tc.redstormrising-第138部分

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The　chopper　stopped　briefly。　Alekseyev　saw　burning　vehicles　and　running　men。　The　tanks　were　old　T…55s　。　。　。　this　was　the　counterattack　he'd　been　told　about！　Smashed。　A　minute　later　he　saw　vehicles　assembling　for　another　effort。
〃I've　seen　enough。　Straight　to　Stendal　as　fast　as　you　can。〃　The　General　leaned　back　with　his　maps　and　tried　to　formulate　a　clear　picture　of　what　he'd　seen。　Half　an　hour　later　the　helicopter　flared　and　landed。
〃You　were　right；　Pasha；〃　CINC…West　said　as　soon　as　he　walked　into　the　operations　room。　He　held　three　reconnaissance　photographs。
〃Twenty…Sixth　Motor…Rifle's　initial　attack　was　crushed　two　kilometers　in　front　of　enemy　lines。　When　I　flew　over；　they　were　re…forming　for　another。　This　is　a　mistake；〃　Alekseyev　said　with　quiet　urgency。　〃If　we　want　that　position　back；　we　have　to　attack　with　full　preparation。〃
〃We　must　have　that　bridgehead　back　in　our　hands　as　quickly　as　possible。〃
〃Fine。　Tell　Beregovoy　to　detach　two　of　his　units　and　drive　back　east。〃
〃We　can't　abandon　the　Weser　crossing！〃
〃rade　General；　either　we　pull　those　units　back　or　we　let　NATO　destroy　them　in　place。　That　is　the　only　choice　we　have　at　the　moment。〃
〃No。　Once　we　get　Alfeld　back；　we　can　reinforce。　That　will　defeat　the　counterattack　on　their　flank　and　allow　us　to　continue　the　advance。〃
〃What　do　we　have　to　strike　Alfeld　with？〃
〃Three　divisions　are　en　route　now…〃
Alekseyev　scanned　the　unit　designations　on　the　map。　〃They're　all　C　formations！〃
〃Yes。　I　had　to　divert　most　of　my　B　units　north。　NATO　counterattacked　at　Hamburg　as　well。　Cheer　up；　Pasha；　we　have　many　C　units　ing　onto　the　front。〃
Wonderful　All　these　old；　fat；　out…of…practice　reservists　are　marching　to　a　front　held　by　battle…seasoned　troops。
〃Wait　until　all　three　divisions　are　in　place。　Get　their　artillery　up　front　first　so　that　we　can　pound　the　NATO　positions。　What　about　Gronau？〃
〃The　Germans　crossed　the　Leine　there；　but　we　have　them　contained。　Two　divisions　are　moving　to　attack　there　also。〃
Alekseyev　walked　over　to　the　main　map　display　and　looked　for　changes　in　the　tactical　situation　since　he'd　last　been　here。　The　battle　lines　in　the　north　had　not　changed　appreciably；　and　the　NATO　counterattack　on　the　Alfeld…R乭le　salient　was　only　now　being　posted。　Blue　flags　were　at　Gronau；　and　Alfeld。　There　was　the　counterattack　at　Hamburg。
We've　lost　the　initiative。　How　do　we　get　it　back？
The　Soviet　Army　had　started　the　war　with　twenty　A　divisions　based　in　Germany；　with　another　ten　moved　in　at　the　start；　and　more　since。　All　of　them　had　now　been　mitted　to　battle；　many　pulled　off　the　line　due　to　losses。　The　last　reserve　of　the　full…strength　formations　was　at　R乭le；　and　they　were　about　to　be　trapped。　Beregovoy　was　too　good　a　soldier　to　violate　orders；　even　though　he　knew　his　forces　had　to　be　pulled　back　before　they　were　irretrievably　cut　off。
〃We　must　abandon　the　attack。　If　we　press　on；　those　divisions　will　be　trapped　behind　two　rivers；　not　just　one。〃
〃The　attack　is　a　political　and　military　necessity；〃　CINC…West　answered…　〃If　they　push　forward；　NATO　will　have　to　draw　forces　off　this　attack　to　defend　the　Ruhr。　Then　we'll　have　them。〃
Alekseyev　didn't　argue　further。　The　thought　that　came　to　him　felt　like　a　blast　of　cold　air　on　exposed　skin。　Have　we　failed？

USS　INDEPENDENCE
〃Admiral；　I　need　to　see　somebody　in　the　MAF。〃
〃Who？〃
〃Chuck　Lowe…he's　a　regimental　mander。　Before　he　took　it　over；　we　worked　together　on　CINCLANT's　intelligence　staff。〃
〃Why　not…〃
〃He's　good；　Admiral；　very　good　at　this　stuff。〃

〃You　think　the　information　is　that　hot？〃　Jacobsen　asked。
〃I　sure　do；　sir；　but　I　need　a　second　opinion。　Chuck's　the　best　guy　who's　handy。〃
Jacobsen　lifted　his　phone。　〃Get　me　General　Emerson；　quick　。　。　。　Billy？　Scott。　You　have　a　Colonel　Chuck　Lowe　serving　with　you？　Where？　Okay；　one　of　my　intel　people　needs　to　see　him　right　now　。　。　。　important　enough；　Billy。　Very　well；　he'll　be　on　his　way　in　ten　minutes。〃　The　Admiral　set　the　phone　down。　〃Have　you　copied　that　tape？〃
〃Yes；　sir。　This　is　one　of　the　copies。　The　original's　in　the　safe。〃
〃There'll　be　a　helo　waiting　for　you。〃
It　was　a　one…hour　flight　to　Stykkisholmur。　From　there　a　Marine　chopper　took　him　southeast。　He　found　Chuck　Lowe　in　a　tent　looking　over　some　maps。
〃You　get　around　pretty　good。　I　heard　about　Nimitz；　Bob。　Glad　to　see　you　made　it。　What's　up？〃
〃I　want　you　to　listen　to　this　tape。　It'll　take　you　about　twenty　minutes。〃　Toland　explained　who　the　Russian　was。　He　handed　over　a　small　Japanese　personal　tape　player　with　earphones。　The　two　officers　walked　out　of　the　tent　to　a　relatively　quiet　place。　Twice　Lowe　rewound　the　tape　to　repeat　a　section。
〃Son　of　a　bitch；〃　he　said　quietly　when　it　was　finished。
〃He　thought　we　already　knew。〃
Colonel　Lowe　stooped　down　and　picked　up　a　rock。　He　hefted　it　in　his　hand　for　a　moment；　then　hurled　it　as　hard　as　he　could。　〃Why　not？　We　assume　the　KGB　is　petent；　why　should　they　assume　that　we're　not！　We　had　the　information　all　along　。　。　。　and　we　blew　it！　〃　His　voice　was　full　of　wonder　and　disgust。　〃You　sure　this　isn't　a　cock…and…bull　story？〃
〃When　we　pulled　him　out　of　the　water；　he　had　a　nasty　cut　on　the　leg。　The　docs　sewed　that　up　and　gave　him　pain　pills。　I　caught　him　weak　from　blood　loss；　and　pretty　well　juiced　on　codeine。　Kinda　hard　to　lie　well　when　you're　drunk；　isn't　it？　Chuck；　I　really　need　your　opinion。〃
〃Trying　to　land　me　back　in　the　intel　business？〃　Lowe　smiled　briefly。　〃Bob；　it　makes　a　hell　of　a　lot　of　sense。　This　should　go　up　the　ladder　fast。〃
〃I　think　SACEUR　should　get　it。〃
〃You　can't　just　call　up　for　an　appointment；　Bob。〃
〃I　can　go　through　EASTLANT。　The　original　goes　to　Washington。　CIA　will　want　to　use　a　voice…stress…analysis　machine　on　it。　But　I　saw　the　man's　eyes；　Chuck。〃
〃I　agree。　It　should　go　to　the　top　as　fast　as　you　can　get　it　there…and　SACEUR　can　make　the　fastest　use　of　it。〃
〃Thanks；　Colonel。　How　do　I　call　the　chopper　back？〃
〃I'll　handle　that。　Wele　to　Iceland；　by　the　way。〃
〃How's　it　going？〃　Toland　followed　the　colonel　back　to　the　tent。
〃We're　up　against　good　troops；　but　they　have　a　tough　defensive　problem　here；　and　we　have　all　the　firepower　we　need。　We　got　'em　by　the　ass！〃　The　colonel　paused。　〃Nice　work；　Squid！〃
Two　hours　later；　Toland　was　aboard　a　plane　bound　for　Heathrow。

MOSCOW；　R。S。F。S。R。
The　briefing　was　given　by　Marshal　Fyodr　Borissovich　Bukharin。　The　KGB　had　arrested　Marshals　Shavyrin　and　Rozhkov　the　day　before；　a　move　that　told　Minister　Sergetov　more　than　this　briefing　ever　would。
〃The　attack　west　from　Alfeld　has　bogged　down　due　to　poor　planning　and　execution　by　mander…in…Chief　West。　We　need　to　regain　the　initiative。　Fortunately　we　have　the　troops　available；　and　nothing　changes　the　fact　that　NATO　has　suffered　grievous　losses。
〃I　propose　replacement　of　the　Western　Theater　mand　staff　and…〃
〃Wait。　I　wish　to　say　something；〃　Sergetov　interrupted。
〃Make　your　point；　Mikhail　Eduardovich；〃　the　Defense　Minister　said；　his　annoyance　clear。
〃Marshal　Bukharin；　you　propose　plete　staff　replacement？〃　The　practical　consequences　to　the　replacees　was　unspoken；　Sergetov　thought；　but　plain　enough。
〃My　son　is　on　the　staff　of　the　Deputy　mander　West；　General　Alekseyev。　This　general　is　the　one　who　led　the　breakthrough　at　Alfeld；　and　the　one　at　R乭le！　He's　been　wounded　twice　and　had　his　helicopter　shot　down　by　enemy　fighters…after　which　he　mandeered　a　truck　and　raced　to　the　front　to　lead　yet　another　successful　attack。　He's　the　only　effective　general　we　have　that　I　know　of；　and　you　want　to　replace　him　with　someone　unfamiliar　with　the　situation…what　madness　is　this？〃　he　asked　angrily。　The　Minister　of　the　Interior　leaned　forward。
〃Just　because　your　son　is　on　his　staff…〃
Sergetov's　face　went　beet…red。　〃'Just　because　my　son；'　　you　say？　My　son　is　at　the　front；　serving　the　State。　He's　been　wounded；　and　barely　escaped　death　when　he　was　shot　down　at　his　general's　side。　Who　else　at　this　table　can　say　that；　rades？　Where　are　your　sons？〃　He　pounded　on　the　table　in　rage。　Sergetov　concluded　in　a　softer　voice；　wounding　his　colleagues　in　a　way　that　mattered；　really　mattered：　〃Where　are　the　munists　here？〃
There　was　a　brief　but　deadly　silence。　Sergetov　knew　that　he　had　either　ended　his　political　career　or　boosted　it　beyond　measure。　His　fate　would　be　decided　by　whoever　spoke　next。
〃In　the　Great　Patriotic　War；〃　Pyotr　Bromkovskiy　said　with　an　old　man's　dignity；　〃Politburo　members　lived　at　the　front。　Many　lost　sons。　Even　rade　Stalin　gave　his　sons　to　the　State；　serving　alongside　the　sons　of　ordinary　workers　and　peasants。　Mikhail　Eduardovich　speaks　well。　rade　Marshal；　your　evaluation　of　General　Alekseyev；　if　you　please？　Is　rade　Sergetov　correct　in　his　assessment？〃
Bukharin　looked　uneasy。　〃Alekseyev　is　a　young；　bright　officer；　and；　yes；　he　has　done　fairly　well　at　his　present　post。〃
〃But　you　wish　to　replace　him　with　one　of　your　own　people？〃　Bromkovskiy　didn't　wait　for　an　answer。　〃It　is　amazing；　the　things　we　learn　and　the　things　we　forget。　We　forget　that　it　is　necessary　for　all　Soviet　citizens　to　share　the　burden　together…but　we　remember　the　mistakes　made　in　1941；　arresting　good　officers　because　their　superiors　erred；　and　replacing　them　all　with　political　cronies　who　could　lead　us　to　disaster！　If　Alekseyev　is　a　bright　young　officer　who　knows　how　to　fight；　why　do　you　replace　him？〃
〃Perhaps　we　were　hasty；〃　the　Defense　Minister　admitted；　watching　the　mood　around　the　table　shift　dramatically。　I'll　get　you　for　this；　Mikhail　Eduardovich。　If　you　wish　to　ally　yourself　with　our　oldest　member；　it　is　fine　with　me。　He　won't　live　forever。　Neither　will　you。
〃That　is　decided　then；〃　the　Party　Chairman　said。　〃Next；　Bukharin；　what　of　the　situation　on　Iceland？〃
〃There　are　reports　that　some　enemy　troops　have　landed；　but　we　immediately　attacked　the　NATO　fleet。　We　are　waiting　now　for　an　assessment　of　the　losses　we　inflicted。　We　have　to　wait　for　satellite　reconnaissance　before　we　can　be　sure　of　that。〃　Bukharin　knew　only　what　Soviet　losses　were；　and　he　would　not　reveal　those　until　he　could　report　favorable　strike　results。

STENDAL；　GERMAN　DEMOCRATIC　REPUBLIC
They　arrived　just　after　dark；　the　KGB　officers　in　battle　dress。　Alekseyev　was　working　on　deployments　of　newly　arrived　C　divisions　and　didn't　see　them　enter　CINC…West's　office。　Five　minutes　later　he　was　summoned。
〃rade　General　Alekseyev；　you　are　now　mander…in…Chief　of　the　Wes