Chapter 885 Ingenious countermeasures

Seeing that Mironenko expressed his attitude first, Vitruk was a little anxious. When he opened his mouth and was about to make up his mind to Khryukin, he was stopped by the other party: "Two commanders, comrades, don't worry, I will give you the answer now." Arrange combat missions."

Khryukin called the two division commanders to the wall, raised his hand and opened the curtain that blocked the map, picked up a explaining stick, pointed to the area where the battle was being fought and said to them: "The current fierce battle is being fought in the Red Army City and The Beketovka area is unfolding, and your task is to provide air support for the ground offensive forces, destroy the enemy's fortifications with rockets, and assist our army to quickly break through the enemy's defenses."

   "Comrade Commander," Vitruk asked as soon as Khryukin finished speaking, "I would like to ask, what kind of fortifications does the enemy have in this area?"

Khryukin drew a line on the map with a commentary stick: "Before the enemy attacked Stalingrad, our army had built a large number of reinforced concrete fortifications in this area, but because the troops retreated too quickly, they could not organize effectively." The enemy, these fortifications were occupied by the enemy before they could be put to use."

   Knowing that they were attacking reinforced concrete fortifications, the two division commanders couldn't help frowning. Mironenko said cautiously: "Comrade commander, we are all attack aircraft. I am afraid that we cannot compare with bombers in destroying these solid fortifications."

"I know." Khryukin apparently guessed what his subordinates would say, and comforted them, saying, "You don't need to destroy all the fortifications, you only need to attack those that hinder our army's offensive, and relieve the ground attack force." resistance."

   After clarifying their tasks, the two division commanders raised their hands to salute Khryukin, turned around and walked out of the headquarters.

  Forty minutes, hundreds of attack planes took off from more than a dozen field airports and flew towards the Red Army City and Beketovka area.

While Tanashishin commanded the tank army to launch a fierce attack on the German 29th Division, Tolbukhin called Major General Vasilienko, the commander of the 15th Guards Division: "Comrade General, the German troops were captured by Tanasi. Colonel Shen's tank army has been restrained. I am now ordering your division to launch an attack on the Red Army City immediately. According to the situation we have, there are only Romanian troops in the city. Regardless of poor equipment and low morale, how much time do you need? Can you take the city?"

  After listening to Tolbukhin's order, Vasilenko thought for a moment, and then replied: "Report to Comrade Commander, our division can occupy the Red Army City before noon tomorrow."

Tolbukhin was not satisfied with Vasilienko's answer at all: "No, Comrade General, your speed is too slow. If we can't take the Red Army City as soon as possible and build a solid support point, once the Germans counterattack , we will face collapse again.”

  Now that Tolbukhin has already said this, Vasilenko can only re-examine the current situation. His eyes are fixed on the Red Army City on the map, and he is quickly calculating the attacking ability of his troops in his mind. Gritting his teeth for the last time, he said, "We can complete the task of capturing the city after eight o'clock tomorrow morning."

   "No." Tolbukhin was still dissatisfied with the incident Vasilienko said: "The time I give you is limited, and you must take down the Red Army City before dark today. Do you understand?"

Vasilienko raised his hand and looked at his watch, and saw that there were only less than two hours left before dark. Even if there were no enemies in the Red Army city, it would be difficult for his troops to occupy the entire city before dark. city. But since Tolbukhin had already issued such an order, he could only bite the bullet and reply: "Understood, Comrade Commander, our division will eliminate the enemies in the Red Army city before dark and complete the occupation of the city."

  Political Commissar Egorov saw Vasilienko's sad face and asked curiously: "Comrade Commander, what task did the commander assign to you to make you so embarrassed?"

  Vasilenko replied with a wry smile: "The commander ordered our division to occupy the Red Army City before dark today. Now it is only two hours before dark. This is an impossible task."

   Yegorov glanced outside the tent, and saw that the sky outside was beginning to darken. It was obviously impossible to capture the entire city before dark. However, he was not discouraged by this. After repeated thinking, a smile appeared on his face: "Comrade commander, don't be discouraged. I think we still have a chance to complete the task assigned to us by the commander."

When Vasilienko heard what Yegorov said, a surprised expression appeared on his face, and he asked in amazement: "Comrade Commissar, no matter how fast our attack is, it may be impossible to capture the city before dark." things."

   "Comrade Commander," Yegorov replied with a smile: "The commander only asked us to occupy the Red Army City before dark, but did not let us control the entire city. I think this task can still be accomplished."

   "How to do it?" Vasilenko asked Yegorov with a blank face.

  Egorov asked rhetorically: "Have you forgotten the traditions of the Russian army?"

Waking up the dreamer with one word, Vasilenko groaned, slapped the table with his hand, and said excitedly: "Comrade Political Commissar, you are right, how could I have forgotten such an important thing. According to the tradition of the Russian army , As long as the red flag is raised over the city's civic center building, the city will be considered occupied."

"That's right." Yegorov nodded and said, "When we attack the city, we can send a force directly to the municipal building in the city. After occupying it, plant a flag on the top of the building to represent that we have Occupying this city, I believe that Comrade Commander will find nothing to say."

After making up his mind, Vasilienko called the head of the 44th Guards Regiment and said straight to the point: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, our division will soon launch an attack on the Red Army City. Now I have an important task for you to complete." .”

  The head of the regiment quickly said: "Comrade commander, please give me an order."

"The commander ordered us to occupy the Red Army City before dark." In order to make the other party realize the seriousness of the problem, Vasilienko did not hide anything, but said the truth: "You should know, this is not at all. It is possible. Therefore, after discussing with the political commissar, I decided to send a force to attack the center of the city, capture the municipal building from the enemy's hands, and plant the red flag on the top of the building. I plan to This glorious task is entrusted to your regiment to complete, do you have any questions?"

   "Comrade Commander," the head of the regiment hesitated for a moment after hearing Vasilienko's order and said, "I would like to ask, how can my troops break through the enemy's defense?"

"It's simple. I'll call the 43rd Guards Artillery Regiment later and ask them to support you with artillery fire and open a gap in the enemy's defense line." In order to make the other party confident, Vasilenko also added: " Don't worry, according to our information, the city is full of Romanian troops. Not only are they poorly equipped, but their soldiers' morale is low and their combat awareness is not strong. You only need to charge and charge into the city."

"Comrade Commander," replied the regimental commander after hearing Vasilenko's assurances to himself, "I will send Major Serdyukov's third battalion to carry out this task, and I believe they will be able to complete it satisfactorily before dark." the task."

"Remember, let Major Serdyukov bring a radio station, so that the news that the red flag has been planted on the municipal building can be transmitted back in the shortest possible time." Vasilienko also emphasized: "When they are attacking, I The artillery will be ordered to provide them with the necessary artillery support to ensure that they can enter the city smoothly."

Vasilenko is also a man of his word. After the attack on the Red Army City began, he asked a battalion of the 43rd Guards Artillery Regiment to provide artillery cover for the Serdyukov Battalion, which served as an assault mission. A gap was blasted. Seeing that the enemy's defense line had been blasted open a gap, the commanders and fighters of the Serdyukov Battalion jumped out of their hiding places and rushed towards the enemy's defense line with weapons in hand.

  Seeing the rushing Soviet troops, the surviving Romanian soldiers shot desperately, trying to keep them out of their own lines of defense. The soldiers charging forward, although some people were shot and fell down, but the rest did not slow down at all. They jumped over the wounded and the remains of their comrades on the ground and rushed forward without hesitation.

  The Romanian soldiers saw that the Soviet army was so brave that they had no courage to fight, so they jumped out of the trenches and fled towards the city. Major Serdyukov, who led the charge, saw that the enemy was fleeing. In addition to ordering a small number of soldiers to occupy the positions abandoned by the enemy, he led his men to chase after him.

  The Romanian soldiers who were fleeing in front tried to hide in the barricades, but when they saw the Soviet commanders and fighters following closely behind them, they crossed those fortifications and continued to flee towards the city. The soldiers hiding in the fortifications, worried about accidentally injuring their own people, did not dare to shoot casually, and could only watch helplessly as the Soviet commanders rushed into the fortifications for their own soldiers.

   As the Serdyukov Battalion advanced towards the city, although there were sporadic battles, they did not slow down their progress. They followed the Romanian soldiers and rushed towards the city center.

Seeing that it was approaching the municipal building in the city center, the fortifications outside the building may have received orders from the commander in the building. In order to prevent the Soviet army from occupying the building, they shot without hesitation shooting. The dense bullets immediately knocked aside the Romanian soldiers who were pouring in like a tide.

  The Romanian soldiers who were suddenly intercepted by their own firepower suddenly became a mess. Some continued to run forward until they were knocked down by the bullets fired by their own people; With their backs directly to the buildings on both sides of the street, they raised their hands and surrendered to the Soviet army.

   After Serdyukov rushed up, seeing the fierce firepower ahead, he quickly ordered the soldiers to drive the surrendered soldiers into the alley next to them, clearing the shooting range for the troops. Seeing that his soldiers were hiding, Serdyukov shouted to the rear: "Mortar, where is the mortar team?"

  A captain ran to Serdyukov's side and knelt down, and reported loudly: "Comrade battalion commander, because our infantry rushed too fast, the mortar team fell behind."

  Serdyukov pointed at the captain with his hand and ordered him: "Take a few people to meet them, and let them come over as soon as possible."

"Yes!" After the captain agreed loudly, he pointed to several nearby soldiers with his hand and said loudly, "You all follow me!" After speaking, he leaned against the buildings on the street Run to the rear.

  After the captain ran away, Serdyukov ordered the erected machine guns to shoot at the German barricades, so as to cover the soldiers who were suppressed by the firepower and could find a better place to hide.

   Before the mortars arrived, the roar of aircraft engines came from the sky. Hearing this voice, Serdyukov's heart couldn't help but raised his throat. He knew that if the German planes came from the sky, his army might suffer huge losses.

  He raised his head cautiously, looked in the direction of the sound, and saw two formations of four aircraft appearing in the air. "Comrade Battalion Commander, it's our plane, it's our plane." A soldier next to him had good eyesight and soon saw clearly that the Soviet attack plane appeared in the sky, so he couldn't help but exclaimed excitedly.

   Serdyukov looked up into the sky. The plane was flying at a low altitude, and the red star logo on the fuselage was clearly visible. "Sure enough, it's our plane," Serdyukov said with a smile on his face, and he thought to himself, "It would be great if he could help us eliminate the enemies outside the municipal building." As soon as he thought this way, he saw the formation of planes in the sky It spread out, made a circle in the air, and then swooped down towards the municipal building.

  The dive planes dropped rockets instead of bombs. The targets of the rocket attacks were not only the sandbag fortifications outside the building, some rockets even directly hit the windows of the building. After a series of earth-shattering explosions, thick smoke billowed from the windows on many floors.

   "Comrades!" Seeing that the barricades outside the building were destroyed by attack aircraft, and thick smoke billowed from the building, Serdyukov jumped up from the ground, holding his pistol high, and shouted: "Go!"

  Seeing that the battalion commander took the lead in charging, the commanders and fighters who were hiding everywhere also got up one after another, shouting "Ula", and rushed towards the municipal building like a tide.

  According to Serdyukov's thinking, the remaining enemies in the building will definitely resist. Unexpectedly, just as he rushed to the front of the building with his people, he saw a white flag protruding from a window on the second floor. The people hiding in the windows, while desperately waving the white flag, shouted loudly in Russian: "Stop fighting, we surrender, we surrender!"

  Seeing that the enemy surrendered so easily, the commanders and fighters of the Serdyukov Battalion showed contemptuous expressions on their faces. A soldier standing next to Serdyukov said: "It's no use, they surrendered before we broke into the building."

   Seeing the enemy voluntarily surrendering, Serdyukov thought it was a conspiracy at first, but after thinking about it, he understood what was going on. After all, what he was fighting with was the Romanian army with low morale and a weak will to fight. If it was replaced by the German army, it would probably take a fierce battle before his own troops could occupy this building.

  Now that the enemy has surrendered, the only thing left to do is to plant the red flag on the top of the building, announcing that the city has been occupied by troops of the 15th Guards Division. Serdyukov called a sergeant and told him: "Comrade sergeant, take two soldiers and a red flag, and immediately go to the roof of the building and plant the red flag on it."

   As soon as the sergeant left, Serdyukov ordered the operator who followed him: "Send a report to the commander, saying that our battalion has successfully occupied the municipal building and is about to plant the red flag on the roof."

  (end of this chapter)