This is Jocco podcast number 109 with echo Charles and me, Jocco Willink.

Good evening, Echo. Good evening. One September 1942, the Army in the field.

Comrade fighters, commanders and political workers, heroic defenders of

Stalingrad. The bitter fighting for the city of Stalingrad has been raging for

months. The Germans have lost hundreds of tanks and planes. Hitler's brutalized

hordes are advancing towards Stalingrad and the Volga over mountains of dead

bodies of their own men and officers. Our Bolshevik Party, our nation, our great

country have given us the task not to let the enemy reach the Volga to defend

the city of Stalingrad. The defense of Stalingrad is of decisive importance for the

whole Soviet front. Without sparing our strength and with scorn for death we

shall defy the Germans the way to the Volga and not give up Stalingrad. Each one of

us must bear in mind that the capture of Stalingrad by the Germans and their

advance to the Volga will give our enemies new strength and weaken our own

forces. Not one step back. The war council expects unlimited courage,

tenacity and heroism in the fight with the on-rushing enemy from all the

fighters, commanders and political workers from all the defenders of

Stalingrad. The enemy must and will be smashed on the approaches to Stalingrad.

Forward against the enemy up into the unremitting battle comrades for

Stalingrad for our great country death to the German invader.

So that is a clearly a note from the general on the ground. The member of the

war council of the Stalingrad and southwest front lieutenant general Khrushchev

sent to the troops obviously that were preparing to defend Stalingrad. Now there

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