Burning Moscow

While Rokosovsky and Malinin were busy, I asked the Director of Intelligence to come to the Praga battle plan, trying to figure out their combat intentions and find out what would help me.

Just after I read the battle plan, Rokosovsky said at the right time: "Lida, you don’t have to have any burden. Let you command the six battalions to cooperate with the Polish Third Division to march west of Warsaw, mainly because you are in No one can match the command of street fighting. Both the staff headquarters and I believe that under your command, the troops will surely achieve ideal results."

His words have come to this point, and I can't help being silent. In all honesty, on the issue of marching into Warsaw, whether it was Zhukov, Rokosovsky or the general staff headquarters, they all adopted a decentralized approach. Not only did they not let us report the combat plan, they even tried their best to Praga. Launched an attack, trying to attract the main German forces east of Warsaw.

In the face of their trust, even if I knew that the battle would not be able to achieve any ideal results, I still bit the bullet and answered Rokosovsky: "Comrade Marshal, please rest assured, I will do my best to cooperate with the Polish army to enter Warsaw. of."

In the next few days of fighting, the German resistance in the east of Warsaw was shattered by our army. Part of the surviving troops retreated to the north and joined their friendly forces in that area; while the other part retreated. By the Vistula River, preparing to continue to resist with the buildings there.

Seeing that the fighters were mature, I decisively gave Askarepov and Galicki the order to attack, letting them take advantage of the favorable opportunity for the overall defense to fall into chaos under the attack of our army by the defenders in the east of the city, immediately Launch an attack on a designated location.

After the battle started, because there were a large number of Lyudov Army soldiers who broke out of Warsaw in the Polish Third Division, under the leadership of these guides, the troops moved quickly along the predetermined route along the Vistula River. It wasn't until two or three hundred meters away from the river that it encountered the tenacious defense of the German army.

The German soldiers who fought their last battle were very brave. They hid in the window of the building, shooting and throwing grenades at the Polish soldiers running on the street, repelling their attacks again and again.

Galicki, who was frustrated in the offensive, called me, and he hurriedly said: "Comrade Deputy Commander, I was stubbornly resisted by the German army. The troops suffered heavy casualties, but they were still unable to break through the enemy’s defenses. I asked my superiors for help Artillery support."

"It's just playing the piano." Gusev heard him say this, and immediately said angrily: "Our troops and the enemy are almost stranded together. If the area is bombarded, it can certainly destroy the buildings guarded by the Germans. Things, but it is bound to cause a lot of accidental injuries."

"Comrade commander," Gusev’s chief of staff waited for him to finish, and said anxiously: "If the German defense is not destroyed, the comrades of the Polish army will not be able to approach the river. In order to win, it is better to pay a certain sacrifice. It's worth it, don't hesitate, please give the artillery an order immediately."

Gusev did not comment, but turned his gaze to me, waiting for my decision.

I stared at the blocked area of ​​the Polish army, and understood that if they could not break through here, they would not be able to advance to the Union Square by the Vistula River. After a short period of thought, I gave Gusev an order: "Comrade General, immediately transfer an artillery battalion into the city to assist the comrades of the Polish army to move forward."

"Comrade Deputy Commander," Gusev heard this command, with an embarrassed expression on his face: "If you want to destroy the German defense, just sending an artillery battalion may not be enough."

"If artillery coverage is applied to the German defense zone, this artillery is far from enough." Considering that Gusev and I have been together for a short time, and I am not quite clear about the theory of street fighting that I am proficient in, I especially asked him Explanation: "You just said that if long-range artillery is used to cover this area, although it can destroy the enemy's defenses, it will also easily cause considerable accidental injuries to our troops. The reason why I sent an artillery battalion to enter The area of ​​engagement is to allow our artillery to perform close-in firing. Outside of the enemy’s machine gun range, the artillery can use direct-point shooting to destroy all the enemy’s firepower points."

After listening to my method, Gusev suddenly realized. When he asked the Chief of Staff to call the artillery, he casually asked me: "From Commander Askarepov, do I need to send them an artillery?"

"He has followed me for so long. He should be very familiar with the street fighting skills." I immediately rejected Gusev's proposal. "If he didn't call for help, he wouldn't need to send artillery. ."

When the chief of staff came back from the call, I asked another important thing: "Chief of staff, how is the preparation of the river crossing equipment for the Polish army?"

"We have collected a large number of wooden boats, rafts, and kayaks, and they are all piled up in the station controlled by the group army." The chief of staff respectfully reported to me: "As long as the forces of General Askarepov seize them. At Warsaw East Station and Wilansk Station, we can transport these river crossing equipment to the Vistula River."

"Can I get in touch with General Askarepov?" I asked as soon as the chief of staff finished speaking.

"Yes," the chief of staff said, nodding his head, "the telephone communication between us and General Askarepov has always been in a smooth state."

"Fetch me General Askarepov," hearing the chief of staff say that the line is clear, I immediately told him: "I want to talk to him and ask how the troops are progressing?"

After the phone was connected, I didn't care about the greetings, so I asked straightforwardly: "Comrade Master, how is the situation there? When can I take the train station?"

After hearing that it was my voice, Askarepov quickly reported: "Comrade Deputy Commander, the Germans are playing tenaciously. They stick to the building on the roadside and shoot at us from high ground, making it impossible for our army. Move forward quickly."

"Where are your troops currently?" I asked briefly.

"At the intersection of Marsa Street and Grokhovsky Street," Askarepov said loudly on the phone: "The enemy here has a large number of fixed firepower points, but also occupied a large number of sides of the nearby streets. The buildings in the country are blocked with powerful firepower. If we are to carry out a storm, I will be careful that there will not be many people left when the troops rush to the Vistula River."

I covered the microphone and asked the Chief of Staff, "Chief of Staff, which troops are there near Marsa Avenue?"

The chief of staff looked at the notebook, and then replied: "Currently, a regiment of the 397th Infantry Division is in the northern section of Marsa Street. Their mission is to move westward to capture Zombuki in the North Prague area. A force is gathering in a nearby forest area."

"Leave the task of capturing Zongbuki to other troops to complete." I touched Askarepov's blocked position with my hand, and ordered the chief of staff: "Immediately let the 397th Infantry Division face Askareppo. General Husband moved closer, and at the same time sent another artillery battalion to strengthen the assault force’s ability to attack."

After listening to a series of orders from me, the chief of staff looked at Gusev next to him. After seeing Gusev nodding his head in approval, he quickly walked to the telephone on the side and conveyed the order to the troops below.

I released the microphone that I was covering and said to Askarepov: "Comrade commander, I have sent troops to reinforce you. They are an infantry regiment and an artillery battalion. When the artillery arrives, you must be as short as possible. Within a period of time, opened the road to the Vistula River and successfully captured the two railway stations. Understand?"

"Understood, Comrade Deputy Commander." Askarepov assured me on the phone: "As long as reinforcements and artillery arrive, no matter how many enemies there are in front of them, we will completely wipe them out."

Gusev waited for me to put down the phone and asked tentatively: "Comrade Deputy Commander, using artillery to shoot at close range can really effectively destroy the German defense?"

"There is no doubt about it." To Gusev's question, I replied solemnly: "According to the information I have, Warsaw City was brutally bombed and shelled by the Germans in 39 years, and most of the city was The buildings in this area currently under attack by our army are all brick-concrete buildings newly built in the past two years. They cannot withstand the close-range blows of our army’s artillery fire. I believe that with the participation of artillery, the enemy’s The defense will be breached soon."

The German army, which prevented Galicki and Askarepov’s troops from advancing to the Vistula River, might not have dreamed that our troops would actually use the "Bayonet on the Cannon" tactic. The building where they depended on hiding, In the direct fire of our army, they collapsed one after another.

Those Germans who survived either surrendered with a white flag or dropped their weapons and fled northward along the Vistula River, attempting to escape from Warsaw, and then to Modlin to the north to join the defenders there.

After the Polish Army successfully reached the Union Square, Galicki called me to announce the good news: "Comrade Deputy Commander, my troops have successfully reached the Vistula River. Only when the crossing equipment arrives, My troops will be able to cross the river into the western part of Warsaw and join up with the rebels standing there."

"Don't worry, Comrade Colonel." Since I have not yet received the battle report from General Askarepov, I replied with a little confidence: "As long as the train station is taken down, our trains carrying river crossing equipment can enter Warsaw. . You can use this time for the troops to take a good rest, and then prepare to cross the river."

I put down the phone and first said to Gusev and the Chief of Staff: "Col. Galicki’s troops have successfully broken through the German defenses and successfully reached the Union Square by the Vistula River. Now I want to know. What's the progress on General Skarypov's side, have they taken the train station?"

Hearing this question from me, the chief of staff quickly replied: "I just talked to the front line. At present, the troops of the 397th Division are competing for the Warsaw East Station; and the Askarepov Division Commander is commanding two battalions and is facing Vilansk. The station launched an attack."

Although the chief of staff said it lightly, I knew in my heart that the battle must be going very fiercely. After a pause, I then asked: "Chief of Staff, when do you think General Askarepov can take the train station?"

"I guess it will take more than two hours at the earliest." The chief of staff was afraid that I would get angry, and explained to me: "The buildings of the railway station are all stone buildings, which can withstand heavy artillery bombardment, so Askarepov The general and their battle will not end in a short time."

I raised my hand to look at my watch, and then shook my head and said, "On the battlefield, every minute is precious. We have no right to let the soldiers of the Polish Army wait by the river for several hours. So, Comrade Chief of Staff, You immediately order the train that is on standby to depart and deliver the river crossing equipment to the Polish army as soon as possible."

"But Comrade Deputy Commander, the two railway stations on the Vistula River are still in the hands of the enemy." The chief of staff said to me anxiously, "If we rush the supplies over, we will suffer Necessary losses."

"Comrade Chief of Staff," I said to him, pointing to the map: "You can order the train to stop here, and then let other troops send these equipment to the Polish army by other means."

"Well, Comrade Deputy Commander, since you insist on doing this, then I will obey the order." The chief of staff said helplessly: "I will immediately transfer a guard regiment to the place you specify to receive the river crossing equipment, and They were sent to the Vistula River."

The cruelty of the battle for the railway station far exceeded my imagination. The 397th Division rushed into Warsaw East Station and occupied the waiting hall, dispatch room and most of the platforms, but before they could gain a foothold, they were driven out of the station by the tenacious counterattack of the Germans, and even the regiment commander All were seriously injured.

The battle to seize Vilansk Station ~www.wuxiaspot.com~ is still extremely tragic. Although Askarepov ordered the artillery to collapse the station building, the German army hid in the ruined walls and continued the final resistance. They did not use intensive firepower to block off our army's offensive route, but used short shots to eliminate every target that appeared in their field of vision.

After the battle lasted for more than an hour, the troops under the command of Askarepov had not made any decent progress at all, except that they dropped a bunch of soldiers' remains in front of the station.

After hearing that the attack on the train station was frustrated, Gusev immediately suggested to me: "Comrade Deputy Commander, we can no longer fight like this. If we fight again, our troops will be consumed in these two places. Troops can cooperate with the Polish army in cross-river operations."

"Yes, yes," the chief of staff echoed: "Anyway, there are not many enemies in these two stations. We only need to send troops to monitor them, and we don't need to consume our precious troops here."

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