June 23, 1941 – STAVAK, Forward Command Brest-Litovsk
“I am afraid that contact with both the 10th Armor and the 27th Mechanized divisions in Zhukov’s group. It appears that they counter-attack to reopen direct lines has failed and it is likely that each division was overrun. They were of course the last armor reserve of Comrade Zhukov. The coordinated assault outside of the pocket was less than successful.” “You mean that it was a complete failure don’t you Major?” interrupted Timoshenko. The major nodded nervously. Timoshenko continued “In fact Major the bulk of the armor never even when into battle did they? They were destroyed by the German Air Force en route, correct.” The major remained silent. Timoshenko dismissed him with a wave of his hand. Timoshenko’s aid stepped forward. “Comrade General, General Shtern is waiting outside to see you.” “Send him in.” replied the commander.
Shtern came into the room and Timoshenko was shocked at the man’s appearance. He looked haggard and aged, not the vital man of 40 he sent to the front a month ago. As Shtern come into the room he didn’t bother to salute, instead he fairly collapsed into a chair opposite Timoshenko. For a second the commander suspected liquor, but there was no smell of vodka coming from Shtern. “My command is doomed.” Began Shtern “I flew out as you ordered, left Yosef in charge. But, he won’t live long and neither will my men. The damn Germans are all over us. I started my flight with 16 escort fighters and 5 decoy transport bombers. Do you know how many planes made it here? Exactly three, and two will never fly again.” Timoshenko studied the man and then said “Can I have my aid get you something? Tea or….” Shtern laughed diversely. “How about you get him to give me an air force worth a damn or tanks that don’t blow away like a fart in the wind?” he paused, then continued more soberly “I am sorry Comrade General, it’s just what I have seen the last two weeks. You know my teacher told me stories about Tannenburg, this is worse. As soon as I stabilized one line the Germans were attacking somewhere else. Their tanks came and went like Ghosts. When I left they were closing in for the kill…it won’t be long in coming.”
Timoshenko nodded, nothing he heard surprised him. The news the last two weeks was uniformly bad. The Germans had taken control of the air, and the initiative was theirs. Zhukov if possible was doing even worse in the South. He had driven farther into the German lines, almost to the old German border. Now the fascist were sweeping around his flanks. It was time to consider the cost of all this, to Russia, to the Army and to himself. He wouldn’t survive long. He had pushed this, along with Zhukov. The wolves would circle now. The party and the NKVD would unit with this failure. “I hear the Germans landed men in Estonia?” said Shtern, interrupting his thoughts. “Yes” replied Timoshenko “apparently they remembered they still had their maps from 17*. They landed enough troops to blunt Beria’s little sideshow.” Shtern laughed. “Do you mean the KNVD divisions didn’t drive the Germans into the sea?” Timoshenko gave wry smile and replied “Not only didn’t they drive the Germans out, but they managed to get themselves routed, retreated all the way to the border. Beria is scrambling now to react, he is scream for troops to repel the danger to the ‘cradle of the revolution.’ ** The man is a fool. The Germans didn’t land that many troops and certainly just a handful of tanks and guns, enough to send those policemen running but not enough to try for the city. In fact Comrade Colonel General I am sending you up to Leningrad. I want you to see to the city’s defenses.” Shtern looked at him and answered “If you send me away now….” Timoshenko waved a hand, “Yes the stink of this defeat may not drag you down, particularly if you can ‘save’ Leningrad. Zhukov and I are doomed. We will fight this battle, but there will be a knock on the door soon.” Shtern stood and offered a precise salute, Timoshenko could see some of the weariness leave him and something of the old soldier return. “I won’t fail you Comrade General.”
June 24, 1941 – Airfield outside Zagreb, Baroniva of Croatia, Yugoslavia
“According to our intelligence element of the Italian 2nd Army comprising the 5th, 6th and 9th Division are engaged against our forces here on the Croatian front. The Italian 10th Army with 3 Armor divisions, including the Centauro, Ariete and LIttorio Divisions and at least 6 infantry divisions have attacked into France. The Italian have also committed 3 Alpine Divisions along the Albanian front, but have made only slow progress. Finally there are reports of artillery duels along the Italian-German border, but we see no evidence of an attack.” The Captain paused. General Simovic looked over at his Croatian host, “Do you have any questions for the captain ban Subasic?” The Croat politician eagerly spoke, “How are our troops doing Captain?” “Quiet well Sir. The Italians seem to lack a good deal of coordination and spirit. The advances are slow, in fact unless they have overwhelming local superiority they move almost glacially. The air force is a more of a problem.” Subasic laughed. “Yes captain we have had ample evidence of that. We had several Italian visitors this week. I expect that General Simovic know that well eh general?” Simovic looked pained for a second then realized the Croat was trying to lighten the mood. “I expect we will be paying them back for their visits soon ban.”
Simovic dismissed the captain and the two men began to slowly walk towards the large hangers. “You know that it isn’t the Italians that that Paul or I am worried about?” began Subasic , Simovic nodded but kept quiet. “The real problem are the Germans and the British. The Germans are in Belgrade now talking. They want permission to bring in troops and planes to defend us. The problem is if we let them in, they may never leave. Then too their Bulgarian and Rumanian lackeys…. “Yes and what of the British?” interrupted the Air Force General “If we let the Germans in it will be open war with them. I hear rumors that they are already landing in Italy, Corsica at least. The Germans can’t let them back on the continent. We are going to have to choose sides soon. I suppose what happens in Poland is the main thing. If the Russians win, the Germans are finished. If the Germans win they can turn South and crush the Italians, with the French as allies!” He laughed bitterly. “Petain has already declared war on Il Duce. He needs the Germans to back him up. I expect we will see French and Germans troops fighting together soon.” Subasic began to whistle a tune, it was a strange melody and Simovic looked at the Croatian curiously, the ban smiled “Its’ called “The world turned upside down”, and old English song I heard long ago.”
*reference to Operation Albion, German first world war amphibious assault and conquest the Baltic islands (then Imperial Russian) off Estonia.
“I am afraid that contact with both the 10th Armor and the 27th Mechanized divisions in Zhukov’s group. It appears that they counter-attack to reopen direct lines has failed and it is likely that each division was overrun. They were of course the last armor reserve of Comrade Zhukov. The coordinated assault outside of the pocket was less than successful.” “You mean that it was a complete failure don’t you Major?” interrupted Timoshenko. The major nodded nervously. Timoshenko continued “In fact Major the bulk of the armor never even when into battle did they? They were destroyed by the German Air Force en route, correct.” The major remained silent. Timoshenko dismissed him with a wave of his hand. Timoshenko’s aid stepped forward. “Comrade General, General Shtern is waiting outside to see you.” “Send him in.” replied the commander.
Shtern came into the room and Timoshenko was shocked at the man’s appearance. He looked haggard and aged, not the vital man of 40 he sent to the front a month ago. As Shtern come into the room he didn’t bother to salute, instead he fairly collapsed into a chair opposite Timoshenko. For a second the commander suspected liquor, but there was no smell of vodka coming from Shtern. “My command is doomed.” Began Shtern “I flew out as you ordered, left Yosef in charge. But, he won’t live long and neither will my men. The damn Germans are all over us. I started my flight with 16 escort fighters and 5 decoy transport bombers. Do you know how many planes made it here? Exactly three, and two will never fly again.” Timoshenko studied the man and then said “Can I have my aid get you something? Tea or….” Shtern laughed diversely. “How about you get him to give me an air force worth a damn or tanks that don’t blow away like a fart in the wind?” he paused, then continued more soberly “I am sorry Comrade General, it’s just what I have seen the last two weeks. You know my teacher told me stories about Tannenburg, this is worse. As soon as I stabilized one line the Germans were attacking somewhere else. Their tanks came and went like Ghosts. When I left they were closing in for the kill…it won’t be long in coming.”
Timoshenko nodded, nothing he heard surprised him. The news the last two weeks was uniformly bad. The Germans had taken control of the air, and the initiative was theirs. Zhukov if possible was doing even worse in the South. He had driven farther into the German lines, almost to the old German border. Now the fascist were sweeping around his flanks. It was time to consider the cost of all this, to Russia, to the Army and to himself. He wouldn’t survive long. He had pushed this, along with Zhukov. The wolves would circle now. The party and the NKVD would unit with this failure. “I hear the Germans landed men in Estonia?” said Shtern, interrupting his thoughts. “Yes” replied Timoshenko “apparently they remembered they still had their maps from 17*. They landed enough troops to blunt Beria’s little sideshow.” Shtern laughed. “Do you mean the KNVD divisions didn’t drive the Germans into the sea?” Timoshenko gave wry smile and replied “Not only didn’t they drive the Germans out, but they managed to get themselves routed, retreated all the way to the border. Beria is scrambling now to react, he is scream for troops to repel the danger to the ‘cradle of the revolution.’ ** The man is a fool. The Germans didn’t land that many troops and certainly just a handful of tanks and guns, enough to send those policemen running but not enough to try for the city. In fact Comrade Colonel General I am sending you up to Leningrad. I want you to see to the city’s defenses.” Shtern looked at him and answered “If you send me away now….” Timoshenko waved a hand, “Yes the stink of this defeat may not drag you down, particularly if you can ‘save’ Leningrad. Zhukov and I are doomed. We will fight this battle, but there will be a knock on the door soon.” Shtern stood and offered a precise salute, Timoshenko could see some of the weariness leave him and something of the old soldier return. “I won’t fail you Comrade General.”
June 24, 1941 – Airfield outside Zagreb, Baroniva of Croatia, Yugoslavia
“According to our intelligence element of the Italian 2nd Army comprising the 5th, 6th and 9th Division are engaged against our forces here on the Croatian front. The Italian 10th Army with 3 Armor divisions, including the Centauro, Ariete and LIttorio Divisions and at least 6 infantry divisions have attacked into France. The Italian have also committed 3 Alpine Divisions along the Albanian front, but have made only slow progress. Finally there are reports of artillery duels along the Italian-German border, but we see no evidence of an attack.” The Captain paused. General Simovic looked over at his Croatian host, “Do you have any questions for the captain ban Subasic?” The Croat politician eagerly spoke, “How are our troops doing Captain?” “Quiet well Sir. The Italians seem to lack a good deal of coordination and spirit. The advances are slow, in fact unless they have overwhelming local superiority they move almost glacially. The air force is a more of a problem.” Subasic laughed. “Yes captain we have had ample evidence of that. We had several Italian visitors this week. I expect that General Simovic know that well eh general?” Simovic looked pained for a second then realized the Croat was trying to lighten the mood. “I expect we will be paying them back for their visits soon ban.”
Simovic dismissed the captain and the two men began to slowly walk towards the large hangers. “You know that it isn’t the Italians that that Paul or I am worried about?” began Subasic , Simovic nodded but kept quiet. “The real problem are the Germans and the British. The Germans are in Belgrade now talking. They want permission to bring in troops and planes to defend us. The problem is if we let them in, they may never leave. Then too their Bulgarian and Rumanian lackeys…. “Yes and what of the British?” interrupted the Air Force General “If we let the Germans in it will be open war with them. I hear rumors that they are already landing in Italy, Corsica at least. The Germans can’t let them back on the continent. We are going to have to choose sides soon. I suppose what happens in Poland is the main thing. If the Russians win, the Germans are finished. If the Germans win they can turn South and crush the Italians, with the French as allies!” He laughed bitterly. “Petain has already declared war on Il Duce. He needs the Germans to back him up. I expect we will see French and Germans troops fighting together soon.” Subasic began to whistle a tune, it was a strange melody and Simovic looked at the Croatian curiously, the ban smiled “Its’ called “The world turned upside down”, and old English song I heard long ago.”
*reference to Operation Albion, German first world war amphibious assault and conquest the Baltic islands (then Imperial Russian) off Estonia.
