Not only ordinary German officers and soldiers did not expect to be attacked on Christmas Eve, but even Paulus did not expect it. After receiving the report from the troops below, he was stunned.
After a long time, he looked at Schmidt and asked, "Chief of Staff, why did the Russians launch an attack on Christmas Eve? Don't they know that even during the war, Christmas Eve and Christmas should be on truce? After all, this is the greatest festival."
"Hisser Commander," Schmidt said cautiously after Paulus finished speaking: "The Russians' Christmas is on January 7, two weeks later than us. And many years ago, the Bolsheviks had cancelled this important festival. Therefore, it was entirely possible that they launched an attack on our army on Christmas Eve."
"Damn, damn." Paulus cursed twice after hearing Schmidt's words, and then ordered the other party: "Chief of Staff, immediately find out which part of the Russians attacking our positions. When the day dawns, he will immediately concentrate the air force and artillery and retaliate against their positions."
Hearing Paulus' order, Schmidt's muscles twitched violently twice, and he said cautiously: "Your Excellency Commander, don't check it. The area where the battle took place was near Mamayev's hill. The Russians attacking our position must be Sokov's 41st Guard Division."
"It's the damn Sokov again." Paulus was so angry that he punched the table and said in anger: "According to our information, didn't he go to Moscow? Some time ago, his troops were always on the defensive side, so how could he take a sneak attack on Christmas Eve?"
"Mr. Commander, I have a bad feeling." Schmidt said carefully: "Maybe Sokov has returned to Stalingrad."
"What, he's back to Stalingrad?" Paulus's pupils contracted violently: "Chief of Staff, where did you get the information?"
"I have no information," Schmidt replied: "I judged it based on the abnormal actions of the Russians. Think about it, they have been on their own positions for almost a month and have not taken the initiative to launch even one active attack on us. But tonight, they launched an unexpected attack, and I think there is something wrong with this."
Schmidt's words made Paulus realize the crisis. He quickly picked up the phone, called the head of the intelligence department, and said straight to the point: "General, according to all the signs, the damn Sokov returned to Mamayev. You immediately send out powerful people and find out whether Sokov is back before dawn."
"Hiss Commander." The head of the intelligence department could not help but say in embarrassment when he heard Paulus' order: "Under the current circumstances, it is difficult for our scouts to get to the Russian positions..."
"I don't want to hear your quibble." Paulus ordered without hesitation: "I will get the exact news before dawn, or you will lose your epaulette."
Faced with Paulus' threat, the head of the intelligence department could only grit his teeth and answer: "Yes, Commander, I must find out whether Sokov has returned to Mamayev's hill before dawn."
After putting down the phone, the head of the intelligence department said to his adjutant: "It's a hell. The commander asked me to find out whether Russian Colonel Sokov had returned to Mamayev's hill before dawn. This is really an unfinished task."
"God of General," said the adjutant thoughtfully after hearing this: "In fact, there are many ways to find out whether Sokov has returned to Mamayev."
When the general heard his adjutant say this, his eyes lit up. He saw a glimmer of hope and quickly urged: "Let me say it quickly, what's the best way?"
"We can send people to sneak into the Mamayev hill and find ways to eavesdrop on their phones." The adjutant said confidently: "On the phone, our scouts should know whether Sokov has returned to Mamayev hill."
When the German intelligence department sent scouts to the Mamayev hill area to find out what was going on, Sokov was staying in his command center and personally called the commanders of the regiments to understand the results they had achieved. Since he did not know that the German army had already conducted reconnaissance on him, he did not deliberately hide his identity during the call.
Two hours before dawn, the head of the German intelligence department appeared in Paulus's office. After saluting Paulus, he said proudly: "Mr. Commander, I have already obtained the information you want."
"What information I want?" Paulus, who was in a hurry, heard this statement from his subordinates, but he had not yet reacted: "What information?"
"His Excellency Commander, according to my scout report," said the general: "The Russian colonel has returned to Mamayev's hill."
"Russian Colonel?" Paulus was shocked: "Are you talking about Sokov?"
"Yes, it's him." The general nodded vigorously and said in a sure tone: "He has returned to Mamayevgang."
"General," Schmidt asked on behalf of Paulus, "I want to ask, how did you confirm that Sokov has returned to Mamayev's hill?"
"His Excellency Chief of Staff," the general replied respectfully in response to Schmidt's question: "The scouts I sent eavesdropped on the Russian communication lines. He found that the telephone calls to Mamayevgang were called "delegation commanders", so he concluded that Sokov had returned to Mamayevgang."
Although Schmidt's heart had confirmed that Sokov had returned to Mamayev's hill, he still had a sense of luck in his heart: "Just relying on a title alone, it doesn't mean anything. The Russians can also become the "trainer". General, your report is too credible."
"His Excellency Chief of Staff," said the general of the intelligence department with a dissatisfaction in the face of Schmidt's doubts: "My scouts have eavesdropped on Russian calls many times. They only use the title of "Teacher Commander" when they call Sokov, and the other is the Deputy Division Commander. I will never make any mistake in this."
Seeing that the general of the intelligence department was so sure, Schmidt felt that the matter was a foregone conclusion, so he turned to Paulus and said, "Mr. Commander, it seems that Sokov has really returned to Mamayev's hill. I'm afraid the next battle will be difficult to fight."
"It's hard to fight, you have to fight." Paulus said, gritting his back teeth, "If Sokov's arrogance is not defeated, it may have an impact on our military morale and morale."
"Then what should we do?" Schmidt asked.
"After dawn, we dispatched the air force to carry out air strikes on Sokov's positions." Paulus pointed at Schmid and said gritted his teeth: "But before this, we must concentrate our superior forces and take back all the positions occupied by the Russians on Christmas Eve."
When the intelligence general heard Paulus say this, he was stunned at first, and then said carefully: "But, after the commander, the Russians, have all retreated to their own positions, and no soldiers are left behind. In short, those positions are still in the hands of our army."
"Hey, what exactly do you want to do with this damn Sokov?" Paulus said angrily: "Their troops took the initiative to attack and launched attacks on many positions of our army. They could clearly reoccupy these positions, but they had none of them. What was going on?"
As Paulus' chief of staff, Schmidt's mind was quite useful. After a little thought, he understood the general reason. He quickly said to Paulus: "Mr. Commander, I think I may understand what's going on."
"What the hell is going on?" Paulus urged: "Chief of Staff, since you know the reason, hurry up and listen."
"I think that after Sokov's troops launched a sneak attack on our army, they quickly retracted their original positions, which is probably related to their limited military strength." Schmidt said cautiously: "Their troops are limited. If they are divided into troops to defend, the overall defense force will be weakened. Once they are attacked by our army, the position that has just been occupied will be recaptured by our army. Sokov obviously did not want to see this happen, so he decisively ordered the troops to withdraw all their original positions after completing the sneak attack."
If Sokov had heard Schmidt's words here at this moment, he would have applauded him, because the situation he analyzed was roughly the same as the actual situation.
After hearing Schmidt's analysis, Paulus nodded in agreement: "Chief of Staff, you are right. The reason why Sokov dared not let his troops occupy those positions is because he was worried that division of troops would make the troops weak, and that would be at risk of being defeated by us."
"After dawn, do you still need to dispatch the air force to bomb the defense zone of the 41st Russian Guards Division?"
"This is for sure, Chief of Staff." Sokov's night attack successfully angered Paulus. He decided to wait for dawn to carry out retaliation, and air strikes at the 41st Division of the Guards were just the first step of his plan. In the next battle, he would also concentrate superior artillery fire, plow the Sokov's troops' defense zone several times, and then send infantry to seize these positions.
"Hisser Commander," Schmidt pointed to the map and said to Paulus: "Before the Russians control these positions, it is very conducive to the assault of tank troops. I suggest putting both the 16th and 24th Armored Divisions into battle. With the current equipment level of the Russians, it is basically impossible to block the assault of our tanks. I think our army is fully capable of restoring the front line to its early November state."
Restoring to the state in early November means that the defense zone of the 41st Guard Division is only Mamayevgang. This situation is obviously something Paulus is willing to see. He nodded and said to Schmidt: "If we can restore to the state in early November, we can also give an explanation to Berlin."
The intelligence general knew very well that if the defense line was pushed back to Mamayev hill, it would be possible to threaten the Soviet ferry at any time. As soon as the spring starts, the ice on the river surface melts, and like in the previous few months, it would be possible to block the direction of the ferry with artillery fire, so that the Russians could not transport supplies into the city calmly, or transport wounded and residents to the other side.
"The fuel and ammunition required by our tanks are currently facing a shortage." Paulus still has a general understanding of the basic situation of the troops today: "If the attack cannot work, then in the following days, these tanks that have exhausted fuel and ammunition will have to be parked on the battlefield for decoration. If they are discovered by Russian planes, they may become targets of bombing."
"Don't worry, Commander." Schmidt felt confident when he thought that the troops attacking the Sokov defense zone would consist of two armored divisions and an infantry division. Although he admitted that Sokov was a very powerful figure, no matter how powerful you were, as long as your troops were limited, the threats could be posed would be greater. He said with confidence: "With so many troops, I believe Sokov would be defeated."
"It's getting late." Paulus looked at his watch and said to Schmidt: "Immediately call the three division commanders involved in the attack to make their troops ready for combat. Once the air strike is over, immediately launch an attack on the Russian positions, and be sure to push the front line back to the Mamayev in the shortest time."
"Hisser Commander," Schmidt said with a smile: "Our soldiers will surely complete your mission and defeat all the Russians, including Sokov. As long as we defeat Sokov's troops, we can occupy the Mamayev hills and smoothly advance the bank of the Volga River to reverse our current unfavorable situation."
"Also," Paulus instructed Schmidt: "Send a telegram to Commander Weix and tell him that the fuel and shells of our tanks were basically exhausted, and ask him to inform Berlin and replenish us as soon as possible."
"Mr. Commander, will this be effective?" Schmidt asked cautiously: "You must know that in order to replenish our nearly 300,000 troops, Marshal Gorene has done his best to send all the transport planes that can be sent out. Although the transportation opportunities are often attacked by Russian fighter jets and have paid a considerable price, our supply has never been interrupted."
"The supplies Goring gave us are not enough, far from enough." Paulus said with a look of land: "Just with the weapons and ammunition in our hands, we cannot maintain the need for a large-scale battle. If we want to restore the troops to combat effectiveness, we must give us more supplies."
Chapter completed!