Major Pugachev acted very quickly, and not long after I gave the order, and before the shelling weakened, he sent one of the most elite companies to reinforce a regiment.

On the way to the high ground to the north, the company was killed and wounded by heavy enemy fire, resulting in heavy losses for the company. Although the distance was only a few hundred meters, by the time they reached the position of the first regiment, there were only 24 of the 110 people in the company, and the company commander's instructor and almost all the grassroots commanders were killed in the artillery fire. When Pugachev reported to me, he choked up several times and couldn't speak, and I was also heartbroken after listening to his report.

Kirillov and Akhromeyev were also stunned when they heard the news. Kirillov was surprised and said: "The German artillery fire is so fierce that it is so dense? You must know that the distance between the second regiment and the position of the first regiment is no more than 300 meters, and there are so many trenches and bomb shelters, I did not expect that one company sent out was almost lost. ”

As soon as Kirillov finished speaking, Akhromeyev hurriedly asked me for instructions: "Division commander, do you need to postpone the departure of the third regiment?" ”

I looked down and thought about it, the current strength of a regiment is overstretched, and if they do not reinforce in time, it is still a question whether they can withstand the enemy's attack. But if the 3rd Regiment was to be like the company of the 2nd Regiment, swarming up, under the enemy's artillery fire, the casualties would definitely not be small. After thinking about it for a long time, I also vetoed Akhromeyev's suggestion, and said to myself: "Chief of Staff, you immediately call Major Godunov and ask him to divide the troops into pieces, take platoons as units, and enter the positions of a regiment in batches. ”

"Yes. I immediately called Major Godunov. "Akhromeyev listened to my orders. After answering a sentence. I called the third regiment.

Just as the German troops were attacking one regiment after another, the call from the headquarters of the army group came. On the phone, General Krylov said in an anxious tone: "Colonel Oshanina, today the Germans have launched a full-scale offensive on Stalingrad, and at the moment several more groups of enemies have rushed into the city and are engaged in street battles with our troops. At the same time, the 107.5 heights were also fiercely attacked by the Germans, according to the commander who held his position. Their fighters have already fought the enemy several times with bayonets. You see, can you send troops to reinforce it? ”

I was anxious about the battle on the high ground to the north, when Krylov called me to send reinforcements to reinforce the friendly heights. If it had been yesterday, maybe I would have agreed, anyway, the third regiment, which is the reserve of the division, is a firefighting team, and it will go to reinforce wherever it is needed. But now that the 3rd Regiment has been sent by me to the high ground to the north, there are no extra troops at all, so I can only say to Krylov in embarrassment: "Comrade Chief of Staff, the enemy has also launched a fierce offensive against the Mamayev Heights. The regiment that used to hold the high ground to the north went through a long and brutal battle. The regiment was almost exhausted, and I had just sent three regiments as reserves to reinforce them. Therefore, it is not possible to draw troops to reinforce friendly forces. ”

"Colonel Oshanina, have you ever thought about it? If the heights guarded by the 42nd Guards Regiment are lost, the enemy will detour back to the back of the Mamayev Heights, and you will be exposed to the enemy. "Krylov, who was politely rejected by me, surprisingly did not get angry at me, but patiently carried out the work of persuading me.

As Krylov spoke, my brain was thinking rapidly, the three regiments currently on the position must not be used, and the fourth and fifth regiments in the settlements are responsible for covering the rear of the whole division, and at the critical moment, I plan to let them all enter the city and engage in street and guerrilla warfare with the Germans, so naturally they cannot be used. Thinking of the 107.5 heights, which were easy to attack and difficult to defend, I said to Krylov: "Comrade Chief of Staff, since the high ground of the friendly forces cannot be defended, let them withdraw to the city and continue to fight the German army." ”

"Abandon the heights and retreat into the city?" After repeating my words, Krylov asked with interest: "I would like to hear if you have any good ways to block the enemy's attack after the troops are withdrawn into the city." ”

"That's right, Comrade Chief of Staff." I did not hide my thoughts from this kind chief of staff of the group army, and said to him bluntly: "The 107.5 high ground is easy to attack and difficult to defend, and there are not many strong fortifications, and under the enemy's powerful artillery fire, the commanders and fighters who stick to the high ground will suffer heavy losses. Therefore, I thought that we should find some strong buildings in the city, and in each building we should have a combat detachment of 50~100 fighters commanded by GC party members, and hold on to these support points to fight the enemy who rushed into the city. In order to dispel his concerns, I also made a point of emphasizing that "as long as the enemy and our fighters are intertwined, the enemy's aircraft artillery is useless." At that time, our commanders and fighters will be able to beat the enemy to the ground with their familiarity with the terrain. ”

"Your mention is good, I'll report to the commander." After affirming my suggestion, Krylov made a point of admonishing me: "Remember, we must defend the Mamayev post at all costs, otherwise the enemy will occupy the docks and cut us off from the outside world." Once the weapons, ammunition, and food from outside cannot be transported, our 62nd Army will not be the opponent of the enemy no matter how stubborn it fights. ”

"Please rest assured, Chief of Staff." Although I have expressed my determination to my superiors at countless times and on countless occasions, at this time, I have to make a bold determination again: "As long as there is one person left in the independent division, we will never let the enemy advance a single step, and we will swear to live and die with the position." ”

"Well said, I'm sure you can hold your ground." After Krylov said this, he hung up the phone.

The enemy's shelling of the heights to the south finally ceased near noon. However, their attack on a group of positions has never been interrupted.

I left Akhromeyev at the command headquarters, and then pulled Kirillov to the observation post halfway up the hill to observe the enemy's attack on a regiment's position.

Due to the long-term shelling, the smoke outside the cave that had not yet dissipated was like a thick layer of fog. obscured our view. When we bent over to move fast in the trenches. From time to time you can hear those lying on the fortifications. The coughing sound of the commanders and fighters who were choking on the thick smell of gunpowder smoke and coughing violently.

When I heard the coughing of the commanders and fighters, I felt a little glad in my heart, fortunately Hitler had been a victim of poison gas warfare during World War I, so he strictly forbade his troops to use poison gas bombs in battle. If we had replaced the shameless Japanese robbers, it is estimated that so many poison gas bombs would have hit us, and our position would have been full of corpses long ago.

When we arrived at the observation post, we found this relatively hidden observation post. It was blown up. Looking at the logs that were originally used as roofs, which were blown up and still burning, I couldn't help but smile bitterly, turned my head to Kirillov and said: "Comrade commissar, I think you can now think about how fierce the enemy's artillery fire is, right?" If we had been in the observation center, we would have gone to see God by now. ”

"Why don't we go to that observation post at the top of the mountain?" Kirillov asked cautiously.

I shook my head and said with a bitter face: "Forget it, the enemy is shelling and bombing our high ground, and I guess the observation post at the top of the mountain is no better." Maybe it was blown up too. ”

Our arrival made the second regiment commander Pugachev panic. He was after getting a report from the fighters. We trotted all the way down the trench to us, and was about to raise my hand to salute, but I stretched out my hand to stop me: "Don't salute, Comrade Major, do you want the German snipers to shoot us as targets?" ”

Although the visibility is no more than ten meters now, after listening to my words, he still put down his half-raised hand and said curtly: "Division commander, political commissar, why did you run to the position?" The enemy shelling has just ended, and I am worried that there will be shells or bombs left in the position that have not yet exploded, and it is too dangerous for you to stay here, so it is better to go back to the headquarters first. ”

"Comrade Major," Kirillov said with an expressionless face when he waited for him to finish, "the enemy's shelling left us trapped in the command all morning. The division commander and I came here to see with our own eyes the enemy's attack on a regiment's position, so that we could draw up a corresponding battle plan. ”

Seeing that one side of the trench was full of commanders and fighters who were waiting for battle, I said disapplausively: "Major Pugachev, don't worry, don't you see that there are all our soldiers around?" Even if the enemy had bypassed the heights to the north and attacked us directly, I am sure that these commanders and fighters would have repelled them. ”

Seeing my resolute attitude, Pugachev could not persuade us again, so he had to nod to us, turned away, and went back to his regimental command post to give orders.

When Pugachev left, I lay down in the trench and raised my binoculars to look in the direction of a group. Due to the thick smoke of gunfire, I could only hear the sound of gunfire in front of me, and I could not see where the battle was unfolding.

After another ten minutes or so, most of the smoke that obscured our view was blown away by the river wind, so that I could finally see the battle going on on on the high ground to the north. I saw that the position halfway up the hill had been occupied by German troops, and the trenches were crowded with German soldiers, who were firing at the hilltop position, covering their companions to charge upward.

On the positions of our troops, although the number of remaining soldiers in the trenches was small, they still condescendingly fired at the German soldiers who were climbing the slope with machine guns and rifles, and from time to time smashed grenades downward. The explosion of grenades, and the bullets fired by our troops, there were constantly German soldiers wounded by shrapnel or hit by bullets, rolling down the hillside.

The battle was on top of the hill, and the troops behind were not idle. On the south side, there was probably a company of commanders and fighters, bent over with weapons in hand, cautiously approaching the top of the hillside. When they were still twenty or thirty meters away from the position, one of the commanders in the front suddenly raised a red command flag in his hand, and the troops immediately stopped advancing and all of them lay down on the spot.

When Kirillov saw this scene, he was so angry that he scolded: "Is this commander in the brain? It was only twenty or thirty meters away from the position, and the soldiers were allowed to run a few steps quickly to enter the position, and he actually ordered the soldiers to stop and hide in place. ”

I looked at the shells that exploded from time to time on the hilltop position, and suddenly understood the commander's intentions, so I persuaded Kirillov: "Comrade commissar, don't worry. I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing for the commander to stop the troops. ”

Kirillov was so confused by my words that he kept looking me up and down, as if he never knew me. Half a day passed. He gritted his back molars and asked, "Why?" ”

I pointed forward with my hand. Explained: "Look. The enemy's tanks parked at the foot of the hill were constantly shelling the positions at the top of the hill, and the German soldiers who were charging upwards were not far from their positions. If reinforcements were allowed to rush into the position at this time, before they could be fully deployed, they would have suffered heavy losses from enemy fire. ”

"Comrade Oshanina, I understand what you mean." Although my words have already been made clear, seeing that our position is about to be captured by the enemy, Kirillov can't help but be a little anxious: "Even if there will be a situation like what you said. But this force can't stop there and watch the enemy take our position. ”

"My commissar, please don't be in a hurry, don't be impatient. I think you will soon understand why this force is stopped here. ”

After listening to this, Kirillov no longer argued with me, but said angrily: "Well, I'm going to see what kind of role this unit can play." ”

Due to the disparity in the strength of the enemy and us, the enemy finally rushed to the position on the top of the hill. Close combat with the defenders on the position. Seeing their own infantry rushing into the trenches, the German tanks were afraid that if they continued to shoot, they would accidentally injure their own people. The shooting stopped. At this time, the unit hidden on the southern slope, as the commander waved the red command flag forward, the commanders and fighters lying on the ground first smashed a grenade upward, and then got up and rushed up with their weapons and shouting.

Twenty or thirty meters away, a few breaths away. The enemy had just occupied our position, and before he could clean up the battlefield, and before he could even turn around the machine gun mounted on the sandbag, he was blown up by a large number of grenades falling from the sky. Before they could come to their senses, a new force rushed in and started a white-knuckle battle with them. The exhausted German soldiers, after a little resistance, hurriedly abandoned the position they had just occupied, turned around and ran down the slope.

Our fighters chased after them, smashed a large number of grenades, and then lay down in the trenches and rushed into the enemy's backs, shooting like a target. When the tanks at the foot of the hill came to their senses and fired again at the top of the hill, the commanders and fighters who had repelled the enemy calmly retreated into the trenches.

Seeing the appearance of our warriors, Kirillov still did not have a smile on his face. I touched him with my arm and asked, puzzled; "Comrade Commissar, what's wrong? Why are you not happy to see our commanders and fighters knock the enemy back? ”

Kirillov pointed to the hilltop position that was being shelled in front of him, and said unconvinced: "Comrade Oshanina, don't you think that the way you fought just now was too risky? If, after occupying our position, the Germans did not stop, but took advantage of the situation to cross the high ground and charge downward, do you think our troops would be able to stop it? ”

After listening to Kirillov's concern, I said disapprehantly: "Comrade commissar, you are too nervous. According to my judgment, the enemy, having seized the positions of our troops, will not continue to rush forward, but will stay to rest and recuperate, and find ways to consolidate the positions before launching an attack on new targets. I raised my hand and looked at my watch, and then said to him, "Let's go, Comrade Commissar, judging by the current situation, the enemy's attack on our heights will soon end in failure, so let's go back to the headquarters." ”

As soon as he returned to the headquarters, Akhromeyev got up and reported to us: "The division commander, the political commissar, and the commander of the 1st regiment, Lieutenant Colonel Sederikov, have just reported to me that the mountainside positions occupied by the enemy have been recaptured with the cooperation of the frontal attack of the commanders and fighters of the 3rd regiment and the roundabout outflanking of the commanders and fighters of the 1st regiment. The Germans who attacked the position, except for a few who escaped, the rest have all been annihilated by us. ”

"Comrade Political Commissar, are you relieved?" I asked Kirillov with a grin.

Kirillov was a little embarrassed and said: "Comrade Oshanina, it's me who can't hold my breath. At that time, when I saw the enemy rushing into our position, I was eager to take up my arms and rush into the middle of the enemy to destroy them all. Because they were too worried about the loss of their positions, they inevitably made mistakes in judgment. ”

Hearing that a regiment had once again repelled the enemy's attack and recaptured the lost position, all three of us smiled knowingly. It was assumed that after dark, the enemy's attack would cease and they would have to withdraw from their starting positions in disgrace.

But we were too happy too soon, and we really responded to the idiom "happiness begets sadness". At four o'clock in the afternoon, Sedelikov reported to me on the intercom in a trembling voice: "Report to the division commander, no, something has happened." ”

My heart trembled with fright, and I quickly asked nervously, "What's wrong?" ”

"All the surface positions of our troops were lost, and the remaining troops had to withdraw into the tunnels."

The bad news reported by Sedelikov was so startled that I dropped the microphone on the ground. The news is really startling, a few hours ago he was still reporting to us that the enemy who occupied the position was eliminated and the position was recaptured. It was only a long time before all the surface positions on the northern heights were lost.

After answering the phone call, Akhromeyev immediately reported to me with a stern face: "Comrade division commander, Major Pugachev, the commander of the second regiment, called, and he said that there was about a company of German troops who had crossed the slope of the high ground to the north and rushed to our side. (To be continued......)

PS: Heartfelt thanks to the book friends Guangming Pure Milk, Luo-Xia, National Memorial Celebration, winxxx, Iron Army, and Meiyu Senior Sister for the precious monthly ticket voted for the highest children's shoes!