On the night of July 2, the banks of the Berezina River were destined to be a sleepless night for both soldiers and civilians.

Engineers from the Flag Guard Division worked overnight to repair the bridge over the river near the town of Visloa, and Opel trucks, 250/251 series armored vehicles and assault gun No. 3 drove through the river in long columns.

The German bridgehead on the east bank of the river was expanding by the hour, and the towns of Stu and Lotka to the south of the town of Vislova were occupied, and more troops moved south along the bank of the river to outflank the rear of the city of Borisov.

The nightlife around Borisov is even more lively, with a continuous stream of dazzling flares, one after the other, flying into the sky, illuminating the battlefield as if it were daytime.

In the sound of guns one after another, the streets and alleys of the city burst into flames one after another, and the whole city turned into a city that never sleeps.

With two extraordinary explosions on the Berezina River, the battle for the city reached a milestone.

Knowing that the town of Vislova was lost upstream, and that the Germans were moving south to outflank the defenders of Borisov, the commander of the Soviet 47th Infantry Corps decisively ordered the bridge to be blown up.

The Soviet soldiers guarding the bridge faithfully carried out the orders of their superiors, blew up the two bridges across the river in the center of the city and south of the city, cut off the road for the German troops in the city to advance eastward, and also cut off the retreat of the comrades who were fighting bloodily in the city.

On the night of the same day, the 9th Panzer Division, together with the infantry of the 1st Motorized Infantry Regiment of the Motorized Infantry Division of the Guard Banner, successfully cleared the remnants of the Soviet army in the city and completely controlled the city.

On the other side of the Berezina River, when the main forces of the Motorized Rifle Division of the Guards Banner Army reached the city of Borisov. The Soviet units that blew up the bridge had long since fled the scene. The Motorized Rifle Division of the Guards Flag then built fortifications on the other side of the Berezina River. Consolidate the bridgehead and prevent the Soviet counterattack.

In the city of Berezino, about 80 kilometers downstream of the Berezina River, units of the 5th Waffen-SS Viking Division also managed to repel the defenders of the city, cross the Berezina River, and establish a bridgehead east of the river.

Chen Dao received one battle report after another from Captain Nietzsche's side, and while informing his two subordinates of the good news, Chen Dao persuaded Captain Nietzsche.

"You first retreat to the rear to recuperate in peace, the war has just begun. There are countless battles waiting for you, don't be strong. ”

Major Lorenz also persuaded: "If you are wounded and follow His Excellency the Governor on the battlefield, are you taking care of His Excellency the Governor?" Or let His Excellency the Governor take care of you? ”

Captain Nietzsche sat on the marching bed with his coat on, his face covered with gunsmoke and dust crawling with a look of dejection.

"That bastard hid in a fruit tree, sniped us with a determination to die, and ended up surrounded by us, and was shot at least thirty times. Although he was shot coldly, I still have to admire his fearless spirit. You must be careful of wooded areas in the future, and do not be like me, lest something happen to Your Excellency the Governor. We can't make up for it even if we beat them into honeycombs. ”

Major Lorenz nodded and said, "Don't worry, I will learn your lesson." Protect your safety, you can rest assured to cultivate. ”

"You were wounded by a sniper, and if you can actively cooperate with the doctors, I think that when you return to me, you should participate in a campaign with a lot of Soviet snipers, and at that time, you can teach those Soviet snipers a good lesson and let them know what death is like." Chen Dao said.

Captain Nietzsche's eyes lit up and he said excitedly: "Your Excellency, which battle are you talking about?" Approximately when will the war start? I'll get back to you before the war begins. ”

"The next target is Leningrad, oh, we are called St. Petersburg, and the scheduled time is from the end of August to the beginning of September. In that big city with a population of more than 2.4 million, there must be countless snipers hidden inside, enough for you to kill hard, but there is a premise, don't be killed by them first. ”

"I'll definitely come back before the battle breaks out." Captain Nietzsche said.

"The vehicle has been arranged, tomorrow morning, you will go to the airport on the eastern outskirts of Minsk, and then take a flight back to Warsaw to recuperate, take care, and see you in St. Petersburg."

After exchanging respects with Captain Nietzsche, Chen Dao and Major Lorenz said goodbye and left, crossed the bridge overnight in an armored car, returned to the west bank of the Berezina River, and found Lieutenant General Dietrich, the commander of the Guard Flag Division.

When the two met again, Dietrich still gave Chen Dao a bear hug first, and then warmly invited Chen Dao to sit down.

"I'm going to a meeting at the military headquarters, do you want to come with me?"

Chen Dao looked at his watch, it was already past three o'clock in the morning.

"Going to a meeting at this time? Admiral Wietsheim told you to go? ”

"Yes, there must be important military intelligence, otherwise he wouldn't have chosen this time to let me run." Dietrich said.

Chen Dao sipped his cup of coffee and stared straight at the ground, not knowing what he was thinking, until Dietrich tapped him on the shoulder.

"I think I can probably guess what he's going to do? I'll go with you. But there's one thing you need to do before you go. ”

"What's the matter?" Dietrich asked.

"Captain Piper has done well in this battle, and he deserves the rank of major corresponding to his position as battalion commander."

"I'm thinking about it too, and I've got his promotion report ready." Dietrich said.

The two drove to the headquarters of the 14th Panzer Corps, and the commander of the corps, General Wietsheim, had been waiting for a long time, not only him, but also Lieutenant General Huibiqi, commander of the 9th Panzer Division, and Felix, commander of the Viking Division. Steiner.

After the greetings, Admiral Wittsheim ignored the three subordinates and took the lead in finding Chen Dao.

"General Rosen, you've just arrived, and I'm planning to contact you after dawn. General Kleist sent a telegram saying that he was marching according to the original plan and was scheduled to arrive at the intended location B in two days. He also told me that for two days I could move freely in the Borisov region, and if I had any questions, I could ask you for answers. Do you have any suggestions for our combat operations over the next two days? ”

Hearing Admiral Witesheim's words, the three Dietrich had a playful look in their eyes, and they all heard that the main force of the First Panzer Army seemed to be on a secret mission, but out of the need for secrecy and discipline, they were full of questions, but it was difficult for them to ask.

Chen Dao keenly sensed the curiosity in the eyes of the three people, and after a little hesitation, he said: "The war has been going on until now, I must tell you the truth, the task of our army is to cooperate with the Soviet army on the opposite side to perform a scene, this scene has just begun now, and there is still a long time before the climax and curtain call." In order to make this scene more realistic, I suggest that tomorrow afternoon, along the road leading to Smolensk, our army launch a one-and-a-half-day offensive, with as much intensity as possible. ”

"Where is our ultimate goal? Orsha, or Smolensk? Smolensk is too far away to reach in a day and a half, and Orsha can still fight for it. Admiral Wiesheim said.

"There was no end in sight to this offensive, and we marched as fast as we could, destroying all the villages and towns that stood in our way, and sending to graves all the enemies who dared to resist, whether tanks, artillery, or infantry. Anyway, along that road, the farther we went in a day and a half, the better. The further we go, the greater our contribution to the victory of the campaign. ”

"I see, if I am not mistaken, our task is to put pressure on the Russians, and in that case, I order, that the whole army rest in the morning, and at one o'clock in the afternoon the attack will be launched, and the next target, Orsha," said Admiral Wiethesheim. (To be continued.) )