Time goes back to the end of last year. Although the Sixth Army was in a critical situation at that time, it was much better than the current state of being dead.
The Fourth Armored Group under Manstein broke in from the south of Stalingrad. When the Soviet encirclement was not so impregnable, it surged forward with overwhelming momentum. At the closest distance, only the main city of Stalingrad was left.
Thirty kilometers: a distance that a tank can cover cross-country at full speed in less than an hour.
At that time, even Colonel Adam himself breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that the nightmare was finally over, and it was time for the Sixth Army, which suffered heavy casualties, to say goodbye to the hellish place of Stalingrad.
But what no one expected was that Paulus, who should have ordered the troops to break out immediately to join Manstein, actually ordered the telegram to be sent in person on the grounds that "the breakout order from the Führer was not obtained" in the telegram.
"We are going to save you right now!" Manstein, who telegraphed, pressed his hot face against his cold buttocks.
"Paulus's loyalty and fanaticism to the Führer reached a pathological level. He was even willing to blind his own eyes and deafen his ears so that he could not see, hear or think about certain things. Although he
He didn't really do it, but many people, including myself, thought so from the day he refused to take responsibility for the breakout and insisted on implementing the orders of the head of state."
A few years later, the words that were rated as classic quotes by Time Magazine are still lying quietly in Colonel Adam's diary, unknown to the world.
Paulus deliberately grafted the disasters caused by his own decisions onto Manstein's head through the transfer of subjective thoughts. He believed that Manstein did not work hard and failed to completely break through the periphery of Stalingrad.
The encirclement will lead to the Sixth Army falling into today's annihilation situation.
As for how outrageous this blame-shifting is, who cares at this time?
Paulus, who didn't even know what he was thinking, suddenly remembered one of the more "interesting" things mentioned in the report he received yesterday.
It is said to be "interesting" because the incident itself is quite entertaining and funny. If the same thing happened to a Russian guy, Paulus felt that he would definitely laugh out loud with a smile on his face, and even get angry for it.
Celebrate with a glass of French brandy.
It's a pity that this relatively "interesting" thing happened to the German army himself, which really makes people unable to laugh.
Paulus, who had nothing to say and was just passing the time, spoke again, pouring out all the things on his mind like beans poured out of a bamboo tube.
"Did you know? Adam, I received a report yesterday. The report said that our troops on the front line finally received a very rare opportunity for two transport planes to airdrop supplies."
"However, one of the two planes was not in very good condition. It was swaying in the air, black smoke was coming out of the engine, and the Russian anti-aircraft guns damaged it, but even so, the plane still flew in
They came to the city to airdrop supplies, what a rare courage! For those in the air force."
Colonel Adam did not interrupt. In recent days, he had gradually become accustomed to Paulus's grumbling and various complaints and shirks. Now he only needed to wait quietly and continue to listen.
"The injured plane crashed and exploded a long distance away. Within the area controlled by the Russians, at least the Russians will not receive complete supplies."
"The remaining plane dropped supplies over our people's heads. This time they did not lose their position."
"The hungry soldiers excitedly rushed to the open space to open the supplies thrown down, but there was no food in them. The soldiers were disappointed to find a box full of military uniforms and shoes! The other boxes contained drinks.
"He had some warm liquor, a box of black pepper, and a box of 9mm submachine gun ammunition."
"This has become a joke, Adam! The soldiers are having fun with the "9mm black pepper mixed with vodka" joke. What did the air force drop to us? Is this their original guarantee of supplying one army group a day? He
Mann Meyer, a fat pig who has nothing to do but brags, can’t even sit in the cockpit of a fighter jet! What kind of air force commander do you think he is!?”
Paulus, who had a half-cold poker face at first, became more and more excited as he spoke, as if he was the one starving and confronting the Soviet army on the front line. All his anger and complaints were vented to Reich Marshal Georg in Berlin.
Lin, although this is unlikely to have any substantive effect.
At this point, I always felt that both myself and Paulus had given up on the situation. Colonel Adam, who had seen through a lot, no longer told lies. The last bit of hope that was within reach still had a glimmer of value worthy of hope.
"Perhaps we can surrender soon, Paulus. If the Führer can understand the true situation on the front, I believe he will allow us to do so... Everyone has fulfilled their obligations and
Responsibility, now is the time to end all this, we just need to wait quietly and then execute it."
Paulus, who had sworn long ago that he would not surrender, fell silent.
Paulus, who always adhered to his loyalty to the Führer, was ultimately no match for the strong desire to survive in his heart. Why must he die if he had the chance to live? What's more, if he stubbornly resisted to the end, he would not die alone. The entire first
All the remaining soldiers of the Sixth Army had to be buried together. Paulus couldn't stand the result just thinking about it.
Is saving the lives of the soldiers of the Sixth Army the main priority, which triggered Paulus's personal desire for survival? Or is it that Paulus's personal desire for survival came first, and the life and death of the Sixth Army was regarded as an added bonus?
The excuses and priorities are not important now, what is important is what the anxious and anxious result will be.
Could Colonel Adam's words be true?
Paulus hoped it was true.
Because if it wasn't true, then Paulus really didn't know what to do next. He didn't even dare to face it even if he tried to think about it. The scene of a bullet popping up in his head was something he had never seen in his nightmares.
arrive.
The casual chat continued for a while, and finally ended with Colonel Adam leaving with an excuse.
And when Colonel Adam finally returned to the office with a fresh telegram in hand, the extremely brief line of black and white words on the telegram almost blinded Paulus, who had the last hope in his heart, and he fainted on the spot.
"No surrender is allowed! The troops should stand firm and fight until the last German soldier falls! Use the last bullet!"