“For what has happened today has been unparalleled in human history. A force of bombers took off from their airbuses in the New World and crossed the Atlantic Ocean to bring death and destruction upon our enemies. And what death and destruction they brought with them. They have unleashed the mighty power of the atom on Germany and have removed it from the map of nations. Even at a time when we, the British people, were quite alone, desperately alone, and poorly armed our American Cousins stood by us. Even though we are not so poorly armed today; we still have cause to be grateful for the immeasurable power of the air attack that has beaten upon our enemies.
“I expect you are beginning to feel impatient that there has been this long occupation that has lasted for years with nothing particular turning up! But we must learn to be equally good at what is short and sharp and what is long and tough, ft is generally said that the British are often better at the last. They do not expect to move from crisis to crisis; they do not always expect that each day will bring up some noble chance of war; but when they very slowly make up their minds that the thing has to be done and the job put through and finished, then, even if it takes months - if it takes years - they do it. As Kipling well says, we “meet with Triumph and Disaster. And treat those two impostors just the same.”
“We cannot tell from appearances how things will go. Sometimes imagination makes things out far worse than they are; yet without imagination not much can be done. Those people who are imaginative see many more dangers than perhaps exist; certainly many more than will happen; but then they must also pray to be given that extra courage to carry this far-reaching imagination. This is the lesson; never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never - in nothing, great or small, large or petty - never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy. We stood occupied for seven years and to many countries it seemed that our account was closed, we were finished. Yet, there was no flinching and no thought of giving in; and by what seemed almost a miracle to those outside these Islands, though we ourselves never doubted it, we now find ourselves in a position where I say that we can be sure that we have only to persevere to return peace to a shattered continent.
“Do not let us speak of darker days: let us speak rather of sterner days. These are not dark days; these are great days the greatest days our country has ever lived; and we must all thank God that we have been allowed, each of us according to our stations, to play a part in making these days memorable in the history of our race. For it is now that we must show how we differ from those whose hideous policies lead them into the abyss of nuclear destruction. Our motto must be In defeat, defiance, in victory, magnanimity. Amongst us now are many thousands of Germans whose homes no longer exist. The Germans came as conquerors, let them remain as our guests. They tried to extend the hand of conquest, let us return the hand of friendship.
“Germany has committed grave crimes but her punishment has been equally great. Now is the time for us to show the mercy they denied to their enemies, I call upon the British to take those Germans who have occupied our country into our streets and farms. To offer them a refuge from the world they did so much to create. And I call upon the Germans to accept our offer, to help us rebuild our country as we shall help you rebuild yours so that what has happened today may never happen again. There will be those, on both sides, with hardened hearts that still cry out for revenge. To these I say, go to Germany, look at where the quest for revenge will lead you.”
Churchill leaned back in his seat “That'll get them cheering.” Next to him, King George VI was starting to speak. After him, there would be a broadcast to the German troops. It wouldn't ask them to surrender, it would ask them to take advantage of the offer of refuge that was being extended to them. If it worked, the UK would be liberated without a fight. If it didn't there was always the Navy and the Marines. If they failed, there was always the B-36 and its deadly cargo.
Soldatensender Nottingham, Occupied England.
The transmissions finished, Newton put the radio station back to playing its music tape. It would last for half an hour or so then it would run out and he didn't know how to change it or where the others were kept. Leaving the studio to run out on its own, he went back to the canteen. The prisoners were sitting on the floor, guarded by two resistance women. One of them was Sally; she was staring angrily at one of the German soldiers. “What's he do?” Newton asked. “Gave me clap once” was the sharp reply. The six German women immediately shot sympathetic looks at her then started to glare at the unfortunate soldier. It wasn't funny; women in Sally's profession who infected German soldiers tended to vanish and the words “medical experiments” were whispered. Newton remembered the incident, Sally's intelligence services had been so valuable that the powers had arranged a supply of a new wonder drug called penicillin for her. It had cured the problem before it had become an issue.
Outside a whistle sounded. It was supposed to sound like an animal, in reality it sounded like a human pretending to be an animal. Newton went to the doors and kept in the shadow. There were three half-tracks outside. And one of the little German utility cars. That meant roughly a German infantry platoon. They were Wehrmacht not SS but that made little difference, Newton had no illusions about the capability of his little unit to fight regular troops. Propaganda had guerillas fighting regulars all the time. In the real world, the guerillas who tried it got cut to pieces. Newton reached into his pocket and drew out an armband. All his men had them, wearing them made them partisans. That was one mistake the IRA had made. Carry your guns openly, wear an armband and respect the rules of war. Then the Wehrmacht might do the same. The SS wouldn't but then they didn't anyway. They only obeyed Lidice Rules. But the German vehicles were still sitting there. Doing nothing.
Then, an officer came out, holding a white flag on the end of his rifle Actually it was his scarf stuck on the bayonet but the spirit was there. Newton slipped his armband on. slung the Delisle over his shoulder and went out to meet him. In the middle of the space, by the gates the two men met, eyeing each other suspiciously. Eventually the German spoke. A young man, painfully so but with the remote eyes of a veteran.
“You have heard the broadcasts?” Newton nodded. “Do you believe this can happen? Can this be so?”
Newton thought. It would be easy to say yes and it would be a lie. And the German would know it. Telling the truth was better. “It can be yes. But there is much to be forgotten and forgiven. I will say this. If peace is to come it has to start somewhere and we all have to forget. Our Prime Minister was right. If we seek revenge it will destroy us all.”
The German looked across at the radio station. “How many did you kill here?”
“Two. The guards at the gate. That could not be helped. But all the rest, military and civilian are safe in the canteen. We cannot keep prisoners, I will release them to you.” It was the right thing to say, Newton knew it as soon as he'd said it.