"Yes, of course." After hearing what the translator said, Stemmerman said with a smile on his face: "Please take a seat, General Sokov. It's a pleasure to see you here."
Seeing that Stemmermann actually called out his name, Sokov couldn't help but asked in surprise: "General Stemmermann, do you know me?"
"That's right, General Sokov." Stemerman nodded and said, "I have seen your photo before, so I recognized you at a glance. In fact, I am not the only one who knows you, only those who are above the regimental level Officers, I’ve basically seen your photos.”
Knowing that all the German officers at the regimental level and above had seen his photos, Sokov couldn't help but curiously asked: "General Stemmermann, can you tell me why all your officers at the regimental level and above have seen my photos?" "
"Because you are our most respected and feared opponent. At least so far, no one of the troops who have fought against you has achieved victory." Stemerman said with a smile: "Let all officers above the regiment level know you. You, this is Marshal Manstein's order. He told us that in order to defeat our opponent, we must first be familiar with and understand him."
After figuring out what was going on, Sokov smiled faintly and said: "General Stemerman, you are flattering me. I am not truly victorious in every battle. At least against the Viking Division, my troops have no chance of winning. .”
"The Viking Division is just an exception." Stemmermann said with a smile: "Didn't the Flag Guard Division, the Skeleton Division, and the Imperial Division all suffer defeats under your hands?"
Sokov smiled and said nothing.
"By the way, General Sokov, are you the negotiator tonight?"
"Yes, General Stemerman, I am the negotiator for the Soviet army."
After Stemerman waited for Sokov to finish speaking, he nodded and said: "It seems that you still attach great importance to this negotiation. You actually asked you to come here from Moscow overnight."
"General Stemerman, let me interrupt." Sokov heard this and quickly interrupted: "I didn't come from Moscow overnight, but I was already in the Cherkasy area."
"What, you have arrived in the Cherkasy area a long time ago?" Stemerman asked in surprise: "Then where have you been staying during this time?"
Before Sokov could answer, Stemmerman suddenly thought of a possibility: "You are not the commander of a certain force here, are you?"
"That's right." Sokov felt that there was no need to conceal his identity at this moment. After all, his mission this time was to persuade Stemerman to surrender. It would be better to be honest: "I took over the position of commander of the 53rd Army not long ago. "
"What, you are the commander of the 53rd Army?" Sturmerman, who was shocked, asked in an unbelievable tone: "How could you be the commander of the 53rd Army? What about the headquarters of the 53rd Army?" Could it be you?"
Sokov spread his hands, shrugged his shoulders, and said with a helpless expression: "It's not just me."
Sokov's words drove Stemerman crazy: "No wonder, no wonder. No wonder the Walloon assault brigade could easily capture Komarovka, but suffered a big loss here on Highland 239. It turns out that you are the one commanding this force."
Stemmermann laughed dryly and said, "For me to be defeated by you, Lieutenant Colonel Lippert deserved his death."
Sokov knew that Lipt was the commander of the Walloon Assault Brigade. He heard from the prisoners that the man was seriously wounded in the shelling, and he still had a certain degree of doubt about the authenticity of this matter. At this moment, I heard Stemmerman personally say that Lippert was dead, so this news must not be false.
"General Stemmermann," Sokov said, remembering his mission here: "I think it's time for us to start negotiations."
Stemerman sat down opposite Sokov and said with a somewhat depressed expression: "General Sokov, actually, even if you don't say it, I know in my heart that you are here to persuade me to surrender. Am I right?" "
"Yes, indeed."
"I think there is no need for us to continue talking." Stemmermann suddenly said seriously: "Although our situation is very difficult, it is simply impossible for me to order the troops to lay down their weapons and surrender to you."
Sokov also knew that the negotiation he came here today was just a formality. Even if he told the truth, Stemerman would never surrender. But now that he is here, he feels that he still has to say something: "General Stemmermann, although I know that it is impossible for you to stop resisting, lay down your weapons and surrender to us, but for the sake of For the sake of your officers and soldiers, I still have something to say."
"Please speak, General Sokov." Stemerman made a gesture of invitation: "I'm listening."
"You have been surrounded by our army." Sokov did not mince words and said bluntly: "The troops surrounding you are millions of troops from our two fronts, and you only have a mere fifty or sixty thousand troops. , with such a disparity in strength, it is basically impossible to break through our encirclement and join forces with the troops coming to respond."
In order to enhance his persuasiveness, Sokov continued: "A year ago in Stalingrad, as a representative of the Soviet army, I went to Paulus's headquarters and persuaded him to lay down his arms and surrender, but he refused. Only after Within a week, he became my prisoner.”
"Yes, I have heard about it." Stemmerman nodded and said expressionlessly: "I heard that Paulus surrendered to you and the troops under your command as a marshal. You guys In the propaganda, although it was emphasized that the unit that captured Paulus was the 64th Army, we all know in our hearts that the person who really captured Paulus was you."
Seeing that Stemmermann knew his past achievements so clearly, Sokov couldn't help but feel a little complacent in his heart. He smiled and asked: "General Stemmermann, you might as well think about it carefully. If you lay down your weapons and surrender now, you can save more lives. It is better than letting them die in vain."
Faced with Sokov's persuasion, Stemmermann remained silent. Sokov knew that the other party was having a fierce ideological struggle, so he did not disturb him and waited patiently for him to make his final decision.
After a long time, Stemerman raised his head and said to Sokov: "General Sokov, I am very grateful to you for showing up here to save us. But after repeated thinking, I can only refuse you. With good intentions, my men and I will continue to fight until the last moment of our lives. This is our obligation as a soldier."
Stemmermann's rejection came as no surprise to Sokov. However, he did not give up because of this, but continued: "General Stemmermann, have you ever thought that if you want to break out of our encirclement with all your strength, you will inevitably leave behind those seriously injured people who are unable to move and send them to you?" They stayed in the encirclement to fend for themselves. Although I don’t know the specific number of wounded, but there are at least a thousand, right?”
Hearing what Sokov said, Stemerman was silent again. He stared at Sokov for a long time, then nodded slowly and said: "You are right, if we want to break out with all our strength, we must We can only abandon those seriously injured people who are unable to move and let them fend for themselves in the ice and snow."
At this point, Stemmerman closed his eyes and said with a painful expression: "Two thousand people, I can only watch them die of the cold or due to lack of medical treatment, but And there’s nothing I can do.”
"Actually, it's very convenient for you to help them." Seeing that Stemmerman's idea had changed, Sokov quickly struck while the iron was hot and said: "As long as you order the troops to stop resisting, lay down their weapons and surrender to our army, I can surrender to you. It is guaranteed that these injured will receive the treatment they deserve."
The conditions proposed by Sokov made Stemerman feel hesitant again. One is to violate one's military oath, lay down arms and surrender to the enemy; the other is to ruthlessly abandon these wounded soldiers and lead the remaining troops to break out.
"I'm sorry, General Sokov." After a fierce ideological struggle, Stemmerman finally made a difficult choice: "I am a soldier, and I cannot violate my oath. I will not lay down my arms and surrender to my opponent, please understand my difficulties."
"General Stemmermann, do you really intend to ignore those more than 2,000 wounded?"
Hearing Sokov's question, Stemerman's face showed a relaxed expression: "General Sokov, if it were other Russian troops, I would be very worried. But if it is what we are about to face, My opponent is you, so I am not worried at all, because as far as I know, although you have executed some captured German officers and soldiers, those people were all evil-doing SS soldiers, and you have never killed the wounded. It is their good fortune if they are captured by your forces.”
Sokov couldn't laugh or cry after hearing this. He originally planned to use the seriously wounded as bargaining chips to make a last-ditch effort, but he didn't expect that Stemerman would throw the burden of the wounded to him. If it was really his own troops who captured him. A large amount of medicine must be used to treat these wounded people.
"General Stemerman," Sokov said with a headache: "If my troops capture your wounded, I guarantee you that they will receive preferential treatment and enjoy the treatment they deserve. But, if If they fall into the hands of other troops, I cannot guarantee their safety."
"Understood, I completely understand." Stemerman knew very well in his heart that the medicines needed for more than 2,000 wounded people were a large amount. Except for Sokov, the rest of the troops captured these wounded people. Instead of killing them on the spot, just throw them in the snow. In less than an hour, they will all freeze to death due to hypothermia. Faced with the promise made by Sokov, he said gratefully: "No matter what the final fate of these wounded people is, I would like to express my gratitude to you on their behalf!"
Since Stemmermann was unwilling to surrender, Sokov knew that there was no point in staying any longer. After chatting for a few more words, he stood up and left.
If he were an ordinary negotiator, Stemmermann might have called the leading officer and sent the other party back to the original meeting point. But since today's negotiator was Sokov, Stemmerman was particularly attentive. Not only did he personally send Sokov out of the tent, he also called his adjutant and ordered the other party to bring a platoon of people to escort him. Sokov returned to the receiving point.
After arriving at the connection point, Sokov met with his men and immediately ordered to drive to the front army headquarters. He planned to report the details of tonight's negotiations to Konev in person.
Hearing that Sokov planned to go to the front army headquarters, Koshkin reminded him: "Comrade Commander, it is too late now and the road is not easy. I am worried about what danger I will encounter. It is better to go back to the headquarters directly. Just report to General Konev by phone."
Koshkin's suggestion moved Sokov. For a moment, he almost ordered the other party to return to the army headquarters and report to Konev by phone there. But then I thought about it, some things couldn't be explained clearly on the phone, so it would be safer to report them in person.
After thinking about this, he ordered Koshkin with a serious expression: "Comrade Lieutenant, obey my order and drive to the front headquarters immediately. Do you understand?"
Although Koshkin obeyed Sokov's order, for safety reasons, he asked one of the trucks full of fighters to explore the road ahead, while the jeep and two other trucks followed at a distance. Even if the vehicle in front is attacked, the vehicle behind will have time to respond. "General Stemerman," Sokov said with a headache: "If my troops capture your wounded, I guarantee you that they will receive preferential treatment and enjoy the treatment they deserve. But, if If they fall into the hands of other troops, I cannot guarantee their safety."
"Understood, I completely understand." Stemerman knew very well in his heart that the medicines needed for more than 2,000 wounded people were a large amount. Except for Sokov, the rest of the troops captured these wounded people. Instead of killing them on the spot, just throw them in the snow. In less than an hour, they will all freeze to death due to hypothermia. Faced with the promise made by Sokov, he said gratefully: "No matter what the final fate of these wounded people is, I would like to express my gratitude to you on their behalf!"
Since Stemmermann was unwilling to surrender, Sokov knew that there was no point in staying any longer. After chatting for a few more words, he stood up and left.
If he were an ordinary negotiator, Stemmermann might have called the leading officer and sent the other party back to the original meeting point. But since today's negotiator was Sokov, Stemmerman was particularly attentive. Not only did he personally send Sokov out of the tent, he also called his adjutant and ordered the other party to bring a platoon of people to escort him. Sokov returned to the receiving point.
After arriving at the connection point, Sokov met with his men and immediately ordered to drive to the front army headquarters. He planned to report the details of tonight's negotiations to Konev in person.
Hearing that Sokov planned to go to the front army headquarters, Koshkin reminded him: "Comrade Commander, it is too late now and the road is not easy. I am worried about what danger I will encounter. It is better to go back to the headquarters directly. Just report to General Konev by phone."
Koshkin's suggestion moved Sokov. For a moment, he almost ordered the other party to return to the army headquarters and report to Konev by phone there. But then I thought about it, some things couldn't be explained clearly on the phone, so it would be safer to report them in person.
