4 July 1946
Morville-sur-Neid
Multiple contacts with retreating Free French forces. One casualty taken. Commandeered four (4) Jeeps and other supplies from captured French forces.
5 July 1946
Puzieux
Stationary in wooded area all day while American forces moved through area. Believed to be members of the 158th Regimental Combat Team of the American Army. We appeared not to have been detected. Attempted to follow this unit after dark but lost contact due to heavy enemy patrols.
7 July 1946
Eulmont
Day was uneventful. Continued search for hostile units. None were observed.
8 July 1946
Allain
Captured one wounded American deserter. Interrogated him for four hours then eliminated the prisoner. He was from the former U.S. 77th Brigade confirmed destroyed on D+23. No useful information was obtained. However he did confess that he had been wounded by the father of the 13 year-old girl he was trying to rape.
9 July
Neufchateau
Heard heavy transports and observed large troop movements going south by southwest. Heavy American patrols blocked our way. Radio damaged not repairable. No report to command possible tonight.
10 July
Val-de-Muese
Captured three American medical personnel. They were assisting at a French orphanage northwest of town. They were from the 34th Evacuation Hospital. We left Rikhter behind to guard and assist the Americans. 25 children and 7 nuns are in need of life-saving medical attention. I take full responsibility for this humanitarian effort.
11 July
Langres
Presently trapped in defensive positions near the church. Surprised by an American patrol while trying to secure a radio. Ammunition in short supply. Five casualties taken, including Comrade Karasev.
“What’cha got there Jess?”
“That commie I stuck was trying to hide it.”
“Let’s get it to the Sarge… he’ll know what to do with it.”
“Damn, he’s still alive! Get one of those medics we rescued from the orphanage. Maybe they can do something for him.”
The Pentagon,
Outside Washington, D.C.
July 11th, 1946
“It’s all set. Four weeks from today we should have what we need in place. Two hundred-twenty four P-51D’s, fifty-two B-29A’s, a pair of Silverplates and one atomic bomb. The target will be Leningrad. Now that the Russkies have declared war on Finland we’ve reached a deal with the Swedes and Finns to allow transit, and the use of Swedish airfields to refuel the fighter-escorts, and as emergency-landing fields. We’re sending in two Silverplates, but only one bomb will be dropped. The other will be along on a training run.”
“Sure seems to me that we should have a lot more pilots and planes ready by now.”
“The equipment is all mothballed as you pointed out, but the experienced pilots are thinking about how to use that G.I. Bill. They are reuniting with their sweethearts, getting to know their children, reconnecting with their wives and thinking about on-campus housing, or getting an apartment, which car to buy and so on. It’s only been sixty days or so, since the Soviet attack. The vast majority of the experience pilots want nothing to do with this war. Let the other guy who stayed at home and tried to steal my girl, do the fighting this time. Let the jerk used car dealer, who stayed at home and made a fortune, and who got my sister pregnant, go over there this time. I did my part. Don’t worry, they’ll come around soon but for now we have to make do with what we’ve got.”
“Well, I’m glad that at least that damned pit is up and working. What a pain in the ass! To think that it takes a lot of specialized equipment, just to hoist a ten thousand-pound atomic bomb up into the belly of one of those modified B-29’s. I guess they’re building a few more around too. Top Secret, hush-hush, and all that as to where they’re building them.”
“We only have four Mark III bombs and a couple of the prototypes. That’s hardly enough to make a dent. I’ve been told that the prototypes might not even work. I guess they are really touchy, compared to the Mark III’s.”
“What is holding up production?”
“It’s the same story as with the combat veterans. All the scientists have moved on to civilian jobs and the production facilities have been abandoned or converted to civilian use. It’s just going to take time to get them all back up and running at full capacity. It’s kind of strange… like Stalin knew just the right time to make his move. His timing was perfect.”
“The word is official… we will not be dropping any atomic bombs in Western Europe. I guess the philosophy is that we can’t save ’em by killing ’em. Actually, it makes sense. I know I’d rather be Red than dead myself. Besides, we’ll beat ’em in the end anyway, just like we always have. We’ll just have to use more conventional means. Then when we get closer, within fighter-escort range, we’ll start to melt their cities.”
“You know Bill, this raid should be a good test of how they’ll respond. I hope someone is taking notes. Say, you’d better get off to your meeting. You got the target and the date… just make sure no other operation is planned anywhere near Leningrad.”
“It is about time I got back to work. Those Superior Tools don’t sell themselves, you know. Say are you interested in a left-handed spanner? I do have to make a living, some way or the other.”
“Yeah, I’ll take 1,400.”
Temporary NATO Field Headquarters,
La Havre, France
July 13th, 1946
02:35
“That is the last of them, mon ami. Now, all that’s left is for us to fade into the crowd.”
“No more noxious British cooking to smell. That part is fine with me. Are they not terrible cooks? Their idea of cooking meat is to boil it to death. My nostrils are still filled with the stench.”
“It is time for everybody to go back to your homes, and wait for the call to play partisan again, until we are rescued once more. Group A, pickup your papers at the north exit. Group B, at the south exit. Do not switch groups otherwise your paperwork will be useless. Go back to your homes and wait. Do what they tell you to do, but listen for the radio broadcasts from England. The governments-in-exile will be working vigorously to confuse the enemy. Just integrate yourselves into their society as much as possible.”
“If asked where you were admit that you were at the front fighting for your homes. Even the Soviets should not be upset with that. Don’t lie about your fighting. We have it on good advice that the average Soviet soldier will respect an honest answer and will recall how it was to fight for his homeland.
We have no indication that they will retaliate against anyone who is not German. We have no reports of abuse among the prisoners or civilian population. All of the British, American and German fighters who wished to evacuate, have already done so. The Soviets have no reason to abuse or harm you once you surrender. Again, just tell them you were fighting for your homes and families, and hopefully they will leave you alone. After all, they will need strong backs to work in their factories and build their new empire.”