The day before the attack, only two of the seven divisions promised by Stalin were in place, while the troops of the other five divisions were still marching on the road, and they had to wait three to five days at the earliest after the offensive campaign to reach the originally set offensive positions. Pen ~ fun ~ pavilion www.biquge.info

According to the plan, Malinovsky's 66th Army, after being replenished, would launch an offensive against the German positions in front of it, with the cooperation of a part of the 24th Army and the Air Force. In the shortest possible time, break through the German defenses north of Stalingrad and rush into the city to join Chuikov's 62nd Army.

Not only were the attacking forces much smaller than expected, but even the air force was unable to provide the necessary air cover for the 66th Army on the day of the attack because of an accident.

Rokossovsky couldn't help but be stunned after receiving Rudenko's call, he never dreamed that there would be an outbreak of cholera in the air base using rats as a carrier, and the vast majority of pilots were infected with this epidemic, and severe diarrhea made them unable to even walk, let alone fly fighter planes to fight the Luftwaffe in the air. The few pilots who have not yet been infected with the epidemic have also been urgently quarantined to prevent them from losing their combat effectiveness due to the disease.

When Rokossovsky euphemistically asked Rudenko whether it would be possible to let those pilots who were not yet sick fly their fighters over the battlefield to provide the necessary air cover for the attacking Soviet troops, Rudenko refused without hesitation: "I'm sorry, comrade commander, I also know that our infantry brothers urgently need the support of the air force when attacking, but I can't do it, we can't provide them with any support." ”

Rokossovsky was confused by Rudenko's words, and he asked puzzledly: "Comrade Rudenko, I know that a large number of pilots in the Air Force have been infected with cholera, but there are still a small number of pilots who are safe and sound, so why can't they be allowed to take to the skies in fighter planes to provide limited air support for our ground forces?" ”

"Comrade commander, it's not that I refuse to send my pilots to attack, but I really can't help it." Rudenko cried: "Rats spread cholera in our airfields, and at the same time bit the rubber insulation of the planes. We are now in the process of inspecting all the aircraft to determine which ones have been bitten by rats with rubber insulation......"

After listening to Rudenko's report, Rokossovsky suddenly fell into an ice cellar and was about to attack the German army, but the number of artillery and tanks that can provide fire support for the troops is very limited. He thought that with his own air force, he could control the air supremacy on the battlefield and make the situation more favorable to his side, but who knew that the air force had suffered rat infestation and cholera again, and had completely lost its combat effectiveness.

Malinin, who was standing on the side, saw Rokossovsky put down the phone, he kept staring at the ceiling in a daze, and hurriedly stepped forward and asked with concern: "Comrade commander, since a lot of unexpected things have happened, can our attack on the German army be postponed or canceled?" ”

"No, Comrade Chief of Staff." Malinin's voice woke Rokossovsky from his contemplation, he looked up at Malinin, and said word by word with a straight face: "The attack on the enemy north of Stalingrad is a combat order issued by the base camp, and no one has the right to cancel this attack except the Supreme Commander himself." You immediately call General Malinovsky and tell him that the offensive is going on schedule, but without the support of the Air Force, and let him find a way to overcome all difficulties and launch an offensive against the enemy's defensive positions as planned. ”

"Comrade Commander," Ma Linin did not leave immediately after receiving the order, but said thoughtfully: "Cholera is the most common epidemic in summer, and now it is winter, why is this situation suddenly happening?" Could it be that the Germans used biological weapons against us? ”

"Biological weapons?" When Rokossovsky heard this word, his heart couldn't help but sink suddenly, and his heart said, Could it be that the Germans were really so despicable that they could not win on the battlefield with dignity, so they used biological and chemical weapons? But on second thought, no, in the history I know, the German army has never used any biological or chemical weapons on the Soviet-German battlefield, is this just a coincidence?

Thinking of this, he hurriedly instructed Ma Linin: "Immediately send medical personnel to the air base to treat those pilots infected with cholera." In addition, special personnel have been deployed to assist the Air Force in carrying out rodent eradication operations. ”

The assault on the north side of Stalingrad began as scheduled, and the units of the 66th Army, after a short period of artillery preparation, rushed into the fortified German positions, accompanied by a limited number of tanks.

In the face of the Soviet troops rushing up like a tide, the German officers and soldiers hid in the fortifications that had been repaired long ago, firing frantically with machine guns, submachine guns, and rifles, blocking the path of the Soviet charge with dense firepower. Hanging fire from mortars isolated Soviet infantry from tanks.

Due to the lack of sufficient artillery and tanks, the German fortifications, which were originally not to be a cause for concern, became an insurmountable trench, and pieces of Soviet commanders and fighters fell under German fire, and layers of corpses were covered in front of the German positions.

Seeing a large number of casualties among the attacking troops, Malinovsky, who was supervising the battle at the observation post, couldn't help but feel like a knife, and he hurriedly dialed Rokossovsky's phone and said with a crying voice: "Comrade commander, the German fortifications are too strong, and we lack the weapons to attack the fortifications, and the attacking troops have suffered heavy casualties. ”

Rokossovsky was not a cold-blooded commander, and he would never have shouted such ruthless words as "I don't want casualties, I just want positions." After a long silence, he instructed Malinovsky: "Concentrate the tanks and artillery in one area, and then launch a rapid charge on the Germans there, trying to open a gap in the strong German line." ”

"I see, Comrade Commander." Malinovsky was also a smart man, and immediately understood Rokossovsky's intentions, and hurriedly replied: "I immediately gathered all the tanks of the tank battalion, chose a certain defensive area of the German army, and carried out a forced assault, striving to tear a hole here." ”

"Very well, Comrade Malinovsky." Seeing that the other party understood his intentions, Rokossovsky said with satisfaction: "Then I will wait here for the good news of your victory." ”

Malinovsky gathered the remaining 40 tanks in the army group and, under the cover of an artillery regiment, led the infantry to break through a weakly defended German position and rush towards Stalingrad.

Originally, according to the plan, while the Don Front was attacking, Chuikov's troops should also launch a counterattack from the Mamayev Gang and crush the German troops in the middle by flanking from both sides, so as to achieve the goal of the two armies meeting their divisions. But regrettably, not long after the start of Malinovsky's offensive, the Germans launched a ferocious attack on the Mamayev Hills, and after more than an hour of fierce fighting, the entire hill was occupied by the Germans, and the Chuikov troops who were driven down the hill were compressed in a narrow strip near the Mamayev port.

Without the support of Chuikov's troops, Malinovsky's troops were blocked by the Germans as they rushed to the Mamayev Heights, just five kilometers from the Mamayev Heights. Although the Soviets launched wave after wave of stubborn attacks, they were never able to break through the German defenses. By the time the German reserves arrived, the Soviet troops, who had been fighting for almost a day, were exhausted and ineffective in the face of the German fresh forces. After a fierce battle, the Soviet army, suffering heavy losses, had no choice but to retreat north. The hope of joining forces with the 62nd Army was completely dashed.