In order to bypass the large and small craters, ruins, and some damaged tanks or other vehicles, the tanks of the Tank Brigade had to slow down and slowly approach the department store.
Bere, sitting in the tank, thought that his tank brigade would definitely suffer heavy losses under the enemy's artillery fire. However, he soon discovered that the development of things was different from his imagination. The closer he got to the department store, the less threat the enemy's artillery fire posed to him.
At first, he thought it was an hallucination, but after careful observation, he found that it was real. According to his analysis, the German guns deployed in the building were not diminished enough, and after his tank approached the department store, they could not hit him. After discovering this problem, he immediately contacted Sokov's command via the car phone.
As soon as the phone was called, he said excitedly: "Misa, I found that the closer our tanks are to the department store, the less threat the cannons in the building pose to us."
"What's going on?" Sokov asked in confusion.
"It's not enough that the German artillery's divest angle is, so the closer we get to the building, the harder the enemy's artillery will hit us." Bellei reported: "But we can bombard the windows where the artillery is deployed."
"You have observed it very carefully, don't thunder Colonel." Sokov was originally worried that the tanks rushing to the department store would suffer heavy losses from the enemy's artillery fire, but now he knows that the enemy's artillery's dive is not enough. As long as the tanks on the ground reach a certain position, the enemy's artillery will not be able to attack the target. "Then try to use artillery fire to suppress the German firepower points and cover the infantry's charge."
"clear."
After the call from Bere, Sokov said to Sidolin: "Chief of Staff, call Colonel Sivakov and said that the enemy's artillery was not diminished enough. As long as our tanks are closer to the building, the enemy's artillery cannot threaten the tanks downstairs. The order was placed under his command and immediately rushed into the department store."
"Okay, comrade of the division commander." Sidolin nodded and said, "I will call Colonel Sivakov immediately and let him use your tactics to rush to the department store quickly with the tank troops."
When Sivakov received the call from Cidolin, he was worried. As the smoke dissipated, his attacking troops were exposed to the German vision and were immediately intercepted by bombardment and machine gun fire, and a large number of casualties were immediately killed or killed.
After hearing the orders given by Cidolin, he decided to take the initiative to take a gamble and quickly issued an order to the Tank Brigade and the vanguard regiment. He let the tanks park near the building and fire at the fire point in the building. The infantry launched a fierce attack on the building under the cover of tank artillery fire.
The artillery deployed in the building could not bombard the Soviet tanks near the building; but the Soviet tanks could bombard the firepower points in the building. This information was immediately reported to Schmidt. After hearing the news, he immediately ran over to report to Paulus: "The situation is not very good, the Russian tanks are only two or three hundred meters away from the building where we are."
"What, it's two or three hundred meters away?" After hearing Schmidt's report, Paulus turned to look at Hans Wuerz, the commander of the 144th gun group sitting aside, and said sternly: "What are you still sitting here? You can't organize artillery fire to destroy the Russian tanks immediately."
"Hiss Commander," Hans Wulz, although he had been sitting in the headquarters, after listening to Schmidt's report, he still understood what was going on. Seeing Paulus attacking, he explained tactfully: "The artillery we deployed in the building to bombard the targets in the distance is very effective. But if they enter our shooting dead corner, our artillery will have no choice. The remaining battle can only be solved by infantry."
"Where is Sanne?" Paulus heard Hans Wuerz say this and asked Schmidt again: "Let him stop the troops from launching a counterattack immediately, and must drive the Russians away from the department store."
"Your Excellency Commander, there is a saying that you don't know whether to say it or not." Hans Wuerz said cautiously.
"Don't say anything you shouldn't say." Paulus slapped hard on the table and said to Hans Wuerz: "If I advise me to surrender again, I will persuade you to save money. I will fight the last man and finish the last bullet."
Seeing Paulus so stubborn, Hans Vulz understood that nothing he said was of no use. At this moment, he felt a little regretful. Two days ago, when Kurtzbach came to contact him and persuaded him to hold a military remark, he refused without hesitation. Even during the military remarks, he pretended to be patrolling and defending and went to other places.
"Hisser Commander," Schmidt reminded Paulus: "We only have more than 10,000 troops in this area. If we launch a counterattack, the effect may not be ideal."
"Aren't there other troops coming here?" Paulus said with some annoyance: "When they arrive, our total force will reach more than 30,000. We still have a great chance of winning against the same number of Russians."
"Mr. Commander, although we have sent a signal to the nearby troops since the beginning of the Russian attack." Schmidt sighed and said, "Those directions have also been attacked by the Russians. How many troops can they draw are still unknown."
Schmidt's words made Paulus wake up again. How could he, as the commander, not know what the situation was around him. But he always had fantasies in his heart that Manstein and Hort's troops would still come to rescue him, and the attacking Russians would soon be defeated by reinforcements.
He sat in his seat and smoked a cigarette before he spoke, "Chief of Staff, you immediately make a breakthrough plan. When it is confirmed that the department store cannot hold on, we will organize troops to break through."
"Break through?" Schmidt asked with a wry smile: "Commander, we are Russians on all sides. Where can we break through? Besides, our supplies are seriously insufficient, and a large number of soldiers are so hungry that they can't even walk. Even if the Russians make way for us, most of them may not be able to leave the encirclement alive."
"What should we do?" Paulus murmured.
"It doesn't make much sense to continue fighting," Hans Vulz interrupted. "It's better to send someone to negotiate with the Russians. The frontal attacking troops are commanded by Colonel Sokov, and I believe he will not put too harsh conditions on us."
Hearing Hans Wuerz's suggestion, Schmidt couldn't help but smile bitterly: "General Hans Wuerz, you don't know. He has persuaded us to surrender twice, but we have rejected them. Now that we have negotiated with them, I'm afraid they won't pay attention to us."
"What should I do?" Hans Wuerz asked, "Are you just waiting for death?"
"Continue to fight." Paulus stood up and said, "As long as the Russians can attack the building, we will surrender. After all, we have tried our best, and the head of state will not say anything."
"Okay." Seeing that Paulus had the idea of ​​surrendering, Schmidt felt that he could talk to Sanne, who was in charge of the building's defense, whether he could release water appropriately so that the Russians could rush into the building so that they could surrender naturally. "I will convey your order immediately."
According to Schmidt's idea, since this matter was proposed by Paulus, Sanne, as a subordinate, would definitely carry out without hesitation. Who knew that as soon as he finished talking about it, Sanne shook his head and said, "No, Chief of Staff. As a soldier, how can I easily hand over my position to the Russians? I will order my subordinates to fight tenaciously and keep here as long as possible."
Schmidt did not expect Paulus to surrender, but Sannei became stubborn again and wanted to fight the Russians with the advantage. He knew that it would be useless to persuade him, but returned to the basement and ordered the officers of the guards to close the door and prevent anyone from entering the basement.
When Hans Wuerz saw Schmidt coming back from outside and looking silent, he knew that his conversation with Sanne was not good, so he hurriedly pulled him and asked, "His Chief of Staff, what does General Sanne say? Will he deliberately let the Russians break into the building as soon as possible?"
"He said he wanted to fight to the end." Schmidt said with a wry smile, shaking his head, "I was worried that he might have any extreme actions by then, so he ordered the guards to close the basement door and prevent outside troops from coming in."
"His Chief of Staff," Hans Vulz said cautiously: "I have some subordinates in the building outside, so I might as well contact them. If you see something is wrong, you will immediately surrender to the Russians."
"Surrender, how do you surrender?" Schmidt asked in confusion: "The battlefield is full of fighting. If you go out to surrender, you may be killed by stray bullets. I think it's better to forget it."
"Did you see the rooftop on the second floor?" Hans Wuerz said to Schmidt: "I let a few soldiers hide near the rooftop. When I see the Russians have the upper hand, I will snatch the white flag at them. I think the Russians will definitely stop attacking when they see our white flag."
"Would it be too risky to do this?" Schmidt reminded Hans Wuerz: "I am worried that your people are waving the white flag, while the soldiers in Sannet are still shooting at the Russians. The Russians attacking the building are not clear about the situation and will not accept your surrender at all. How are you going to end then?"
"Time is tight." Even though the basement door was closed, Hans Vulz could still hear the gunfire becoming increasingly dense, proving that the Russian troops were about to rush into the building. He quickly said to Schmidt: "I'll do this in person, so don't worry."
Hans Wuerz heard it right. A company of the 122nd Regiment, under the cover of the tank fire, had already rushed to the door of the building and was about to step onto the steps and rush into the building. In order to hit the target below, the defenders in the building had to lean out and shoot downwards. As a result, many people were hit by Soviet snipers in the distance and fell downstairs with a scream.
The other soldiers saw that their companions were constantly shot and fell off, and knew that there were Soviet snipers in the distance, so they quickly shrank back. Since the gun could not hit the soldiers who were charging below, they threw the stringed grenades downstairs. The grenades fell on the steps and exploded, and countless dazzling fireballs and dazzling balls rose up. The soldiers shrouded in the smoke of gunpowder were either cut down by flying shrapnel or rushed into the building and were shot down by enemies hiding in the hall.
Lieutenant Colonel Papchinko was immediately anxious when he saw the troops he was rushing up and was covered by grenades thrown by the enemy. He quickly issued a new order, and while using firepower to suppress the enemy, he sent more soldiers to rush forward.
The firepower composed of tank artillery and machine gun fire successfully suppressed the enemies in the building and caused more soldiers to rush into the building. However, just as Lieutenant Colonel Papuchinko smiled, Sonne organized troops to counterattack the Soviet commanders and fighters who entered the building. In less than ten minutes, more than 200 soldiers who rushed into the building were either beaten to death or driven out.
Ivanov, who was watching the battle in the rear, saw that the 122nd Regiment was frustrated in the offense, and quickly ordered the 125th Regiment to attack to assist the 122nd Regiment to continue the attack.
"Comrade Deputy Commander," Ivanov just finished giving the order when he heard someone at the door talking: "Can you come in?"
Ivanov turned his head and saw that it was Belkin. He nodded quickly and said, "Come in, Lieutenant Colonel Belkin."
"Comrade Deputy Commander," Belkin walked to Ivanov and asked straightened his body, "I want to ask, when will we let the team go up?"
"Shrinking regiment?" Ivanov's pupils couldn't help but shrink violently when he heard Belkin's question: "What, did your regiment not participate in the battle?" The reason he asked was because he remembered that Sokov merged the Shrinking regiment and the 122nd Regiment.
"No." Belkin shook his head and said, "Lieutenant Colonel Papuchinko said his regiment was enough to deal with such an attack, so he allowed the officers and soldiers of our reduced regiment to stay as reserves."
"Nonsense, this is simply nonsense." Ivanov immediately understood what was going on. In the entire defense battle, the regiment with the most outstanding military achievements in the entire division was Berkin's shrinking regiment. Papchinko might be worried that the regiment would steal the credit for capturing Paulus alive, so they would keep their troops unmoved. At this moment, since the 122nd Regiment's offense was frustrated, he had to use the shrinking regiment. Thinking of this, he said to Berkin: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, I order you to immediately lead the shrinking regiment to attack the department store, and be sure to rush into the building in the shortest time."
With the order issued, the reduction regiment launched an attack on the building. They adopted Sokov's 33 tactics, and in groups of three people, they rushed towards the building alternately. The machine gunners hiding in the building were stunned to see such a battle formation. If the attack formation was dense, they could immediately transfer their positions after firing wildly. However, with such a loose formation, the time they needed to shoot invisibly increased, which increased the chance of being destroyed by tank fire outside.
In less than five minutes, the first battalion of the shrinking regiment and the second battalion successively attacked the building and launched a close battle with the enemy on the first floor. Hearing the dense gunfire from downstairs, Hans Wuerz knew that the situation was going to go, so he ordered his confidant around him: "Break out the white flag."
Chapter completed!