The Rise Of Australasia-Chapter 1241 - 920 Execution by Shooting

Chapter 1241: Chapter 920: Execution by Shooting

Chapter 1241 -920: Execution by Shooting

As the President of the Russian Government, Stalin, of course, had also received the news that the Western Front Army of Russia had been encircled by the German Army. It’s worth mentioning that such news actually came from a German broadcast radio station, rather than from the Western Front Army or military reports.

This greatly astonished Stalin, and he immediately called Zhukov to inquire about the situation of Pavlov’s Western Front Army.

Where was Pavlov at this time? Pavlov was currently at the position in Białystok, commanding the Russian 10th Army Group in the defense against the German Army’s offensive.

When Zhukov asked Pavlov how the Western Front Army was doing, Pavlov gave an answer that showed he was not informed.

As the Commander of the Western Front Army, Pavlov’s reply was undoubtedly unsatisfactory and deeply disappointed Zhukov.

Immediately thereafter, Zhukov continued to inquire whether the news from the German broadcast radio station was true. Pavlov’s response was uncertain, but it probably was.

Quite a “probably”!

Zhukov was almost amused with anger. He directly hung up the phone with Pavlov and conveyed all of the above conversation to Stalin.

Only then did Pavlov understand the gravity of the situation. While he was still resolutely resisting the German frontal attack, the German armored forces he had looked down upon had already crushed the bulk of the Western Front Army from behind.

On the other hand, Stalin, upon learning the news, was extremely infuriated.

He couldn’t believe that the Western Front Army under Pavlov’s command could have lost so completely in such a short period, and even the main forces had already been encircled by the Germans.

What was even more unbelievable to Stalin was that Pavlov, whom he had trusted, showed utter incompetence in this war, and wasn’t even aware of the states of the various army groups under his command.

Although part of the reason for this was the Germans destroying the Russian army’s communication systems, Stalin did not believe that an army of hundreds of thousands would completely lose contact after the phones went down.

Moreover, the distance between Białystok and the location where the rear Western Front Army was attacked was only a few dozen kilometers.

If only Pavlov had predicted the possibility of an attack from behind, the Western Front Army would not have ended up being encircled.

Stalin’s anger was just a fleeting emotion because he had no good solution for Pavlov, who was currently in Białystok.

At present, the retreat path of the Western Front Army had already been cut off by the Germans. Even if Stalin wanted to recall Pavlov for questioning, he would have to wait until Pavlov led his troops to a successful breakthrough.

If Pavlov failed to break through, there would be no need for Stalin to judge him, as the Germans would capture him first.

Thinking that Pavlov and other senior officers of the Western Front Army might be captured by the Germans, Stalin’s anger intensified even more.

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Pavlov’s military rank was that of a General, which is already a very high rank in the Russian officer system. Only a Marshal would clearly outrank him, indicating that if Pavlov were captured by the Germans, it would be a significant blow to the Russians’ conduct of the war.

“Tell that damned man to resist firmly!” Stalin said to Zhukov with a somber expression, “I do not want the Germans capturing our senior officers, nor do I want him to become the first Russian officer to be captured.

Tell him what he should do. If he truly cannot resist any longer, I hope he will honor the code of Russian officers and not simply cling to life burdened with his own sins.”

Stalin’s words were conveyed to Pavlov exactly as spoken, which also reflected the entire Russian Government’s expectation for the Western Front Army’s headquarters: to fight to the death.

Compared to the capture of the Western Front Army’s senior officers, it’s clear that the Western Front Army’s fighting to the last man better served Russian interests.

If it’s the former, the blow to the Russian military’s morale is undeniable. A major officer being captured just after the war started is not something a powerful nation should experience.

Of course, for the Russian Government and the Supreme Command at this time, whether Pavlov would fight to the death was no longer important.

Most of the Western Front Army had already been encircled, a total force of 650,000 men. After these losses, not only would the Polish region occupied by Russia be wide open, but even Ukraine and the Minsk region would face the threat of the Germans.

A few days later, some good news came. Parts of the remnants of the Western Front Army’s fourth and tenth Army Groups broke out from Grodno, including members of the headquarters of the Western Front Army, among them General Pavlov.

But this wasn’t good news for the Russian Government or Stalin. After this remnant force withdrew, the Russian military presence in the Polish region dwindled to nearly nothing, and the gateway to Minsk, Baranovichi, was left with just a single division’s strength.

In the face of hundreds of thousands of German troops, this single division seemed so frail and vulnerable, easily described as defenseless.

And as for Pavlov, who had successfully escaped back to the domestic territory, Stalin’s reaction was just two words: furious, extremely furious!

After returning to the capital city, Moscow, the first to meet Pavlov was Marshal Timoshenko.

Upon seeing the Marshal, Pavlov, looking anxious and uneasy, asked, “Comrade Marshal, do I still need to give you a report?”