own life." Take risks. I think you will lead this force by water, and let me cross the street with the chief of staff and rush to the new headquarters."

"Comrade Commander," Krylov immediately agreed with the plan proposed by Gusev: "In order to ensure that our headquarters can continue to exist, I agree with Comrade Military Commissar. You will lead the staff and carry All kinds of important documents and materials went to the new headquarters by water."

"The decision I made is final and cannot be changed." Cuikov was worried that there would be endless debates about who would go by water and who would cross the street, so he decisively exercised his authority as the commander of the army group and ordered Gusev Take the staff to set off immediately, and I and Krylov will lead the rest of the people, cross the streets blocked by German infantry and tanks, and rush to the new headquarters in the factory area as soon as possible.

Seeing that Chuikov had made up his mind, Krylov knew that there was no point in persuading him, so he asked tentatively: "Comrade Commander, although the German infantry and tanks have blocked many streets, there are still us in the vicinity of these streets." Quite a few troops are fighting. Do you see if you can get in touch with them and ask them to open a passage for us?"

  (end of this chapter)