The decisive battle against the Third Reich

At the 62nd Army Headquarters, Chuikov quickly received news of the fall of Mamayev Heights.

He looked at the map blankly for a while, and then realized that he was too concerned about the defense of Stalingrad city and factories and ignored the importance of Mamayev Hill. Or it can be said that he did not expect that his defense at Mamayev Heights would be broken through by the Germans so quickly.

"The intention of the Germans is obvious!" Krylov said next to him: "They hope to lead our troops to the Mamayev Heights area and fight near there!"

"You are right, Comrade Krylov!" Chuikov replied: "But we have no other choice!"

Krylov nodded.

If Mamayev Hills fell to the Germans, it would mean that the connection between Stalingrad's industrial area and the main city would be cut off. Worse still, the central ferry would be exposed to German surveillance.

In this way, the troops and ammunition transported from the east coast to Stalingrad could not escape the eyes of the Germans, and they could accurately block the ferry with artillery fire.

"But Comrade Chuikov!" Krylov paused and said, "We no longer have the extra troops to retake Mamayev Heights!"

"The 13th Guards Rifle Division!" Chuikov replied.

"But it is our strength to defend the ferry!" Krylov looked at Chuikov in surprise: "This will make the ferry's troops empty!"

"The Southeastern Front will continue to send reinforcements to Stalingrad!" Chuikov replied: "Any reinforcements that come over will be a temporary defense force for the central ferry. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Comrade Chuikov!" Krylov replied, and then immediately conveyed the order.

The 13th Guards Infantry Division, as you can tell from its designation, is an elite unit of the Soviet army.

The commander of this division is Alexander Ilyich Rodimtsev. When he participated in the Spanish Civil War as a volunteer, he was awarded the title of "Hero of the Soviet Union" for his bravery in combat. He withstood the German attack in the battle of Kiev last year. Attack for a month, and finally break out of the siege when the defense is hopeless.

The focus of this should be the Kiev defensive battle commanded by Rodimtsev... A defensive battle that can last for a month may not sound like a big deal. The German army was able to defend with a weak force for more than three months in the Battle of Holm.

However, the background of the Kiev defensive battle took place when the Soviet army was completely collapsed and morale was low after being beaten by the German army. Therefore, the defense during this month was particularly important, and Rodimtsev was promoted to major general.

Rodimtsev frowned when he received this order.

Political Commissar Kokrov urged anxiously: "Comrade Rodimtsev, Comrade Chuikov's order is 'immediately'. I think you know what it means when the ferry is blocked by the enemy!"

"Comrade Kokov!" Rodimtsev asked without answering: "Then how do you think we should attack?"

"How else can we attack?" Kokrov replied: "We have tanks, and we will attack under the cover of tanks!"

The 13th Guards Rifle Division is the unit that defends the central crossing, and all 50 tanks in Stalingrad are under its command.

Rodimtsev shook his head and replied: "We do not have air superiority, Comrade Kokov. If the tanks are mobilized from the building to attack Mamayev, they will either be destroyed by enemy artillery fire, or they will be destroyed." Destroyed by enemy bombers!"

"you mean……"

"There are not many tanks left in Stalingrad!" Rodimtsev said: "And it is difficult to get supplements from the east coast. We can't send them up there to die!"

After hearing this, Kokov understood what Rodimtsev meant: "In other words, we are going to fight this battle with pure infantry?"

"And artillery!" Rodimtsev replied.

This is simply crazy, because the charge mode of infantry and artillery can be said to be unfeasible during World War I, but Rodimtsev still wants to do it... But other than that, they seem to have no other choice choose.

As a result, the sound of artillery soon started, and Rodimtsev's attack on Mamayev Heights started after half an hour of preparation.

The only advantage of the Soviet army was that there were a large number of artillery and sufficient artillery shells on the east bank of the Volga River. Rodimtsev made full use of this. He had two artillery regiments, one on the left and one on the right, to fire fiercely at Mamayev Hill. Boom... The reason why one is on the left and one on the right is because this can form a "crossfire" on the artillery fire.

This principle is similar to the crossfire of a machine gun. If the machine gun is pointed straight at the enemy, it is likely to be blocked by obstacles between the machine gun and the target and cannot hit.

It would be different if two machine guns were arranged on both sides of the main position, one on the left and one on the right. Their firepower could avoid obstacles and hit the target to the greatest extent.

The same is true for artillery. If both artillery regiments are placed in front of the target high ground, no matter how many shells are fired, there will always be some blind spots that cannot be reached.

But if the two artillery regiments are placed on the left and right... then there will basically be no blind spots for artillery fire.

Therefore, the artillery fire continued for half an hour. Rodimtsev judged that the German troops who had just occupied Mamayev Hill and had not had time to build fortifications might suffer heavy casualties. Taking advantage of this time, the Soviet troops launched a charge again with great enthusiasm. Recapture Mamayev Heights.

Rodimtsev did exactly this. The artillery shells almost turned the entire Mamayev Hill upside down, and then the artillery fire began to extend to the west, in the direction of the German army.

At this time, the infantry of a Soviet regiment launched a charge towards the Dorji Gorge across the south and followed the artillery fire.

But what Rodimtsev didn't know was that Qinchuan had been prepared for this, so the German army was not as heavy in casualties as he imagined.

The characteristics of Mamayev Heights that are easy to attack and difficult to defend can be said to be useless.

It is impossible not to occupy this place, and it is impossible to occupy it.

The former will let go and hand over the commanding heights to the enemy and lose many strategic benefits, while the latter will expose itself to the enemy's artillery fire.

In particular, the German army suffered a lot in this regard... Mamayev Hill can be said to be almost surrounded by Soviet troops on all sides, and the Germans only occupied a passage leading to Mamayev Hill.

Therefore, for the Soviet artillery, there are no blind spots and no reverse slopes on Mamayev Hill.

Therefore, the anti-slope tactics used before in Africa are no longer applicable.

Tunnels may be a way, but tunnels cannot be constructed in a short time, especially under such intensity of artillery bombardment, the tunnels may not be able to withstand it.

After some consideration, Qin Chuan decided to use the method Chuikov used in Stalingrad at Mamayev Heights... close-quarters tactics.