south of the Smolensk-Moscow autobahn. After this the tank groups consolidate at Vjasma. Then we round-up any escaped enemy forces, destroy them, move straight on to Moscow, surround it and take it. A bold and clearly conceived plan, gentlemen. 24 tank divisions and 46 infantry divisions will take part in the storming of Moscow. The army has three weeks in which to cover 200miles. There is plenty of time. In four weeks time we will hold a victory parade for the Führer on the Red Square, and will re-christen it Adolf Hitler Platz.’ The aging Feldmarschall clasped his hands behind his back, stuck his eagle-nose forward into the faces of his officers, bounced elegantly forward and back on the tips of his beautifully polished boots and said in an almost convivial tone:
‘The Führer is a genius!’
‘There’s many a true word. . . .’ whispered Panzer-General von Hünersdorff confidentially to General Hoepner.
Hoepner laughed quietly.
‘If he was he wouldn’t have stopped at Smolensk in July when Moscow lay wide open to our Panzer divisions. Clausewitz says:
‘“Departures from the original conception should only be made in conditions of extreme necessity.”’
‘The Führer has studied Clausewitz,’ General-Leutenant Conradi broke in. ‘He had his reasons for sending our troops into the Ukraine instead of continuing towards Moscow. We haven’t his breadth of vision. I believe in the Führer,’ he added threateningly and stared sharply at the now patently nervous General Hoepner.
‘What do you think of the attack?’ von Hünersdorff turned to General Strauss.
‘Officially we shall succeed. What else?’ laughed the artillery general.
‘And unofficially?’ asked Hünersdorff with a crooked smile.
‘If I were to say what I think I’d be asking for a court-martial,’ smiled Strauss.
‘You’re in doubt, then?’ Hünersdorff pressed him.
‘The Bohemian Corporal’s waited too long,’ mumbled Strauss.
‘The plan is not only boldly and clearly conceived. It’s also crazy. We’re into autumn and the rains are already threatening.’
‘If the rains come we might as well give up,’ broke out General-Major von Hünersdorff.
‘The Russians will block us wherever they can,’ continued Strauss. ‘They know what it’s all about. If they don’t hold Moscow their prestige is gone. For that very reason they’ll fightlike madmen. Stalin and his people aren’t soft. They’ll throw in everything they can scrape together.’
‘We’re the strongest army in the world,’ said von Hünersdorff proudly. ‘If the weather holds we’ll make it. But we’ll have to make it at a hell of a pace, every bit of speed we can get out of our tracks will be needed to make Moscow before the winter mud catches us.’
‘What about the winter equipment?’ asked General Hube cautiously.
‘The Führer has stopped manufacture of winter equipment,’ answered the Feldmarschall with a fatherly smile. ‘Talk of winter clothing is defeatism. The campaign will be over long before we need mittens and woollen helmets. Any winter equipment which has already been issued is to be withdrawn and returned to depot. That is the Führer’s order, gentlemen!’
Several generals looked at one another silently but not one protested.
4 | Porta helps the padre
We are lying in the shade from a row of fruit-trees. The autumn leaves fall gently on and around us. It is a beautifully warm autumn day, one of those late summery days which only occur in Russia.
The regiment is well behind the front line waiting to be reorganized. Of our two hundred tanks only sixteen are left. More than sixty-eight percent casualties amongst the men.
New tanks have already started to arrive. We’ve been here five days now. Some of us feel they’re the best five days of the whole war. The supplies people have made a fortunate mistake. The company is still getting supplies for 220 men and that’s not bad when we number no more than about
‘The Führer is a genius!’
‘There’s many a true word. . . .’ whispered Panzer-General von Hünersdorff confidentially to General Hoepner.
Hoepner laughed quietly.
‘If he was he wouldn’t have stopped at Smolensk in July when Moscow lay wide open to our Panzer divisions. Clausewitz says:
‘“Departures from the original conception should only be made in conditions of extreme necessity.”’
‘The Führer has studied Clausewitz,’ General-Leutenant Conradi broke in. ‘He had his reasons for sending our troops into the Ukraine instead of continuing towards Moscow. We haven’t his breadth of vision. I believe in the Führer,’ he added threateningly and stared sharply at the now patently nervous General Hoepner.
‘What do you think of the attack?’ von Hünersdorff turned to General Strauss.
‘Officially we shall succeed. What else?’ laughed the artillery general.
‘And unofficially?’ asked Hünersdorff with a crooked smile.
‘If I were to say what I think I’d be asking for a court-martial,’ smiled Strauss.
‘You’re in doubt, then?’ Hünersdorff pressed him.
‘The Bohemian Corporal’s waited too long,’ mumbled Strauss.
‘The plan is not only boldly and clearly conceived. It’s also crazy. We’re into autumn and the rains are already threatening.’
‘If the rains come we might as well give up,’ broke out General-Major von Hünersdorff.
‘The Russians will block us wherever they can,’ continued Strauss. ‘They know what it’s all about. If they don’t hold Moscow their prestige is gone. For that very reason they’ll fightlike madmen. Stalin and his people aren’t soft. They’ll throw in everything they can scrape together.’
‘We’re the strongest army in the world,’ said von Hünersdorff proudly. ‘If the weather holds we’ll make it. But we’ll have to make it at a hell of a pace, every bit of speed we can get out of our tracks will be needed to make Moscow before the winter mud catches us.’
‘What about the winter equipment?’ asked General Hube cautiously.
‘The Führer has stopped manufacture of winter equipment,’ answered the Feldmarschall with a fatherly smile. ‘Talk of winter clothing is defeatism. The campaign will be over long before we need mittens and woollen helmets. Any winter equipment which has already been issued is to be withdrawn and returned to depot. That is the Führer’s order, gentlemen!’
Several generals looked at one another silently but not one protested.
4 | Porta helps the padre
We are lying in the shade from a row of fruit-trees. The autumn leaves fall gently on and around us. It is a beautifully warm autumn day, one of those late summery days which only occur in Russia.
The regiment is well behind the front line waiting to be reorganized. Of our two hundred tanks only sixteen are left. More than sixty-eight percent casualties amongst the men.
New tanks have already started to arrive. We’ve been here five days now. Some of us feel they’re the best five days of the whole war. The supplies people have made a fortunate mistake. The company is still getting supplies for 220 men and that’s not bad when we number no more than about
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