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 tentatively rushed to Mamayev's hill to meet him.
After listening to the information reported by Krelov, he asked carefully: "Comrade Chief of Staff, I want to ask, what should we do?"
Although the troops that besieged Paulus for more than a month, the combat effectiveness of the German army cannot be underestimated. Therefore, Krelov said cautiously: "The area you control is too wide now, and the forces used for defense are too scattered. It is probably unrealistic to concentrate your strength and launch a centripetal attack with friendly forces from the west. The task given to you by the group army is to take back your lost positions today before friendly forces arrive."
"I understand, 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, Cuikov's voice came from the receiver: "Tell me, are you planning to regain the first line of defense occupied by the enemy now?"
"In order to reduce the casualties of the troops during the attack, I think we should take a political offensive against the enemy." Sokov knew that the German generals blocked various news from the soldiers. Even the news that the Soviet army occupied Karachi and surrounded the entire Sixth Army a month ago, most of the soldiers were not aware of it. "I think the current situation of the Sixth Army should be told to the German officers and soldiers to destroy their morale and morale."
"Col. Sokov," Cuikov did not answer whether it was OK or not, but asked back: "Do you think telling the German officers and soldiers the truth can destroy their morale and morale?"
"I think it should be possible." In order to convince Cuikov, Sokov also emphasized: "If the German officers and soldiers were not allowed to understand their actual situation and kept living in fantasy, they would continue to fight the last bullet and would not take the initiative to surrender to us as prisoners."
"..." Hearing Sokov say this, Cuikov began to ponder whether he should really take a political offensive against the German army to reduce the casualties of the troops.
"Comrade Commander." Seeing Cuikov remained silent, Sokov continued: "If we let them understand the truth and break the fantasies in their hearts, it would be very beneficial for our next battle."
"Okay, Colonel Sokov." After Sokov finished speaking, he finally made up his mind: "Then let's pilot it in your division. If the results are good, then promote it within the entire army."
After Sokov put down the phone, he immediately called Anisimov to his presence and said to him: "Comrade Political Commissar, please immediately organize political workers to draft and print leaflets, and put the Paulus group into the encirclement of our army. He came to reinforce the Manstein and the Hot group, and after being stubbornly blocked by our army, he was forced to give up the rescue plan and retreat in the direction away from Stalingrad."
After recording what Sokov said, Anisimov said hesitantly: "Comrade Commander, Manstein and Hot Group stopped the rescue operation and retreated away from Stalingrad. Where did you get the information?"
"I analyzed it based on the war report." Sokov naturally would not tell Anisimov that in real history, Manstein and Hot would give up their rescue to Paulus in the next few days and retreat to the west on a large scale. At the same time, in a few days, the enemies trapped in the Koterinkovo ​​area will be completely annihilated. Thinking of this, he added: "Also, Comrade Political Commissar, you add another sentence: The troops trapped in the Koterinkovo ​​area are currently suffering from a devastating blow from our army. I believe that in the near future, they will be completely eliminated."
"Comrade Commander, I have another question." Seeing that Sokov was so confident, Anisimov did not continue to get involved in this matter, but asked curiously: "When the flyer is written, how can it be placed on the enemy's position?"
"Boll it with a mortar." Sokov only heard that he could use a mortar to fire flyers, but he didn't know what to do, so he asked humbly: "Who do you know how to use a mortar to fire flyers?"
"Let me take this responsibility." Ivanov said with a smile: "It's a coincidence that I have received training in this area before. I will be responsible for the launch of leaflets with mortars."
The next morning, the German sentries who were standing on the position found a group of Soviet troops wearing disguised uniforms approaching their positions. He quickly blew a whistle to warn the soldiers who were staying in the hidden department.
When the German soldiers heard the whistle outside, they knew that it was the Soviet army coming to attack. They ran out of their hideout with weapons, put their guns on the edge of the moat, and prepared to shoot. They immediately fired as soon as the Soviet army entered their range.
Unexpectedly, the group of Soviet troops stopped five or six hundred meters away from the position and stopped moving forward, but began to arrange mortar positions. Not long after, they began to fire. Hearing the roar from the air, the German officers and soldiers hid in the trenches to avoid the Soviet bombardment.
Listening to the screaming sound of the shells slashing through the air, no explosion was heard. The officers and soldiers were just feeling strange when they suddenly saw leaflets scattering in the air. Only then did they realize that the Soviet army fired not shells, but leaflets with mortars.
A curious soldier picked up the leaflet that landed in front of him, looked at it for a few glances, and exclaimed: "What, we have been surrounded by the Russians? Marshal Manstein and General Hort, who came to rescue us, had given up their rescue plan because of the stubborn resistance of the Russians and were retreating to the west."
More and more soldiers picked up leaflets on the ground and looked at the content written on it with questions. After reading it, they all turned their attention to the officers on the positions, hoping to get more accurate information from him.
The officer was just a captain, and he didn't know much more than his subordinates. But he knew very well that no matter whether the content on the flyer was true or false, once the news spread in the army, it would affect the morale and morale of the army. He quickly shouted, "The leaflets are all Russians spreading rumors, so don't believe them. Throw away all these flyers immediately, otherwise I will punish you for collusion with the enemy."
The German soldiers threw away the flyers in their hands, but the content on the flyers was deeply imprinted in their minds. They began to think about how much less supplies they received during this period seemed to be much less than before. In addition to the supplies transported from the airport, more supplies were relied on airdrops. If they were not surrounded by the Russians, how could they rely on the air force to replenish themselves?
The same situation also occurred on the positions opposite the 124th, 125th and the shrinking regiment. The leaflets scattered on the positions had an unpredictable impact on the morale and morale of the German army.
After understanding the situation, the German division commander immediately called Schmidt and reported worriedly: "Chief of Staff, after dawn, the Russians fired a large number of leaflets to the defense zone of our division, which said that our army had been surrounded by them, and Marshal Manstein and General Hot, who were coming to reinforce, had been repelled by them. Now the troops are panic, and I am worried that they will have an adverse impact on the subsequent battle."
After hearing the other party's words, Schmidt said calmly: "Mr. General, don't believe the Russian rumors. You must know that the great Head of Manstein is the conqueror of Sevastopol. As long as he is here, it is a fantasy for the Russians to win."
After putting down the phone, Schmidt realized the seriousness of the problem and hurried to Paulus and reported to him: "Commander, this morning, Sokov's troops scattered a large number of leaflets to our positions 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 and Schmidt said thoughtfully, "It seems unrealistic to continue to conceal the news of our army being besieged. Even if we deny it, ordinary soldiers can judge from the perspective of reduced supply, which is completely true. Therefore, we must tell the soldiers as soon as possible that we have been surrounded by the Russians."
"But, Your Excellency Commander." When Paulus was about to tell the soldiers the truth, Schmidt said worriedly: "In this way, it may lead to a downward strait and a downward mortality."
"Chief of Staff," Paulus looked at Schmidt and said sternly: "Even if we don't say it, the Russians will tell our soldiers that we have been surrounded by them. Since this is the case, it is better to be generous and admit that our army has unfortunately been surrounded by the Russians."
Seeing Schmidt open his mouth, as if he wanted to say something, Paulus raised his hand to stop him and continued, "After telling the soldiers about the siege, tell them that Marshal Manstein and General Hort's troops are now moving towards us. At most, in two days, we can meet with them and completely defeat the Russians who besieged us..."
Schmidt nodded repeatedly when he heard what Paulus said. He felt that as long as he said this, even if the soldiers knew they were surrounded by the Russians, they would be full of confidence and continue to fight the Russians bravely when they thought that reinforcements were about to arrive. He quickly replied: "I understand, Commander, I will immediately inform the entire army of this matter so that everyone can understand the current situation so that they will not be deceived by the Russians."
When Sokov learned that the frontiers of the four regiments had fired leaflets at the enemy, he felt that it was not enough, so he asked Ivanov: "Comrade Deputy Division Commander, I want to ask, is it okay to fire leaflets with artillery?"
"No." Ivanov shook his head and said, "Mortars are OK, but artillery may not."
Seeing Sokov's disappointed look, he added: "I think you should call the commander to see if he can send two reconnaissance planes to carry our leaflets to spread leaflets over the enemy. After all, only German officers and soldiers located at the forefront can see it. If the planes are scattered to their rear, more people will see it. Maybe doing so will have the effect of dismantling the enemy's morale."
"You are right, comrade of the deputy division commander." Sokov nodded with a smile: "Why did I forget to spread flyers on the plane? I will contact the commander now."
Sokov called the group army headquarters, and when he heard that the person who answered the phone was an ordinary correspondent, he said sternly: "I am Colonel Sokov. Please find me the commander or chief of staff. I have important things to report to them."
The correspondent soldier knew the importance of Sokov. He heard that he did not dare to neglect him. He quickly called Krelov to answer the phone. Krelov took the phone and asked straight to the point: "Col. Sokov, how is the political propaganda you are doing?"
"Reporting to Comrade Chief of Staff, there is no effect yet." After Sokov finished his brief report, he rushed to say without waiting for Krelov to speak: "In order to expand his influence, I would like to ask the Army Command to contact the Air Force and let them use reconnaissance planes to spread leaflets on the enemy's heads, so that more enemies can know what their situation is now."
"What, dispatch the air force to spread leaflets for you?" Krelov frowned when he heard Sokov's request. Originally, when Sokov proposed to carry out a political offensive, he did not agree with this approach. Just throwing a few leaflets to the enemy's positions could undermine the enemy's morale and morale. It would be a fantasy. At this moment, he seemed very hesitant about Sokov's request: "Col. Sokov, I can't make the decision. Otherwise, wait for me to report to the commander, and if he agrees, I will contact you the Air Force."
Unexpectedly, after listening to Krelov's report, Cuikov nodded and said, "Chief of Staff, I think Colonel Sokov's proposal can be adopted. You immediately contact the Air Force and ask them to dispatch two reconnaissance planes to go deep into the rear of the enemy. During the reconnaissance process, sprinkle leaflets to the Germans on the ground."
"Will the Air Force agree?" Krelov asked cautiously.
"How could they disagree?" Cui Kefu asked with a puzzled look: "Anyway, they have to go to the rear of the enemy to conduct reconnaissance and ask them to spread leaflets. It's just a small task. I believe they will definitely not refuse."
"Okay, I obey your order." Since Cuikov had already said this, Krelov knew that even if he objected, it would be of no effect. So he picked up the phone on the table and contacted the Air Force Army, hoping to get their cooperation.
Chapter completed!