Stalemate (The Red Gambit Series) (34 page)

Their s
ilence invited her to continue, but had she looked at Beria, she would have noted something unpleasant in his eyes.

“Our Red Navy has
performed magnificently, but recent losses in the Atlantic submarine force have reduced their effectiveness, and no sinkings of note have been made for some time now.”

All in the room understood that the
Soviet Navy would try to get more submarines into the deep waters of the Atlantic, and those who were not foolish enough to believe the assurances of the Admirals understood that the attempts would almost certainly end in failure. After all, the Allied navies had defeated the most powerful submarine force in history, a force designed to be ocean-going, and their combat efficiency in anti-submarine warfare was now back to German war levels.

“Our Air Force makes accurate claims now that the system for reporting has been adjusted.”

Sliding free a page from one report, Nazarbayeva quickly reminded herself of some figures.

“Our own air regiments have suffered crippling losses, and we have been unable to make good the gaps in our order of battle, especially as we have started to lose machines from mechanical failure, caused by an absence of spares. By exampl
e, two regiments equipped with Capitalist Aircobra aircraft can now muster eight aircraft between them, the others having been cannibalized to keep the remainder flying.”

Malenkov, whose portfolio was primarily concerned with aircraft production,
started coughing and spluttering, so much so that all attention focused on him, until a helpful but overzealous thump on the back from Molotov brought an end to the interlude.

“Losses in air force personnel have been huge, both in the air and on the ground, the allied attacks on our airfields killing many qualified ground staff.”

Another file was opened.

“The loss of the train transport shipment T#7979831A, as sustained on Sunday 23rd September
, outside of Gniezno, was of huge importance.”

Beria shifted uncomfortably, his own NKVD troopers having suffered
grievously at the hands of the Polish brigands.

“A special action train
, containing an NKVD battalion, and sent ahead of 831A, was derailed and destroyed.”

Beria did not care for his shortcomings to be aired in such a fashion. The Special Action Unit
s went ahead of important trains, intending to draw fire or set off any ambush, the well-armed NKVD battalions thought sufficient to deal with any partisans.

“831A was forced to halt
, and was brought under fire from heavily armed partisans. The NKVD party travelling with 831A performed valiantly, and saved many of the personnel from being killed.”

‘You offer me an olive branch do you
, bitch? Fucking bitch?’

Nazarbayeva meant no such thing, her briefing being concerned solely with the facts.

“As a result of that attack, three hundred and one newly trained aircrew were killed, and another three hundred and sixty-three wounded, removing them from immediate flying duty.”

Some had been aware that the train’s personnel had been badly hit, some had even been aware that they were precious aviators. None had been aware of the numbers, except for one man
, who had managed the delivery of the bad news in the first place.

Beria removed his handkerchief and cleaned his glasses, conscious of the fact that he was under the unwavering eye of Stalin.

Nazarbayeva saved him, drawing the Soviet leader’s attention back to her.

“
Comrade General Secretary, many of our air regiments are operating at below 50% strength, and the loss of 831A ensures that our air power will remain weakened for the foreseeable future.”

Taking a moment to control her delivery, she pressed on.

“On the 19th September, Marshal Novikov informed the European commanders of the new air plan, a plan that is now endangered by these losses in personnel and which, according to Air Force projections, may now only be possible if all other offensive air operations are ceased immediately.”

Stalin crushed his cigarette, doing so noisily
, and making himself the focus of the room.

“So
, Comrade Polkovnik, you always tell us the facts, and give us your honest interpretation. Do so now.”

There was no dressing it up
, but Nazarbayeva tried to let the GKO down as lightly as possible.

“At this moment, we are barely holding our own in the air. We have some successes
, but overall we lose more crews and machines than they do. The Air Force plan to limit excursions over enemy lines, as much as possible, may save a few pilots from captivity, but such efforts pale into insignificance alongside the losses sustained by events such as the attack on 831A.”

Stalin struck a match, lighting his next cigarette, the flare of the phosphorus highlighting the fact that his eyes were locked firmly on the GRU Colonel.

“That being said, the Allies are recovering from the huge destruction wrought on the RAF bomber force, and seem to be growing stronger across the spectrum of their regiments.”

She caught Beria’s eye by chance, and something flared inside, removing some of her caution in the delivery of the bad news.

“Comrades, unless new aircraft reach the regiments in large numbers, complete with properly trained flight crew, the Red Air Force will be beaten, and with that the skies will belong to the Allies, day and night.”

The atmosphere changed, so unused were the powerful men to such stark and direct delivery, all save Stalin and Beria
, who had experienced Nazarbayeva’s honesty before.

The change in atmosphere did not stop her from continuing.

“Without air cover over the assault formations and supply centres, the Allies will destroy the Red Army’s capability to fight, and destroy many of the ground assets, removing the advantage we enjoy in numbers.”

Kaganovich, Bulganin
, and Molotov stayed silent, their white faces indicative of the fact that they had heard something new and worrying.

Malenkov and Voznesensky spoke in shocked whispers, the invincibility of the Red Army suddenly not as assured as they had been led to believe.

Beria and Stalin, both with more information than the rest, did nothing.

“Carry on
, Comrade Polkovnik, you have come this far, you should finish your delivery. What do you foresee here?”

Stalin’s voice, unusually soft, encouraged the GRU officer.

“Comrade General Secretary, unless we can give the Army and Air Force the necessary means, there will be great difficulties ahead.”

A hubbub grew as great men whispered with those sat alongside them.

It ceased as quickly as it started, as Stalin rose from his seat and walked briskly round to his small desk. Sampling the drink he had left upon it, he turned to Nazarbayeva and pounced.

“So Comrade
Polkovnik, the GRU’s official position is that we are going to lose the war because of a few difficulties with our supplies, and the loss of a handful of pilots. Is that right?”

Many men had paled and
shriveled under such an assault. They were not Nazarbayeva.

“No
, Comrade General Secretary, that is not the official position of the GRU, neither is it my own view.”

Stalin moved closer, intimidatingly close.

“So what is the view of GRU Polkovnik Tatiana Nazarbayeva in these testing times eh? Come on, Comrade, don’t be shy!”

“Comrade General Secretary, we cannot lose the war militarily. Over the centuries, powerful armies have tried and failed, and the reasons they failed will stand Mother Russia in good stead
, if she is tested again. But, I believe that if we do not resolve these present issues then we will not win the war, and that amounts to the same as losing it, as far as Mother Russia will be concerned.”

The silence was thick with risk, heavy with danger.

Stalin’s eyes bored into her own, but she stood her ground.

His eyes dropped to the Gold Star on her chest.

His face relaxed, a gentle nodding indicating the escape of tension.

Switching his cigarette into his left hand, Stalin extended his right hand and tapped the bravery award with his index finger, the touch seemingly a switch
that made his face split into a grin.

The
Generalissimo turned to the rest of the GKO.

“So you can see, Comrade Nazarbayeva did not get this in the ration packs
, or because of her political affiliations.”

Inside, the GRU C
olonel let the relief wash through her.

“I agree with your assessment
, Comrade Polkovnik.”

Stalin walked round to his seat and dropped into it smoothly.

“Continue, Comrade.”

Nazarbayeva shifted her weight, the injured foot beginning to protest.

“Comrades, my information is that the Allied Commanders have not yet understood the Italian position, and they continue to bleed experienced units away from their own Italian armies to send into Germany.”

Stalin leant back in his chair and permitted others to speak, low rumbles seizing upon the positive offered to them.

Nazarbayeva decided that she could not let them continue.

“Comrades, if I may. The balance of forces is not as great in our favour as you may think.
GRU can now confirm that twelve division of the Spanish Army, fully manned and equipped, with a mix of German and Allied weapons, have crossed the frontier into Northern Italy.”

The silence was deafening.

“Allied planning seems to be to permit these divisions to take over in the line from the experienced Allied divisions, which are then sent northwards.”

The low conversations broke out again
, but were quickly stopped by Beria, tapping his pen on the table, eager to demonstrate his abilities to Nazarbayeva.

“So
, Comrade Polkovnik, what did Marshal Zhukov see in this latest development?”

Momentarily thrown by the question, Nazarbayeva realized that the NKVD chief
probably knew only too well what had been said the day before, when she had briefed Zhukov and Malinin.

“Comrade
Marshal, I believe that the Commander of the Red Army in Europe sees this as a big opportunity, provided the supply situation is resolved.”

Tatiana relayed the official position, assuming that Beria had a report on everything that had been said.

In the deeper recesses of her mind, a voice she recognised as her own asked a simple question.

‘Have you just made an error
, Chekist?’

“So,
Marshal Zhukov believes that these Spanish troops might, in the main, be more vulnerable, and therefore the way into Southern France could be opened more easily than planned.”

The voice inside laughed.

‘Yes, you have, you arrogant little prick!’

“Yes
, Comrade Marshal, that is precisely what Marshal Zhukov believes.”

This was the truth, as Beria had quoted the conversation word for word.

Stalin came back into the discussion.

“That is a matter for another time
, Comrade Polkovnik. Proceed.”

Nazarbayeva’s sharp mind suddenly sensed the danger of another part of the
conversation and acted swiftly, thinking only to reduce the danger to Zhukov.

“Comrade General Secretary, the Allies have been particularly successful in integrating their returned prisoners of war back into their combat forces, bolstering their numbers across the board, replacing losses in existing units
, as well as creating whole new divisions and squadrons, all of which consist of men with skills and experience. My sources inform me, unequivocally, that these units are all well motivated and the equal of the existing formations.”

Stalin and Beria had seen the verbatim
record of the conversation, and recalled what Zhukov’s response had been to that information.

“We have similar assets that are not taken advantage of
, and the Motherland’s forces are suffering as a result.”

The penalization of those taken prisoner was a basic tenet of the way Stalin conducted the war, and to criticize it was to commit suicide.

More than one in the room could see a mental picture of Nazarbayeva swinging from a rope before the day’s end.

“GRU understands the need to pursue sanctions against those who were weak and permitted themselves to be captured, depriving the Motherland of their skills at a time of great need. There can be no suggestion of permitting these ‘people’ to retain the rights of citizenship
, such as those who have fought throughout, enjoy.”

In the minds of those present, the hangman paused in his work, curious to hear more.

“Many of these soldiers are unfit, the deprivations of German captivity too much, and yet they can be of use.”