Chapter 801 Nightmare Moment
As a qualified army general, Chuikov is very clear about how devastating the air strikes from above can be to the troops on the ground.
There is a military truth in the distant future: air defense is air defense, and nine out of ten defenses are air defense.
Even a systematic air defense missile system that starts at Mach 5 or 6 is still like this when fighting against a fighter plane with a much slower speed of Mach 2 or above. Although the air defense battles during World War II that relied purely on vision and experience cannot be directly applied to the air defense concepts of later generations, there is still not much difference in essence. Just thinking about it will show how unrealistic it is to let ground troops completely defend against large-scale air strikes.
In the final analysis, the struggle for air supremacy in a theater of war will always be determined by the final victory between fighters. Anti-aircraft guns can only have a psychological comfort effect that is better than nothing.
From World War II to any war in the 21st century, there has never been a situation where the party with air superiority dared not launch an air strike because of the enemy's anti-aircraft firepower. The war eagles from the sky have always been unable to resist the ground forces. Only this truth has remained unchanged from the development of propellers to the jet age.
Fighter air support can't be counted on at all. After dealing with some urgent matters piled up at hand, Chuikov finally picked up the microphone again. The bad news on his lips is still a bit unspeakable.
"Commissar Petrov? I have a very bad news to tell you. I hope you, Malashenko and the entire First Guards Heavy Tank Breakthrough Regiment can be prepared mentally."
Good news is always short-lived, but bad news, even if it lasts for a short time, will make people feel that the flow of time has become as painful as a year.
After Chuikov on the other end hung up the phone, he put down the phone. Standing in the tent of the regiment, Political Commissar Petrov seemed to have selectively ignored the dense roar of engines and bombs falling in his ears.
Since entering Stalingrad, there has never been such bad news for the First Guards Heavy Tank Breakthrough Regiment. Even the last defense of the tractor factory could not be compared with this. At this moment, Political Commissar Petrov really felt a rare moment of confusion.
"Are all the First Guards Heavy Tank Breakthrough Regiment going to die here? Will this be the final result?"
The dense air raid explosions and engine roars continued in his ears, and the track grinding and diesel engine roars outside the tent, which were originally relatively far away, were gradually receding.
Political Commissar Petrov was not afraid of sacrificing for the country. Falling on the battlefield to defend the motherland was regarded as a supreme honor by this old party member and political commissar with firm beliefs.
What exactly is disappearing? Petrov himself couldn't explain why he felt as if a piece of his heart was missing, and he didn't have any extra time to think about these things that were no longer important at the moment.
The PPSh submachine gun on the table was placed next to Political Commissar Petrov. Political Commissar Petrov, who had tried to operate it with one hand several times before, found that if he used a hip-fire posture, he could still barely control this fully automatic weapon with one hand.
Malashenko and Lavrinenko both led their troops to the front line. Among the remaining personnel left in the regiment, only Political Commissar Petrov was the highest-ranking commander.
Political Commissar Petrov, who secretly estimated that the last critical moment was not far away, summoned all the personnel in the regiment. These non-combat personnel in the regiment, who had almost never directly participated in the battle and occupied the vast majority, had already guessed why Comrade Political Commissar summoned them at this time.
It is impossible to say that you are not afraid in your heart. No matter how strong your will is, when facing foreseeable death, you will have some unavoidable timidity.
This is true for Malashenko, Lavrinenko, Political Commissar Petrov, the crews of the First Guards Heavy Tank Breakthrough Regiment, and the non-combatants of the regiment. The reason for everything is that the inviolable laws of human hearts and the so-called hints are like this.
The difference lies only in whether the resolute soul can overcome the timidity in the heart and manipulate the consciousness to control the body.
"Malashenko! Be careful, your 10 o'clock, the Germans are coming!"
At this point in the battle, there were only a few crews in the First Guards Heavy Tank Breakthrough Regiment that were still equipped with car radios. Malashenko and Lavrinenko's regiment commander and deputy commander each occupied one car.
Lavrinenko, who was taking care of his own battle and occasionally looking after Malashenko, was now holding a microphone and shouting at Malashenko.
Fortunately, Malashenko, who was searching for the target with the commander's periscope, heard the familiar roar and responded in time. He pointed the commander's periscope at the direction described by Lavrinenko and spoke loudly almost at the same time.
"Iushkin! 10 o'clock, left, 10 o'clock! The German No. 4 is aiming at us, kill it!"
The reaction speed of the human brain plus the speed of hand operation takes time.
Malashenko, who had a quick reaction, took no more than 5 seconds from Lavrinenko's words to the sound of the order to Iushkin. Even so, compared with the German No. 4 on the opposite side that had taken the initiative, it was still a step slower.
"Go meet your Lenin! Russians!"
Boom--
A 75mm full-caliber capped armor-piercing bullet rushed out from the narrow barrel of the main gun, and rushed straight towards Malashenko's car. The shrieking momentum of breaking through the air was far beyond the reaction speed of the human brain.
Malashenko, who was forced to retreat continuously by the German army, was actually in a very bad fighting posture. A large projection area on the side of the entire tank was exposed to the German No. 4 tank that was deliberately outflanking and detouring. The 75mm full-caliber capped armor-piercing bullet fired by the extended barrel main gun was fully capable of delivering a fatal blow.
Dingdang--
Kakakabang--
The harsh sound of metal grinding and the terrible sound of armor being pierced mixed together and echoed in the fighting room of the vehicle body.
The horrible noise echoing in his ears made Malashenko realize the worst situation. Time seemed to stop for a moment, but there was no explosion and no severe pain as if his body was surrounded by flames. Malashenko stared with his eyes wide open for almost a second, then immediately turned around and started yelling.