Chapter 832 The transportation was interrupted

  Paulus knew very well that Schmid's words were not scaremongering. If Laiser had really boarded the plane to Moscow, could the rescue team he sent sneak into Moscow? Even if you take a step back and say that your subordinates have sneaked into Moscow, can they rescue Lazer from the heavily guarded Ministry of Internal Affairs?

Thinking of this, Paulus seemed to be exhausted from all the strength in his body. He slumped on his seat, looked at Schmid blankly, and said weakly: "Chief of Staff, the news that Leizer has been captured." , we need to report to Berlin immediately and ask them to send a new division commander to take over command."

"Your Excellency Commander," Schmid was taken aback when he heard that Paulus was going to report Leizer's capture to Berlin. The supplies at Kotluba Station and the 564th Kilometer Station have already made Berlin very angry. If you report the news of General Leizer’s capture at this time, I’m afraid you will be blamed by the head of state.”

Schmid's words made Paulus hesitate. He understood Hitler's moody character, and when things went well in the past few months, he was generous with his praises, but with the tenacious resistance of the Russians, the progress of the troops changed. From time to time, I was blamed when I was slow, or even unable to move forward. If at this time, he reported the destruction of supplies at the station and the capture of Laize, he might be dismissed directly.

   It was precisely because of this consideration that Paulus changed his mind and decided not to report the capture of Leizer for the time being. Even if the Berlin side heard something, when they called or sent a telegram to inquire, they could perfunctory, saying that Laiser was just missing and that the story of being captured was a rumor created by the Russians for propaganda.

After Paulus made the decision to conceal the truth for the time being, he sat up straight again and asked Schmid: "Chief of Staff, all the supplies we stored at the two stations were destroyed by the Russians. I'm afraid it will take more time for new supplies to arrive. For three or four days, can our troops continue to attack during this time?"

"It's very difficult, Your Excellency Commander." Schmid shook his head and replied, "Due to insufficient supplies, we were forced to stop our attack on the north of the city today. I don't think we should take it easy until we get new supplies and ammunition. launched a new offensive."

"If our offensive is completely stopped, won't it give the Russians a chance to breathe?" Paulus waited for Schmid to finish speaking, and said with displeasure: "They can use this time to rush to repair Those fortifications that were destroyed by shells and bombs to strengthen their defense line. I am afraid that when the supplies arrive and then attack, the casualty ratio of our army will be much higher than it is now."

"Your Excellency, we are short of supplies, and the situation of the Russians is not much better." Schmid looked at Paulus and said: "We have been using long-range artillery fire and bombing to block the Volga River. The Russian Volga Although the River Fleet has suffered heavy losses, they are still transporting supplies non-stop..."

   "You're right." Paulus nodded, and said rather helplessly, "We've tried all the means we can, but we still can't cut off the connection between the Russians in the city and the outside world."

"Your Excellency, Commander, don't worry too much. According to my estimation, in a week at most, the contact between the Russians in the city and the outside world will be completely cut off." Schmid said with some pride: "Once the Russians If the supply is interrupted, they will face the dilemma of running out of ammunition and food, and our new supplies should have arrived at that time. We can take advantage of the favorable opportunity that the Russians cannot obtain supplies, and once again launch a new attack on the factory area in the north of the city. Offensive. In two or three days at most, we can take the whole city."

Regarding Schmid's statement, Paulus was a little dubious: "Chief of Staff, our shelling and bombing cannot cut off the connection between the Russians in the city and the outside world. Do you have any other good way to make the Russians in the city Don't the Russians get replenished?"

"Your Excellency, you may not be aware that with the arrival of heavy cooling and heavy snowfall, ice blocks have already appeared on the Volga River." Schmid explained to Paulus: "The appearance of these ice floes will make the country Vessels moving in the river become impassable. And even if the river freezes, the thickness of the ice is not enough to support the passage of transport vehicles."

  For Paulus, this can be regarded as the only good news he heard today. He stood up and said to Schmid: "Chief of Staff, I don't know how long the Russian transportation line will be interrupted."

"It's hard to say, Your Excellency Commander." Schmid said thoughtfully: "If the severe cooling and heavy snowfall continue, I estimate that in three or four days, the transportation on the Volga River will be due to a large number of traffic accidents. Floes appeared and were interrupted."

"Great, this is really great." Paulus slapped the table excitedly, and said to Schmid: "Chief of Staff, immediately send scouts out to the Volga River to closely monitor Any movement on the river, if you find the river frozen, report to me immediately. As long as the Russian supply line is cut off, it is simply impossible to hold the city with their meager troops in the city, our soldiers Gonna crush them like a bedbug."

  ...

  As the weather gets colder and colder, more and more ice floes float on the river surface, and the ice volume is getting bigger and bigger.

   Sokov took Ivanov to the top of Mamayev Hill to observe the movement of the river. Without a telescope, they could clearly see ice blocks of different sizes floating on the surface of the river, which made the ships moving in the river slow.

Seeing this situation, Ivanov couldn't help sighing, and said: "Comrade commander, the situation is not good. The existence of a large amount of ice floes makes it difficult for ships to travel. Don't talk about ordinary wooden ships, even fleets The small warships used may be damaged under the impact of ice floes, and I think the day when the transportation will be interrupted is coming soon."

Looking at the flying snowflakes, Sokov said with emotion: "Fortunately, the current weather is not suitable for aircraft dispatch, otherwise these ships crawling like snails in the river will become the targets of enemy bombing. But don't worry, The materials we have hoarded are enough to support the re-opening of the route."

   "Comrade Commander," Sokov's words reminded Ivanov. He looked at Sokov and asked tentatively, "Do you really think that our army will launch a full-scale counterattack by the end of this month?"

   "Yes, according to my judgment. It should be at the end of this month."

   "But now it's the 9th, the headquarters has not informed us to go to the meeting, which is a bit unreasonable." Ivanov frowned and said, "Is there something wrong with your judgment?"

Regarding Ivanov's question, Sokov just smiled lightly: "Comrade Deputy Division Commander, the current situation is quite special. For the sake of confidentiality, I am afraid that even Commander Chuikov does not know the specific counterattack time. Maybe call the When the commanders of the divisions and brigades held a meeting, there was only one or two days left before the big counteroffensive began."

"What, you only have one or two days left before you notify us to go to a meeting?" Ivanov obviously couldn't accept Sokov's statement: "In such a short period of time, how could we do a good job in counterattacking?" Prepare."

   "Comrade deputy commander, there are no outsiders here, so I might as well tell you the truth." Sokov stared at Ivanov and asked, "Do you think they can still participate in the counterattack given the current situation of the troops in the city?"

   "No." Ivanov blurted out. After he finished speaking, a shocked expression appeared on his face: "Comrade commander, I don't understand what you mean. Since the big counteroffensive has begun, how can we, as the defenders of the city, not participate in the battle?"

"It's not about not participating in the battle, but participating in the battle in another way." Sokov said lightly: "Our task should be to stick to the existing defense line and cooperate with troops attacking from other directions to encircle the Germans. .”

Although Ivanov felt that what Sokov said made sense, he still said unwillingly: "Is this really the case? We fought the Germans in the city for several months. After the big counter-offensive started, they actually let us stand It's simply too unkind to watch the excitement from the sidelines."

"No way, Comrade Deputy Division Commander." Sokov also said helplessly: "The troops in the city have been severely weakened in the battle. They are barely enough for defense, but they are not enough for counterattack. Okay. , it’s too cold outside, let’s go back to the division headquarters.”

  That night, the transportation line on the Volga River was interrupted because the river was covered with ice floes and ships could not pass.

  (end of this chapter)