Putting down the phone, I instinctively asked, "How many kilometers is one verst?" ”

After listening to my question, Akhromeyev preemptively replied briefly: "Report to the division commander, one kilometer is equal to 0.937 versts." ”

When I was mentally calculating how many kilometers 50 versts is worth, Kirillov next to me asked me worriedly: "Comrade Oshanina, what are you asking about this, what is going on?" ”

"Comrade Political Commissar, the current situation is very bad." I did not intend to hide the bad news I had just received, so I told Kirillov the truth: "The enemy's 57th Panzer Corps has broken through several lines of defense of our army in succession, and only the last 50 versts are left from their besieged troops. ”

This unexpected bad news took everyone by surprise. Pandereev asked worriedly: "Comrade division commander, with the assault capabilities of the German armored forces, they may be able to join the surrounded Paulus troops one day." In this way, our encirclement of the German army will be broken, and the plan of encirclement and annihilation of the German army will be completely frustrated, and there is even the possibility of being counter-encircled by the German army. ”

Pandereev's concerns were echoed by others, and Akhromeyev, who had always been fond of opposing him, made a similar statement: "Comrade division commander, if this is really the case, it is only a matter of time before the encirclement is broken by the Germans. At such a time, shouldn't we consider what ↖ we should do in response to the two German armies? ”

And Kirillov, who was obviously more thoughtful than the two, waited for Akhromeyev to finish speaking, and asked me calmly: "Comrade Oshanina." What did Comrade Commander say? ”

I shook my head. He said helplessly: "The commander, the military commissar and the chief of staff are not at the headquarters. They all went to the headquarters of the Front for an emergency military meeting. I added in an uncertain tone, "Perhaps it was Commander Yeremenko who summoned them to discuss how to deal with the current crisis." ”

Hearing that Chuikov and they had gone to the military commissar, Kirillov couldn't help but let out a long sigh, and then asked my opinion: "Comrade Oshanina, what do you think of the current situation?" Will the German division in our encirclement lead the whole battle situation to be reversed? ”

Seeing that all three of them were worried about the situation of our army, I hurriedly comforted them and said: "Don't worry too much, everyone, although the German army is currently attacking fiercely on the periphery of the encirclement. But it is not easy for them to get through the 50 versts to achieve a division, and I believe that the commanders of the front army will definitely take corresponding measures to deal with such a crisis. ”

"Comrade division commander," Akhromeyev asked in a skeptical tone, still after listening to my words, "do you really think that our troops can block the surprise attack of the German armored forces in the open area?" ”

In response to his question, I nodded and said in an affirmative tone: "Comrade Chief of Staff." The reason why I think that our friendly forces can hold back the continued assault of the German armored forces. This is because the air supremacy on the battlefield is now firmly in the hands of our army's air forces. No matter how many enemy tanks there are, it will be difficult to break through our three-dimensional defense line consisting of aircraft, artillery and tanks. Look, in a few days, Hort's 4th Panzer Army will be retreating in disgrace. ”

When I finished speaking, Bandereev immediately pressed me and asked: "Comrade division commander, do you think Paulus's troops will also escape from our encirclement with them?" ”

"Paulus's troops want to escape from our encirclement?!" After repeating the words of Bandereev, I said contemptuously: "If the Germans had been able to escape, they would have fled a long time ago, and they would not have been so stupid as they are now, waiting for the rescue of their own friendly troops." ”

"Do you mean that the Paulus troops in the encirclement will not retreat casually even after joining up with the friendly forces that have come to the rescue?" Akhromeyev interjected and asked: "Comrade division commander, is this possible?" ”

Although I am well acquainted with this period of history and clearly know the final fate of Paulus's troops, in front of them, I cannot explain the truth, and can only say vaguely: "According to the judgment of the Supreme Command, the reason why Hitler did not allow Paulus's troops to break through was to let him contain our three front armies here, so that the German Army Group 'A', which was fighting in the Caucasus, would also fall into our encirclement." Therefore, even if Hort's armored forces and Paulus's troops met, in the end, Paulus, who did not have Hitler's permission, did not dare to give his subordinates the order to retreat casually, so they still could not escape the fate of being surrounded and annihilated by our army in the end. ”

My words calmed the three of them, and after a while Pandereev asked me again: "Comrade division commander, when can we launch a final assault on the encircled German troops?" ”

"Don't worry, Comrade Deputy Division Commander." I smiled and said to him, "I'm sure this day will come soon." ”

After saying this, I instructed Akhromeyev: "Comrade Chief of Staff, call several regiment commanders and ask them to temporarily stop small-scale offensive operations and maintain a standoff with the Germans in their existing positions. ”

"Yes!" Akhromeyev agreed, and was ordered to call several regiment commanders.

Kirillov glanced at Akhromeyev's back, and then whispered to me: "Comrade Oshanina, do you really think that Paulus's troops will not escape from our encirclement?" ”

"Yes, Comrade Commissar." I said in a firm tone: "They have no way to escape, but to stay in the encirclement honestly and wait to be annihilated by us." ”

"That's right, Comrade Division Commander." Pantai Laiev, who was looking at the map, suddenly looked up at me and said, "There is one thing that I almost forgot to report to you. ”

Bantai Leev's words shocked my heart, and I secretly said that there would be something wrong again, so I hurriedly asked: "Comrade Deputy Division Commander, what is the matter?" ”

"Two days ago, I saw German transport planes airdropping supplies into the German-occupied areas of the city. Due to the problem of wind direction, a lot of materials drifted to a place not far from the first and fourth regiments. "I have an idea, can we send troops to grab these airdropped materials when the Germans are airdropping?" ”

"Comrade Deputy Division Commander. You're good at building this. "Thinking of Paulus's troops being surrounded by us. The supply of troops can only be limited by airdrop of the Air Force. After hearing about Bantai Laiev's plan to draw salaries from the bottom of the kettle, I agreed without thinking: "You will be responsible for this matter, and I will let the first regiment and the fourth regiment each draw two companies to cooperate with you." ”

"Comrade Division Commander, what plan are you discussing?" Akhromeyev, who had finished the call, happened to hear what I was saying, and couldn't help but ask curiously: "I wonder if there is a place where I can help?" ”

"That's right, Comrade Chief of Staff." To carry out such a task, Akhromeyev must have helped to give orders, so I told him bluntly: "The deputy division commander said that the German army airdropped a lot of supplies every day. They all fell not far from the defense areas of our 1st and 4th regiments, and he planned to take his troops to grab some airdropped supplies and come back. ”

"Our current supply situation is also very bad, and we are just using the airdropped materials we have looted to replenish the troops." Without waiting for Akhromeyev to speak, Kirillov said excitedly: "We can even set up an ambush around the airdrop supplies that have landed, and catch the Germans who come to carry the supplies by surprise." ”

Akhromeyev did not finish speaking, but pulled the map on the table in front of him, and after looking at it for a while, he pointed to the map and said: "Comrade division commander, according to the information reported by various regiments in the past few days. In front of the defense area of the 4th Regiment was an open field, which was also an airdrop point for the German army. German troops would come here every day to collect their airdrops. However, in the middle of the clearing there is a four-story house, which is currently occupied by German troops. If we want to rob them of the airdropped supplies, the condescending German troops in the building can use dense firepower to kill and wound our commanders and fighters in large numbers. ”

Bandereev leaned his head over to look at it, and then said resolutely: "Then before the enemy's airdrop begins, we will send troops to seize the building where the enemy is entrenched." As long as we occupy this building, we can block the entire drop field with firepower. If the Germans don't show up, we can beat them to the point that they can escape. ”

"Since the deputy division commander is so confident, let's implement this plan." Seeing that Bandereev had already considered it in detail, I did not object, so I nodded in agreement and instructed Akhromeyev: "Chief of Staff, call the commander of the fourth regiment, Lieutenant Colonel Gaidar, and ask him to transfer one of the strongest companies to participate in this attack." ”

The assault on the building where the Germans were located was carried out at dawn the next day. Pandereev and I stood in the fortified bunker two or three hundred meters away from the building, holding up binoculars and watching as the commanders and fighters of about a platoon of our army were divided into several groups, bent over with guns in hand, and quickly rushed towards the building where the enemy was located.

Before our fighters could approach the building, they were discovered by the enemy in the building. Muzzle flames suddenly erupted from several windows on the first floor, and several soldiers who rushed to the front fell to the ground amid the gunfire. The fighters in the back hurriedly lay down and, while firing back with the weapons in their hands, threw a grenade emitting white smoke into the window of the building.

After a series of explosions, the fire on the first floor was noticeably weakened, and our fighters jumped up from the ground and quickly rushed into the building. Although the firepower on the first floor has weakened, there are still many remnants of the German army, and from the flash of light coming from the building, it is clear that our commanders and fighters are fighting with them house by house.

Seeing that the troops in front rushed into the building, from the fortifications near us, dozens of fighters jumped out and rushed towards the building with weapons in hand. The Germans upstairs saw that another unit rushed up and hurriedly fired flares into the air. With the lifting of several flares, the figure of our charging warrior was clearly exposed to the open ground. Countless muzzle flames came out of the windows of the second and third floors of the German troops, and they tried to block the way of our army's advance with intensive firepower.

Under the enemy's intensive firepower, the commanders and fighters of the second echelon suffered more than a dozen casualties at once. The rest hurriedly lay down on the spot, using the remains of their fallen comrades as cover, and fired at the Germans upstairs.

Judging by the firepower of the Germans, they were much stronger than our attacking forces, and without the cover of artillery fire, it would have been difficult for these infantry to capture the building. Thinking of this, I put down my binoculars, turned my head and shouted out the door: "Hey, who's outside, come in alone." ”

At my shout, Yushchenko walked in from outside, straightened up and asked me: "Comrade division commander, do you have any instructions?" ”

There was no communication equipment in this fortification, and I had to send someone to convey any order I had to give, and when I saw that it was Yushchenko who appeared in front of me, I instructed him: "Comrade Captain, you immediately go to the regimental command post to find Lieutenant Colonel Gaidar and order him to contact the artillery to open fire on the Germans in the building and cover our infantry charge." ”

When I turned my attention back to the building where I was fighting, I noticed that several German soldiers had jumped from the window on the second floor and rushed into the building with their weapons in hand.

Seeing this, I secretly screamed in my heart that these German soldiers who jumped from the second floor obviously wanted to sneak up on our commanders and fighters who rushed into the building from behind. If the second group of commanders and fighters could have rushed into the building in time, they could have eliminated the German soldiers who had just jumped from the building, but they were now in the open ground and were overwhelmed by the fire from the building.

Just as I was in a hurry, there was a whistling sound in the air, and then I saw a row of shells smashing on the top floor of the building, and in the fire and smoke, the upper two floors of the original intact four-story building were suddenly blown into ruins, and the broken masonry mixed with the stumps and flesh flew all over the sky, and then scattered evenly in all directions.

This sudden artillery fire weakened the firepower in the building again. The commanders and fighters trapped outside the building jumped up from the ground and rushed into the building with their weapons in hand.

"Comrade Deputy Division Commander, how many people rushed in?" I didn't put down my binoculars and asked without looking back.

Pantai Leev was silent for a moment, and then replied: "Nine people rushed in." ”

Thinking that there were dozens of soldiers in the second batch of charging queues just now, only one person rushed into the building at this moment, and the rest fell on the open ground in front of the building. I don't know if the soldiers who rushed in will be able to occupy this building after joining up with the first group of soldiers.

"Report to the division commander, I'm back." Yushchenko's voice sounded behind me.

I put down my binoculars, turned back to him and nodded approvingly, and then asked, "Comrade Captain, the artillery is firing quite fast, what is going on?" ”

"That's right, Comrade Division Commander." Yushchenko honestly reported to me: "When I went, the commander of the artillery battalion, Major Morozov, was also at the regimental command post, and his heavy howitzers had long been aimed at the building where the enemy was located, waiting for the order to open fire. Seeing that I went to convey the order, he decisively ordered the artillery to open fire. ”

It turned out that the cannon that bombarded the building opposite was our heavy howitzer, no wonder it was so powerful, and the two upper floors were turned into ruins at once. (To be continued......)