The counterattack to the Pushore River Bridge soon began.
On the right bank of the bridge is a tank battalion and an infantry regiment; on the left bank of the bridge is the second battalion of the mechanized brigade. Both sides attack the enemies occupying the bridge at the same time.
According to General Poluboyarov's idea, the Germans had only a dozen tanks and more than 100 infantrymen. They dispatched a tank battalion, one infantry regiment took one infantry battalion, which had an absolute advantage in terms of number and equipment. Even if they stepped on it, they would have trampled all these Germans to death.
Unexpectedly, there were several Leopard tanks in the German tanks, which were specially developed by the Germans for the Soviet T-34. This tank adopts a new 55° inclined armor and a long-barrel 75mm main gun, and is one of the most successful medium-sized tanks in World War II.
These tanks were hidden in the newly dug pit by the bridge, only revealing the turret and barrel. As long as the Soviet tanks were found to have entered a distance of 500 meters, they would decisively fire. In less than a quarter of an hour, seven Soviet T-34 tanks were destroyed by the German Leopard tanks.
When General Poluboyarov learned the news, he was so angry that he stamped his feet. He asked his subordinates: "Then how many German tanks have you destroyed?"
"I'm sorry, Comrade Commander." The tank battalion commander said guiltily: "The enemy's tanks are hiding in the pit. Our tanks have been destroyed before they can find their place."
"Chief of Staff." General Poluboyarov called the Chief of Staff over after receiving the call from the tank battalion commander and ordered: "Immediately concentrate artillery fire, bombard the positions beside the bridge, and cover the attack of our tanks and infantry."
"Comrade Commander, I think there is something that I need to remind you." The Chief of Staff said cautiously: "If the artillery fire is too dense, the bridge will probably be blown up. Once the bridge is blown up, we will not be able to pass through the bridge even if we eliminate the enemy."
"Then let the artillery be careful." General Poluboyarov said helplessly: "Don't blow the bridge off."
The attack on the right bank was not smooth, and the left bank was not much better. Due to the cover of tanks, the counterattacking troops could not get close to the bridge at all, and were injured and killed or injured under the German tank artillery fire and machine gun fire. Seeing that the situation was not good, the second battalion commander quickly ordered the troops to temporarily stop the attack.
General Poluboyarov promised Sokov that the troops would recover the bridge before noon. As a result, the battle continued until 2 pm, and the bridge was still under the hands of the Germans. The bridge was covered with dead bodies in various positions, mainly the Soviet army's corpses.
The German army that was defending the bridge was attacked, and the German army on the periphery would not sit idly by. They launched attacks again and again on the positions of the Mechanized Brigade. Although the Mechanized Brigade was unfavorable to attack the bridge, they performed remarkable when defending. They stubbornly repelled the German three attacks and used landmines and rocket launchers to eliminate more than a dozen German tanks.
The Soviet army could not eat the besieged bridge guards; and the German army, who tried to reinforce the bridge guards, could not break through the Soviet defense. For a moment, the battle near the Pushoer River Bridge fell into a stalemate.
Sokov waited until noon and still did not wait for the news of recapturing the bridge. He drove to General Poluboyarov's command center and asked angrily: "Comrade General, what's going on? Tell me, you say that the bridge can be recaptured before noon, but now it is already two o'clock in the afternoon, why is the battle still going on?"
As soon as Sokov finished speaking, General Poluboyarov smiled and said, "Comrade Commander, the enemy is fighting very tenaciously. We have done our best, but we have never been able to break through the enemy's defense."
"Take me to the frontier to see." Sokov saw that General Poluboyarov was helpless now. Although he was angry, he also understood that if he couldn't think of a good solution, no matter how angry he got, the other party would still be unable to take the bridge. Therefore, he was preparing to go to the frontier to see the actual situation and then consider what tactics to use instead.
When Sokov and General Poluboyarov came to the front command post, a new round of attack by the Soviet army began. Seeing the attacking tanks being continuously destroyed by German tanks in the distance, the attacking infantry fell one after another under the enemy's guns, Sokov's heart was bleeding.
He moved the telescope to the distance and found that on the other side of the bridge, he was also launching a counterattack. The enemy's defense on the other side seemed not as strong as this side, but he still could not break through the enemy's defense. Sokov put down the telescope in his hand and turned his head to ask General Poluboyarov who was standing aside: "Comrade General, what's going on with the attack on the left bank? I saw that the enemy's resistance was not strong, but why could they not break through the enemy's defense?"
"There is no way, the troops on the left bank do not have tanks." General Poluboyarov said with a wry smile: "They cannot suppress the enemy in firepower. The anti-tank teams equipped with bazooka cannot reach an effective range to destroy the enemy's tanks."
"Since the troops on the left bank do not have tanks, why don't they find a way to send them some tanks?"
"Comrade Commander, if I could send the tank over, I would have sent it long ago." General Poluboyarov said helplessly: "Now the enemy is firmly controlling the bridge. If our tanks can rush onto the bridge, they can advance to the other side. There is no need to dispatch tanks to them for support."
"Although this bridge has been occupied by the enemy, you can use other methods to send the tanks to the other side?" Sokov said this and turned his head to ask the Chief of Staff: "Have you built the pontoon bridge with you?"
"Yes, Comrade Commander, the pontoon bridge has been set up." The Chief of Staff of the Army nodded quickly and replied: "It is two or three kilometers downstream, and tanks, armored vehicles and trucks can be accessed..."
"It seems you know the situation quite well." Sokov praised the other party and suddenly said rudely: "Since the pontoon bridge has been set up, why don't you send tanks to cross the river? As long as the offensive troops on the left bank also have tanks, it will be much easier to recover the bridge than it is now."
When General Poluboyarov heard this, he slapped his forehead with his palm, and then said in annoyance: "Don't you, I'm so confused. The downstream pontoon bridge has been built, why don't I send tanks to cross the river? As long as the troops on the left bank have tanks, it will be much easier for them to occupy the bridge than now."
Chapter completed!