Chapter 825

Stimulated by the news that the friendly troops would launch a counterattack in the early morning, kirilov, bandeleev and shelbina were still chatting excitedly around the table when I went to bed.

Before seven o'clock kirilov urged me to go to the observation post on the top of the mountain, saying that I wanted to see the spectacular scene of the simultaneous counter offensive of the two front armies. Although I understand that the attack area is more than 100 kilometers away from the mamayev post, let alone look at it, I can't even hear the noise, but in order not to dampen kirilov's interest, I reluctantly agreed to his request.

Walking out of the headquarters, I saw that it was dark outside, and everything around was submerged in the Milky fog. As the early morning outside was very cold, I wrapped up my military coat and muttered in a low voice: "Damn, it's really cold."

In the past, kirilov or bantailiev and I used to go to the observation post at the top of the mountain. Today, kirilov, bantailiev and sherbina all follow me to the observation post, except for Akhromeev, the chief of staff on duty. The four of us crowded the little observer. It turned out that the observer had to go outside and stay with them.

Waiting is the hardest. As time goes by, the time for launching a counterattack is getting closer and closer, but the fog here is not rare. The next Bantai leiev was a little impatient. He was so anxious that he walked around the room and kept saying, "hell, if the fog doesn't disperse, it will be very difficult for us to prepare for the enemy's targets, and our air force can't move."

As soon as bantaileiev finished speaking, before kirilov or I could express their opinions, shelbina suddenly made a silent gesture, listened to the movement outside for a while, and then said to us, "you hear, the voice outside."

After listening to what shelbina said, I thought he had a good hearing and heard the sound of our army's attack. So I listened to the outside sound. But after listening for a long time, I didn't hear any gunfire, so I didn't ask curiously, "commissar shelbina, why can't I hear the gunfire coming from outside?"

"Well, I didn't hear the gunfire either." Kirilov said, and then asked shelbina, "by the way, comrade shelbina, how did you hear that?"

"Gunfire, what gunfire?" Asked shelbina, puzzled. After a moment's pause, he took the initiative to explain: "I'm asking you to listen to the voice coming from the direction of the Volga River. The ice is constantly hitting the bank. It seems that the river is freezing again."

Although we can't see the overwhelming attack of our army here, or even hear the sound of guns, it doesn't affect the interest of kirilov and others. From the outbreak of the war to the present, in the previous orders issued by the higher authorities, they used to "block and crush the enemy's attack" and "repel them from the vicinity of a certain city". But this time, for the first time, the word "encirclement and annihilation" was used. How could kirilov not feel extremely excited.

When the three of them were discussing the spectacular scene of our army's attack, I stood in front of the lookout, looking at the vast white fog in front of me, thinking that I had seen films about the battle of Stalingrad before. Under the heavy artillery attack of our army, the ordinary German officers and soldiers ran around like headless flies, while the helpless commander knelt in his headquarters, Facing the image on the wall, he kept drawing a cross on his chest. After receiving the news that the troops were heavily shelled by our army, Paulus issued an order to his chief of staff in time to transfer the 16th and 24th tank divisions belonging to the 14th tank army to the areas that might be hit by our army. At the same time, he also promptly called the army general Baron von Wilkes, who was still sleeping, and informed him of the attack of our army.

Time passed unconsciously. It was ten o'clock in the morning. The thick fog outside gradually became thin, and my vision gradually widened. After analyzing and studying for several hours, the three commanders finally stopped. Bantai leiev picked up the phone and called the division headquarters to ask akhromeyev who was staying there: "Hello, chief of staff, this is Bantai leiev. Do you have the latest battle report from the group army headquarters?"

I'm far away from the telephone, and I can't hear how akhromeyev answered. But I know very well in my heart that at the moment, like us, trakov is anxiously waiting for the war reports from the southwest front army and the Don river front army. Since even he does not know the specific attack, let alone akhromeyev. Of course, I am the only one who knows the progress of the battle. Unfortunately, I can't tell anyone what I know.

Bantai leiev put down the phone and said to everyone regretfully: "the chief of staff said that he had not received any information from the group army headquarters. It seems that even commander trakov is not clear about the current situation."

After kirilov sighed, he suddenly saw me standing in front of the lookout with a calm expression. He went to me and asked tentatively, "Comrade o'shanina, do you think the counter offensive of the Don front army and the southwest front army today can be successful?"

It's a hell of a failure. You know, this is the great turning point of the Second World War. I said so in my heart, but on the surface, I had to pretend to be thoughtful. After pretending to think about it, I immediately replied, "Comrade political commissar, this great counter offensive is different from any previous offensive. The higher authorities immediately put in three front forces. We are not only in military strength, Even the number of tanks and artillery far exceeds that of the enemy, and they firmly hold the air supremacy of the battlefield. You said, under such circumstances, can our troops still defeat the enemy? "

Bantaileiev and shelbina, who had been dejected because they could not get the exact information, became elated again after hearing what I said.

After a moment of excitement, Bantai leiev solemnly asked me, "Comrade division, I don't know when our attack will start tomorrow?"

Once again, I looked at the thick fog that had not completely dispersed outside, and casually said, "wait until after noon."

"After noon?" When Bantai leiev heard this time, he was stunned at first, and then asked: "Comrade teacher, is it too late?"

I left the lookout, went to the middle of the room, and said to some of them, "comrades commander, although we all know what today's attack is about, the Germans do not know that they will think that the counterattack we launched, like many previous counterattacks, is a hasty containment action to save Stalingrad from collapse. According to my speculation, the German army will attack our mamayev post tomorrow. "

"Ah?" My words startled the three people. They were stunned for a while. Kirilov asked: "if the German army really attacks tomorrow, we will be far behind them in weapons and equipment. If we attack them, we may suffer greatly."

"Comrade political commissar, you are too worried." I waved my hand and said with disapproval, "I think the German attack will still focus on Highland 107.5. As long as the second regiment can hold on firmly, we will take the opportunity to launch a counterattack when the German attack weakens at noon. Once the German army is defeated, our infantry will follow the enemy's rout and rush to their defensive positions under the cover of tanks. If we are lucky, we may be able to capture the German occupied city of gorodyser

As an old soldier, Bantai leiev had a more comprehensive perspective than me. As soon as I finished, he immediately put forward his own question: "Comrade division commander, what should we do if our offensive troops encounter German air strikes?"

"Don't worry, my deputy teacher." When I heard his worry, I laughed and answered lightly, "since it is a major counter offensive of our army, the air supremacy of the battlefield will be firmly in our hands, and our air force will not give German fighters a chance to take off."

Towards 12 o'clock, as the sky brightened, the dense fog that enveloped the earth completely dispersed. There was no German bomber or fighter in the clear sky. When we left the observation post and went back along the trench, a German reconnaissance plane appeared in the air. It circled over the mamayev post a few times, flapped its wings and flew West.

Bantai leiev, who was walking in front of me, stopped, looked up at the departing reconnaissance plane, and said thoughtfully, "Comrade division commander, seeing that the friendly attack is very smooth, has attracted the enemy's air force."

"That's a good sign, old man." Kirilov, who followed me, also stopped and said excitedly: "it proves that the enemy's air force can't carry it, so they are all concentrated in the west, and have no time to take our mamayev post into consideration. When I heard o'shanina talking about the attack tomorrow, I was worried that the German planes would make trouble. Now it seems that this worry is unnecessary. I believe the enemy will be defeated by us. "

When we returned to the headquarters, akhromeyev immediately welcomed us. He handed me a telegram and said excitedly: "Comrade division commander, this is the telegram just received. It is the latest war report of the Soviet intelligence agency transmitted by the headquarters of the group army."

"The latest war report?" Hearing this word, I looked curiously at the telegram in my hand. It simply said, "today, November 19, 1942, our Great Red Army turned to attack in Stalingrad." Although such a vague war report still made kirilov's eyes full of tears.

Akhromeyev then handed me an envelope and said, "Comrade division commander, this was just sent by the headquarters of the group army. He said that you would sign it and send it back."

I took the envelope in akhromeyev's hand and took out a piece of writing paper from it. On it, I saw the handwriting of trakov: "dear comrade Stalin, we defenders of Stalingrad, now write to you, and please tell the people of the whole Soviet Union that we are in high spirits and firm will, and our hands are beating the enemy ceaselessly. Our letter was written on the cliffs of Volga, the great Russian River. We are determined to stick to Stalingrad and send it out from the trenches. We swear that in front of our heroic elders who have defended tsarizin, in front of our comrades in arms on every front, in front of the flag of our Red Army, and in front of the people of the whole Soviet Union, To swear: to the last drop of blood, to the last breath, to the last beat of the heart, we must guard Stalingrad and prevent the enemy from entering the Volga River. "

It turned out to be a letter written by trakov to Stalin. At the back of the letter, there were many people's signatures. The first one was trakov, followed by the signatures of gurov, Krylov, Vasiliev, hogarsky, and teachers such as rodimzev, lyudnikov and guriyev. I took this undelivered letter, walked quickly to the desk, picked up the pencil on the desk, and wrote my name in the back.

After signing the name, I found that there was no signature from the political commissar or deputy division commander except the names of the division heads, so kirilov was not asked to sign the letter, just let a few people pass it around. After they finished reading it, I carefully put the letter paper back into the envelope and handed it to akhromeyev, and solemnly told him: "Comrade chief of staff, this letter is very important. Immediately send a squad of soldiers to send this letter to the headquarters."“ Comrade division commander, "when he heard that he was going to send the letter back to the headquarters of the group army, Bantai leiev volunteered," I'd better take someone to deliver the letter myself. "“ No, absolutely not! " As soon as Bantai leiev's words came out, I stopped him immediately. How can I ask a deputy teacher to deliver the letter? In case of any accident on the way, what can I do? I glanced at basmanov, who was standing next to me, so I called him in front of me and gave him the arduous task of delivering the letter. After basmanov left, we gathered around the map beside the table and began to study the battle plan for tomorrow. Bantaileiev and his colleagues spent half a day at the observation post on the top of the mountain and got a lot. He first pointed to the map to talk about his views: "Comrade division, this is my consideration. Tomorrow, after our artillery preparation, the counter attack troops should be divided into two. On the right side of the road, the fourth regiment was the main force, attacking the German forward position on the north side of the highland. After seizing the position, the following regiment dispatched enough troops to hold on, and the main forces of the two regiments continued to advance northward. Under the cover of tank battalions, the troops of the second and third regiments advanced deep into the German army, striving to rush out of gorodyser in two hours and be ready to attack the city. " After listening to Bantai leiev's plan, I didn't express any opinions. Instead, I asked the other commanders, "do you have any different views on captain Bantai leiev's plan?"“ No! " All the people answered neatly.