Long before Katukov's troops advanced to the Gulf of Gdansk, the Soviets launched an attack on the perimeter of Tsopot. The German units holding the perimeter at that time were the 12th Air Force Field Division and a Grenadier Division with low combat effectiveness, so the progress of the troops was very smooth.

Before handing over his duties, the commander of the German Army Group, Weiss, transferred the 4th Panzer Division, which was highly combat-ready, and another grenadier division to Zopt. Under the stubborn resistance of these two German divisions, the Soviet offensive on Tsopott failed. Later, as the armies adjusted the direction of their attacks, the attack on the city was temporarily stopped.

According to Rokossovsky's thinking, since the number of troops attacking Gdynia and Danzig had increased, it was somewhat irrelevant whether or not to capture Tsopott first. But what he didn't expect was that Katukov's troops would suffer such a big loss when attacking Gdynia. Therefore, he decided to follow the original plan, first to capture Tsopot, and then to attack Gdynia and then Danzig.

The 19th Army's offensive on Tsopott officially began at two o'clock in the afternoon. After the hour-and-a-half-long shelling, the infantry division, which was on the main offensive mission, launched an attack on the German defensive positions under the cover of the 18th Guards Tank Brigade.

The reason why Romanovsky refused the request for the 70th Army to help in the battle was that there were many forests, swamps, and lakes here, and the troops could only advance along the road to attack. If a large number of troops were crowded on the narrow road, whether it was the enemy's artillery or the warships in the harbor, it would cause huge casualties to the Soviet army.

Two-thirds of the more than 1,000 artillery pieces that participated in the shelling were subordinate to the artillery units of the Front Army. The powerful artillery fire destroyed the outlying positions of the German army, and the enemy, who held here, was either killed or stunned, and in the face of the rushing Soviet tanks and infantry, they simply could not organize a decent resistance.

The outlying positions, which were eight kilometers deep, were taken by the Soviets in just two hours. Then, just as the vanguard was about to storm into the city, it was suddenly attacked by heavy artillery fire, and the tanks that rushed to the front were destroyed or overturned by artillery fire, and the infantry following the tanks were blown to pieces.

Knowing that the attacking troops had suffered unexpected artillery fire, Romanovsky hurriedly asked the commander of the advance division: "Comrade Colonel, what is going on, where did the shells come from?" ”

Since the German shells exploded just a hundred meters away from the division headquarters, the division commander had to shout at the top of his voice: "Comrade commander, judging by the direction from which the shells are flying, they are from the sea." ”

"What, you're being shelled from the sea?" After listening to the report of the division commander, Romanovsky could not help but be taken aback, he tilted his head to look out the window at the twilight that had gradually fallen, frowned and said: "Let the troops stop the attack first, choose a suitable place for concealment, and I will immediately report this matter to the marshal." ”

Rokossovsky received a call from Romanovsky and learned that the troops attacking Tsopott had come under artillery fire from the sea, and he couldn't help but be furious. He first said to Romanovsky: "Comrade General, it is already dark, order your troops to temporarily stop the offensive and move to the defense on the spot, and I will immediately settle the matter of German artillery fire." ”

After putting down the phone, Rokossovsky walked to the door of his office and shouted at Bogolyubov, who was busy in the war room: "Chief of staff, come to me." ”

Bogolyubov did not know what was happening, and hurriedly trotted over to Rokossovsky and respectfully asked: "Comrade Marshal, what instructions do you have?" ”

"Let me ask you, have you sent all the telegrams to the fleet and the air force?"

"Of course it went out!" Bogolyubov nodded and replied: "Considering that the troops attacking Tsopot may be attacked by German ships from the sea, I have the air force and navy go out to the bay to prevent the German ships from approaching this area." ”

"Now that the telegram has been sent." Rokossovsky asked with a straight face: "Then why were the troops attacking Tsopott still shelled by German ships?" ”

"What, the troops attacking Tsopott were attacked by German ships?" Hearing Rokossovsky say this, Bogolyubov said half-convinced: "It's impossible." How could German ships reach the bay silently under the blockade of our navy and air force? ”

"Comrade Chief of Staff, today the enemy's ships are shelling our offensive forces. In order to prevent unnecessary casualties, I have ordered the 19th Army to suspend the offensive. Rokossovsky instructed Bogolyubov: "If it is already dark today, it is not appropriate to send out the air force or navy." You immediately inform General Sokolisky to come to me. ”

Bogolyubov remembered that some time ago Sokolsky had proposed to form a long-range artillery group to deal with German ships anchored in the bay. Now when he heard that Rokossovsky asked him to call Sokolisky, he guessed that it might be for the sake of the artillery group, so he asked tentatively: "Comrade Marshal, are you going to order General Sokolisky to use a long-range artillery group against the German ships?" ”

"Yes!" Rokossovsky nodded and gave him an affirmative answer: "Since neither the Air Force nor the Navy can count on it, then it will be possible to defuse the crisis only with our artillery." ”

Seeing that his guess was correct, Bogolyubov hurriedly agreed, walked to the telephone and called Sokolisky, asking him to come to the headquarters as soon as possible.

Sokolisky learned that the marshal had something urgent to find him, and he did not dare to slack off, so he hurriedly put down the work in hand and rushed over. Five minutes later, he appeared in Rokossovsky's office.

As soon as Rokossovsky saw him coming, without waiting for him to salute, he grabbed him by the arm, dragged him to the wall, pointed to the map above and said: "Comrade General, our troops attacking Tsopott were attacked by German ships. Since it is getting late, our air force and navy are powerless against the enemy's ships, so I intend to have your long-range artillery group go against the enemy. How, are there any difficulties? ”

Sokolisky hesitated for a moment and said: "Comrade Marshal, our artillery must be as close to the sea as possible in order to pose a threat to the German ships. ”

Thinking of using artillery to bombard German ships, Rokossovsky's heart suddenly remembered Babajanyan's tank brigade, and he couldn't help but ask with some concern: "Comrade General, if you deploy artillery on the seashore, isn't it easy to become a target for German ships?" ”

"There's no way around it, because if it's too far away, the shelling will be much less effective, so you have to get as close to the sea as possible." Sokolsky said helplessly: "The artillery can set off in an hour at the earliest, and by the time they reach the beach, it should be almost dawn." Comrade Marshal, I hope to receive support from the Air Force in order to minimize losses. ”

"Don't worry, Comrade General." Rokossovsky promised Sokolisky: "I will call Vershinin later and order him to send bombers to bomb the enemy's ships as soon as it is dawn." ”

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