Ice on Stalingrad: Story by BBC Journalist

Ice on Stalingrad: A Story by BBC Journalist

Remade from Hitler more elastic strategy which bring new ideas to the whole AH.COM world, Bananas effect. Now let's forget the bananas stuff and start.

Ice on Stalingrad

Bundesarchiv_Bild_183-B28822%2C_Russland%2C_Kampf_um_Stalingrad%2C_Infanterie.jpg


My name is Howard Combe, my current profession is BBC freelance. This is my first year working as freelance, previously I am BBC war correspondence. Now I'm about to interview the former German Field Marshall Friedrich von Paulus. I'm gratefull because the Soviet allows me to meet with him face to face. My editor promise me that he will recommend me for promotion if I can get nice report from this old German field marshall.

Interviewing this German field marshall was not so easy as I previously thought. He barely answered my question. Only small detail he provided me with. I can saw strange feeling in his eye. I know he still regret Stalingrad. No German fieldmarshall ever surrender in German history until Stalingrad. Here is the report of the interview which I saved it for you my dear audience:

December 1948, strange situation have developed in both Eastern and Western Europe. Stalin seems to change his attitude slowly against his Western Allied. Whereas the Allied are suspicious that Stalin has some evil plan. The blockade of Berlin, Iron Curtain. All that matter which day by day worsen the Allied and Soviet relation. In Dresden where now I'm staying the situation still looks normal, different from other cities I have visited. The train which the Soviet promised to me to arrive with Paulus in it was scheduled to arrive about one minutes from now.

To be continued.
 
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The room the Soviet provided me with was quite cramped. It only has enough room for two chair and one small coffee table. On the wall in front of my seat the Soviet nailed big Stalin photo. At that time I didn't know what was the purpose of putting big Stalin photo in front of me but latter I know that the Soviet wanted to emphasize Stalingrad and German defeat which I understand.

After nearly two hours of waiting in that crampy room Fieldmarshall Friedrich von Paulus arrived. He was escorted by two tall Soviet soldiers. He sat slowly on the seat in front of me while his escort left the room. Silent covered the room for a moment before I start asking him some question.

Herr Fieldmarshall, we all know that you were the commander of 6th Army in Stalingrad but can you tell me first what really happened there, why all of sudden the mighty German army just got surrounded?

First he rised his chin and unleashed his glare upon my face then I can see that he was trying to open his mouth.

What can you possibly expect from those Italian, Romanian, and Hungarian Army which formed the bulk of the outer defensive force? What about that pesky Bohemian corporal who kept saying no retreat all the times till my ear broke? '

I understand about the stress you received while you're in there but...

You will never understand my friend how it looks like there in Stalingrad... and in gulag...

I'm sorry sir, it is not my intention to bring back your old memories.

Oh yes you are! You're journalist, I saw thousand of my men killed because that bastard didn't allow me to retreat... God! Forget about it...forget Paulus, Stalingrad, Hitler, forget everything. I must retire my friends.... I must retire now. We have to continue this consverstation later.

But sir?!

By the time I tried to stand, the general escort already entered the room and took Paulus outside. What a short story I though, but then this is the part where the story started to get interesting. The story...you, my audience will never believe. I have to give you hint to make you understand.

Image I took before I entered the mysterious portal:
portal1945copyfs2.jpg

 
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Ice on Stalingrad
Chapter I: "The Portal"

It was nearly dark when I returned from the interview place to my temporary apartment. Hardly anybody could be seen walking on the street, probably because of the Soviet curfew but I don't know, I'm tired, I'm disappointed, I want to crash into my bed immediately.

I didn't know if it's because of my bad sighting but I can see strange hole appearing at the corner of the street. I wiped my eyes a bit and tried to focus what the things is really are. I approached the 'portal' slowly, it's like a door to some place unknown from what I've read in many novels and stories but I can see the Brandenburg Gate. I thought that standing idly in front of unknown thing is not good... When I tried to step back a little, abruptly the portal started to blink and I can felt some gravity pushing me right into the thing. I struggled to keep my body balanced, but my effort was futile. In a sudden I felt on the other side of the portal, before I can stand I saw the portal started to vanish. At that time I knew I'm doomed.

But...it's not all bad, I can felt some hope when I saw the Brandenburg Gate, I never thought that it's a diffrent universe from mine. Beside I'm gratefull that I bring most of my press identification and equipment. Just want to be on watch...

What? No Stalin big pictures? No Soviet flags? The only thing I could saw at that time is a big Nazi flag. It doesn't make any sense because we all know that the German were defeated and Berlin was occupied by Soviet Union. Soon I realize that I'm on different time, perhaps the portal was a time machine after all.

"Can I help you sir?' I'm surprised, completly surprised. It's...no he's a German officer. I still remember seeing his shiny Iron Cross. He offer his hand to me. I tried to stand with the help of that German officer.

'Herr Howard? What? The German officer knew my name? How? Why? 'Herr Howard Combe, you're supposed be in Dresden now, what are you doing?' I know I'm supposed to be in Dresden, but will he believe about the portal thing I encounter?

'Come on, FieldMarshall Paulus must be waiting for you! I have to bring you back to Dresden!' I didn't know what should I do next, but I followed him. All over Berlin, I can heard Horst Wessel played. And...the propaganda minister Goebbels voice.

Hearing Goebbels loud voice was not so hard. I know German language a bit and I tried to recognize what he's trying to say. 'Our mighty armies had just landed on England! Operation Sealion is underway! Long live Germany! We shall destroy those English bastard!' I stopped in an instance after hearing the news...

'Mr.Combe? Is there anything wrong?' I didn't say a word.

'Ah..Operation Sealion? You're lucky Mr.Combe, you're on our whitelist.' I'm on the whitelist?

While we're walking down the street of Berlin I can saw a picture of German flag flying over Kremlin. Another was a photo of German Panzer III rolling with Leningrad Winter Palace on the background. There were bunch of question starting to appear in my mind...

The German officer stopped in front of Kubelwagen. 'Here is the car that will accompany you to Gatow, we will meet again later in Dresden.' Without question I entered the car which quickly accelerate before I settle in the car.

Why I am so important? A question which stay on top of my mind for I don't know how long...

 
I'm not completly sure what the hell is going on, since this seems more engineered towards ASB then Post-1900

I just want to say that this journalist from 1949 suddenly get portalled into unknown universe. He will later write most of his journey and interview with the both German and Allied commander in that unknown universe. The POD will later be revealed one by one.
 
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