Red Moscow

  Chapter 342 Breakthrough (Part 2)

Dmitriev is nominally the artillery commander of the Southern Group, but he can command only two battalions of artillery, and the total number of artillery of various calibers is no more than thirty, most of which are still 82 mm caliber mortars.

After hearing the bombardment order from Chuikov, he immediately ordered the Guards mortar battalion that he had withdrawn from the front line to open fire, and bombarded the German machine gun or mortar positions on the south bank of the Aksai River with all his strength, covering the pontoon bridge and the German army. The troops fighting fiercely can withdraw to their positions smoothly.

   Regardless of the small number of mortars of the Soviet army, they have already locked on the target of the shelling, but they have not received an order from their superiors, so they have not fired for a long time. At this moment, having received Dmitriev's order to fire, the gunners who had already been ready to fire fired at the fastest speed.

One after another shells roared towards the German machine guns and mortars. In a series of explosions, the German machine guns were blasted into the sky, causing huge damage to the Soviet troops and being blown up into a dangerous massacre. Smoked parts were scattered on the river bank. The German army, who was trying to cross the pontoon bridge, saw the Soviet army firing artillery, hurriedly stopped the melee with the Soviet army, and retreated off the pontoon bridge hastily. The Soviet army also took the opportunity to retreat due to heavy casualties and was unable to pursue.

  The head of the Frontier Regiment and other troops withdrew to the position. After counting the number of people, they almost cried. At the time of the attack, there were more than 800 people in the regiment, and the soldiers who could retreat to the position, including the wounded, were only more than 70 people.

Seeing that the sparse commanders and fighters retreated to their positions, Sokov let out a bad breath, and then suggested to Chuikov: "Comrade General, the battle cannot be fought like this, otherwise all the commanders and fighters of the 157th Division will be killed before it gets dark." It's gone."

   "Comrade Chief of Staff, I know you are very good at fighting." Chuikov looked at Sokov and asked, "Then tell me, how should we fight?"

"At present, our troops are limited and lack anti-tank weapons." Regarding Chuikov's question, Sokov said cautiously: "We can consider letting the German tanks pass through our defense line, and then concentrate our forces to destroy the German troops following behind. Infantry. Tanks are nothing to fear without infantry cover, and our fighters can take them out with ease."

"No, we can't take risks." Unexpectedly, after listening to Sukov's suggestion, Chuikov shook his head and said, "You must know that both the 157th Division and the 138th Division were defeated by the Germans. They are full of fear. Even though they performed well just now, once the enemy tanks break through their defense line, they will become panicked. Maybe a large number of soldiers will abandon their positions and flee because of fear. The situation is out of control.”

Hearing what Chuikov said, Sokov understood that his tactics must not be adopted by him, so he could only sigh softly and asked, "Comrade General, where can we get tanks? Maybe our When soldiers see our tanks, it will inspire their courage to fight."

Sokov's words reminded Chuikov. He frowned and thought for a while and said, "Comrade Chief of Staff, you reminded me. Last night, the superior sent us a tank company with four T-34 tanks. Maybe we can let them To support the 157th Division."

  Seeing that the Soviet army retreated to its defensive position, the German tank troops were dispatched. Eight No. 4 tanks brought black smoke when they started, and their tracks rattled and turned at high speed, and they drove onto the pontoon bridge one by one. The commanders and fighters hiding in the trenches looked at the huge steel body driving towards them and the hideous gun barrels on the car body, and many of them were frightened. The machine gunners hurriedly raised their machine guns, aiming at the approaching tanks and shooting wildly. The machine gun bullets hit the tank body like hail, but it could not slow down its moving speed at all.

Seeing that the soldiers in the trench became a little panicked, a second lieutenant stood up bravely. While strapping a bundle of grenades to his body, he said to the surrounding soldiers: "Comrades, there is nothing to be afraid of!" Yes, as long as a few grenades, the enemy tanks will be on the ground. If you are not afraid of death, come with me."

  However, after he finished speaking, he didn't get any response. The second lieutenant sighed softly, rearranged the grenades strapped to his body, crawled out of the trench on hands and feet, and crawled over to face the approaching tank. But when a tank approached, he pulled the string suddenly, rolled on the spot, lay on his back on the ground, and let the tank drive past him.

  The soldiers in the trench watched helplessly as the second lieutenant lying on his back got into the bottom of the tank, and then there was an earth-shattering explosion, and the tank was enveloped in raging fire. Not long after, two German tankers covered in fire climbed out of the tank turret, lay down for a while, then got up again, and stumbled towards the back. The soldiers who regained their senses took up their weapons one after another, aimed at the German tankers who were trying to escape and shot them, killing them beside the tanks.

  With the second lieutenant as an example, many soldiers in the trench, including some wounded, also strapped grenades to their bodies, and scrambled out of the trench, crawling towards the approaching tank. Although the German tankers saw a lot of Soviet troops crawling out of their positions, they also shot with machine guns, but unfortunately they hit very limited targets. Seeing that these fighters were going to die with their tanks, the tankers became a little flustered. Some stepped up the accelerator and tried to rush over quickly; while others started to reverse, trying to get rid of these anti-tank fighters. For a moment, the scene was extremely chaotic.

  The infantry who followed far behind saw that their tanks were threatened by the Soviet anti-tank fighters, so they hurriedly rushed here in a short leap forward. Trying to eliminate the anti-tank fighters who left the trenches, and covering their own tanks to break through the Soviet positions smoothly.

  The soldiers who crawled out of the position had no weapons at all except the grenades strapped to their bodies. Facing the rushing German infantry, they became lambs to be slaughtered. Several soldiers, after being shot several times, with the last bit of strength, slammed the grenades on their bodies, trying to die with the tanks passing by them.

   But their blasting effect is obviously not comparable to the second lieutenant's blasting effect at the bottom of the vehicle. Except for one tank whose track was blown off, the rest of the German tanks are still intact. However, the living soldiers braved the enemy's bullets and bravely climbed to the German tanks, trying to kill these nasty tanks with the grenades strapped to their bodies.

  (end of this chapter)