USSR 1941

In fact, this propaganda operation basically does not require planning, because it does not have various risks like other combat operations.

If anything, there was a risk that German soldiers did not believe that the propaganda was not working well.

However, this can really be regarded as a risk, because if the propaganda effect is not satisfactory, it means that the Soviet army will consume troops, equipment, and supplies as usual to fight against the German troops who are fighting to the end.

For this reason, Zolotarev also showed Shulka the map of the enemy's defense line used for propaganda... The Supreme Command directly handed over this propaganda task to Zolotarev, although Mrs. Zolotarev was not in Stalingrad , but this did not affect his command of the propaganda units around Stalingrad.

The reason is that the propaganda units are often not on the front line. The low-level officers on the front line use loudspeakers to directly shout to the enemy, or just to promote and boost morale of their own troops. Senior officers are on the second line or even in the rear. They make decisions and then command Frontline propagandists execute.

Because he is not on the front line, communication can be guaranteed, and Zolotarev can easily carry out the work of the remote control propaganda department.

Shulka took a look at the defense map, then frowned and handed it back to Zolotarev: "I don't know about the other places, at least the Milovey defense line is wrong!"

Trufanov took a look at the defense line map, and then laughed loudly: "They must have confused the German defense line with our defense line, and the defense line has advanced ten kilometers! If so, I think we can break into town tonight and have that fellow Manstein brought before us for questioning!"

Zolotarev took the defense map and compared it, and then scolded: "These bastards, I have already told them to follow the actual defense map!"

Usually "telling" is useless.

This is not only because the Soviets are too nervous, but also because the Propaganda Department is very exaggerated.

At the same time, the superior and the Propaganda Department had actually formed a certain kind of tacit understanding long ago: the superior demanded that the propaganda should be based on the actual situation, although the Propaganda Department responded, but turned around and exaggerated several times.

This is already a normal range for them.

Therefore, Zolotarev's simple "telling" will of course not have any effect.

This made Zolotarev so angry that he cursed on the phone: "Actually, do you understand what the reality is? It's not bad at all!"

"yes,

Comrade Commissar! At this time, the Propaganda Department really understood what Zolotarev meant.

Then Zolotarev was still worried. He bypassed the Propaganda Department and directly contacted the various troops to obtain the defense map, and then verified it with the defense line map given by the Propaganda Department. It was finally done.

This made Zolotarev a little angry.

"I thought it would be easy!" said Zolotarev, "but it wasted seven hours!"

Shulka knew why Zolotarev used the word "waste".

The deadline for surrender given by Stalin was ten days.

According to Shulka's plan, it would be better to launch the defense map first and then give the surrender deadline, that is, the "amnesty order".

There is no need to say more about the reason for this.

Give an amnesty first, and the German army is likely to dismiss it.

But if the defense line map is given first, the German army realizes that it is almost impossible for them to win or break out of this battle. When they are upset about their own life and future, suddenly the "amnesty order" appears in front of them... What the hell, it's like a long drought meets nectar, and the determination to surrender was made at that moment.

However, the time given by Stalin was counted from the moment he gave the order, so these more than seven hours were a waste.

But Shulka didn't think it mattered, because he thought ten days was enough, and the most important thing was the countdown time.

For example, if the Germans are given ten days, they will usually persist until the last few days, and finally choose to surrender helplessly when they know that there is no hope and no improvement.

It is about the same if you give the Germans three days.

However, Zolotarev and others feel that time is life, and the longer the time, the greater the results of the battle, so after confirming the defense line map, it will be sent to Znamensk for printing... Znamensk is The Soviet army supported the forward base of Stalingrad. Almost all supplies were sent here first and then sent across the Volga River to Stalingrad, even the troops.

Of course, the Propaganda Department will also prepare printing equipment here to provide propaganda materials for the front... This is of course, because if there is no printing equipment in Znamensk, it needs to be printed elsewhere and sent to the front.

Not only will there be a time delay, but it will also waste precious transportation capacity... These transportation capacities can be used to transport food, equipment and ammunition, but they are used to transport leaflets, and they are still large quantities of leaflets. not worth it.

Therefore, the Soviet army always followed the printing equipment wherever the front line was... The Soviet army always attached importance to propaganda, and printing equipment was the weapon of political workers on another battlefield.

Then, the paper is produced on the spot, and after the leaflets are printed, they can be thrown into enemy-occupied areas or distributed to their own troops in batches.

This time was no exception. Pocket-sized defense maps were quickly printed out in batches, and then transported to the front lines and airports in truckloads.

Most of them were transported to the airport, because at this time the Battle of Stalingrad had entered a fierce stage, and the German army even launched a counterattack against the Soviet army in order to stabilize its own living space.

It should be said that this approach is quite correct, at least for Paulus.

Because at this time, the defense line of the German 6th Army seemed to have gnawed out a piece of land in the center of the Soviet army, and the defense line of this land was very stable. The Don River was on the west, the Volga River was on the east, and the two rivers were on the north and south. The narrow passages between them, the German army has built complete fortifications in these directions.

However, Stalingrad is in the middle of the German defense zone, stuck in it like a nail, and there is a continuous flow of troops and equipment across the river.

If the German Sixth Army can completely occupy Stalingrad, it will be able to connect the eastern Volga River defense line to a large extent, thereby reducing the defensive pressure to a large extent, and more importantly, boosting morale.

The problem is that the 62nd Army is still firmly nailed to Stalingrad, no matter how the Germans attack, they will stay in the ruins without retreating a step.

Under such circumstances, it would be a great waste of transport capacity to transport printed matter across the Volga River to the German positions. On the contrary, it is more realistic and cheaper to use transport planes in large quantities at night.