Even beneath his greatcoat Batu could feel the biting cold. He and his company stood in the snow. The wind which blew in their faces sounded like a beautiful woman singing, becoming him to come into her ger.
“Silence,” a Russian commissar commanded. “Comrades,” the commissar continued in such a thickly accented Mongolian that Batu wanted to laugh. “In this weather weapons have often not fired or remained jammed. Tanks and trucks won’t start… usually. That is why you have your horses and have been issued swords in addition to you rifles.
“The latest report, such as it is, says that there is a spearhead of Germans about three kilometers in this direction.” The commissar turned and pointed. Facing them again he said, “You will seek the enemy out. You will kill the bastards. You will take no prisoners. You will return victors or you will not come back. Saddle up. Get the fuck out of my sight.”
With whoops and shouts Mongols began mounting their horses. Batu rode to the front and raised his hand silencing them. Perhaps the wind would shift and carry their voices toward the enemy. “Doesn’t quite know where they are,” Batu thought. “The horses will smell them soon enough.”
A half a kilometer later Batu’s horse changed direction sharply to the left. “What do you smell my friend,” Batu whispered to his horse, “Somebody cooking something? Oats? Or do you smell German stench?”
Like any true warrior Batu rode at the head of his men though naturally there were scouts out on either flank. As the snow swirled around the Mongols they appeared no different than the Mongol troops in the tile of Genghis Khan*. On Batu’s right Bogd even held the flag of the nine black yak tails**.
They bent forward as the wind whipped against their faces. The horses began to slow down. Ahead Batu could see snow drifting up over an embankment. The scouts dismounted and crawled forward, and Batu with them. Batu and his scouts pushed snow in front of their faces, made a slit, them watched.
There were Germans, more of them than he expected. Some were lined up for mess, others in tents, others seemed to be trying to repair tanks. And, importantly others were on watch, and they were alert.
Batu and the scouts dropped back to the company. Batu spoke quietly yet strongly, “Fight like Mongols with mind and spirit. Now employ the tactics of Genghis Khan.”
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*Genghis Khan: 1162-1227
**The flag of the nine black yak tails is the Mongolian war banner.
Captain Waldteufel
Batu Page 4
