Arctic Dream/Moscow
Date: December 8, 1944
Location: The Arctic Dream in the North Atlantic
Time: 10:00 p.m. [German time]
At ten p.m. the chief radio operator of the Arctic Dream prepared to get ready for bed. It had been a long but uneventful day since they had left the Orkney neutrality station the day before. Now, he was slipping off his clothes and getting ready to read the adventure novel he had brought with him for the trip and then slip beneath the covers. A knock at the cabin door caused him to quickly dress enough to look presentable. Going to the door he opened it to see the assistant radio technician, Oscar Roland, standing there. “Oscar, what is it?” The chief radio officer had only gotten to know Oscar’s name and little else since they left Stockholm. Though they shared a cabin Oscar rarely talked with anyone except to exchange the simplest of pleasantries. “Oscar,” didn’t answer and not until too late did the chief radio operator notice the silenced Lugar in his hand. Two shots were fired and the chief radio operator toppled backward. Oscar Roland, aka Walter Eisner quickly slipped into the room, took the body and loaded it into the bunk belonging to the chief radio technician making sure to put the blankets up to make it look like the man was sleeping. He then left the room.
Earlier Walter had paid a visit to his partner in the section devoted to the engineering crew. His colleague had been assigned the night shift and so should by now be holding the engineering staff hostage down below. In the meantime Walter had already sent a quick one word wireless message which both submarines (the U-2504 and the U-2511) which should be waiting close to the surface in this area would receive. The message was simply “Go,” repeated three times. He had then removed several vital elements from the wireless equipment to make certain it could not be used.
Now Walter was heading for the bridge with his Lugar. He took a brief moment to reload the gun to ensure he had enough bullets to hold the bridge crew at bay. On the bridge were exactly three people, including the second officer. The captain and the first officer had already retired for the night. His gun drawn Walter ordered the three bridge crew to put up their hands and if they had a weapon to drop it. The two junior crew members complied but the second officer tried to point his weapon at Ernst and Ernst quickly shot him in the right shoulder. The second officer quickly slumped from the shock and pain. “Bring the ship to a full stop and drop anchor!” Ernst ordered. The bridge crew, unable to contact the captain and under the gun quickly complied. In the engine room, Walter Ernst’s partner now had the engineering staff under control and ensured they remained in the engine compartment.
Ernst ordered the bridge crew to sit down on the deck with their hand on their heads, although after a moment he allowed one of the two to tend to the second officer who was bleeding, Ernst allowed one of the officers to use a first aid kit to stop the bleeding. To Ernst’s twisted sense of honor and ethics there was simply no sense to cause more deaths among fellow Aryans then was necessary for the mission.
The U-2504 had not taken long to locate the Swedish freighter. Moments later she was joined by the U-2511. As the two ships pulled within range of the ship Ernst sent one of the now disarmed bridge crew to bring the captain to the bridge. After several minutes he returned with the captain. Ernst spoke before the captain could open his mouth. “The submarines off the port and starboard bow of this ship have their deck guns manned captain. If you do not immediately comply with their orders they will fire and they will sink this vessel and kill its crew. That will mean the failure of our mission but it will also mean your deaths. We want your ship Captain, nothing more. If you cooperate and you and your crew will live!” Faced with two armed U-boats and two German agents hijacking his ship the captain felt he had very little choice. The Germans moved quickly after that. It would only be a matter of time before a routine patrol from the RN or the RAF might discover them. It took an hour but by then the crew of the Arctic Dream had been transferred to the U-2511 and would eventually be on their way back to Germany to be “guests,” of the SS for the remainder of the war. At the same time the crew were being transferred Otto Skorzeny and the rest of his “prize crew,” were coming aboard to take the ship. As the transfers were taking place, the “special cargo,” from U-2511 was being loaded aboard the ship as well and would be placed below deck.
By 11:05 p.m. the transfers were complete. The U-2511, its part in the operation done slipped beneath the waves and began the six day journey back to Germany with its prisoners. The U-2504 on the other hand would take up position in front of the Arctic Dream and submerge. It would serve as a scout and would sink any suspicious vessel that attempted to stop the Arctic Dream from reaching its destination.
On the bridge, Otto Skorzeny congratulated Walter Ernst and his partner on a job well done. Now the ship would set sail again but first at the insistence of Ernst there was a brief ceremony to commit the body of the chief radio technician to the sea. The service was brief, but Ernst felt he owed it to the man he had shot. He held no ill will to the man he had simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time. Following the brief five minute service the ship raised anchor and continued its interrupted voyage toward Boston harbor.
Date: December 9, 1944
Location: Moscow (The Kremlin), U.S.S.R.
Time: 11:00 a.m. [Moscow time]
At 11 a.m. Joseph E. Davies was ushered into the office of Josef Stalin, premier of the Soviet Union. Sitting behind his desk the premier rose and warmly shook Davies’ hand and bid him to have a seat. Davies, for his part, was very cautious. Stalin had a tendency for turning from jovial host to cold tyrant at a moment’s notice. He was brilliant but emotionally very unstable. Though Davies knew Stalin had often called him a friend he also knew that for Stalin there were no real friends, simply tools Stalin would use to get a job done then discard if they were no longer needed. Dealing with the man was always a risky business.
After several minutes of social pleasantries were exchanged it was Stalin who got the meeting down to business. “So, what does your government think of the Hirohito Letter as it is now called,” Stalin asked? “Mr. Premier, experts from the United States, Great Britain and even two graphologists you provided all agree that this message is genuine. We believe this is a genuine attempt by the Japanese Emperor to communicate directly with us.” “It is interesting that initially the message was meant to be delivered and seen only by the American ambassador in Portugal,” Stalin noted quietly. “Sir,” Davies responded,’ We believe the Emperor operating as he was outside of normal diplomatic circles wanted to get a message to all of us and chose the Americans for a reason.” “Yes, and we here in Moscow wonder what that reason was,” Stalin responded. He shrugged, “However, our representative was there when the briefcase was opened and I am satisfied as is your government that the contents of this letter are real”, and that this was not an attempt at double dealing by your government Stalin thought; “Now the question becomes what are American and British intentions regarding this?” “Mr. Premier,” Davies said, “In light of the rather extraordinary circumstances surrounding this letter President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill asked me to come to Moscow to ask you to reconsider several aspects of agreements that were made at earlier conferences between you, Britain, and America. We have a few proposals we would like you to consider that may prove beneficial to all concerned.” Drew opened his briefcase and presented the Premier with several papers one of them a brief personal letter written by Roosevelt. Stalin scanned the letter and after several minutes looked up.
“Your President is willing to go so far,” Stalin asked with a mixture of skepticism and incredulity? “Yes, in return for other concessions and your cooperation in this upcoming operation.” Stalin was quiet for several minutes more. Then he smiled. “Remind me not to play your American poker with President Roosevelt,” he remarked smiling. “There is something here for everyone, for the Americans, for the British, and for us.” Only we are going to find ourselves on the short end of the deal here. Still what is the old saying? Half a loaf is better then none, thought Stalin. “You realize of course Ambassador Davies that this would mean having to make some major changes in our future plans for the spring offensive against the Germans?” “We do Mr. Premier,” Davies replied, “However, if you are willing to act now it will we believe give the Emperor additional leverage with his cabinet to bring the war to a quick conclusion as well as giving you a greater influence in the Far East.”
Stalin considered for a minute more then said, “Mr. Davies, I will need to consult the Politburo but I believe this is a good outline for a plan. And I will have some of my generals versed in such operations ready to work with your people on this Operation Frankenstein. I believe this agreement is something we can work with!”
