MTL - USSR 1941-Chapter 812 printing
Chapter 812 Printing
In fact, this propaganda operation basically does not require planning, because it does not have the same risks as other combat operations.
If there is any risk, it is that German soldiers do not believe that the propaganda is not effective.
However, this point can really be regarded as a risk, because if the propaganda effect is not ideal, it means that the Soviet army will consume troops, equipment, and supplies as usual to fight against the German troops who are fighting to the end.
For this reason, Zolotarev also showed Shulka the map of the enemy's defense line used for propaganda... The Supreme Command directly handed over this propaganda task to Zolotarev, although Mrs. Zolotarev was not in Stalingrad, But this did not affect his command of the propaganda units around Stalingrad.
The reason is that the propaganda units are often not on the front line. The low-level officers on the front line use loudspeakers to directly shout to the enemy, or just to promote and boost morale of their own troops. Senior officers are on the second line or even in the rear. They make decisions and then command Frontline propagandists execute.
Because he is not on the front line, the communication can be guaranteed, and Zolotarev can easily carry out the work of the remote control propaganda department.
Shuerka took a look at the defense line map, then frowned and handed it back to Zolotarev: "I don't know about other places, at least the Milovei line of defense is wrong!"
Trufanov took a look at the defense line map, and then laughed loudly: "They must have confused the German defense line with our defense line, and the defense line has advanced ten kilometers! If so, I think we can break into town tonight and have that fellow Manstein brought before us for questioning!"
Zolotarev took the defense map and compared it, and then cursed: "These bastards, I have already told them to follow the actual defense map!"
Usually "telling" is useless.
This is not only because the Soviets are too nervous, but also because the Propaganda Department is very exaggerated.
At the same time, the superiors and the Propaganda Department had already formed a tacit understanding: the superiors demanded that the propaganda should be based on reality, and the Propaganda Department responded, but turned around and exaggerated several times.
This is considered a normal range for them.
So, Zolotarev's simple "telling" will of course have no effect.
This made Zolotarev curse on the phone: "Actually, do you understand what the actual is? It's not bad at all!"
"Yes, Comrade Political Commissar!" Only then did the Propaganda Department truly understand what Zolotarev meant.
Then Zolotarev was still worried. He bypassed the Propaganda Department and directly contacted the various troops to obtain the defense map, and then verified it with the defense line map given by the Propaganda Department. It was finally done.
This made Zolotarev a little angry.
"I thought it was an easy task!" said Zolotarev, "but it wasted seven hours!"
Shulka knew why Zolotarev used the word "waste".
The surrender period given by Stalin was ten days.
According to Shulka's plan, it would be more effective to roll out the defense line map first and then give the surrender deadline, that is, the "amnesty order".
Needless to say what is the reason for this.
Give an amnesty first, and the German army is likely to dismiss it.
But if the defense line map is given first, the German army realizes that it is almost impossible for them to win this battle and it is impossible to break through. When they are upset about their own life and future, suddenly the "amnesty order" appears in front of them... What the hell, this is simply the nectar of a long drought, and the determination to surrender was made at that moment.
The time given by Stalin was counted from the moment he gave the order, so these more than seven hours were a waste.
But Shulka didn't care, because he thought ten days was enough, and the most important thing was the countdown time.
For example, if the Germans are given ten days, they will usually persist until the last few days, and finally choose to surrender helplessly when they know that there is no hope and no improvement.
If you give the Germans three days, it is almost the same.
However, Zolotarev and others feel that time is life, and the longer the time, the greater the results of the battle. Therefore, after confirming the defense line map, it will be sent to Znamensk for printing immediately... Znamensk is the Soviet Union. The army supports the advance base of Stalingrad. Almost all supplies are sent here first and then sent across the Volga River to Stalingrad, even the troops.
Of course, the Propaganda Department will also prepare printing equipment here to provide propaganda materials for the front line... This is of course, because if there is no printing equipment in Znamensk, it needs to be printed elsewhere and sent to the front line.
Not only will there be a delay in time, but it will also waste precious transportation capacity... These transportation capacities could have been used to transport food, equipment and ammunition, but they are used to transport leaflets, and they are still large quantities of leaflets, which is obviously extremely inappropriate. Cost-effective.
Therefore, the Soviet army always followed the printing equipment wherever the front line was... The Soviet army always attached importance to propaganda, and printing equipment was the weapon of political workers on another battlefield.
Then, the paper is produced locally, and after the leaflets are printed, they can be thrown into enemy-occupied areas or distributed to their own troops in batches.
This time was no exception. Pocket-sized defense maps were quickly printed out in batches, and then transported to the front line and the airport in truckloads.
Most of them were transported to the airport, because at this time the Battle of Stalingrad had entered a fierce stage, and the German army even launched a counterattack against the Soviet army in order to stabilize its living space.
It should be said that this approach is very correct, at least for Paulus.
Because at this time, the defense line of the German 6th Army seemed to have gnawed out a piece of land in the center of the Soviet army, and the defense line of this land was very stable. The Don River was on the west, the Volga River was on the east, and the two rivers were on the north and south. The narrow passages between them, the German army has built complete fortifications in these directions.
But Stalingrad is in the middle of the German defense zone, stuck in it like a nail, and there is a continuous flow of troops and equipment across the river.
If the German Sixth Army can completely occupy Stalingrad, it will be able to connect the eastern Volga River defense line to a large extent to reduce the defensive pressure, and more importantly, it can boost morale.
The problem is that the 62nd Army is still firmly nailed to Stalingrad, no matter how the Germans attack, they will stay in the ruins without retreating a step.
In this case, it would be a great waste of transport capacity to transport printed materials across the Volga River to the German positions. On the contrary, it is more realistic and cheaper to use transport planes in large quantities at night.
(end of this chapter)