Robert Conroy - Germanica

“Gudrun, there were many times when your pig of a husband would come to me and take me because he said that having sex with you was like humping a large piece of cold meat.”

“You bastard,” Gudrun screamed and struck Gustav, splitting his lip.

“It’s not true,” Gustav protested as blood flowed down his chin, and she hit him again, bloodying his nose.

Lena smiled coldly. “And let’s not forget the innocent people you sent to the Gestapo if they couldn’t pay the bribe you insisted on. And sometimes, Gudrun, that included sending over their wives and daughters if they didn’t have enough money or anything else of significant value.”

Gustav began to blubber while Gudrun screamed at him. Ward nodded solemnly. “I think this marriage is in serious trouble. Irreconcilable differences, if you ask me. I think we’ve all heard enough. This hearing is over.”

Lena stood and took Tanner by the arm. Together they walked out and Ward followed. “Miss Bobekova, Lena, I don’t think they’ll be calling on you to be a character witness anytime soon, and I’m glad. I don’t think you should have to relive your experiences and have them put on an official record.”

“What will happen to them?” Tanner asked.

Ward shrugged. “It’s kind of up to them. We’ll offer him five years in prison if he confesses and implicates others and ten if he goes to trial and is found guilty. And he will be found guilty. As to Gudrun, she’ll probably get a few months’ hard labor. Quite frankly, these two are small fry. We want people like Goebbels. I think Herr Schneider will decide that five years is a bargain, especially if it keeps his wife away.”

As they walked to the car, Lena took Tanner’s arm and squeezed. “Even though much of what I said was a lie, I’m glad I did it. I saw real fear on the faces of the Schneiders and I’m glad.”

Lena had told him that she’d been assaulted only the once by Gustav Schneider. She’d said she was going to exaggerate to frighten him. She hadn’t expected Gudrun’s violent outburst but it didn’t upset her. It was their turn to know fear. Ward had been in on the charade as well. Nobody wanted Gustav Schneider executed. It would have been a waste of a noose or a bullet. She just wanted justice and that included frightening him as he had frightened her. If he went to prison for a number of years, that was enough for her. They were brutal filth, but they had kept her alive, at least until the last moment.

* * *

“I think I could walk all the way across the lake without getting my feet wet,” said Tanner.

“That would be good,” said Cullen. “Doc Hagerman says you’re still supposed to keep them dry.”

“Go to hell,” Tanner said good-naturedly. It was the kind of stupid, nervous banter that men who were about to go forth and try to kill other people would sometimes engage in. It also was an attempt to drown out the thought that they could be killed at almost any time. They were not invincible and they now knew it. Their experiences in the war had proven it.

Tanner used his binoculars to scan the vast array of landing craft and other, more lethal warships. He fervently hoped that the sight of the armada would scare the Nazis into surrendering. Sadly, he didn’t think it would happen. Maybe some would give up, but far too many would fight until the end or until they were given orders not to. Maybe they weren’t crazy fanatics like the Japs, but the Nazis were bad enough.

“At least we won’t be in the first wave,” Tanner said. Their orders had them placed in the fifth wave, which was still no picnic. Worse, they would have General Broome in the boat with them. The general was not a glory hound but did feel it was his responsibility to be as close to the action as possible. Tanner and the others admired him for it, but it also meant that they would have to be closer to the action as well.

They had been awakened in the middle of the night and told to be prepared to board the boats. This would be the day. They did not call it D-Day. That was reserved for the landings at Normandy and the term was now considered almost sacred. This had been designated R-Day for Redoubt. Some were happy it hadn’t been called G-Day for Gas, which was on all their minds. Of course, G-Day could have stood for Germanica, too.

Only a few moments earlier, the officers had been gathered and told that there would be no poison gas used. Instead, it would be a nonlethal combination of tear gas and white smoke that would hopefully terrify and confuse the Germans. While there was relief that poison gas was not on the agenda, there were mixed emotions. No gas meant that Germans who weren’t terrified and confused would be alive, ready, and able to defend against the landing.

The men were still ordered to wear the awkward and sweaty gas masks. First, even a light dose of tear gas could incapacitate a man, and, second, it was hoped that the sight of U.S. soldiers storming ashore wearing the masks would unnerve the Germans who had precious few of them.

“Well, it sure as hell unnerved me,” said Cullen. Tanner and the others heartily agreed even though they didn’t quite believe the denials from on high. The government and the army did funny things and often at the expense of the troops in their command.

Shortly before dawn, the long caravan of landing craft headed out onto the clear blue waters of Lake Constance. The waves were negligible, which didn’t stop one of the sailors from puking, which then got a bunch of soldiers joining him. The sky was bright, clear, and blue, marred only by the odd white contrails made by high-flying planes. At least they’re ours, thought Tanner. He hadn’t seen a German plane in months, well before they arrived to attack the Redoubt.

The landing craft circled and jockeyed for position. There were to be six waves, each consisting of thirty boats. It was hoped that a full regiment, along with armor and artillery, could be delivered in a very short time against what was hoped to be a shocked and demoralized enemy that was expecting to be slaughtered by poison gas. When unloaded, the craft would circle back and pick up more soldiers, repeating the process until the 105th Infantry Division had landed and joined up with the Tenth Mountain Division.

“What the hell!” yelled Tanner. “I thought we were supposed to be in the fifth wave where it’s safer.”

General Broome was in the bow of the boat. If he heard, he didn’t show it. Broome and his staff, Tanner and Cullen included, had just found themselves in the second wave, where it was far more dangerous.

A lieutenant from Broome’s staff grimaced. “He asked for the change just a little while ago. He said he wanted to be closer to the action so he could support the troops by being seen.”

“Shit,” said Cullen, “I’d like to inspire them by being invisible.”

Artillery fire erupted from the shore. Shells splashed among the small craft, sending up geysers of water and shell fragments. One came close to their boat, dousing them with water and spent metal. No one was hurt.

Another shell hit a landing craft directly, and it erupted in flames. Men jumped overboard and into the cold lake. Only a few managed to get out of their gear. Most of them sank, a couple waving their arms futilely as they disappeared under the water.

“We don’t stop,” yelled the young ensign in charge. Tanner understood. War consisted of terrible equations and values. They were still about a mile away from shore. More men loosened their gear to the point where it was barely hanging on them. If they were thrown into the water, the hoped they could get out of the gear and not be dragged down to drown.

The line of destroyers began shelling suspected German positions. Insanely, some of the German gunners began shooting at the destroyers and not at the landing craft. But not all. A shell hit the bow of their craft, shaking them violently and destroying one of the machine-gun mounts. Tanner crawled over to see if he could help. The two men working the gun had been pulverized. Someone was screaming. The skipper of the LC had been hit by shrapnel and disemboweled. The only thing Tanner recalled was his name, Kubiak. He’d seemed like a decent guy and now he was going to die. Medics were swarming over him, but they would only ease his passing by heavily dosing him with morphine.