Chuikov's troops forcibly crossed the Vistula River, established a landing site ten kilometers wide and five kilometers deep on the left bank area, and urged General Tkachenko, director of the engineering corps, to work overtime to erect a pontoon bridge on the river.
While the pontoon bridge was still being erected, the 8th Guards Army's artillery, tanks, and vehicles transporting supplies and soldiers, which were to be deployed on the left bank, were waiting by the river.
When the pontoon bridge was erected and General Tkachenko announced it was officially open to traffic, the convoys that had been waiting for a long time began to board the pontoon bridge and drive towards the other side.
At dawn, the German air force was dispatched to bomb the landing site established by the 8th Guards Army. One of the bombers threw away all the aerial bombs they carried, and when they raised their altitude and prepared to return, they unexpectedly discovered that on the Vistula River behind the landing site,
There seemed to be some movement, so the bombers that had dropped all their aerial bombs served as reconnaissance planes, hovering over the Vistula River to find out if there was any movement by the Soviet troops on the river.
The German pilots had good eyesight and soon discovered that a pontoon bridge had been erected on the Vistula River. Countless trucks, tanks and towed artillery were boarding the pontoon bridge one after another and heading towards the left bank.
The fact that the Soviet army erected a pontoon bridge on the Vistula River quickly reached the ears of the German commander. He immediately dispatched more bombers. In addition to continuing to bombard the Soviet landing sites, they also attacked the 8th Guards Army's erected bridges.
The pontoon bridge was bombarded indiscriminately to prevent the Soviet army from transporting supplies and heavy equipment to the left bank area.
Facing the enemy planes swooping down from the sky, Tkachenko immediately ordered the anti-aircraft guns deployed near the pontoon bridge to fire in an attempt to drive away the bombing enemy planes. Unfortunately, the number of enemy planes exceeded the number of ground anti-aircraft guns.
Although the Soviet anti-aircraft artillery fired tenaciously, the aerial bombs dropped by enemy planes still blew up the pontoon bridge. More than a dozen trucks and two tanks that were driving on the pontoon bridge sank along with the blown bridge.
Under water.
Chuikov was shocked when he learned that the pontoon bridge had been blown up. He quickly asked Tkachenko, who called him: "Comrade Director of the Engineering Corps, I wonder how much time it will take for you to re-erect a new pontoon bridge."
"It's very difficult, Comrade Commander." Tkachenko said in embarrassment: "In order to build this pontoon bridge, I have used up all the available materials. Before new materials arrive, we have no way to build new ones.
The pontoon bridge. Also, the enemy is bombarding the surface of the Vistula River all the time. Even if we want to build a pontoon bridge, our engineers will pay heavy casualties."
"General Tkachenko," Chuikov said to Tkachenko: "Hurry up and collect materials for building the bridge. I will dispatch anti-aircraft artillery units to protect the bridge as soon as possible. I will never let German planes attack the river unscrupulously."
Carry out bombing."
After putting down the phone, Chuikov asked Belyavsky: "Comrade Chief of Staff, how many anti-aircraft artillery units can we dispatch to the area where the pontoon bridge is set up now?"
"Comrade Commander, due to the return of several anti-aircraft artillery divisions and assault guns some time ago, our artillery strength has been greatly weakened." Beleyavsky explained to Chuikov with a look of embarrassment: "That is,
"We only have one anti-aircraft artillery division at our disposal now, and they have to be responsible for air defense along the river up to 25 kilometers wide, so their strength is really too weak."
Chuikov frowned: "Comrade Chief of Staff, General Tkachenko just told me that if the air defense force is not strengthened, even if they have enough bridge-building equipment, it will be difficult to build a new pontoon bridge on the Vistula River. Because
The enemy's non-stop bombing will not only cause heavy casualties to the engineering troops building the bridge, but will also make it impossible for our pontoon bridge to be erected at all."
Belyavsky thought for a while, and then suggested to Chuikov: "Comrade Commander, I think the only way now is to ask for help from the superiors."
"Is it useful to ask for help from superiors?" Chuikov said coldly: "I'm afraid Marshal Rokossovsky can't mobilize much air defense force, right?"
"There may not be any air defense units in the reserves of the front army headquarters." Belyavsky reminded Chuikov: "But we can attack friendly forces."
"Are you targeting friendly forces?!" Chuikov asked curiously: "Comrade Chief of Staff, I don't know which unit you are referring to when you talk about friendly forces?"
"Of course it's Lieutenant General Bellinger's Polish 1st Army." Beleyavsky said: "Their army has a well-equipped anti-aircraft artillery division. I think we can ask them to help us complete the air defense of the Vistula River.
Task."
"This is a good idea." Upon hearing this, Chuikov felt that what Belyavsky said was reasonable, and quickly picked up the phone in front of him: "I will call General Bellinger and ask him to send out the anti-aircraft artillery division.
Come support us."
"Wait a minute, Comrade Commander." But Belyavsky raised his hand to stop Chuikov's move: "I think you should report this matter to the Front Army Headquarters, and it may be more appropriate for Comrade Marshal to come forward.
.”
Just as the two were discussing how to strengthen the air defense force on the bank of the Vistula River, Colonel Shugaev from the left bank landing field called: "Comrade Commander, the German army has dispatched to repel our 47th Guards Division.
The 17th and 45th Infantry Divisions launched an attack on the front of the landing site; at the same time, the 19th Armored Division and Göring Division were also deployed to carry out flank attacks from the left and right wings of the landing site, in an attempt to annihilate all our units isolated on the left bank.
After learning that the German army had concentrated its superior forces to launch a counterattack on the Magnushev landing site, Chuikov realized the seriousness of the problem. Facing the three-sided attack of the German army, the 47th Guards Division, which had lost contact with the right bank, could be said to have become
A lone army would be in danger of being annihilated if they could not survive the German siege.
Thinking of this, he said into the microphone: "Comrade Colonel, you must find a way to block the German attack. I will ask the artillery deployed on the right bank to provide you with the necessary artillery cover."
"Comrade Commander, please rest assured." After receiving Chuikov's promise, Shugayev quickly raised his voice and said: "Even if we fight to the last man, we will never take a step back."
"Very good, I'm relieved if you have such determination." Chuikov asked into the microphone: "Do you have any difficulties?"
"There are difficulties." Shugayev thought for a while and replied: "Currently we are fighting the attack of four German divisions, two of which are armored divisions. Since we do not have heavy weapons, we have to deal with the enemy's tanks.
We can only ask the soldiers to use anti-tank grenades or cluster grenades to explode. Comrade Commander, can you provide some heavy weapons to our division? Even just a few anti-tank guns, so that we don't need the soldiers'
Flesh and blood, go blow up the enemy's tanks."
Regarding Shugayev's request, Chuikov thought for a long time, and then said decisively: "Comrade Colonel, I will provide you with the heavy weapons you need. You should be able to reach the landing site before dark."
In order to provide assistance to the troops at the landing site on the left bank as soon as possible, Chuikov immediately contacted Rokossovsky after finishing the call with Shugaev and complained to him: "Comrade Marshal, our troops on the left bank of the Vistula River
The landing site is undergoing a crazy counterattack by the German army. Since the troops do not have heavy weapons, they are currently suffering heavy casualties. If they can't find a way to transport heavy weapons there, I worry that they will soon be wiped out by the enemy or driven into the turbulent waves.
In the Vistula River.”
"I understand, Comrade Chuikov." Rokossovsky, who had just read the battle report and knew Chuikov's situation well, said quickly: "I will immediately order the engineers to build a pontoon bridge for you on the Vistula River.
"
As soon as Rokossovsky put down the phone, he called a staff officer and told him: "Go and invite General Proshlyakov, the director of the engineering corps, to come here."
A few minutes later, Proshlyakov hurriedly walked into the headquarters, looked at Rokossovsky and asked: "Comrade Commander, do you have anything important to do with me?"
"That's it, General Proshlyakov." Rokossovsky brought Proshlyakov to the map, pointed to the Magnushev landing site on the other side, and said to him: "The German troops are dispatched.
Four divisions were mobilized and launched a fierce attack on Chuikov's landing site. Since the 47th Guards Division did not have heavy weapons, it suffered heavy casualties in the face of the surging German tanks. I would like to ask your engineers to set up installations on the Vistula River as soon as possible.
A pontoon bridge so that our army's tanks and artillery can pass through the pontoon bridge to the other side."
After Proshlyakov waited for Rokossovsky to finish speaking, he frowned and thought for a moment, and then said: "Comrade Commander, this is not easy to handle. The German planes have been circling in the sky.
Wherever our troops gather or make moves to build bridges, they will immediately rush over and bombard them indiscriminately."
"You don't have to worry about air defense." Hearing that Proshlyakov was worried about the bombing of the German Air Force, Rokossovsky quickly comforted him and said: "The anti-aircraft artillery division of the Polish 1st Army is about 100 meters away from Wislawa."
There are only five or six kilometers along the river bank. I will call General Bellinger and ask him to move the anti-aircraft artillery division to the location where the pontoon bridge is to be erected to provide you with air defense cover. At the same time, I will also order the Air Force to send fighter planes to carry out maintenance operations.
Enemy planes over the Sva River were driven away."
Seeing that Rokossovsky had taken everything into consideration, Proshlyakov nodded and assured him: "Comrade Marshal, if this is the case, then I will arrange for manpower to erect the pontoon bridge as soon as possible.
.”
"How long will it take?" Rokossovsky asked, looking at Proshlyakov's back.
Proshlyakov said without looking back: "The narrowest point of the Vistula River is nearly one kilometer, and the river is very fast. It will take us at least eight hours to complete the erection of the pontoon bridge."
Although Rokossovsky felt that eight hours was a bit too long to build the bridge, except for the engineers of the Front Army, the engineers of the 8th Guards Army no longer had the ability to build the bridge in a short period of time.
Considering that the German bombers over the Vistula River had caused serious obstacles to the bridge-building work, Rokossovsky ordered Malinin: "Comrade Chief of Staff, please call General Porenin immediately and order him to send
A certain number of fighter planes will drive away the enemies on the Vistula River and cover the engineers to complete the erection of the pontoon bridge."
After arranging the air force to cover the engineering operations, it was time to contact the anti-aircraft artillery. Rokossovsky dialed the number of the headquarters of the Polish 1st Army. After hearing that the person who answered the phone was Bellinger, he
Smiling and saying: "Hello, General Bellinger!"
"Comrade Marshal, do you have any instructions?"
"General Bellinger, the situation is like this. The Germans are carrying out a counterattack on the landing site on the left bank, trying to drive the 47th Guards Division occupying there into the Vistula River." Rokossovsky said into the microphone.
: "Because the division lacked heavy weapons, they suffered heavy casualties in the face of a fierce German offensive that was several times their size. Therefore, the division commander, Colonel Shugayev, begged us to provide him with heavy weapons."
When Bellinger heard what Rokossovsky said, he felt quite puzzled. Why didn't he send troops to rescue the landing site occupied by Chuikov's troops, but he was making his own plans? He asked with some confusion: "Comrade Marshal
, then what can we do?”
"General Bellinger, the situation is like this." Rokossovsky could tell from Bellinger's tone that he might have a misunderstanding, so he explained to him: "We plan to attack Magnushev
A pontoon bridge was built at the location of the landing site. However, due to the German Air Force's continuous attacks on our ground forces in this area, our bridge-building operation was greatly hindered."
Bellinger was also a smart man. As soon as he heard this, he guessed what Rokossovsky meant, and asked tentatively: "Comrade Marshal, I understand what you mean. You want our anti-aircraft artillery division to
, provide air defense cover for the engineering troops building the bridge, right?"
"Yes, that's right." Rokossovsky nodded and replied: "The task of the anti-aircraft artillery division is not only to cover our engineering troops in building bridges, but their next task is to continue to protect this bridge.
bridge to avoid being blown up by the Luftwaffe."
"I understand," Bellinger nodded immediately and said, "I immediately gave an order to the commander of the anti-aircraft artillery division, Colonel Prokopovich, and asked him to lead his troops to the area where the bridge was to be built immediately."
As soon as the call with Rokossovsky ended, Bellinger grabbed the phone and said into the receiver: "I am Bellinger, pick up the anti-aircraft artillery division for me and ask for the division commander, Colonel Prokopovich."
Two hours later, Prokopovich led his anti-aircraft artillery division to the Vistula River. At this moment, the place had turned into a busy construction site, and engineers were braving bombings from enemy planes and working on the riverside.
Preparations for building a bridge were being made. The few anti-aircraft guns were firing non-stop into the air, trying to drive away the nasty enemy planes.
Seeing Prokopovich's troops approaching, a Soviet lieutenant colonel immediately walked up to him and said politely: "Comrade Colonel, please deploy the anti-aircraft artillery division on the spot and help us drive away the enemy planes in the air.
.”
"Understood." Prokopovich agreed, and then ordered his chief of staff to give orders to the commanders of the anti-aircraft artillery regiments below, asking them to choose appropriate locations, build anti-aircraft artillery positions, and drive away enemy aircraft in the air as soon as possible.
Walk.
While the anti-aircraft artillery division deployed on the spot was still building air defense positions, a Soviet fighter group arrived. After they dispersed in the air, they started a fierce battle with the enemy aircraft in a two-plane formation. Seeing this situation
, Prokopovich immediately shouted at the top of his lungs: "Comrades, speed up the construction of air defense positions and try to knock down all the German planes as soon as possible."