"Not going to do that?" Andrianka was surprised and said, "But this is an order, Comrade Captain!" ”

Major Mikhailvich said: "Although I don't care much about orders, Comrade Captain! But we may have to, we have no other choice! ”

Major Akimovich also nodded in favor of Mikhailvich's words: "Comrade Captain, I believe that Golikov has thought it through in this regard. He wouldn't have made such a decision if he could, I mean...... Let the 82nd Infantry Regiment carry out this suicidal mission! ”

"I know!" "But sticking to the hospital and the school wasn't our only option! ”

As he spoke, Shulka pointed to the Mamayev Gang on the map, and continued: "All the battles are fought around the Mamayev Hills, and holding the hospital and school is actually serving the capture of the Mamayev Gang, if we can capture the Mamayev Gang, there will be no need to hold the hospital and the school!" ”

The officers couldn't help but be stunned when they heard this.

The reason is indeed very simple, the ladder is carried to pick apples, but if the apples have already been picked...... Of course, there is no need to move ladders.

In the same way, the purpose of holding the hospital and the school is to capture the Mamayev post, but if the Mamayev post can be captured, of course, there is no need to hold the hospital and the school.

The problem is that it's not an easy task.

"Comrade Captain!" Akimovich said: "Maybe you don't know, our attack on Mamayev Hill has always been no less than two regiments!" ”

Akimovich was originally a staff officer of the 62nd Army, so he was familiar with the battle at Mamayev Heights, and he took the initiative to explain: "The Germans had about one regiment in force, and they had built two lines of defense using the Banne Gorge in the north and the Dolji Gully in the south, and one in our rear, and their main forces were attacking Mamayev Gang with all their might...... Now that they have captured Mamayev Height, it means that their main force should be deployed around Mamayev Height, and they have nearly 100 tanks! I don't know how many of them are now, but there won't be less! ”

(Note: Many officers and men of the Soviet army can't tell the difference between assault guns and tanks, at least they don't look much different from each other, so they are always called tanks)

Akimovich does not know the current data because he has been in the 82nd Infantry Regiment for some time!

"We need more detailed information!" Mikhailvich interjected: "If we want to take Mamayev Heights!" ”

"No!" Shulka shook his head and said, "We don't need to do this!" ”

"Why?" Mikhailvich looked at Shulka suspiciously.

"That could expose our strategic intentions!" Shulka replied.

The secrecy of Soviet warfare was always unreassuring, just as German pilots were always aware of the location of the Stalingrad arsenal and important targets and carried out targeted bombing.

Especially now that the 62nd Army still has all the forces of the whole city concentrated in various parts, it is very easy for such a force to mix in a few spies.

"We must be cautious!" Shulka said: "Because once the enemy knows our strategic intentions and prepares, then the 82nd Infantry Regiment really has only the option of holding hospitals and schools!" ”

"In other words......" Mikhailvich said with some concern, "we will take the Mamayev Gang with insufficient intelligence and no friendly forces?" ”

"So to speak!" Shulka nodded.

Major Mikhailvich had a little worry and opposition on his face.

This concern was partly due to the lack of information, and partly due to the lack of strength of the 82nd Infantry Regiment...... As Akimovich said, two Soviet regiments could not attack the Mamayev Heights, and even one of these regiments was a well-equipped, experienced, and well-rested 13th Guards Infantry Division, which had just been reinforced from the east bank.

Like the 1st Guards Tank Brigade, the word "Guards" on the number means that this is a unit that has made great achievements.

The 13th Guards Infantry Division, formerly known as the 87th Infantry Division, was reorganized into the 13th Guards Infantry Division two months ago in the Voronezh direction because of its bravery.

The 39th Regiment to which it belonged had just been reinforced to Stalingrad and was engaged in the battle of Mamayev Heights, but due to the terrain, it did not achieve much success.

The German attack on Mamayev Hill was deliberate, and they attacked from the west from the direction of hospitals and schools, with the Mamayev Gang to the north with the Bannei Gorge and the Dolgi Gully to the south, both of which provided a natural barrier for the Germans.

To the east, there was a plain near the Volga, which the Germans could easily blockade by artillery fire and air power.

Mikhailvich and others were worried that if the 39th Guards Infantry Regiment could not take Mamayev Hills, how could the 82nd Infantry Regiment, which had only 1,000 men, do it?

In fact, the 82nd Infantry Regiment at this time was less than a thousand men, and they had lost more than 200 in the previous battles, but the observation company could be regarded as a little supplement.

"Actually, we don't need much intelligence!" Shulka explained: "Because we are almost certain that the enemy will not deploy assault guns and tanks on Mamayev posts, they will use these equipment to attack hospitals and schools!" ”

Mikhailvich and others did not object.

The reason is that Mamayev Hill is a commanding height, and although it can stand high and fight far, it is also vulnerable to enemy artillery fire, especially when the Germans have just taken this high ground and there is not much cover.

Therefore, assault guns and tanks can be used for the attack on the Mamayev Heights, but they are obviously not used for defense.

The best option is to turn these assault guns and tanks back and attack hospitals and schools with the main German army, which is also a battle to open up their supply lines and reinforcements.

"So!" Shulka said: "We are facing more infantry from Mamayev Heights!" ”

This left Mikhailvich a little overwhelmed.

"But those assault guns and tanks will attack us!" Mikhailvich said: "How can we jump over them!" ”

"Of course we can skip them, Comrade Mikhailvich!" Shulka pointed to the map and said: "Between the Mamayev Gang and the hospital, there is a cemetery, which will provide us with ready-made high-quality bunkers......"

"Cemetery?"

Several people in the command headquarters were dumbfounded when they heard this.

"Yes, the cemetery!" Shulka nodded, took a pen and drew a line on the map: "There is an underground pipe in the direction of the cemetery, I mean...... When the enemy flanks the hospital, we can use the cemetery to separate it from the Mamayev Hills! ”