Stupid Luck and Happenstance.
- Thread starter Peabody-Martini
- Start date
You know, somehow in this paranoid hell of Stalin's, I could see this guy being one of the warlords vying for power:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erich_Mielke
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erich_Mielke
What has happened in this timeline is mind boggling, the implications are beyond anything that I can comprehend.
Everything from the OTL is now sideways.
Germany in OTL after the Treaty of Versailles deliberately inflated their currency so they could pay off the reparations earlier, and we know what came next (Stumpy).
Today in OTL Germany, there is a morbid fear of anything approaching the hint of inflation.
ITTL Germany the left is going to want the foreign debt repudiated and the American people who bought Imperial War Bonds are not going to happy about it.
The left is also going to want the monarchy abolished by claiming if Kira wasn't the Empress, then the war would not have happened.
The right is going to want to impose massive reparations on the Russian people and that includes the Ukrainians and the Belarusian people.
The right on the domestic front is going to want to cut taxes for the rich and impose austerity on the German people in regard to social spending.
The right may try to use Anti-Semitic rhetoric in blaming any downturn in the economy on the "Others".
In America, the lesson was that in OTL isolationism led to war and that the United States must be engaged in the world.
ITTL the lesson is, not only does isolation works, it is also very profitable.
Everything from the OTL is now sideways.
Germany in OTL after the Treaty of Versailles deliberately inflated their currency so they could pay off the reparations earlier, and we know what came next (Stumpy).
Today in OTL Germany, there is a morbid fear of anything approaching the hint of inflation.
ITTL Germany the left is going to want the foreign debt repudiated and the American people who bought Imperial War Bonds are not going to happy about it.
The left is also going to want the monarchy abolished by claiming if Kira wasn't the Empress, then the war would not have happened.
The right is going to want to impose massive reparations on the Russian people and that includes the Ukrainians and the Belarusian people.
The right on the domestic front is going to want to cut taxes for the rich and impose austerity on the German people in regard to social spending.
The right may try to use Anti-Semitic rhetoric in blaming any downturn in the economy on the "Others".
In America, the lesson was that in OTL isolationism led to war and that the United States must be engaged in the world.
ITTL the lesson is, not only does isolation works, it is also very profitable.
[0] Not Bloody Likely. Something like that would make Germany a pariah nation and she needs foreign trade. In the worse case the US government would freeze Germany's funds until the bondholders were repaid.
[1] Also Not Bloody Likely. I think the monarchy has proven itself to be a positive force.
[2] Probably. Dunno if they can get away with it.
[3] Again, Not Bloody Likely. Germany's socalistic support system has been in effect long enough for it to be sacrosanct. "You rich bastards want to cut taxes for yourselves and balance that by cutting benefits for everyone else? Or ignoring the maintenance on the country's infrastructure? I think you have made a grevious error, sir." My estimation is that the German Reichstag isn't in thrall to the top 10% like the US Congress is and the electorate will break their power for generations if they try something like that.
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Well, yes, but their image to the rest of the world this time around is less Arsenal of Democracy and more 'War Profiteers'. Worse if they salvage the Japanese Unit 731 again (which they might).
Good lord, no. Outside of any immediate consequences, that would mean that no foreign nation will ever buy Imperial Bonds again, without one heck of an interest rate. That's amazingly shortsighted, even for politicians.
That ACTUALLY, may be here the kind of idiotic stunt that would bring a sort of Cold War between the nascent European Allies and the US....
How the hell would an isolationist USA not involved in the Pacific War even hear about an obscure unit based in China, let alone get near them?
Hell, who would WANT to take over at this point? Russia's pretty close to losing, I'd be fore focused on getting out ASAP.
Well, In every family and country there is an idiot who thinks that what normally shouldn't be touched with a 10 foot pole its actually something useful to play with.
Add the likely deployment of German Nukes in Japan to end the War in the Asian Front, and the North Americans would be initially scrambling scared shitless amongst the Army and the Navy, as the new German Super Weapon suddenly makes the entire American industrial, resources and numerical advantages meaningless.
Have a big fleet? WHAM.... Goodbye big fleet, leaving your adversary's fleet free to advance unopposed. Same with the Army..... this from the mental view of the Americans ITTL.
In this kind of scenario, what would be the frantic response amongst some in the leadership of the US Armed Forces and the Government?
To get an advantage, a COUNTER of your own, as quickly as possible, as at the same time you attempt to replicate the German Nukes.
... and with the potential offer of Japanese Officers, willing to offer their services to the Nation that "honorably supported their struggle"(And can take them away from the In-Absentia Death Sentences that the European Allies slapped upon the entire Unit 731) in addition to a WMD that the US can quickly produce and deploy.....
WHAT do you think that the Americans will do?
Oh boy... I really need to make my posts clearer.
My hypothesis is that the KPD is basically finished as viable political party and the former party members are going to the SDP.
This will push the SDP to the left.
OTL and ITTL the KPD and the SDP were mortal enemies and Chancellor Lang is more of a political centrist then the left wing of the SDP was comfortable with.
What the left wants to do is more like a wish list for their followers than an actual plan.
What the former members of the KPD wants to do more than anything is to destroy "Langism" then to win elections and there are politicians in the SPD left wing who ate willing to team up with the former KPD members to bring down Lang.
Think of it more like OTL 1972 Democratic Party with McGovern and 1983 Labour Party with Tony Benin.
My hypothesis is that the KPD is basically finished as viable political party and the former party members are going to the SDP.
This will push the SDP to the left.
OTL and ITTL the KPD and the SDP were mortal enemies and Chancellor Lang is more of a political centrist then the left wing of the SDP was comfortable with.
What the left wants to do is more like a wish list for their followers than an actual plan.
What the former members of the KPD wants to do more than anything is to destroy "Langism" then to win elections and there are politicians in the SPD left wing who ate willing to team up with the former KPD members to bring down Lang.
Think of it more like OTL 1972 Democratic Party with McGovern and 1983 Labour Party with Tony Benin.
there is one problem with that hypothesis: you are assuming that the left wing of the SPD has sufficient influence on internal party politics to make that happen. I don't believe that this is the case, because the SPD has been flying high on a centre slightly left platform for decades and been under the leadership of centrists like Ebert, Scheideman and Lang. I'd say most of those "real" left wingers have jumped ship in that time and joined the KPD.You can also bet that the party base isN't going to meekly accept the former KPD members swamping into the SPD and trying to take over. If the former KPD members try this, its far more likely that Lang and his followers would split, taking most of the voters with them, than the KPD ever succeeding in taking over when the SPD isn't facing electoral troubles. Of course, that's assuming they even let them join... which i doubt will happen if the "wishlist" dogma continues to be espoused by those same "reformed" communists.
Also, @Peabody-Martini , found this gem of a story last week and have been reading it in bsaically one go, the narrative depth and how you manage to detail the background without exponentially expanding the PoV characters was inspiring, can't wait to see how this version of WWII concludes. Another thing: considering how short the time has been since you started posting this, my complements on how long this story has gotten and how you#ve kept up the high frequency of updates
Part 33, Chapter 399
Chapter Three Hundred Ninety-Nine
21st July 1944
Berlin
To James Clark it felt like the whole world was holding its breath. Moscow had been effectively encircled and it was being systematically leveled. The encirclement was not complete with the Ivankovo Reservoir making that extremely difficult to accomplish but no one was going to escape out of the narrow corridor that was still open. The way was choked with refugees and German Army Group North had been monitoring who had attempted to leave the city. They had already scooped up several high profile Soviet Officials that way. Army Group South was massing south of Moscow and the attack across the Moskva river into Central Moscow at any moment.
According to the remaining personnel in the US Embassy artillery shells were raining down upon most Moscow with certain exceptions. The Lubyanka Building, the headquarters of the NKVD was still intact as was the Kremlin itself. The rest of the city was getting blasted to pieces. There were reports on what 42cm shells did to buildings and the people who lived in them and James found himself appalled by it, civilians were getting ground to hamburger. What was left of the Soviet Government was riven with infighting and there was a serious question as to whether or not anyone remained who had enough authority to surrender the city. It was as if he was staring into some hellish alternate reality where civilization had ceased to exist.
Moscow
Doug Blackwood was back. As soon as Hans saw him walking into the building that the Company was camped out in for the last couple days he knew that the wait was nearing an end. The 4th Division had been waiting on the edge of Moscow for rest of the 2nd Army to catch up. Most of the Regiment had swiftly discovered that playing cards with the men of the Irish Regiment was not a particularly good idea because gambling was a blood sport to them. Drinking and fighting were considered part of the fun. To no one’s surprise, Jost and Henrik had found the Irish Regiment to be a second home.
The presence of Doug usually meant that all Hell was about to break loose. Again, that wasn’t a surprise. The shells that had been flying overhead nonstop for the entire time they had been there made it clear enough what was going to happen.
“Looking for the next big score?” Hans asked Doug as soon as he was in ear shot.
“Already got one yesterday” Doug said, “Stalin and Molotov sitting in a jail cell surrounded by armed guards.”
“Sounds like a thing of beauty” Hans said.
“Oh, it was” Doug replied. Hans noticed that Doug didn’t seem too pleased by that.
“Anything else going on?”
“It was in Stupino” Doug answered, “Kat was supposedly around and she had to have been aware that I was there but not a word from her.”
“I’m sure she’s busy” Hans said. That was true enough, but not the whole truth. Hans was surprised that Doug had lasted as long as he had. More than likely Kat had just not wanted to be alone at dinner. She had agreed to go out with Doug a few times and probably had fun talking to him but had absolutely no intention of doing anything more than that. Hans might be wrong but it wasn’t the first time that his sister had unceremoniously kicked someone out of her life without explanation. It was just who she was and Hans doubted that she would ever mention her motivations to him or anyone else for that matter.
“You’re right” Doug said, “I’m sure she’ll get back to me eventually.”
“Yeah” Hans said. But I wouldn’t hold my breath, he left unsaid.
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The 6th Division was waiting for the go ahead order along with the rest of the 3rd Army. They had been the first to reach the invisible line just outside the city and Horst had noticed that doing so had made the desired changes in the Division. He had arranged for hot food, mail and the other small things that were luxuries in the field to get to them first as a reward while they waited. His impression was that the 6th had enjoyed a middling reputation throughout the war now they had newsreel camera crews around. They had been the first to reach Moscow and the whole Heer knew it.
It all reminded Horst of when the 140th had taken Souville Hill effectively winning Verdun or the 4th Division charging in behind von Wolvogle’s Panzers at Ussy. They had become heroes and no one could ever take that from them.
Tonight, Horst was working his way down the line, talking to the men. He had a reputation as a hard ass but now they did too. He was more than happy to share a brief word, perhaps an off-color joke or two with them. Predictably word had gotten around that they had proven themselves to him. Horst’s response had been to let them know that that was yet to be seen. He played the role that was expected of him knowing that he was going to ask these men who’d already done a lot to do something that he shouldn’t ask anyone to do.
Urban warfare was the worst sort of brutal grinding sort imaginable. While the Allied armies had massed outside the city what was left of the Soviet State had been fighting for control inside it. The reason for this was that the inverse pyramid power structure that had rested entirely upon the office of the General-Secretary had collapsed, the result was a bloody free for all. Horst was aware that the instant the first Soldaten entered the city then the various factions would suddenly remember that they have a common enemy.
Just after midnight the assault guns moved into place, mostly they were the ubiquitous Stugs that were the standard armored vehicle for fire support throughout the Heer. It was said that there were more of those than any other AFV.
At 6 AM local time on Saturday, the 22nd of July 1944, elements of Army Group West and Army Group South began a broad push into Moscow. The final battle for the city had begun.
21st July 1944
Berlin
To James Clark it felt like the whole world was holding its breath. Moscow had been effectively encircled and it was being systematically leveled. The encirclement was not complete with the Ivankovo Reservoir making that extremely difficult to accomplish but no one was going to escape out of the narrow corridor that was still open. The way was choked with refugees and German Army Group North had been monitoring who had attempted to leave the city. They had already scooped up several high profile Soviet Officials that way. Army Group South was massing south of Moscow and the attack across the Moskva river into Central Moscow at any moment.
According to the remaining personnel in the US Embassy artillery shells were raining down upon most Moscow with certain exceptions. The Lubyanka Building, the headquarters of the NKVD was still intact as was the Kremlin itself. The rest of the city was getting blasted to pieces. There were reports on what 42cm shells did to buildings and the people who lived in them and James found himself appalled by it, civilians were getting ground to hamburger. What was left of the Soviet Government was riven with infighting and there was a serious question as to whether or not anyone remained who had enough authority to surrender the city. It was as if he was staring into some hellish alternate reality where civilization had ceased to exist.
Moscow
Doug Blackwood was back. As soon as Hans saw him walking into the building that the Company was camped out in for the last couple days he knew that the wait was nearing an end. The 4th Division had been waiting on the edge of Moscow for rest of the 2nd Army to catch up. Most of the Regiment had swiftly discovered that playing cards with the men of the Irish Regiment was not a particularly good idea because gambling was a blood sport to them. Drinking and fighting were considered part of the fun. To no one’s surprise, Jost and Henrik had found the Irish Regiment to be a second home.
The presence of Doug usually meant that all Hell was about to break loose. Again, that wasn’t a surprise. The shells that had been flying overhead nonstop for the entire time they had been there made it clear enough what was going to happen.
“Looking for the next big score?” Hans asked Doug as soon as he was in ear shot.
“Already got one yesterday” Doug said, “Stalin and Molotov sitting in a jail cell surrounded by armed guards.”
“Sounds like a thing of beauty” Hans said.
“Oh, it was” Doug replied. Hans noticed that Doug didn’t seem too pleased by that.
“Anything else going on?”
“It was in Stupino” Doug answered, “Kat was supposedly around and she had to have been aware that I was there but not a word from her.”
“I’m sure she’s busy” Hans said. That was true enough, but not the whole truth. Hans was surprised that Doug had lasted as long as he had. More than likely Kat had just not wanted to be alone at dinner. She had agreed to go out with Doug a few times and probably had fun talking to him but had absolutely no intention of doing anything more than that. Hans might be wrong but it wasn’t the first time that his sister had unceremoniously kicked someone out of her life without explanation. It was just who she was and Hans doubted that she would ever mention her motivations to him or anyone else for that matter.
“You’re right” Doug said, “I’m sure she’ll get back to me eventually.”
“Yeah” Hans said. But I wouldn’t hold my breath, he left unsaid.
----------------------------------------------------------------
The 6th Division was waiting for the go ahead order along with the rest of the 3rd Army. They had been the first to reach the invisible line just outside the city and Horst had noticed that doing so had made the desired changes in the Division. He had arranged for hot food, mail and the other small things that were luxuries in the field to get to them first as a reward while they waited. His impression was that the 6th had enjoyed a middling reputation throughout the war now they had newsreel camera crews around. They had been the first to reach Moscow and the whole Heer knew it.
It all reminded Horst of when the 140th had taken Souville Hill effectively winning Verdun or the 4th Division charging in behind von Wolvogle’s Panzers at Ussy. They had become heroes and no one could ever take that from them.
Tonight, Horst was working his way down the line, talking to the men. He had a reputation as a hard ass but now they did too. He was more than happy to share a brief word, perhaps an off-color joke or two with them. Predictably word had gotten around that they had proven themselves to him. Horst’s response had been to let them know that that was yet to be seen. He played the role that was expected of him knowing that he was going to ask these men who’d already done a lot to do something that he shouldn’t ask anyone to do.
Urban warfare was the worst sort of brutal grinding sort imaginable. While the Allied armies had massed outside the city what was left of the Soviet State had been fighting for control inside it. The reason for this was that the inverse pyramid power structure that had rested entirely upon the office of the General-Secretary had collapsed, the result was a bloody free for all. Horst was aware that the instant the first Soldaten entered the city then the various factions would suddenly remember that they have a common enemy.
Just after midnight the assault guns moved into place, mostly they were the ubiquitous Stugs that were the standard armored vehicle for fire support throughout the Heer. It was said that there were more of those than any other AFV.
At 6 AM local time on Saturday, the 22nd of July 1944, elements of Army Group West and Army Group South began a broad push into Moscow. The final battle for the city had begun.
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I don't think Lang will have problems winning the elections.
He is still the leader of a victorious Germany, and this time it didn't take the ruinous price in men and the virtual destruction of Germany's economy to achieve it. Also, he's not known to be as bombastic, imperialistic and hawkish as, say Winston Churchill, so he's still the man who led Germany to victory over the murderous Soviets, who made it easy ITTL to show them as an unequivocal 'evil' enemy. Assassinations, attacking neighboring countries, attacking Germany itself, engineering the Ukrainian famine, political purges, etc. Hell, if they would have conducted Holocaust-like ethnic purges, they would basically achieve some kind of Villainous Bingo.
He just needs to remind people of that. Newsreels with "Why we fight", newspapers showing communist atrocities, also underlining the Russians as victims of a murderous regime, the movie with the murder of last the Romanovs, easing up on rationing, etc. Also, when the Soviet War troops return home, a Sieg Tag (Victory Day) for the populace, parades, speeches about how great and wonderful our boys were, etc. I don't see real problems for him to get reelected.
The Far Left and the Far Right are still discredited (for real or imaginary connections with Moscow, and enacting a Putsch during wartime respectively), so only other centre candidates will be viable, and few, if any, can show a CV at least half as impressive.
He is still the leader of a victorious Germany, and this time it didn't take the ruinous price in men and the virtual destruction of Germany's economy to achieve it. Also, he's not known to be as bombastic, imperialistic and hawkish as, say Winston Churchill, so he's still the man who led Germany to victory over the murderous Soviets, who made it easy ITTL to show them as an unequivocal 'evil' enemy. Assassinations, attacking neighboring countries, attacking Germany itself, engineering the Ukrainian famine, political purges, etc. Hell, if they would have conducted Holocaust-like ethnic purges, they would basically achieve some kind of Villainous Bingo.
He just needs to remind people of that. Newsreels with "Why we fight", newspapers showing communist atrocities, also underlining the Russians as victims of a murderous regime, the movie with the murder of last the Romanovs, easing up on rationing, etc. Also, when the Soviet War troops return home, a Sieg Tag (Victory Day) for the populace, parades, speeches about how great and wonderful our boys were, etc. I don't see real problems for him to get reelected.
The Far Left and the Far Right are still discredited (for real or imaginary connections with Moscow, and enacting a Putsch during wartime respectively), so only other centre candidates will be viable, and few, if any, can show a CV at least half as impressive.
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Part 34, Chapter 400
Chapter Four Hundred
25th July 1944
Moscow
Most of the Company had seen death in all of its forms over the course of this war. As always it was the absurd one in a million shots that got to everyone. Henrik had caught a sliver of shrapnel the size of a finger nail in his head. A few centimeters in any direction and it probably wouldn’t have hurt him seriously. Instead it had passed through the gap between the top of his vest and the rim of the back of his helmet. Oberfeld Henrik Wirth had gone through Spain, Poland, Ukraine and Russia and had never gotten so much as a scratch in dozens of firefights and battles. Now here, with the end of this war just a matter of hours away he had a tiny metal sliver from a mortar shell punch through the back of his head, killing him instantly.
Of the Squad that had started the war it was down to Hans, Jost and Soren. All of them had suffered various injuries along the way. Rudy was still alive but obviously he was never coming back. It was fitting with what they had heard. That even before this latest battle the casualty rate in the 140th Regiment was well over a 100 percent. The next day Jost and Soren were killing time and talking about it.
“Halfway expecting him to turn up any second arranging a crooked game of cards, a stupid bet or get rich quick scheme” Jost said.
Soren snorted at that, “May he get to Heaven before the Devil knows he’s dead” he said, “That’s what the Irish said when they found out.”
“That’s actually pretty good” Jost replied.
The two of them were passing a bottle of homebrew vodka between them. At this point it was a waiting game. They were north of the Moskva river somewhere east of Red Square and Hans had told them if they made themselves scarce he wouldn’t ask them to do anything. The Brass had made Hans' command of the Company permanent by promoting him to Hauptmann at a time when all there was left to do was the mop up. Jost had a feeling that what they were doing was happening all over the city. Search and Avoid.
Jost heard the click of the camera’s shutter before he saw Douglas Blackwood. He figured that he ought to be pissed with Doug for taking that picture but he realized that Doug had just as much a right to be there as Jost and Soren did. The civilian photojournalist had come with them all the way from Poland. That was much to Jost’s annoyance.
“Heard that the Freiin kicked you to the curb” Jost said.
“No” Doug said, “I just haven’t heard from her is all and it’s not like we were ever an item. I just had dinner with her a few times.”
Jost looked at Doug speculatively. “Soren and I have known Kat since she was thirteen” He said, “She develops feelings for a guy and she gets scared and loses him before anything can happen. Did you know that?”
“No, I didn’t” Doug said, looking surprised.
Jost just shrugged. “It happens” he said.
With that Doug scampered off and Jost was deeply amused.
“You think that was funny?” Soren snapped, “She dumps guys because she thinks that they might be developing feelings for her. What do you think is going to happen when Doug pesters her?”
They had both heard Hans talking about that in the past.
Jost listened to that with an evil grin, “You’d think he’d have stopped listening to me by now.”
“Hans wasn’t an Officer the last time you played these stupid games” Soren said, “Messing with the CO’s sister is a stupid move.”
“Yeah, so what” Jost replied.
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Horst didn’t even want to think of the repair bill as he saw the gaps in the walls of the Kremlin and the shell holes pockmarking Red Square. Effort had been made not to damage this place but that was easier said than done. He was standing there with a Regiment of his men. There were several other Regiments representing other Divisions and Nations filling the Square. Everyone who had been involved had wanted to be here today as the helicopters landed. The men who were getting off the helicopters looked like a tough bunch. He had heard of the SKA but few in the front-line units had ever seen them. They were an offshoot of the Fallschirmjäger Corps, only crazier. You would have to be to take on the Russians in Russia while that was hundreds of kilometers behind enemy lines and the only gear you had was what was brought with you.
The SKA formed up protectively around Field Marshal von Wolvogle as he got off the helicopter. They were taking no chances. Word was that Red Square was covered by their own snipers and the ones in the square were armed to the teeth. To Horst’s surprise a young woman was walking next to von Wolvogle wearing the field uniform of the Fallschirmjäger Corps, a machine pistol in her hands as she scanned the assembled crowd for trouble. There had been stories about who that was but aside from a few photographs few had actually laid eyes on her. Horst had heard of Freiherrin von Mischner because his daughter idolized her. He would have to tell Nizhoni about this the next time he saw her.
That was when the Russian delegation made their way out from Spasskaya Tower. Vasily Dzhugashvili lacked his father’s stature and he was way too young to hold the rank of a General in the Russian Air Force which was the uniform that he wore. After Stalin had been captured what had remained of Red Army’s Command and the NKVD had gotten into a self-destructive power struggle that had led to open fighting. Vasily had won by default as the more prominent leaders had eliminated each other or fled. All he had won was the dubious privilege of being the one to surrender the city to the Pan-European forces that had been besieging it.
As had been arranged Vasily handed his pistol to von Wolvogle and saluted. The look on his face was one of heartbreak as the old General accepted it and retuned the salute. Even the dilatant sons of tyrants could love their country, Horst thought to himself. Wolvogle’s face was unreadable.
With that the white, blue and red tricolor flag of Russia was raised over the city, evidence that the German Heer was there to liberate rather than conquer. Horst didn’t doubt that difficult and dangerous days were still ahead but this was possibly the most triumphant moment of his career.
25th July 1944
Moscow
Most of the Company had seen death in all of its forms over the course of this war. As always it was the absurd one in a million shots that got to everyone. Henrik had caught a sliver of shrapnel the size of a finger nail in his head. A few centimeters in any direction and it probably wouldn’t have hurt him seriously. Instead it had passed through the gap between the top of his vest and the rim of the back of his helmet. Oberfeld Henrik Wirth had gone through Spain, Poland, Ukraine and Russia and had never gotten so much as a scratch in dozens of firefights and battles. Now here, with the end of this war just a matter of hours away he had a tiny metal sliver from a mortar shell punch through the back of his head, killing him instantly.
Of the Squad that had started the war it was down to Hans, Jost and Soren. All of them had suffered various injuries along the way. Rudy was still alive but obviously he was never coming back. It was fitting with what they had heard. That even before this latest battle the casualty rate in the 140th Regiment was well over a 100 percent. The next day Jost and Soren were killing time and talking about it.
“Halfway expecting him to turn up any second arranging a crooked game of cards, a stupid bet or get rich quick scheme” Jost said.
Soren snorted at that, “May he get to Heaven before the Devil knows he’s dead” he said, “That’s what the Irish said when they found out.”
“That’s actually pretty good” Jost replied.
The two of them were passing a bottle of homebrew vodka between them. At this point it was a waiting game. They were north of the Moskva river somewhere east of Red Square and Hans had told them if they made themselves scarce he wouldn’t ask them to do anything. The Brass had made Hans' command of the Company permanent by promoting him to Hauptmann at a time when all there was left to do was the mop up. Jost had a feeling that what they were doing was happening all over the city. Search and Avoid.
Jost heard the click of the camera’s shutter before he saw Douglas Blackwood. He figured that he ought to be pissed with Doug for taking that picture but he realized that Doug had just as much a right to be there as Jost and Soren did. The civilian photojournalist had come with them all the way from Poland. That was much to Jost’s annoyance.
“Heard that the Freiin kicked you to the curb” Jost said.
“No” Doug said, “I just haven’t heard from her is all and it’s not like we were ever an item. I just had dinner with her a few times.”
Jost looked at Doug speculatively. “Soren and I have known Kat since she was thirteen” He said, “She develops feelings for a guy and she gets scared and loses him before anything can happen. Did you know that?”
“No, I didn’t” Doug said, looking surprised.
Jost just shrugged. “It happens” he said.
With that Doug scampered off and Jost was deeply amused.
“You think that was funny?” Soren snapped, “She dumps guys because she thinks that they might be developing feelings for her. What do you think is going to happen when Doug pesters her?”
They had both heard Hans talking about that in the past.
Jost listened to that with an evil grin, “You’d think he’d have stopped listening to me by now.”
“Hans wasn’t an Officer the last time you played these stupid games” Soren said, “Messing with the CO’s sister is a stupid move.”
“Yeah, so what” Jost replied.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Horst didn’t even want to think of the repair bill as he saw the gaps in the walls of the Kremlin and the shell holes pockmarking Red Square. Effort had been made not to damage this place but that was easier said than done. He was standing there with a Regiment of his men. There were several other Regiments representing other Divisions and Nations filling the Square. Everyone who had been involved had wanted to be here today as the helicopters landed. The men who were getting off the helicopters looked like a tough bunch. He had heard of the SKA but few in the front-line units had ever seen them. They were an offshoot of the Fallschirmjäger Corps, only crazier. You would have to be to take on the Russians in Russia while that was hundreds of kilometers behind enemy lines and the only gear you had was what was brought with you.
The SKA formed up protectively around Field Marshal von Wolvogle as he got off the helicopter. They were taking no chances. Word was that Red Square was covered by their own snipers and the ones in the square were armed to the teeth. To Horst’s surprise a young woman was walking next to von Wolvogle wearing the field uniform of the Fallschirmjäger Corps, a machine pistol in her hands as she scanned the assembled crowd for trouble. There had been stories about who that was but aside from a few photographs few had actually laid eyes on her. Horst had heard of Freiherrin von Mischner because his daughter idolized her. He would have to tell Nizhoni about this the next time he saw her.
That was when the Russian delegation made their way out from Spasskaya Tower. Vasily Dzhugashvili lacked his father’s stature and he was way too young to hold the rank of a General in the Russian Air Force which was the uniform that he wore. After Stalin had been captured what had remained of Red Army’s Command and the NKVD had gotten into a self-destructive power struggle that had led to open fighting. Vasily had won by default as the more prominent leaders had eliminated each other or fled. All he had won was the dubious privilege of being the one to surrender the city to the Pan-European forces that had been besieging it.
As had been arranged Vasily handed his pistol to von Wolvogle and saluted. The look on his face was one of heartbreak as the old General accepted it and retuned the salute. Even the dilatant sons of tyrants could love their country, Horst thought to himself. Wolvogle’s face was unreadable.
With that the white, blue and red tricolor flag of Russia was raised over the city, evidence that the German Heer was there to liberate rather than conquer. Horst didn’t doubt that difficult and dangerous days were still ahead but this was possibly the most triumphant moment of his career.
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