Although the troops of the German 35th Infantry Division continued to resist stubbornly in the city, trying to prevent the Soviets from occupying the city. But for Rokossovsky, it was nothing more than a death throes, and the next thing to deal with was the enemy in Danzig. Therefore, both Fedyuninsky and Batov were urgently summoned to the command by Rokossovsky.

As soon as the two arrived, Rokossovsky, after a brief greeting, asked straight to the point: "Are you ready to attack Danzig?" ”

After looking at each other, Batov and Fedyuninsky nodded, replied in an affirmative tone: "Yes, Comrade Marshal, we are ready for the offensive. ”

"Now that we're ready to attack." Rokossovsky asked slowly: "So, how are you going to take the city of Danzig in a few days?" ”

"A week, Comrade Marshal." Batov replied: "This is already our fastest speed. ”

"And what about your opinion?" After listening to Batov's answer, Rokossovsky did not immediately express his position, but turned his head and asked Fedyuninsky, who was standing aside: "Comrade Fedyuningsky, do you think you can take Danzig in a few days." ”

"I think General Batov is right," replied Fedyuninsky, after a quick glance at Batov, "I think it is entirely possible to take Danzig in a week." ”

"Comrade generals," Rokossovsky waited for Fedyuninsky to finish speaking, and then said: "A week is too long, can it be shortened a little longer?" Say three days?! ”

"Comrade Marshal," Batov was a little anxious when he heard Rokossovsky say this: "If we take the city in three days, then the casualties of the troops and the loss of technical equipment will be very staggering......"

"General Batov, in fact, to speed up the offensive, it does not have to be at the cost of the lives of the soldiers." Su Bojing, who had rarely spoken at military meetings, surprisingly said: "Maybe we can take other ways to speed up the surrender of the German army." ”

After Rokossovsky waited for Su Bojing to finish speaking, he asked puzzledly: "Comrade Military Commissar, do you have any good ideas?" ”

"I fought in the Battle of Stalingrad, and in the latter part of the campaign, Paulus's troops were caught in our encirclement." Su Bojing smiled slightly, and said unhurriedly: "It was a bitterly cold winter, and our army was not in a hurry to launch a new offensive to encircle and annihilate the besieged enemy, but to persuade the German army to surrender through propaganda. Although Paulus refused our persuasion to surrender, a part of the German army voluntarily laid down their arms and surrendered to our troops. ”

Hearing this, Rokossovsky understood what Su Bojing was trying to express, and hurriedly asked: "Comrade Military Commissar, do you mean that we also persuaded the German troops in Danzig to surrender?" ”

"Not only Danzig, but Gdynia." Subotin suggested to Rokossovsky: "I will immediately draw up a letter of persuasion in the name of both you and me, urging the Germans to stop their resistance and surrender to our army." ”

In response to Subotin's proposal, Rokossovsky nodded and agreed: "That's right, in order to seize the city as soon as possible, we must not only fight military battles, but also learn to fight political battles. Since the enemy can surrender to us after receiving our letter of surrender, many unnecessary casualties can be avoided. Comrade Military Commissar, you can write now. ”

Perhaps Su Bojing had long ago intended to persuade the enemy besieged in Danzig and Gdynia to surrender, so after hearing Rokossovsky's order, he immediately buried his head at the conference table to draft a letter of surrender. In less than five minutes, a simple and direct letter of persuasion was placed in front of Rokossovsky.

Rokossovsky picked up the letter of surrender and looked through it carefully, only to see that it read:

"Officers and men of the German 2nd Army!

On this day (23 March), our forces have captured Tsopot, and cut your forces into two separate sections, and both Danzig and Gdynia have been encircled by our troops. Today, our artillery is shelling the ports and waters of Danzig and Gdynia, and our encirclement of you will gradually shrink.

In these circumstances, your resistance has no longer meant anything, and the command has cost you your lives and led to the death of thousands of women, children and the elderly.

I appeal to you: immediately cease resistance and lay down your arms and surrender to our troops with a white flag, in the form of individuals, squads, platoons, companies or patterns.

I guarantee the safety of the lives of all those who surrender and allow you to keep your personal property.

All officers and soldiers who refuse to lay down their arms and surrender will be completely wiped out in the coming battle.

For the sake of all innocent civilians, you must think carefully and stop all pointless resistance. ”

After Rokossovsky saw the letter of surrender, he simply changed the beginning of the letter of "today" to "yesterday" and explained to Subotin: "The letter of surrender to the German army will not be issued until tomorrow, so I have changed the time you said. After saying that, he decisively signed his name in the lower right corner of the letter of surrender.

After waiting for Rokossovsky to sign his name, Su Bojing also signed next to his name, and then asked: "Comrade Marshal, who should we send to deliver this letter of persuasion to the commander of the city defense of Danzig?" ”

"Don't be that troublesome." Rokossovsky said to Subozin: "You immediately let the printing house start work, print the letter of persuasion in the form of leaflets, and then send planes to drop it, or directly use mortars to enter the positions of the German army, so that more officers and soldiers can know about our letter of persuasion." ”

"Then I will first find someone to translate this letter of persuasion into German, so that more German officers and soldiers can understand it." After saying hello to Rokossovsky, Subotin turned around and left the headquarters to translate and print the letter of surrender.

After Subotin left, Batov cautiously asked Rokossovsky: "Comrade Marshal, if we want to persuade the enemy to surrender, will the offensive be postponed by two days?" ”

"No, your two armies will attack tomorrow." Rokossovsky said to the two: "Tomorrow morning I will send planes to drop leaflets on the cities of Danzig and Gdynia to persuade the defenders of the city to surrender to us." If they do not respond, you will officially attack the city at fourteen p.m. I think that the defenders, after picking up our leaflets, will definitely fall into a panic and face the onslaught of our troops, and their resistance will not be too resolute. ”