"Since Khokhlov has established a landing site on the other side," Runev interjected, "should we order them to attack the enemy?"
"I think it's okay." Sokov agreed: "Let Khokhlov leave one force to hold on to the landing site, and the rest of the troops will go down the river to assist the 84th Division in crossing the river."
"Comrade Commander, would you like to send engineers to build a pontoon bridge for them, so that the weapons, ammunition and military supplies needed by the 182nd Division can be continuously transported to the other side of the river." Samyko suggested to Sokov.
: "If necessary, arrange for the tank brigade to cross the river from here."
Sokov stared at the map for a while, then slowly shook his head and said, "I don't think it's necessary."
"Why?" Samek asked in surprise.
"Comrade Chief of Staff, look at the terrain here." Sokov tapped the area where the 182nd Division crossed the river with a red and blue pencil: "There are forests and swamps everywhere. Even if our tank brigade successfully crosses the river, I'm afraid it will be difficult to show its full potential.
Function. Also, the crossing point is too far away from us, which is difficult after all. Instead of building a bridge there, we might as well wait for the 84th Division to cross the river and occupy the other side, and then build a bridge at their landing site, which will be more conducive to the main force crossing the river."
After listening to Sokov's words, Samyko had given up the idea of erecting a pontoon bridge in the 182nd Division's defense zone. He quickly asked Sokov for instructions: "Then shall we order the engineering troops to prepare and wait for the 84th Division to establish a landing site on the other side?
Just build a floating bridge immediately?”
"Comrade Chief of Staff, it is completely necessary to erect a pontoon bridge." Sokov said to Samyko: "But we still have an important task that requires the cooperation of engineers and soldiers."
"What mission?"
"The bank on the other side of the Muza River is too steep. Even if our tanks cross the river, they will not be able to pass." Sokov said: "The engineers must blow up several gaps in the river bank so that our tanks can move forward.
.”
"Okay, Comrade Commander." Sameko nodded and said, "I immediately informed the director of the engineering corps and asked him to make preparations for blasting and building bridges. As soon as the 84th Division completes the river crossing operation, the bridge building will be officially started.
.”
When Samyko called the director of the engineering corps to assign a task, Sokov picked up the high-frequency phone on the table, connected to the commander of the front army, and reported to the chief of staff Zakharov who answered the phone: "Chief of Staff of the front army
Comrade, this is Sokov. I am now reporting to you that the leading troops of the 182nd Division have successfully landed on the other side. No trace of the enemy was found nearby, and a landing site was established."
"Well done, Comrade Sokov." Zakharov was very happy when he learned that the 182nd Division had successfully smuggled in. He said to Sokov: "I will tell General Konev the good news.
, if you need anything, please feel free to call me."
Sokov felt that with his current strength, he might not be able to capture the enemy's fortress, so he took the opportunity to say: "Comrade Chief of Staff of the Front Army, I hope to receive support from the air force when our army attacks the fortress.
"
"Air force support?" Zakharov did not expect Sokov to make such a request, and asked with some surprise: "What do you want the air force for?"
"Comrade Chief of Staff of the Front Army, our artillery is limited in number. I am afraid that the power of the artillery fire is not enough to destroy the German defenses. Therefore, I hope that the air force can help bombard the enemy's positions and eliminate more of the enemy's effective forces."
"Okay." After figuring out the reason why Sokov needed the air force to cooperate, Zakharov readily agreed: "I will report the matter to Comrade Commander and provide air support for your troops during the attack."
………
After all the troops crossed the Muza River, Khokhlov left one battalion to hold on to the landing site, while the main force of the division went down the river to attack the German riverside positions and clear the way for the 84th Division, which was responsible for the frontal attack.
.
The German defense direction was on the river. They never dreamed that a Soviet unit would emerge from the flank, and they were caught off guard. In addition, when the battle started, many German soldiers were still sleeping, and they were bombarded by gunfire and
After being awakened by the explosion, it would take some time to figure out what happened.
By the time they rushed out of the shelter with weapons in hand, the Soviet troops had already rushed in front of them. The German officers and soldiers who were not ready for battle and had lost their organizational structure were left waiting for slaughter in the face of the tide of Soviet soldiers.
of lamb.
However, when the 182nd Division advanced to only five kilometers away from the 84th Division's main attack position, it encountered unexpected trouble. The fortress commander of Merefa Fortress learned that the Soviet troops rushed down from the upper reaches of the Muza River and was worried.
His own direction along the river would be completely destroyed, so he stopped an armored force and launched an attack from the flank of the 182nd Division.
Although after a fierce battle, the anti-tank force of the 182nd Division destroyed most of the tanks, it was also because of this delay that the panicked German army got a chance to breathe.
Khokhlov contacted and organized two attacks, but they were repelled by the German troops reinforced by armored units.
Just when Khokhlov was about to organize the third attack, political commissar Colonel Shepilov stopped him in time: "Comrade division commander, the enemy's position has tanks, and we are only light infantry. If we attack the enemy rashly,
If so, I'm worried that unnecessary losses will be caused."
"Then what should we do?"
Shepilov gave Khokhlov an idea and said: "How about you send a telegram to the Army Group Headquarters and report the situation we are encountering now to the comrade commander. By the way, ask him if he can provide us with
Artillery support.”
"It makes sense, it makes sense. I will arrange for the radio operator to send a report to the commander and give him a detailed report on the situation here." Khokhlov felt that Shepilov's proposal made sense, so he called the radio operator.
member, and dictated to him the telegram sent to the Army Group Headquarters.
After reading the request for help telegram sent by Khokhlov, Sokov raised his head and said to Samyko: "Comrade Chief of Staff, immediately order the 1st Artillery Division to go to the bank of the Muzha River to find a suitable area to establish an artillery position."
Upon hearing Sokov's order, Samyko immediately guessed his intention, but to be on the safe side, he still asked: "Comrade Commander, are you planning to provide artillery support to the 182nd Division?"
"That's right." Sokov said in an affirmative tone: "Colonel Khokhlov and his friends don't have any heavy weapons. If there are tanks or armored vehicles on the enemy's defensive positions, it will be difficult for their attack to succeed. I fired the gun
The division is deployed by the Muza River. In addition to supporting the 182nd Division with artillery fire, it also plans to provide artillery cover for the 84th Division when they cross the river."
"Comrade Commander, since the enemy has noticed our intentions, I suggest that the 84th Division be put into battle in advance, so that the Germans can be caught off guard."
"Okay." Sokov readily agreed to Samyko's suggestion: "Let Major General Fomenko move his troops to the river and prepare to cross the river."
"Are they smuggled across the border or forced across the border?"
"At this point, Comrade Chief of Staff, do you think the Germans are still deaf and blind?" Sokov scratched the back of his head and said: "Their garrison along the river must have entered the first level of alert. As long as General Fomenko
Once the troops cross the river, they will use artillery fire or machine gun fire to intercept them."
Sokov also told Samyko: "Comrade Chief of Staff, remember to tell the artillery to destroy as many German positions along the river as possible and strive to reduce the casualties of the troops crossing the river."
Just as Sokov expected, as soon as the 84th Division crossed the river, the artillery of Merefa Fortress began to bombard the river. For a moment, water columns tens of meters high rose into the sky. Some unlucky ships were
The shells hit directly, and the people and boats were blown to pieces; some boats were overturned by the waves caused by the explosion, and all the commanders and fighters on the boats fell into the water. For a time, the river was full of fallen commanders and fighters.
The whole body goes with the flow.
The commanders and soldiers who fell into the water naturally did not sit still and wait for death. They paddled desperately and tried to swim to the other side as quickly as possible. But after all, there were only a few people who swam to the shore. Most of the soldiers did not swim far because the equipment they carried was too heavy.
The man and his equipment sank to the bottom of the cold river.
This situation continued until Soviet bombers appeared over the battlefield, bombing indiscriminately at the German fortifications on the ground and the soldiers running around.
When the German artillery was heavily bombarded by Soviet bombers, they stopped shelling the water of the Muzha River. Seeing that the most threatening shelling had stopped, Fomenko quickly organized his troops to launch a new attack.
In this attack, although the machine guns on the other side were still firing continuously, for Fomenko, such firepower had little impact on his crossing troops. A 75mm cannon regiment under the 1st Artillery Division was firing continuously.
Stop and shoot towards the other side, destroying the exposed German firepower points.
When the leading troops crossing the river boarded the other side, the engineering troops directly under the group army arrived. They loaded boxes after boxes of explosives onto the ships and prepared to go to the other side to blast the river embankment in order to complete the erection of the pontoon bridge and pass through Mu
The tanks on the Zahe River were able to pass through the channels they blasted and continue to advance deeper into the German defenses.
After the engineers responsible for blasting the passage set off, the engineers building the bridge also arrived. They began to use the materials they had prepared to build a pontoon bridge on the Muza River for tanks to pass through.
Since the German army was being bombarded and shelled, it was impossible to observe what was happening on the river embankment. As a result, the Soviet army immediately transported a large number of troops and equipment over after setting up the pontoon bridge.
The 84th Division went upstream and rushed to join the 182nd Division, which was traveling downstream.
Originally, the German troops blocking the 182nd Division had a harder time. But now that they saw another Soviet force behind them, they still dared to fight. They threw away their weapons and ran towards the Merefa Fortress.
go.
After the 182nd Division joined the 84th Division that came to support them, they immediately turned around and headed south, directly towards the direction of Merefa Fortress, trying to follow the retreating enemies into their territory.
But what they didn't expect was that the German troops who had abandoned their position quickly hid in the fortifications outside the fortress, fought stubbornly, and even repelled the advancing Soviet vanguard. The 182nd Division lost two soldiers.
Company, a battalion of the 84th Division suffered more than half casualties.
The German fortifications are all made of reinforced concrete, and small-caliber artillery can only leave white marks when they are bombarded. Although the commanders and fighters of the two divisions carry rockets, these weapons are intended to be used against German tanks.
It feels like it's a bit wasteful to use it to attack enemy fortifications or firepower points.
After Samyko learned about the situation through telegrams sent by the two division commanders, he reported to Sokov: "Comrade Commander, in the telegrams, the two division commanders both mentioned that the troops encountered strong enemy fortifications, so they
The pace of the attack became sluggish."
"Aren't they carrying rocket launchers?" Sokov asked rhetorically: "That weapon is perfect for dealing with enemy fortifications. Why don't they use it?"
When Samyko heard Sokov's question, he couldn't help showing an embarrassed expression on his face: "The two division commanders said that they didn't have many rockets left and they didn't dare to use them casually."
"Nonsense, it's just nonsense." After listening to what Samyko relayed, Sokov suddenly became angry: "I have told them more than once that on the battlefield, the life of each of our soldiers is precious. As long as we can
Reduce the casualties of the troops, no matter how much ammunition is consumed."
"I understand. I will immediately convey your intention to the two division commanders."
"No, Comrade Chief of Staff, you don't understand anything." Sokov said, somewhat dumbfounded: "Since they said that the number of rockets is not large, then run the transport team to send them a batch as soon as possible. As long as they have it
Only after you have enough rockets can you dare to use rocket launchers to destroy enemy fortifications."
An hour later, Fomenko's 84th Division and Khokhlov's 182nd Division both received rockets from Sokov's transport team. Following Sokov's order, they used rockets to destroy the German troops.
The strong fortifications. As a result, the Germans were in trouble. One after another firepower point that originally posed a great threat to the Soviet army was constantly destroyed with people and weapons under the care of rocket launchers.
The battle continued into the afternoon, and all the tanks of the tank brigade crossed the Muza River and assembled behind the two divisions. At this time, a new order was issued: all infantry gave way to the tanks and allowed the tanks to destroy the enemy's fortifications.
After receiving Sokov's order, Fomenko became a little anxious. He said to Khokhlov: "What the hell, our division is fighting smoothly. Why do we have to make way for the tank brigade?"
"That's right, Comrade General." Khokhlov agreed with Fomenko: "Since we had enough rockets, our soldiers have used rockets to destroy enemy fortifications. In the past, it only took two or three days to win.
position, it only took us less than three hours to clear out the enemies in the fortifications."
"Comrade Colonel," Fomenko just complained, but he still understood in his heart that there must be a reason why Sokov issued this order, and he must obey it unconditionally. He raised his hand on Khokhlov's shoulder
He patted it twice, sighed, and said: "According to the regulations, it is just an order from a superior. Regardless of whether it is correct or not, it must be carried out unconditionally."