Red Moscow

The German attack was repelled, and Sokov also learned that an infantry division and a tank brigade of the 65th Army were attacking from west to east, and rushed to Mamayev Post to join him.

After listening to the information reported by Krylov, he asked cautiously: "Comrade Chief of Staff, I would like to ask, what should we do?"

Although it has been more than a month since the troops besieged Paulus, the combat effectiveness of the German army still cannot be underestimated, so Krylov said cautiously: "The area controlled by your division is too wide, and the troops used for defense are too scattered. It is probably unrealistic to concentrate our forces and carry out a centripetal attack with the friendly forces from the west. The task given to you by the group army is to take back the positions you lost today before the friendly forces arrive."

"Understood, Comrade Chief of Staff." Sokov replied: "We promise to complete the task."

"Wait a minute, Colonel Sokov." Just as Sokov was about to hang up the phone, Chuikov's voice came from the receiver: "Tell me, you plan to take back the first road occupied by the enemy now." Line of defense?"

"In order to reduce the casualties of the troops during the attack, I think we should take a political offensive against the enemy." Sukov knew about the German generals and blocked all kinds of news from the soldiers. Even a month ago, the Soviet army occupied Karachi and encircled the enemy. Most of the soldiers did not know the news of the entire Sixth Army. "I think the current situation of the Sixth Army should be told to the German officers and soldiers to break down their morale and morale."

"Colonel Sokov," Cuikov didn't answer Sokov's proposal, but asked rhetorically, "Do you think that telling the German officers and soldiers the truth will destroy their morale and morale?"

"I think it should be possible." In order to persuade Chuikov, Sokov also specially emphasized: "If the German officers and soldiers are not allowed to understand their actual situation, but let them live in fantasy, they will continue to fight to the last A bullet, and will not voluntarily surrender to us as a prisoner."

"..." Hearing what Sokov said, Chuikov began to ponder. He was considering whether he should really take a political offensive against the German army in order to reduce the casualties of the troops.

"Comrade Commander." Seeing that Chuikov remained silent, Sokov continued: "If we let them know the truth and break their illusions, it will be very beneficial to our next battle."

"Okay, Colonel Sokov." After waiting for Sokov to finish speaking, Chuikov finally made up his mind: "Then try it in your division, and if the effect is good, it will be promoted within the scope of the entire army."

After Sokov put down the phone, he immediately called Anisimov to him, and said to him: "Comrade Political Commissar, please immediately organize political workers, draft and print leaflets, encircle the Paulus Group with our army, and drive out the They came to reinforce the Manstein and Huot groups, but after being stubbornly blocked by our army, they were forced to abandon the rescue plan and retreat away from Stalingrad."

After Anisimov finished recording what Sokov said, he said with some hesitation: "Comrade Commander, the Manstein and Huot groups stopped rescue operations and retreated away from Stalingrad. Where did you get it?" information?"

"I analyzed it based on the battle reports." Sokov naturally would not tell Anisimov that in real history, Manstein and Holt would give up on Paulus' rescue in a few days. Retreat to the west in a large scale. At the same time, in a few days, the enemy besieged in the Kotelnikovo area will be completely annihilated. Thinking of this, he added another sentence: "Also, comrade political commissar, you can add another sentence: the troops besieged in the Kotelnikovo area are currently being dealt a devastating blow by our army. I believe that in the near future, they will will be completely wiped out."

"Comrade commander, I have another question." Seeing that Sokov spoke so confidently, Anisimov did not continue to entangle the matter, but asked curiously: "After the leaflet is written, how do we put it on the enemy?" Where are you going?"

"Shoot it with a mortar." Sukov only heard that you can use a mortar to launch leaflets, but he didn't know how to do it, so he asked humbly: "Who of you knows how to use a mortar?" Launch leaflets?"

"Leave this matter to me." Ivanov said with a smile: "It's a coincidence that I have received training in this area before, and the matter of launching leaflets with mortars is up to me." Take charge."

In the early morning of the next day, the German sentry standing on the ground found a group of Soviet soldiers in camouflage uniforms approaching his position quietly. He quickly blew his whistle to warn the soldiers staying in the hidden department.

When the German soldiers heard the whistle outside, they knew that the Soviet army was coming to attack. They ran out of their hiding places with their weapons in hand, put their guns on the edge of the trench, and were ready to shoot, waiting for the Soviet army to enter their camp. range, fire immediately.

Unexpectedly, the group of Soviet troops stopped at a distance of five or six hundred meters from the position, and stopped advancing, but began to arrange mortar positions. It didn't take long before they started launching. Hearing the roar from the air, the German officers and soldiers hid in the trenches one after another to avoid the Soviet shelling.

Hearing the screech of shells piercing the air, there was no explosion. The officers and soldiers were just wondering, when they suddenly saw leaflets scattered in the air. Only then did they understand that what the Soviet army fired with mortars was not shells, but leaflets.

A curious soldier picked up the flyer that fell in front of him, looked at it a few times, and exclaimed: "What, we have fallen into the encirclement of the Russians? Marshal Manstein and General Holt who came to rescue us, because Stubbornly resisted by the Russians, the rescue plan has been abandoned and the retreat is heading west."

More and more soldiers picked up the leaflets on the ground and looked at what was written on them suspiciously. After reading it, they all turned their attention to the officer on the ground, hoping to get more accurate information from him.

An officer is just a captain who knows little more than his subordinates. But he knew very well in his heart that no matter whether the contents of the leaflets were true or not, once the news spread among the troops, it would affect the morale and morale of the troops, so he quickly shouted, "The leaflets are all rumors made by Russians. Don't believe them. Immediately." Throw away these leaflets, or I will punish you as collaborators."

The German soldiers threw away the leaflets in their hands, but the contents of the leaflets were deeply imprinted in their minds. They began to try hard to recall that the supplies they received during this period seemed to be much less than before. Except for the supplies brought from the airport, more supplies depended on airdrops. If you are not surrounded by the Russians, how can you rely on the Air Force to supply yourself?

The same situation also occurred in the positions opposite the 124th, 125th and the drawdown regiment. The leaflets scattered all over the position had an unpredictable impact on the morale and morale of the German army.

After learning about the situation, the German division commander immediately called Schmidt and reported worriedly: "Your Excellency Chief of Staff, after dawn, the Russians fired a large number of leaflets at our division's defense area, which said that our army had been trapped by them." At the same time, Marshal Manstein and General Huott, who came to reinforce them, have been repelled by them. Now the troops are panicked, and I am worried that it will have a negative impact on the next battle."

After hearing what the other party said, Schmidt forced himself to be calm and said: "Mr. General, don't listen to the rumors of the Russians. You must know that the great Führer Manstein is the conqueror of Sevastopol. As long as he is there, It's a fantasy that the Russians want to win."

After putting down the phone here, Schmidt realized the seriousness of the problem, and hurriedly came to Paulus and reported to him: "Your Excellency, Commander, this morning, Sokov's troops scattered a large amount of bombs on our army's position." Leaflets, to inform the officers and soldiers of the actual situation of our army. According to the situation reported below, the morale and morale of our army have been affected to varying degrees."

"Chief of Staff," Paulus said thoughtfully after Schmidt finished speaking, "it seems unrealistic to continue to conceal the news that our army is besieged. Even if we deny it, ordinary soldiers can Judging from the reduction of supplies, what the Russians said is completely true. Therefore, we must tell the soldiers as soon as possible that we are surrounded by the Russians."

"But, Your Excellency, Commander." Hearing that Paulus was going to tell the soldiers the truth, Schmidt said worriedly, "This way, I'm afraid it will lead to a lack of morale in the army."

"Chief of Staff," Paulus said sternly, looking at Schmidt, "even if we don't tell our soldiers, the Russians will tell our soldiers that we are surrounded by them. If that's the case, it's better to be generous One point, admit that our army has unfortunately fallen into the siege of the Russians."

Seeing that Schmidt opened his mouth, as if he wanted to say something, Paulus raised his hand to stop him, and continued: "Tell the soldiers the news of the siege, and then tell them. The troops are now approaching us, and in at most two days, we will be able to join forces with them and completely defeat the Russians who besieged us..."

Schmidt couldn't help nodding when he heard what Paulus said. He felt that as long as he said that, even if the soldiers knew that they were surrounded by the Russians, as long as they thought that the reinforcements were coming, they would be full of confidence and continue to fight. Fight the Russians bravely. He quickly replied: "Understood, Your Excellency Commander, I will immediately report this matter to the entire army, so that everyone can understand the current situation, so as not to be fooled by the Russians."

Sokov learned that the front lines of the four regiments had all fired leaflets at the enemy. He felt that this was not enough, so he asked Ivanov: "Comrade deputy commander, I would like to ask, is it okay to use artillery to fire leaflets?"

"No." Ivanov shook his head and said, "Mortars are fine, but artillery is probably not."

Seeing Sokov's disappointed look, he added: "I think you should call the commander to see if he can send two reconnaissance planes, carrying our leaflets, to drop leaflets over the enemy. After all, only the German officers and soldiers at the front can see the mortars fired. If the planes are used to scatter them behind them, more people can see it. Maybe doing so can have the effect of disintegrating the enemy's army. "

"You're right, Comrade Deputy Division Commander." Sokov nodded with a smile, "How come I forgot about using the plane to drop leaflets, I'll contact the commander right now."

Sokov dialed the number of the Army Group Headquarters, and when he heard that the person answering the phone was an ordinary communications soldier, he said in a stern tone: "I am Colonel Sokov, please find me the commander or chief of staff, I have Important matters need to be reported to them."

The communications soldier knew the importance of Sokov. Hearing what he said, he didn't dare to neglect, and quickly called Krylov to answer the phone. Krylov took the phone and asked straight to the point: "Colonel Sokov, how effective is your political propaganda?"

"Reporting to Comrade Chief of Staff, there is no effect yet." After Sukov's brief report, he rushed to say without waiting for Krylov to speak: "In order to expand the influence, I would like to request the Army Command to contact the Air Force. Let them use reconnaissance planes to drop leaflets on the enemy's heads, so that more enemies can know what kind of situation they are in now."

"What, dispatch the air force to distribute leaflets for you?" Krylov couldn't help frowning when he heard Sokov's request. When Sokov proposed to launch a political offensive, he disagreed with this approach and turned to the enemy. Spreading a few leaflets in the enemy's position can disintegrate the enemy's morale and morale, which sounds like a fantasy. At this moment, he seemed very hesitant about Sokov's request: "Colonel Sokov, I can't make a decision on this matter. Otherwise, I will report to Comrade Commander. If he agrees, I will contact the Air Force for you." .”

Unexpectedly, after listening to Krylov's report, Chuikov nodded and said, "Chief of Staff, I think Colonel Sokov's proposal can be adopted. You should immediately contact the Air Force and ask them to dispatch two reconnaissance planes to go deep into the The enemy's rear, in the course of reconnaissance, dropped leaflets on the Germans on the ground."

"Will the Air Force agree?" Krylov asked cautiously.

"Why don't you agree?" Cuikov asked back with a puzzled face: "Anyway, they have to go to the enemy's rear to carry out reconnaissance. Letting them spread leaflets is just a matter of effort. I believe they will definitely not refuse."

"Okay, I obey your orders." Now that Chuikov had already said this, Krylov knew that no matter how much he objected, it would have no effect, so he picked up the phone on the table and got in touch with the Air Force Group Army. Hope to get their cooperation.

The commander of the Air Force received the call and simply agreed to Krylov's request, asking him to send the leaflets to a nearby field airport as soon as possible, so that the reconnaissance plane could drop leaflets on the enemy's positions during the reconnaissance process.