The counterattack towards the bridge over the Pushor River soon began.
On the right bank of the bridge is a tank battalion and an infantry regiment; on the left bank of the bridge is the second battalion of the mechanized brigade. Both sides launched an attack on the enemy occupying the bridge at the same time.
According to General Polubyarov's idea, the Germans dispatched a tank battalion and an infantry regiment with an infantry battalion and an infantry battalion with only a dozen tanks and more than a hundred infantry. They had an absolute advantage in numbers and equipment. Even if they were trampled, all these Germans would be trampled to death.
Who knew that there were several Panther tanks among the German tanks? This was a tank specially developed by the Germans for the Soviet T-34. This tank used a new 55° sloped armor and a long-barreled 75mm main gun. , one of the most successful medium tanks of World War II.
These tanks were hidden in newly dug pits beside the bridge, with only the turrets and gun barrels exposed. As soon as they discovered that Soviet tanks had entered a distance of 500 meters, they would fire decisively. In less than a quarter of an hour, seven Soviet T-34 tanks were destroyed by German Panther tanks.
When General Polubyarov learned the news, he stamped his feet in anger. He asked his subordinates: "How many German tanks have you destroyed?"
"It's a pity, Comrade Commander." The tank battalion commander said guiltily: "The enemy's tanks were hiding in the pits, and our tanks were destroyed before they found out where they were."
"Chief of Staff." After General Polubyarov received the call from the tank battalion commander, he called the Chief of Staff over and ordered: "Immediately concentrate artillery fire on the positions beside the bridge to cover the attack of our tanks and infantry. .”
"Comrade Commander, there is something I think it is necessary to remind you." the chief of staff said cautiously: "If the artillery fire is too intensive, I am afraid the bridge will be blown up. Once the bridge is blown up, even if we eliminate the enemy, we will not be able to pass. Bridge.”
"Then let the artillerymen be careful." General Polubyarov said helplessly: "Don't blow up the bridge."
The attack on the right bank was not going well, and the left bank was not much better. Due to the cover of the tanks, the counterattacking troops could not get close to the bridge at all, and suffered heavy casualties under the German tank fire and machine gun fire. Seeing that the situation was not good, the commander of the second battalion quickly ordered the troops to temporarily stop the attack.
General Polubyarov promised Sokov that the troops would recapture the bridge before noon. As a result, the battle continued until two o'clock in the afternoon, and the bridge was still in the hands of the Germans. Corpses died in various postures, mainly those of Soviet soldiers.
The German troops holding on to the bridge were attacked, and the German troops on the periphery would not sit idly by. They launched attacks again and again towards the mechanized brigade positions. Although the mechanized brigade was not in a good position to attack the bridge, it performed admirably on defense. They tenaciously repelled three German attacks and used landmines and rocket launchers to eliminate more than a dozen German tanks.
The Soviet army could not eat the besieged bridge defenders; and the German troops who tried to reinforce the bridge defenders were unable to break through the Soviet defenses. For a time, the battle near the Pushor River Bridge fell into a stalemate.
Sokov waited until noon, but there was still no news of the recapture of the bridge. He drove to General Polubyarov's headquarters and asked angrily: "Comrade General, what is going on? Tell me, It was said that the bridge would be recovered before noon, but it is already two o'clock in the afternoon, why is the fighting still going on?"
As soon as Sokov finished speaking, General Polubyarov said with a smile: "Comrade Commander, the enemy is fighting tenaciously. We have tried our best, but we have never been able to break through the enemy's defense."
"Take me to the front and have a look." Sokov saw that General Polubyarov was helpless now. Although he was angry, he also understood that if he couldn't think of a good way, no matter how angry he was, the other party would still be unable to take it. Get off the bridge, so prepare to go to the front to see the actual situation, and then consider what tactics to use.
When Sokov and General Polubyarov arrived at the forward command post, a new round of Soviet offensive began. Seeing the attacking tanks being continuously destroyed by German tanks in the distance, and the attacking infantry falling to the enemy's guns one after another, Sokov's heart was bleeding.
He moved the telescope into the distance and found that a counterattack was also being carried out on the other side of the bridge. The enemy's defense over there seems to be not as strong as here, but it is still unable to break through the enemy's defense. Sokov put down the telescope in his hand and turned to General Polubyarov who was standing aside: "Comrade General, what's going on with the attack on the left bank? I saw that the enemy's resistance was not strong, but why couldn't they break through? Where is the enemy’s defense?”
"No way, the troops on the left bank don't have tanks." General Polubyarov said with a wry smile: "They can't suppress the enemy with firepower. Those anti-tank teams equipped with rocket launchers can't get close to the effective range to destroy the enemy. tank."
"Since the troops on the left bank don't have tanks, why don't they find a way to send them some tanks?"
"Comrade Commander, if we could send tanks across, I would have sent them a long time ago." General Polubyarov said with some helplessness: "Now the enemy firmly controls the bridge. If our tanks can rush onto the bridge, we will We can advance all the way to the other side. Then there will be no need to send tanks to support them."
"Although this bridge is occupied by the enemy, can you still use other methods to send the tanks to the other side?" After Sokov said this, he turned to the chief of staff and asked: "The engineer battalion that came with you, Have you set up the pontoon?”
"Yes, Comrade Commander, the pontoon bridge has been erected." The Army Chief of Staff nodded vigorously and replied: "Just two or three kilometers downstream, tanks, armored vehicles and trucks can pass..."
"It seems that you understand the situation quite well." After praising the other party, Sokov suddenly turned his face and said rudely: "Since the pontoon bridge has been set up, why don't you send tanks to cross the river from there? As long as the attacking troops on the left bank also have tanks, it will be much easier to recapture the bridge than it is now."
When General Polubyarov heard this, he slapped himself hard on the forehead with his palm, and then said angrily: "Confused, I am so confused. The pontoon bridge downstream has obviously been built, why didn't I Send tanks across the river from there? As long as the troops on the left bank have tanks, it will be much easier for them to capture the bridge than it is now."
Having said this, General Polubyarov ordered his chief of staff: "Immediately order the 17th Guards Tank Brigade to send a battalion of tanks down the river and cross the river on the pontoon bridge set up by the engineers to assist the troops on the left bank. , launch a new attack on the bridge."
