The 70th Army's forced crossing of the Narev River seemed to be very smooth from the very beginning. The 175th and 181st Infantry Divisions, replenished from prisoner of war camps, were the first to cross the Narev River and set up a landing ground on the right bank of the river.

Just as Popov was about to order the main force of the army group to cross the river, the Germans dispatched troops of an armored division to carry out a counterattack on the newly established landing ground of the 70th Army, trying to drive all the Soviet commanders and fighters who had not gained a firm foothold into the turbulent Narev River.

Although the two infantry divisions on the landing ground had just recently been replenished with sufficient troops. However, these commanders and fighters from the prisoner of war camps, due to the long-term abuse of German guards, their physical condition is not yet suitable for the current fierce fighting, coupled with the lack of heavy weapons, in the face of the onslaught of the German armored divisions, they have to retreat step by step towards the Narev River.

Popov, who remained on the left bank, in addition to ordering people to send telegrams to the two division commanders to resolutely resist the onslaught of the German army, also personally called Rokossovsky for help. As soon as the phone rang and Rokossovsky's voice came from the receiver, he couldn't wait to say: "Comrade Marshal, my two divisions have just completed the task of forcibly crossing the Narev River and establishing a landing ground on the opposite bank, when they are attacked by a German armored division. Due to the lack of heavy weapons of the troops crossing the river, they suffered heavy casualties in the face of the surprise attack of the German armored forces, and at the same time were forced to retreat step by step to the Narev River. ”

In the face of Popov's request for help, Rokossovsky thought for a moment, and then said: "I understand, General Popov, please tell the two division commanders on the other side that no matter how you want to hold it, I will immediately send the air force and artillery to support them." ”

After putting down the phone, Rokossovsky called Kazakov in front of him again and asked: "Kazakov, how many artillery are we deployed along the Narev River?" ”

Kazakov took out a small notebook from his pocket and looked at it, then replied: "In the area where the 70th Army crossed the river, we deployed two howitzer regiments, one cannon regiment, and already four Guards rocket battalions. ”

"That's great." Hearing that there were several artillery regiments and rocket artillery battalions near the place where the 70th Army crossed the river, Rokossovsky was overjoyed, and then instructed Kazakov: "General Kazakov, immediately send artillery observers to the other side of the Narev River, provide the artillery with firing parameters, and use artillery fire to intercept the German armored forces." ”

When Kazakov got up to call his subordinates, Rokossovsky picked up the phone again and asked the operator to connect to the command of the 16th Army of the Air Force. They are currently under heavy attack from the German armored forces, and they are almost overwhelmed, so you must be fast! Do you understand? ”

"Understood, Comrade Marshal." Rudenko replied dryly: "I will immediately send an aviation division to bomb the German armored units rushing to the landing site." ”

Rokossovsky put down the phone, looked at the map on the opposite wall, and muttered: "I did everything that should be done." General Popov, whether you can hold the landing ground on the right bank of the Narev River depends on you! ”

At the same time, Popov was in his command headquarters, angry at the director of the communications corps: "What do you mean that you can't be contacted, is there something wrong with their radio station?" ”

"I don't think so." The director of the communications corps shook his head and said: "The communications equipment equipped with these two divisions has been in use for less than half a year, and it should not malfunction. Even if it were to fail, it would not be possible for the radio stations of both divisions to fail at the same time, so I think that their headquarters was attacked by the enemy, so the radio stations had to be transferred. ”

"Do you know what you're talking about?" Pointing to the nose of the chief of the communications corps, Popov said: "If the radio station has to be transferred, that is, the division headquarters is under attack." Can't our commanders and fighters even protect their own divisions? ”

In the face of Popov's questioning, the director of the communications corps hurriedly closed his mouth, not daring to argue with him anymore. Fortunately, the chief of staff came out to relieve the siege: "Comrade commander, although we are temporarily unable to get in touch with the other side, we can still hear the fierce gunfire, which proves that our troops are fighting to the death with the enemy. I think that the telegram from the two division commanders, Seryosha and Vanya, should be received soon. ”

When Popov heard the chief of staff say this, the anger in his heart finally calmed down a little. He returned to his place and sat down, looked up and asked the chief of staff: "Comrade Chief of Staff, has the front army command taken any measures in response to our request for help?" ”

"I have just received a call from Chief of Staff Malinin," the chief of staff quickly replied in a respectful manner when he heard Popov's question: "He said that the marshal had already transferred the artillery regiment and the air force to the Narev River to support the landing ground on the opposite bank. I think that in this way, the situation of our army there will improve. ”

"That's good, that's good." After Popov said two good things in a row, he said with some chagrin: "I would have known that I would not have dared to send those two divisions to cross the river, there are quite a lot of them, but in the face of the German attack, they actually behaved so vulnerable." ”

The chief of staff, after answering a phone call halfway through, reported to Popov: "Comrade commander, according to the report of the riverside observation post, the division headquarters of the 175th Infantry Division has been occupied by the Germans, but the commanders and fighters of the division continue to fight. I think Colonel Seryosha should have moved safely before the division headquarters was occupied by the Germans. ”

"It seems so." When Popov said this, he couldn't help but turn his head and glance at the chief of the communications corps, and thought with a little guilt that he was wrong to blame, and the loss of contact with the two divisions on the right bank was not a communication problem, but that both divisions were attacked by the Germans, and they had to be transferred, and it was inevitable that they would lose contact with the headquarters.

The German armored units, which were rushing towards the Narev River, were stopped by bombardment by the Soviet air force and artillery shelling. In order to avoid further losses, they stopped the attack on the landing site and slowly retreated to the starting point of the attack.

With the retreat of the German troops, the chaotic situation in the landing field gradually calmed down. The two division commanders, who had to abandon the division headquarters in order to avoid the German attack, sent telegrams to Popov one after another, reporting to him: "Comrade commander, we have returned to the command post, and the situation of the landing field, which was out of control, has been completely controlled. As soon as the follow-up troops arrive, we can launch a new offensive into the depth of the enemy's defenses. ”