Although Morozov fulfilled his promise to destroy the enemy's newly constructed artillery position with heavy artillery after dark. Gaidar's 4th Regiment and the 2nd Regiment, which held on to Heights 107.5, both successfully repelled the German attack. Although the independent division achieved great results in the battle on November 1, destroying one of the enemy's artillery positions, a dozen tanks, and seven or eight hundred German soldiers. But such a victory was overshadowed by the defeat of the army group on the day.

When we all felt that the German army attacking Stalingrad was exhausted and would not launch the same fierce offensive in the short term, it turned out that our judgment was wrong. After a period of pause, the Germans resumed their fierce attack on the 62nd Army, and with their rapid mobility, they also moved the troops that had confronted the Don Front some time ago.

I learned from the battle reports from the headquarters of the army group that, despite the resistance of our troops, by the evening the enemy had occupied the southern part of the "barricade" factory, and from there it had advanced to the Volga. The situation faced by the 62nd Army became even more severe as the Volga began to freeze.

At noon, the Hitlerites threw themselves into reserve, and their infantry and tanks broke the battle formation on the right flank of the 241st Infantry Regiment of the Gorishny Division, advanced 300-400 meters, and advanced 500-600 meters on a frontal to the Volga. For the third time, the army group was divided, and the Lyudnikov Infantry Division was cut off from the main forces.

But on other sections of the front, the army group held its ground. Paulus's superiority in strength was not brought to play, and they did not complete their planned plan. Failed to drive the 62nd Army into the icy Volga.

After reading the battle report. I'm annoyed by something else. According to the report of Lieutenant Colonel Gaidar, a large number of huge ice platoons appeared on the Volga, and the ships of the fleet of the Volga region could not move and had to stop delivering much-needed supplies and troops to the city.

After much deliberation, I reported the bad news to Chuikov by phone. After hearing this, Chuikov sighed and said: "Comrade Oshanina, we have already considered the situation you said. In order to rush more supplies to the city as much as possible. From three days ago, I ordered the commanders of the units to select soldiers and commanders who had worked as fishermen and seamen, to build their own boats, and then to collect grenades and mines from the warehouses of the army groups and fronts and transport them to the city. Of course, this is not without its dangers, and many small boats loaded with ammunition often sink in the dark of night because they are not docked in a certain place, or because they crash into the ice.

In addition, it was not uncommon for small boats to be caught between blocks of ice and become targets for enemy artillery. For this. The command of the army group had no choice but to form another rescue team. The rescue team's boats are equipped with poles, cables and ropes and are on duty at night on the shore. As soon as they found that the ship had sent a distress signal, they immediately went to the rescue.

In this way, in a matter of days, before the formation of the ice platoon and before the launch of a new offensive by the enemy, the ammunition of the army group was guaranteed. We also stored large quantities of grain in this way, and I also had my own secret warehouse, which was managed by Lieutenant Colonel Spasov. Inside were stored the emergency reserves of the army group, with about 12 tons of chocolate. I intend to give half a piece to each of the commanders and fighters of the army group in a difficult moment, so that the troops can last for a week or two before the Volga freezes and the regular supply is not restored. ”

After listening to Chuikov's words, my admiration for him increased a few points. As a commander, he thinks about the problem more comprehensively than me, and what I just thought of, he put into practice a few days earlier. Just as I was about to say a few words of admiration to him, I heard him say again: "Comrade Oshanina, as soon as the Volga is completely frozen, then our connection with the East Bank will be completely severed. I remember that you were in Leningrad and you must know something about the famous 'lifeline on ice'. ”

"Yes, Comrade Commander." I replied briefly: "I used to be on the ice transport line, and I held the position of commander of an anti-aircraft artillery battalion. ”

Chuikov waited for me to finish speaking, and then said solemnly: "Comrade Oshanina, I am going to give you an important task now, do you have the confidence to complete it?" ”

Although I didn't know what task Chuikov would give me, I replied categorically: "Please rest assured, Comrade Commander, I promise to complete the task." After expressing my determination, I cautiously asked, "Comrade commander, I wonder what kind of task you are going to give me?" ”

"The task is simple, but it's also daunting." "When the Volga River is completely frozen, you will send someone to the ice, check the thickness of the ice, and confirm when you can walk boldly on the ice," said Chuikov in a steady tone. ”

When I heard Chuikov say this, I immediately understood that he also wanted to open an ice transport line on the Volga. So immediately after ending the call with him, I called the commander of the engineer company, Captain Mihayev, and handed over the task of patrolling the ice to his engineer company.

Over the next few days, frequent snowfalls and blizzards began. But the ice on the Volga remains impassable for the time being.

Every morning, the expedition team hurried out from Mamayev Hill to the brittle ice to check how hard it was at night. Their reports are contradictory. Some detachments confirmed that the thickness of the ice had increased by one to two millimeters. And the other detachment, who was taking measurements a little further south or a little further north, came back and said, on the contrary, that the ice had become thinner. The detachment, led by Captain Mihayev himself, found a large area of water in the middle of the Volga that was completely freezing.

Chuikov also attached great importance to the question of whether the Volga River was completely frozen, and every morning, noon and evening, he had to make a phone call to ask how the ice survey was going.

His call was simple, just one sentence: "What happened to the ice on the Volga?" ”

Although the person who answered his phone was different each time, the answer was the same: "I'm sorry, Comrade Commander, the ice is too thin to pass." ”

"There is still a large area of water in the middle of the river that is not frozen and cannot be walked around."

Every time he heard such an answer, Chuikov would always sigh helplessly. Then put down the phone. But when it came to the scheduled time. He would call again to ask about the ice.

Chuikov was in a hurry, and I was in the same hurry as a group of people in the division command. After putting down Chuikov's phone this time, Kirillov said thoughtfully: "Comrade Oshanina, according to my experience, to withstand the weight of a person, it is enough to have seven centimeters of ice. Bear a sleigh pulled by a horse carrying a ton of cargo. The ice needs to be at least fifteen centimeters thick, and for a truck carrying a ton and a half of goods, it would take nearly twenty centimeters of ice. ”

"But when will the ice be this thick?" These two days were under the repeated influence of Kirillov. I'm familiar with the numbers, but if the temperature doesn't continue to drop, the ice on the river will be difficult for people to walk, and it will be impossible to get through the sleds and trucks.

While we were constantly worried about the ice on the river, the military council of the army group decided to launch a counter-attack on the enemy, the task of which was to drive the enemy away from the front of our defense. In the order given by Chuikov, the 45th Infantry Division was required to carry out the main assault on the strip between the "barricade" and the "Red October" factory. The Guryev division was ordered to launch an offensive in this defensive zone and advance to the railway line to the Severnaya station. The order demanded that all attacking detachments and units move forward bravely and quickly.

When we learned of this order, Akhromeyev asked me curiously: "Comrade division commander. Why did yesterday the commander still think that the troops of the army group were almost in danger. And today it was decided to carry out a counter-attack? ”

I shook my head with a wry smile at Akhromeyev's question, because I couldn't understand Chuikov's intentions, and at such a time, throwing limited troops into a counterattack was tantamount to quenching thirst.

When I asked Chuikov with this question, he replied: "Comrade Oshanina, this is the law of war, especially the situation in which we are at that time. One can imagine the situation of the 62nd Army, which occupied a narrow strip of land along the Volga for about 3 months. If the army group does not seize the opportunity to strike at the fatigued enemy and drive it back 200 to 300 meters from the shore, then the army itself may be driven down the river. Could we have waited on the banks of the Volga for the enemy to recover? Can we tell the enemy that we will only defend? It would be foolish to sit back and wait for the enemy to strike first without trying to change the situation, even slightly, in my favor.

The counterattack that we carried out on November 3, in my opinion, we won a heavy victory. We advanced about 100 meters in some areas, occupying the western section of Novoselskaya Street, the western part of the orchard; In the "Red October" factory, open-hearth workshops, model workshops, profile workshops, sorting workshops, and finished product warehouses were recaptured. And the main thing is that we prove to ourselves and to the enemy that we can not only defend, but also attack, and regain what we have lost. As a result of this counterattack, in the end, we, and not the enemy, carried out the final assault. ”

When I stopped talking to Chuikov in a vague way, I asked Akhromeyev with concern: "Comrade Chief of Staff, has there been any news from the engineer company that went to explore the road?" ”

Akhromeyev shook his head and said regretfully: "I'm sorry, comrade division commander, we have now lost contact with the squad of Captain Mihayev and cannot learn about the further situation. ”

After listening to Akhromeyev's words, Pandereev also sighed, and said with the same regret: "Comrade division commander, I think we are doing useless work in this way. In my experience, the time when the Volga ice is thickest will not be earlier than January of next year. Until then, even if the river were completely frozen, it would not be possible to create a transport line that would adequately replenish us. Akhromeyev, who had always been fond of disagreeing with Bandereev, remained unusually silent after hearing these words.

Kirillov looked at Akhromeyev and asked curiously: "Comrade Chief of Staff, I think you like to raise the bar with the deputy division commander the most, what's wrong today, why didn't you say a word?" ”

Hearing Kirillov ask him this, Akhromeyev smiled bitterly and said: "Comrade commissar, I think the deputy division commander has a point. Although the Volga River is now freezing, the ice is so thin that it is difficult to walk people, let alone sleds and trucks. Therefore, I think that the deputy division commander is completely correct in saying that the ice surface after January is suitable for opening up ice transportation routes. ”

"In January, we will not be able to survive in January due to the lack of troops and supplies." Wait until they're all done. I also voiced my opinion: "According to the judgment of Commander Chuikov. The ammunition and materiel that the army group is currently stockpiling. It barely lasted about two weeks. If, as you say, we will not be able to open up the ice transport line until January, then our troops will not have to be attacked by the enemy, and they will all starve to death. ”

"So what should we do?" After listening to this, Akhromeyev asked a little breathlessly: "Even if we are in a hurry, if God refuses to help cool down again, the ice on the river will still not reach the necessary thickness." ”

As soon as Akhromeyev finished speaking, the three of them began to discuss each other. And I sat next to it. Quietly thinking about their own thoughts, not caring what they said.

The three of them talked for a long time, and when they found that I was silent, they all shut up in unison. After a while, Kirillov cautiously asked: "Comrade Oshanina, do you have any good solution in the current situation?" ”

"Comrade Commissar, I have an idea." As the three of them were talking, a thought popped into my head when I heard Kirillov's question. I couldn't help but say it: "Have we fallen into a misunderstanding of thinking, always thinking about waiting for the river to freeze?" Didn't think about how to remove such a thin layer of ice? ”

"Clearing the ice?" Kirillov asked rhetorically, puzzled: "What kind of removal method?" ”

"Comrade Political Commissar, don't you think you can do this?" I tentatively said what I was thinking: "We will ask the sailors of the fleet of the Volga region to transfer a few icebreakers from other fleets. The icebreakers were in front of the road, and our fleet of supplies followed, so that a steady stream of supplies could be brought to the city. ”

"Is this appropriate?" Kirillov asked hesitantly.

"Comrade Political Commissar, I think this is a good idea." When Pantai Laiev heard my mention, he immediately became excited, "Anyway, the ice on the river is not thick now, so I don't think it's a big problem to transfer the kind of icebreaker used in Antarctica to clear a passage for our transport fleet." ”

"I agree with the division commander." Akhromeyev saw that Bandereev had already said everything that needed to be said, so he did not add to it, but simply echoed it.

When Chuikov heard my suggestion, he was taken aback and hurriedly said, "Comrade Oshanina, who mentioned this to you?" ”

I don't know the purpose of his question, so I can only honestly answer: "Report to Comrade Commander, I came up with it myself." To reassure him, I went on to explain: "According to recent observations, the ice on the river is so thin that it is difficult to walk even people, and it is impossible to pass heavy equipment. If the ice is to be thick enough for sleds and trucks, it will take at least January. Judging from the current situation of our group army, neither the soldiers nor the materials can support it for that long, so I came up with a way to let the icebreaker open the way and resume our water transportation. ”

After listening to my words, Chuikov was silent for a long time before he said hesitantly: "Comrade Oshanina, the ice exploration work must continue, and as for the dispatch of icebreakers, I need to report to my superiors and get permission before I can consider whether your plan is feasible." ”

Although I feel disappointed that Chuikov did not agree to this matter immediately, I know that Chuikov also has difficulties, and he is not alone in matters like this involving the cooperation of friendly forces, he must report to his superiors, and the superiors will negotiate with the friendly forces, as for whether it can be done in the end, it is still unknown.

After I put down the phone, Kirillov asked with concern: "Comrade division commander, how is the situation?" Did the commander agree? ”

I shook my head and said disappointedly: "Comrade Political Commissar, the commander said that he could not make the decision on this matter, and he needed to ask his superiors for instructions. ”

While we were talking, Mihayev, led by Basmanov, walked into the command headquarters. Seeing Mihayev's appearance, I felt a glimmer of hope in my heart, and I thought that maybe he had already found a passageway. So when he came to me, I didn't wait for him to salute, and I couldn't wait to ask: "Captain Mihayev, how is the situation, have you brought me good news?" ”

Mihayev shook his head and replied with a bitter face: "I'm sorry, Comrade Division Commander, I disappointed you. After a few days of exploration, the ice on the river is too thin to open up an ice transport line. ”

Seeing that Captain Mihayev's detection was still fruitless, I sighed in disappointment, then waved my hand and said to him: "Okay, Comrade Captain, you have been busy for so many days, and you have worked hard, so it is better to go back and rest early." After dark, you can send two more groups of people to try somebody else's place, and you may be able to find a suitable place. ”

Mihayev nodded, raised his hand to salute me, and then turned to leave. (To be continued......)