When the tanks of the Soviet tank brigade approached the Vistula, the pontoon bridge erected by the engineering units was completed. So the tank units formed a column and passed over the newly built pontoon bridge in turn.

General Proshlyakov stood in his headquarters, looked at the tank units that were moving through the pontoon bridge towards the opposite bank, sighed, and said: "Thank God, the pontoon bridge has finally been erected, so that the commanders and fighters at the landing site on the opposite bank will not be short of heavy weapons." ”

The staff officer who had persuaded Proshlyakov to transfer, looking at the tanks and trucks on the bank waiting to cross the river, could not help but say with emotion: "Fortunately, the German planes were driven away by our fighters. Otherwise, with so many tanks and artillery gathered here, wouldn't it have become a target for the Luftwaffe! ”

As soon as he finished speaking, a whistle was heard outside, and then someone was heard shouting loudly: "Alarm, air raid siren, air raid siren!" ”

Proshlyakov glared fiercely at the crow-billed staff officer, picked up the binoculars and looked into the air, trying to see how many enemy planes were coming.

The enemy planes were in a four-plane formation, and the dense enemy planes floated like dark clouds from the west bank of the Vistula River. Seeing that the enemy plane actually had such a large scale, Proshlyakov's heart rose to his throat. He secretly said in his heart: "Hell, there are so many enemy planes, can Polish anti-aircraft artillery repel them?" ”

And the anti-aircraft artillery deployed on the side of the Vistula River also spotted a group of German aircraft flying over. Standing in front of his temporary headquarters, Colonel Prokopovich picked up the microphone and said loudly to several commanders of the anti-aircraft artillery regiment under him: "Comrade commanders, the enemy planes are trying to blow up the pontoon bridge erected by friendly forces over the Vistula, and you must not let their plot succeed immediately." ”

As the order to open fire was issued, more than 100 anti-aircraft guns deployed on the east bank of the Vistula River opened fire at the same time, and countless black smoke balls suddenly bloomed in the air. Although a couple of unlucky enemy planes were hit by shrapnel from anti-aircraft guns and either exploded in volleys, or dragged long black smoke bands and flew into the distance. But more planes entered the area where the Soviets had erected pontoon bridges and began to dive and drop bombs. On the fast-flowing Vistula River, columns of water soared into the sky.

When Chuikov reported the news of the bombing of the pontoon bridge, he immediately reported it to Rokossovsky, and he said excitedly: "Comrade Marshal, the Germans have dispatched a large number of bombers to bomb the pontoon bridge that our army has just completed, and we ask for air force support, and we ask for air force support, and we ask for air force support......

"General Chuikov, don't be in a hurry." Seeing that Chuikov was so anxious, Rokossovsky hurriedly comforted him and said: "I will immediately order General Porenin to send the air force to support you." ”

"Comrade Marshal," said Chuikov, anxious and impolite, "as soon as the pontoon bridge is blown up by German aircraft, then our troops holding on to the landing ground on the opposite bank will be driven into the Vistula by the Germans in front of them, because they have no heavy weapons." ”

"I see, General Chuikov." Rokossovsky knew the reason why Chuikov was in a hurry, so he didn't care about his attitude, and repeated what he had just said: "I will order the air force to immediately attack and drive away all the enemy planes." ”

After ending the call with Chuikov, Rokossovsky personally called Polenin and said straight to the point: "Comrade General, the pontoon bridge erected by our army over the Vistula River is being heavily bombed by the German army, and I order you to immediately send all the fighters that can be sent to drive away all the enemy planes over the Vistula River." ”

"Comrade Marshal," Porenin said with some embarrassment, "we can now take off no more than twenty fighters. ”

"What, only twenty fighters?" Rokossovsky was taken aback when he heard that the number of fighters that the Air Force could dispatch was so small, and he hurriedly asked: "What the hell is going on, why are there so few planes that can be dispatched?" ”

"Comrade Marshal, you should know." Porenin said aggrievedly, "There are as many as three army groups that need the support of our group army, and all the air forces are scattered. Therefore, now there are only twenty fighters that can support General Chuikov. ”

Rokossovsky weighed the stakes, and then said to Porenin: "General Porainin, immediately order all the fighters to rush to Chuikov's area. As for air support for other areas, it was temporarily suspended. We must not allow the German planes to blow up the pontoon bridge that we had so hard to erect. ”

"Understood, Comrade Marshal." Porenin was also a clever woman who could not cook without rice, and when he heard that all the fighters could be used in one place, he suddenly came to his senses and hurriedly said: "I immediately give an order to all the troops, let them rush to the area of the Chuikov Army Group, and drive out those enemy planes that are bombing. ”

While German planes were bombing the pontoon bridge over the Vistula, the German Goering launched a counterattack in a settlement called Khodków. Due to the lack of sufficient anti-tank weapons in the defenders, after a fierce battle, the settlement was occupied by Goering's division.

When Chuikov learned about the loss of the Khodkuv settlement, he immediately lashed out at Shugaev: "Comrade Colonel, how did you do it, why did you lose the settlement to the Germans? ”

"Comrade Commander, please listen to my explanation." Hearing Chuikov's rage, Shugaev hurriedly explained: "We held a battalion in the settlement, fought stubbornly in the face of the enemy's fierce offensive, and in the end less than a company of fighters withdrew. However, according to the information we have, there are still two combat groups in the settlement, about a dozen fighters, and they are still fighting, and I am sure that they will be able to break through the encirclement of the Germans......"

"Break through the encirclement, Comrade Colonel, let me ask you, where are you going to let them break through?" Without waiting for Shugaev to finish, Chuikov angrily interrupted what he was talking about and asked: "Are you going to let them break through in the direction of the Vistula?" ”

Shugaev had never seen Chuikov so angry that he didn't dare to speak while holding the microphone.

Seeing that the other party did not speak, Chuikov became even more angry, and he said into the microphone: "Colonel Shugaev, I will give you an hour, you must take back the Khodkuv settlement to me, if you can't complete the task, you will wait to go to the military court." ”

After hearing this, Shugaev did not make any excuses, he knew very well in his heart that in the current situation, even if he made any excuses, it would be useless, on the contrary, it would have the opposite effect of adding fuel to the fire. Therefore, after waiting for Chuikov to finish speaking, he immediately expressed his position and said: "Comrade commander, please rest assured, I will immediately organize troops and take back the Khodkuv settlement from the enemy's hands. ”

After Shugaev put down the phone, he said to the chief of staff of the division: "Chief of staff, you stay in the division headquarters to direct the operation, and the people who can hold guns in the division headquarters, whether they are soldiers or officers, come with me, we are going to take back the Khodkuv settlement." ”

Hearing that Shugaev was going to personally lead his troops to recapture the Khodkuv settlement, the chief of staff of the division was frightened, and hurriedly grabbed his arm and said anxiously: "Comrade division commander, you are the commander of the first division, how can you personally go to the charge?" In this case, you stay here and continue to command the battle, and I will lead the people to take back the settlement. ”

"No, I don't worry about you going, or I'll take someone with me." Shugaev said stubbornly.

Just when the two were arguing over who would command the troops to recapture the settlement, a staff officer walked in quickly and said to Shugaev with an excited face: "Comrade division commander, good news, good news!" ”

Hearing the staff officer say this, Shugaev was stunned for a moment, and then asked in surprise: "Could it be that our troops have taken back the settlement?" ”

"Settlement, what settlement?" The staff officer said with a bewildered expression: "Comrade division commander, I want to report to you that there are five tanks of our army, which have arrived at the landing site, and they are only a few hundred meters away from our headquarters. ”

"Great, that's great." Although only five tanks arrived, it was great news for Shugaev, so that the troops would have tanks to provide fire support when they counterattacked the Khodkuv settlement. He hurriedly instructed the staff officer: "Hurry up and take me over!" ”

Half an hour later, a commando of 400 people, organized by Shugaev, guided by five Soviet T-34 tanks, launched an attack on the Khodkuv settlement.

The Germans, who had just occupied the settlement of Khodkuw and had not yet gained a foothold, saw Soviet tanks rushing towards them, and immediately became a mess. As soon as several firing points outside the residential area opened fire on the rushing Soviet troops, they were swept away by Soviet tank fire, and the German officers and men in the firing points were either killed or wounded.

Seeing the fire points outside the settlements, under the shelling of tanks, one after another were pulled out. The morale of the commanders and fighters was immediately boosted, and they shouted slogans and followed the tanks towards the Khodkuv settlement. From time to time, they shot down the anti-tank men who tried to rush out, covering the tank's smooth rush forward.

The two battle groups that were stuck in the settlement, originally besieged in a small building by superior German forces, were immediately facing the situation of running out of ammunition and food. At this moment, he saw that his troops had launched a counterattack, and the shooting on the Germans became fierce again. The German troops besieging Xiaolou, seeing that the large forces of the Soviet army were rushing up from behind, had no intention of continuing the battle, and after making a sound, they turned around and fled towards the west of the settlement.

The settlement of Khodkuv was recaptured, and in order to prevent it from being taken by the Germans again, Shugaev ordered five tanks to remain in the settlement as a fixed fire point to provide the necessary artillery support for the defending troops.

However, there are many good things, the Khodkuw settlement here has just been recaptured, and from the left flank of the defensive zone, bad news has come again: the Studjiangji settlement is under the onslaught of the German armored division, and the defenders can no longer support it. The battalion commander, who was stuck in the settlement, had already called the division headquarters several times in a row, asking for reinforcements.

When Shugaev heard the news, he couldn't help but have a headache, so at the moment he had no mobile forces in his hands. The troops that can be deployed, and even the division staff officers and logistics personnel who can pick up guns, are all in the Khodkuw settlement at the moment. In desperation, he had no choice but to call Chuikov.

On the phone, Shugaev first reported to Chuikov the good news that the Khodkuv settlement had been recovered, and while the other party was happy, he cautiously said that the Studjiangki settlement was being attacked by the Germans, and because of the lack of troops, the settlement was already in a precarious situation, and asked Chuikov if he could send troops to support?

In response to Shugaev's request, Chuikov was silent for a long time, he knew that once the settlement of Studjiangki was lost, it would be equivalent to allowing the Germans to occupy a starting point for the offensive in the landing field, so after careful consideration, he said to Shugaev: "Comrade Colonel, I will immediately order General Pankov's 88th Guards Division to quickly move closer to you, and they will take charge of the defense of your left side. ”

The two battle groups that were stuck in the settlement, originally besieged in a small building by superior German forces, were immediately facing the situation of running out of ammunition and food. At this moment, he saw that his troops had launched a counterattack, and the shooting on the Germans became fierce again. The German troops besieging Xiaolou, seeing that the large forces of the Soviet army were rushing up from behind, had no intention of continuing the battle, and after making a sound, they turned around and fled towards the west of the settlement.

The settlement of Khodkuv was recaptured, and in order to prevent it from being taken by the Germans again, Shugaev ordered five tanks to remain in the settlement as a fixed fire point to provide the necessary artillery support for the defending troops.

However, there are many good things, the Khodkuw settlement here has just been recaptured, and from the left flank of the defensive zone, bad news has come again: the Studjiangji settlement is under the onslaught of the German armored division, and the defenders can no longer support it. The battalion commander, who was stuck in the settlement, had already called the division headquarters several times in a row, asking for reinforcements.

When Shugaev heard the news, he couldn't help but have a headache, so at the moment he had no mobile forces in his hands. The troops that can be deployed, and even the division staff officers and logistics personnel who can pick up guns, are all in the Khodkuw settlement at the moment. In desperation, he had no choice but to call Chuikov.

On the phone, Shugaev first reported to Chuikov the good news that the Khodkuv settlement had been recovered, and while the other party was happy, he cautiously said that the Studjiangki settlement was being attacked by the Germans, and because of the lack of troops, the settlement was already in a precarious situation, and asked Chuikov if he could send troops to support?

In response to Shugaev's request, Chuikov was silent for a long time, he knew that once the settlement of Studjiangki was lost, it would be equivalent to allowing the Germans to occupy a starting point for the offensive in the landing field, so after careful consideration, he said to Shugaev: "Comrade Colonel, I will immediately order General Pankov's 88th Guards Division to quickly move closer to you, and they will take charge of the defense of your left side. ”