World War Three 1946 Series Boxed Set: Stalin Strikes First

by Harry Kellogg

  ***

  Combat Report of 16th Fighter Regiment

  8th Air Army, Soviet Army Air Force

  July 27th, 1946

  17:34 Hours

  COMBAT REPORT OF Maior Nikolai Shumilov

  A. Mission No. 83, 16th Fighter Regiment, 9 Yak-9UT's

  B. Defense of airspace over Gogland Island

  C. Time of attack: 0730 hours

  Altitude: 2,460 to 3,075 meters

  D. I was element leader in red flight and we took off at 0625 hours from the Leningrad area (Pulkovo Aerodrome) and flew to Gogland Island, awaiting further orders. We were instructed in the pre-flight brief to gain as much altitude as we could, and be prepared to use our superior height to our advantage. We were also told that the U.S. B-29 Superfortress bomber would be our adversary.

  The prescribed method of attack was to stay 1 kilometer to the rear of the bomber, and use our 37-mm cannon to shoot them down. This tactic would only work if we were allowed to stay in position, unmolested.

  The few MiG-9's and Tu-2's were to draw off the escorts, allowing us to do our work. In addition the missile attacks were designed to break up the bomber formations.

  For the most part the plan was a success. I was to remain virtually unmolested as I closed in on a lone B-29 which had left the formation in an attempt to dive to freedom. I stayed behind the bomber along with my wingman and hit the bomber with three out of five shots. This was enough to bring the Superfortress down, into the Baltic Sea.

  My wingman got too close and was hit by the bomber's 20-mm cannons. He had to ditch over the water and was later picked up by the rescue services.

  On the flight back to the rendezvous point, I witnessed several similar engagements between fighters and bombers.

  Two P-51's chased me, as I was attempting to gain altitude over Gogland Island, and they finally gave up when a pair of Yak-15's chased them off, shooting down one. I left the area at 0925 hours.

  E. I claim one B-29, destroyed, witnessed by my wingman, Starshiy-Leytenant I.I. Rastinyev.

  Maior Nikolai Shumilov

  ***

  Excerpts from the office of Hap Arnold.

  ***

  “ARE YOU SHITTING ME?! 36 out of 54 bombers shot down, an atomic bomb lost, along with 97 fighters?! Not a bomb hitting Leningrad?! What the hell happened out there?! I want answers, and I want them NOW Norm! Get over there and interview every single surviving crew member. Oh my God! What a disaster! Get me General LeMay! We'll have to suspend all bombing missions until we figure this out!”

  “What a mess! WHAT A GODDAMNED MESS!”

  B-29 Superfortress Shot Down by Stalin’s Fire Missile over Leningrad

  Chapter Fourteen:

  The Patton is Born

  UK Centurion and US Pershing Tanks

  ***

  The short comings of the M-26 Pershing were widely known in 1946. The destruction of the 20th Armored Division and the inability of the Pershings to maneuver in hilly and rough terrain led to a concerted search for its replacement.

  ***

  Office of Robert P. Patterson

  Secretary of War

  The Pentagon

  Outside Washington, D.C.

  “A Mister Edgar Brandt is here to see you sir, along with the Secretary-General of NATO, the honorable Winston Churchill.”

  “Did you say Churchill Jim? I didn't even know he was in the United States, much less in Washington. For God’s sake, send them in!”

  “Good afternoon Mr. Secretary.”

  “Good afternoon Secretary-General Churchill and... Mister Brandt, is it? What may I do for you today gentlemen?”

  “If I may I'll get right to the point of our visit, Mr. Secretary.”

  “Please do. I will say it is rather unusual for an Englishman to rush into a conversation.”

  “Sorry to be so abrupt old boy, but Mister Brandt here has some vital information that may be of service to your fighting forces.”

  “It's quite alright. I prefer it if you Englishmen did move it along when it comes to how should I say it? Coming to the point, if you'll pardon my candor.”

  “Your candor is appreciated, Secretary Patterson. Very well then; Mister Brandt will take over from here.”

  Edgar Brandt's heavy French accent is apparent as he speaks, “Mister Secretary it has become quite obvious that your new tank, the Model 26 'Pershing', is inadequate for its assigned duties. We have received numerous reports of breakdowns, mechanical failures, the underpowered nature of its engine, and the transmission is of faulty design. Its armor is adequate, and its gun is potentially superior for the task, but you can't get the bloody thing to the firing line. Because of its mechanical failures it is virtually immobile. It was a failed attempt at heavy tank design, and I would argue that you must realize this now before the issue becomes critical, later in the war.”

  “I am well aware of the growing pains of the Pershing, Mister Brandt, but I fail to see what we can do about it, in the short run.”

  “May I interrupt for a second, Mister Secretary? I should have introduced Mister Brandt in detail earlier. Edgar Brandt was a weapons designer in France before the last war, and the company he founded was in the business of manufacturing mortars for the French Army. His true talents lie in the types of high-velocity ammunition he has developed. As a matter of fact he and his colleagues are partly responsible for developing the Armor-Piercing, Capped Ballistic Cap round for the QF 17-pounder antitank gun. I'm sure you have seen the reports that have conclusively shown that the combination of the Centurion Mark II, paired with the APCBC round have been highly successful in stopping even the heaviest Soviet tanks. He knows very well of that which he speaks, and bearing this in mind, I do apologize for his rudeness, but engineers are not known for their diplomacy.”

  “I do apologize for my outburst, Mr. Secretary, but I see a real crisis looming if you continue to field the M-26. It is just not up to the task. It is highly susceptible to breaking down at the most inopportune moments. I understand that you just lost over one hundred of them due to their inability to extract themselves from a Soviet trap. Is this not so?”

  “Well yes, it is Mr. Brandt, and we are working on a solution, but I fail to see how this meeting will assist us with our problem, unless you have a suggestion in mind.”

  “If I may Mr. Secretary, I would like to suggest that you cease the manufacture of the Pershing immediately and concentrate on a proven design, one that has shown its effectiveness against the Soviet armor. I would suggest that you use the already-present M-26's on the defensive line that is forming, and not use them for the upcoming mobile warfare operations that the future will require. If the Pershing is fairly stationary it can hold its own, but you must realize by now that it is not up to the task of a mobile operation. The Centurion is a well-rounded design that will withstand the rigors of a highly-mobile battlefield, and, unlike the Stuart, it can destroy a Soviet JS-2. The Pershing cannot, and will not, be able to fulfill such a role in future operations.”

  “What you suggesting, Mr. Brandt, is that the U.S. Army should abandon its own shitty tank design in favor of the British Centurion heavy cruiser tank and your APCBC ordinance? Is that the gist of your visit here today, Mr. Brandt?!”

  “Why yes, Mr. Secretary. I would concur with your most eloquent summary.”

  The Oval Office

  The White House

  Washington, D.C.

  “Damn it Patterson, why did I have to hear about this “conversation” through back channels? When Winston Churchill visits I want to know what he said before he leaves the room!”

  “If I may Mr. President. The idea was so preposterous, that I didn’t think it warranted comment. I was trying to save Secretary-General Churchill from a humiliating embarrassment. Quite frankly sir, I personally believe that the man has suffered enough. But consider this: the idea of us dumping an American weapon system, for a foreign-designed one is …”

  “Patterson, I want you to listen,
and listen good. I will decide what is preposterous, and what isn’t. Not you. Edgar, please fill Mr. Patterson in on the history of British-American cooperation, in the area of technology. I’ll give you a few hints Mr. Patterson. Every heard of the P-51 Mustang?”

  “Of course sir.”

  “It was a bust, until the Brits put a Rolls-Royce Merlin engine in it. And it helped win the war.”

  “How about the Liberty ship?”

  “Ah, yes sir.””

  “Would you say it was important to winning the war?”

  “Well, of course, Mr. President, but they were all made here in America by American workers from top to bottom. The British had nothing to do with their production, or …”

  “It was a British design! One that we saw was better than anything we had, so we built them to win the war.”

  “Edgar, please name some more for the good Secretary.”

  “Oh course Mr. President. Let’s see...we used their 6 pounder antitank gun quite extensively. It was renamed the 57-mm M-1. The gyro gun sight, short wave radar, proximity fuse, Bangalore torpedo and, of course, they jump started our jet engine and atomic bomb program. Then there’s plastic…”

  “We get the idea, Edgar. Here’s what we’re going to do. I want this war over with before winter of 1947. We need a tank now that can put down the Red jobs, and be reliable. We have a lot of fast, mobile operations coming down the pipe and the M-26 Pershing is not up to the job. There is no time to figure out a replacement. I don’t have time to fool with our boys' lives. We are going to take up the Brits on their offer, and we will shift production to the Centurion! I want it done now!”

  “Sir, the political fallout will be tremendous…”

  “Bullshit! You didn’t even know about the Liberty ship being a Brit design, and neither will the American public. Name the damn thing the Patton. Make some minor cosmetic changes and get the right weapon in our fighting men’s' hands for a change. I’m not suggesting this...I’m ordering it to happen.”

  “Yes sir, Mr. President. Come to think of it, I did hear that their current version with the 20-mm coaxial cannon was not working too well. Perhaps, if we used a .50-caliber instead, and made a few cosmetic changes...”

  “That’s the spirit, Mr. Patterson! Remember the 'Buck Stops Here,' and I will not put our troops in needless danger. Am I understood, Mr. Secretary?”

  “Yes Mr. President.”

  Lunch Room

  The Pentagon

  Outside Washington, D.C.

  “Have you heard the news?”

  “What now?”

  “The top brass is dropping the M-26 and going with a British tank.”

  “No shit? Which one?

  I think it's called the Sentry, or Centurion, or something like that. There making the switch, like, almost overnight. The Brits sent over engineers and designers, and they're gearing up in Detroit, like no one's business. They've also decided to increase the numbers of the M-36 Jackson. It's a fast son-of-a-bitch. It can hit 50 miles per hour in the straight away, and it packs a 90-mm wallop. I guess the thinking is that the Centurion can go toe-to-toe with the Soviet heavies, while the Jackson can out-maneuver the bastards and provide a more mobile defense. Kind of like using the best of the best for grabbing 'em by the nose, and kicking 'em in the rear.”

  “Patton would have liked that.”

  “Now that you mention it, I think I heard they're going to name the American version of the Centurion the Patton.”

  “Huh. I wonder what made them change their mind so fast and act so decisively. It's very strange behavior for a bunch of top brass.”

  “I heard Churchill had something to do with it, plus, the fact that the M-26 is getting quite a nickname for itself, anyway.”

  “Yeah? What are they calling it?”

  “They're calling it the 'Pushing,' because you have to push 'em out of the way.”

  Destroyed M-26 Pershing

  Chapter Fifteen: Where Are The Americans?

  US Army Units passing over the Pyrenees

  ***

  There are large gaping holes in Beria’s ability to gather his secrets. Like the debacle of Operations Louisville Slugger this could lead to defeats in the

  coming months. As the Americans begin to see the danger growing in Europe its veterans start to heed the call once more.

  ***

  Central Group of Forces

  Marshal Rokossovsky's Headquarters

  July 27th, 1946

  09:49 Hours

  “We are having more and more contact with the Americans. Logic would dictate that they will try and make a stand soon if only to show their oppressed masses that they are trying to stop the all-conquering Red Army.”

  “You can stop the communist rhetoric Nikolai, the commissar is not here. I think your assessment is correct. We must see if we can disrupt their plans. Send the OMSBON Operational Groups ahead, and order them to press forward, until they have passed through the mountains ahead. What is the name of that mountain range again?”

  “The Pyrenees, Comrade Marshal.”

  “Why can’t I ever remember that name? How much of an obstacle will they pose for our armored units?”

  “They are a formidable barrier into Spain. They have not been tested since the days of Charlemagne. Their reputation has been enough to deter any invaders that have contemplated an attack through them. Any modern armies would most certainly have used the relatively easier terrain on either coast. I do recall an anti-Franco faction that tried a route through the middle of the mountains in late 1944. The name Vielha comes to mind.”

  “Despite the small victory by the air force on the NATO battleships, they will still be available near the coasts. Our flanks will always be in the flux if we make a major attack on either end of the Pyrenees. I have no doubt that we can accomplish our objectives but at a great cost.”

  “Send a heavy reconnaissance force to this city of Vielha, and see if the Americans have defended it yet. Give them as much air support as we can, and let’s see what we are facing. If they can force their way through, then be in position to follow up swiftly. If not, then we will have to prepare a general assault on the various other passes through the mountains. If these fail, we will have to figure out another way to neutralize the NATO navies and go around their flanks.”

  “May I suggest, Comrade Marshal, that we start operations in Italy and in Greece. Our allies are anxious to get their share of the spoils of war. Their knives are sharp, and the Bulgarians are eager to make up for past deeds done to them by the Greeks. The Romanians are compliant and will do whatever we ask of them. They want to please their Uncle Joe.”

  “I personally hope the Turks give us reason to attack them. My family owes them for what they did in the old times.”

  “Yes, we all have those old grievances, eh? Family stories about this massacre, or about that expulsion. It’s not easy to keep them all straight, but we all seem to have them.”

  “I will recommend that we begin operations in Italy and Greece, but we must wait for the order to attack from the Kremlin. Comrade Marshal Stalin prefers to stay focused on the task at hand.”

  Swain's Barber Shop

  Ponder, Texas

  9:04 am

  “Hey Joe, whaddaya know?”

  “That gets real irritating, especially after the first ten years Ralphie!”

  “Ha! That’s why I do it. Well! Look who’s here; the war hero! Hey Mr. Murphy, how's civilian life treating you; all the girls flocking to touch your medals? Say all kidding aside, I really do want to thank you for what you did for us over there; Medal of Honor and all that; pretty amazing. It must have been rough though...”

  “It was just the luck of the draw Ralphie; just the luck of the draw.”

  “I suppose. The bullet with your name on it just wasn’t made. I’m old enough now to join up. You think this dust-up with the Reds will last long? I mean, can’t we just bomb 'em to hell with our atomic bombs and all?”

/>   “I expect we would have done it already if we really had a mind to Ralphie. I’m afraid there was bad news that we were just discussing when you busted in here. Walter Winchell is talking about a bombing raid that didn’t turn out so good. He’s claiming that we lost an atomic bomb and most of the bombers were shot down. He says his sources tell him that the Reds have some kind of German Wonder Weapon for shooting down our bombers.”

  “Man, you’re kidding right? That’s just terrible news Mr. Murphy! What’re we going to do about it?”

  “Well Ralphie, I’m joining up again. It looks like I have to show them how it’s done one more time.”

  “If you’re joining Mr. Murphy, so am I! We’ll show 'em a thing or two together, won’t we, Mr. Murphy?”

  “I suppose you're old enough Ralphie, but you'd better talk it over with your folks first.”

  “Can I go with you to the recruiting office, Mr. Murphy? It would sure be an honor to be with you when we sign up.”

  “Alright Ralphie, it’s a deal, but you still have to talk to your parents first.”

  “Oh, alright, but don’t sign up without me! Okay Mr. Murphy? Promise me now. Don’t sign up without me.”

  “Okay Ralphie. I promise.”

  “You sure you want to do this, Audie? You’ve done your part. Maybe it’s time someone else stepped up for a change.”

  “I've thought about it, long and hard Joe. I think we have to get this over with right quick, and us veterans are the fastest way to get it done. The government spent lots of time and money into training us to kill Nazis and Nips. I guess that same training can be used to kill Reds too. What worries me is that we’ll probably be used for desk jobs, or training and young guys like Ralphie, will do the actual fighting. I suspect our experience makes us veterans pretty valuable, especially for training these gung-ho youngsters who missed the last one, but it still doesn't sit well with me Joe. We’ll see, but one thing I do know is that we have to take these guys real serious, and it’s going to be a hard fight ahead of us. I really don’t give a rat's ass about the Germans, but I got real fond of the French and Brits, and it just doesn’t seem right that we'd leave 'em in a lurch and run away with our tails between our legs. As I see it, this Stalin is maybe even worse than Hitler, and I just can’t see us walking away and letting him undo everything we fought for. One dictator is the same as another. Besides, if we leave him alone he’ll figure out a way to attack us here I’m sure. From what I read he hates our freedom, our way of life, and the way we do business. Well, I happen to like it all myself, and I’m going to see to it that we keep on keeping on.”