Chapter 691 Attack

At the headquarters of the 62nd Army, Chuikov soon received the news that Mamayev Kurgan had fallen.

He stared at the map for a while, then realized that he was too concerned about the defense of the city and factories of Stalingrad and ignored the importance of Mamayev Kurgan. Or it can be said that he did not expect that the defense he had set up in Mamayev Kurgan would be broken by the Germans so quickly.

"The German intention is obvious!" Krylov said beside him: "They hope to lead our troops to the Mamayev Kurgan area and fight near there!"

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

Krylov nodded.

If Mamayev Kurgan fell into the hands of the Germans, it would mean that the connection between the industrial area and the main city of Stalingrad would be cut off. What's worse is that the central ferry would be exposed to the surveillance of the Germans.

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

"But Comrade Chuikov!" Krylov said after a pause: "We no longer have any extra troops to retake Mamayev Kurgan!"

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

"But it is our force to defend the crossing!" Krylov looked at Chuikov in surprise: "This will leave the crossing empty!"

"The Southeast Front will continue to send reinforcements to Stalingrad!" Chuikov replied: "Any reinforcements coming here will be the temporary defense force of the Central Crossing, understand?"

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

The 13th Guards Infantry Division, as can be seen from the number, is an elite unit of the Soviet Army.

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

The focus should be the Kiev Defense Battle commanded by Rodimtsev... A month-long defense battle doesn't sound like a big deal. The German army was able to defend for more than three months with weak forces in the Battle of Holm.

But the background of the Kiev Defense Battle took place when the Soviet army was completely collapsed and morale was low after being beaten by the German army, so this month's defense was particularly important, and Rodimtsev was promoted to major general.

Rodimtsev frowned when he received this order.

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

"Comrade Kokorov!" Rodimtsev did not answer but asked: "Then how do you think we should attack?"

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

The 13th Guards Infantry Division is the unit defending the central ferry, and all 50 tanks in Stalingrad are under its command.

Rodimtsev shook his head and replied, "We don't have air superiority, Comrade Kokorov. If we move the tanks out of the buildings to attack Mamayev, they will either be blown up by enemy artillery fire or bombers!"

"You mean..."

"There are not many tanks in Stalingrad!" Rodimtsev said, "and it is difficult to get replenishment from the east coast. We can't send them to die!"

Hearing this, Kokorov understood what Rodimtsev meant: "In other words, we have to fight this battle with pure infantry?"

"And artillery!" Rodimtsev replied.

This is simply crazy, because the infantry plus artillery charge mode can be said to be unfeasible during World War I, but Rodimtsev still wants to do it...but apart from this, they seem to have no choice.

So the sound of artillery soon rang, and Rodimtsev's offensive against Mamayev Hill 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 shells on the east bank of the Volga River. Rodimtsev made full use of this. He ordered two artillery regiments to bombard Mamayev Kurgan from the left and right... The reason for the left and right is that this is the only way to form "crossfire" in artillery fire.

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

If the two machine guns are arranged on both sides of the main position, the situation will be different. Their firepower can avoid obstacles and hit the target to the maximum extent.

The same is true for artillery. If both artillery regiments are placed in front of the target high ground, even if more shells are fired, there will always be some blind spots that cannot be hit.

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

So the artillery bombardment continued for half an hour. Rodimtsev judged that the German army, which had just occupied Mamayev Kurgan and had no time to build fortifications, might suffer heavy casualties. Taking advantage of this time, the Soviet army launched a charge and it was very likely to recapture Mamayev Kurgan.

Rodimtsev did just that. The artillery shells almost turned the entire Mamayev Kurgan upside down, and then the artillery fire began to extend to the west, which was the direction of the German army.

At this time, a regiment of Soviet infantry launched a charge across the Dorgi gully in the south, following the artillery fire.

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

The characteristics of Mamayev Kurgan being easy to attack and difficult to defend can be said to be useless.

This place is not good if it is not occupied, and it is not good if it is occupied.

The former will give up the commanding heights to the enemy and lose many strategic benefits, while the latter will expose itself to the enemy's artillery fire.

The German army is especially at a disadvantage in this regard... Mamayev Kurgan is almost surrounded by Soviet troops on all sides, and the German army only occupied a passage leading to Mamayev Kurgan.

Therefore, for the Soviet artillery, Mamayev Kurgan has no blind spots and no reverse slopes.

So the reverse slope tactics used in Africa before are not applicable.

Tunnels may be a solution, but tunnels cannot be built in a short time, especially under such intense artillery bombardment, I am afraid that tunnels cannot withstand it.

After some consideration, Qin Chuan decided to use the method that Chuikov used in Stalingrad at Mamayev Kurgan... close combat tactics.