Red Moscow

  Chapter 952 Persuading surrender again

   After hearing what Sokov said, Chuikov began to meditate. Krylov, who was next to him, also heard what Sokov reported, and said to Chuikov in a low voice: "Comrade Commander, I think Colonel Sokov's analysis still makes sense. Anyway, the factory area The terrain is flat, and if the attacking side has a large number of mechanized troops, it is easy to break through the opponent's defense, so the possibility of Paulus building his new headquarters in the factory area is very slim to me."

"Comrade Chief of Staff, you and I are very clear." Chuikov looked up at Krylov and said, "The German soldiers are brave, but their officers are very timid. Our divisional command post is the closest to the front The distance of the German division is no more than 300 meters, and the German division headquarters are usually no less than 30 kilometers away from the front. Their headquarters are not only far away from the front, but also heavily guarded. I am afraid that it is not an easy task to defend the whole body."

   Speaking of this, Chuikov let go of his hand covering the microphone, and asked Sokov: "Colonel Sokov, are you really sure that you can use a regiment of troops to break through the defense of the German headquarters?"

"Comrade Commander," Sokov chuckled twice when he heard Chuikov's question, and said, "If one regiment is not enough, I can transfer another regiment to reinforce it. As long as we take down Paulus' headquarters, Even if the entire division is filled in, I think it is very cost-effective."

Hearing this, Krylov approached Chuikov again, and said to him: "Comrade Commander, I think what Colonel Sokov said is very reasonable. As long as Paulus' headquarters can be wiped out, a division will be lost." , is also acceptable. Moreover, this is only the worst possibility. Maybe by the time we find the Paulus headquarters, friendly forces from other directions have already joined us, and we will be able to mobilize more troops to besiege the German army. headquarters."

"It makes sense, Comrade Chief of Staff, what you said is very reasonable." After praising Krylov, Chuikov said into the microphone: "Colonel Sokov, I agree with your plan, and I will arrange the troops as soon as possible. Take over the position of the Belkin Regiment. But I think it is necessary to remind you that during the transfer of troops, do not be noticed by the enemy, otherwise, with Paulus' character, he will never set up the headquarters in your place said places."

   "Don't worry, Comrade Commander." Seeing that Chuikov agreed to his proposal, Sokov also felt very happy in his heart. He quickly said: "We are confident that the enemy will not be aware of our army's mobilization."

  ...

  The day after the Belkin regiment quietly entered the third battalion position, the 321st Infantry Division of the 65th Army, under the command of the division commander, Major General Makarenko, launched an attack on Pitomnik Airport.

  After Sergeant Tavlin led a squad to attack the airport last time, the German army found that the attack was only a small group of Soviet troops, and they returned to the airport one after another when it got dark. After Paulus learned the news, he was furious and ordered the officer in charge of the airport to be shot, and sent a company of SS to take charge of the defense.

The officers and soldiers of the SS Army knew very well that because of the heinous crimes they committed against the Soviet soldiers and civilians, they were generally shot on the spot after being captured. Generally retreat without fighting, but rely on terrain to resist.

  Before the Soviet attack, five transport planes were parked at the airport. Not long ago, these transport planes had just brought supplies to the trapped German army, and now they were loading the wounded placed beside the runway onto the plane one after another, intending to transport them all outside the encirclement.

   Seeing the Soviet army attacking from different directions, the pilots were terrified. Before all the wounded boarded the plane, they started to start the plane and took off in a hurry, trying to escape from the most dangerous place in the shortest possible time.

  In less than two minutes, four transport planes took off one after another. In addition, the transport plane that had not had time to take off could not taxi along the runway at all because the runway ahead was blocked by dense crowds. The soldiers and wounded who were eager to escape rushed to the plane, trying to get into the cabin and follow the plane away from this ghostly place full of painful memories.

Seeing that the Soviet army in the distance was approaching the airport, and was about to break through the defense line of the garrison, the pilot was anxious. He kept counting people boarding the plane, so he started the plane suddenly, knocking down countless people who stood in the way. , taxiing forward quickly along the runway.

  The German soldiers who were blocking the front of the plane did not expect the plane to start suddenly, and were caught off guard for a while, and were knocked down countless times. A few unlucky ones were even run over by the wheels on the landing gear, and died on the spot. Some soldiers who had just squeezed onto the spiral ladder rolled down one after another as the plane started. Before they got up, countless feet stepped on them, chasing the plane that was going away.

  In order to prevent more people from getting into the cabin, a pilot squeezed to the door of the cabin and forcibly closed the door, shutting out the German soldiers who were running forward with the plane. Seeing that there was no hope of escape, some desperate soldiers raised their weapons and shot at the taxiing plane.

  Although there were still thousands of people in the airport, only the company of the SS was fighting the Soviet army. Facing the powerful offensive of the Soviet army, they only supported for less than half an hour before the entire army was wiped out.

  Watching the Soviet army pouring into the airport like a tide, the remaining German soldiers knew that it was meaningless to continue resisting, so they put down their weapons and surrendered to the Soviet army.

Major General Makarenko came to the airport and saw hundreds of German soldiers who had been disarmed and hundreds of wounded lying beside the runway. He felt a little headache, so he turned around and asked himself Commissar Duchenko: "Comrade Commissar, what are you doing?" Tell me, how should we deal with so many wounded?"

"The enemy has already surrendered. It is obviously unrealistic to kill them." Duchenko looked at the wounded lying beside the runway, and saw that many of them were blue from the cold. I am afraid that the chances of survival are not high. After thinking for a while, I suggested to Makarenko: "I think it is better to report this to Commander Batov and let them make a decision?"

  The call was quickly connected, and Major General Makarenko personally reported to Batov: "Report to Comrade Commander, our division has successfully captured Pitomnik Airport and captured thousands of German soldiers."

"Good job." Hearing this, Batov said approvingly: "I didn't expect your division to take down the airport so easily. Your next task is to build fortifications near the airport to prevent possible German counterattacks." .”

   "Understood, Comrade Commander, I will immediately arrange for manpower to build fortifications." After Makarenko agreed, he said to Batov with some hesitation: "There is one more thing, I would like to ask you for instructions."

"What's up?"

   "Among the thousands of German soldiers we captured, there are probably more than 300 wounded." Makarenko said with a bitter face, "I don't know how to deal with them?"

  According to Batov's thinking, these wounded are cumbersome, and keeping them can only waste food and medicines. You must know that medicines are also very short for the Soviet army. But if he was asked to issue the order to execute the wounded, he couldn't say it out loud. If he really did so, not only would he be criticized by others, it might even affect his future.

It was based on this consideration that Batov was silent for a long time, and then he said: "Major General Makarenko, for those wounded Germans, no soldiers are allowed to hurt them. Put them all next to the runway. Hours later, a medical team will be sent to your place to treat these wounded."

  After putting down the phone, Makarenko said to Duchenko: "Comrade political commissar, the commander just issued an order to gather the wounded Germans. He sent people to treat these wounded in two hours."

   "Comrade Commander, what did you say?" Duchenko couldn't help but widen his eyes in surprise when he heard what Makarenko said: "Comrade Commander said that in two hours, send people here to treat these wounded?"

   "Yes." Makarenko nodded and asked, "Is there any problem?"

   Duchenko turned his head and glanced at the wounded lying beside the runway, sighed softly, and said, "In such a cold day, and the sheets covering the wounded are so thin, do you think they can survive for two hours?"

  After hearing Duchenko's words, Makarenko was taken aback for a moment, and then understood Batov's intentions. He nodded and said: "Comrade Commander is right. These Germans have committed heinous crimes against our country. It is not too much to shoot them all. Since Comrade Commander has given the order, then Let these wounded wait here for two hours, and if they are lucky, they will receive reasonable treatment."

After Batov finished talking with Makarenko, he did not immediately arrange for medical personnel to rush to Pitomnik Airport to treat the wounded German soldiers shivering in the ice and snow, but gave Rokossovsky I made a phone call and announced the good news to the other party: "Comrade Commander of the Front Army, I want to tell you good news. The 321st Infantry Division of Major General Makarenko has successfully captured the Pitomnik Airport and cut off the Germans. The only link with the outside world."

"Good job, Comrade Batov." Rokossovsky couldn't help being overjoyed when he heard the news. He knew very well in his heart that as long as the Soviet army occupied the airport, Paulus would be completely cut off from the outside world. up. If they want to get supplies, they can only rely on airdrops. Now that the Soviet Air Force has obtained the air supremacy of Stalingrad, it is simply a dream for the German army to airdrop unscrupulously. As long as Paulus's troops are cut off from supplies, within half a month, they will run out of ammunition and food, and the difficulty of destroying them will be greatly reduced.

   Not only Rokossovsky thinks so, but even Chief of Staff Ma Linin thinks the same way. He even proposed to Rokossovsky: "Comrade Commander, I have an idea, I don't know whether to say it or not."

"Just say what comes to your mind." Rokossovsky knew that his chief of staff would not say this inexplicably, and he must have some new ideas, so he said carelessly: "Even if I say something wrong, I don't think so." will blame you."

"We failed to persuade the German army to surrender last time. The comrades we sent have not even been able to enter the German army's position." Ma Lining said: "But now we have occupied Pitomnik Airport and cut off the German army's final contact with the outside world. If Sending people to persuade them to surrender at such a time may have an unexpected effect."

   "Send someone to persuade you to surrender again?" Rokossovsky frowned and asked thoughtfully: "Chief of Staff, who do you think should be entrusted with this task?"

   "Last time you gave this task to Colonel Sokov," Malinin said with a smile, "I think we can let him try this time, maybe there is still hope of success."

"Ask Misha to persuade the enemy to surrender again?" Rokossovsky thought about Malinin's proposal for at least five minutes, finally nodded, and said, "Okay, Comrade Chief of Staff, I agree with your proposal. I personally Telegraph Misha and entrust him with this important task."

A few minutes later, Sokov received a call from Rokossovsky. After listening to the order issued by the other party, he replied with a wry smile: "Comrade Commander of the Front Army, I am worried that it will be difficult to complete your order. Although The German army is at the end of its rope, but Paulus still has a little illusion in his heart, thinking that Manstein will lead troops to rescue him again. Therefore, even if I try to persuade him to surrender again, it probably won’t have any effect.”

   Thinking of the last time Guchakov was shot by machine guns before even entering the enemy's position, Sokov said with a wry smile: "I am worried that like last time, even the enemy's position will not be able to approach."

"Don't worry, Misha." Seeing Sokov trying to shirk the task he had arranged, Rokossovsky comforted him and said: "The situation today is different from last time. At that time we had not launched the 'Ring Operation', the German People still don't know how powerful we are. Now after a few days of attacks, the Germans have re-realized how powerful our army is, and our army has just captured Pitomnik Airport, cutting off their connection with the outside world .If you are sending someone to persuade you to surrender at this time, I think Paulus should think carefully about it."

  Sokov originally wanted to shirk, but after hearing Rokossovsky say that Pitomnik Airport had been seized, he immediately realized that now is really the best opportunity to persuade him to surrender. Even if Paulus cannot be persuaded to surrender, it can shake the morale of the German army and disintegrate their morale.

  Thinking of this, Sokov changed his mind: "Comrade Commander of the Front Army, I accept your mission. I will go to the enemy's defense zone in the shortest possible time to conduct the second surrender operation."

"Very good, Misha." Hearing that Sokov agreed, Rokossovsky couldn't help but heaved a sigh of relief, and he said into the microphone: "Then I'll wait for your good news. Once you get back from When the enemy's position returns, immediately report the results to me."

  (end of this chapter)