The German army built a solid defense system by taking advantage of the characteristics of stone buildings in livov city. The attacks launched by the two troops of lelushenko and kurozhkin from the East and South did not achieve any ideal results. After paying a lot of casualties, our troops retreated outside the city again.
After the defeat of the attack, while wiping the cold sweat on his head, lelushenko awkwardly explained to me: "Comrade deputy commander, as the enemy sticks to the buildings on both sides of the street, he has laid out a lot of anti tank weapons and machine gun positions. When our tanks were destroyed, they hid in the building and fired machine guns at the following infantry, causing heavy casualties
Listening to lelushenko's report, my mind was filled with the fighting scenes: our army had just destroyed the German barricade at the intersection. Under the guidance of the tank, it was pounding forward along the street. Suddenly, from a window of the roadside building, a soldier with an iron fist anti tank bazooka appeared. He aimed at our tank and opened fire. When we saw that our tanks were hit by bullets and caught fire, the German soldiers who fired the Rockets disappeared from the window, and then soldiers with machine guns or submachine guns emerged from other windows to fire at our soldiers exposed in the street. Just as our tanks in the rear pointed their guns at these windows, the Germans disappeared
Seeing that I didn't speak, lelushenko thought it was a sign that I was ready to get angry. He closed his mouth in time and looked at me in a panic.
Although I can imagine the tactics used by the German army in street warfare, I can't think of any good way to solve it. After all, there are hundreds of thousands of residents in the city. I can't let the artillery destroy the city. It's really hard to fight this kind of war.
"Comrade deputy commander, what should we do?" Major general belov asked nervously.
"Comrade commander," instead of answering his question, I looked at him and asked, "are there any troops in the city at present?"
"Yes," said belov, nodding his head. "After a long silence again, the guard, tankotapov, said cautiously," Comrade General, although the soldiers are very tenacious, because we have too few troops, we can only last two days at most... "
"Come on, Captain Potapov, you don't have to say that. I know that." I know that with their current strength and equipment, it is the limit that they can persist in the encirclement of the enemy for two days, so I said decisively, "I will send reinforcements to you."
At the end of the call with Potapov, I directly told belov: "Comrade General, Captain Potapov is in a terrible situation. I hope I can get your help."
"It's very difficult, comrade deputy commander." Belov sighed and said in embarrassment, "if we could really send troops to reinforce captain Potapov, we would have turned that place into the starting point of our army's attack."
"Yes, Rita." After belov finished, lelushenko echoed: "Captain Potapov, although they are only five kilometers away from us, our troops can't go up because of the tight defense of the German army."
"If we don't reinforce them, we'll have to watch Potapov. They'll be wiped out by the German army after they've run out of ammunition." After I said these words without expression, I gave an order directly to belov: "Comrade commander, immediately transfer the forces of two companies, and after dark, infiltrate into the city by breaking up the whole into parts, so as to strengthen captain Potapov's defense."
"Comrade deputy commander," belov said with a bitter smile to the order I gave, "even if it is dark, the German defense will not relax. If we enter the city by means of small teams, it will be easy for us to be wiped out one by one by the German forces who have the advantage of strength and terrain."
"Anyway, we have to try." I said in an indisputable tone: "Comrade commander, this matter is so decided. Let's carry it out."
After arranging for the reinforcement of the small team in the city, I said, "ah, are there so many casualties?" After listening to the data, I was startled. After a short pause, I asked with a fluke, "has anyone successfully sneaked into the city?"
"I don't think so." The major shook his head and replied, "our people were found by the enemy almost as soon as they got close to the edge of the city, and then they were shot wildly by them. I don't think anyone can get into the city successfully."
After the major finished, I waved to him and said feebly, "well, comrade major, you've been busy all night and worked hard. Go and have a rest."
After the major left, I said to lelushenko, who was standing by, "Comrade General, order the troops to prepare for another attack on Lvov. In order to capture the city as soon as possible, I authorize you to use all weapons, understand? "
From what I said, lelushenko understood that they would no longer be bound by konev's order in today's attack. As long as they could destroy the enemy, they could use any heavy weapons in any area. Therefore, he readily agreed, "I see."
When lelushenko gave an order to his troops to attack, I thought of captain Potapov who was staying in the city. They quickly called the director of communications over and told him to connect me with Potapov. I was eager to learn about the situation in the city.
After connecting Potapov, I asked anxiously, "Comrade captain, our attack on Lvov is about to begin. How are you doing there? How many people and technical equipment are left."“ Report to deputy commander comrade, "Potapov heard my voice and immediately replied excitedly," we still have three tanks and 50 soldiers left. "“ What, you still have fifty soldiers? " I was a little surprised to ask: "where do you come so many people?"“ Didn't you send it? " When I asked, Potapov said strangely, "I asked the platoon leader. He said you ordered them to break up into parts and sneak into the city. Fortunately, forty soldiers came down. Otherwise, I would not be able to stop the enemy's attack with only three tanks and ten soldiers. " Knowing that botabov had enough troops, I felt a lot more at ease. Then I said to him, "Comrade captain, after our troops launch an attack, you must find a way to cooperate with them. If possible, I hope that you will be the first to put the red flag on the roof of the municipal building. "“ Comrade deputy commander of the front army, please rest assured. " "I will be the first to put the red flag on the top of the municipal building," Potapov assured me After I finished talking with Potapov, I said with a smile to lelushenko who came by: "Comrade General, last night 40 soldiers successfully sneaked into the city and joined Potapov. After you attack the city, the captain will take the initiative to send people to cooperate with you. " Our attacks from the East and South were very slow because of the German tenacious defense. By noon, the battle had occupied only two or three streets, far from the city center. Fortunately, Moskalenko's troops finally arrived at their starting position. Their participation became the last straw to crush the garrison. Under the powerful attack of our army, the enemy retreated to the center of the city. In the evening, general belov, who rushed to the south of the city to command the battle, called us and told me excitedly: "Comrade deputy commander of the front army, I saw a red flag on the municipal building in the center of the city with my telescope in the command post, which means our army has occupied Lvov."