Armageddon_ A Novel of Berlin - Leon Uris [88]
“One of the brilliant Russian improvisations was the building of bridges across lakes a foot under the water level. All work was done by night and when a breakout or attack was ordered, the Germans were confronted with the sight of tanks and infantry moving at them, apparently riding and running on the water.
“The Russian fights best at night. The partisan units wrought havoc. Using German uniforms and the cover of the land, these units could travel for days on a few slices of bread. They had a devastating effect on the overextended German supply lines.
“This has been a ghastly war; in fact, the most brutal ever fought between two civilized nations. German rape, loot, murder of prisoners, hatred of the people was everything Stalin promised the German would be. The Russians, however, matched atrocity with atrocity.
“Damage to cities, farms, livestock, industry is of astronomical proportion. The loss of Russian life, which both sides held so cheaply, is a likewise staggering total, perhaps ten million.
“German defeat grew inevitable. In the beginning there was tactical blundering by Hitler. Then Russian space and time and weather overcame them. Russian resources grew as German resources shrunk. New Russian armies trained far back of the lines were thrown at the Germans, who didn’t even know they existed.
“The new Red Army is superb. It is well-trained, -equipped and -generated. It continues its success on the basic tactic of the human battering ram. As German casualties mounted and equipment was permanently lost, Germany began to lose initiative. Germany had no way of shrinking the multithousand-mile front line, but instead had to thin it out.
“The winters had a crushing effect on the German. Of this, much has already been written from Napoleon’s time on.
“The Red Army is a powerhouse much changed from the early days. ITS PRESENCE IN EASTERN AND CENTRAL EUROPE IN THE POST WAR PERIOD WILL HAVE A PROMINENT IF NOT DECIDING FACTOR IN CARRYING OUT MOSCOW POLICY.”
“Did you get through the documents last night?” Hansen asked Sean the next morning.
“As much as I needed to see.”
“And did you reach a decision?”
“Hell yes. I reached it fifty times and changed my mind fifty times. What I really want, General Hansen, is to go home. I hate Germany and Germans. The prospect of the mission in Berlin fills me with despair ... utter despair.”
“What is the greater force, Sean? Love for your country or hatred of Germany and fear of Russia?”
Sean shook his head that he did not know.
“You are asking yourself, why me? Hell, I can’t explain the inequities of this. The captains and the kings depart and leave to you and me a mess to clean up. Bright young majors like you will go home and become bright young executives. We’ll be out here beating our heads against a wall ... and for it we will receive no understanding and no gratitude. But, some of us are going to have to do it anyhow. It is the miracle of the survival of our republic. Always, at the right moment, the right men seem to step forward.”
“I have no aspirations to being a martyr.”
“Then say no, and be on your way.”
“You know goddamned well I can’t say no, General. General Hansen, once in London you asked me if I would abide by my father’s decision in peace. I did and neither of us is sorry. Let me ask you the same thing now. Will you abide by his decision? Yesterday you challenged me to ask my father. All right, I’ll ask him.”
Hansen took off his specs and cleared his throat. The man before him was not happy, did not pretend to be. He had intentionally trapped him into a situation of honor. Yet, he was asking everything of Sean ... everything.
“As you know they are transferring dozens of squadrons to the