The German offensive soon collapsed after paying a heavy price of casualties.

So much so that Lieutenant Colonel Edmond questioned on the phone with Major Erich: "Why stop the offensive?" ”

Major Erich's reply was: "No, Lieutenant Colonel, we never stopped attacking!" It's just that they have all died on the way to attack! ”

In just over half an hour, the two new infantry battalions of the German army were exhausted in the offensive battle.

This made Lieutenant Colonel Edmund realize that the battle could not continue like this, because if the Mamayev Hill was not recaptured, the German 6th Army would collapse due to heavy casualties.

"I think!" Lieutenant Colonel Bauer advised: "The best thing we can do is to hold on to our defenses!" ”

Lieutenant Colonel Edmond nodded helplessly.

It was already impossible to lay down the anticline before dark, so the Germans should have been prepared for the enemy's breakthrough from both flanks after dark.

Otherwise, it would not be the Soviets, but the Germans, who would have been completely driven out of Mamayev Heights.

On the other hand, seeing that the battle situation had stabilized, Pavelkov said excitedly: "Tonight, when we regain Mamayev Hills, nothing can stop us!" ”

"No, Colonel!" Shulka replied: "I think we should keep it the way it is!" ”

"Why?" Pavelkov asked suspiciously: "We are fully capable of recovering the positive slope, as before, attacking under the cover of artillery fire on both flanks!" ”

"Yes!" Shulka asked rhetorically: "And then?" ”

Colonel Pavelkov was stunned when he heard this.

It's a question worth pondering, and then what?

The next day, even if the Germans did not launch a counteroffensive, the Soviet troops had to withdraw from the positive slope, that is, they had to abandon the positive slope after all.

"If the enemy's commander is a smart man!" "I think he'll pull the main force from the positive slope to the bottom of the hill at night," Shulka said. In this way, our army will consume a lot of shells and pay a certain amount of casualties under the mines to seize the positive slope, and then the next day it will still have to be handed over! It doesn't make any sense to us! ”

In fact, not only is it meaningless, but it is also a burden on Stalingrad, because any munitions of Stalingrad, which was semi-blockaded by the German army, are valuable strategic materials, and artillery shells are no exception.

Colonel Pavelkov nodded and replied: "That's right, Captain!" All we need is to make sure that the Germans will not be able to put up gates on the Mamayev post and block the river and the port! ”

This has always been the strategic goal of the Soviets and the Germans in the battle for the Mamayev Heights.

If this strategic goal can be achieved, then what is the harm in throwing the positive bevel to the Germans?

Soviet commanders always fought and forgot why they were fighting, and Colonel Pavelkov was no exception, but he eventually understood.

As a result, the strategic location of Mamayev Gang was calmed down in a series of tug-of-wars.

The Germans occupied the positive slope, the Soviets occupied the anti-slope, and neither of them could help the other.

On the surface, it seemed like a draw, but in terms of strategic objectives, the Germans were never able to blockade the Volga through the Mamayev Heights, so there was no doubt that they lost the battle.

The 82nd Infantry Regiment remained on the anticline until dark, and at nine o'clock in the night it switched guards with the 39th Guards Infantry Regiment. (Note: It was dark at about 7:30 in April in Stalingrad)

The 82nd Infantry Regiment that had been repositioned and withdrawn was like a wild man, including Major Shulka and Major Mikhailvich, all of them were covered in pitch black and mud, and even smelled of burnt and gunsmoke...... It was caused by shells blowing up and burning scrap tires.

Despite this, the warriors were in good spirits, although many of them had not been able to get a good night's sleep for several days in a row.

Needless to say, for the first time, they got a taste of defeating the enemy, and they also defeated the enemy in a series of vicious battles, and finally survived.

At first, the soldiers didn't show much of it, perhaps because they hadn't relaxed from the tension and vigilance of the battlefield.

It was not until they walked off the Mamayev hill on the way to the metallurgical plant of the "Red October" that someone asked with an incredulous expression:

"What have we been doing these days?"

"Have we really defeated the enemy?"

……

They couldn't even believe it was real, it was all like a dream.

A burst of cheers followed, and even cannonballs whizzed over their heads.

"Comrade Regiment Commander!" Valery excitedly asked Mikhailvich: "Now, we will no longer be treated as 'escape troops'!" ”

"Of course, Comrade Valery!" Major Mikhailvich put his arm around Valery's shoulders and said: "We have proved our courage with practical actions, proving that everyone in the 82nd regiment is good, you are all heroes!" ”

The surrounding warriors let out a proud laugh.

"What do you want to do most now, Comrade Valery?" Andrianka asked.

"I ......," Valery replied after a moment's thought, "I would most like to write a letter to my mother and tell her the good news, she will be proud of me!" ”

Everyone was silent, which aroused their hearts...... They all want to.

Of course, in addition to making the family proud, it also means reassuring them that they will no longer be treated as "quasi-traitors" and that their families will no longer be in constant danger of being cold-eyed, interrogated, or even sent to Siberia.

"Do you know what I'm most thinking?" After a moment of silence, Andrianka turned his gaze to Shulka and said solemnly: "Thank you, Comrade Shulka!" If it weren't for you, I believe there would be no current 82nd regiment! ”

The surrounding soldiers nodded their heads and threw grateful and admiring glances at Shulka.

At this moment, Shulka knew that he had completely subdued another army.

And this "subjugation" refers to the military spirit, that is, at critical moments, they will even stand on their side without principle.

From past experience, this doesn't seem to be a good thing, so Shulka is also helpless, he doesn't want this result.

The 82nd regiment was assigned to rest in an underground warehouse of the "Red October" metallurgical plant.

It's safe enough and double vodka and brown bread are also prepared.

Although the warriors were hungry, almost without exception they raised their heads to drink from the cows with jugs of vodka...... For the Soviets, drinking on an empty stomach hurt their stomach, especially when they were tired, and they would want to use alcohol to keep themselves from feeling tired rather than resting.

Shulka had no such habit, he tore a piece of black bread as hard as a stone, devoured it, and then poured it on the ground, leaving nothing to do with it.