The hope of lifting the siege is becoming more and more dim, and the airlift of materials is far from meeting the requirements. Morale among Paulus's men gradually declined. This was perceived by the Soviets. Stalin himself had great hopes for the possibility of German surrender.
As early as December 11, at the beginning of the encirclement, the Soviets shot down a group of German aircraft and captured 34 pilots, and Stalin got the news and asked the commander of the Tangtang Front, Yelyommenko, to personally accompany the prisoners to dinner, and then send them to persuade Paulus to surrender. However, the pilots, fearing being shot by Paulus, refused to go.
Since then, the Soviets have continued to try to negotiate with Paulus through various channels. The propaganda offensive against the lower German officers and men was also intensified. The Soviets would even release some German prisoners of war and give them a little bread and bacon to go back and persuade them to surrender. Paulus realized that the abduction campaign might shake the hearts of the army. Determined to maintain morale by force.
On December 24, The Eve of Christmas Day, when it was confirmed that no breakout could be made, Paulus issued a special order (notification to Company). Instead of nagging nonsense about honor and heroism, he bluntly warned all the officers and men that those who surrendered could only end up in two ways: either executed or sent to a prisoner-of-war camp in Siberia to starve, freeze to death, or be tortured to death. "There is only one way out: to finish the last bullet in the cold and hunger, and to fight to the last breath. All negotiations should be rejected, ignored, and their emissaries driven away with firepower. Our hopes will rest on the troops who are coming to the rescue. At the end of the order, Paulus once again assured that "the day of salvation is not far away."