“I’ve heard that they have replaced the guidance system of the rockets with an even simpler method. The details are not for me to know. All I care is that they work and break up the blasted formations so our fighters can penetrate their defenses.”
“That Novikov gave quite a lecture on how things are supposed to work together. Much like ground combat, he has designed a combined-arms plan. The sky-to-sky rockets make the bombers take a few hits, and unnerve the others who must stay in formation. Then the rocket-launching heavy fighters and medium bombers move in and launch with the aim of drawing off the fighter escorts and dragging them down to lower levels, where our conventional fighters can have the advantage.”
“Hopefully, this will also serve to break up the bomber formations and they too, will fall prey to the Yak-3’s and La-7’s. Then there are the jet interceptors who will engage any of their jet fighters. If they are not present they will attack any remaining bombers. The rockets being launched by the heavy fighters and Tu-2’s will be different too. If unmolested, they will be able to break up the bomber formations.”
“The escorts are damned if they do, and damned if they don’t engage them.”
“Most interesting also is that they have stepped up production of the old Pe-8 heavy bomber.”
“What in the world for? Those things are obsolete and could not possibly survive against a modern air defense.”
“All I know is what I heard, and that Sergo fellow mumbled something about the Pe-8 being used for another purpose.”
“Yes, I was not present, but I heard about how strange that little Sergo is. An odd duck, as the English would say. Not your normal sort of person from all accounts.”
“I don’t care if he has horns and a tail, as long as he is on our side and keeps the Yankee pigs from using their bombers to destroy the Motherland.”
“I heard he has some kind of fetish for small animals.”
“Ha! What can you do with a small animal? Now I know what you can do with a sheep, and have seen it done many a time.”
“Sounds like you’ve been away from your wife too long, comrade.”
Pyrenees Mountains
July 29th, 1946
The foothills around the town of Vielha look like a First World War ‘no-man’s land.’ It reminds the few veterans who fought at Monte Cassino of old times. Except this time they are the defenders, and the Soviets are relegated to playing their old role. Ominously, the Red Army has made headway by shear force being willing to absorb horrendous losses in order to accomplish their goals. They are not making suicidal banzai charges; they are simply not willing to give any ground, once it is gained. Counterattacks are not the answer at this point, and even if they were the NATO forces were not capable of making them.
As the Germans found out, the Red Army soldier was able to fight under the most extreme of conditions. They fought through the winter months just as their enemy did, but they were able to handle the elements and deprivation better. They live on less food and supplies and especially more brutal leadership. Yet they have prevailed against the most deadly enemy the world has ever known. That is, until now.
The NATO troops facing them are gaining valuable experience in the art of defensive warfare. They may not be capable of attacking yet, but they are becoming very adept at defending. They are finally receiving enough supplies to take the fight to Ivan. They can give as good as they get, mainly because of their strong mountainous defensive positions. It’s pretty easy to give ’em hell from the high ground.
Luckily for the soldiers on the ground, the air war is a standoff with neither side gaining the advantage. This favors the defender on the high ground. They have a manageable fear of being blasted out of their defensive positions by Il-10’s and Tu-2’s. Both are remarkably versatile aircraft at the tactical level. The fighter aircraft continue to cancel each other out. A special operation here or there, will gain a decided advantage for one side or the other, but there remain no clear-cut winners.
Much like Monte Cassino, this is a soldier’s war. It takes grunts to take the high ground. Artillery can just make it unoccupied for a while. Air power can turn it to mush and debris. But only the grunt can take it and keep it. Up till now Ivan has been able to keep what he has won, the hard way.
The sheer numbers of Soviet troops and aircraft are gradually pushing the NATO forces back foothill by foothill. There will be no breakthroughs yet, nor will there be any letup in the attacks either; much like Monte Cassino, but on a grand scale. The Allied forces took Monte Casino… eventually and at human considerable cost.
Unnoticed by the STAVKA at this early stage, is that as the U.S. units are being rotated to the rear for their R&R, they are increasingly being replaced by Spanish, Portuguese, French, British, Canadian and other NATO forces as they become trained and able to take up their positions. Even units of Belgians and Dutch, Danes and Poles, as well as increasing numbers of German and Austrian volunteers, are appearing in small numbers. All have new equipment and training along with plentiful supplies, courtesy of Uncle Sam.
Ironically the smaller front, coupled with the uselessness of armor in this terrain, have freed up a large number of Soviet mechanized units, which are being moved to other fronts. Again ironically, the lack of any massive armored operations have accordingly decreased the Red Army’s need for supplies and fuel.
If you are a student of Management by Objective you will know that the first thing you look at is the trend. You ask yourself “if nothing changes, what will the outcome be?” The outcome of this situation is that if there are no changes, the Soviets will pierce the Pyrenees Line in three months.
Winston Churchill’s Private Study,
Chartwell Estate,
Westerham, Kent, The U.K.
“But sir, you must realize this might be a very appealing proposition to some. Suppose they make it public? There could be a lot of pressure to take a closer look at his offer.”
“I’ll be damn if I’ll kowtow to his demands! He is dictating to us that we allow all of Europe fall behind the Iron Curtain of slavery that is uniquely, and murderously, Stalinist. Furthermore, he is also demanding that we allow our own traitorous socialists and communists free reign to undermine our monarchy, and that we assist him in opening the world’s seas to his navy. Is he mad?”
“Probably Winston, but the alternative is equally unthinkable. If we don’t acquiesce to his demands then he threatens to unleash the largest air force ever seen against our island. Every city south of Leeds is within their range, and we now know that they have jet bombers and jet fighters as well as thousands of conventional fighters and bombers. Not only that, but he threatens to invade the Middle East, cut off our oil supplies and take over the Suez Canal. If the Americans continue with their plan they will not be able to assist us. The great bulk of their air forces will be elsewhere carrying out their part of ‘Plan Griddle.’”
“It occurs to me that another diminutive, bombastic, dictator threatened much the same. The Americans were not available then. I see Stalin and communism as an even greater threat than even Hitler and Nazism, and he MUST be stopped. We fought then, and we prevailed. We shall have to repeat the effort once more.”
“If I may remind you sir, you are not in power anymore, and that decision is out of your hands. Stalin has given us two months to make a decision. He is counting on the British people rising up and demanding that we sit this one out. They will argue that we have given up enough. We have lost an empire. We are drained, physically, emotionally, psychologically and financially. The communists are gaining ground rapidly. Unless something changes we will run out of time.”