Chapter 7
On the night of September 7, a group of people in green military uniforms took advantage of the darkness and slowly approached the Dniester River.
They were in groups, wearing new clothes, but holding ancient rafts.
There are about 2 companies of troops covering them - this is the Russian army observed in the wheat field.
The moonlight filtered into the bunker, reflecting the resolute Austrians inside. There was also some silver light coming from the machine gun, but the Russians on the other side didn't notice it.
Kuster walked slowly behind many machine gunners and slapped each soldier on the back.
The moonlit night was silent, and so were the two banks: on the north bank there were only a few sounds of boots stepping into the mud and unavoidable collisions; on the south bank there was the sound of boots hitting the cobblestones.
Seeing the Russians getting closer, Kuster thought one last time about what he had:
This bunker was left behind by previous friendly forces. This place has never been used before and is not strong, but it is hidden enough that it is impossible to find it, especially at night.
He placed 24 machine guns in the bunker, deployed an infantry company on each flank, and equipped them with a radio station.
Turning our attention back to the river again, the Russian vanguard had already set up the rafts and began to cross the river.
Maitian said anxiously:
"General, telegrams have been sent from both sides, and they are requesting to open fire."
This was not only the voice of the troops on both wings, but the soldiers in the bunker also looked back at Kuster expectantly.
Kuster lit a cigarette:
"Don't worry. Here, the river is 200 meters wide. It will take a long time for them to come over. I think it will be better to wait until they all enter the river. Then it will be better to open fire."
"But general, their vanguard may have arrived on the shore by then. Wouldn't that allow them to reach the vicinity of the bunker?"
"Don't worry, the wind is a bit strong today and the waves are a bit fierce. They will be very tired after landing. According to my understanding of the Russian army, they will not immediately maneuver and fight after landing, but will rest on the spot. This is our opportunity. ”
"So General, how do I reply to both wings?"
"Tell them not to be anxious, and wait until the machine guns fire to suppress them, then they can shoot on their own. At the same time, let them pay attention to the blind spots in the bunker. If any Russians touch them, I will skin them."
"So what are we going to do about the rest of the Russians, with artillery fire?"
"That's such a waste, we just have to smash their ship. I don't believe the Russians can sink and flip up and still fight."
Wheatfield nodded, saluted Kuster, then shouldered his gun and quickly went to notify the telegraph operator.
About 10 minutes later, the leading Russian troops came ashore. As expected by Kuster, they rested where they were.
After seeing the two companies originally responsible for covering the Russians also starting to cross the river, Kuster drew out his command knife without hesitation and shouted:
"My children! Pour out your wrath on these Russians!"
24 machine guns burst out sparks in an instant, killing Russians continuously. They are like death's scythes, taking away the lives of a group of people every time they swing it left or right.
After hearing the sound of machine guns on both wings, sporadic yet huge sharp sounds quickly rang out.
Kuster was shaken by the earthquake-like sound of gunfire, but he still closed his eyes, immersed in the art and fire of war.
"General, look!" came the horrified voice from the wheat field.
Kuster opened his eyes dissatisfied, stared hard at the wheat field, and then looked toward the river. Even though he has experienced many battles, he is still shocked and respectful at this moment.
Nearby, the Russian vanguard was under fire from three directions, with less than 20 people left. But after they reacted, they rushed towards the burning bunker without fear.
Among them was a man who had been shot dozens of times. He still stood tall and staggered towards the bunker holding a rifle with a bayonet. If Wheatfield hadn't shot him in the head, he might have climbed a few steps forward.
After the raft on the river was overturned and smashed, most of the Russians in the back row ran away. When the Russians in front saw that there was no hope of retreat, they stood up, threw away their rifles, kept only their sabers, and crawled towards the Austrians with all their strength.
And their only end was death: they were shot directly in the water or on the river beach, or were killed by flying shrapnel, or were frozen to death by the cold river water, and some were drowned by huge waves...
In less than 10 minutes, the entire two battalions were buried in the Dniester River. The originally clear and trickling river was now filthy and scarlet.
Kuster looked at everything here, his hand holding the command knife trembled a little, and he said in a low voice:
“I thought they had died long ago, but I didn’t expect that before they died, they burst out with the most valuable and important spirit of a living person.
They are the standing army of the Russians and the warriors of the Russians. May Transnistria bury them well. "
Kuster's words made the Austrians in the bunker a little sad, but Kuster added:
"Okay, stop, as soldiers we should really respect them, but we also need to act quickly.
Four battalions were ordered to cross the river quickly, and the position here was taken over by the reserve battalion. "
After saying that, Kuster walked out of the bunker without looking back. Looking at the flawless white moon, everything looks beautiful. But below it was a plain littered with corpses.
Kuster's fish-gray coat floated in the wind, and his gray-black military boots were firmly nailed to the ground. He stood on the bunker, looking up with a sad look.
But Kuster didn't notice that there was a sneaky man on the plain on the other side, playing with some big stand. Finally, a white light flashed, and the man and the big stand disappeared. Even if Kuster came to his senses and saw that nothing serious happened, he didn't care anymore.
This is actually a war reporter and his camera. Although no one knows why he appeared there, we have to admit that he captured a very artistic picture.
The man who came to be known as the ‘Butcher of Transnistria’ stood high and looked up at the stars. Below him was a bunker, with smoking machine guns leaking out of several cracks.
As the field of vision gradually shifts to the right, increasingly bloody scenes are revealed: a river beach full of dead bodies and a blood-red river.
No one knows how many people died here, and no one cares how many people are still buried in the river. What is known is that the Russians suffered a crushing defeat under failed leadership, while the Austrians were victorious under wise leadership.
As time goes by and technology advances, this photo becomes more mysterious. Some attempts were made to make it colorful, but ultimately failed. Perhaps this photo has the same function as other photos, recording what happened in the world and leaving as many memories of that era to future generations as possible...
Of course, the current role of this photo is to help Kuster himself.
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