World War Three 1946 Series Boxed Set: Stalin Strikes First

by Harry Kellogg

  “Another fifteen divisions will head towards the Maginot Line, southeast of Luxembourg, then head towards Lorraine, Dijon and split off for Lyon, Toulon and Marseilles, while others head towards Toulouse, and onto the Spanish border.”

  “Another five divisions are slated to push into Bavaria, from Czechoslovakia, and continue onto Strasbourg, and at least make a demonstration at the Franco-Swiss border. It appears that intelligence indicates that Stalin will decide then whether to attack Switzerland, or to try to intimidate them in submission.”

  “Five more divisions will splinter away from the main force driving toward Copenhagen, and then from there towards Norway and Sweden. Considering their recent combat experience with the Soviets, the Finns are expected to fold without a fight.”

  “Their newly-acquired 'client' states are expected to take out Italy and Greece. Romanian and Bulgarian units will take on Greece. The Czechoslovakians, Yugoslavians, Hungarians and 'rehabilitated' Austrians will go for Italy. Their initial attack is expected to commence with about twenty-five divisions, but current intelligence estimates project that they can provide up to eighty-five.”

  There is a gasp heard in the briefing room, then, again, rapt silence.

  “Being considered among the least-reliable forces from the Soviet client states, the Poles and 'rehabilitated' Germans will be used for garrison duties and anti-resistance work, from all reports.”

  “As of this time we have lost contact with seven of the nine major supply depots spread throughout Germany and France. The Reds seem to have dropped airborne troops into some, and others have been taken over by communist fifth column personnel and their sympathizers. These depots contain enormous amounts of fuel and oil, ammunition, electronic equipment, tanks, trucks, heavy artillery, antiaircraft artillery and the VT fuse…hundreds of thousands of VT fuses.”

  “Attempts have been made to retake these depots, but the troops in them are better armed, trained and supplied than the units attacking. It appears that the 75,000, or so, German POW's who were being used to manage the facilities, have been neutralized. The 1,478 U.S. Army Quartermaster Corps personnel based in them have either been killed or captured. One commander was able to detonate his supply of fuel, but the other supplies were saved by the German POW's and the Soviets. The depots contained over a billion dollars in war surplus that was to be sold to various countries, or provided to allies as military aid.” [xiv]

  “We do not know, at this point, any of the commanders involved, but if history is any indicator, it will be a pretty stand up fight with no fancy footwork no matter who is involved. Maneuver is not one of the Soviets usual strong points. Normally, they pin you down, swarm around you, and hammer you to death. Since the Germans had orders to not retreat an inch this worked pretty well against them. We have been hit hard and have had to give up lots of territory but, so far, we have a coherent defensive line. It's terribly weak, but we are throwing jabs, as we back up.”

  ***

  Official combat reports that demonstrate the intensity of the combat at this time.

  ***

  Soviet Yak – 9

  8th FIGHTER SQUADRON

  49TH FIGHTER GROUP

  U.S. ARMY AIR FORCES

  MAY 14, 1946

  INDIVIDUAL COMBAT REPORT OF Richard Gardner, 1/Lt, U.S. Army Air Force.

  A. Mission No. 433, May 13th, 1946, 8th Fighter Squadron, composed of nine P-38's.

  B. Tactical Escort of A-20's over Munster, Germany.

  C. Time of attack: 0830/K

  Altitude: 8,000 to 10,000 feet

  D. I was element leader of Blue flight, and we took off at 0625/K to escort A-20's to Munster. We circled at 6,000 ft. over the A-20's, while they strafed targets. At 0830/K we were intercepted by approximately 15 of what appeared to be Yakovlev fighter aircraft, of the 9 type. They were above us, at 11 o'clock. Two of them dove on me, and I dove and split-s to lose them. Then I pulled up and climbed to 8,000 feet, making a 45-degree head-on pass at two Yaks, with no observed results. Fired once at another, on a 90-degree deflection, and missed. Peeled off to join five other P-38's in an overwatch formation, and an observed Lavotchkin La-7 jumped me from behind and fired on my fighter. It was only after I landed that I was informed by unit maintenance chief that the Lavotchkin's pilot put three 20-mm holes into my airplane. I dove to lose him, and spotted two Yaks about to make a pass at the A-20's. I flew into position and made a 45-degree deflection shot from the rear and above until he turned almost into me. It was a long burst and he slid off on one wing and crashed, somewhere northwest of Munster.

  Two more Yaks started to chase me as I started for home, and they finally gave up, because they couldn't catch me. I left the operational area at 0925/K, and rejoined the A-20's. We returned to base and landed at 0955/K

  E. I claim one Yakovlev Yak-9 destroyed, confirmed by wingman, 1/Lt Roger Root.

  Richard Gardner

  1/Lt, U.S.A.A.F.

  Check Six

  May 13th, 1946

  17:03 hours

  Somewhere over western Germany:

  The Soviet forces are racing blindly towards the Low Countries and France. Germany is a blasted hulk not worthy of looting.

  The so-called NATO Allies have melted like a snowman in July. Reconnaissance says they are making a last stand across the little river in front of our forces.

  Lavrenti Ilyin was trying as hard as he could to keep his attention from wandering. The Yak-9UT he flew was an easy plane to fly, and did not require his full attention, at this time in his flight career. A veteran of three years of combat, he was tired. Despite the six-month lull after defeating the Japanese and Germans, his mind was not fully focused. The Amerikosy flyers had all but disappeared from the skies. As his time in the air drones on, he starts to drift off…

  We will slice through them like a paté knife through caviar.

  We have destroyed most of their frontline fighters where they were parked, so we don't expect much resistance.

  Fly top-cover over the Il-10’s as they deal with the puny western tank forces. We must maintain complete air superiority for the attack to remain on schedule.

  Your Yak is like a spear. Jam it into the heart of the enemy, so they can no longer threaten Mother Russia.

  Lavrenti, do this! Lavrenti, do that! What do they think I am; a machine or something? Go get in your Yak for the third time today and clear the skies of capitalist 'flyboys'. What is a 'flyboy' anyway? We are all men up here; even the enemy. Check the fuel mixture, you fool. Keep your head moving, and keep looking. 2,850 meters is good, not many clouds... Keep looking; there are supposed to be some Yankee bombers up here so keep your eyes open wide, keep moving your head, and keep looking over your shoulder. How many missions is this since this war started? Twenty, I think. Almost two a day, but now this is the third one today, alone. Why me? Who did Tonton pay off? Why isn't he flying his third mission of the day? Who cares whether a few more bombs drop on the frontline? What harm would a few more do? Shit, watch the temp gauge! If I have to trim the flaps one more time...Damned Dmitri! Can't he keep this plane in even some kind of fighting condition? Ah…look at the cigarette burns on the tac. What kind of pig would smoke in a plane full of aviation gas that has machine-gun bullet holes in it? What an idiot. How has he stayed alive so long? Well, fuck his mother!

  Wait...what's that glint of metal near those clouds? There you are, you Yankee pigs! Old Lavrenti will teach you not to drop bombs on my little dirt-eating friends! Look over here, Comrade Stetsky...can't you see me wiggling my wings? That's right, look where I'm pointing you idiot not at me. There, see them? Good, now let's get the sun at our backs. Keep your eyes moving; don't just stare at the bombers. Move your head, use those eyes. Where are the escorts? This is too easy. Where are the escorts? They have to be here, somewhere. Keep looking, keep scanning; keep your head moving; watch the distance; check the guns. I love this Yak-9UT, and its 37-mm cannon. Just stay back and shoot them, while they can't shoot back at
you. Move in for the kill, with the 20-mm's. Ah, American A-20 attack bombers...fast and maneuverable, for a bomber! This is going to be harder than it should be. Remember, squeeze the trigger. Don't jerk it. Ready. Ready. Shit, the engine is overheating! Damn it! I'm closing too fast.

  What was that flash? ESCORTS! P-38's; making a pass. I'm hit! Oh God, I'm hit! Is there a God? Controls won't respond...pull, you son-of-a-bitch! Pull! Why won't my arm work? Good God, I'm bleeding like a stuck pig! I'm so very tired...Pull...Pull...It's always the one you don't see that gets you. Why didn't I check, one more time? Oh my, now comes the pain! Can't move my arm; getting weaker; can't keep my eyes open.............................

  ***

  Official report, testimony and comments on the state of the NATO force on this date.

  ***

  May 13, 1946

  Field Command Post

  Major General Ray W. Barker,

  78th Infantry Division Commander

  “Captain, give me that status list.”General Barker's aide, Captain Cyrus Thomas Jones, hands him a stack of reports.“Let's see what have we got, so far...Damn! Look at those losses...at least we're not alone.”

  British

  9th Armored Division - NO CONTACT

  No. 16 Group, R.A.F. - OVERRUN/NO CONTACT

  No. 68/No. 162 Squadrons, R.A.F. - OVERRUN/NO CONTACT

  U.S.

  11th Armored Division - NO CONTACT

  12th Armored Division – CONFIRMED SURRENDERED

  14th Armored Division – CONFIRMED SURRENDERED

  63d Infantry Division - NO CONTACT

  87th Infantry Division - NO CONTACT

  Units that are 20%, or less, effective, and pulled off the line:

  British

  11th Armored Division

  38th (Welsh) Infantry Division

  43d (Wessex) Infantry Division

  55th (West Lancashire) Infantry Division

  U.S.

  2d Armored Division

  8th Armored Division

  14th Armored Division

  26th Infantry Division

  42d Infantry Division

  44th Infantry Division

  65th Infantry Division

  66th Infantry Division

  A total of 1,321 Allied combat aircraft have been destroyed on the ground, with an additional 238 combat aircraft having been confirmed destroyed, or reported missing, in aerial combat.

  “What this is telling me is that 13 out of our 22 divisions are either toast, or getting resupplied. Luckily, we have plenty of supplies” the captain nods his agreement.

  “Jonsey, make sure that after we're resupplied, that we destroy the rest. We don't want to leave anything for the Ivans to use. Remember, they have a shitload of our Lend-Lease equipment that can use our parts and ammo. There have also been rumors of crop failures in the Ukraine, so burn the food too. Orders from Headquarters are that we're to enact a 'scorched-earth' policy, to some extent. I can't see driving the civilians out of their homes, and taking what meager supplies they have. Besides, we don't have the time or manpower to do either. I guess the Reds are going to be sitting pretty, living high on the hog and eating our chocolate bars and CRations for a few months anyway.”

  “Sir I don't know if you recall, but the Reds have taken over seven of the supply depots we had in Germany and France. They dropped airborne troops into a number of them, and now the damn paratroopers ended up having more and heavier weapons than we do, with more ammunition. They also had our own VT fuses and used them to stop most of the attempts by the Army Air Force to bomb them.”

  “Jesus you’re right Jonesy…Okay, we can’t afford to get into a fight over those depots that we can’t win. I remember hearing about those VT fuses. They're real killers. Our orders are to cross to the other side of the Rhine and make a stand there. Let's move out as soon as we top everything off, and make contact with the enemy. We need to keep slowing him down as much as possible yet not get overrun. Okay, let's go, people...MOVE IT! Watch the flanks. Remember we have limited air cover...just enough to keep them Red bastards off our backs, while we bug out.

  They Die Like Flies

  “Things are going well, Maior. They die like flies, without their air cover. Our numbers outweigh their numbers. Maybe Rubin is right and the key to victory really is air power. Keep pushing them, and capture as many of their supplies as we can. Leave a guard detachment behind at the depots along with an antiaircraft unit. Be sure to make good use of their own antiaircraft guns and ammunition. It has some kind of magic radar fuse in it that is uncommonly good at shooting down aircraft. We need those supplies, both for us, and for the others back home. We need strong factory workers, to make the bullets that we are putting into American, English and French bodies.”

  “Our losses have been minimal, and very acceptable to date comrade. It will take them months to amass and transport any kind of forces from the U.S. to try and stop us. We must keep pressing the attack. We have to take the ports on the channel, in order to prevent another 'Dunkirk-style' evacuation. We will not hesitate, like the incompetent Hitlerite fiends had. We will drive them into the sea. The plan is to bypass Paris, and make a turn for the coast in order to trap them.”

  “We have to maintain contact with them, and cannot let them separate from our forces. Otherwise they will not hesitate to use their strategic bombers on us like they did on the Nazi pigs. They don't have the stomach to sacrifice their own people, even if it means defeat.”

  “Don't worry Marshal, we shall stay in their back pocket while sticking our finger up their ass. Currently we have no need of artillery parks. Our tanks are so superior that the only thing slowing us down is finding fuel, and the newer models breaking down. Thus far the imperialists cannot outrun us. We will use bikes, if we have to, comrade. They will not separate from us.

  Besides, the only bombers in position are the British Lancasters and Lincolns, and we have a few surprises for them should they try to bomb during the day like the Americans do. Even our old fighters can give them a hard time; just wait until they meet the newest generation of combat aircraft.”

  Yak – 15 Early Soviet Jet Fighter

  Chapter Four:

  Can They Be Stopped?

  Repaired Bridge Over the Rhine [xv]

  Reds across the Rhine

  June 2nd, 1946

  By Rex Lemond

  United Press International

  The Soviet news agency, TASS, reports that Red Army units have crossed the Rhine in three locations.

  In an unusual communiqué the Soviet Government has announced that its units have crossed the vaunted Rhine River, in western Germany. This was to have been where the newly-formed NATO army was supposed to have halted the Red Army's progress. Its width, old defensive works and lack of bridges, were supposed to be insurmountable. It was thought that the Red Army's apparent lack of amphibious assault equipment and expertise would make the Rhine a natural defensive line, which would stop the Reds in their tracks.

  According to Soviet sources this has not been the case, and they claim to have found numerous bridges intact all along the river. It has been rumored that the speed of the Red Army's advance; coupled with contradictory orders between NATO units, have led to at least three bridges not having been destroyed. Two of these bridges were the temporary bridges; ironically, constructed by the U.S. Army along with over sixty others.

  “We just didn't have the manpower or communications to get the job done.” stated a U.S. Army Major, who wished to remain anonymous. Reports continue to pour in of Soviet tanks lined up at these temporary bridges like they were “on parade,” as opposed to crossing the Rhine.

  The Soviet leadership's stated goal of preventing the B-29 Superfortress bomber from being based in western Germany has long since been exposed to be an excuse for the blatant conquest of Western Europe. The base was overrun on the first day of the surprise attack, and yet, the Red Army has continued to slaughter innocent non-combatants, in its quest for what a
ppears to be world domination.

  A spokesman for NATO has pointed out that parts of the Soviet Zone of Occupation in eastern Germany, are only ninety miles from the Franco-German border and the Reds were essentially at the Rhine within hours of the start of hostilities. According to other sources, many of the remaining temporary bridges were not even rigged for demolition as war was not seen as imminent, or likely. It appears that NATO was taken completely by surprise once again, by a vicious and unprovoked surprise attack.[xvi]

  Victorious Red Army Units Uncover Ghastly Capitalist Slave-Labor Camps!

  by Vasily Grossman,

  Released by TASS News Agency

  June 3rd, 1946

  Advanced units of the Red Army's heroic 3rd Shock Army have liberated a slave-labor camp, outside of Urmitz in the newly-united Socialist Republic of Germany. This confirmation of capitalist atrocities and the exploitation of European workers has shocked the world, which is now watching firsthand the true nature of the Western Powers' depravity. As described by one of the camp's rescuers, Senior Sergeant Leonid Antonyevich Burayev, the camp was filled with “starving wretches, chained to Yankee and Limey machines of profit.” Other disgusted liberators exhort the proletariat to join the fight, that we must push on, and free our brother and sister workers of the world from such cruel depredations perpetrated in the obscene name of profit.

  Even the uneducated among us can understand what has happened, and how the cruel capitalist pigs have used wars to further their thirst for power and gold. The workers of the world must unite with their Soviet brothers and sisters of the Red Army, to throw off the yoke of capitalist exploitation!