Colin Gee - Opening Moves

Passing the file forward Beria knew better than to look too smug, especially as that was not quite what he had said to Comrade Kurchatov.

“We also have other agent assets, code names Mlad and Kalibr, both at the Amerikanisti facilities and we hope for more information from them but we have again been unable to get messages through to them and have received nothing for some months. In any case, they have been of limited value to date.”

Wishing to be as upbeat as possible, Beria concluded positively, “Comrade General Secretary, if we were to acquire no further information from this time forward, we would anticipate having a weapon available for testing by mid-1948, possibly sooner.”

Stalin automatically deducted a few months from that as everyone always hedged their bets when it came to timings. Placing his pipe to one side and lighting a cigarette, he read the document, understanding little, and took the copy intended for him before handing it back.

A significant piece of information included in one report was that scientists working on the American project had started to feel that this technology should be shared, not become the province of a single state or alliance, war conditions aside.

“Of note to me is this comment from your agent regarding attitudes amongst the American scientists in New Mexico. What plans do you have to make use of this new wave of feelings Lavrentiy?”

This question was obviously anticipated and so the answer flowed freely.

“That greatly depends on what the GKO directs, Comrade General Secretary,” knowing full well that the State Defence Committee as it was known in full, would do pretty much what they were told or receive a one-way trip to a basement room in the Lubyanka.

“At this time we have solely an intelligence gathering operation and if we are to remain as that then these assets will be carefully stroked into place and we should gain more information to accelerate our own programme. If it is decided to take the different route previously discussed then some physical interference with the American project will definitely be possible with the existing agents. At our present assessment, I have discounted that on the basis of risk to our agents in place against the quality of information we receive.”

A moment’s pause to mentally check his lines.

“Greater sabotage would probably be possible with this new development, provided recruitment was carefully done. That recruitment will take time, time which we do not have.” Despite the secure nature of his present location, Beria could not help a swift conspiratorial look around before speaking in a quieter voice.

“On the time scale we are still considering for Kingdom 39, I think there is insufficient time to involve these new possibilities.”

More puffs on the cigarette, this time lighter in nature but decidedly more urgent.

“I agree comrade. The Americans are more advanced than we thought. How can that be without your agents knowing of it sooner?”

Although he knew the answer, Stalin asked anyway, for he liked to keep people on their toes.

“There are at least three separate major sites where research continues, certainly more, and the capitalists use compartmentation Comrade General Secretary. Separate sides of the project develop away from each other and then the finished projects are brought together, unless there are issues that encroach on another’s development. Our agents have limited access to information in their roles so we have been lucky that these scientists have been loose-tongued over dinners and games of chess or we would not have found out much of what we already know.”

Stalin interrupted with a light gesture of the hand.

“In any case, that is not important. What is important is how we respond. What are our options?”

Even though he had this part of the conversation with himself a number of times in his own office, it was still a very delicate moment for the head of the NKVD.

‘The options we should consider are these.”

A nervous clearance of the throat and the chairman of the NKVD commenced.

“We can abandon Kingdom 39.” Stalin’s face remained impassive and Beria continued. “I do not see that as an acceptable alternative.”

He received no clue from the General Secretary’s facial expression or posture as to whether he was being well received or if each point was to be discussed in turn, so decided to carry on regardless.

“We can delay it until more favourable conditions exist. However, the re-establishment of a working German puppet state would be more likely, with the attendant problems that that would bring us. At this time, the capitalists are burdened with millions of German prisoners and still more refugees, all of which works in our favour. The German is cowed and beaten and out of the equation, but not indefinitely so and it is an essential of our operation that no large-scale organised German resistance is possible, so the reasons for deciding our present timescale were sound and remain so. This new information introduces nothing to encourage delay in military or political terms, especially as our negotiations with the slant-eyes would appear to be bearing fruit.”

The gentle nodding from the dictator was all Beria now needed.

“Our country and people are on a war-footing. Our army is in the right place and at its peak. So is our ability to produce the goods of war. Our maskirova so far is working and effective already, and merely needs to be increased when it is decided to pursue this venture.”

Now he knew which way the land lay, he reached deeper into his briefcase and passed over a detailed synopsis of some recent messages.

“I have here reports from agents across Europe indicating poor morale amongst western allied troops; homesickness and the like. They are less capable of sustaining casualties than we, which is proved comrade.” That was a statement that meant very little, for it mattered not a jot to either of them how many casualties were sustained in the course of achieving their goals. Even if a million more mothers cried tears of loss it would be as nothing.

“Some of our military personnel have fraternised with them on my orders, attended exercises, exchanged pleasantries and watched their soldiers perform badly, indicating inexperience or lack of combat ability.”

“The Amerikanisti particularly have issues. Some of their soldiers are of good quality of course but if you see page fourteen onwards you will see an appreciation of the abilities and readiness of all units, theirs, and the other allies. We have gained quality intelligence on every single divisional sized unit in their order of battle Comrade General Secretary.”

Searching his memory, he continued.

“The American paratroopers are particularly good but are few in number Comrade, a mere three divisions only.” And that was actually the first bit of information that was not accurate, for there were actually five in existence at that time.”

“Again, some of their tank and infantry divisions fought well, but many are relatively untested and of average quality. Remember the new division that the Germans captured during their Rhine campaign?”

Stalin searched his memory and found the information needed. A brand-new division, ‘… was it the 106th …?,’ had been placed on front-line duty in the Ardennes and had surrendered wholesale to the Germans attacking during the Battle of the Bulge.

“Also remember when they first arrived in Africa, their number one infantry division turned tail and ran when the Afrika Korps attacked them at Kasserine,” the accompanying chuckle was soft but Stalin didn’t miss it.

“The Amerikanisti rely on numbers and firepower to achieve their victories but they are soft Comrade General Secretary. We have numbers. We have firepower. We are not soft as they are soft.”