Red Moscow

After more than half an hour of air combat, nine of the German dive bombers were shot down by the Soviet Air Force, and the rest turned around and flew back. The Polish anti-aircraft gunners who had just established an air defense position were cheering when they saw the enemy plane fleeing in a hurry, while regretting that they had not achieved any results.

The temporary headquarters of General Proshlyakov, the director of the engineering corps, was located only 300 meters away from the Vistula River. When the enemy planes were bombing, many bombs fell near his headquarters. The explosion made it impossible to hear the loud voices in the headquarters.

As soon as the explosion ended, a staff officer suggested to him with lingering fear: "Comrade General, I suggest that the headquarters should be established elsewhere. It is too dangerous here."

"What, Comrade Staff, do you think it's dangerous here?!" Proshlyakov pointed to the engineering soldiers by the river who were preparing to build a bridge under the bombardment of enemy planes, and said to the staff righteously: " No matter how dangerous our place is, can it be more dangerous than those fighters who braved the bombing of enemy planes and did not care about their own lives?"

Proshlyakov's words made the staff officer speechless. He could only shut up obediently and prepare for the bridge with others.

When the enemy plane was chased away by the Soviet Air Force, Proshlyakov immediately and decisively issued an order: "Start building bridges!"

As the order was issued, the engineering soldiers staying by the river jumped into the water one after another, piling piling, laying the bridge deck, and they were very busy.

Proshlyakov, who was staying in the headquarters, held up the binoculars and saw the pontoon bridge stretching towards the opposite bank little by little. Glance at the sky now and then.

"General Proshlyakov, why are you building a bridge?" Chuikov came in from the outside and asked Proshlyakov who was standing indoors: "Where is General Tkachenko? Not with you?"

Proshlyakov knew that Tkachenko was the chief engineer of the 8th Guards Army, but he had never seen him since he came here. When he heard Chuikov ask, he shook his head and said, "I'm sorry. , General Chuikov, I haven’t seen him since I came to the river.”

"Damn," Chuikov was also a little angry when he heard Proshlyakov say that. Since the pontoon bridge on the Vistula River was blown up, he has been thinking about when he can rebuild the pontoon bridge. Just now he heard that the river was bombed by enemy planes, so he came here at risk, but he didn't expect Tkachenko's shadow: "Where will he go?"

Although Proshlyakov and Tkachenko have no affiliation, they are both directors of the engineering corps, and they should take care of each other. Seeing that Chuikov was showing signs of getting angry at this moment, he quickly explained: "General Chuikov, I think it may be because the pontoon bridge on the Vistula River was blown up by the enemy. Tkachenko may organize people to collect materials for bridge construction."

After listening to Proshlyakov's explanation, the anger on Chuikov's face weakened a little, and he asked, "General Proshlyakov, Comrade Marshal sent you to build the bridge, right?"

"That's right." To Chuikov's question, Proshlyakov gave him an affirmative answer: "Comrade Marshal was worried that you would not have the strength to continue building bridges, so he sent me to bring engineers from the Front Army to support you. Now it seems , we came to the right place."

"I don't know how long it will take to erect this pontoon bridge?"

"It will take at least eight hours." Proshlyakov must be worried about what Chuikov might say, so he blocked the other person's mouth with words: "This is already our fastest speed, we want to go faster. I'm sorry, Chuikov General, we can't do it."

Chuikov looked at the black smoke rising from the direction of the landing field on the left bank and the sound of rumbling guns. He couldn't help sighing softly, and then said to Proshlyakov: "The 47th Guards Division on the left bank is suffering. I'm really worried that they won't be able to hold out for that long with the four divisions of the German army attacking."

"Don't worry, General Chuikov." Proshlyakov said to Chuikov: "Our engineers will do their best to complete the erection of the pontoon bridge so that you can transport more troops and weapons over there."

Chuikov nodded after hearing this, and then asked tentatively: "Can tanks or artillery pass through the newly built pontoon bridge?"

"Yes, General Chuikov," Proshlyakov replied confidently, "no question at all."

"That's good, I will immediately order the tank brigade and artillery units to gather near the pontoon bridge," Chuikov said: "As soon as your bridge is built, you will immediately start crossing the river, and cross the Vistula River before the enemy plane arrives." .”

He used the phone in the room to call his chief of staff, Beleyavsky, and said: "Comrade chief of staff, the pontoon bridge force sent by the Front Army Command is building a bridge on the Vistula River. The tank brigade and artillery regiment rushed here, and as soon as the bridge was erected, they began to cross the river immediately, and must rush to the Magnushev landing site on the opposite bank in the shortest possible time to reinforce the 47th Guards Division."

Regarding Chuikov's order, Beleyavsky stared at the map on the table and said confidently: "Comrade Commander, there are now two tank brigades and three artillery regiments, which are hidden in the Vistula River. In the forest less than ten kilometers away. When the pontoon bridge is about to be built, I will give them a departure order."

"By the way, I didn't see Tkachenko when I went to the river." Chuikov said into the microphone: "Ask someone who knows his whereabouts."

"Comrade Commander, you are looking for General Tkachenko. I happen to know his whereabouts."

"Quickly," urged Chuikov, "where is he now?"

"He is leading people to cut wood in the forest," Beleyevsky explained to Chuikov, "probably preparing materials for a pontoon bridge."

After figuring out Tkachenko's whereabouts, Chuikov's anger also dissipated. After all, the engineers sent by the front army were building a pontoon bridge, and you, the right master, didn't know where you went. This is a bit unreasonable. But since he knew that he was cutting down trees, it meant that he was collecting materials for bridge construction, and it was understandable that he could not be seen by the river.

While Chuikov and Proshlyakov were overseeing the erection of the pontoon bridge on the Vistula, another fierce battle broke out in the direction of Warsaw. The troops of the 2nd Tank Army and the 1st Polish Army have already rushed into the city of Warsaw and started a fierce battle with the German troops in the city.

The city of Warsaw was divided into east and west parts by the meandering Vistula River. The Soviet and Polish troops who were fighting fiercely with the German army in the east of the city saw only the stubborn German army, but no trace of the Warsaw uprising army.

Rokossowski learned that the combined forces of the Tank Army and the Polish 1st Army had successfully rushed into the eastern part of Warsaw, so he quickly contacted General Bellinger and said to him: "General Bellinger, in order to get back to Warsaw as soon as possible. Get in touch with the Warsaw Uprising on the west bank, and you should send a force to seize the bridge on the Vistula River, so that our army can cross the Vistula River and enter the West District of Warsaw through the bridge."

After Bellinger finished talking with Rokossovsky, he immediately called Colonel Galitsky, commander of the 3rd Infantry Division, and told him: "Comrade Colonel, you immediately command your troops to rush to the Vistula River." Be sure to seize a bridge before the Germans blow it up, so that our army can enter the West District of Warsaw smoothly through the bridge."

"Comrade Commander," Galitsky asked respectfully, "I don't know which direction our division should attack, and which bridge on the Vistula River should we seize?"

At present, there are four bridges across the Vistula River in Warsaw, connecting the east and west of the city. Hearing Galitsky's question, Bellinger waved to him and said, "Colonel, come to me."

When Galitsky came in front of him, Bellinger pointed to the map and said to him: "Colonel, the task of your division is to attack northward along the bank of the Vistula River, and enter along the Zeshinsky Avenue. After South Prague, try to take the Łazienki Bridge from the Germans."

It may be that they are worried that the other party does not understand the significance of capturing the Lazienki Bridge, and they specifically emphasized: "Both sides of the Lazienki Bridge are Lazienki Street, and both sides of the road are solid stone buildings. If your troops move Quickly, before the Germans react, you can occupy some buildings as your division's fire support points, so you don't have to worry about the enemy's counterattack."

After explaining the task, Bellinger asked again: "Are there any questions?"

"Comrade Commander," Galitsky hesitated for a moment, then pointed to the map and said to Bellinger: "Since we have reached the South Prague district, why not continue to move forward to occupy Warsaw East Station, and then How about sending our soldiers on a train, rushing across the bridge, and occupying the west of Warsaw?"

"Colonel, your idea is good." Bellinger first expressed his approval of Galitsky's whimsical idea, but then continued: "But have you ever thought about it, even if you occupy Warsaw East Station, You snatched the train from the Germans, do you really think you can reach the west of the city smoothly?"

Bellinger waved his hands and said: "Once the German army realizes your intentions, they will wait for your train to get on the bridge and blow up the bridge directly. At that time, thousands of commanders and fighters on the whole train may all sink to the bottom of the water. Back off In 10,000 steps, even if the Germans don't blow up the bridge, they only need to place a few tanks on the west side of the bridge and use artillery fire to destroy the front of the tractor, what kind of casualties do you think our commanders and fighters will suffer?"

After Bellinger's analysis, Galitsky immediately realized that he thought the problem too simply. Commanding troops to occupy Warsaw East Station, snatching the trains there, and then let the soldiers board the trains and rush along the railway to the west bank. It sounds simple, but there are too many variables in it. Maybe there will be Bellinger In these two situations, not only will he not be able to take the left bank area, but I am afraid that the troops under his command will suffer heavy casualties.

"Understood, Comrade Commander." Galitsky said to Bellinger: "I will organize troops when I go back, launch an attack on the South Prague district, and find a way to take the Lazienki Bridge to ensure that our army can have a bridge to cross the river .But it would be great if we could get the cooperation of Soviet tanks.”

"I can contact the Soviet army and hope they can send tanks to cooperate, so that you can relax when advancing in the city."

Half an hour later, the 3rd Polish Infantry Division, led by five Soviet T-34 tanks, advanced along the bank of the Vistula River towards the South Prague area.

Although they were stubbornly blocked by the German army along the way, the Polish army, supported by Soviet tanks, performed extremely bravely. They successfully broke through the German defense and quickly approached the South Prague area.

But at this moment, a Soviet tank driving at the front stopped without warning, blocking the path of the tank behind.

The tank that was following behind didn't know what happened to the tank in front of it, so it quickly went around and prepared to move forward. However, at this moment, an armor-piercing projectile flying from the front accurately hit the tank, causing the ammunition in the tank to explode immediately. followed by a Polish soldier.

"What's going on here?" A Polish lieutenant following behind saw this situation and couldn't help but start to mutter in his heart, "Why did the leading tank stop suddenly? Did it break down? It doesn't look like it, the tank inside None of the tank soldiers ran out; could it be that they were all sacrificed, but they were not found shot?"

In order to find out what was going on, the lieutenant risked his life to climb onto the tank body and forcefully opened the top hatch of the turret. When he opened the lid and looked inside, he was shocked by what he saw. Because he saw that all the members of the tank were dead.

He quickly got off the tank, observed carefully, and finally found that there was a small effect on the side of the tank, which was obviously a masterpiece of armor-piercing bullets. But what surprised him was that it was obviously fire from the side, but he followed not far from the tank, and didn't see any anti-tank firepower on the side of the road.

However, the attack was continuing at this moment, and the lieutenant didn't have time to figure out what happened, so he led the soldiers in his company and continued to rush forward along the road.

Since the road was blocked by the destroyed tanks, the three tanks behind could no longer continue to cooperate with the Polish army, so they could only stop in place and provide artillery support for the attacking Polish infantry.

Soon, the officers and soldiers of the 3rd Polish Infantry Division rushed to the South Prague area and fought a fierce battle with the German troops standing here. As the German army occupied a favorable terrain, they blocked the advance of the Polish army with condescending firepower, and the Polish army, which lacked heavy weapon support, was immediately suppressed by firepower and could not continue to advance.

Seeing that the attack was frustrated, Galitsky knew that if he continued to attack forcefully without the cover of heavy weapons, it would only cause huge casualties to the troops. So he ordered the troops to stop the offensive and build a defensive line in the occupied area to prevent possible counterattacks by the Germans. At the same time, he sent a signal for help to Bellinger, hoping that the other party would provide him with some heavy weapons so that he could destroy the enemy's firepower and open a path for the attacking troops.

Bellinger learned that the attack of the 3rd Infantry Division was frustrated, so he quickly contacted the commander of the 2nd Tank Army and begged them to dispatch some tanks to reinforce the Polish infantry that had reached the South Prague area and cover them from rushing towards the Lazienki Bridge. And find a way to establish a reliable landing site west of Warsaw after crossing the Vistula River.