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

One is an ordinary soldier who fights the enemy to the death on the battlefield, and all they think about every day is to survive or kill the enemy.

The other is the officer class, who think more about how to get merit and then get promoted.

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

The reason for the obscurity is that the promotion of officers is directly linked to victory on the battlefield and nothing else.

Mehris is at the extreme, and Major Akimovich is in the middle of it...... His goal is still as focused on promotion as before, but at the same time he wants to be a hero like Shulka to gain the support of the soldiers, or perhaps to pursue some kind of honor.

"You don't need to learn like me, Comrade Akimovich!" Shulka sat up and said to him, "You just have to be yourself, and then fight bravely and defeat the enemy in any way you can." Then one day, as soon as you look back, you find that the soldiers will talk about you in the same tone! ”

Akimovich nodded as if he didn't understand, and said, "However, when that time comes, I'll find that those don't make sense to me anymore, do they?" ”

"Yes!" Shulka nodded.

Then the two laughed in unison.

It's ironic to get what you want only to find that it doesn't make sense.

What Shulka didn't say was ...... What's more important is to be able to live until that moment.

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

Shulka nodded.

"Request" here does not refer to a request for the "Cemetery Plan...... Andrianka named the project "Cemetery Project".

Of course, it was impossible for the army group command to know about this.

However, there is a possibility that something may go wrong.

For example, it is possible that the Soviet artillery will provide fire cover for the 82nd Infantry Regiment and aim its guns at the cemetery, and then a batch of shells will fly from the rear and fall on the head of the 82nd Infantry Regiment.

So, Shulka developed a false defense plan.

Exactly, it cannot be said to be "false", because it was planned until then, but it was not an end but a process.

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

"We may launch a counteroffensive!" Mikhailvich reported: "And at this time, if the artillery is bombarding the enemy, it will cause unnecessary accidental damage!" ”

This was a normal coordination between the infantry and artillery, so Golikov agreed without much thought.

Then the 82nd Infantry Regiment laid out two lines of defense.

Actually, that's not a line of defense...... The Soviets set up a large number of mines, barbed wire and roadblocks.

All afternoon, the logistics units were delivering these things almost all afternoon, and then the 82nd Infantry Regiment laid them out in the rubble.

The rubble and roadblocks have turned the hospital and the school into a jungle of complete hardship, except that it is not the trees that make up the jungle, but the broken walls, mines, wires and needles.

At the same time, it can be seen that the Germans were also preparing, as transport planes flew over Mamayev Hill in droves and dropped supplies downward, with the occasional glider appearing.

Compared to the airdrop of the transport aircraft, the benefits of the glider are obvious...... It's very low-cost, almost a steel frame plus a layer of skin.

But the amount of material it can carry is large because it can be air-landed rather than airdropped like a transport plane.

If there is a downside, it is that it is too weak in defense, and it is not fast, and it can pose a big threat with a few machine guns.

Therefore, when the glider flew over the airspace near the hospital, the Germans would always cover the hospital with artillery.

Its purpose was obvious, to cover the delivery of glider supplies to the Germans at Mamayev Heights.

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

"Tonight?" Akimovich was somewhat unconvinced: "Night battles are not for the Germans, I think they will wait until tomorrow!" ”

"Although I think the same as Akimovich!" "But why do I feel like I'm wrong! ”

"You should get used to this!" Mikhailvich smiled and said: "I don't need to think about it so much, I just need to know...... Shulka is right, that's enough! Yes, they will attack tonight! ”

"I want to know why, Comrade Captain!" Akimovich asked, somewhat unconvinced: "Why do you think that the Germans will attack at night?" In this way they will lose their superiority in the air and tanks! ”

"Even during the day, their tanks and air superiority are difficult to use in the ruins!" Shulka replied: "We can hide in basements and sewers from the bombardment, and at the same time it will be difficult for tanks to get in!" Now that the war has been fought, they know this very well! ”

Akimovich nodded, but he objected: "But that doesn't mean they'll attack at night!" ”

"If you don't want to attack at night...... Shulka raised his head at the glider that was flying to Mamayev Hill in the distance, "then, why should they risk using the glider to deliver supplies?" ”

And then Akimovich understood.

"Are they preparing for an offensive at night?" Akimovich asked in surprise.

"Of course!" "When it gets dark, it's hard for them to airdrop supplies to Mamayev Hill," Shulka said. On the other hand, if they want to wait until dawn, they have a full day to airdrop, again without the need for a glider. There is only one possibility for them to rush with a glider...... They're going to wipe us out tonight and open up the supply lines! ”

Akimovich nodded, and he had to admit that Shulka had a reasonable analysis.

Shulka was right.

Andreas, the commander of the 29th Motorized Infantry Division, could not wait any longer.

In fact, this cannot be said that he is anxious, but that the pressure on Mamayev Gang is too great.

Mamayev Hill is such an important place that both sides will fight for at all costs.

Although the Germans have now occupied the Mamayev Heights, the problem of the Germans is that they are undersupplied.

If it waits until tomorrow, it is possible that the Russian army will gather enough forces to launch an attack on Mamayev Hills.

At that time, the German army will be in the same situation as before, unable to flank hospitals and schools in order to cope with the Russian offensive.

So, Major General Andreas decided to take advantage of the victory he had just achieved now, replenish the Mamayev Gang with enough ammunition, and then finish off the guys stationed in the hospital and school tonight.

Only in this way can the Germans really occupy Mamayev Heights.