"Please come in!"
After Sokov issued the order, he said to the commanders standing inside and outside the house: "Since everyone is still here, stay here to see the handover ceremony."
Hearing Sokov say this, the commanders who were about to leave rushed in again. However, they did not return to their original seats, but stood in the open space in the conference room.
Seeing that Samoilov was also indoors, Sokov told him, "Comrade Lieutenant, go and bring Paulus here again."
The time was not long, and Paulus, who was confused, returned to the conference room with Samoilov. He saw that the Soviet commanders who were sitting at the table for a meeting were now standing in a row in the open space. He didn't know what was going on, so he asked curiously: "Col. Sokov, what are you asking me to do?"
"Marson Paulus, I want to inform you about something formally." Sokov said seriously: "Wait a moment, I will hand you over to our friendly commander. I called you here just to handle the handover."
After listening to Ubrich's translation, Paulus was shocked and then asked nervously: "Col. Sokov, are you going to shoot me?"
"Shoot you?" Sokov asked in confusion: "Master Paulus, who told you that we are going to shoot you?"
"I was captured by you, why should I hand it over to someone else?"
After figuring out what Paulus was worried about, Sokov said seriously: "Master Paulus, you should be very clear that the battle in the north of the city is still going on. For your safety, we must arrange for you in an area where there is no battle. Now our superiors have chosen a new residence for you, which is located in the defense zone of friendly troops in the south of the city, so it is completely necessary to hand you over to them."
"So that's how it is." Paulus breathed a sigh of relief when he learned that he was not going to shoot him: "It seems that I'm wrong."
"Don't worry, Marshal Paulus," Sokov understood that Paulus was frightened at this time, so he comforted him and said, "I can assure you that after the war is over, you will be able to return to your country safely."
A burst of rapid footsteps came from the door, and then Selyosha walked in with several soldiers. Sokov recognized at a glance. The general who followed Selyosha was Rastin, the chief of staff of the 64th Army, and quickly shouted: "Everyone is in the attentive!"
The commander of the division and brigade standing beside him stood at attention when he heard Sokov's shout. Sokov stood up on his military cap, trotted forward, came to Rastin and stopped, raised his hand and saluted, "Hello, Comrade General, I am Colonel Sokov, the commander of the combat cluster, and am waiting to hand over the prisoners to you."
Rastin raised his hand and said respectfully: "Hello, Colonel Sokov. I am Rastin, the chief of staff of the 64th Army, and I am ordered to receive the prisoners at your place." After finishing the salute, he grabbed Sokov's hand and said excitedly, "Good, Comrade Colonel. Because you captured the German headquarters in time and captured Paulus and his group of generals, the troops of our army have reduced a lot of casualties. On behalf of all the commanders and fighters of the army, I would like to thank you and your commanders and fighters for saving the lives of thousands of soldiers."
After the greetings between the two sides, Sokov turned around and winked at Samoilov, signaling him to Paulus to bring him over.
After Paulus was brought over, Sokov first said to Rastin: "Comrade General, this is the German Marshal Paulus, I will officially hand him over to you now." Then he turned around and said to Paulus, "Marrior Paulus, this is the General Rastin who accepts you. Follow him, he will ensure your personal safety."
Rastin turned around and said to the soldiers following in. Immediately, two soldiers stepped forward, grabbed Paulus' arm from left to right, and walked out of the house with him. After Paulus left the conference room, Rastin stretched out his hand to Sokov and said friendly: "Col. Sokov, our handover has been completed. So goodbye, good luck!"
After the handover work was over, the commanders present dispersed again. Selyosha walked to Sokov and asked cautiously: "Misha, where are we going next? Will we go back to Mamayev hill?"
"No, we won't go back to Mamayev Hill for the time being."
"If you don't go back to Mamayevgang, where will you go?" Selyosha looked at the surrounding environment and asked tentatively: "Are you going to continue to stay in this basement?"
"Although I won't go back to Mamayev for the time being," Sokov didn't want to stay in this cold and smelly place. He stood up and said, "I'm going to go to the Army Command to meet Commander Cui Kov."
Half an hour later, Sokov, under the protection of Selyosha and Samoilov, appeared in Cuikov's command.
Seeing Sokov suddenly appear, Cuikov asked in surprise: "Col. Sokov, aren't you commanding the troops to attack the department store? How could you have time to come to me?"
"The battle to attack the department store is over." Sokov knew that Cuikov was not sure about the battle situation in the direction of the department store, so he took the initiative to say to him: "Paulus, his generals, as well as fifty or sixty thousand German officers and soldiers, have put down their weapons and surrendered to us."
"Did you capture Paulus alive?" Krelov exclaimed: "Is this true?" Krelov's words alarmed the others in the command center. Everyone stopped their work and turned their curious eyes to Sokov.
"Yes, it was Paulus whom I personally captured." After Sokov answered this question, he took the initiative to say without waiting for Cuikov to ask again: "But I have handed them over to the 64th Army."
"What, hand over to the 64th Army?" Krelov asked in surprise: "Why?"
"This is the order of the superior." Sokov could only answer vaguely for confidentiality: "The place where Paulus was detained is located behind the 64th Army."
"So that's how it is." After figuring out what happened, Cui Kov nodded slightly and changed the topic in time: "Col. Sokov, then you come to the headquarters, what's wrong?"
"That's right, comrade Commander." Sokov said to Trikov: "Although Paulus surrendered, the enemy in the north of the city was still resisting. I had considered asking Paulus to persuade the enemy here to surrender, but he refused. Therefore, I suggest that you send someone to call the German army and promote the capture of Paulus and his headquarters to the enemies who are still fighting stubbornly, in order to disintegrate their morale."
Chapter completed!