The Rise of the Third Reich

On July 15, when Oktyabryski's car drove out of the small town of Wovomin, the cemetery on the side of the road finally became quiet, and no one held reactionary religious funerals there. Because the Provisional Government of the Polish People's Republic, which had just been established in Lublin, explicitly prohibited such behavior.

Moreover, the "reactionary element indicators" in the small town of Wowomin have also been adjusted, and a large arrest was made last night. Several desperate Catholic priests (I don’t know why they didn’t retreat?) all got the fate they deserved.

In fact, even if no arrests had been made last night, there would have been no reactionary gatherings where Oktyabryski passed today. Because the area near the cemetery became a Red Army garrison, a tank corps that had just arrived from the west bank of the Bug River set up camp there.

This unit, designated the 7th Tank Corps, arrived just last night. Its commander is Pavel Alexeevich Rotmistrov, a newly promoted armored tank corps major general. At the beginning of the world revolution, this army belonged to the reserve front army and was deployed near Smolensk. It was only ordered to set off on July 10.

The reason why Oktyabryski's 3rd Army stayed in Wovomin for days and did not launch an attack on Legionovo was to wait for the arrival of this tank corps.

Because this tank corps is the first among the 38 tank corps and mechanized corps of the Soviet Red Army to be equipped with T-34/57 tanks! The 8th Tank Brigade owned by this tank army received a total of 55 brand-new T-34/57 tanks before July 10!

Moreover, the 10th Motorized Infantry Brigade of the 7th Tank Corps also received 16 ZIS-2 57mm anti-tank guns. With these 55 T-34/57s and 16 ZIS-2 anti-tank guns, the 3rd Army's attack on Legionovo is very hopeful to succeed.

"Ilya," Gulov, the political commissar of the 3rd Army, who was riding in the GAS car with Oktyabryski, turned his eyes from the row of T-34/57s covered by camouflage nets on the roadside. The tank body was retracted, and then he smiled and said to Oktyabryski, "Although the 7th Tank Army and the 8th Tank Brigade are both glorious and powerful units, they have no experience in fighting the Nazi army after all. This is also the reason why the Front Army The reason why Comrade Military Commissar Ponomarenko nominated you to be the political commissar of the 7th Tank Corps.”

The hero of the Soviet Union Oktyabryski was really lucky to have an official career. Before his position as director of the political department of the group army could be filled, he was transferred to serve as the political commissar of the 7th Tank Army. Although it is a flat position, the military political commissar is the top leader, and there are deputy political commissars and political commissars above the director of the group army's political department.

In addition, the 7th Tank Corps is the unit preparing for the main attack. As long as Legionovo can be successfully captured this time, as the political chief of the army, his contribution will naturally be great. It is not impossible to be promoted to a division-level political commissar.

But what Oktyabryski cares about is not how big an official he becomes, but how much he can contribute to the world revolution. As a political cadre who joined the Red Army only after the victory of the Soviet revolution, he was extremely hopeful that he could realize his life ideals in the battle against the imperialist enemies.

Moreover, like thousands of Bolshevik members of this era, he truly believed that GC doctrine could be realized!

…

"Ula! Ula! Ula!"

At this time, Yakov Fedotovich Pavlov, who had become a member of the glorious Bolshevik Party of the Soviet Union, and several of his comrades were placing a red flag tied to a water pipe on a building. Located on the bank of the Vistula River, on the roof of a 4-story building guarding a railway bridge!

This building originally belonged to the Polish State Railways (named the Polish State Railways Building). It was built very solidly. It was bombarded twice by a B-4 howitzer at close range and did not completely collapse. It only collapsed. Small portion.

Then the 205th Division of the Red Army, which had just returned to the battlefield from rest, launched seven rounds of infantry attacks. After paying the price of more than 1,500 casualties, it finally drove away the German troops (about one battalion) who were holding on to the building. The commando team led by Pavlov achieved meritorious service in the seventh round of onslaught. They climbed all the way to the fourth floor of the building along the ruins bombarded by B-4, and then used grenades and bayonets to eliminate the defenders. A dozen murderous Nazi soldiers were there. Put the red flag on the rooftop platform!

Chuikov, the commander of the Western Front's Middle Group, witnessed with his own eyes the red flag being put on the roof. He nodded with satisfaction, and then said to the commander of the 4th Army next to him, Major General Ruo Ludev (the former commander of the 205th Division): " The 205th Division is indeed a heroic unit! The soldiers of the 205th Division used their blood and lives to open the way to the heart of White Poland for the Red Army in the Warsaw Forest. Now it is the soldiers of the 205th Division who planted the red flag in Vis. On the highest point on the east bank of the Wa River.

Now half of the city of Warsaw has returned to the hands of the people! "

Although Warsaw is divided into east and west parts by the Vistula River, it is not "equally divided". To the west of the Vistula River is the main city, and to the east is only a small part of the city. Moreover, there are still several important strongholds in the East City of Warsaw (referring to the east of the Vistula River) in the hands of the German army, such as the "King William Railway Station", the "Warsaw Guards Barracks" and the "Warsaw Infantry School" near the Vistula There are currently more than 20,000 German troops holding on to the important stronghold on the Wahe River.

But the building just taken down by the 205th Division is still very valuable!

Because after taking this building, the railway traffic between Warsaw's West City and Legionovo was cut off. Moreover, as long as the Red Army artillery observers set up observation posts on the roof of this building, they can direct artillery fire to block all bridges on the Vistula River in Warsaw.

After these bridges were blocked, it was somewhat difficult for the German army to counterattack the urban areas east of the Vistula River. The Red Army's center cluster can also mobilize troops to cooperate with the north cluster to launch a pincer attack on Legionovo.

"Comrade Rudev, the railway company building is a key support point and must be defended." Chuikov then warned, "The Fourth Army must defend the banks of the Vistula River in the next 5-10 days and blockade the railway station, Three strongholds, including the Guards Barracks and the Infantry School, will be used to coordinate the main force in the center and the northern group in the flanking attack on Legionovo."

Major General Ruo Lujev did not dare to neglect, and quickly gave a military salute and replied: "Comrade Commander, please rest assured that the 4th Army of the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army will resolutely complete its mission!"

…

"Comrade Chuikov is really good! Now the mission of the first phase of the Battle of Warsaw has been successfully completed."

Pavlov held the victory telegram from Chuikov in one hand, touched his bald head with the other, and showed a proud smile.

Now the middle and south roads of the Warsaw Battle Cluster are progressing very smoothly. The south road has already invaded the west district of Warsaw along the Vistula River, and the middle road has captured most of the east district of Warsaw after nearly 20 days of fighting. The progress of the North Road seems slow, but that is actually Pavlov's deliberate decision.

Because Legionovo, the key point of the northern road, is located at the confluence of three important rivers, including the Narew River, the Fkra River, and the Vistula River, and there are also many railways and roads intersecting here. The geographical location is very important. As long as Legionovo is in the hands of the Germans, it will be difficult for the Soviet army to circle back from the northern road to the back of Warsaw to form an encirclement. Under the threat of Geonovo.

Therefore, Pavlov's plan was to capture Legionovo first, then push west along the north bank (east bank) of the Vistula River, find a suitable place to cross the river, and insert behind the city of Warsaw.

"Comrade Commander, now we have to see whether the plan to lure the enemy on the North Road will succeed." Ponomarenko, the military commissar of the Western Front, was standing in front of the military map with his arms folded, as if he could really understand it. Hearing Pavlov's relaxed tone, he also jumped in as if appropriate.

"It will definitely succeed. The German commander-in-chief will be inspired by the victory in the Legionovo-Wovomin battle and believe that the strength of their armored forces far exceeds ours."

Pavlov said with a smile: "They never expected that we would respond so quickly. In just more than 20 days after the Legionovo-Wovomin battle, many tanks equipped with 57mm tank guns had been produced. T-34 tank."

The T-34/57 was actually not a new tank, it had been designed and tested in 1941. Just because the tank gun modified from the ZIS-2 anti-tank gun had a short lifespan, the T-34/57 was not mass-produced.

"Yes, the Germans will definitely not think of the strength and wisdom of our Soviet working class." Ponomarenko said, "They will definitely be deceived."

Pavlov was also confident about this, "Then we can fight a beautiful battle of annihilation on the north bank of the Reinav River, and at least severely damage the German armored group in Warsaw... Those damn tanks have caused us a lot of damage. Huge casualties.”

Having said this, he suddenly turned his head and glanced at Vasilevsky, the representative of the Supreme Command who was carefully reading the battle reports one by one in the corner of the war room. This representative of the High Command had always been suspicious of Pavlov's plan.

Pavlov smiled and said: "It doesn't matter even if our 7th Tank Army and 11th Mechanized Army cannot defeat the German armored forces, because the center cluster and the north cluster will launch a pincer attack at the same time, and we can still take Leyland." Gionovo. As long as Legionovo is obtained, the north side of Warsaw will always be threatened by us, and it will be a matter of time before Warsaw is liberated.”