Chapter 954 Destruction of hope

  The generals present saw that Paulus was willing to ask Berlin for instructions on the matter of surrender, and there was some joy on their faces. Although everyone knows Hitler's character very well, they are all lucky at the moment. Maybe their head of state will change his mind after learning about the difficult situation of the Sixth Army.

  Only Sokov knew best in his heart that even if Schmidt sent this telegram, he could not change Hitler's decision. On the contrary, it would make Hitler even more hysterical to issue wrong orders, and let the officers and soldiers of the Sixth Army fight to the last soldier and hit the last bullet.

   "Colonel Sokov!" While Schmidt was sending a telegram, Kurzbach asked Sokov flatteringly: "If we surrender, how will your army plan to arrange us?"

"It's very simple. Ordinary soldiers and officers will be sent to prisoner-of-war camps far away from the battlefield." Sokov paused for a moment, glanced at Paulus sitting opposite him, and continued: "Everyone here Generals, you may be placed in a manor and enjoy the treatment you deserve. Except that you have no personal freedom and cannot carry weapons, you are not much different from now.”

Hearing what Sokov said, the generals present were shocked. General Hans Wurz, the commander of the 144th Artillery Group sitting opposite Kurzbach, couldn't help asking Sokov in surprise: "Mr. Colonel, what are you doing?" Is everything true? Will your superiors really not shoot us, but arrange us in the manor to enjoy the treatment that matches our status?"

  "General Kurzbach," Sokov looked at the face of the student in front of him, and asked Kurzbach beside him, "I don't know who this general is...?"

"He is Hans Wurz, Commander of the 144th Artillery Group." After Kurzbach introduced the other party's identity to Sokov, he couldn't help asking Sokov curiously: "What you just said is true. Really?"

"Of course it's true." Sokov nodded vigorously, and said in an affirmative tone: "If you announce your surrender to our army now, then you can enjoy the treatment I just mentioned. But if you continue to resist, wait until we When you are captured on the battlefield, I am afraid that you can only be sent to prisoner-of-war camps with poor conditions like ordinary officers and soldiers."

   "What's the difference between letting us stay in the manor and being locked up in a prisoner-of-war camp?" An elderly general said angrily, "Can we still return to our homeland alive?"

  Before Sokov asked this time, Kurzbach took the initiative to introduce: "This is General Ulrich Vassauer, commander of the 153rd Artillery Group. He is a little impatient. Please don't take offense."

"You are wrong, General Ulrich Vassauer." Sokov faced Ulrich Vassauer who was attacking him, and said with a serious expression: "As long as our army occupies Berlin and forms the The new German ZF, then you captured soldiers will have the opportunity to return to your homeland one after another."

  Even though these generals all hope that Paulus will give the order to surrender, but that is because they are already facing the dilemma of running out of ammunition and food. In fact, from the bottom of their hearts, they are still very resistant to surrendering to the Soviet army. At this moment, I heard Sokov say that they all have plans to return to Germany, and those who were originally resistant to the surrender also became a little impatient. Their eyes turned to the door Schmidt had left, hoping that he would get back an answer from Berlin as soon as possible.

   "Colonel Sokov," Paulus asked after letting his subordinates chat with Sokov for a while, "I don't know your superiors, how do you plan to deal with me?"

"Don't worry, General Paulus." Sokov replied with a smile: "I think the Supreme Command may take you to Moscow as soon as possible for the sake of your health and safety, and find a suitable place there for you. You rest."

   "If I ordered the troops to surrender, wouldn't I be discriminated against by you?"

"How is this possible, General Paulus." Sokov said: "If you order the German army to stop resisting now, put down their weapons and surrender to our army, tens of thousands of lives can be saved. For your contribution, It’s too late for the officers and soldiers on both sides to be grateful, how can they discriminate against you?”

  Sokov's flattery made Paulus feel very comfortable. After he laughed twice, he said to Sokov: "Colonel Sokov, as long as Berlin agrees to our surrender, I will order the troops to stop resisting as soon as possible and surrender to your army."

  The generals present all had relaxed expressions on their faces when they heard Paulus' statement. Now that the commander is ready to surrender, there is no need to fight this battle. He just waits for Berlin's reply to order his troops to surrender to the Soviet army.

However, out of safety considerations, Kurzbach tentatively asked Sokov: "Colonel Sokov, although my troops are far away from your defense zone, can I drive to your defense zone and disarm your troops?" ? Among so many Russian troops, I trust you the most."

As soon as Kurzbach's words came out, Lieutenant General Helmut Schlemmer, Commander of the 14th Panzer Corps, Lieutenant General Max Pfeffer, Commander of the 4th Infantry Corps, and Walter Heinrich, Commander of the 7th Infantry Corps Admiral Ci also expressed his opinion to Sokov one after another, hoping to drive his troops into his defense zone and surrender.

   Facing the enthusiasm of these German generals, Sokov really couldn't stand it. He quickly waved his hands vigorously, and said to them: "Generals and gentlemen, please be quiet. My troops only control the territory around Mamayev Hill, and it cannot accommodate too many troops. If so many troops rush over at once , I’m afraid it will cause unnecessary confusion, and it will also cause us to have problems with your supplies.”

  When the generals showed their favor to Sokov, Paulus remained silent. In fact, he also wanted to surrender to Sokov himself, but due to his status, he couldn't say these words. He looked at Sokov on the opposite side, hoping that the other party would take the initiative to ask him, and then he would be able to say that he was going to personally go to Mamayev Post to surrender to the troops of the 41st Guards Division.

  However, to Paulus' disappointment, the generals under him were chattering non-stop around Sokov, leaving Sokov with no time to take care of himself.

   Just when Paulus was feeling embarrassed, someone yelled: "The Chief of Staff is back!"

  The room fell silent in an instant, and everyone's eyes were on Schmidt who had just entered the room. Seeing Schmidt's expressionless face, Sokov immediately had an ominous premonition in his heart. It seems that it is still the same as in history. Hitler did not agree with Paulus' surrender to the Soviet army, and the **** battle must continue.

  Schmidt walked to Paulus without squinting, bent over and approached Paulus, as if he was going to report to him the content of the telegram he had just received.

"Chief of Staff," Paulus said loudly, blocking Schmidt with his hand, "everyone here is eager to know what Berlin's answer is, so you should read it in front of everyone. "

Hearing Paulus' order, Schmidt nodded helplessly, took out a squarely folded piece of paper from his pocket, unfolded it, and read aloud: "I will never allow surrender, the Sixth Army Soldiers must hold their ground tenaciously until the ammunition runs out. Hitler."

  Paulus waited for Schmidt to finish reading, took the telegram in his hand and read it carefully, and asked with a serious expression: "Chief of Staff, have you confirmed that there is nothing wrong with the telegram from Berlin?"

   "Yes, Your Excellency Commander." Schmidt replied respectfully: "I have repeatedly verified that the reply from the Führer is indeed like this."

"How to do this, gentlemen and gentlemen?" Paulus threw the telegram on the table and asked his subordinates: "The head of state rejected our request for surrender. What should we do next? Continue to fight, Or lay down your arms and surrender immediately?"

"Your Excellency Commander," after Paulus finished speaking, Kurzbach stood up and said, "You should be very clear about our current situation. It is meaningless to continue to hold on. I feel that we should act decisively and order the troops to lay down their weapons and surrender in order to save the lives of more soldiers."

  According to Kurzbach's thinking, there must be many people supporting him. Unexpectedly, after he finished speaking, the whole room was silent. The generals either stared at the table in a daze, or looked at the dusty ceiling, and no one spoke.

   Seeing that except for Kurzbach speaking, the rest remained silent, Schmidt was a little anxious. He coughed hard, and after attracting everyone's attention, he raised his voice and asked, "Mr. Generals, what are you thinking? Let me tell you something. Colonel Sokov is still waiting for our reply here!"

   Hearing Schmidt mention Sokov, the German generals remembered that there were representatives sent by the Soviet Army to persuade them to surrender near the door. Walter Heitz sighed and said rather helplessly: "Mr. Colonel, I really want to lead the troops to surrender to you. But it can't be done. My wife and children are still in Berlin, and the families of my officers and soldiers are also here." Domestically. If we go against the wishes of the head of state and surrender to you, I am afraid that our family will be implicated. I am sorry."

"Mr. Admiral," Sokov saw that Admiral Walter Heitz, who had once shown his favor to him and hoped to surrender near Mamayev Heights, turned into an idiot, smiled wryly, and said to him: " You are worried that if you lead your troops to surrender now, your family will be affected. But have you ever thought that even if you continue to resist, you will not surrender in the end, and you will not be afraid that Hitler will embarrass your family and send them away. Into a concentration camp?"

Walter Heitz's face turned red, but facing Sokov's doubts, he still bite the bullet and said: "We will surrender at that time. After all, we have fought and surrendered as a last resort. Presumably Berlin They can understand us.”

  Walter Heitz's statement immediately aroused the echo of the two generals, and the reasons they said were similar. Surrendering now would affect his family. But if he surrendered for a while, the adverse impact on his family would be much smaller.

Seeing that the attitudes of the other generals except Kurzbach became ambiguous, Sokov stood up and asked Paulus who was sitting opposite him loudly: "Your Excellency, your subordinates have already clarified their views. Now I would like to ask you, what is your consideration? Immediately put down your weapons and surrender, or continue to resist and sacrifice more soldiers?"

"I'm sorry, Colonel Sokov." Paulus stood up and said to Sokov apologetically, "Although I really want to surrender to the Soviet army, you have also seen that we all have scruples. Surrender now, I am afraid that the family members who stay in the country will be persecuted by the Gestapo, so we can only continue to fight."

Maybe seeing Sokov's serious face, he added: "However, I assure you, as long as we fight for a while and our army's situation becomes more difficult, I will apply again to the Berlin side. Let the Führer allow us to surrender to you."

   "General Paulus," saw that Paulus always wanted to get Hitler's order, and then ordered the troops to surrender, so that he could logically shift the responsibility for the surrender to Hitler. Sokov said righteously: "What should be said, Commander Rokossovsky has written clearly in the ultimatum to you. If you refuse to surrender, we will adopt the method of war." means to destroy you."

"Chief of Staff," facing Sokov's accusation, Paulus did not refute. He just smiled wryly and turned to tell Schmidt: "Arrange manpower and send Colonel Sokov away. Remember, we must ensure his life." Safety."

  Schmidt nodded, got up and walked to a telephone by the wall, dialed a number, and said into the microphone: "Immediately arrange two vehicles to take Colonel Sokov, who is negotiating, back to the Russian defense zone."

  After putting down the phone, Schmidt walked up to Sokov and said politely: "Mr. Colonel, the car is ready for you, please come with me, we will safely send you back to your territory."

  Seeing Sokov getting up to leave, Kurzbach also stood up, wanting to go out with him. But he had just taken two steps when Paulus stopped him: "General Kurzbach, where are you going?"

   "Your Excellency, Commander!" Kurzbach turned to look at Paulus, and replied with some embarrassment: "Colonel Sokov is leaving, and I plan to send him off."

   "There is no need to do anything extra." Paulus said coldly, "Don't worry about the chief of staff sending him away. You'd better sit down and study carefully how to stop the Russians from attacking you."

Kurzbach, who originally wanted to go out with Sokov and talk about something in private, could only sigh softly when he heard what Paulus said, and sat back in his seat, waiting for Paulus to arrange for him Defense mission.

As soon as Sokov left the room, Schmidt ordered someone to blindfold him and Ernst, and then said apologetically: "Mr. Colonel, I have arranged a car for you at the door. I will pick you up by Officers, send you back to the opposite position. As for your safety, I will notify the troops along the way and order them not to shoot at the car you are riding in."

   "Thank you, Chief of Staff." Sokov bowed slightly to Schmidt and said with a smile on his face, "I believe we will meet again soon."

  (end of this chapter)