Beginning on November 7, for the next few days, the fighting between our troops and the Germans continued in the streets, in the buildings, in the factories, on the banks of the Volga, on the Mamayev Heights, and everywhere. The various units of the army group suffered heavy casualties and were forced to shrink their forces and hold on to a number of small "islands" in Stalingrad.

Seeing that the situation was becoming more and more unfavorable to our army, Chuikov had no choice but to send a telegram to the headquarters of the Front on the east bank of the Volga River asking for help. Yeremenko, apparently better than all of us, understood the importance of Stalingrad and was not going to allow the city to fall into the hands of the Germans, so they ordered the 64th Army around the city to attack the enemy.

With the 64th Army's counter-assault on November 10 in the area of Kuporosnoye and Green Meadows from the south to the flank of the enemy's attacking forces, the Germans had to withdraw most of their aviation, artillery, and tanks from the troops attacking Stalingrad to resist the 64th Army's attack.

It was precisely because of the decisive counter-assault of the 64th Army that the difficult situation of our army was alleviated and the enemy's attempt to capture Stalingrad was once again crushed. At the meeting that evening, Chuikov said with emotion: "Without the assistance of the 64th Army, then our 62nd Army would not be able to support it, and Stalingrad could also fall into the hands of the enemy." ”

While Chuikov was gushing about the current situation of friend and foe, I, who was sitting below in a meeting, began to wander again. In my memory, in the plan drawn up by Zhukov and Vasilevsky, the Soviet Southwestern Front and the Don Front switched to the offensive on November 9. The Stalingrad Front switched to the offensive on November 10. But it is planned to implement. However, due to the slow build-up of troops and weapons. The South-Western Front and the Don Front had to be postponed until 19 November, and the Stalingrad Front was accordingly postponed to 20 November.

When I thought of the great counteroffensive that would start in ten days, I felt a sense of excitement in my heart that I had to get through the hard days, and I had to be afraid for many months for myself, and finally saw a glimmer of light!

I was so engrossed in my thinking that I didn't hear what Chuikov asked, but Krylov, who was sitting next to me, touched me lightly and I came to my senses. Seeing Chuikov's brows tightened. Knowing that he had an opinion about my distraction in a meeting, he hurriedly asked with some shame: "Comrade commander, are you talking to me?" ”

"Last time I asked you to send someone to scout the ice and look for areas where ice transport lines could be built." Until this moment, Chuikov had not given up the establishment of an ice transport line on the Volga River to transport much-needed soldiers and supplies to the city, and since he was always thinking about it, he spoke to me in a somewhat heavy tone: "It's been almost half a month now, and you haven't found a suitable area?" ”

It's useless to be in a hurry about building an ice transportation line, if God doesn't cooperate. No one's in a nutshell. I don't know why Chuikov is angry at me for this. So in a hurry, I don't know how to deal with it.

Seeing my embarrassed appearance, Gurov hurriedly explained to me: "Comrade Oshanina, the commander is in too much of a hurry. At the latest, the command of the Front sent a company of troops to try to enter the city through the frozen Volga River in Guò. As a result, when they reached the center of the river, because the ice was too thin, almost half of the fighters fell into the water. Although most of the fighters were rescued, seven of them were still missing. ”

Although Gurov said it very tactfully, every commander present understood that if they fell into the water in the cold winter, if they were not rescued in time, there was no hope of survival for the missing people. In this case, I could only bite the bullet and say to Chuikov: "Comrade commander, rest assured, I will continue to send the engineer company to find a suitable place to cross the river." ”

After talking about the non-existent ice transportation line, Chuikov began to cheer up the commanders of the divisions who came to the meeting: "Comrades, although the battles we have experienced recently have been brutal and the casualties of our troops have been heavy, we should also see that at this time, the enemy is exhausted. It is confirmed from the confessions of the captives that the number of enemy troops and corps was extremely small, and the morale of not only the soldiers, but also the officers, was sharply depressed, and few believed that they would be able to leave alive this hell of very distressing months of fighting. ”

"Comrade commander," asked Guriev in a loud voice, "do you think that the Germans will launch a new offensive in the near future?" ”

When Chuikov heard Guryev's question, he looked at the military commissar Gurov beside him, and then at the chief of staff Krylov beside me, and then replied confidently: "Comrade Guryev, you are too worried, I just said that the German army is very tired, and they do not have the ability and not enough troops to launch a new attack on us. ”

Although Chuikov spoke with confidence, the merciless facts slapped him hard.

At 6:30 a.m. on November 11, the German troops, after being prepared for aviation fire and artillery fire, fully switched to the offensive in the defensive zone of our army. According to information from the army group headquarters, the Germans who participated in the offensive had five infantry divisions (389th, 79th, 305th, 100th and 295th) and two tank divisions (24th and 14th divisions), reinforced by the engineer battalions of the 294th Infantry Division airlifted from Rosochy and the engineer battalions of the 161st Infantry Division airlifted from Milerovo. The offensive was launched from a frontage about 5 km wide from Volkhovsroyevskaya Street to Bannegro. The German divisions involved in the offensive were replenished, and during the battles their battle formations were highly dense.

By all indications, Paulus attempted to crush the infantry divisions of Lyudnikov, Gorishny, Sokolov and Guryev and advance to the Volga.

For a whole day, there were unusually fierce battles for every inch of land, every piece of masonry, and grenade battles and white-knuckle battles continued for several hours. At the same time, the troops of the Northern Cluster of the Army Group moved south from the railway bridge at the mouth of the Mechetka River to the south, in the direction of the tractor plant.

Fighting was raging in the city, and the battles were equally fierce at Mamayev Hill and on the 107.5 heights.

Lieutenant Colonel Oleg, who was staying in the concealment department on the southern slope of the 107.5 heights, called me several times one after another, saying that the strength of the 2nd Regiment was insufficient and it was difficult to withstand the onslaught of the German army, and asked me to send reinforcements quickly. He excitedly shouted on the phone: "Comrade division commander, there are less than 300 people left in our regiment now, and many of them are wounded. The Germans are several times more numerous than us, and they are supported by aircraft and artillery, and if there are no more reinforcements, I am afraid that the 107.5 heights will not be able to hold. ”

Oleg's words shocked me, you must know that two days ago I had just replenished him with a regiment of more than 400 recruits newly formed, and I didn't expect them to be all wiped out so quickly. However, considering the importance of the 107.5 heights, I could only grit my teeth and say to him: "Lieutenant Colonel Oleg, I will send you reinforcements immediately." I have only one request for you, that is, at any cost, you must give me the 107.5 high ground to defend firmly, and you are not allowed to retreat a single step. ”

As soon as I put down Oleg's phone, I immediately ordered Akhromeyev: "Chief of Staff, call the 3rd Regiment and ask Lieutenant Colonel Koskaa to send a battalion to reinforce the 2nd Regiment." ”

As soon as Akhromeyev finished calling the 3rd Regiment, Gaidar actually called me to ask for help: "Comrade division commander, the Germans are attacking us fiercely, and the troops have suffered heavy casualties. I hope that the artillery battalion can provide us with artillery cover, otherwise it will be difficult for us to hold our current position. ”

"Lieutenant Colonel Gaidar," I said blandly to his alarmism, "I will not take you to court-martials if the northern heights are lost." At this point, I paused for a moment, and then, under the surprised gazes of Kirillov and the others, said viciously, "I will shoot you with my own hands!" (To be continued......)