The German army took advantage of the characteristics of mostly stone buildings in Lviv City to build a solid defense system. The attacks launched by Leliushenko and Kurochkin from the east and south did not achieve any ideal results. After suffering considerable casualties, our troops retreated outside the city.

After the attack failed, Leyyushenko wiped the cold sweat from his head and explained to me awkwardly: "Comrade Deputy Commander, because the enemy is stuck in the buildings on both sides of the street, many anti-tank weapons and machine gun positions were arranged. When our open-circuit tanks were destroyed, they hid in the building and fired the infantry following behind with machine guns, causing heavy casualties from our army."

Listening to Leliushenko's report, I was thinking about the battle scenes in my mind: our army had just destroyed the German barricade position at the intersection. Under the guidance of tanks, we rushed forward along the street. Suddenly, a soldier carrying an iron fist anti-tank bazooka appeared from a window in a roadside building. The tank aimed at our army and opened fire. Seeing that our tank was caught fire, the German soldiers who had fired the bazooka disappeared from the window, and then soldiers holding machine guns or submachine guns appeared from other windows, and violently fired at our commanders and fighters exposed on the street. When our tanks following behind just pointed the muzzles at these windows, the Germans had disappeared without a trace...

Seeing that I didn't say anything, Leliushenko thought it was a sign of my preparation for getting angry, so he closed his mouth in time and looked at me with a panic expression.

Although I could imagine the tactics used by the German army in street fighting, I couldn't think of any good way to crack them. After all, there were hundreds of thousands of residents in the city, so I couldn't let the artillery razor the city to the ground without saying a word. This kind of battle of throwing rats and being afraid of weapons is really difficult to fight.

"Comrade Deputy Commander, what should we do?" Major General Bellov asked nervously.

"Comrade Commander," I did not answer his question, but looked at him and asked, "Are our troops still there in the city?"

"Yes," Belov nodded and replied, "Captain Potapov of the 63rd Guards Tanks, with a tank platoon and the troops of Sergeant Hudakov who was trapped in the city yesterday, is currently holding on to the occupied positions."

I heard that there was a tank platoon left in the city. I was secretly happy and asked quickly: "Can you get in touch with them?"

"Yes, Deputy Commander, we can get in touch with Captain Potapov."

"Immediately, I want to talk to Captain Potapov."

A few minutes later, a telephone call temporarily placed on the conference table contacted Captain Potapov, who was trapped in Lviv. I said to the microphone: "Hey, is it Captain Potapov? I am Oshenina, deputy commander of the Front."

After I finished speaking, the other side was silent for a while before an excited voice came out of the headphones: "Yes, yes, comrade, deputy commander of the Front Army, I am Potapov, do you have any instructions?"

I heard the fierce gunfire sounds coming from the headphones at the same time, and I couldn't help but ask worriedly: "Captain, how many troops do you have? Should you persist?"

"We still have five tanks and twenty soldiers now." Potapov reported to me loudly: "The German army is under the cover of heavy tanks and attacking the areas we are holding on, but we are confident that we can continue to persevere."

"Very good, comrade Captain, you did a good job." Although I knew that Potapov and his team were fighting alone, I could not provide any help to them at this moment, so I could only encourage the other party: "In the Battle of Stalingrad, a 'Pavlov building' appeared; today, I hope that in the city of Lviv, a 'Potapov position' can be recorded in history."

"Comrade Deputy Commander of the Front Army, is this... this... is it true?" Potapov was so excited that he couldn't speak. He stuttered: "If we can really persevere until the liberation of Lviv, will it really... be recorded in history."

"Don't worry, Captain Potapov, since I have said that, it will definitely be fulfilled." In order to strengthen their confidence in defending, I simply wrote a few more blank checks for him: "As long as you can persevere to Lviv's victory, I will let my superiors award the title of "Hero of the Soviet Union" and the rest of the warriors will also receive medals and medals."

After being silent for a long time again, Potapov said cautiously: "Comrade General, although the soldiers are very tenacious, because our troops are too small, we may only be able to last for two days at most..."

"Okay, Captain Potapov, you need to say it, I know this." I know that with their existing troops and equipment, it is already the limit to be able to hold on for two days in the siege of the enemy, so I said decisively: "I will send you reinforcements."

After finishing the call with Potapov, I directly ordered Belov: "Comrade General, Captain Potapov and others are in a bad condition at the moment. I hope you 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 long turned it into the starting point of our attack."

"Yes, Lida." Lelyushenko and Belov finished speaking, and agreed: "Although Captain Potapov and his team were only five kilometers away from us to support, due to the tight defense of the German army, our troops could not go up at all."

"If there is no reinforcement, we can only watch Potapov and his team exhaust their ammunition and be destroyed by the German army." After I finished these words expressionlessly, I directly gave Belov orders: "Comrade Commander, immediately draw the troops of two companies, and after dark, we will use the method of breaking the whole into pieces to infiltrate the city to strengthen the defense of Captain Potapov and his team."

"Comrade Deputy Commander," Bellov smiled bitterly at the order I gave: "Even if it was dark, the German army's defense would not be relaxed. If we adopt the method of infiltration into the city by small groups, it will be easily wiped out one by one by the German army that occupied the superior forces and terrain."

"No matter what, we must try." I said in an unquestionable tone: "Comrade Commander, this matter has been decided so, let's implement it!"

After arranging the reinforcements of the city squad, I called Kurochikin of the 60th Army. As soon as I heard Kurochikin's voice, I asked straight to the point: "Comrade General, have you found out the reason for the failure of the offensive?"

"Comrade Deputy Commander," said Kurochkin respectfully: "When we launched an attack on the city, we were suppressed by artillery fire from Mount St. George..."

I patiently listened to him explaining the reasons for the failure of the offensive, and asked in anger: "Since you have been suppressed by the enemy's artillery fire, why not use artillery fire to fight back? Are the more than a dozen artillery regiments and guards rocket artillery battalions under your army all idiots who only know how to eat?"

"It's not like this, comrade Deputy Commander." Kurochkin explained to me in a panic: "Before the battle started, Marshal Konev greeted us, and he might not have broken Lviv, because the city will soon return to the hands of the people."

"Yes, Marshal Konev once gave such an order." Only now did I know what it means to tie up in a cocoon. The plan I proposed has become a stumbling block to the attack of the troops. In order to reduce the casualties of the troops and seize the city as soon as possible, I decisively ordered: "But as a senior commander, you must know how to adapt to the situation on the battlefield. If you attack tomorrow, you will be attacked by artillery fire from Mount St. George, you will decisively fire and fight back."

"But there is the famous St. George Cathedral on Mount St. George, which is a typical Baroquerococo church." Kurochkin quickly explained to me: "If we fire the gun and destroy this famous church, what should we answer if our superiors blame it in the future?"

"Even if the artillery is fired, as long as the German artillery fire can be suppressed, it doesn't matter if the mountain top is razed to the ground." In order to successfully seize Lviv, I also made up my mind: "If any superior blames it, I will bear it."

I sat at the table and recalled the history of Lviv in my mind. Lviv was originally a principality in Kiev Rus. In 1256, Grand Duke Kharic Polini built a city after his own name, which was the city of Lviv. In the centuries after the city was founded, in addition to Ukrainians, there were also Poles, Austrians, Germans, Hungarians, Italians, French, Greeks and Jews who also lived on this land, and Lviv gradually developed into the center of Western Ukraine.

City. At the same time, other European nations also brought their own culture, art, tradition and religion to Lviv. The unique conditions allowed Lviv to integrate the rich historical accumulation of Central and Eastern European countries. Therefore, Lviv's architecture has a Gothic and Baroque, Renaissance and Romanesque style. In this sense, Lviv can also be called a condensed "little Europe". Now such a great city may be destroyed by war because of my orders.

…………

The troops sent to reinforce Potapov, only half of them came back by dawn. The commander who led the team reported to Bellov: They had just approached the streets of the city and were discovered by the enemy's secret whistle. As soon as the gunshots of the police were heard, the machine guns arranged in the building opened fire, causing a lot of casualties to our army.

I walked to the officer, frowned and asked, "Comrade Major, how many people have you been there last night, and how many have you come back now?"

Although the officer did not know my identity, after seeing the military rank on my shoulder stamp, he still reported respectfully: "Comrade General, we had 167 people penetrated into the city in batches last night. Only 71 people came back this morning, and the rest may have all died."

"Ah, there are such great casualties?" I was startled after hearing this data. After a brief pause, I asked with a hint of luck: "Has anyone successfully sneaked into the city?"

"It shouldn't be." The major shook his head and replied, "Our people were almost discovered by the enemy as soon as they approached the edge of the city, and then they were frantically fired by them. I guess no one could successfully enter the city."

After the major finished speaking, I waved at him and said weakly: "Okay, Comrade Major, you have worked hard all night, go and rest."

After the major left, I said to Lelyushenko who was standing aside, "Comrade General, order the troops to prepare to launch an attack on Lviv again. In order to seize the city as soon as possible, I authorize you to use all weapons, do you understand?"

Leliushenko understood from my words that they would no longer be subject to the order of Konev 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 understand."

When Lelyushenko was giving an offensive order to his troops, I remembered Captain Potapov and others who were staying in the city. I quickly called the Communications Director over and told him to connect with Potapov. I was eager to understand the situation in the city.

After connecting Potapov, I asked anxiously: "Captain, our attack on Lviv is about to begin. How are you there? How many people and technical equipment are left."

"Report to the Deputy Commander, Comrade Potapov," he replied excitedly when he heard it was my voice, "We have three tanks left and fifty soldiers."

"What, you still have fifty warriors?" I asked in a little surprise: "Where do you come from so many people?"

"Aren't you sent?" Potapov said strangely when he heard my question: "I asked the platoon leader who led the team, and he said that you ordered them to break into pieces and sneak into the city. Fortunately, forty soldiers came at once, otherwise I would not be able to stop the enemy's attack with just three tanks and ten soldiers."

After knowing that the troops in Potapov were sufficient, my heart suddenly felt much more at ease. I continued to say to him: "Captain, after our troops launch an attack, you must find a way to cooperate with them. If possible, I hope you can take the red flag to the roof of the municipal building first."

"Comrade Deputy Commander of the Face Army, please rest assured." Potapov promised me with confidence: "I will definitely be the first to put the red flag on the roof of the municipal building."

After I finished my call with Potapov, I smiled and said to Lelyushenko who was walking over: "Comrade General, forty soldiers successfully sneaked into the city last night and joined Potapov and the others. After you attack the city, the captain will take the initiative to send someone to cooperate with you in the battle."

…………

Our attacks from the east and south were very slow due to the tenacious defense of the German army. The battle continued until noon and only occupied two or three streets, which was far from the city center.

Fortunately, Moskarenko's troops finally arrived at their attack starting position. Their joining became the last straw that crushed the defenders. Under the powerful attack of our army, the enemy retreated step by step towards 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 a telescope in the command post, which means that our army has occupied Lviv."

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Chapter completed!