tc.redstormrising-第17章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　per　hour。　The　tanks　moved　northwest　at　that　speed　until　they　reached　Highway　187；　where　miraculously　they　joined　up　with　another　Soviet　unit　and；　dropping　back　to　their　normal　speed　of　twenty　kilometers　per　hour；　resumed　their　progress　west　toward　the　exercise　area。

NORFOLK；　VIRGINIA
It　was　impressive。　As　they　watched　the　Moscow　television　news　program；　a　whole　regiment　of　tanks　advanced　across　a　flat　landscape。　Their　objective　turned　to　a　horizontal　fountain　of　dirt　as　an　artillery　barrage　pounded　the　simulated　enemy　positions。　Fighter…bombers　streaked　across　the　sky　and　helicopters　performed　their　own　death…dance。　The　voice…over　mentary　proclaimed　the　readiness　of　the　Soviet　Army　to　meet　any　foreign　threat。　It　certainly　looked　that　way。
The　next　five…minute　segment　concerned　the　Vienna　arms　talks。　There　was　the　usual　plaint　about　how　the　United　States　was　fighting　over　certain　aspects　of　the　clearly　generous　original　Soviet　proposal；　but　the　speaker　went　on　to　say　that　real　progress　was　being　made　despite　American　intransigence；　and　that　a　prehensive　agreement　was　possible　by　the　end　of　summer。　Toland　was　puzzled　by　the　nature　of　the　Soviet　description　of　the　negotiations。　He'd　never　paid　much　attention　to　this　sort　of　rhetoric　before；　and　found　the　good…guy/bad…guy　descriptions　curious。
〃Pretty　normal　stuff；〃　Lowe　responded　to　the　question。　〃You'll　know　the　deal　is　close　to　being　struck　when　the　beefs　start　disappearing。　Then　they　talk　about　how　enlightened　our　President　is　for　a　class　enemy。　They　can　get　real　euphoric　around　signing　time。　Really；　this　stuff　is　pretty　mild。　Think　about　it。　What　sort　of　language　do　they　usually　use　about　us？〃
〃The　exercise　look　normal？〃
〃It's　normal；　all　right。　Ever　think　about　how　much　fun　it　is　to　face　a　hundred　tanks？　You　did　notice　that　they　all　carry　five…inch　guns？　Then　think　about　the　artillery　support　they　get。　Then　think　about　the　aircraft。　The　Russians　are　real　believers　in　this　bined…arms　stuff。　When　they　e　at　you；　they　e　with　the　whole　inventory。　They　have　this　set　piece　stuff　down　cold。〃
〃How　do　we　counter　it？〃
〃You　take　the　initiative。　You　let　the　other　guy　get　all　set　to　fight　his　battle　his　way；　son；　you　might　as　well　bag　it。〃
〃Same　story　at　sea。〃
〃Yeah。〃

KIEV；　THE　UKRAINE
Alekseyev　atypically　poured　himself　a　cup　of　tea　at　the　er　table　before　approaching　his　mander's　desk。　When　he　walked　over；　his　grin　was　a　meter　wide。
〃rade　General；　Progress　goes　well！〃
〃So　I　can　see；　Pavel　Leonidovich。〃
〃I　would　never　have　believed　it。　The　improvement　in　our　officer　corps　is　extraordinary。　The　deadwood　is　being　disposed　of；　and　those　men　whom　we've　moved　up　to　new　posts　are　eager　and　capable。〃
〃So；　shooting　those　four　colonels　has　worked？〃　CINC…Southwest　noted　sardonically。　He'd　run　the　first　two　days　of　the　exercise　from　his　mand　headquarters　and　yearned　to　get　into　the　field　where　the　real　action　was。　But　that　was　not　a　theater　mander's　job。　Alekseyev　was　his　best　set　of　eyes　for　what　was　really　happening。
〃A　hard　choice；　but　a　good　one。　The　results　speak　for　themselves。〃　The　edge　came　off　the　younger　man's　enthusiasm。　His　conscience　still　remembered　that。　The　problem　with　hard　decisions；　he　learned；　was　not　making　them；　but　learning　to　live　with　the　consequences；　however　necessary。　He　set　the　thought　aside　yet　again。　〃With　two　more　weeks　of　intensive　exercises；　the　Red　Army　will　be　ready。　We　can　do　it。　We　can　defeat　NATO。〃
〃We　don't　have　to　fight　NATO；　Pasha。〃
〃Then　Allah　help　the　Arabs！〃　Alekseyev　said。
〃Allah　help　us。　West　gets　another　of　our　tank　divisions。〃　The　General　held　up　a　dispatch。　〃The　one　you　were　with　today；　in　fact。　I　wonder　how　he　has　been　doing？〃
〃My　spies　tell　me；　quite　well。〃
〃And　you　have　joined　the　KGB；　Pasha？〃
〃A　classmate　of　mine　is　on　CINC…West　staff。　They；　too；　have　adopted　a　policy　for　eliminating　inpetents。　I　have　seen　the　benefits。　A　new　man　in　a　posting　has　much　better　incentive　to　do　his　job　properly　than　one　for　whom　it　has　bee　routine。〃
〃Except　at　the　top；　of　course。〃
〃mander…in…Chief　West　is　one　man　I　never　expected　to　defend；　but　everything　I've　been　told　leads　me　to　believe　he's　getting　his　forces　ready　in　the　same　way　as　we。〃
〃Things　must　indeed　be　improved　if　you　are　this　magnanimous。〃
〃They　are；　rade。　Another　tank　division　lost　to　Germany。　Well；　he　needs　it　more　than　we。　I　tell　you；　we　will　sweep　the　Arabs　aside　like　dirt　on　a　smooth　tile　floor。　In　truth　we　always　could。　There　are　not　so　many　of　them；　and　if　these　Arabs　are　like　the　Libyans　I　saw　three　years　ago…these　have　no　mountains　to　hide　in。　This　is　not　Afghanistan。　Our　mission　is　to　conquer；　not　to　pacify。　This　we　can　do。　I　estimate　two　weeks。　The　only　problem　I　foresee　is　the　destruction　of　the　oil　fields。　They　can　use　scorched　earth　as　a　defense　just　as　we　have；　and　that　will　be　difficult　for　us　to　prevent；　even　with　paratroops。　Still　and　all；　our　objective　is　achievable。　Our　men　will　be　ready。〃

9　…　A　Final　Look

NORFOLK；　VIRGINIA
〃There's　something　to　be　said　for　instant　traditions；　Chuck。〃　This　was　their　fourth　Russian　movie　via　satellite。　Toland　handed　over　the　bowl　of　popcorn。　〃It'll　be　a　pity　to　lose　you　back　to　the　Corps。〃
〃Bite　your　tongue！　Sixteen…hundred　hours　Tuesday；　Colonel　Charles　DeWinter　Lowe　goes　back　into　the　Marine　business。　I'll　leave　the　paper　shuffling　to　you　squids。〃
Toland　laughed。　〃And　you　won't　miss　the　evening　movie？〃
〃Maybe　a　little。〃　Half　a　mile　away　a　satellite　receiver　was　tracking　a　Soviet　munications　satellite。　They'd　been　pirating　signals　off　this　satellite　and　two　of　her　sisters　for　weeks　now；　to　keep　tabs　on　the　Soviet　TV　news；　and　also　to　catch　the　evening　movie。　Both　men　admired　the　work　of　Sergey　Eisenstein。
And　Alexander　Nevsky　was　his　masterwork。
Toland　popped　open　a　can　of　Coke。　〃I　wonder　how　Ivan　would　react　to　a　John　Ford　Western？　Somehow　I　get　the　feeling　that　rade　Eisenstein　might　have　been　exposed　to　one　or　two。〃
〃Yeah；　the　Duke　would　have　fit　in　pretty　good　here。　Or　better　yet；　Errol　Flynn。　You　heading　home　tonight？〃
〃Right　after　the　movie。　God；　a　four…day　weekend　off。　Can　I　stand　the　strain？〃
The　titles　showed　a　new　frame；　different　from　the　one　on　his　personal　tape　of　the　movie　back　home。　The　original　soundtrack　dialogue　had　been　retained　and　cleaned　up　somewhat；　but　the　music　had　been　redone　by　the　Moscow　State　Symphony　and　chorus。　They　did　true　justice　to　Prokofiev's　evocative　score。
The　film　began　with　a　view　of　the　Russian　。　。　。　steppes？　Toland　wondered。　Or　was　that　supposed　to　be　the　southern　part　of　the　country？　Anyway；　it　showed　rolling　grassland　littered　with　bones　and　weapons　from　an　old　battle　against　the　Mongols。　The　Yellow　Peril；　still　a　Russian　bugaboo。　The　Soviet　Union　had　absorbed　a　lot　of　Mongols…but　now　the　Chinese　had　nuclear　weapons　and　the　world's　largest　army。
〃The　print　is　terrific；〃　Lowe　observed。
〃Hell　of　a　lot　better　than　my　tape；〃　Toland　agreed。　A　pair　of　VHS　machines　was　recording　this；　though　the　Navy　wasn't　supplying　the　tapes。　Each　officer　had　bought　one　himself。　SACLANT's　Inspector　General　had　an　evil　reputation。
All　this　happened　pretty　close　to　the　Baltic　coast；　Toland　reminded　himself。　The　introduction　of　the　main　character　was　made　through　a　song　as　he　was　evidently　out　directing　some　men　with　a　fishing　net。　A　good　socialist　introduction；　the　officers　agreed：　the　hero　out　doing　manual　labor。　A　brief　verbal　confrontation　with　the　Mongols；　then　a　musing　about　which　danger　to　Russian　integrity　was　greater；　the　German　or　the　Mongol。
〃Jesus；　you　know　they　still　think　that　way？〃　Toland　chuckled。
〃The　more　things　change　。　。　。〃　Lowe　popped　open　his　own　Coke。
〃I　kinda　wonder　about　this　guy；　though。　When　he　went　back　into　the　water　after　the　net；　he　ran　like　a　girl；　what　with　his　arms　flying　all　over。〃
〃You　should　try　running　in　knee…deep　water；〃　the　Marine　growled。
And　the　scene　shifted　to　the　German　Danger。
〃A　bunch　of　out…of…work　knights；　just　like　the　crusades。　Hell；　just　like　Indian　movies　from　the　thirties。　Chopping　people　up；　throwing　babies　into　the　fire。〃
〃You　suppose　they　really　did　things　like　that？〃
〃Ever　hear　of　a　place　called　Auschwitz；　Bob？〃　Lowe　inquired。　〃You　know；　in　the　civilized　twentieth　century？〃
〃Those　guys　didn't　bring　a　bishop　with　them。〃
〃Try　reading　up　on　the　crusaders'　liberation　of　Jerusalem。　Either　they　killed；　or　raped　first　and　then　killed；　all　for　the　Greater　Glory　of　God；　with　bishops　and　cardinals　cheering　them　on。　Nice　bunch。　Yeah；　it's　probably　true　enough。　Christ　knows　the　Eastern　Front　in　'41…'45　saw　a　lot　of　it　on　both　sides。　Nasty　campaign；　that　was。　Want　some　more　popcorn？〃
Finally　the　people　mobilized　themselves；　especially　the　peasants：
Vstavaitye；　1yudi　russkiye；　na　slavny　boi；　na　smyertny　boi
〃Damn！〃　Toland　sat　forward。　〃They　really　punched　that　song　up。〃　The　soundtrack　was　almost　perfect；　even　accounting　for　the　satellite　transmission　difficulties。
Arise；　you　Russian　People；　in　a　just　battle；　in　a　fight　to　the　death：　arise；　you　people　free　and　brave；　defend　our　fair　native　land！
Toland　counted　more　than　twenty　specific　uses　of　the　word　〃Russia〃　or　〃Russian。〃
〃That's　odd；〃　he　observed。　〃They're　trying　to　get　away　from　that。　The　Soviet　Union　is　supposed　to　be　all　one　happy　family；　not　the　New　Russian　Empire。〃
〃I　guess　you'd　call　it　an　historical　quirk；〃　Lowe　mented。　〃Stalin　missioned　the　film　to　alert　his　people　to　the　Nazi　threat。　Ole　Joe　was　a　Georgian；　but　he　turned　out　to　be　one　hell　of　a　Russian　nationalist。　Strange；　but　he　was　one　strange　dude。〃
The　movie　was　clearly　a　production　of　the　1930s。　The　strident　characters　were　right　out　of　John　Ford　or　Raoul　Walsh：　a　stand…alone　heroic　figure　in　Prince　Alexander　Nevsky；　two　brave　but　buffoonish　sidekicks；　and　the　de　rigueur　love　interest。　The　German　enemies　were　arrogant　and　for　the　most　part　invisible　behind　unlikely　helmets　designed　by　Eisenstein　himself。　The　invading　Germans　had　already　divided　up　Russia　amongst　themselves；　one　knight　made　〃prince〃　of　Pskov；　where　in　a　horrible　example　of　pacification　the　invaders　had　slaughtered　men；　women；　and　children…the　children　were　thrown　into　a　bonfire…to　show　who　was　boss。　The　great　battle　scene　took　place　on　a　frozen　lake。
〃What　kinda　lunatic　is　going　to　fight　on　a　frozen　lake　when　he's　wearing　a　half　ton　of　sheet　steel？〃　Toland　groaned。　Lowe　explained　that　it　had　really　happened　that　way；　more　or　less。
〃I'm　sure　they　played　around　with　it　some；　like　They　Died　With　Their　Boots　On；　〃　the　colonel　observed。　〃But　the　battle　really　happened。〃
The　battle　was　a　truly　epic　scene。　The　German　knights　attacked　with　casual　disregard　for　proper　tactics；　and　the　Russian　peasants；　ably　led　by　Alexander　and　his　two　sidekicks；　encircled　them　with　a　Cannae…like　envelopment　maneuver。　Then；　of　course；　came　single　bat　between　Prince　Alexander　and　the　German　chieftain。　There　was　no　doubt　of　the　oute。　Their　mander　vanquished　in　single　bat；　the　German　ranks　came　apart；　and　when　they　tried　to　rally　on　the　edge　of　the　lake；　the　ice　gave　way；　drowning　nearly　everyone。
〃That's　realistic　enough；〃　Lowe　chuckled。　〃Think　how　many　armies　have　been　swallowed　up　by　the　Russian　countryside！〃
The　remainder　of　the　movie　resolved　the　love　interest　（each　buffoon　got　himself　a　pretty　girl）；　and　liberated　Pskov。　Curiously；　while　the　prince　hoisted　a　bunch　of　childr