Our Next Great War

by Martin Archer

  Chapter Twenty

  The plot thickens

  “I’ll come right to the point,” Gerasinov said to the Japanese Prime Minister at the Tokyo airport. “There is no need for you to risk a nuclear attack on Japan to get your islands back.

  “It seems there is to be a war between Russia and the Chinese. But if it goes nuclear, and there is a good chance it will, all of Russia’s attackers and their supporters will suffer terribly.

  “All of them,” he repeated ominously looking straight at the Prime Minister and emphasizing the word ‘all.’

  “Russia does not want to use nuclear weapons, Prime Minister,” he said sadly. “But the reality is that General Danovsky has taken control of all our nuclear weapons in the east. He has informed Moscow that he intends to use them if that’s what it takes to stop the Chinese.”

  Then he leaned toward the shaken Japanese Prime Minister and displayed the toughness that had taken him to the top of the Soviet and Eastern Union hierarchies.

  “If Danovsky uses his nuclear weapons, the Chinese will use undoubtedly theirs; and then Moscow will have to use ours—to insure that none of our enemies are left who can rebuild faster than we can. None.” He leaned forward and emphasized the word ‘none.’

  “So here’s our offer. You immediately take the islands. All of them. Every single one. We know you have ships out there already and more ships loading. So order your ships to head for Sakhalin Island and land your troops and Marines. Land them right now. Today.

  Then, while your men are unloading, you load our troops and their equipment and their supplies on your ships and take them straight to Vladivostok. You can fly out our dependents and any of our citizens who want to leave after the war.”

  “It’s your choice, Mr. Prime Minister. Peace, the islands, and a prosperous Japan; or war, no islands, and more than likely, a nuclear devastated Japan consisting of many Hiroshimas.

  ******

  It was a political masterstroke. Gerasinov had made the Japanese Prime Minister an offer he could not refuse. In just a few minutes the Russian president had separated Japan from China and freed up a few more immediately available Russian troops and ships for the war. The only problem was that not everyone in Russia appreciated what he had accomplished.

  Moscow was in turmoil about surrendering the islands Russia took from Japan in the closing hours of World War Two. Some of the senior military officers were furious about the surrendering of any part of Russia, no matter how insignificant. The result was another mutiny.

  Tanks and BMDs from the Moscow garrison surrounded Gerasinov’s plane and wouldn’t let him disembark when he returned to Moscow from Japan. The mutineer’s tanks, in turn, were promptly surrounded by tanks and BMDs of the Moscow regiment of MVD troops under the control of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

  The standoff at the airport continued for hours until General Petrov, in a room jammed full of senior officers glaring at each other, was able to get Danovsky on a speaker phone. The officers in the room didn’t know it but Petrov spoke to him earlier and alerted him to the situation.

  Danovsky was emphatic.

  “We need the Sakhalin troops and the navy ships around the island for the fight with China. Those islands are going to be lost for sure if we don’t win; we can take them back if we do.”

  Officers of every persuasion are crowded into the conference room and listened intently as Danovsky continued.

  “Do you remember the huge battle between the French and the Germans early in World War One, Comrades? The battle on the outskirts of Paris that we all studied at our military schools? Well, then you remember the French won when the very last French battalion to arrive at the front made the difference between winning and losing the crucial battle—the battalion whose men were brought straight from the train station to the front line in Paris taxicabs?”

  “Well, goddamnit, here at the front we see the troops the Japanese navy will bring in from Sakhalin as coming to us on Japanese taxicabs. We need them here to fight the Chinese, not sitting on their arses on some useless island for a couple of extra weeks until the war is lost and Sakhalin Island with it.”

  ******

  To say the Chinese were furious about Tokyo’s abrupt about face would be a massive understatement.

  “They are treacherous liars.” Those are the first words the Party Chairman Xi said to the hastily assembled meeting of the party’s Central Committee. “And it doesn’t matter; Japan’s participation isn’t important; we never counted on it in the first place.”

  No one said a word. Finally the elderly little man at the end of the table spoke up.

  “If Japan is not important to us, Comrade Chairman, then it is curious that the Russians are willing to give up so much to separate them from us. Would you not agree?”

  “Yes, Yee Shin, it is indeed curious. But it is also very encouraging. It means the Russians are so desperate that they gave up all that territory just to get the insignificant handful of troops on Sakhalin over to Valdivostok to help fight us.”

  “And the ships. We must not forget the Russian ships,” said someone else.

  “What ships?” Xi demanded.

  “Last week you said it was important that the Russians had moved ships to Sakhalin to stop the Japanese, ships they could not bring into the battle against us.”

  “Perhaps I was too enthusiastic about the importance of the ships. If so, I apologize to everyone. This will be land war, not a sea war; isn’t that so comrade Defense Minister?” I will remember you, Yee Shin.

  But before Wu could answer, there was another question.

  “Isn’t it time for another review of our preparations before we proceed,” asked the portly head of the security services. After all, didn’t you and General Wu say we could pull back if victory was not guaranteed?” They are getting cold feet.

  “Unfortunately Comrades,” General Wu piped up before Chairman Xi could answer, “the time has passed for that. We have already infiltrated more than twenty thousand men over the Amur and Ussuri Rivers and into the mountains. The Russians have already made contact with some of them. For all practical purposes the war has started.”

  There were gasps and scraping sounds as chairs were pushed back. Then everyone started talking at once.

  ****** Captain Martin Shapiro

  Our helicopter went down about an hour after we left Belogorsk and began following the Trans-Siberian tracks towards Khabarovsk.

  We had barely finished passing over a westbound train loaded with troops and vehicles when the engine began sputtering as we passed over a snow covered ridge and the pilots begin cursing and shouting at each other.

  When the engine gave one last “pop” and quit completely, we auto rotated down through the trees and hit the hillside with a hard bounce. The blades were still coming apart from hitting the trees as we jumped out and ran to get clear.

  But all ended well except for the loss of the helicopter. Everyone got out and we began waving to the helicopters circling overhead above the canopy of trees. Whew. That was close. Thank God it didn’t blow.

  We stood around for an hour or so at the edge of the snow line waiting for the rescue helicopters and tending to a couple of men who’ve been slightly injured in the crash. A couple of men even walked up to the snow and began throwing snowballs at each oher. Then everything changed; there were troops coming out of the trees to our right. Strange uniforms.

  At first we just stood there and looked at them. Several of our men even waved. Then there was a shout and shots were fired, and it seems like we all begin running at the same time. Chinese! As I was running I could see David and some of the Russians dart off to the left. I took about ten more steps and dived behind a tree when the shooting intensified.

  Then there was silence and muffled talking. I could hear the crunches as someone slowly walked through the leaves towards me. Well hell, I’ve got no weapon and I can’t run. So I stood up and raised my hands as some Chinese soldiers approached
. I sure hope they’re taking prisoners. Then I was somehow on the ground and could see a big tuft of brown grass right in front of my eyes. Damn. They’re not.

  It seemed like only a couple of seconds passed before I heard talking I couldn’t understand and felt the toe of what must be someone’s boot trying to turn me over. Then there was nothing.

  ******

  Suddenly I heard myself scream as a terrible spasm of pain woke me up in the moonlit darkness. My god, I’m burning all over. The pain was so intense all I could do was scream and scream without even knowing where I was or what I was doing. I’ve got to get to the snow and put out the burning. I must. Getting to the snow and cooling off was my only thought as I lurched on to my hands and knees and begin crawling in the darkness.

  The burning pain kept Captain Shapiro crazed and semi-conscious for several hours as the sun came up and he desperately crawled over the rocky scree until he came out of the brush and finally reached the snow.

  Bones were showing through what was left of his mangled hands as he feverishly tried to burrow himself into the mound of snow that was packed up under a rocky overhang. It was a desperate effort to ease his burning pain. And it worked; burrowing into the snow definitely helped. His pain flowed away. Then he gasped two or three times and rested.

  ****** Major Jerry Carpenter

  General Evans arranged for me and Vern to fly in from Bikin to meet with David Teniers at the Podovsk base hospital. According to General Evans, David Tenier and a Russian lieutenant had straggled into one of the choke points on the railroad this morning. David arrived suffering from a painful bullet wound to his hand and severe hypothermia from spending a wet night in the forest. A bullet wound?

  “Six of our men were found dead of gun shot wounds at the site of the downed chopper,” reported the English-speaking Russian lieutenant colonel waiting for us at the hospital entrance. “Captain Shapiro and the helicopter’s co-pilot, are still missing.”

  Colonel Lindauer came with us to the hospital to visit David. The Colonel said he’d already spoken to two of the Russian survivors. They confirmed that they had run into the trees and escaped when the Chinese showed up and immediately started shooting. One of the Russians said he was sure he saw Captain Shapiro run when the shooting started.

  David had just come out of surgery and still a bit groggy when we visited him. But he was able to talk and said he was absolutely certain he saw Marty run when the Chinese started shooting. David’s left hand was wrapped in a massive bandage. He knows the Russian doctors could not save one of his fingers; the other two will be fine even though another surgery might be needed.

  He was adamant about not being evacuated until Captain Shapiro was found.

  ****** General Evans

  It had been two days since the helicopter carrying Captain Shapiro and Mister Teniers had an engine problem and went down in the mountains. I was already up toasting a bagel and drinking my morning pot of tea when Major Carpenter called in with an update.

  “No Sir, nothing yet.”…. “Yes Sir, He’s a tough guy. He’ll be fine.” … “Yes Sir, we’re sure. Colonel Lindauer talked to the Russian docs; the only permanent damage is the loss of his finger.”…. “Yes Sir, I’ll ask him again but I’m sure the answer will be the same—he wants to stay….”

  Okay. It’s time to call in and update Bill Hammond.

  “Bill, Captain Shapiro’s still missing and it doesn’t look good. The man with him, Mr. Teniers, you remember him from the staircase?”... “Yeah, that’s him. Well, he had a finger shot off but is otherwise apparently okay; wants to stay out there and I’m gonna let him.”

  “Yeah, it’s getting worse. There have been multiple contact reports for the last couple of days and they’re increasing. The Chinese are obviously infiltrating over the border in force. Yeah, all they have to do is paddle over the Amur and they’re in.”

  Hmm. That gives me an idea.

  “Bill, do you think anyone would object if I made a brief trip to visit Danovsky with some media people in tow—to publically encourage him to use restraint and not do something stupid like using the nukes he controls. It would be a great way to send a ‘back off’ message to the Chinese.”

  General Hammond liked it.

  “That’s a great idea, Dick. It sure couldn’t hurt. I’ll check on it and get back to you. The President could hold a press conference and announce he is sending you to urge restraint on the general who controls the Russian nuclear weapons in the east.”

  Then, after a pause, Bill had a thoughtful sound in his voice.

  “Yeah, you’re right; knowing that Danovsky controls them and might use them might be a good thing for the Chinese to hear. I’ll get right on it.”

  Sure enough. Later that afternoon I was asked to standby to be connected to the President. Ten minutes later he came on the line to tell me he thinks such an in-person meeting to call for nuclear restraint in a way that gets in the media and reaches the Chinese is a good idea. He wants the Secretary of State to go with me.

  Oh shit.

  “I must most respectfully disagree, Mr. President. Arriving with Secretary Sanders will almost certainly destroy my credibility with General Danovsky. But Sir, you are absolutely right that someone needs to deliver the message to the Chinese via the media—and I certainly have no problem with the Secretary doing it without me being there.”

  And Sanders wanted to go. She was insistent on going when I called her thirty minutes later to give her some advice about dealing with Danovsky and try to talk her out of going. I didn’t try very hard.

  “Oh no,” she said. “My making the trip is very important. I am going to make it quite clear that as the general in charge that he has to be reasonable as to how he responds when the Chinese attack. We absolutely cannot allow him to start a nuclear war.” Allow?

  The bottom line is that within the hour everything was settled. Secretary Sanders is going to fly to Arkhara with a big press entourage and I am going to stay here. Ann was pleased that I would not be going. So am I—but I’m not going to admit it to anyone, not even Bill.

  After all, who am I to stop the Secretary if she wants to make a useful fool of herself? General Danovsky will be so afraid she’ll leak whatever he tells her that he is unlikely to share anything with her except disinformation to screw up the Chinese.” Actually that’s not a bad idea. Hmm.

  ******

  Moscow quickly approved Secretary Sanders’s trip and the next day she flew into Arkhara with a military attaché from the Russian embassy, a photogenic and racially balanced State Department protection detail wearing vests and carrying automatic weapons, and plane full of her media supporters ready to capture every moment of her triumph and instantly report it in order to get some face time on national television.

  She arrived in Arkhara a day later and full of optimism. Unfortunately, it took quite a while for the rusty metal boarding steps to be pushed into place against her plane’s door. Then, as the Secretary descended the steps she had to stop while her protection detail was disarmed and the military attaché, from the Russian embassy arrested for treason. According to all reports, she was clearly not a happy camper by the time she finally set foot on Russian soil.

  The small and unpainted plywood box that passed as the airfield’s arrival and departure terminal was deserted when the Secretary and her press entourage and weaponless guards finally entered. After some delay while the media crowded into the room and interviewed each other, the cameras rolled as a nice looking General from Danovsky’s staff and a young English-speaking lieutenant with bad teeth drove up in a Russian Jeep. The General did the talking and the lieutenant translated. They had both been carefully coached.

  “Unfortunately Miss, General Danovsky is much too busy to meet with tourists at this time. We are in a war, you know. Perhaps you could send him a letter or I can give him a message for you.

  “Oh. You are not a tourist? You are a secretary? Whose secretary are you?

  “Pleas
e do not shout, Miss. All I know is that you and your plane should not be here. This is a dangerous war zone. Don’t you know we are fighting Chinese here and that Arkara is a military headquarters?

  “Of course we are fighting them. The Chinese have been crossing the border everywhere during the past several weeks and attacking us. Big battles are coming to Vladivostok and Khabarovsk and maybe, god forbid, even here. The Chinese are again trying to capture our Russian lands around the Ussuri, I am astonished that you did not know that.”

  Amidst much confusion and the constant din of planes taking off and landing on the nearby runway, a letter was produced signed by someone in Moscow. It changed everything. Only then did the General reveal that General Danovsky was not in Arkhara and had not been there for several days.

  “I am sorry for the confusion, Madam Secretary. Unfortunately General Danovsky is in the field organizing his troops to move to Kharbarovsk so they can help fight off the Chinese attacks.”

  The English-speaking lieutenant became most solicitous and helpful. “Does your pilot have enough fuel? If you have a credit card I am sure fuel can be arranged.”

  ******

  Confirmation of the existence of fighting and the Secretary’s explanation as to why she was unable to meet General Danovsky made the news in a big way. And, no surprise, Bill Kretzner of the Washington Post called me for a comment.

  I proceeded to tell Bill there was no way I would talk to him about anything unless it was totally off the record and there was absolutely nothing in his story that could be used to identify me as his source. He agreed.

  “Yeah Bill, I know about the Secretary’s trip into the war zone and I know why she was unable to meet with General Danovsky. It’s an interesting story. But all I can confirm to you now is that General Danovsky is getting his troops ready to fight off a major Chinese invasion and that the shooting actually started some days ago.” All true.