divisions
and Khokhlov’s tanks are
encircled but still fighting.
They'll soon run out of ammunition.
German tanks attacked
Cherepanov's command post.
Cherepanov's wounded, there's no
radio link with him.
I'm afraid that Cherepanov's unit
can't hold out one more hour.
Could you give me support
by your tank destroyer reserve?
Button your shirt, Colonel.
- What?
- Go and button up.
For everyone to see that
you're in command of the division.
Pyotr Alexandrovich,
I understand how Deyev feels.
Cherepanov's situation
is catastrophic.
The Germans give
no sign of relenting.
Put on your glasses. Crawling on
the riverbank are machine gunners.
You won't even see your death,
getting so emotional.
I get emotional for good reason.
There're men dying and
we're unable to help them.
- They're soldiers.
- You forget they're human beings too.
It's something I have no right
to remember.
Otherwise I’ll start thinking about
their mothers, fathers and children,
waiting for these men.
Then It’ll be too hard to send those
men to their death, Vitaly Isayevich.
And yet we must do it.
Maybe it's time to bring out
our reserves?
No, not yet.
We have to let their tanks through,
and then we strike.
Hold the reserves
as long as we can.
Without them we don't exist.
Sounds like one of our guns?
Though it should have been
destroyed long ago.
Yes, I do remember
that they're not only soldiers.
And I'd like to think that they
know the reason for their sacrifice.
They've got to hold for at least
another hour.
Ukhanov, come here.
Who's that? Oh, the commander.
No more shells, gun's intact.
I've got four men.
I've got four, too.
Two infantry men joined us.
- Where's Tanya?
- In the shelter with the wounded.
- What do we do now?
- Fight.
With what? Bayonets?
That'll scare them real hard!
What, Ukhanov, you afraid of dying?
Why the hell should I die?
I can't let my mother down.
Our orders were to fight to death.
Those orders haven't been cancelled.
Nothing can be simpler.
Ordered to die, so we’ll die.
The bastards are having their fun.
I'd love to take him out,
but we can't make any noise.
Maybe after it's dark we'd try to
break through to our positions?
- And what about the wounded?
- That's right.
We got to get some ammunition.
There must be some left
in Davlatyan’s positions.
Avoid engagement,
Only if absolutely necessary.
See to it that the wounded
get weapons.
- Yes.
- Very clear.
I’ll go to observation.
Comrade Commander-in-Chief,
Cherepanov has been killed.
Two regiments are fighting completely
encircled and out of ammunition.
They've lost touch with us.
I must have support.
The division is getting massacred.
Do your duty, Colonel.
The men already have done
their duty, Comrade Commander.
Khokhlov’s been killed.
Cherepanov's killed.
Our only duty, Colonel,
is to stop the German offensive.
- Then I ask your permission...
- To do what?
Permission to leave the division's
observation post for an hour
to go to Cherepanov's positions
and make my decision right there.
I’ll blast through with some machine
gunners and I'm there in no time.
You’ll blast through
with some machine gunners?
I was a regiment commander
on the Bryansk front.
How old are you, Colonel?
Twenty-eight, Comrade Commander.
I want you to live to be 29.
Now go and do your duty
as a division commander,
not a regiment commander.
Right.
You could be more tactful.
When the content's the same, why look
for a different form to express it?
It's on us that the success of this
operation depends, and a lot more.
- We can't ease up.
- Ease up what?
The men aren't sleeping,
they're freezing.
Their courage is really
above and beyond any duty.
They do more than
a human being is capable of.
Why are you so unfair, tough
and merciless toward them?
You may justify yourself to
the living, but what about the dead?
I'm thinking of the living!
I thought that was clear.
It happens to be my