Chapter 911 Capture of Karachi

  The German soldiers stationed on the right bank of the Don River Bridge watched as the Soviet tanks destroyed the machine gun positions at the bridge head on the left bank, and then drove towards their position with full horsepower. The German soldiers who didn't have any anti-tank weapons, knowing that staying and sticking to it would be a dead end, jumped out of the fortifications one after another, and fled towards the wilderness in a panic.

   After the tank brigade easily occupied the Don River Bridge, the brigade commander immediately sent a report to Volsky to report the news. Knowing that the bridge has been occupied, Volsky kept saying yes, and told the other party: "Colonel, ask your people to build new fortifications near the bridge immediately to prevent possible counterattacks by the German army. Wait for those who follow you The 59th Mechanized Brigade has arrived, and you will cooperate with them to capture Karachi on the way."

  It may be because the battle to capture the Don River Bridge was too easy, which made the tank brigade commander have the idea of ​​​​underestimating the enemy. He promised that the troops would hurry up to build fortifications and wait for the motorized brigade to arrive before launching an attack on Karachi. But as soon as he put down the phone, he ordered that a tank battalion be left to hold the Don Bridge, and the remaining troops immediately attacked Karachi.

  The chief of staff of the brigade reminded him in a low voice: "Comrade brigade commander, didn't the commander tell us to wait for the mechanized brigade to arrive before launching an attack on Karachi? If he knows that you acted without authorization, he may..."

Before he could finish his sentence, he was interrupted by the tank brigade commander raising his hand: "Comrade Chief of Staff, the victor will not be blamed. As long as our brigade can take Karachi, even if the commander knows that we violated the order, he will not be blamed." I won’t say anything. Come on, don’t talk, let the troops get ready to attack immediately.”

On a night with extremely poor visibility, it was a wrong decision to launch an attack on an unfamiliar city without infantry support, but since the brigade commander has issued a combat order, the chief of staff can't say anything else, It can only be arranged to assign offensive or left-behind tasks to each battalion according to their location.

  The offensive battle started half an hour later. As soon as the tanks without infantry cover entered the city, German anti-tank fighters rushed out of the buildings on both sides of the street and threw anti-tank grenades at the moving tanks. Without the cover of infantry, the tankers with narrow vision could not find these damned anti-tank players in time. In the successive explosions, one T-34 tank after another was blown up by the Germans, and they were parked on the street and burned. .

  Seeing that the situation was not good, the commander of the tank brigade quickly ordered the tanks entering the city to withdraw. However, even so, there are almost two tank companies whose tanks have been destroyed by the enemy on the street.

  The chief of staff of the brigade saw that the attempt to capture the city had failed, so he quickly said to the brigade commander: "Comrade Colonel, I think it is not too late to launch an attack on the city after the mechanized brigade arrives."

The brigade commander, who had just suffered a defeat, was no longer as stubborn as before the battle started. After hearing what the chief of staff had said, he nodded and said helplessly: "Well, we will wait for the mechanized brigade to arrive before attacking the enemy. attack."

   After more than two hours of waiting, the 60th Mechanized Brigade, which cooperated with them, finally arrived at the outskirts of Karachi. As soon as Lieutenant Colonel Karapetian, commander of the 60th Brigade of the Motorized Rifle Brigade, saw the tank brigade commander, he apologized and said: "I'm sorry, Comrade Colonel, all the cars of our brigade have been handed over to the 51st Army. Walk on your own two legs."

"Hello, Comrade Lieutenant Colonel." The chief of staff stepped forward and shook hands with Carape, and said understandingly: "Without cars, your marching speed will definitely be affected. After the soldiers have a good rest, we will go to the army again. Karachi attacked."

  Karapeqiang heard something wrong from the words of the chief of staff, so he frowned and asked, "Why, comrade chief of staff, have you already launched an attack on Karachi?"

"Yes." The tank brigade commander said in shame: "Because there was no infantry cover, the tanks we rushed into the city were killed by the German anti-tank fighters. But now that you are here, I think we have captured the city." The confidence is even greater. By the way, when can you launch an attack on the city?"

  The mechanized brigade has just arrived at the outskirts of Karachi, and the soldiers have long since become exhausted. It is obviously unwise to launch an attack at this moment. After calculating silently in his heart, Karapeqiang replied: "It is estimated that it will take three hours before we can launch an attack on Karachi."

"What, it will be three hours later?" The tank brigade commander's eyes widened in surprise when he heard Karapetian say this: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, have you ever thought that if the commander knows that we have not launched an attack for a long time, What will be the reaction?"

"There is no way, Comrade Colonel." Karapetian waited for the tank brigade commander to finish speaking, then spread his hands, shrugged his shoulders, and said helplessly: "The soldiers are very tired now, and they cannot rush to attack. Only after recovering a bit of physical strength will we have a chance to achieve our goal once.”

  Although Karapetian has already said this, the tank brigade commander also knows what he said is true. He can think that almost two tank companies were reimbursed in the attack just now, and he is heartbroken. After a moment of silence, he shook his head and said: "No, Lieutenant Colonel Karapejan, I think three hours is too long. I can only give you an hour to rest. After an hour, I hope to see the attack on Karachi. The battle begins again."

"Comrade Colonel," Carape patiently explained to the tank brigade commander: "During the rapid march in the snow at night, one-fifth of the soldiers in our brigade may fall behind. These stragglers arrived. Three hours of rest is already the minimum, this is to ensure that our upcoming attack can be successful once.”

  Kalapetian's words calmed down the tank brigade commander, and he felt that what the other party said made sense. More than two hours ago, the reason why he failed to attack Karachi was because he was too eager for success. If the mechanized brigade is urged to rush into battle this time, I am afraid the final outcome will not be too good.

Seeing that neither of them spoke, the chief of staff quickly came out to help Karapetian: "Comrade brigade commander, Lieutenant Colonel Karapetian is right. We must wait until all the commanders and fighters of the mechanized brigade have arrived before going into battle. This way we can seize the city." The odds will be even greater. I think, since we have waited for such a long time, we don’t care about waiting for two or three hours. Besides, it was already daylight at that time, and when the soldiers attacked, they could clearly see the enemies hiding nearby , and effectively eliminate them."

Seeing that his chief of staff also helped Karapetian speak, the tank brigade commander stared at Karachi shrouded in darkness, and asked Karapetian: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, if we launch an attack in three hours, do you think it will be successful?" ?”

"The chances of success are very high." Karapetian did not give the tank brigade commander an accurate answer: "After dawn, the commander will arrive with the 59th and 36th mechanized brigades. Even if the defenders of Karachiri can Blocking the attack of our brigade and yours, can they still block the attack of a mechanized army?"

  Hearing this, the tank brigade commander finally made up his mind: "Okay, Comrade Lieutenant Colonel. Just as you said, I will give you three hours to rest."

  When it was daylight, the commanders and fighters of the Tank Brigade and the 60th Mechanized Brigade launched another attack on Karachi. Since the Germans had no fortifications outside the city, the attacking troops easily rushed into the city.

  Unexpectedly, as soon as they entered the city, the German army used mortars and machine guns to attack the infantry following the tanks from the buildings on both sides. The commanders and fighters who had no street fighting immediately fell into chaos after being suddenly attacked. The battle lasted less than ten minutes, and the troops that rushed into the city were wiped out by the Germans.

Seeing that the troops failed to attack, the tank brigade commander became a little anxious. He said loudly to Carape: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, look at your soldiers. Once they were attacked by the German army, they fell into chaos. Not only Instead of playing the role of covering the tanks, they ran around in the streets, preventing our tanks from moving or firing casually, and became the target of the German anti-tank fighters."

"I'm sorry, Comrade Colonel." Seeing that his troops performed so poorly in battle, Karapetian also felt very ashamed: "My troops have just been formed, and the commanders and fighters have only fought regular offensive and defensive battles, and they are very good at urban street warfare." It is unfamiliar, so it is inevitable that there will be panic in the battle."

   Before the commander of the tank brigade got angry again, the communications soldier on the side reported to him: "Comrade brigade commander, the commander wants to talk to you."

  As soon as the tank brigade commander put on the headset, he heard Volsky's voice coming from inside: "Comrade Colonel, how is the situation, have you taken Karachi?"

"No, Comrade Commander." Hearing Volsky's question, the tank brigade commander replied bitterly: "We launched two attacks on the city, but they were unsuccessful. Now the troops are regrouping and preparing to attack the city." Attack again."

Knowing that his troops failed to capture Karachi, Volsky was still a little disappointed, but he did not blame the other party, but said to the tank brigade commander: "Comrade Colonel, temporarily stop attacking, wait for the mechanized 59th and 36th After the brigade arrives, it is not too late to attack the enemy."

"Understood, Comrade Commander." Considering that it would take some time for the troops to regroup, the tank brigade commander readily accepted Volsky's order: "I immediately understand that the troops will suspend the attack and wait patiently for the follow-up troops s arrival."

After dawn, Colonel Stenshinski’s mechanized 59th Brigade arrived first. After greeting Karapetian and the tank brigade commander, he stood at the window of the temporary observation post and raised his binoculars to Karachi in the distance. look away. After watching for a while, he put down the binoculars and asked, "From what direction did you attack the city?"

   "South." The tank brigade commander and Karapetian replied in unison.

"It's not enough to just attack from one direction. In this way, the enemy can calmly focus their defense on the south." Stenshinski shook his head and said, "I think it should be launched from the east or north." attack."

   "Comrade Colonel," the tank brigade commander waited for Stenshinski to finish speaking, and asked politely, "I don't know which direction you plan to attack from?"

   "Our brigade launched an attack on the city from the north." Stenshinski said without hesitation: "As for the attack on the east, it will be completed by the mechanized 36th Brigade trailing behind."

   While talking, Lieutenant Colonel Rodionov, commander of the 36th Brigade, also arrived with his troops. After listening to Stenshinski's proposal, he did not express his opinion immediately, but watched Karachi with a telescope for a long time. After putting down the binoculars, he said to the tank brigade commander: "Comrade Colonel, I have a request, and I don't know whether to say it or not."

  The tank brigade commander was a little anxious when he heard what Rodionov said: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, if you have any questions, just ask. As long as I know, I will definitely tell you."

"I think that if we want to capture the city, we need the support of artillery fire." After Rodionov finished speaking, seeing wry smiles on the faces of the three of them, he continued: "I know, the artillery is still behind us for a long time." I'm afraid I won't be able to catch up to the far away place. Therefore, I suggest sending at least one tank company to the high ground on the right bank, and use tank guns to bombard the firepower points in the city or the positions where the enemy is assembled, so as to provide the troops attacking the city with Artillery support."

   After being reminded by Rodionov, the three commanders quickly raised their binoculars and looked towards the high ground on the right bank of the Don River. They are all experienced commanders. After looking at the high ground and the location of Karachi, they all felt that the plan Rodionov said was completely feasible.

After the tank brigade commander put down his binoculars, he turned his head and said to his chief of staff: "Comrade chief of staff, you immediately lead two tank companies to the high ground on the opposite bank to attack the German firepower point or the concentration of troops in Karachi. Bombardment."

  The chief of staff of the brigade agreed, and took a three-wheeled motorcycle to the Don River Bridge. Two companies were drawn from the tank battalion that stood firm on the bridge and rushed to the high ground to establish a shooting position.

  By the time the two tank companies were in position on the high ground on the right bank, all three mechanized brigades had already entered the attack position. With a red flare representing the offensive rising into the air, the Soviet army launched an attack on the city from three directions simultaneously.

  The German army tried to repeat the same tricks to prevent the Soviet attack. However, the number of Soviet troops attacking the city was too large, and the offensive was launched from three directions, making it impossible for the enemy to defend against it. The commander of the city defense managed to assemble a reserve team, and when he was about to launch a counterattack against the Soviet army, he was bombarded by fierce tank fire from the right bank, causing heavy losses to the officers and soldiers.

  The battle lasted until eleven o'clock at noon. Seeing that the situation was over, the commander of the German city defense ordered his subordinates to stop resisting, put down their weapons and surrender to the Soviet army. The German officers and soldiers, who had been unable to hold on for a long time, stopped shooting at the Soviet army after receiving the order of the commander of the city defense.

  As the sound of the guns stopped, and groups of German soldiers came out of the building, Karachi, which was still smoking, was recaptured by the Soviet army.

  (end of this chapter)