While the German army was attacking the unknown highlands, two T-34 tanks came from the east of Susinich. Just as they were about to enter the city, they were blocked by the checkpoint at the entrance.
The turret hatch of the tank in front opened, and a tank crew lieutenant wearing a tank cap and short fur coat leaned out half of his body and said loudly to the staff sergeant who was walking towards the tank: "Hey, I said... Comrade Shi, please quickly ask your people to move the roadblock in front, we have urgent matters and need to rush to the headquarters in the city immediately."
The sergeant at the checkpoint stood next to the tank, looking up at the tank crew lieutenant. He did not forget his duties because the other party had a higher rank than himself, but asked businesslikely: "What part are you in?"
"We are a unit directly under the Front Army Headquarters." The lieutenant obviously did not want to waste too much time here. After simply identifying himself, he immediately urged: "Man, hurry up and move the obstacles in front of us. We need to get to the headquarters immediately.”
"Comrade Lieutenant, please show me your ID." Facing the impatient lieutenant, the sergeant said slowly, "I can't let you enter the city without your ID."
The lieutenant was about to get angry, but someone in the tank seemed to speak to him, making him bend down and look inside. After a while, the sergeant standing next to the tank saw the lieutenant climbing out of the turret, and then leaned over to help another man lean out of the turret. After the sergeant saw this person clearly, he was suddenly startled. He quickly raised his hand to salute him, and said in a panic: "Hello, Comrade Commander of the Front Army! Sergeant Volkov at the checkpoint is reporting to you...please Forgive me, I didn’t know it was you in the tank, and I am ready to accept any punishment I deserve for wasting your time..."
Unexpectedly, Zhukov waved his hand at him and said: "Comrade Sergeant, you are doing the right thing. You are performing your duties. Okay, now let your people remove the obstacles."
The sergeant raised his hand in a salute to express his gratitude to Zhukov. Then he ordered his men to remove the obstacles in the middle of the road and pull up the crossbar to allow the two tanks to pass the checkpoint.
When the two tanks were driving towards the city, a young soldier asked Volkov curiously: "Comrade Sergeant, who is the general in the tank?"
The sergeant looked at the tanks gradually going away and murmured: "Don't you know him? He is General Zhukov, the commander of our Western Front!" After saying that, he suddenly remembered that he should report this matter to his superiors. He quickly walked into the guard box on the side of the road, picked up the phone hanging on the wooden board, and said into the phone, "I am at the East Gate Checkpoint. Please pick me up from the duty room of the Army Headquarters. I have something important to report... "
When the tank Zhukov was riding arrived at the headquarters of the 16th Army, Rokossovsky had already been waiting outside the door with members of the headquarters for a long time.
After Zhukov emerged from the turret, he did not jump off the tank immediately. Instead, he turned his head and looked south because he saw a column of black smoke rising in that direction. He turned his head and glanced at Rokossovsky. Seeing that he was staring at him intently, he pointed south with his hand and asked: "Comrade Rokossovsky, where is that place?"
"It's the unknown high ground in the south." Rokossovsky knew that Sokov's troops were fighting the German army in that direction, so he answered truthfully: "The German army is launching a new attack on the troops holding on to the high ground."
Due to the obstruction of buildings, Zhukov could not see the high ground in the distance even if he stood on the tank. He turned around and looked around. Seeing that the top floor of the headquarters seemed to be a good observation point, he jumped off the tank, came to Rokossovsky, and said to him in an unquestionable tone: "Take me there Let’s go take a look at the rooftop.”
Under the guidance of Rokossovsky, Zhukov came to the top of the building, raised his telescope and looked into the distance. In the rising black smoke column, dark red flames were seen rolling, and a faint rumbling sound could also be heard. According to his experience, the German army was shelling the high ground. He put down his telescope and turned to Rokossovsky sideways: "Which unit is holding the high ground?"
"It's Captain Sokov's Istrian battalion." Rokossovsky said to Zhukov: "In the previous two days of fighting, they also captured five heavy howitzers, which greatly reduced the artillery force in Susinich. Strengthened.”
"Such a commander can make people feel at ease no matter where he is placed." Zhukov was relieved when he learned that the troops stationed in the south of the city were the Istria Battalion commanded by Sokov. He said appreciatively: " In my opinion, this little Misha’s future achievements will definitely not be worse than his father’s.”
…………
The German army attacked a platoon on the unknown highland. Under the firepower of the Soviet army, except for the two or three quick runners, the remaining more than 40 people fell in a mess on the hillside.
The tank parked at the foot of the mountain saw that the attacking infantry had been completely destroyed. Knowing that there was no point in staying here any longer, it drove back in reverse.
As soon as the German tanks withdrew, four German dive bombers appeared over the high ground. They circled in the air, and after finding the target, they swooped down and dropped bombs and strafed the commanders and soldiers who were moving on the high ground.
As soon as the German dive bombers appeared over the highlands, the soldiers of the women's anti-aircraft machine gun company entered the air defense position as quickly as possible. They lifted the camouflage net covering the machine guns, and the shooters skillfully manipulated the machine guns. , pointing the muzzle at the enemy planes that are dropping bombs and strafing.
When the company commander, Lieutenant Liuba, saw that all the anti-aircraft machine guns were ready for battle, he waved the red signal flag in his hand downwards and shouted loudly: "Fire!"
The fierce fire from six anti-aircraft machine guns startled the German bombers that were bombing the highlands. The pilots pulled up the planes one after another, circled in the air, and then sent one to bomb the air defense positions. The remaining three, Then continue bombing and strafing the highlands.
If German pilots encounter other air defense forces, their tactics will undoubtedly be quite effective. Unfortunately, the position of the women's anti-aircraft machine gun company they encountered was the most defensive hexagon. No matter which direction the enemy planes came from, they faced the intensive firepower of six machine guns.
The bomber that bombed the anti-aircraft position was diving downwards. Before the pilot could drop the bomb, the plane was hit by the dense bullets flying towards it and exploded in the air. The fuselage turned into a huge fireball, and the wreckage of the plane was torn apart. Flames fell from the sky.
Seeing his companion's plane being shot down, another plane swooped down from the high ground, trying to take over his companion's work and razing the air defense position at the foot of the mountain to the ground. As soon as the German pilot dropped a bomb, he felt the plane's fuselage shake violently. Based on his experience, he judged that the plane had been hit. He quickly pulled up the plane and flew into the distance, dragging a long black smoke ribbon. But not far away, he felt that the plane was out of control and in danger of crashing at any time, so he opened the plexiglass cabin cover, stood up and jumped out.
The two enemy planes, which were still dropping bombs and strafing on the high ground, saw the air defense position at the foot of the mountain and shot down two of their own planes in a very short period of time. How dare they dare to fight, they hurriedly threw away all the bombs they carried and turned around. Fly towards the south.
