"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 area. 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 set up 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 officially begin. .”
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 to learn 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, we 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 army would emerge from the flank, and they were caught off guard. In addition, many German soldiers were still sleeping when the battle started. After they were awakened by the sound of gunfire and explosions, it would take them a while to figure out what happened.
When they rushed out of the shelter with weapons in hand, the Soviet army had already rushed in front of them. The German officers and soldiers who were not ready for battle and who had lost their organizational structure became lambs to be slaughtered when faced with the influx of Soviet soldiers.
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 army had rushed down from the upper reaches of the Muza River and was worried that 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 such a 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 Muza 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 party do not have any heavy weapons. If the enemy's defensive position has tanks or armored vehicles, 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."
"Is it illegal crossing or forced crossing?"
"At this time, 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."
As Sokov expected, as soon as the 84th Division crossed the river, the artillery of Merefa Fortress began shelling the river. Suddenly, water columns dozens of meters high rose into the sky. Some unlucky ships were directly hit by artillery shells, and the people and the ship were blown to pieces; while some ships were overturned by the waves caused by the explosion, and the commanders and soldiers on board fell into the water. For a time, the river was filled with fallen commanders and bodies drifting with the current.
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 very far because the equipment they carried was too heavy, and they sank to the bottom of the cold river together with their equipment.
This situation continued until Soviet bombers appeared over the battlefield, bombing indiscriminately at the German fortifications on the ground and the soldiers running around. "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 area. 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 pontoon immediately?”
"Comrade Chief of Staff, it is completely necessary to set up a pontoon bridge." Sokov said to Samyko: "But we still have an important task that requires the cooperation of engineers and soldiers."
"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 officially begin. .”
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 to learn 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, we 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 army would emerge from the flank, and they were caught off guard. In addition, many German soldiers were still sleeping when the battle started. After they were awakened by the sound of gunfire and explosions, it would take them a while to figure out what happened.
When they rushed out of the shelter with weapons in hand, the Soviet army had already rushed in front of them. The German officers and soldiers who were not ready for battle and who had lost their organizational structure became lambs to be slaughtered when faced with the influx of Soviet soldiers.
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 army had rushed down from the upper reaches of the Muza River, and was worried that 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 such a delay that the panicked German army got a chance to breathe.
