Steel Soviet Union

What surprised Stummerman was that Herbert's distorted facts and fabricated speech unexpectedly received a tsunami-like enthusiasm from the Viking soldiers in the audience.

"Hi! Hitler!"

"The head of state is sending an army to rescue us! Cheer up and keep your spirits up. We will kill more Russians this time!"

"Kill all those lowly Russians, and we will fight to the end for the Führer!"

Stemmerman was quite surprised and surprised by what was happening in front of the audience, but Herbert, the Viking division commander who was in charge of the lecture on the stage, had an expected expression and a complacent look on his face, as if he was even He himself was deeply impressed by his speech. The message was true, or in Herbert's eyes, it was true and beyond doubt.

What makes Stummerman even more confused is that the group of Viking SS soldiers in the audience around him are not Germans, but a group of foreigners, many of whom are from those conquered by Germany. People recruited by the state, such as the French and Poles.

But it was these foreign soldiers who at this moment showed a higher morale and fighting will than the German Wehrmacht. The scene where the head of state and various slogans were shouted, it was as if a battle had just been won during the day, and the Kremlin would be captured tomorrow, and a celebration party would be held the day after tomorrow, where people would enjoy fine wine, food and the taste of victory, and then start home the day after tomorrow. .

Stromermann, who really couldn't understand this, took another look at the podium and found that Herbert, who was wearing small Himmler-style glasses, was smiling sinisterly and proudly. It was hard to guess. Tohru's smile was something that even Stummerman, who knew countless people, couldn't accurately pinpoint.

Strimmermann didn’t know how such a fanatical regiment could be trained, but he understood why the Viking Division, a foreign regiment, could compete with the Reich, Skull and Guards in the internal evaluation of the SS’s combat effectiveness. Together, these three divisions are known as the four most powerful ace divisions of the Waffen-SS.

Putting aside the deep-rooted antagonism between the Wehrmacht and the SS, mutual dislike and contempt for each other, Strimmermann, as a general of the Wehrmacht, did have to admit it. These foreign soldiers of the Viking Division possess the most important thing for a good soldier: a high morale at all times and a tenacious fighting will to fight to the end.

And this is precisely what the National Defense Forces, whose personnel quality has been plummeting, lacks most. The brainwashing recruitment and training model of the SS, which was originally looked down upon by the Wehrmacht, now seems to have its own power.

But no matter what Herbert said in front of his subordinates and soldiers, no matter how he lied, Stummerman was clear about everything that he should understand, but he was not deceived in the slightest.

Hubei's First Armored Group was held back by the Russians blocking the perimeter and could not advance even an inch. Manstein, the commander of Army Group South and known as the German God of War, was as anxious as an ant on a hot pot. He urged the troops who came to the rescue to step up the offensive and break the Russian encirclement. However, no matter how he urged and sent additional emergency orders, nothing happened. Still has no effect at all.

Strimmermann, who unexpectedly received the proposal to surrender from Vatutin, originally planned to delay negotiations for two or three days to see if the German troops who came to the rescue in these two or three days could still survive. create a miracle.

Maybe the promise the head of state made to himself in the telegram meant that more powerful reinforcements would be sent in place. Maybe everything really still has hope. As long as he can lead his troops and hold on, he can usher in the moment of miracles.

Just a few minutes ago, Strimmerman, who had not seen him yet, was a little uneasy, but he really thought so.

But now, after meeting Colonel Weickert himself who went to negotiate with the Russians as a negotiator, and hearing the news that it couldn't be worse, but it makes sense if you think about it carefully, he has been Having extinguished the last glimmer of hope in his heart, Stromermann felt relieved.

Yes, all fantasies are unrealistic from the beginning. The so-called hope may not have existed at all. Maybe all the ideas and possibilities are really just wishful thinking.

The Russians had successfully advanced the war to this point, so why did they listen to the enemy's slander at such a critical juncture and stop and sit in silence for three days doing nothing? The Russians are not fools.

"Oh, I took it too naturally. I was temporarily blinded by the desire for survival and hope. This is the response and attitude a Russian should have."

Looking at Stummermann who stood up from his chair while talking to himself, Weickert, who looked panicked, didn't know what to say or what to do.

To persuade Strimmermann to surrender to the Russians?

No, even if the final result is really like this, I shouldn't say this myself, but let Stummerman make the decision himself. Talking carelessly may cause big problems.

But persuading Stummermann to fight to the end didn't seem to be a good idea. Colonel Weickert felt from the bottom of his heart that he had tried his best by now. All the besieged German troops fighting in the Cherkasy theater had been exhausted by now. He fulfilled his duties as a soldier and fulfilled his duties.

The fact that the war was still unwinnable at this point was not a problem of the German army not working hard, but the strength of the Russians on the opposite side was really crushing. To put it bluntly, it was a "crime other than war." In this case, since there is no hope of victory, surrender is not impossible.

All the attempts that should be made have been made, and the result is still this ending. If the fight continues in this posture, the result will still be the same. It is really not a good idea to die in vain.

"Did you want to say something?"

Weickert's confused expression could not escape Strimmermann's eyes. After getting up, Strimmermann glanced at Weickert and was now facing the window.

"I, General, I am thinking, are we really going to die here meaninglessly? Even if we fight to the end, the result will still not change. You know this."

After all, Colonel Weickert did not have the courage to speak clearly, and in the end he expressed his true thoughts in this almost suggestive way.

Stromermann was still standing in front of the window, staring at the night scene outside. No one knew what the Wehrmacht general, who controlled the fate of more than 30,000 besieged German remnants, was thinking in his mind at this moment.

After an unknown amount of time, Stummerman, who was still facing the window, finally spoke slowly again.