This is a true story of an Episode in the Soviet Offensive to liberate Kiev.
Late-Summer/Fall 1943, the Wehrmacht is in retreat. The battle of the Kursk Salient has cost them 100,000's of casualties. 4 Panzer Divisions have been completely wiped out, they are unable to hold ground and cross the Dnipro river to the western shore and begin to dig in expecting reinforcements to fill up defenses along the river. The Soviet Army begins a build up of manpower and equipment to storm across the river and liberate Kiev. There is only one problem. Information about German strength is not available, from all indications Axis troops have powerful forces along the river all the way to the Black Sea.
There have been some probing missions, but these have mostly been failures. Germans have begun bombing Soviet Supply dumps with Bombers near the Dnipro river. Divisional command decides to use artillery against the enemy and send an Anti-Tank Battalion on a suicide mission to set up a beachhead on the other side so that Soviet troops can begin crossing the river.
They 1st do not encounter anything, but in the end fight a battle to the death to survive.
Late-Summer/Fall 1943, the Wehrmacht is in retreat. The battle of the Kursk Salient has cost them 100,000's of casualties. 4 Panzer Divisions have been completely wiped out, they are unable to hold ground and cross the Dnipro river to the western shore and begin to dig in expecting reinforcements to fill up defenses along the river. The Soviet Army begins a build up of manpower and equipment to storm across the river and liberate Kiev. There is only one problem. Information about German strength is not available, from all indications Axis troops have powerful forces along the river all the way to the Black Sea.
There have been some probing missions, but these have mostly been failures. Germans have begun bombing Soviet Supply dumps with Bombers near the Dnipro river. Divisional command decides to use artillery against the enemy and send an Anti-Tank Battalion on a suicide mission to set up a beachhead on the other side so that Soviet troops can begin crossing the river.
They 1st do not encounter anything, but in the end fight a battle to the death to survive.
