tc.redstormrising-第97节

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Alekseyev　ordered。　〃Sergetov；　e　with　me。　I　have　to　go　forward。〃
The　attack　had　ripped　the　heart　out　of　his　lead　regiment；　Alekseyev　knew；　but　it　had　been　worth　the　cost。　The　NATO　forces　would　have　to　move　their　units　through　a　smashed　town　to　get　to　the　bridges；　and　having　the　allied　units　on　the　north　side　disengage　first　was　a　godsend。　Now　with　a　fresh　regiment　he'd　be　able　to　run　over　them　and；　if　he　were　very　lucky；　get　the　bridges　intact。　This　he'd　have　to　supervise　himself。　Alekseyev　and　Sergetov　boarded　a　tracked　vehicle；　which　motored　southeast　to　catch　the　maneuvering　regiment。　Behind　them　his　operations　officer　began　to　give　new　orders　over　the　divisional　radio　net。
Five　kilometers　on　the　far　side　of　the　river；　a　battery　of　German　155mm　guns　was　waiting　for　this　opportunity。　They　had　remained　silent；　waiting　for　their　radio…intercept　experts　to　pin　down　the　divisional　headquarters。　Quickly　the　gunners　punched　the　target　data　into　their　firecontrol　puters　while　others　loaded　high…explosive　shells。　Every　gun　in　the　battery　trained　out　on　an　identical　azimuth。　The　ground　shook　when　they　began　rapid　fire。
A　hundred　shells　fell　in　and　around　the　divisional　headquarters　in　less　than　two　minutes。　Half　the　battle　staff　was　killed　outright；　most　of　the　others　wounded。
Alekseyev　looked　at　his　radio　headset。　His　third　close　brush　with　death。　That　was　my　fault。　I　should　have　checked　the　siting　of　the　radio　transmitter　I　must　not　make　that　mistake　again　。　。　。　Damn！　Damn！　Damn！
Alfeld's　streets　were　clogged　with　civilian　vehicles。　The　Americans　in　their　Bradley　tracked　vehicles　avoided　the　town　entirely；　hurrying　down　the　right　bank　of　the　Leine　and　crossing　to　the　other　side　in　good　order。　There；　they　took　positions　on　the　hills　overlooking　Leine；　and　set　up　to　cover　the　crossing　of　the　other　allied　troops。　The　Belgians　were　next。　Only　a　third　of　their　tanks　had　survived；　and　these　covered　the　southern　flank　on　the　far　side　of　the　river；　hoping　to　stop　the　Russians　before　they　were　able　to　cross。　German　Swatspolizei　had　held　back　civilian　traffic　and　allowed　the　armored　units　to　pass；　but　this　changed　when　Soviet　artillery　began　bursting　in　the　air　close　to　the　river。　The　Russians　had　hoped　it　would　impede　traffic；　and　it　did。　Civilians　who　had　been　late　to　follow　orders　to　leave　their　homes　now　paid　for　their　error。　The　artillery　did　scant　damage　to　fighting　vehicles　but　thoroughly　wrecked　civilian　cars　and　trucks。　In　minutes；　the　streets　of　Alfeld　were　jammed　with　disabled　and　burning　cars。　People　left　them；　braving　the　fire　to　run　for　the　bridges；　and　the　tanks　trying　to　make　their　way　to　the　river　found　their　way　blocked。　Their　only　escape　was　over　the　bodies　of　innocent　civilians；　and　even　when　ordered　to　proceed；　the　drivers　shrank　from　it。　Gunners　rotated　their　turrets　to　face　over　the　rear　and　began　to　engage　the　Russian　tanks　now　entering　the　town。　Smoke　from　burning　buildings　wafted　across　everyone's　field　of　view。　Cannon　fired　at　targets　glimpsed　for　a　moment；　rounds　went　wild；　and　the　streets　of　Alfeld　turned　into　a　slaughterhouse　of　soldiers　and　nonbatants。
〃There　they　are！〃　Sergetov　pointed。　Three　highway　bridges　spanned　the　Leine。　Alekseyev　started　to　give　orders；　but　they　weren't　necessary。　The　regimental　mander　already　had　his　radio　microphone　keyed；　and　directed　a　battalion　of　tanks　with　infantry　support　to　proceed　up　the　west　bank；　following　the　same　route；　still　relatively　open；　that　the　Americans　had　used。
The　American　fighting　vehicles　on　the　far　side　of　the　river　opened　fire　with　missiles　and　their　light　cannon；　killing　a　half…dozen　tanks；　and　the　remainder　of　the　regiment　engaged　them　with　direct　fire　while　Alekseyev　personally　called　down　artillery　on　the　hilltops。
In　Alfeld　the　battle　had　e　to　a　bloody　standstill。　The　German　and　British　tanks　took　up　positions　at　intersections　largely　hidden　from　view　by　wrecked　cars　and　trucks；　and　backed　toward　the　river　slowly　as　they　fought　to　give　the　civilians　time。　The　Russian　infantry　tried　to　engage　them　with　missiles；　but　too　often　debris　lying　in　the　streets　tore　the　flight　control　wires；　causing　the　missiles　to　fall　out　of　control　and　explode　harmlessly。　Russian　and　allied　artillery　fire　churned　the　town　to　rubble。
Alekseyev　watched　his　troops　advancing　toward　the　first　bridge。
South　of　him；　the　mander　of　the　lead　regiment　swore　at　his　losses。　More　than　half　his　tanks　and　assault　vehicles　had　been　destroyed。　Victory　was　within　his　grasp；　and　now　his　troops　had　been　stopped　again　by　impassable　streets　and　murderous　fire。　He　saw　the　NATO　tanks　pulling　slowly　back；　and；　enraged　that　they　were　escaping；　called　in　for　artillery。
Alekseyev　was　surprised　when　the　artillery　fire　shifted　from　the　center　of　the　town　to　the　riverfront。　He　was　shocked　when　he　realized　that　it　was　not　tube　artillery　fire；　but　rockets。　As　he　watched；　explosions　appeared　at　random　over　the　riverfront。　Then　rounds　began　exploding　in　the　river　in　rapid　succession。　The　rate　of　fire　increased　as　more　and　more　launchers　were　trained　on　the　target；　and　it　was　already　too　late　for　him　to　stop　them。　The　farthest　bridge　went　first。　Three　rockets　landed　at　once；　and　it　came　apart。　Alekseyev　watched　in　horror　as　over　a　hundred　civilians　fell　into　the　churning　water。　His　horror　was　not　for　the　loss　of　life…he　needed　that　bridge！　Two　more　rockets　landed　on　the　center　bridge。　It　did　not　collapse；　but　the　damage　it　took　was　serious　enough　to　prevent　tanks　from　using　it。　The　fools！　Who　was　responsible　for　this？　He　turned　to　Sergetov。
〃Call　up　the　engineers。　Get　bridging　units　and　assault　boats　to　the　front。　They　have　absolute　priority。　Next；　I　want　every　surface…to…air　missile　and　antiair　gun　battery　you　can　find。　Anyone　who　gets　in　their　way　will　be　shot。　Make　sure　the　traffic…control　officers　know　this。　Go！〃
The　Soviet　tanks　and　infantry　had　reached　the　only　surviving　bridge。　Three　infantry　vehicles　raced　to　the　far　side　and　were　taken　under　fire　by　the　Belgians　and　Americans　as　they　raced　to　cover。　A　tank　followed。　The　T…80　rumbled　across；　got　to　the　far　side　and　exploded　from　an　impacting　missile。　Another　followed；　then　a　third。　Both　reached　the　west　bank。　Then　a　British　Chieftain　emerged　from　behind　a　building　and　followed　the　Soviet　tanks　across。　Alekseyev　watched　in　amazement　as　it　ran　right　between　the　two　Soviet　vehicles；　neither　of　which　saw　it。　An　American　missile　ran　just　behind　it　and　plowed　into　the　ground；　raising　a　cloud　of　dirt　and　dust。　Two　more　Chieftains　emerged　at　the　bridgehead。　One　exploded　from　a　point…blank　shot　by　a　T…80；　the　other　fired　back；　killing　the　Russian　tank　a　second　later。　Alekseyev　remembered　a　tale　from　his　boyhood　of　a　brave　peasant　on　a　bridge　as　the　British　tank　engaged　and　killed　two　more　Soviet　tanks　before　succumbing　to　a　barrage　of　direct　fire。　Five　more　Soviet　vehicles　raced　across　the　bridge。
The　General　lifted　his　headset　and　dialed　up　8th　Guards　Army　Headquarters。　〃This　is　Alekseyev。　I　have　a　pany　of　troops　across　the　Leine。　I　need　support。　We　have　broken　through。　Repeat：　we　have　broken　through　the　German　front！　I　want　air　support　and　helicopters　to　engage　NATO　units　north　and　south　of　Bridge　439。　1　need　two　regiments　of　infantry　to　assist　with　the　river　crossing。　Get　me　support　and　I　might　have　my　division　across　by　midnight。〃
〃You'll　get　everything　I　have。　My　bridging　units　are　on　the　way。〃
Alekseyev　leaned　against　the　side　of　his　BMP。　He　unbuckled　his　canteen　and　took　a　long　drink　as　he　watched　his　infantry　climb　the　hills　under　fire。　Two　plete　panies　were　across　now。　Allied　fire　was　now　attempting　to　destroy　the　remaining　bridge。　He　had　to　get　at　least　a　full　battalion　across　if　he　wanted　to　hold　this　bridgehead　for　more　than　a　few　hours。　〃I'll　get　the　bastard；〃　he　promised　himself；　〃who　fired　on　my　bridges。〃
〃Boats　and　bridges　are　en　route；　rade　General；〃　Sergetov　reported。　〃They　have　first　priority；　and　the　sector　traffic…control　officers　have　been　informed。　Two　SAM　batteries　are　starting　this　way；　and　I　found　three　mobile　AA　guns　three　kilometers　off。　They　said　they　can　be　here　in　fifteen　minutes。〃
〃Good。〃　Alekseyev　trained　his　binoculars　on　the　far　bank。
〃rade　General；　our　infantry　carriers　are　amphibious。　Why　don't　we　swim　them　across？〃
〃Look　at　the　riverbank；　Vanya。〃　The　General　handed　his　glasses　over。　As　far　as　he　could　see；　the　far　side　was　all　set　with　stone　and　concrete　to　prevent　erosion。　It　would　be　difficult　if　not　impossible　for　the　tracked　vehicles　to　climb　that。　Damn　the　Germans　for　that！　〃Besides；　I　wouldn't　want　to　try　that　in　anything　less　than　regimental　strength。　That　bridge　is　all　we　have；　and　it　can't　last　very　long。　With　the　best　of　luck　we　won't　have　any　assault　bridges　in　place　for　several　hours。　The　troops　on　the　far　side　are　on　their　own　for　at　least　that　long。　We'll　run　as　many　troops　and　vehicles　across　the　bridge　as　we　can；　then　reinforce　with　infantry　assault　boats　as　soon　as　they　arrive。　The　book　calls　for　this　sort　of　crossing　to　be　made　in　assault　boats；　under　cover　of　darkness　or　smoke。　I　don't　want　to　wait　for　night；　and　I　need　the　guns　to　fire　live　shells；　not　harmless　ones。　We　must　break　the　rules；　Vanya。　Fortunately　the　book　allows　for　that　also。　You　have　performed　well；　Ivan　Mikhailovich。　You　are　now　a　m