tc.redstormrising-第148节

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hifting　fire　to　a　supply　dump。　Fortunately　not　much　was　left　there。
〃rade　General；　I…〃
〃Get　out　of　here！　I　have　work　to　do。〃　Andreyev　was　already　wondering　if　his　mission　might　be　hopeless；　but　he　was　a　general　of　paratroops　and　not　accustomed　to　failure。　He　had　ten　attack　helicopters；　all　dispersed　and　hidden　after　the　attack　on　the　Keflavik　airfield。　〃What's　our　chance　of　getting　someone　in　to　look　at　this　harbor？〃
〃We　are　under　continuous　surveillance　from　the　American　radar　aircraft。　Our　helicopter　would　have　to　fly　over　enemy　positions　to　get　there。　The　Americans　have　their　own　armed　helicopters　and　jet　fighters…it's　a　suicide　mission；　and　it　would　take　a　miracle　for　our　men　to　get　close　enough　to　see　anything；　much　less　live　long　enough　to　tell　us　something　useful。〃
〃Then　see　if　you　can　get　us　a　reconnaissance　aircraft　from　the　mainland　or　satellite　support。　I　must　know　what　we're　pitted　against。　If　we　can　smash　their　invasion　beach；　we　stand　a　good　chance　of　defeating　the　troops　they　have　on　the　ground；　and　to　hell　with　their　naval　aircraft！〃
It　was　plicated　to　do；　but　a　Flash　information　request　from　the　mander　Northern　Fleet　cut　through　most　of　the　bureaucracy。　One　of　the　two　real…time…capable　Soviet　reconnaissance　satellites　burned　a　quarter　of　its　maneuvering　fuel　to　alter　its　orbit　and　came　low　over　Iceland　two　hours　later。　Minutes　later；　the　last　Soviet　RORSAT　was　launched　south　from　the　Baikonor　Kosmodrome；　and　its　first　revolution　took　it　within　radar　range　of　Iceland。　Four　hours　after　Andreyev's　message；　the　Russians　had　a　clear　picture　of　what　was　arrayed　at　Iceland。

BRUSSELS；　BELGIUM
〃Are　they　ready？〃　SACEUR　asked。
〃Another　twelve　hours　would　be　better；　but　they're　ready。〃　The　operations　officer　checked　his　watch。　〃They　go　off　on　the　hour。　Ten　minutes。〃　The　hours　spent　getting　the　new　division　in　place　had　been　used　profitably。　Several　additional　brigades　had　been　assembled　into　a　pair　of　new　polyglot　divisions。　The　front　had　been　almost　entirely　stripped　of　reserves　to　do　it；　while　a　hastily　thought…out　cover　and　deception　plan　had　radio　units　all　over　the　front；　broadcasting　radio　messages　to　simulate　the　presence　of　the　relocated　formations。　NATO　had　deliberately　limited　its　own　〃maskirovka〃　until　now；　allowing　SACEUR　to　bet　all　of　Western　Europe　on　a　pair　of　fives。

HUNZEN；　FEDERAL　REPUBLIC　OF　GERMANY
It　was　a　stimulating　exercise。　Alekseyev　had　to　move　his　A　exploitation　forces　forward　while　a　battered　B　motor…rifle　division　bled　to　force　a　crossing　of　the　Weser。　All　the　while　the　General　waited　nervously　for　news　from　his　shaky　right　flank。　There　was　none。　CINC…West　was　as　good　as　his　word；　and　launched　a　covering　attack　against　Hamburg　to　draw　off　NATO　forces　from　the　latest　Soviet　breakthrough。
That　was　no　easy　maneuver。　Antiaircraft　missile　and　gun　units　had　been　drawn　from　other　sectors。　When　NATO　appreciated　what　was　in　the　offing；　they　would　break　every　effort　to　prevent　a　Soviet　advance　on　the　Ruhr。　Resistance　so　far　had　been　light。　Perhaps　they　didn't　understand　what　was　happening；　or　perhaps；　Alekseyev　thought；　they　really　were　at　the　end　of　their　personnel　and　logistical　string。
The　first　A　unit　was　120th　Motor…Rifle；　the　famous　Rogachev　Guards；　whose　leading　elements　were　just　now　crossing　at　R乭le；　and　right　behind　was　8th　Guards　Tank。　Two　more　tank　divisions　were　bunched　on　the　roads　to　R乭le；　while　an　engineer　regiment　labored　to　erect　seven　bridges。　Intelligence　estimated　two；　perhaps　three；　NATO　regiments　ing　to　meet　them。　Not　enough；　Alekseyev　thought。　Not　this　time。　Even　their　air　power　was　depleted。　His　frontal　aviation　groups　reported　minor　opposition　only　around　R乭le。　Perhaps　my　superior　was　right　after　all
〃Heavy　enemy　air　activity　at　Salzhemmendorf；〃　an　Air　Force　munications　officer　reported。
That's　where　40th　Tanks　is；　Alekseyev　thought。　The　B　unit　had　been　badly　chewed　up　by　the　German　spoiling　attack
〃Fortieth　Tanks　reports　a　major　enemy　attack　under　way　on　its　front。〃
〃What　do　they　mean　by　'major'？〃
〃The　report　es　from　the　alternate　mand　post。　I　can't　reach　the　divisional　HQ。　The　assistant　mander　reports　American　and　German　tanks　advancing　in　brigade　force。〃
Brigade　force？　Another　spoiling　attack？
〃Enemy　attack　in　progress　at　Dunsen。〃
〃Dunsen？　That's　close　to　Gronau。　How　the　hell　did　they　get　there？〃　Alekseyev　shouted。　〃Confirm　that　report！　Is　it　an　air　or　ground　attack？〃
〃Hundred　twentieth　Motor…Rifle　has　a　full　regiment　across　the　Weser。　They　are　advancing　on　Br〃keln。　Eighth　Tanks；　leading　elements　have　the　Weser　in　sight。　SAM　units　are　setting　up　to　cover　the　crossing　point。〃
It　was　like　having　people　read　different　parts　of　the　paper　to　him　simultaneously；　Alekseyev　thought。　General　Beregovoy　was　at　the　front；　coordinating　traffic　control　and　setting　final　assignments　for　the　post…crossing　maneuver。　Pasha　knew　that　was　his　proper　place；　but；　as　before；　he　was　annoyed　to　be　far　from　the　real　action；　giving　orders　like　a　Party　boss　instead　of　a　fighting　mander。　The　artillery　from　all　the　advancing　divisions　was　well　forward　to　protect　the　crossing　against　counterattack。
My　rear　areas　are　awfully　weak　。　。　。
〃rade　General；　the　attack　at　Dunsen　is　posed　of　enemy　tank　and　motorized　troops　with　heavy　tactical　air　support。　The　regimental　mander　at　Dunsen　estimates　brigade　strength。〃
A　brigade　at　Dunsen；　and　a　brigade　at　Salzhemmendorf？
Those　are　B　unit　manders。　Out　of　practice；　inexperienced。　If　they　were　really　effective　officers；　they'd　be　in　A　units；　not　shepherding　out…of…shape　reservists。
〃Enemy　ground　units　at　Bremke；　strength　unknown。〃
That's　only　fifteen　kilometers　from　here！　Alekseyev　reached　for　some　maps。　It　was　cramped　in　the　mand　vehicle；　so　he　went　outside　and　spread　them　on　the；　ground　with　his　intelligence　officer　beside　him。
〃What　the　hell's　going　on　here？〃　His　hand　moved　across　the　map。　〃That's　an　attack　on　a　twenty…kilometer　front。〃
〃The　new　enemy　division　is　not　supposed　to　be　in　place　yet；　and　Theater　Intelligence　says　it　will　be　broken　up　for　spot…reinforcement　use　all　over　the　northern　front　area。〃
〃Headquarters　at　F〃lziehausen　reported　a　heavy　air　attack　and　went　off　the　air！〃
As　if　to　emphasize　this　latest　report；　there　was　a　massive　explosion　to　the　north　in　the　direction　of　Bremke；　where　24th　Tanks　had　its　main　fuel　and　ordnance　dump。　Suddenly　aircraft　began　to　appear　low　on　the　horizon。　The　mobile　mand　post　was　in　woods　overlooking　the　small　town　of　Hunzen。　The　town　was　largely　deserted；　and　the　unit's　radio　transmitters　were　there。　NATO　aircraft　had　so　far　shown　a　reluctance　to　damage　civilian　buildings　unless　they　had　to
Not　today。　Four　tactical　fighters　leveled　the　center　of　the　town；　where　the　transmitters　were；　with　high…explosive　bombs。
〃Get　Alternate　One　going　immediately；〃　Alekseyev　ordered。
More　aircraft　swept　overhead；　heading　southwest　toward　Highway　240；　where　Alekseyev's　A　units　were　moving　toward　R乭le。　The　General　found　a　working　radio　and　called　CINC…West　at　Stand。
〃We　have　a　major　enemy　attack　ing　southeast　from　Springe。　I　would　estimate　at　least　two…division　strength。〃
〃Impossible；　Pasha…they　don't　have　two　reserve　divisions！〃
〃I　have　reports　of　enemy　ground　units　at　Bremke；　Salzhemmendorf；　and　Dunsen。　It　is　my　opinion　that　my　right　flank　is　in　jeopardy；　and　I　must　reorient　my　forces　to　meet　it。　I　request　permission　to　suspend　the　attack　at　R乭le　to　meet　this　threat。〃
〃Request　denied。〃
〃rade　General；　I　am　the　mander　at　the　scene。　The　situation　can　be　managed　if　I　have　authority　to　handle　it　properly。〃
〃General　Alekseyev；　your　objective　is　the　Ruhr。　If　you　are　not　able　to　achieve　that　objective；　I　will　find　a　mander　who　is。〃
Alekseyev　looked　at　the　radiotelephone　receiver　in　disbelief。　He　had　worked　for　this　man…two　years。　They　were　friends。　He's　always　trusted　my　judgment。
〃You　order　me　to　continue　the　attack　regardless　of　enemy　action？〃
〃Pasha；　they　make　another　spoiling　attack…nothing　more　serious　than　that。　Get　those　four　divisions　across　the　Weser；〃　the　man　said　more　gently。　〃Out。〃
〃Major　Sergetov！〃　Alekseyev　called。　The　young　officer　appeared　a　moment　later。　〃Get　yourself　a　vehicle　and　head　for　Dunsen。　I　want　your　personal　observations　on　what　you　find。　Be　careful；　Ivan　Mikhailovich。　I　want　you　back　here　in　less　than　two　hours。　Move。〃
〃You　will　do　nothing　else？〃　the　intelligence　officer　asked。
Pasha　watched　Sergetov　board　a　light　truck。　He　could　not　face　his　officer。　〃I　have　my　orders。　The　operation　to　cross　the　Weser　continues。　We　have　an　antitank　battalion　at　Holle。　Tell　them　to　move　north　and　be　alert　for　enemy　forces　on　the　road　from　Bremke。　General　Beregovoy　knows　what　he's　supposed　to　do。〃
If　I　warn　him；　he'll　change　his　dispositions。　Then　Beregovoy　will　be　blamed　for　violating　orders。　That's　a　safe　move。　I　prudently　pass　on　a　warning；　and…no！　If　I　can't　violate　orders；　I　cannot　co…opt　someone　else　into　doing　so。
What　if　they're　right？　This　could　be　another　spoiling　attack　The　Ruhr　is　a　strategic　objective　of　vast　importance。
Alekseyev　looked　up。　〃The　battle　orders　stand。〃
〃Yes；　rade　General。〃
〃The　report　of　enemy　tanks　at　Bremke　was　incorrect。〃　A　junior　officer　came　over。　〃The　observer　saw　our　tanks　ing　south　and　misidentified　them！〃
〃And　this　is　good　news？〃　Alekseyev　demanded。