"It's useless, Comrade Commander! The lead car has been smashed, one of the remaining three cars has been damaged, one tire has been deflated by bullets, and there is a tail car that we can't get past at all!
The enemy is using at least three machine guns to block the gap, and there is no bunker to use. If you go over there, you will die!"
It was obvious that Vatutin encountered a premeditated and prepared ambush.
The enemy set up an ambush beside the village road that Vatutin's convoy passed through. This small village, which had been abandoned for a long time and had been shelled, was scarred and desolate and should not have been inhabited.
None of the drivers, guards or accompanying officers in Vatutin's motorcade expected that they would suddenly encounter an ambush in such a barren place. Hadn't the Germans in this area been cleared out long ago?
"Comrade Commander, otherwise you have to evacuate on foot! I will lead my people to find a way to contain the enemy, and you go in the opposite direction and evacuate from the other side. If that doesn't work, we will charge towards the enemy to attract attention. We can always make people
You evacuated safely!"
This adjutant, who had been following Vatugin for a long time, had a desperate mentality when he opened his mouth. He only thought about keeping Vatugin safe but did not consider himself. Vatugin, who really didn't want to do this unless it was absolutely necessary, was obviously still there.
Consider other options.
"Where is our radio? Is the radio in this car still working? Call the nearby troops and ask them to send people to support us quickly!"
The GAZ jeep with armored plates and reinforcements leaning behind Vatutin is the only command vehicle in the entire fleet equipped with a vehicle-mounted radio station. It is specially used by Vatutin when he travels and inspects the troops.
This reinforced GAZ, which cannot be directly destroyed by small arms, has been hit by bullets in its tires and deflated, so it is unable to move and has lost the possibility of being used as an evacuation vehicle. Not to mention that it is blocked directly in front of a vehicle that has been destroyed.
The wreckage of the lead vehicle exploded and burned into flames. The third vehicle following the command vehicle was also destroyed. There was no way forward and backward, and everything was blocked.
It was impossible to evacuate quickly with the help of vehicles, and Vatutin, who knew that his legs could not outrun bullets, came up with the idea of calling for reinforcements by radio.
This idea is indeed feasible. Within a radius of ten kilometers, there are division-level Red Army troops fighting a fierce battle with the German army, which has come to an end.
Even if a company of troops from any random army could come over to support, Vatutin would be sure to be able to repel the enemy.
Although the firepower of the enemy forces on the opposite side is fierce, if you look closely, you will find that the configuration of the small arms firepower points is a bit disorganized. They are more like a group of novices than elite troops. Even the firepower of the machine guns is not consistent, isn't it?
Crazy strafing and firing means a gap in firepower for several seconds. This is obviously the effect of several machine guns changing bullets at the same time.
Judging from the general intensity of gunfire, Vatutin estimated that the enemy group on the opposite side was no more than a company of troops. Although there were core weapons for the infantry team such as mortars and machine guns, it was certain that they did not have any.
Aim directly at the artillery and armored vehicles, otherwise our group would not be able to hold on until now and would have been wiped out long ago.
Since this is the case, it becomes possible to persist until friendly forces arrive to rescue.
There are only a few security troops on Vatutin's trip, only one platoon, but they are well-trained and well-equipped security troops directly under the front army headquarters. In terms of combat quality and elite level, they are definitely better than the group on the opposite side.
Third-rate people are taller. Even if the enemy has advantages in numbers and firepower, it shouldn't be a big problem if they can hold on for a while.
"But, Comrade Commander, if reinforcements cannot arrive in time, then..."
"It's nothing but, execute the order! If we don't have a car and run on two legs, none of us can leave, we will all die here! Move quickly!"
Rather than pinning his hopes on those tiny two legs to escape, Vatutin was more willing to hold on until reinforcements came to rescue him. He had always been a person who believed in strength rather than luck, and it was the same now.
Seeing that the comrade commander had made up his mind, the adjutant on the side didn't know what to say. Knowing that he could no longer make changes, he followed Vatutin's order and opened the car door, and quickly took off the door from the passenger seat.
Use the microphone to debug the radio.
"Hey! If anyone hears it, please answer immediately! This is the escort of Commander Vatutin. We encountered an enemy attack on the way. Comrade Commander is in danger. Please ask for immediate reinforcements! I repeat, if we encounter an attack, anyone who listens
Troops who have received this news should come immediately for reinforcements! The coordinates are..."
The adjutant holding the radio transmitter shouted at the top of his lungs on the public channel. Vatutin, who had his back against the wreckage of the car, took out the pistol from his waist that was more decorative than practical, and pulled the
The slide loaded the bullet into the chamber of the gun and prepared for battle. Vatutin almost forgot the last time he held this gun and fired.
"Comrade Commander, there is no reply. I have repeated it for the third time!"
The anxious expression on the adjutant's face clearly meant to persuade Vatutin to change his mind quickly. It was not too late, there was still time, but Vatutin obviously had no intention of doing so.
"Keep shouting for me, reinforcements will be here soon!"
"Reinforcements? Where did the reinforcements come from? Comrade Commander, there is no reply on the radio."
"I said yes, please continue to call for help! Hurry!"
"..."
I don’t know if Vatugin is really good at predicting things or if he is a bit evil today. In short, when the adjutant looked confused and disbelieving, before he could do anything, he kept holding the radio transmitter in his hand.
Suddenly there was a rush of words.
"This is the 1st Stalin Guards Tank Division. I am Malashenko. We rushed to rescue immediately. We are already on the road. There are less than five kilometers left. How is Comrade Commander's situation?"
Sometimes, when people are most desperate, they always long to hear a certain sound, whether it is the sound of a person or an object. In short, this sound indicates hope.
At the moment, the familiar words from Malashenko are undoubtedly the voice of hope that Vatutin and his party are longing for.
"Comrade Commander, there is a reply! It is General Malashenko, Comrade General, who is here to rescue us!!!"
"Give me the radio and I'll talk to him!"
Ignoring the adjutant's surprised expression, Vatutin stepped forward without saying a word, grabbed the transmitter, held it in his hand, and almost without hesitation pressed the button towards the radio.