Harry Kellogg III: The Red Sky: The Second Battle of Britain

“All I know is that this was masterfully played by one hell of a chess player. I don’t even know who to trust now.

London

“I don’t even know who to trust now. With the Yanks freezing us out and the rumors flying around Whitehall it’s a mess. How can we find out what is real and what is fiction? So they have an atomic bomb or not? How about an intact B29 to deliver it to London? This is unacceptable and the Yanks have to give us more information so we can make an informed decision and explain to the populous why we cannot give into Stalin’s demands. What do we do, evacuate London? Do we risk reaping the horrors of Hiroshima on our own people just to placate the Yanks. We have to know more… this is intolerable.

“What is Stalin demanding currently?”

“That we stand down the RAF, allow over flights at his discretion, military observers throughout Britain, the Royal Navy be mothballed and used only for defense of the British Isles, close off the Mediterranean to all US entry through the Suez and Gibraltar, expel all US military from all of the British Empire, freedom for India, Palestine etc., basically we would become a neutral power for the foreseeable future and lose much of our empire. And I’m sure there is more where that came from in the future if we acquiesce.”

“There have already been riots in the streets near Parliament.”

Moscow

“There have already been riots in the streets near Parliament.”

“Good… events are proceeding better than we planned. The Capitalists have never been very good at chess. Some day we will have to have a worldwide chess tournament and see who the best is. So far we have them reacting to our every move and they don’t seem to have the capability to gain the initiative. We have to keep the pressure on in all fronts both psychologically and with a clenched fist. Keep them reeling from crises to crises while we plan our next move. Never give them time to think or breathe… just react. That’s how we will win.”

“I must say that Beria’s idea to make public the capitalist bombing attempt on Leningrad was a brilliant move. Not only has it has sown dissension among the capitalist dogs, but it has hardened the wavering resolve of our own people. They now see how important it is to sacrifice everything in order to stop the threat of nuclear destruction by any means. Presenting proof that the capitalists slave masters were attempting to incinerate the helpless people of Leningrad was a master stroke. Now there can be no question that that this is a fight to the death. That the capitalist pigs will not hesitate to use the most heinous weapon ever devised by man with impunity and with no thought of civilian deaths is now foremost in everyone’s thoughts. This will harden even the most soft amongst us. This will prevent any thoughts of rebellion or of allowing dissension from any quarter.

New York Times

August 7th, 1946

Dear Sir,

What may I ask is our government doing to end this war and save the people of France and the rest of Western Europe? We spent all this time and money on the atomic bomb. It seemed to have worked quite well on the Japanese. We didn’t have to blow up all their cities and they surrendered when we just used two atomic bombs.

Why don’t we drop a bomb or two on Moscow and finish this fighting up. What is the problem with the B29 and our pilots? I’ve measured the distance from Finland to Moscow and it is well within the range of the Superfortress. Why haven’t we just flown over Moscow like we did Hiroshima and end this war before it costs us more money and the lives of your young soldiers and airmen once again?

“Pretty soon these kinds of letters are going to show up in Dear Abby, Bill. Then the whole nation will be asking the same question. So far we’ve managed to dodge the bullet but we can keep this up for long. We have to come up with some explanation that answers these kinds of questions without terrorizing the population.”

“What you don’t want to tell them is that the Reds can apparently shoot our bombers out of the sky at will and there is nothing we can do about it. Which means we have no way of delivering the greatest weapon in the history of mankind?”

“Hey don’t get mad at me you’re the one who climbed over the backs of your fellow man to become the President’s Chief Political Advisor and now you’re going to have to earn your pay.”

“You’re right as usual… you want to change jobs for this one? I’ll make sure they pay your more than I make? How about just for a week or so?”

“Not on your life little buddy. You and your Napoleonic Complex can reap the crop that you have sown.”

“Sure kick a man while he’s down.”

“You wanted this job now get you’re small ass out of my office and present something brilliant to the President.”

“Kiss my small ass.”

Sept. 3rd, 1946

Dear Diary

Sounds strange for a 30 year old man to be starting a diary. I was born in 1916 and now I am 30 years old. My 3rd child, a girl, was born today maybe that’s why I’ve decided to start this diary. Ede Mae Post came into this world this morning like a house on fire. She will be a singer.

Maybe I’d better say a little bit about myself before I continue. Male living in Neenah, Wisconsin working for Kimberly Clark as a Chemical Engineer. I was not drafted or allowed to join in WWII due to the fact that my job was considered “vital to the war effort”. I guess coming up with new and better ways to make paper to wipe your ass is more important than killing someone. Come to think of it I guess they’re right.

Grew up in Springfield Massachusetts moved to Florida for a while then to Green Bay, Wisconsin. My dad was a real entrepreneur. Always on to something new. From a cart full of watermelons to 10,000 Christmas trees that he and his 6 brothers cut down in Canada and shipped to New York, it was always something. We never starved during the depression but it was tight.

Yes I am related to THE Post family. He was my father’s cousin. We visited his estate when I was a lad and while the other kids were playing with the horses and such I found my way into the library and was reading when Old man Post came in. That’s what got me a full scholarship to Lawrence College in Appleton, Wisconsin and where I met Maxine.

Maxine was a slender beauty of towering character and will who stole my heart. Her childhood was fairly well off. Her father was a dentist who was paid one way or the other. With a newly killed chicken or money it didn’t matter.

Three kids later brings us to this day.

Why am I starting this diary? I have a feeling that with the new war going on in Europe that things might get out of hand and I want to chronicle what I see from the heartland of America.

Today I filed what I hope will be the first of many patents. This one is a better way to wring water out of those wood fibers that make up a sheet of paper. Not too thrilling but it will increase the supply of toilet paper dramatically.