Red Moscow

When Chuikov learned that the Central Railway Station was lost, he was furious. He yelled at Krylov: "Comrade Chief of Staff, the Central Railway Station, as the city's transportation hub, is undoubtedly the main channel leading to the Volga River. As long as the enemy is in With a firm foothold there, not only will our defense line be divided into two, but we can also rush to the Volga River at any time, control the ferry there, and cut off our connection with the other side.”

Krylov waited for Chuikov to finish his anger before he said: "Comrade Commander, in order to launch a counterattack against the Germans, we have put all our mobile units into battle, and now we have no reserves in our hands."

"Didn't we still have a reserve team, which is going to be transferred to the river to defend the ferry." Chuikov frowned and said, "Anyway, Lieutenant Colonel Sokov's 73rd Infantry Brigade guards the Mamayev Post, let this The troops are going to take the train station back for me."

Krylov nodded, went to the table, picked up the phone, and said into the microphone: "Get me the 37th Tank Brigade, and find the brigade commander, Major Hopka....Major, this is Kray, the chief of staff of the Army Group Love. The commander ordered your brigade to launch an attack on the station, and must destroy the enemies entrenched in the station."

After Krylov put down the phone, he continued to Chuikov: "Comrade Commander, this tank brigade still has five T-34 tanks and more than 400 soldiers. It should not be a big problem to retake the station."

Half an hour later, the 37th Tank Brigade launched an attack on the station building of the Central Railway Station occupied by the Germans. Major Hopka, who was in charge of the command, thought of the task very simply, thinking that under the cover of tanks, his troops could easily attack the station. So he only sent one company and two tanks to attack the station occupied by the Germans.

Two tanks carefully bypassed the bomb craters in the square and rushed towards the gate of the station building, followed by more than fifty soldiers. Thirty meters away from the entrance of the building, an anti-tank gun hidden behind the sandbag fortification opened fire first, destroying the tank leading the soldiers to charge. Before the other tank could react, the German artillery fired again, destroying this tank as well. The infantrymen who lost the cover of the tanks were immediately fired by the Germans, and before they even had time to fire a single shot, they fell one after another in a pool of blood.

Seeing that one of his companies rushed forward and was completely wiped out by the enemy within five minutes, Major Hopka felt that something was wrong, so he quickly adjusted the attack method. He realized that the German army had occupied not only the station building, but also the houses on both sides. If he continued to attack from the front, he would pay a heavy price.

This time he ordered the remaining three tanks to park on the other side of the station square, bombarding the exposed firepower points in the station with artillery fire, and at the same time ordered the infantry to use the platoon as a unit to use the cover of the ruined walls to detour from the two wings to the station building. rear.

As soon as the offensive battle here at the station started, Sokov got a report from the scouts. When he heard that the vanguard of the attack was wiped out by the Germans in just a few minutes and lost two tanks, he couldn't help but sighed secretly, thinking that the tactics of the Soviet commanders were too dull. This way of fighting, before taking down the station, there will be few living people left in that army.

Regarding the importance of the Central Railway Station, Sokov is very clear in his heart. If the enemy really gains a foothold here, it will not only split the 62nd Army's line of defense into two separate parts, but will also Threat to the security of Mamayev Kurgan. Thinking of this, he decided to go out to see the situation, and then decide whether to send troops to cooperate with friendly forces to fight back the Central Railway Station.

When he came to the observation post on the top of the hill again, he unexpectedly found that the reconnaissance company commander Christopher was also there. Seeing Christopher raising his hand to salute himself, he nodded at the other party, and then asked: "Comrade Lieutenant, how is the situation, has our friendly army launched an attack again?"

Christopher nodded and replied: "Comrade Brigadier, they launched an attack again, but the commander who led the team seems to have adjusted their tactics..."

"Adjusted tactics?!" Christopher's words aroused Sokov's curiosity. He raised his binoculars and asked curiously, "How did you adjust it?"

"Comrade Brigadier, look, there are three tanks parked on the south side of the station square, and they are shelling the German fortifications in front of the station building." Christopher pointed to the smoky station in the distance, and said to Sokov: " And their infantry, using the cover of the ruined walls, turned around from the left and right sides to the two sides of the station building. When they approached the enemy's firepower point, they made a surprise assault and used grenades to destroy the enemy hiding in the building. ..."

"Interesting, a little interesting." Sokov looked at the three tanks that were still firing, and said with interest: "It seems that the commander of this army is really not simple. He ordered the tank to move towards the enemy's position. Open fire to attract the enemy's attention, and then send troops to the sides of the station to surprise the enemy. It seems that they should not have any problem taking back the station building."

Due to the readjustment of the strategy by Major Hopka, the commanders and fighters of the tank brigade successfully occupied the station building after a fierce battle. The German army in the station couldn't figure out the real situation of the Soviet army. In order to avoid being annihilated, the remaining troops withdrew from the station hastily.

After the troops of the tank brigade occupied the station, Hopka ordered people to rearrange the defenses, and at the same time ordered the messenger to set up the telephone and personally report the news of the capture of the station to Chuikov.

Chuikov was overjoyed when he learned that the Central Station had been recaptured: "It's great, Major Hopka, you are so good, you took the station back so easily. I congratulate you, and please represent me to your The soldiers expressed their gratitude for their feats in the defense of Stalingrad. Do you have any difficulties?"

"Comrade Commander," Hopka replied, "there are only three tanks and more than 300 soldiers left in the whole brigade. I wonder if you can send some reinforcements?"

"No, Comrade Major, I can't send you reinforcements, so I don't have anyone in my hands." Perhaps worried about affecting Hopka's mood, Chuikov hesitated for a moment, then continued: "According to the superior Tomorrow, a Guards Division will arrive in the city, and I will transfer troops from this division to strengthen the defense of the Central Railway Station. Comrade Major, you only need to stand firm at the station for 24 hours, and the reinforcements will be able to catch up arrive."

Knowing that the reinforcements would arrive within a day, Hopka felt a lot more at ease as if he had taken a reassurance. He said into the microphone: "Comrade commander, please rest assured that we will hold our position until the friendly troops arrive tomorrow."

Sokov, who was standing in the observation post on Mamayev Post, gave up his plan to send troops after seeing the red flag planted on the station building again. Now that the friendly army has already taken down the station, sending troops there at this time is more or less like fighting for merit. He only said to Christopher: "Continue to let people observe the movement in the direction of the station." Then he returned to his command post unsteadily.

Seeing Sokov coming in from the outside, Sidolin asked tentatively, "Comrade Brigadier, you seem to be very happy. Do you have any good news to tell us?"

"Yes, I have good news for you." Sokov went to the table and sat down, and said to Sidolin and Belkin: "Our troops have taken the Central Station from the enemy's hands. gone."

"What, the Central Railway Station has been taken back?" When Sidolin heard the news, a surprised expression appeared on his face: "However, not long ago, the attack launched by the friendly army was not repulsed by the Germans. The attacking force was completely wiped out and lost two tanks."

"Chief of Staff, you are right. The first attack by the friendly forces did end in failure." Regarding the failure of the tank brigade's first attack, Sokov did not deny: "But they will continue to fight in the next attack." , adjusted the strategy in time, and used the remaining three tanks to bombard the station building occupied by the enemy to attract the attention of the defenders. The enemy's firepower was eliminated, and after a fierce battle, the station building was successfully occupied. The enemies in other parts of the station, because they couldn't figure out the reality of our army, saw the station building fall, and fled the station in a hurry."

After confirming the news that the Central Railway Station had been taken back, Sidolin also breathed a sigh of relief. In this way, the enemy would not be able to threaten Mamayev Hill from the flanks, so that he could fully deal with the German 295th Infantry Division attacking from the front.

The enemy who occupied the station was driven out by the Soviet army. The German battalion commander, Major von Haydn, returned to the regiment headquarters in despair, and reported the news of the station loss to the regiment commander. Naturally, the head of the regiment did not dare to conceal such important information, so he quickly called the head of the division.

"Take it back, and immediately take back Stalingrad's Central Railway Station." When the German division commander heard the news, he dropped the teacup in his hand and ordered angrily: "As long as there is one person in your Grenadier Regiment Even if you are alive, you must not stop the attack on the station. Do you understand?"

"Understood, Your Excellency, Commander." Hearing the command from the division commander, the head of the regiment respectfully replied: "I will immediately organize troops to attack the station."

Although it was getting late, the German army attacked the station overnight in order to reoccupy the station. For a while, there were intensive gunshots and explosions inside and outside the station.

Regardless of the fact that there are still more than 300 people under Hopka's men, but to be responsible for the defense of so many places in the station, the force seems a bit weak. The cunning Germans took advantage of the weak enemy with scattered Soviet troops to carry out feint attacks in several places to contain the Soviet troops, and the concentrated troops rushed directly to the station building along the railway.

The commanders and fighters standing in the station building condescended to shoot at the enemy from the windows. The tanks parked outside the building also fired at the location where the enemies gathered. Pukhov looked out of the window and saw enemies everywhere. He worried that with his current strength, he would not be able to defend the station building, so he called Chuikov and asked him for help: "Comrade commander, the enemy is on the way." Launch a fierce attack on the station, our troops are too small, and we are almost unable to withstand it, please send reinforcements immediately, send reinforcements immediately!"

"Major Hopka," Chuikov said angrily after hearing Hopka's call, "didn't you promise me that you could stay at the station for 24 hours? Now it's only seven hours, you You actually told me that you couldn't hold your ground..."

"Comrade Commander," Hopka said weepingly, "the enemy attacked from several directions at the same time and held our troops back. Now they have arrived outside the station building and are trying to seize it?"

"Comrade Major, are your tanks still there?" Chuikov asked coldly after Hopka finished speaking.

"Yes, yes." Hopka quickly replied: "The remaining three tanks are all parked outside the station building, using artillery fire and machine guns to prevent the enemy from approaching our building."

"Since the tank is still there, listen carefully to my orders." Chuikov said loudly on the phone: "You immediately take all the soldiers in the building around the tank and guard the entrance of the building. If guarding If you can't stop, I don't care if you are brigade commander or division commander, I will shoot you personally."

Hearing that Chuikov gave himself an order in such a stern tone, Hopka could only bite the bullet and replied: "Understood, Comrade Commander, I will immediately organize people to guard the entrance of the station building and absolutely prevent a single German from rushing in." Go into the building."

After putting down the phone, Hopka called two communication soldiers over and ordered them loudly: "You immediately summon people from other places to the station building. We will fight them here to the death, understand?"

"Understood, Comrade Brigadier Commander." The two communications soldiers quickly and loudly agreed, turned around and ran out of the room, went to every corner of the station, informed the defenders, and then retreated to the entrance of the station building.

The battle lasted until dawn, and the dead and wounded Germans saw that they could not occupy the station, so they had to retreat in desperation. The commanders and fighters of the tank brigade standing in front of the station building also suffered heavy casualties. Even the brigade commander, Major Hopka, was unfortunately shot and died. Only one tank and 25 commanders and fighters remained in the brigade.

When Chuikov learned that the station was guarded, he hurried to the station with a few soldiers himself, ready to praise Hopka himself. However, when he arrived outside the station building, he saw hundreds of corpses of dead commanders and fighters neatly placed on the ground. Seeing this situation, he couldn't help feeling a little bit in his heart, and quickly grabbed a passing soldier and asked, "Where is your brigade commander, Major Hopka?"

The soldier glanced at Chuikov, and replied with dull eyes: "Sacrificed. Comrade brigade commander died in the battle."