And yes, the food at NATO headquarters is really good. It should be; it’s prepared by Belgian draftees who, in the interest of defending Europe and the free world, are deferred from being called up until they complete their Cordon Bleu training and apprenticeships.
****** Chief Warrant Officer Teniers
Russian pilots don’t like to fly at night and neither does anyone who knows their safety record and has a choice. Russian generals both know about their helicopters and have choices—so Marty and I spent the night at Darasun and left with them at sunrise to fly to Borzya. It was our second stop on the big bosses’ whirlwind tour to check out and improve the Russian defenses at the various airfields the Chinese are expected to hit.
Borzya was much closer to the Chinese border than Chita and Darasun. It sat astride one of the main corridors into the Chita district. Without a doubt its airfield would be a prime target for the Chinese. But would they hit it with paratroopers or just try to bomb and shell the living shit out of it?
Each arrival at one of the Russian airfields proceeded in the same way starting with the local army and air force commanders waiting to meet us as we landed. Borzya was different only in that many more officers were waiting when we landed. Little wonder in that. There were now three Russian armies headquartered here, each the equivalent of an American corps.
According to Colonel Lindauer, each of the three Russian armies at Borzya had two infantry divisions in hand and at least one more in the process of arriving. Their commanders report directly to Danovsky—who will be located here during the war and personally command the Chita Front. At least that was the plan as we understood it.
Borzya’s air force general had a number of squadrons of MiGs and Sukhois under his command, the survivors of those that had been flown west a few months ago to fight in the Turkish War—they weren’t worth squat against the NATO planes and pilots, at least that’s what we’d heard, but they might do okay against the Chinese who are reported to be flying mostly Chinese-made MiG-21 and Sukhoi-17 knockoffs.
There were a lot of tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, and artillery in sight as we landed at Borzya. They were scattered around the field, but not in prepared positions or at carefully selected locations. In other words, they looked like they’d just arrived and been parked.
The local colonels and generals probably heard about the furor at Darasun when the big bosses found the armor and equipment all lined up for inspection and did not know what to do with them. So they did the safest thing for their careers—waited for someone to tell them what to do.
It was our job to tell them what to do and the generals to tell them to listen to us and hurry. So most of our day was spent driving around the airfield and clustering around maps spread out on the hoods of Jeeps and on tables in the local district office or at the various army and divisional headquarters.
By the time we left, the airfield's defense was beginning to take shape and one of the newly arriving infantry divisions, including its armor, was on the base’s long rail spur and beginning to unload. Its troops immediately began to dig in. They seemed to be in a hurry. I don’t know what the officers told their troops but some of them seem quite frightened; they were constantly looking up to search the sky.
Activity around the field became even more intense before we left when the helicopters and planes based on the field began dispersing. The helicopters and their support troops were already beginning to move to the surrounding villages and isolated farm houses as the helicopter carrying me and Marty lifted off for Areda. The fighters were apparently being dispersed to auxiliary fields around Chita and to bases further to the west on the other side of Lake Baikal.
****** Chief Warrant Officer Teniers
Areda is a very isolated village whose only source of jobs was the little Russian air base located next to it. There was nothing else. What the airbase had was a long and barely usable concrete runway which didn’t even have a taxiway, just a concrete apron in front of two log cabins, one that served as its terminal and other as its control tower. It was light years away from the busy field at Borzya.
The base itself was nestled in the foothills behind the great range of mountains that ran along behind it about 150 miles east of Chita. The village and the airbase were at the end of a fifty mile long dirt road running south from the Trans-Siberian mainline and the access road running along side of it.
All Areda had to defend itself was a forgotten squadron of older MiG fighters, and its only facilities were three rundown hangars and a long line of log cabins which served as the barracks of the poor souls who staffed it. There wasn’t even a control tower, just a radio in one of the two “headquarters” cabins. The base was so isolated and forgotten that its dependents had not yet been evacuated.
Everyone at the field was clearly quite astonished to see us. They were even more astonished when they learned that the base was about to receive a defensive force and some of the fighter squadrons being dispersed from Chita and Borzya.
Indeed, the first of the hurriedly relocated fighters began landing soon after we arrived, including one that ran off the end of the runway and sunk up to its wings in a marsh. The planes’ support troops and supplies were driving in on the Trans-Siberian access road and begin arriving as early as tomorrow afternoon.
Colonel Lindauer says the Russians think Areda will be a really important base if the fields at Chita, Darasun, and Borzya are hit. That’s probably why Karatonov assigned one of his colonels to command the Areda ground forces and organize its resistance in case the Chinese decide to hit it with an airborne attack.
Karatonov’s colonel was with us at the bases we had already visited. So at least he knew the airfield defense drill against paratroopers. But he was obviously going to have a very big problem carrying out his duties—there were no Russian armor or infantry units in the vicinity for him to use to defend the field.
According to Colonel Lindauer, General Danovsky was beginning to recognize Areda’s significance and had decided not to take a chance on losing it; he was going to divert the next few troop carrying transport planes inbound from Moscow to Areda. They would be the field’s defense force.
Marty and I spent most of the day driving around field with its newly appointed commander in a Russian air force Jeep to identify positions for the infantry that was expected to arrive. Somewhere along the line Marty asked the newly appointed defense colonel an important question—does the base have food and ammunition for the men who are going to dig the new positions and fight from them? No.
Supplies and conditions at Areda were apparently so sparse, other than the usual surplus of fuel resulting from decades of Soviet five year plans calling for the construction of ever more fuel storage tanks, that Marty decided to request a big food shipment be flown in. He also, at the request of Danovsky, fired off a request to Evans and Moscow for intelligence updates.
General Danovsky particularly wanted to know if Areda has been mentioned in any of the Chinese intelligence reports. I know that’s what he asked about because Colonel Lindauer wrote up the general's request and asked me to carry it over to the signal corps warrant, Jimmy Nelson. Jimmy is temporarily attached to the plane’s crew to handle Lindauer’s communications.
According to Jimmy, Danovsky wants the latest intelligence as to how many paratroopers and air assault troops the Chinese have available and where they are expected to hit. He also asked if the United States can fly some food and payroll deliveries directly into Areda and carry out civilians.
I sure hope he sent a message to someone asking them to quickly send small arms ammunition, SAMs, and tents. This place is going to be up shit creek if they don’t get them. I’m going to suggest to Marty that he mention it the next time he talks privately with the colonel.
Everyone was boarding the helicopters by the time Jimmy finished sending the message. Then we lifted off and flew west to Ulan-Ude to repeat the process.
******
Marty and I stay in hastily
organized quarters at Ulan-Ude that evening, a plywood shack next to the officers’ mess. It had an unusually smelly outside latrine. Late the next morning, after a look at the defenses around the local airfield, we flew east with Lindauer and the Generals to Belogorsk.
As usual, when we got to Belogorsk we inspected the defenses of the air field and made some recommendations. Then we reboarded helicopters to visit the district’s other two military airfields and repeat the process.
At the moment our traveling road show was in the air with three rundown MI-4 helicopters—each carrying officers, communications equipment that doesn’t seem to work very well, and a couple of Pylcyn’s troopers as a protection squad in case it goes down.
When we finish inspecting and organizing the fields around Ulan-Ude we’d apparently fly along the railroad to visit the air fields around Khabarovsk, and then on to those around Vladivostok. That's what I was told but what the hell do I know?
If the past couple of days were any guide, at each air base Danovsky and the local corps commander would spend an hour or two meeting with the nervous officers commanding the local troops and go over their troop dispositions, supply situation, and preparations. While he was doing that, Marty and I would ride along while General Karatonov drove around the airfield in a borrowed Jeep and gave instructions and suggestions for its defense.
When we finished each inspection, If General Karatonov thought none of the officers available locally were up to organizing and commanding the field’s defenses, one of the Russian colonels traveling with us would be assigned to take command.
We find the same problems at every base—and inevitably the base officers are surprised to learn they are not in any way ready for either the coming war or an attack on their airfields. Many of them obviously didn’t believe a war was imminent, at least they didn’t until Danovsky and Karatonov and our traveling road show up, rush down the boarding stairs, and start “counseling” them.
So far, the same things have happened at every field we visit. An airfield defense commander is appointed and Danovsky orders the commander of the local ground troops to position some or all of his armor reserves, if he has any, around the airfield; Marty and I suggest to the newly appointed airfield defense commander where he might position his armor and the infantry fighting positions and how the positions should be built and supplied; and then everyone commiserates with everyone else about the shortage of anti-aircraft missile batteries and handheld SAMs.
The Russians are supposed to have a lot of mobile batteries left over from those that guarded the various bridges our swimmers blew from air attacks. Karatonov said something about having them being shipped in, but so far we haven’t seen any at any of the fields we have visited.
What there is at each field is a lot of anxiety about the arrival of the Generals. At many of them there is no real sense of urgency about an imminent war—until Danovsky and Karatonov light a fire under them. Will it stay lit? Will the local ground and air commanders cooperate? Do I give a shit?
Marty told me he has already decided that when he gets access to a secure radio he is going to send a report to General Evans telling him that at the moment only the Chita air field is well defended and ready to fight off a major airborne attack; the others are not ready, but most of them will probably be ready in the next few days. A few will never be ready.
Marty said he was also going to tell General Evans that all the Russian air fields appeared to be short of anti-aircraft missile batteries and that Areda needed food, gear, and ammunition for the troops that were being diverted to it.
There was no question about it—the Russians were going to be well and truly fucked if the Chinese take out the Russian airfields and establish air supremacy. Shit, even I can see that.
******
General Bulganin seemed concerned as he and his two aides boarded the helicopter that had been sent for him. Something was up and he did not know what it was. All he knew was that he’d been ordered to turn command of the 83rd and 112th divisions over to his deputy and report immediately to General Danovsky at the Khabarovsk airfield.
Now what have I done. Am I being relieved because I shot that political officer? Maybe it’s because I didn’t relocate the artillery where that foreign officer suggested?
Bulganin knew the Khabarovsk airfield. He had flown in and out of it just a few days earlier. It was about eighty miles from the Chinese border and the closest airfield to the mountain pass where his two seriously understrength divisions have just finished building a choke point along the railroad.
He was astonished by the change in the airfield in the seventy-two hours since he last passed through it. Tanks and infantry fighting vehicles were everywhere and thousands of troops were beavering away filling sandbags and creating fighting positions. What is happening here?
The major and the jeep full of MPs who met Bulganin took him directly to the military district’s two story concrete headquarters.
“What’s up?” he asks the major, but he didn’t get much of an answer, just a shrug and a grunt.
Bulganin was still searching his mind for what he might say in defense of where he located his artillery as he followed the hurrying major up the steps and into the building.
At least they didn’t take me to the military police headquarters. At least I don’t think it’s in this building.
******
“You may go in now, General.”
Danovsky smiled as I marched into the office and saluted. He is smiling. Danovsky is smiling.
“Major General Bulganin reporting to Colonel General Danovsky as ordered,” I said as I stood rigidly to attention.
Danovsky returned my salute and came around his desk and held out his hand. “Thank you for coming so promptly, Ivan Gregorovich. I need your help again.” He needs my help again? Thank God!
“I want you to take over as the frontal commander here,” said Danovsky. “It won’t be easy,” he told me. Then he explained why. The Chinese are going to do what? It was breath-taking and I would have thought it unbelievable if it hadn’t been General Danovsky himself telling me.
“You will command the new army I am forming here with the rank of Lieutenant General, Ivan Gregorovich. And you and your men must, at all costs, keep the Chinese out of Khabarovsk and prevent them from cutting the Trans-Siberian main line for as long as possible.”
Then General Danovsky went on to explain to me that I would have one division that was already digging in south of the Amur and another en route from Vladivostok that would be arriving shortly. Those two plus another division now being unloaded in Vladivostok will give me an army of three divisions. A three-division army and a promotion! I must be dreaming.
“But here’s the thing, Ivan Gregorovich: The Chinese attack here will undoubtedly be very strong since it is intended to draw troops away from Chita to reinforce you. But the reinforcements won’t come; you must stop the Chinese yourself without them. And once you stop them, you must be prepared to quickly load most of what is left of your army on the railroad and bring them to the Chita front to join the main effort under General Rutman.
“I will hold them Comrade General; I will hold them.” That is all I could get out. I almost got emotional about it.
Then, while we ate sausage sandwiches and drank tea, we spent several hours in front of the maps discussing the disposition of my three divisions, the artillery and air support I might or might not receive, the smallest possible skeleton force that was to be left at the choke point so it can be reoccupied and used if necessary, and the need to immediately move the troops and equipment of the 83rd and 112th at the choke point to Chita before the railroad line was cut.
One of the things that surprised me was the need to guard the airfield from an air assault. Then he really surprised me by introducing me to General Karatonov, whom I’d previously met, and a couple of American Marine officers who are “airfield defense experts.” They had been at Reykjavik? Impossible.
“You must h
old them off as long as possible, Ivan Gregorovich,” General Danovsky said once again as he started to climb the stairs to board his plane.
Then he stopped and turned around and looked at me again after he’d gone up only a couple of steps on the stairway.
“Remember, Ivan Gregorovich. The main battle will sooner or later switch to Chita. When that happens, you must be prepared to leave a very small screening force here and quickly move almost all of whatever is left of your armor and artillery, and their munitions, to Chita on the railroad.”
“At your orders, Comrade General. I will hold here and then move quickly to Chita as you require. You can count on it, Comrade General. I will hold here and then be in Chita with my men.”
Who was to tell Colonel Evensy to move the 83rd and the 112th to Chita? Was I supposed to tell him? And I better get some makeshift loading docks built in a hurry west of the city so we can leave in a hurry. And do I have enough docks here in the rail yards for the divisions that are arriving? My head was spinning with so many things to do.
“General Danovsky, Sir.” I shouted after him as he turned and and again began walking up the stairs. “Do you want me to order the 83rd and the 112th to move to Chita or will your headquarters send the order?”
****** General Evans
Things were really heating up as the invasion approached. The Russians in Moscow have become increasingly anxious. The flash message I received an hour ago from Bill Hammond reports that Gerasinov is in Tokyo or soon will be.
Bob Gates at the CIA says Gerasinov intends to offer Japan a deal to immediately restore Sakhalin Island to Japan and recognize Japan’s claim to the Kuril and Senkaku islands—in exchange for peace. It’s an unofficial trip and time was of the essence. According the CIA report, he will meet the Japanese Prime Minister at the Tokyo airport.
Our Next Great War Page 28