Malashenko is not simply talking nonsense to test Deritz's reaction and evaluate his true attitude and inner state of mind. That is what Malashenko wants to do. After all, a person "really surrenders"
" or "forced surrender", these two concepts are completely different. Attitude determines everything. Malashenko wants to understand this issue first so that he can start the next work.
However, Dritz's next reaction surprised Malashenko a little.
He looked neither angry nor happy, with no emotion or joy on his face. It was as if he had heard something that had nothing to do with him. His face was calm and calm, and he put on a stiff expression.
The poker face made Malashenko on the side feel a little unable to make a decision.
But fortunately, this was not intentional, and the words to explain the reason for his face were quickly spoken slowly.
"He did the right thing, and I would have done the same thing."
"..."
Malashenko said nothing, and just walked side by side with Deritz, knowing that Deritz would definitely have something to say next.
The two men's military boots made a "creeping, creaking" sound on the snow under their feet. There were only a dozen or twenty meters away from the camp not far ahead. Behind them were Malashenko's entourage and
Guard soldier.
Until the two figures walking side by side officially entered the camp, they had walked for ten or twenty meters, perhaps thinking, perhaps organizing their words, or perhaps hesitating, Dritz finally spoke again.
.
"Our leader deceived us and even threatened to end our lives because of his stupidity and selfishness."
"My personal life and death don't matter. My children are all grown up. On the battlefield, I fulfilled my duties conscientiously. I fulfilled my obligations as a father and a soldier. It can be said that I died without regrets. But he has no power to let these more than 10,000 people live in peace."
Young people are buried with him because of his stupidity. They still have a long life. Someone needs to stand up and stop all this. That person should and can only be me, so I chose to lead the army to surrender."
"It's not worth being loyal to such a person until death. I once thought he was the one chosen by God, sent to save Germany from the fire. I was even grateful for his existence. But later I learned that he would do whatever it takes.
He is trying to fill the bottomless pit that cannot be filled at all, using human life to fill it, just like a gambler who has lost his sight and has no scruples no matter how meaningless it is. He doesn't care at all. He just wants the result, and that is simply impossible.
The result achieved is that he is unwilling to admit the truth."
"What's the point of such a death? So I say Paulus did the right thing. Someone should do it, at least let those soldiers whose brains are not completely broken know the truth. They almost died and were imprisoned.
They certainly have the right to know that they were sent to suffer in prisoner-of-war camps, but it is a pity that those forgotten soldiers who have died will never have the chance to know again."
The obvious good news is that at least now Lieutenant General Dritz seems to be a person who understands the general situation and is willing to face the tragic truth and accept it. He is not immersed in that fragmented web, paralyzing it with lies and stupidity.
For yourself, facing the truth often requires more courage than self-deception.
On the other hand, since Dritz can say this, it can be regarded as side confirmation of what Malashenko has learned, some "uncertain truths" that still need to be confirmed.
"It was because of that stupid order that you didn't break out and evacuate last night, right?"
Malashenko pulled the chair, of course for himself. He just said this to Deritz and motioned him to sit down and chat. The latter also chose to sit down "very obediently", and then said to Marashenko
Ke opened his mouth and responded.
"Yes, the order came directly from Berlin. I guess you know something to ask this, so I can confirm to you now that it is indeed the case."
"Retreating and re-establishing defenses within such a short period of time after the start of the war was considered unacceptable. Some people, regardless of the sharp deterioration of the battlefield situation, forced us to nail our defensive positions and prevent the Russians from advancing on East Prussian soil.
Half a step forward, the so-called feet are the motherland, the place of sacrifice, a battle to protect the homeland."
"I don't have the authority to directly question this order, so I called and asked for accommodation. It would be too late if we didn't evacuate based on the situation on the battlefield, but it was useless. Our fate was determined from the moment that radio wave flew out of Berlin.
It has been decided that it will be a victim, just like the Sixth Army in Stalingrad."
"But I am not willing to end everything like this. Since he can betray these people who trust him first, why should we continue to give this trust? From a certain moment on, we are doing it for ourselves, and someone has forcibly taken it away from us.
Can you understand this feeling for the goal you originally fought for?"
"Except for surrender, everything else seems to be meaningless. We have even lost the meaning of being soldiers. We have become gambling capital and chips in the hands of red-eyed gamblers. For soldiers, there is nothing better than this.
Something more sad and desolate?”
"..."
It cannot be said that Malashenko did not completely understand the feelings of Major General Dritz and could not appreciate the inner sadness and desolation.
We are all soldiers, generals who carry the trust of thousands of people. Wherever the sword points, that is where the army is headed. This is not only a glorious honor, but also a trust and responsibility as heavy as Mount Tai.
To a certain extent, Malashenko sympathized with Deritz, but those words of comfort were not suitable for each other in terms of their current status. After all, they were inappropriate.
"This war will end soon, and there will still be Germans living on German soil in the future. This is a confrontation between ideologies rather than a war of extermination, so it must continue in the future."
"Keep this life and think about how to find a way out for Germany in the future. As a German, this is the most meaningful thing that you and your more than 10,000 men can do.
There will be plenty of time to think about it carefully after you get to the prisoner of war camp. This is my suggestion."
Comrade Lao Ma is not good at and can't speak the disgusting words of knowing with emotion and moving with reason. There is no need to say that Dritz must be mobilized to incite rebellion and do certain things on his own side. There is no need for unnecessary nonsense.
Go talk.
Malashenko just said a few words based on his own conscious thinking, nothing more.
But he didn't expect that as soon as these words came out, Deritz, who narrowed his eyes slightly, fell into deep thought for a while. After a while, he once again turned towards Malashenko, the remnant enemy who had beaten his troops into despair not long ago.
Open your mouth.
"What do you think Germany will be like in the future? I want to hear your thoughts as a winner. It doesn't matter how cruel it is."
Malashenko put away his smile. It’s not that what he was going to say next was really unlucky and cruel, but that the new chapter that was about to open really deserved to be treated with such seriousness and rigor without a smile.
"Tomorrow will be better than now. There will be no more wars. Young people can do what they want, children can sit quietly in class, and the elderly will enjoy their old age. This is what they have fought for in blood.
What we strive for but cannot get is on the land beneath our feet. Then you can witness it with the world, don't you want to see it with your own eyes?"