"Absurd, this is simply ridiculous." A few hours later, Sokov received the secret envoy sent by Kurtzbach in his command. After listening to the translator and reposting the German lieutenant colonel, he couldn't help but ask repeatedly: "Mr. Lieutenant Colonel, what exactly does your commander Kurtzbach want to do?"
The German lieutenant colonel replied with a blank look on his face, "Col. Sokov, I don't understand what you mean."
"Mr. Lieutenant Colonel," Sokov sneered, "According to the information we have in our army, as early as the night of November 23 last year, General Kurtzbach issued a retreat order to his subordinates' 3rd Mofan Division and the 94th Infantry Division, arbitrarily abandoned the area south of Yerzovka, and tried to force Paulus to violate Hitler's orders and command the main force of the Sixth Army to facilitate breaking through to the southwest of the encirclement. As a result, Paulus gave up his plan to break through, resulting in a full infantry division being lost to most of the time."
"Col. Sokov, you are right." The German lieutenant colonel said in an extremely embarrassing manner: "The commander did issue such an order at that time, to force the commander to change his mind, let the main force break through from the southwest and rush to meet with General Hort's tank army. However, after the troops who received the order withdraw from the defense zone, the commander did not change his mind, which resulted in a huge loss in the fact that the flanks were exposed to the front of the army."
This was the first time that the other commanders in the room heard about what Sokov said. Cidolin even thought strangely: I am the chief of staff of the division. No matter what information I received from the source, I have to read it myself, but why have I never seen the information mentioned by the division commander?
"Mr. Lieutenant Colonel," Sokov did not realize that Cidolin had suspicion of himself, and continued to say to the German Lieutenant Colonel: "General Kurtzbach's starting point is good, but I'm worried that he will end up being self-defeating. Go back and tell him that if you really want to surrender, you don't have to worry about Paulus at all, and let him surrender directly to us with the 51st Infantry Army."
After saying that, before the other party could speak, Sokov said to Samoilov, who was standing at the door: "Comrade Lieutenant, take a few people and escort the lieutenant colonel back to their positions."
After sending off the German officer, Cidolin asked curiously: "Comrade Commander, I'm very curious, how did you learn that Kurtzbach ordered the troops to withdraw from the defense zone? You must know that the defense zones of the two divisions you mentioned are not within our reconnaissance area."
"Chief of Staff," Sokov heard Cidolin's problem and immediately realized that he had just said something. Fortunately, this matter is not irreversible. After a moment of silence, he said in a relaxed tone: "When I was staying in Moscow some time ago, I learned about this through the war report sent back from the front line. I was just asking casually, but I didn't expect it to be true."
Sokov's statement was reasonable and impeccable, so Cidolin really believed it. He then asked: "Comrade of the Division, do you think Kurtzbach really wants to surrender?"
Sokov was not familiar with other commanders of the German army, but he was very familiar with this. If Vrasov was a rebel general of the Soviet army, then Kursbach should be considered "Vrasov" in the German army. After being captured, he had repeatedly proposed to Rokosovsky that a unit composed of German prisoners of war should be formed to assist the Soviet army in combat. However, his proposal was ruthlessly rejected.
Because of this, Sokov heard the question of Cidolin and replied without hesitation: "Yes, Comrade Chief of Staff, I think he should be a few generals in the German army who can objectively analyze the current situation, so it is completely reliable to surrender to our army."
"This matter is important," Ivanov reminded Sokov: "I think I should report it up immediately."
"Yes, I want to report this matter to my superiors immediately." Sokov knew very well that the German army had privately sent representatives to negotiate with him. It would not take long for the news to be transmitted to the higher authorities through other channels. If he did not report it for a long time, it would probably cause unnecessary trouble. He quickly ordered the communication company commander: "Maxim, connect to the front headquarters immediately. I have important information and I should report to the commander immediately."
After the phone was connected, the person who answered the phone was still Malining: "Col. Sokov, are you doing anything?"
"Comrade Chief of Staff," Sokov immediately asked respectfully after hearing Malining's voice: "Is Comrade Commander here? I have important things and I must report to him immediately."
"Didn't I tell you that Comrade Commander has gone to Moscow?" Malining asked impatiently: "If you have anything, it's the same for reporting me."
"It's like this, Comrade Chief of Staff." Since Rokosovsky has not returned yet, such an important matter can only be reported to Malining: "Not long ago, General Kurtzbach, the commander of the 51st Infantry Army of the German Army, sent a secret envoy to my command to negotiate."
"Negotiation? What's there to talk about?" Malining said angrily: "What the Germans can do is surrender unconditionally, and there is nothing to talk about between us and them."
Sokov waited for Malining to finish his speech before continuing: "Comrade Chief of Staff, according to the secret envoy, Kurtzbach summoned a group of senior German officers to prepare to warn Paulus tonight, forcing him to order the troops to cease fire, put down his weapons and surrender to us."
"What, what did you say?" Malining was shocked after hearing what Sokov said: "Kurzbach is preparing to war on Paulus, how is this possible?"
"It's true, Comrade Chief of Staff." Sokov continued: "According to the secret envoy, General Schmidt, the chief of staff of the German Army, also participated in the conspiracy. He used his authority to replace the guards around Paulus with the troops of the 100th Hunter Division. In short, Paulus has no cronies available around him now. As long as Kurtzbach issued an order, countless guns would be pointed at Paulus' head."
"It's probably not that simple." Malining was skeptical about Sokov's statement. "The German troops have a strict hierarchy. Even if Kurtzbach wants to carry out a mutiny, I'm afraid the officers and soldiers below will not obey his orders."
"I think so too, Comrade Chief of Staff." Sokov remembers that Kurtzbach in history was captured with Paulus, which means that his military admonition did not work. "I told the secret envoy that if General Kurtzbach really wanted to surrender to our army, he could surrender to us with his direct troops, and he did not have to drag Paulus."
"Col. Sokov, what did you think?" Malining did not ask about Kurtzbach again, but turned the topic to the offensive Paulus Command: "Will your troops launch an attack on the department store at the scheduled time?"
"Yes, Comrade Chief of Staff. My troops will launch a final attack on the German command entrenched in the department store tomorrow morning." Sokov said: "Because we successfully recaptured the station and wiped out the 297th German Division that occupied it, I only need to leave one regiment to stay at the station and transfer the other two regiments to participate in the attack."
After Sokov finished speaking, Malinin paused for a moment and then asked: "Is the commander who attacked the Central Railway Station called Merkulov?"
"Yes, Comrade Chief of Staff." Sokov said: "The commander who commanded the attack station was Colonel Merkulov, the commander of the 67th Division of the Guards..."
Unexpectedly, Malining interrupted Sokov without waiting for him to finish his words: "From now on, he is no longer a colonel."
"Why, Comrade Chief of Staff?" Sokov shivered and thought to himself that Melkulov had made some mistakes that his superiors wanted to remove him from office? In order to figure out what was going on, he asked tentatively: "Have he made any mistakes?"
"He did not make any mistakes." Malining was stunned when he heard Sokov's question, and then tomorrow he must have misunderstood his meaning, and quickly explained with a smile: "On the contrary, in order to commend him for regaining the railway station from the enemy and capturing the German division commander's military achievements, the headquarters of the Supreme Command decided to grant him the rank of major general. Please tell him this good news."
"I understand, Comrade Chief of Staff." Sokov couldn't help feeling a little disappointed when he learned that Merkulov was promoted to major general. As a result, there were two major general division commanders in the combat cluster he commanded, and the commander of his own group carried the colonel's card.
He put down the phone and smiled bitterly and said to Cydolin: "Comrade Chief of Staff, I just received a notice from my superior. He said that in order to commend Colonel Merkulov's heroism and great achievements in the battle to liberate the Central Railway Station, he decided to promote him to the rank of Major General."
"What, to promote Merkulov to Major General?" The unexpected news was stunned by the few people sitting at the table. After a while, Ivanov asked carefully: "Comrade Commander, have you been promoted?"
"No." Sokov shook his head and replied, "This promotion has nothing to do with our teacher."
"Comrade Commander, this is unfair." Anisimov, who was sitting next to him, stood up for Sokov and said: "There are two division commanders in the combat cluster who are major generals, but you, the commander of the combat cluster, still have the rank of colonel. This is too unfair."
"Comrade Political Commissar." Sokov naturally felt disappointed in his heart without being promoted to the military rank. However, some things are very sensitive and complaining in his heart, but if they are said, the situation will be different. He quickly stopped Anisimov's words and said in an official voice: "Whoever the superior wants to be promoted or whoever he does not have to be promoted, we should not question the superior's arrangements. If we are subordinates, don't question the superior's arrangements."
"Comrade Commander," in order to change the topic as soon as possible, Sidorin asked Sokov tentatively: "Will the department store be attacked by calculation tomorrow?"
"Yes." Sokov nodded and replied: "First use the troops to clear the outer strongholds, and then launch a final attack on the department store from several directions at the same time."
"Comrade Commander, I have another question." Cidolin said hesitantly.
"If you have any questions, just ask." Sokov said impatiently: "You are my chief of staff, and you cannot ask directly if you have any questions?"
"That's right," said Cidolin. "If Kurzbach sent someone to contact us again before the attack and said he was willing to surrender, what should he do in the area under his troops?"
"As long as the opponent has not put down his weapons, he will still be our enemy." Sokov said without hesitation: "Watt it whatever you want, tell the commanders and fighters to never show mercy."
Back in the basement of the department store, the German lieutenant colonel repeated Sokov's words to Kurtzbach, and asked, "Sir, what should we do next? Should we continue to carry out military advice?"
"Everything is arranged, and it is impossible to give up at this time." Kurtzbach raised his hand and looked at his watch, and then said to the lieutenant colonel: "Wait until ten o'clock, you will take a guard company to the command center with us. It would be fine if the commander agreed to surrender. If he did not surrender, arrest him immediately, and then call on the army and division to stop their hostility with the Russians and put down their weapons to surrender."
Although Kurtzbach was a commander, his lieutenant colonel did not think he had such prestige. However, since the order had been issued, he could only agree, turn around and leave the room, and go outside to mobilize troops.
At the agreed time, all the officers involved in the premeditation came to Kurtzbach's room. Schmidt asked bitterly: "General Kurtzbach, what do you plan to do if the commander still refuses to change your mind?"
"What else can I do?" Kurtzbach sneered: "I will ask my guard company to arrest him, and then we will send telegrams to other troops, so that they can stop their meaningless resistance and put down their weapons and surrender."
"Time is up, let's go." Schmidt said, and took the lead in walking out of the room.
Kurtzbach, his accomplices, and more than a hundred German soldiers walked forward along the corridor. The soldiers along the way were all from the 100th Hunter Division. When they saw their division commanders were among them, they not only did not stop the unit, but instead leaned against the wall and raised their hands to salute them.
In addition to Kurtzbach, Schmidt and several accomplices, there were five or six soldiers. Seeing so many people suddenly pouring in, Paulus frowned and said sternly: "What do you want to do with so many people in? Do you want to rebel?"
"Sorry, Commander." Kurtzbach drew his pistol, pointed it at Paulus, and said coldly: "We are not going to rebel, but to save more people from death, we will specially advise you."
Chapter completed!