Stalemate (The Red Gambit Series) (4 page)

I have tried to combine the human stories with the historical facts, and to do so in an even and unbiased manner. In my humble opinion, the heroes wear different uniforms and only in one specific area are they on common ground.

They are all ordinary human beings.

As this book forms part of a series, I would recommend that you read all books in sequence.

‘Opening Moves’ deals with the political decision making behind the Soviet attack, and the first assaults into Allied occupied Europe.

‘Breakthrough’ deals with the development of the second phase of the Soviet plan.

This is the story so far.

The Soviets have been presented with reasons, seemingly substantial, to suspect treachery from the Allies.

Stalin and his cronies harness the indignation of the Soviet Officer Corps for their own Imperial intentions, and plan a lightning attack on the Western Allies in Germany.

Elsewhere, the US Atomic Bomb test was a failure, and Soviet intelligence secures American information that permits their own Atomic project to advance.

Rumours of a Soviet attack do not arrive in time, despite the best efforts of some German POW’s, who work out what is happening, and make a daring bid to get to the Allied forces in Austria.

The war starts, commando attacks and assassination squads preceding the ground forces, Soviet air force missions reaping huge benefits and reducing the Allied air superiority to parity at best. Initial Soviet advances are made, but the resilience of the Allies is unexpected, and the Soviet leadership develops a sudden respect for the ‘soft’ capitalist troops. The war descends into a gutter fight, not the free flowing fight that the Soviet High Command had envisaged would take place, once they broke through the front lines.

The USSR’s new ally, Imperial Japan, rearmed with captured German weapons, starts making inroads in China, as well as taking advantage of subterfuge to deal heavy blows to the US Pacific Fleet and Pacific ground forces.

The casualties are horrendous on both sides, and Allied commanders find themselves unable to regain the initiative, constantly responding to the Soviet assaults.

The German Army, displaying incredible resilience, commences reforming, promising to commit substantial numbers to the Allied forces.

The Soviet Navy plays its part, its submarines, many of which are former U-Boats, wreaking havoc on the Atlantic reinforcement programme.

However, the American war machine begins to whirr again, once more underestimated by an enemy.

Men and weapons, slowly at first, begin to flow from the camps and factories.

Also, the Allied Air forces recover, showing great resilience and taking the Air War back to the Soviets.

In particular, the Soviets have failed to appreciate the heavy bomber force, a mistake of immense proportions, but perhaps understandable, given their own bomber force’s capabilities and the rushed nature of their strategic planning.

None the less, the Red Army continues to make inroads into the Allied defences, and the rate of attrition is awful.

Whole divisions can be swallowed up in the smallest of battles for the most insignificant of locations.

The Soviet plan has allowed for a number of phases of attack, with substantial reinforcements under central command, ready to be fed in when needed.

Despite some serious setbacks, the Red Army launches its second phase on 13th August 1945.

The assaults reap good rewards, and Allied divisions are ravaged from the Danish Border to the Alps.

The Allies plan to withdraw, fighting all the way, intent on standing in defensive positions established on the Rhine.

Amid rumours of Soviet supply issues, the Allied units bleed the assault formations at every opportunity, but constantly lose ground.

The Allies fight a number of encirclement battles, breaking out valuable troops, but at a cost in men and equipment.

An unwise decision by the British Prime Minister Attlee brings a crisis to the Allied cause, and encourages the Red Army to concentrate its efforts against the British and Dominion forces in Northern Germany.

Attlee is ousted and replaced by Churchill.

The Red Army renews its efforts.

Fig #51 - European locations of ‘Stalemate’.

I appreciate that Kindle readers have had difficulty with the maps. I trust that the technology will one day catch up, as existing users have complained that they are difficult to display.

I can only apologise for that
, but they do work within the paper version, so they must remain.

None the less,
all maps, charts and graphics are available to the reader as a free download from
www.redgambitseries.com
,
www.redgambitseries.co.uk
, and
www.redgambitseries.eu
.

Use them how you will.

For all those that take up the sword shall perish by the sword.

Matthew 26:52

Colonel-General Mikhail Malinin consumed the GRU report dealing with the dishonoured British peace negotiations.

Zhukov sat peeling an apple, having already read the document.

He spoke, rushing the words, anticipating the
taste of the first slice.

“Your thoughts, Comrade?”

“I see no reason to doubt her report, Comrade Marshal. Even though it is hard to imagine such an act without a mandate, Comrade Nazarbayeva sets out the reasons quite clearly, and the reinstatement of Churchill seems to bear out all she states.”

“So we lost many men for no good reason
, Mikhail. Bagramyan is hopping mad and threatens our lives, so I’m told.”

Whilst Zhukov delivered that with humour, both men understood that the old Armenian
Marshal was extremely upset at having lost so many good men for something that, in the end, produced no advantage.

In
fact, it had produced some advantages, in that the British and Dominion formations had been given a very hard time and, by all accounts, were exhausted beyond measure.

That at least three times as many casualties had been suffered by the attacking forces was of no comfort to the British, but they had not folded under the pressure and now, with the return of Churchill, they seemed almost inspired to higher things.

“We must send the Armenian Fox some more troops. Draw up a list of units we can release for his use.”

Malinin raised an eyebrow at his superior, knowing he was husbanding his reserve forces for the right moment.

By way of reply, Zhukov adopted a conspiratorial voice to try to suit the moment, but he did not carry it off.

“Just enough to shut him up
, Comrade. Just enough to shut him up, and not a soldier more.”

Malinin looked at his commander, realising for the first time that the strain of command was laying heavier
than normal on his shoulders.

The 4th Indian Division had given up Bergatreute and Wolfegg under pressure, dropping back into the woods to the west, protecting the major highways that led to the remaining parts of Germany still under Allied control.

They had yet to take serious casualties, their retreat caused by logistical problems that saw some frontline units without more than a few minutes worth of ammunition.

Food was also just beginning to be a problem, the restrictions of their various faiths meaning that it was less easy to scavenge, or accept gifts from the friendly population.

A serious enemy thrust on Vogt had been bloodied and repulsed, the combination of British tanks, Indian artillery and USAAF ground attack proving too much for a large mechanized force that withdrew in disarray.

Nonetheless, the position was still precarious and the withdrawal continued.

Those units
melting into the cool shadows of the trees found ample munitions and hard supplies waiting, the result of a magnificent effort by the Division’s logistical chain, meaning that this was a line that they could hold. Bullets and explosive had taken priority over bread and meat, so only modest amounts of food reached some units, whilst others waited in vain

M
any men went hungry that evening.

P
artially because of the absence of food.

P
artially because of the presence of the enemy.

They were known as the ‘Red Eagles’, a homage to their divisional badge.

Their service during the Second World War was exemplary, from the 1940 campaigns in the Western Desert, through East Africa and the rout of the larger Italian Forces, Syria, and finally Italy.

Italy,
where the division earned undying glory in and around the bloodbath that was Monte Cassino.

The 4th was considered an elite formation, but it had taken heavy casualties in the process of acquiring its illustrious reputation.

Returned from a stint of armed policing in Greece, the Indian Division had slotted back into the Allied order of battle alongside sister units with whom they had shared the excesses of combat, only to be swiftly transferred north, and into the cauldron of the new German war.

It performed well against the new enemy and swiftly relieved the exhausted 101st Airborne.

The new positions assigned to the 7th Indian infantry Brigade covered the routes out of Wolfegg and the approaches to Vogt.

The 4th/16th Punjab Regiment, ably supported by two platoons of the 6th Rajputana MG Battalion, had stood firm in and around Vogt, British tanks from the 26th Armoured Brigade causing heavy casualties amongst the attacking T34’s.

As the Soviet probes continued, the 2nd/11th Sikhs were pushed hard along their defensive line, set in parallel with Route 324 to the north of Vogt.

On Route 314 to the north, British soldiers of the 1st Royal Sussex Regiment folded back but did not give, forcing the attacking
Soviet infantry and cavalry to retreat leaving scores of dead on the field.

An unusual error in
Soviet attack scheduling had delayed the central assault, enabling the defending artillery to concentrate on assisting the Sussex Regiment before switching to the aid of the forces defending Routes 317 and 323.

Fig #52 - Junction of Routes 317 & 323, near Wolfegg, Germany.