Chapter 157 Bloody Death Battle (Part 2)

The fragmented and shattered German rearguard troops fought stubbornly, although the outcome was doomed, but the final efforts made by these German soldiers with their lives undoubtedly delayed the Soviet offensive forces' pace to a certain extent.

This was a terrible situation for the Soviet troops who urgently needed to launch an assault before the German retreating troops had completely established a foothold on the second line of defense.

After opening the turret cover above his head, he leaned out of the car to observe the situation, staring at the KV1 heavy tanks that were still being rescued and extinguished and could not immediately launch an assault. After a little thought, Malashenko quickly closed the turret hatch and returned to the turret and made an important decision.

"All the crews that have been pulled out of the battle, follow me to launch the assault immediately. There is no time to wait for the assembly! For victory, comrades, attack! Ura!"

Although Malashenko, in accordance with the principle of speed, ordered all the crews that could be assembled around to launch an immediate attack.

However, several remaining German defense positions that had been divided and surrounded but not completely resolved were still dragging down some of the forces of the First Heavy Tank Breakthrough Battalion.

Including the tanks that were paralyzed by the German infantry using Molotov cocktails due to negligence, the crews that could accompany Malashenko to launch an attack on the German second line of defense were only 23 KV1 heavy tanks that were just over a company.

Seeing their own tanks roaring up again and continuing to attack the German second line of defense, some Soviet infantrymen who had just finished the remaining battle and had not had time to clean up the battlefield immediately turned around and followed. The infantry and tank coordinated forces, totaling only one mixed armored infantry battalion, immediately attacked the German second line of defense not far away while their own main force had not yet completely withdrawn.

Facing another rumbling Soviet heavy tank, the German infantrymen who had just retreated to the second line of defense and had not had time to catch their breath had to raise their weapons again and prepare to continue fighting.

The German 88 guns, which were directly destroyed on the first line of defense due to concerns about the fierce Soviet artillery fire, finally began to show their power after being deployed on the second line of defense.

In the hands of skilled gun crews, the 88mm gun, which can fire one round every five seconds, fully unleashes devastating anti-armor firepower. Ordinary KV1 heavy tanks without additional armor cannot withstand the fierce direct firepower attack of the 88mm gun at an assault distance of less than 500 meters.

The 88mm capped armor-piercing shells, like a red-hot razor, can easily penetrate the heavy frontal armor of these Soviet armored behemoths like cutting a cream cake without any effort.

Malashenko, who was shut out in front of the Germans' well-prepared and carefully arranged second line of defense and only made a tentative attack due to insufficient troops, ordered a temporary retreat after roughly remembering the exposed 88mm gun positions on the German positions.

The wreckage of the four Soviet KV1 heavy tanks left in front of the German second line of defense was burning fiercely, and the bodies of some Red Army soldiers who died on the battlefield during the accompanying attack were abandoned in the wilderness around these steel wreckages.

Malashenko, who tried to launch an assault and defeat the German army before the main force gained a foothold in the second line of defense, ultimately failed to achieve his tactical goal.

The Soviet army, which had just won a temporary victory after a positional assault, needed time to reorganize the scattered troops, count the casualties, and clean up the battlefield.

The German army, which had just been repelled to the second preset defense position by the powerful Soviet attack, was also silently licking its wounds. A large number of wounded comrades who could have been rescued and still had hope were left behind in the first position due to the hasty retreat. This was undoubtedly a disaster for the morale of the German army, which was repelled by the Soviet army at the beginning of the war.

The words of never abandoning and never giving up are certainly nice to say, but when in order to rescue these wounded comrades on the cruel battlefield, they may have to sacrifice several times the troops or even the whole army to be annihilated, the helpless choice made by the German commander like cutting off an arm to survive is not so inhumane and difficult to understand.

After leading the assault troops to retreat to the occupied German first line of defense, Malashenko knew that the offensive battle commanded by Zhukov, the god of war of the Red Army, would never end so hastily. He expected that the second wave of attack would be launched soon and jumped out of the car to take a rest in this precious time.

After leaving the interior of the tank full of the smell of diesel engines, he came to the battlefield ruins where the smoke and flames had not yet completely burned out.

The residual heat of the war that had not yet completely dissipated and the smell of blood and gunpowder in the air floated around Malashenko like a shadow and dominated his five senses.

Malashenko had long been numb to the battlefield relics that were enough to shock and shudder ordinary people. He held a newly lit cigarette in his mouth and walked forward to a KV1 heavy tank that had just been put out of fire.

"Comrade Battalion Commander"

Before the other party finished speaking, he raised his hand to indicate that he did not need to salute and greet him. He flicked the cigarette ash from the corner of his mouth with his finger and then quietly spoke to the person lying on the stretcher.

"Is it a burn? Is it serious?"

The answer to Malashenko was also in a flat and slightly depressed tone.

"Comrade the tank commander was unfortunately burned by the German incendiary bomb while directing us to put out the fire and rescue the tank. This black and sticky thing is difficult to get rid of once it sticks to people. We had no choice but to cut off the entire burning piece of meat on the thigh with a knife, otherwise the flames would spread all over the body in a short time."

The hot summer on the grassland and the poor combat environment in the tank, which was already stuffy and unventilated, made many Soviet tank crews roll up their sleeves and trouser legs to fight with bare arms and legs.

The incendiary bottle, which is mixed with artificial rubber in gasoline to produce a large amount of highly toxic black smoke when burning, is difficult to get rid of completely once it is accidentally stuck on the human body due to the viscosity of the liquid rubber. If you slap it with your hands or roll on the ground, it is more likely to get it all over your body and completely lose it.

Before the clothes are ignited by the flames and completely devoured, it seems to be the best choice to survive in a limited time by cutting off your arms like a gecko.

Looking at the other tank crew members who bowed their heads and were silent beside the stretcher, he took out the remaining half of the cigarette in his mouth and gently handed it to the wounded tank commander Malashenko on the stretcher, then patted his shoulder and spoke quietly.

"Rest assured, Sergeant. If I have the chance, I will visit you in the field hospital. When that happens, you must be ready to report to me at any time!"