"Let Rokossovsky answer the phone." After Stalin waited for Voronov to explain the whole process of capturing Paulus, and the fact that the remnants of the German army in the factory area north of Stalingrad had not yet surrendered, he said into the microphone: "I want to talk to him!" ”

"Hello, Comrade Stalin." Hearing that Stalin was going to speak to him personally, Rokossovsky hurriedly took the microphone from Voronov's hand.

"Hello, Konstantin Konstantinovich!" Stalin affectionately called Rokossovsky's real and patronymic names, and enthusiastically said: "You did a good job of capturing Paulus so quickly." ”

Hearing Stalin's praise, Rokossovsky hurriedly and modestly said: "We were able to achieve such a victory because we strictly followed your instructions!" ”

"It's not enough to just have instructions, it's better for you to command." In response to Rokossovsky's flattery, Stalin laughed and said: "In Hitler's instructions to Paulus, he was ordered to capture Stalingrad in September, which he did not do; Tomorrow hold Stalingrad, he still did not do it, and became our prisoner. How about it, Comrade Rokossovsky, when are you going to destroy the remnants of the enemy who are surrounded in the factory area to the north? ”

"Comrade Stalin, we intend to launch an offensive tomorrow on the factory area to the north." Rokossovsky reported to Stalin: "After an hour of intensive shelling of the factory area with several thousand artillery pieces deployed around the city, the units of our 62nd, 65th and 66th armies will simultaneously attack from different directions, striving to completely annihilate the remnants of the enemy here in two to three days." ”

After listening to Rokossovsky's plan, Stalin suddenly asked curiously: "Comrade Rokossovsky, I heard General Voronov's report that when you used the troops of the three armies to attack the German army cluster in the south, you once strictly ordered the troops to use heavy artillery to bombard the areas occupied by the Germans, why did you use so many heavy artillery when attacking the factory area in the north?" ”

Rokossovsky's question was expected by Stalin, and he hurriedly replied: "Comrade Stalin, according to the information we have, there are more than 100,000 civilians in the German-controlled area of the city south of Stalingrad, and if we use heavy artillery to bombard this area, it will inevitably cause unnecessary casualties to them. ”

"Comrade Rokossovsky, you have thought very carefully, because before the start of the defense of Stalingrad, in order not to cause unnecessary panic, we did not evacuate the residents of the city, so many residents fell into the hands of the German army." After reviewing his mistakes, Stalin then asked: "Are you going to use a lot of artillery in destroying the remnants of the factory area in the north, because there are no of our civilians here?" ”

"yes, that's how I think about it." Rokossovsky explained: "When dealing with the remnants of the enemy in the north of the city, artillery is used a lot, firstly, because there are no of our civilians here; The second is that the buildings in the factory area are extremely strong, and it is easy for the Germans to use them to build a well-established defensive system, because they must be destroyed by artillery fire, so that our troops can successfully eliminate the remnants of the enemy who continue to resist. ”

"Comrade Rokossovsky, I have one more question!" As soon as Stalin waited for Rokossovsky to finish speaking, he immediately went on to ask: "Wasn't Paulus captured by you?" Can you use him to make a fuss and ask him to give orders to the German troops who are still resisting, to stop resisting, to lay down their arms and surrender to our army? ”

"We have tried, Comrade Stalin." After listening to Stalin's suggestion, Rokossovsky said with some regret: "Paulus said that with his capture by our army, his post in the army has been automatically relieved, and he has no right to give any kind of orders to those units that are still fighting in the fight. Moreover, the radio station of the 6th Army was also smashed by the German communications corps before our troops entered the Central Department Store building. ”

"Since it is impossible to get the enemies in the factory area to lay down their arms by political means, then we will destroy them by force." Stalin finally said to Rokossovsky: "I await the good news of your victory, good luck to you!" ”

Seeing Rokossovsky put down the phone, Voronov asked tentatively: "Comrade Rokossovsky, even if Paulus does not cooperate, do you think we can send someone to persuade him to surrender." ”

Voronov's proposal made Rokossovsky a little excited, if it can really be persuaded to surrender, the remnants of the German army can lay down their arms, then it can greatly reduce the casualties of the troops, it is worth a try. But who should be persuaded to surrender?

While Rokossovsky was pondering, Malinin walked in from outside and asked him: "Comrade commander, the captured commander of the German 51st Army, Artillery General Kurzbach, wants to see you!" ”

"Nope." Without waiting for Rokossovsky to speak, Voronov, who was sitting on the side, had already preemptively said: "He thinks that he is still the commander of the 51st Army, and he can see whoever he wants?!" ”

"Wait a minute," Seeing that Malinin turned his head and was about to leave, Rokossovsky suddenly remembered who this Kurzbach was, and hurriedly called Malinin to stop: "Chief of Staff, bring that Kurzbach general here, I want to talk to him." ”

Looking at the back of Malinin leaving, Voronov asked puzzledly: "Comrade Rokossovsky, what are you doing with him?" ”

"Didn't you just suggest to me that before the battle began, send people to the factory area in the north to persuade the Germans to lay down their arms and surrender, I think this General Kurzbach is a suitable person."

"Is this appropriate?" Voronov asked with a puzzled expression.

"There's no better person than him." The reason why Rokossovsky wanted to meet Kurzbach was because the general, after being captured, offered to the Soviet side to select men from the captured German army to form a unit that would directly participate in the war against Germany. It is a pity that his proposal was vetoed by the relevant Soviet authorities. "As far as I know, shortly after the Germans were encircled by our army, he repeatedly urged Paulus to ignore Hitler's orders and decisively lead his troops to break through. Based on this, I think he is a very thoughtful man, and when he sees us later, I guess he will come up with something that will surprise us. ”

"If the Germans were really desperate to break through at the beginning of the encirclement, maybe they would have succeeded." After listening to what Rokossovsky said, Voronov said with trepidation: "Not to mention anything else, when the armored forces under the command of Hort came to relieve the siege, the closest distance between the troops inside and outside the encirclement was only 35 kilometers, and if they came to attack inside and outside, the 51st Army and the 2nd Guards Army in their middle were in danger of being annihilated." ”

It wasn't long before Malinin walked into the command with a tall German general, followed by a German interpreter. "You're General Kurzbach!" As soon as the other party walked into the room, Rokossovsky took the initiative to stand up and greet him.

After listening to the translation and understanding the identities of the two generals in front of him, Kurzbach respectfully said to Rokossovsky: "Hello, General Rokossovsky, it is a pleasure to meet you here. ”

Rokossovsky beckoned the other party to sit down, poured him a cup of hot tea, and asked curiously: "General Kurzbach, I don't know what you are going to see, is there anything important?" ”

"Your Excellency," Kurzbach said as he stood up from his seat and said respectfully, "I have come here today to make a suggestion to you. ”

Make a suggestion? When Rokossovsky heard him say this, his heart couldn't help but beat faster, and he secretly said that he didn't want to persuade himself to form a pro-Soviet force from the captured German officers and soldiers, right? But he still pretended to be casual and asked, "General Kurzbach, I don't know what kind of advice you plan to give us?" ”

"That's right, Your Excellency." Kurzbach said: "According to my analysis, the fighting in the Stalingrad region will not be long before it will be completely over. There will be more than 100,000 people captured in our army, and how to deal with so many prisoners, I think, is also a headache for you. ”

"That's right, General Kurzbach, the capture of more than 100,000 German officers and soldiers at once is indeed a bit unexpected to us." Voronov turned to Rokossovsky and said: "I think our existing prisoner of war camps may not be able to accommodate so many prisoners. ”

"You're right, Mr. Admiral." Kurzbach looked at Voronov and said: "I would like to suggest that you recruit a group of captured German officers and soldiers to form a force that can directly cooperate with you in battle. ”

"What, what did you say?" Hearing Kurzbach say this, Voronov suddenly jumped up from his seat, stared at each other with wide eyes, and said in surprise: "Recruit people from the captured German army and form a unit to fight with our army?" ”

"Yes, Mr. Admiral." In response to Voronov's astonishment, Kurzbach said with some disapproval: "We have been doing this since the outbreak of war. Selecting men from among the captured officers and soldiers of the Soviet army, forming auxiliary units, responsible for guarding the roads and warehouses in the rear, assisting the logistics department in transportation, and so on. And the captured officers and soldiers of our army, in addition to being able to do these jobs, can also assist you in fighting on the battlefield. ”

"General Kurzbach," although Rokossovsky very much agreed with Kurzbach's proposal, he could not make any decision until he received Stalin's approval, so he could only say regretfully: "Your proposal is good, but we must ask the Supreme High Command for instructions, and after obtaining approval, we can decide whether to implement it." ”

Seeing the disappointed expression on Kurzbach's face, he hurriedly added: "We will put aside the matter of recruiting soldiers from prisoners of war for the time being, and we will first discuss how to make the German troops in the northern factory area stop resisting and lay down their arms and surrender to us." ”

Kurzbach was also a smart man, and when he heard Rokossovsky say this, he immediately guessed his intentions, and asked tentatively: "Your Excellency, commander, I don't know what I can do for you?" ”

When Rokossovsky heard Kurzbach say this, a smile suddenly appeared on his face, and he said in his heart that talking to smart people would save trouble, and he only hinted at it slightly, and the other party guessed his intentions. He nodded and said, "In order to avoid more senseless sacrifices, we plan to send personnel to the factory area in the north before the official attack begins tomorrow to persuade the German troops who are still resisting there. ”

Kurzbach was silent for only a few minutes about Rokossovsky's proposal, and then readily agreed: "Your Excellency, the commander of the Northern Cluster, General Shtrekhel, and the commander of the 11th Infantry Corps, Strykel, have a good relationship with me. If you can persuade them to surrender, I guess there is still hope for success. ”

Sending Kurzbach to persuade him to surrender, Rokossovsky was not at all worried that he would take the opportunity to flee back to the German side, the enemy in the factory area to the north was already caught in the urn, and it would only take a day or two to destroy them, he believed that Kurzbach would make the right choice, so he said decisively: "Well, General Kurzbach, since you are willing to be our messenger, then I will entrust you with this important task." But you are not going to the factory area alone, I will also send the head of the reconnaissance of the Front, Major General Vinogoradov, his adjutant, Major Smyslov, and Captain Tiatrenko, to accompany you to meet with General Shtrekyl and persuade him to stop resisting and lay down his arms and surrender to our troops. ”

Voronov looked at the backs of Kurtsbach and Malinin who had disappeared outside the door, and asked worriedly: "Comrade Rokossovsky, since we have sent Kurtsbach and General Vinogorodov to persuade them to surrender, do we need to postpone tomorrow's attack?" ”

"No, I don't." Rokossovsky said decisively: "The German troops surrounded in the northern factory area, there are still tens of thousands of people, and they will definitely not easily lay down their arms and surrender, so we must be prepared with both hands, on the one hand, to send people to persuade them to surrender, and on the other hand, to order the troops to prepare for the attack." As soon as the negotiations break down, we will immediately launch a military offensive to completely destroy the enemy entrenched in the factory area. ”

"Yes, yes," after listening to Rokossovsky's words, Voronov nodded vigorously a few times, and said with a smile: "Anyway, our troops are ready, even if the enemy refuses to surrender, there is nothing to worry about, our powerful artillery and brave commanders and fighters can completely destroy them." ”