The materials hoarded on the east coast were continuously transported to the Red October Factory through the underwater pontoon erected. After the supplies were distributed here, they were quickly transported to various areas where fierce fighting was taking place.
Thanks to the large supply of weapons and ammunition, Chuikov was able to organize thousands of workers and residents, establish new combat units, and integrate them into divisions that were fighting fierce battles with the German army. After long-term battles, the strength of each division had been depleted, but now it was suddenly replenished. The division commanders were all smiling and expressed to Chuikov that since they had received the replenishment of troops, they would definitely stick to their position and never take a step back.
However, the situation in the ensuing battle did not improve as the division commanders imagined, but instead worsened. Although the number of troops has increased, the new workers and residents have not received systematic military training and have little combat experience. Facing the German attack, many people stood up straight in the trenches and fired without knowing how to hide. When the counterattack was carried out, either for emboldening oneself or for some other reason, twenty or thirty people crowded together and charged forward. , but were knocked down in pieces in front of the position by German machine guns.
In less than two days, all the soldiers who had been added to the army were lost. In this case, Zoludev, the commander of the 37th Guards Division who was stationed at the Dzerzhinsky Factory, had to call Chuikov again and ask him for new reinforcements.
Chuikov couldn't help being shocked when he received Zholudev's call, and asked: "Comrade General, I just sent you more than 2,700 people the day before yesterday, and within two days, you asked me for reinforcements again. What on earth is this?" what happened?"
"Comrade Commander," Zholudev said with a grimace in the face of Chuikov's question: "You don't know that the enemy's attack is too fierce. And the new recruits you added to us have not undergone special military training and have nothing to do with it." He had combat experience and did not know how to preserve himself in battle, resulting in heavy casualties on the battlefield.”
"Comrade General," Chuikov said with a wry smile after listening to Ruoludev's complaint: "I don't have a reserve force. I have sent out all the soldiers I can send to you. What you can do now is to rely on the existing troops. Strength, resolutely defend the Dzerzhinsky Factory and prevent the enemy from occupying it. Do you understand?"
Although Chuikov did not say a lot, Zholudev knew very well that the Dzerzhinsky Tractor Factory was the largest tank production plant in the country. Once occupied by the German army, the consequences would be disastrous. Seeing that Chuikov was unable to send reinforcements to him, Ruoludev, after hesitating for a long time, asked tentatively: "Comrade Commander, Colonel Lyudnikov's 138th Infantry Division is stationed to the southwest of our division. Do you think you can Should one or two regiments be transferred from this division to strengthen the defense of the factory?"
"No, General Zoludev." Chuikov rejected Zoludev's request without hesitation: "Colonel Lyudnikov's troops have been greatly weakened after the early battles. Now the division There are only more than 4,000 people left. I arranged them southeast of the barricade factory to prevent them from blocking the Germans' path forward in time when the barricade factory cannot be defended."
Seeing that Chuikov rejected his request, Ruolu Jev felt disappointed, but he reluctantly asked: "Comrade Commander, can't you really send us reinforcements? Even an infantry battalion with combat experience, so we can The certainty of holding on to the factory will be even greater.”
"No, let alone a battalion, I don't even have a company in my hand." After Chuikov rejected Zholudev's request again, he guessed what he was thinking, and quickly added: "Also, under the current situation Next, the area defended by Colonel Sokov's 41st Guards Division is already wide enough, and they have no strength to support you. It is better to rely on yourself than to rely on others. I think you should think about it carefully and see if there is any way to defend your own. Let’s defend the zone.”
After Chuikov ended his conversation with Zholudev, he called Krylov over, who had just finished the phone call, and asked directly: "Chief of Staff, I want to ask you, where else can we allocate troops from now to strengthen agility?" Defense of the Zhinsky plant?”
"Didn't we just add more than 2,700 people to them the day before yesterday?" Krylov frowned slightly and said unhappily: "It's been less than two days, why are you calling again to ask for people? "
"We have given a lot of people to General Zholudev," Chuikov lit a cigarette and said with a bitter look on his face: "But among so many people, how many people are there who have combat effectiveness and combat experience? I think it's probably not even one-tenth. Even if we arm more workers and residents and hand them over to Zholudev, I'm afraid it will be difficult to stop the enemy's attack."
"Then what should we do?" Krylov asked.
"Comrade Chief of Staff, among the troops in the city now, only Colonel Sokov's 41st Guards Division has the most powerful combat effectiveness. When they confront the German army, they can often win even if their strength is at a disadvantage. This It is unmatched by other troops." After a long silence, Sokov finally said: "But the area they are defending is too wide now. If we draw more troops from them, it will inevitably weaken their strength. Therefore, I think This issue should be reported to the front army headquarters and asked them to send us additional reinforcements as soon as possible."
"Is this possible?" Krylov narrowed his eyes and said seriously after listening to Chuikov's words: "If they are willing to send us reinforcements, the three infantry divisions that rushed to the east coast will not stay. There’s nothing to do there.”
Chuikov tapped the table lightly with his fingers, looked up at Krylov and said: "If we ask General Yeremenko for three divisions, he will definitely not give them to us. However, if we only want them in his hands Where is one of our divisions? Tell me, Comrade Chief of Staff, will he agree to our request?"
"This...it's hard to say!...Maybe he needs to try his luck. After he understands the situation in the city, maybe..."
"Even if there is only one percent hope, we have to try our luck." Chuikov threw the cigarette butt in his hand on the ground, crushed it with his toes, and said resolutely: "I personally called Commander Yereomenko and asked him to Tell him about the situation in the city and ask him to send us another force no matter what."
Unexpectedly, after Yeremenko received Chuikov's order, he poured cold water on him: "I'm sorry, Comrade Chuikov, I think I may not be able to agree to your request."
Chuikov was shocked when he heard this, and quickly asked: "Why?"
"According to the order from the base camp, in order to prevent the troops assembled on the east bank from being attacked by enemy air attacks, they have been ordered to stay away from the Volga River and retreat to the Akhtuba River." Yereomenko said helplessly: "Although I am the commander of the front army Members, but to mobilize these troops, you must obtain authorization from the base camp in advance."
Yeremenko's words made Chuikov feel cold. He didn't hear what the other party said later, and he couldn't even remember how he put down the phone afterwards.
Seeing Chuikov's lost look, Krylov guessed that he must have hit a wall. He quickly grabbed his arm and shook him a few times. He asked anxiously: "Comrade Commander, what's wrong with you?"
"There are no reinforcements, my comrade chief of staff." Chuikov looked up at Krylov and said with a wry smile: "Commander Yeremenko said that according to the order of the base camp, all the troops assembled on the east bank have been Withdraw to the Akhtuba River.”
"What, the troops withdrew to the Akhtuba River?" Krylov said sadly: "Comrade Commander, this means that our superiors will not send us reinforcements for a long time."
"Yes, that's what it means." Chuikov said thoughtfully: "It seems that we should think of ways to allocate strength from where to strengthen the defense of the Dzerzhinsky factory."
In order to defend the barricade factory and the Dzerzhinsky factory, Chuikov deployed seven infantry divisions and several tank brigades in this area. Just listening to the numbers, it seems that there are quite a few troops holding on to this area. Unfortunately, after a long period of fighting, each division has been severely reduced in strength. Some divisions only have a few hundred people left, and they can only perform small-scale defense tasks. Don't expect them to reinforce the 37th Guards Division at all.
"What to do?" Krylov thought for a while and then said to Chuikov: "Comrade Commander, the only mobile force we have at present is Colonel Tupichev's engineers. In addition to the original engineers, In addition to the troops, the front army also handed over the 44th and 106th motorized pontoon battalions to his command..."
"We cannot use engineers as infantry." Chuikov replied: "The combat effectiveness of engineers is not as good as that of infantry. If they are lost in battle, who will build pontoon bridges in the future? Engineers can be used as infantry, but infantry cannot be used in a short period of time." Become a sapper within time.”
His proposal was rejected by Chuikov again, and Krylov felt a little disappointed. "We can't let the engineers act as infantry, and the temporarily armed workers and residents have poor combat effectiveness, so how can we help the 37th Guards Division?" Where's the handle?"
Chuikov thought for a while, and then came up with a solution: "Chief of Staff, go to the field hospital and see if you can mobilize some lightly injured soldiers to be discharged from the hospital and add them to General Zholudev's troops?"
"This is a good idea." It is a common thing to use the wounded who have been discharged from the hospital to replenish the troops. However, it is not an easy task to mobilize lightly wounded people to be discharged from hospital early. Krylov decided to leave this matter to Military Commissar Gurov: "I think it is better to leave the matter of political work to the wounded to the military commissar Gurov. Let Comrade Military Commissar take responsibility."
Chuikov had no objection to Krylov's proposal. He thought that Gurov was now at the Dzerzhinsky factory and it was perfect for him to do this work. He nodded and said to Krylov: "I agree with your opinion. Immediately call Comrade Military Commissar and ask him to rush to the field hospital as soon as possible, mobilize the wounded with less serious injuries to be discharged early, and add General Zholudev to the field hospital." troops."
However, when Gurov just received Chuikov's order to go to the field hospital to find the wounded to do ideological work, something unexpected happened. A regiment of the German 389th Division broke through the defense line of the 109th Regiment of the 37th Guards Division and advanced towards the bank of the Volga River.
Colonel Omelichenko, the commander of the 109th Regiment, personally led the regiment's staff and logistics personnel to engage in fierce battles with the enemies who broke through the defense line, trying to regain the occupied positions. After the battle lasted for two hours, the commanders and fighters around Omelchenko suffered all casualties. Seeing that he could not regain the lost ground with his own strength, Omelichenko could only retreat to the reserve position by the river with the remaining commanders and fighters.
When Rudev learned that Omelichenko had lost his position, he couldn't help but became angry. He shouted into the microphone: "Colonel, I order you to immediately organize forces to counterattack, and you must take back the lost position. If If we can’t regain our position, you and I will wait to go to court-martial. Do you understand?”
"I understand what you mean, comrade division commander." Faced with Zoludev's tough order, Omelchenko replied helplessly: "There are less than fifty people left in my regiment, and half of them are Even if all of the wounded are dead, I’m afraid we won’t be able to regain the position.”
Ruolujev covered the microphone with his hand and turned to ask his chief of staff Brushko: "Chief of staff, how many troops do we still have available for use?"
When Brushko heard Zholudev's question, he quickly shook his head and replied in a positive tone: "No, comrade division commander, we don't have any reserve force in our hands."
Although he heard Brushko's answer, Zholudev still asked unwillingly: "Even a hundred people will do. I will hand them over to Colonel Omelichenko and try to restore the positions occupied by the Germans."
"There is no one left, comrade division commander." Brushko reminded Zholudev: "In order to hold on to the factory, a few minutes ago, you sent the only remaining guard squad in the division to the most intense battle. finished product workshop.”
"Then what should we do? Just watch the Germans occupy the position of the 109th Regiment, and then use that as the starting point for the attack and rush to the bank of the Volga River?" Roludev roared: "If the enemy really rushes there On the banks of the Volga, that would be our dereliction of duty, and without the commander sending me to a court-martial, I would pick up a pistol and shoot myself in the head.”
"Comrade Commander, you can't be impulsive." Brushko was worried that if Ludev saw that the battle situation was not going well, he would really go to extremes, so he hugged him quickly and said to him: "Now things are not irreversible. We can still find ways to remedy the situation.”
"Then what should we do? Just watch the Germans occupy the position of the 109th Regiment, and then use that as the starting point for the attack and rush to the bank of the Volga River?" Roludev roared: "If the enemy really rushes there On the banks of the Volga, that would be our dereliction of duty, and without the commander sending me to a court-martial, I would pick up a pistol and shoot myself in the head.”
"Comrade Commander, you can't be impulsive." Brushko was worried that if Ludev saw that the battle situation was not going well, he would really go to extremes, so he hugged him quickly and said to him: "Now things are not irreversible. We can still find ways to remedy the situation.”
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Set a small goal first, such as remembering in 1 second: Shukeju
