USSR 1941

At this time, the Soviet army still had two distinct strata to some extent.

One is ordinary soldiers. They fight the enemy to death on the battlefield, and they only think about surviving or killing the enemy every day.

The other is the officer class, they are more concerned about how to obtain military exploits and then get promoted.

It should be said that this boundary was more obvious before that, but now it is becoming more and more blurred because of the war.

It gets blurred because officer promotions are tied directly to battlefield victories and nothing else.

Mehlis is an extreme, Major Akimovich is somewhere in between his aim is still the same as before with an eye on promotion, but at the same time he wants to be a hero like Shulka to gain the support of soldiers, or It can also be said to be the pursuit of a certain sense of honor.

"You don't need to learn to be like me, Comrade Akimovich!" Shulka sat up and said to him: "You just need to be yourself, then bravely fight the enemy, and try to defeat them. Then One day, when you look back, you will find that the soldiers will discuss you in the same tone!"

Akimovich nodded half-understanding, and said, "However, by then I will find that those things are meaningless to me, right?"

"Yes!" Shulka nodded.

Then the two laughed in unison.

It can be said to be a kind of irony, getting what you want only to find that it doesn't make sense.

What Shulka didn't say was that it was more important to live to that moment.

At this time Andrianka came up, and he reported to Shulka: "The request has been sent to the command as planned!"

Shulka nodded.

The "request" here does not refer to the request of the "cemetery project" and Andrianka named the project "cemetery project".

Of course, it is impossible for the Army Command to know this.

However, there may be some errors in this.

For example, the Soviet artillery may provide fire cover for the 82nd Infantry Regiment and aim the muzzle at the cemetery. It would be wrong for a batch of shells to fly from the rear and hit the 82nd Infantry Regiment.

then,

Shulka devised a false defense plan.

To be precise, it cannot be said to be "false", because it followed this plan before that, but it is not an end but a process.

In this plan, Shulka demanded that all shelling by the army in the direction of Mamayev Kurgan should be organized and contacted in advance with the 82nd Infantry Regiment.

"We may launch a counterattack!" Mikhailvich reported: "And if the artillery is bombing the enemy at this time, it will cause unnecessary accidental injuries!"

This is a normal coordination between infantry and artillery, so Golikov agreed without thinking too much.

Then, the 82nd Infantry Regiment deployed two lines of defense.

In fact, it can not be regarded as a line of defense. The Soviet army set up a large number of mines, barbed wire and roadblocks.

All afternoon, the logistical force was transporting these things almost, and then the 82nd Infantry Regiment arranged them in the ruins one by one.

The ruins and the roadblocks turned the hospital and the school into a difficult jungle, but the jungle is not made of trees, but broken walls, mines, wire and needles.

At the same time, it can be seen that the German army was also preparing, because transport planes flew over Mamayev Post in batches and then dropped supplies downwards, and occasionally a few gliders appeared.

Compared with the airdrop of the transport plane, the advantage of the glider is that its cost is very low, almost a steel frame plus a layer of skin.

But it can carry a large amount of materials because it can be dropped by air instead of airdropped like a transport plane.

If there are any shortcomings, it is that its defense is too weak, and its speed is not fast. A few machine guns can pose a big threat to it.

Therefore, when the glider flew over the airspace near the hospital, the German army would always use artillery to cover the hospital for a while.

Its purpose is obvious, which is to cover the delivery of the glider supplies to the Germans on Mamayev Hill.

"They're going to attack tonight!" Shulka said.

"Tonight?" Akimovich was a little disbelieving: "Night battles are not suitable for the Germans, I think they will wait until tomorrow!"

"Although I think the same as Akimovich!" Andrianka said: "But why do I feel that I am wrong!"

"You should get used to this!" Mikhailvich said with a smile. "I don't need to think so much, I just need to know that Shulka is right! Yes, they will attack tonight! "

"I want to know the reason, Comrade Captain!" Akimovich asked a little unconvinced: "Why do you think the Germans will attack at night? This way they will lose their air and tank advantages!"

"Even during the day, their tanks and air superiority are difficult to exert in the ruins!" Shulka replied: "We can hide in the basement and sewers to avoid bombing, and it is also difficult for tanks to come in! The war has been fought until now, They already know that!"

Akimovich nodded, but he still objected: "But it doesn't mean they will attack at night!"

"If you don't want to attack at night," Shulka said, nodding his head towards the glider that was flying to Mamayev Kurgan in the distance, "then why did they take the risk of using the glider to deliver supplies?"

Then Akimovich understood.

"Are they preparing for the night's attack?" Akimovich asked in surprise.

"Of course!" Shulka said, "it will be difficult for them to drop supplies to Mamayev Kurgan after dark. On the other hand, if they want to wait until dawn, they still have a whole day to drop supplies. Gliders needed. They're in a hurry to use them only one chance they're going to wipe us out tonight and break through the supply lines!"

Akimovich nodded, he had to admit that Shulka's analysis was reasonable.

Shulka was right.

Andreas, commander of the German 29th Motorized Infantry Division, couldn't wait any longer.

In fact, it can't be said that he was impatient, but that Mamayev Gang was under too much pressure.

The Mamayev Hill is such an important place that both the enemy and the enemy are fighting for it at all costs.

Although the German army has now occupied Mamayev Gang, the problem with the German army is the lack of supplies.

If you wait until tomorrow, the Russian army may gather enough troops to attack Mamayev Post.

At that time, the German army will be like the previous situation, unable to pinch hospitals and schools in order to cope with the Russian attack.

Therefore, Major General Andreas decided to take advantage of the victory just now, replenish enough ammunition for Mamayev Post, and then finish off those guys stationed in the hospital and school tonight.

Only in this way can the German army really occupy Mamayev Gang.