“He” was very young and very awkward. But what a choice I had made! I knew from the very first flight when he shot a flare at an unseen enemy fighter warning the whole flight. Yes I knew from that point on that he was going to be a good one and would serve me well in our fights ahead.
Anna Alexandrovna Timofeeva-Egorova
Chapter Three:
Found, One Atomic Bomb!
Mark Three Atomic Bomb
***
"Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds."
***
The Hallway
Two aides are sitting outside the oval office and both looking at the latest addition of the Washington Post. They are in an animated discussion which is out of sync with the usual calm of the White House. Heated discussions and animated anything is highly frowned upon in the setting these young gentlemen find themselves in. They are surrounded by pictures of some of the most talented debaters and speakers in US history; speakers who are to this day revered for their animated discussions. But today is not the time for such a display. Nerves are on edge because of the very article they are discussing.
"Of course it's not treason. I mean Walter Winchell mentioned it on the radio and Charley McCarthy made jokes about it. It was all over the London Times. It certainly isn't top secret information anymore so how can it be treason?"
"I dunno it just seems un-patriotic to me to start spreading rumors about such a thing. I mean this can change the whole war if it's true."
"Of course it's not true. Do you really thing that those pilots wouldn't do everything in their power to see that it never ended up in enemy hands. No, they did crashed that thing as hard as they could and the Soviets are just bluffing!"
"Well they published the crew’s names and pictures like they were captured."
"Ah you can't really see their faces. Their wives and mothers couldn't recognize them from those photos."
"Well then how did they get their names?"
"Who says their even real names?"
"Murrow got to Mrs. Knutson and she admitted that her husband was missing before the FBI could whisk her and the others away. How do you explain that?"
"I can't but I just know that no United States Army Air corps bomber crew carrying an atomic bomb would rather save their lives than let one get into the hands of the Reds. It just wouldn't happen and you can take that to the bank."
"Hey you two...knock it off. The President can hear you all the way from his desk!"
"Yes Sir...sorry Sir. We were just leaving."
"You bet your ass you were. Now get over to the Chief of Staff's office and wait there till I deal with you."
"YES SIR!"
Inside the Oval Office
"Pretty rough on them weren't you? The President isn't even in here."
"They don't know that. Loud mouth little runts. I hate aides anyway. Who started this program?"
"What do you think about what they were discussing?"
"I have no idea what an atomic bomb looks like so they could be totally bluffing for all I know. All I know is that if they have an intact atomic bomb we are in trouble."
"How so...they have no way of delivering it. No bomber big enough...oh wait they did have what looked like a fully functional B29 sitting there in the background. Were in hell did they get that if the story wasn't true?'
"I heard that some of our bombers had to make landings in Russia when they couldn't make it back to Okinawa after bombing Japan. I heard they never gave them back. It could be one of them
"But it's got the correct markings and all I heard. They even printed the serial number of the bomber in the article."
"I wonder what their game is?"
NATO HQ
Madrid Spain
"I wonder what their game is?"
"What do you mean Sir?"
"Why are they tipping their hand so obviously? They have to know that we know that that bomber was seen crashing full throttle into the coastal waters off Leningrad. We have dozens of witnesses. Hell I know Knutson and that crew. They would have done everything possible to destroy that bomb. From what I know of Jennings he would have been beating on it with a crow bar after he emptied his side arm into it. He would be attempting to destroy it until his dying breath. There is no way that bomb is intact and there is no way that the crew surrendered and they have to know we know this. Yet they are exposing the fact that they have a spy in place who could provide them with names and the serial numbers etc. Why would they place that person in such obvious danger and expose him or her as a spy? I mean it can only be a hand full of people."
"Maybe it was that guy they caught already. He was pretty high up. Maybe they figured what the hell let's foment a little confusion and dissension between us and the Brits. Make it look like we pulled a fast one and the Reds do have a bomb. I mean I bet the general public will think that they do. How can we fight that without revealing all sorts of top secrets to refute their claims? I mean all we can do is officially deny everything and call the Pravda article a hoax...which of course it is."
"I suppose your right. Have you ever seen an Abomb?"
"No Sir and you."
"Nope. That thing in the photo could be one for all I know
Joint Chiefs of Staff meeting room
Washington D.C.
"That thing in the photo could be one for all I know."
"What are you talking about."
"Hell it looks real to me down to that oddly placed arming access they added. Look there at the edge."
"Well I'll be jiggered. How could they know about that?"
"There was that scientist who disappeared after the polonium attack. He could have given them some last minute information before he skedaddled. Otherwise that is the real McCoy and I don't believe that for a minute."
"They sure are playing with us and the Limey's. They probably don't know who to trust now. We tell em one thing and the Soviets provide proof that it isn't true. I mean come on those look alike crew members and that perfect B29 in the background and then the picture of the bomb. How can the Brits not think that something is amiss in our version and with this cold shoulder we've been giving them until the clean up their house and get rid of that mole? Shit it's no wonder they have to be thinking non-productive thoughts."
"Then you have those Southern Senators screaming at Truman to not help our cousins and even I would question just how far we are going to go and pay to bail them out once more. Did you see the budget figures? Holy Christmas we closing in on 150% of GDP in debt and those war bond sales are not doing too well. We have to get this over with and soon or our economy will collapse like the Brits and there is no one to bail us out."
"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.
Number 10 Downing St.
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."
Kremlin
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.
Letter to the Editor
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?
Sincerely
John Morton
"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."
***
The Russian loanword maskirovka (literally: disguise, camouflage, concealment) is used to describe the Soviet Union and Russia's military doctrine of surprise through deception, in which camouflage plays a significant role.
***
Chapter Four:
One Man's Tale
***
This from a diary of an ordinary man from Neenah Wisconsin
***
Diary of Burt Post
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.
Diary of Burt Post Sept. 4th, 1946
Baby Ede is still crying up a storm. Glad I can give Maxine some relief in feeding her. Kind of hard to write in this diary while poking a bottle in the kids face. Man she is a cute one. Blond hair and hazel eyes it looks like. Too early to really tell. Nothing like looking into your babies eyes as you are nursing her.
I see in the paper today that my old classmate from high school is doing it again. Old Joe McCarthy is telling tall tales. In the previous elections he lied about his opponent’s age and said he was senile. That Joe always was a bully. He's not too bad at a party but can be a mean son of a gun if he doesn't like you. He always liked me.
Got a bonus today for that patent. Guess I'll have to invent some more stuff so Ede can go to college.
Diary of Burt Post September 5th, 1946
Nothing much happened today. I got very disappointing news. The Chevrolet station wagon with the wood paneling was cancelled due to the plant it was being made in switching back to war production again. So their goes our plan of driving to Florida to visit my parents. With the rationing starting again and our old 1938 Ford being too small for our family it's pretty much out of the question for this year. I was hoping that Chevrolet would not follow Ford and drop their new models for this year. This war is really messing the economy up.
Maxine will not be happy and she will let me know it too.
Diary of Burt Post Sept. 6th, 1946
Heard from Uncle Frank over in Michigan. He's been visiting with my sister. Detroit is really starting to gear up for war again. I guess the workers are finally getting the picture that this war is for real and Old Joe Stalin is not the nice uncle we were led to believe. No more strikes.
I personally hope we don't us the A-bomb on them. The pictures that came out of Japan just before this last war were mind numbingly gruesome. I guess conventional war is just as bad or worse but at least you can save some of the children and women who have done nothing wrong but to be in the wrong pl
ace at the wrong time. I can't believe our military has shown such restraint.
From what I read the plan was to cut back on the ground forces and bomb whoever attacked us with our super bombers and A-bombs. So far I've heard nothing about our bombing campaign. There is a rumor that one raid was tried and went horribly wrong. I wonder what it was?
Walter Winchell is basically ignoring the war. He is concentrating on Hollywood gossip. I bet it gets him in trouble someday. That Edward Murrow is doing some interesting reporting. Too bad Ernie Pyle got killed. It is so interesting to hear Murrow reporting from across the oceans live from thousands of miles away. It sounds like the Soviets are making steady progress through the Pyrenees. Losing Spain will be a devastating development.
I hope Truman and Ike are thinking hard on a solution. Things are looking pretty grim right now.
Diary of Burt Post September 7th, 1946
We had Spam tonight. What is that stuff made of anyway? Maxine did a good job of it but this rationing is getting on everybody's nerves after a year of plenty. It's harder to go back once you tasted the future. I hope it is the future again. Things were looking so good. Truman was following FDR's lead and putting the country back to work again on an economy based on the little guy and his wants and needs and now we're back on rationing.
World War Three 1946 Series Boxed Set: Stalin Strikes First Page 54
