Hale would never know that he ended the life, not of a Russian but of a Siberian. This man, a father of two had been swept up into the Red Army against his will, and made to fight in Stalin’s wars. Now, on a frozen field far from home, his family would never know his fate. Never again would he feel the tender embrace of his wife’s arms, the adoring smiles of his children, or the satisfaction he got from watching his children play.
For Hale, the man represented an invader who must be destroyed to save his home. With each instance such as this, an innocent man killing an innocent man, the horrors of the conflict grew. This horror had been perpetrated by the greed and hunger for power of a single man. While men fought and died, he lay in his warm comfortable bed in Moscow hundreds of miles away.
This evil man, through lies and deceit, had perpetrated this tragedy that was unfolding in the frozen forests of Karelia. A tragedy that put fathers, brothers, and sons against each other for no other purpose than his greed. Comrade Staling slept on as men continued to die from greed.
Hale methodically repeated this process over and over, until all seven of the men sleeping by the fire’s lifeblood leaked into the hungry Finnish soil. With each new victim a piece of the young Finn’s innocence left him forever. His grisly task complete, he took the time to methodically searched each body.
Besides the usual large quantity of vodka and cigarettes, the young sniper came up with two grenades, and a PPD 34 for himself, What luck! With two of these wonder weapons, we are sure to be able to make a difference during the stand at Kivennapa.
Hale quietly slipped the sub-machine gun onto his shoulder and checked his surroundings. None of the men belonging to the squads of the nearest fires had stirred as Hale went about his grisly task. I should move down the road away from the village.
Hale started his slow silent moved southward to the next group. As he focused on his steps and making the least amount of sound, he failed to notice the driver of the truck closest to him wake up and watch him. The man, noticing the white coat underneath Hale’s stolen olive drab great coat, pretended to be asleep as Hale drew abreast of the Gaz-MM’s door.
Without warning, the Russian flung the door open. The door, emblazoned with the Red Star of the Soviet Union, narrowly missed the startled Finn. The man lunged at Hale tackling him to the ground. Hale was completely surprised as the weight of the driver hit him on his left side. Grunting Hale fell toward the right and stuck the frozen earth.
As the truck driver wrapped his arms around Hale, he started yelling for help. Hale, desperate to escape, managed to get a hand on his holstered pistol. As the men from the nearby campsite began to stir, Hale, elbowed the driver in the abdomen. This won him a few inches of precious separation.
The Soviet, grunted in surprise and loosened his grip for the barest moment. Hale, taking advantage of his efforts, shoved his pistol against the driver’s chest and pulled the trigger three times. The man’s body shuddered as each bullet pierced his skin. By the third shot, the enemy soldier offered no further resistance and collapsed to the ground in a heap.
Hale, reacting quickly, saw the Sergeant stirring in the cab of the truck. He pulled a grenade from his belt, twisted the cap, and threw it into onto the empty drivers’ side seat. He then turned toward the nearby campsite, where all of the bleary-eyed Russians, were coming to their feet in alarm. Without emotion, he pulled the newly won PPD 34 off his shoulder, and sprayed the entire clip of bullets into them.
The bullets leapt from his gun in a rapid series of muzzle flashes. The projectiles Hale was spraying at the unfortunate group of Russians penetrated flesh, and smashed bone. In the few seconds it took Hale to unload the entire clip of his new dealer of death, all eight of the Soviet’s had been cut down as if a giant scythe had swept through them.
Hale, ignoring the cries of pain and agony from his dying victims, turned to his right, took three steps, and flung himself to the ground just as the grenade in the truck went off. The exploding force from the grenade slammed into the Sergeant who was struggling to get out of the cab. A moment later, the expanding cloud of flame found the vehicle’s fuel tank causing a larger, much brighter explosion to pierce the night sky.
As debris from the nearby truck landed in the snow around him, Hale stuck his head up to assess the situation. He quickly saw that the men from the next campsite had reached their feet and were looking for the source of the mayhem. Hale, pulled another grenade from his belt, twisted the cap, and flung it toward the group.
Hale’s throw came up a few feet short, and the grenade struck the snow just shy of the circle of light shed by the fire. An alert man instantly noticed the explosive and yelled, “Granata!”
All eight of the Russians, trained to instantly react to such a proclamation collapsed to the ground. The grenade exploded spraying shrapnel and flame over the space they had just been occupying. Hale, taking advantage of the confusion, jumped to his feet and started running in the direction of Maki.
The Russians, seeing Hale’s retreating form, stood, and attempted to raise their rifles to attack. Before the first one could line up a shot, the sound of automatic weapon fire erupted from the tree line. Maki’s bullets quickly found flesh, as Hale flung himself to the ground in reaction to the sound of the gunfire.
Hale looked back over his shoulder and saw Maki’s bullets cut down the Soviets. Before the last one fell, he was able to get off a single shot in Maki’s direction. Hale’s worry over his commander quickly dissipated when he heard Maki’s voice cry out, “Hale, move your ass. It’s time to go!”
Hale leapt to his feet and ran toward the voice. The Russians, roused by the noise, began firing at every shadow they saw in the forest. Before long, the entire column, stretching out for miles, had been roused from the growing racket of gunfire. The impenetrable forest of Karelia greedily digested the lead projectiles the frightened Russians wasted.
As the two Finns retreated from the road, they heard the growing crescendo of gunfire coming from the Soviet column. Laughing Maki said, “I think you succeeded beyond my wildest expectations. It sounds like the entire division has been roused from slumber!”
Hale nodded in acknowledgement at his superior officer’s words. Maki quickly noticed Hale’s lack of enthusiasm over the success of his efforts, “What’s wrong?”
They reached their skis and put them on in silence. As they started to make their way to safety Hale replied, “I feel like every time I have to kill, a piece of me is dies inside.”
Maki stopped skiing. Startled Hale shot past him, noticed the Lieutenant had stopped, and turned himself around, “What’s wrong sir?”
“In my jubilation, I had forgotten that we sent at least thirty men to the grave.” Maki replied solemnly.
Hale nodded slowly, “As this night has unfolded, I have thought more and more about the lives I have been taking. Its senseless really, but as soldiers of Finland, what choice do we have? These men have been fooled into thinking that our country attacked their mighty nation.”
“And now, filled with lies of our tiny nation’s aggression, they are here in a perverted sense of patriotism.” Maki replied.
“You talk as if they had a choice sir. The system they live under, while it has put food in their once empty bellies, has taken away their right to think, and the freedom to choose their own path.” Hale replied.
Maki gave Hale a faint smile, “Hearing you philosophize, if one didn’t know any better, one would think you are the university graduate.”
Hale snorted with laughter, “No, just a small-town boy who listened to his pastor in church with a thirst for reading. There isn’t much to do during our long winter nights other than read.”
“Oh, there is other things you can be doing. You’ll find that out when you marry Nea.” Maki said.
Hale’s eyes fell, “I’m not even sure I want to. Do I deserve her now? All of this killing. Every time I do it, I feel like I’m surrendering a piece of my soul to the devil that the fat preacher us
ed to extort us to ignore. Is there going to be anything left of my soul for her when this is all done?”
Maki halted and turned to face Hale, “Man slaying man is indeed a tragedy. Whether from the word of God or a philosopher like Marcus Aurelius, who spent too much of his life killing to defend his home, men try to rationalize the feelings we get from killing.”
“The bible says that murder is one of the ten biggest sins you can commit. That committing sin is evil. Here in this desolate forest I have done much evil, and for what?” Hale said.
“To stop the greater evil of what would happen if many of these men reach our homes.” Maki replied.
“Not all of those men are evil. Many of them are here because they were forced into the army against their will. Thanks to Stalin’s propaganda machine, they think they are here in the righteous cause against Finnish aggression.” Hale said.
Maki’s eyes narrowed, “The world knows that the attack was a lie.”
“But these men clearly don’t.” Hale snapped back.
Maki put a comforting hand on Hale’s shoulder, “True. Their Commissars work day and night to fill their heads with bullshit.”
The word Commissar reminded Hale of Pekka, “I don’t want to think about what those self-righteous bastards are doing to Pekka right now. Those damned evil men, Marxist to the core, have taken on an almost religious holy quality to themselves. They act like they are the prophets of a new religion.”
“That’s a good analogy, the Commissars are indeed preachers of Lenin and Stalin’s unholy new religion. They extort us to adhere to the tenants of the new faith. These evil men rail against the old faith and demand that we abandon God and Jesus Christ. Instead we must turn to the holy way, Socialism, and the holiest of holies, Communism.” Maki drew in a breath and placed a comforting hand on Hale’s shoulder, “I don’t want to imagine what Pekka must be going through. Though there is nothing you can do about it to bring him back. use the anger from his capture. Let it fill your heart.” Maki said.
“Why should I fill my heart with anger?” Hale wondered.
“Because it’s better to give up a piece of righteous anger every time you have to kill an enemy instead of a piece of your innocence.” Maki replied.
Relief flowed out of Hale, “Could it be that easy?”
“It has to be. Otherwise the men forced to fight throughout the ages would lose their souls to the God of War. Be angry with Stalin, and his preaching crusaders of socialism the Commissars.” Maki urged.
“Then I will be angry today, so that the love in my heart and what’s left of my soul can be spared for Nea.” Hale said.
Maki glanced over Hale’s head and saw the first tinge of gray on the horizon, “Come my friend, we must get into position to support the defense of Kivennapa.”
Chapter 7
Dawn Karelia Finland, Near the Village of Kivennapa, December 4th, 1939
Hale and Maki sat in silence as the sun slowly pushed the darkness away and cast its light on the endless miles of snow-covered forest. During the last hour, they had made their way to a position just to the south west of the village of Kivennapa. Through the trees they spied a small cluster of buildings at the center of a crossroads.
Hale couldn’t quite put his finger on it but the village was missing something, “The village seems odd to me somehow. I know the people that lived there were evacuated two days ago.”
“It looks odd because you are used to seeing signs of life from such a place.” Maki said.
“How so?” Hale asked.
“For instance, there isn’t any smoke.” Maki replied.
Hale nodded, “I couldn’t put my finger on it, but that’s what must be weird about it then. You think the Russians are going to notice?”
Maki smiled, “I doubt it. Those poor bastards have been brainwashed to the extreme. They are incapable of independent thought. They party exacts a terrible price for the food that fills their bellies. There is no greater price loss a person can suffer than the loss of independent thought. The very thing that makes you who you are is demanded by the party in tribute to the pittance that you are granted.”
“Well that would explain why it’s been so easy to kill them.” Hale replied.
“If the party allowed them to have thought, they would be dangerous. A man that can think, is a man that will see through all the nonsense the party feeds them, to keep them in line. Thanks to that fact any one of us is worth ten of them on the battlefield. That is why so few of us will be able to beat so many of them.” Maki said.
“From what I have seen, I would agree with you. One of us is certainly worth ten of them, but what if there is eleven?” Hale asked.
Maki laughed, “That’s what I love about you Hale. You would think that someone with your back ground would be an unintelligent country bumpkin, but your mind has a sharp edge to it.”
“Thanks. I think.” Hale replied.
“It was meant as a compliment. The circumstances of your birth, and the life you led growing up, would dictate that your body is strong, but your mind is weak. You aren’t like that. You’ve worked to foster strength in both.” Maki said.
The two men fell silent and turned their attention to Kivennapa. The thatched rooves of the small cluster of buildings gathered around the crossroads were visible through the trees. As they talked, the eastern horizon slowly morphed from a gray, to a purple, then deep red, and finally a brighter and bright orange. A moment later the sun broke the horizon. Hale could see the dull red orb through the countless sea of trees.
Suddenly, the silence of the woods was pierced by the faint droning of engines. Faint and first, but ever louder as hundreds of vehicles rumbled their way toward the village. Hale closed his eyes and listened to the sounds. His ears could pick out the difference between the dull rumble of trucks, and the higher pitched squeal of tank tracks.
The sound slowly grew over time until Hale’s eyes caught movement on the road. The lead vehicle came into view. Hale shuddered as he recognized it, an unstoppable behemoth, a T-28 medium tank.
The T-28s long body was covered in a dull olive drab green paint. In addition to the deadly looking main gun that sprouted from the front of the tank’s turret, were several smaller machine guns. Two of the machine guns, flanked the large main gun in the middle. Two more surrounded the opening from which the driver peered onto the road. The side of the turret had a red star emblazoned upon it.
Hale saw the torso of a man sticking out of the top of the turret. This man who leaned up against the metal door of the open hatch was the tank commander. Of the six men that occupied the metal beast, the only other vulnerable crewmember was the driver. This man likely sat just behind the opening in the front middle section of the behemoth.
Hale raised his rifle and took aim at the driver. A hand touched his shoulder, “Not yet. We have a battalion deployed in the village. Let them deliver the first surprise blow. We mustn’t show ourselves too early. We are here, to keep the Soviets off balance when they start pressing home their attack. By distracting them we increase the chance that our men in the village can hold.” Maki said.
Hale, lowered his rifle, turned and made eye contact with Maki. The young sniper threw him a faint smile and a slight nod, “We wait then.”
“It won’t be long.” Maki promised, “Patience.”
The two men sat in silence behind their protective log. Earlier that morning, they had found a downed tree. Deciding the position offered a great view of the road while affording them some protection, Hale and Maki worked to turn it into a firing position. Using snow, loose branches and other logs, to build up a protective barrier between them and the road. Now they watched the column from their concealed position.
The T-28 kept slowly rumbling northward toward the village. As the tank moved past them, they could see the acrid black smoke that belched from its back panel. Following closely behind the tank, was a dozen Gaz-MMs. Each truck carried a squad of enemy soldiers, eight men in all.
“What was that?” Hale asked.
“An anti-tank rifle.” Maki said.
The tank commander leapt from the top of the turret, as smoke began billowing out of the opening. Before he could lower himself to the ground, weapons fire rang out from the village and peppered his body. The commander staggered back a step, then two, and finally his corpse toppled off of the tank and onto the ground.
This caused the Soviet infantry in the twelve trucks behind the T-28 to vomit forth from the bowels of the vehicles. Several seconds elapsed as these men gathered themselves behind the trucks. As soon as the Sergeants were satisfied that all was ready to deploy, they simultaneously erupted from behind the trucks and began charging the village.
The Finnish defenders in the village allowed these men to advance about one hundred feet before a lone voice from somewhere in the village barked the command to, “Fire!”
The instant the order was given, it seemed as if a giant wave swept out of the sky and broke across the charging Soviets. The lead men jerked to a stop as if they had run into an invisible wall. They fell to their knees clutching the fresh holes that had erupted on their torsos a moment before. A cacophony of sound roared over Hale and Maki as the noise of both automatic weapons fire, and single shot bolt action rifles created a deafening roar.
The Soviet charge broke and they fell to the earth trying to save themselves from the led onslaught that blazed forth from the village. When the last enemy soldier still standing was slain, the roar of weapons fire abruptly stopped. Eerie silence reigned where moments before the loud crescendo of weapons fire had filled the forest.
The Winter Sniper Page 13
