tc.redstormrising-第7章

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n　of　tension　between　East　and　West。　Despite　this；　in　accordance　with　standard　Soviet　strategic　doctrine；　it　called　for　strategic　surprise　as　a　precondition　for　success；　and　the　use　of　conventional　weapons　only。
〃At　least　they　aren't　talking　about　atomic　arms。〃　Rozhkov　grunted。　Other　plans　with　other　names　applied　to　different　scenarios；　including　many　for　the　use　of　tactical　and　even　strategic　nuclear　arms；　something　no　one　in　uniform　wished　to　contemplate。　Despite　all　the　saber…rattling　of　their　political　masters；　these　professional　soldiers　knew　all　too　well　that　the　use　of　nuclear　arms　made　only　for　ghastly　uncertainties。　〃And　the　maskirovka？〃
〃In　two　parts。　The　first　is　purely　political；　to　work　against　the　United　States。　The　second　part；　immediately　before　the　war　begins；　is　from　KGB。　You　know　it；　from　KGB　Group　Nord。　We　reviewed　it　two　years　ago。〃
Rozhkov　grunted。　Group　Nord　was　an　ad　hoc　mittee　of　KGB　department　chiefs；　first　assembled　by　then…chief　of　the　KGB　Yuri　Andropov　in　the　mid…1970s。　Its　purpose　was　to　research　means　of　splitting　the　NATO　alliance；　and　in　general　to　conduct　political　and　psychological　operations　aimed　at　undermining　Western　will。　Its　specific　plan　to　shake　the　NATO　military　and　political　structure　in　preparation　for　a　shooting　war　was　Nord's　proudest　example　of　legerdemain。　But　would　it　work？
The　two　senior　officers　shared　an　ironic　look。　Like　most　professional　soldiers；　they　distrusted　spies　and　all　their　plans。
〃Four　months；〃　Rozhkov　repeated。　〃We　have　much　to　do。　And　if　this　KGB　magic　fails　to　work？〃
〃It　is　a　good　plan。　It　need　only　deceive　the　West　for　a　week；　though　two　weeks　would　be　better。　The　key；　of　course；　is　how　quickly　NATO　can　reach　full　readiness。　If　we　can　delay　the　mobilization　process　seven　days；　victory　is　assured…〃
〃And　if　not？〃　Rozhkov　asked　sharply；　knowing　that　even　a　seven…day　delay　was　no　guarantee。
〃Then　it　is　not　assured；　but　the　balance　of　forces　is　on　our　side。　You　know　that；　Yuri。〃　The　option　of　recalling　the　mobilized　forces　had　never　been　discussed　with　the　Chief　of　the　General　Staff。
〃We　will　need　to　improve　discipline　throughout　the　force　first　of　all；〃　CINC…Ground　said。　〃And　I　need　to　inform　our　senior　manders　at　once。　We　need　to　implement　intense　training　operations。　Just　how　awful　is　this　fuel　problem？〃
Shavyrin　handed　his　subordinate　the　notes。　〃It　could　be　worse。　We　have　enough　for　extended　unit　training。　Your　task　is　no　easy　one；　Yuri；　but　four　months　is　a　long　time　for　this　task；　is　it　not？〃
It　wasn't；　but　there　was　no　point　in　saying　so。　〃As　you　say；　four　months　to　instill　fighting　discipline。　I　will　have　a　free　hand？〃
〃Within　limits。〃
〃It　is　one　thing　to　make　a　private　soldier　snap　to　the　orders　of　his　sergeant。　It　might　be　another　for　officers　conditioned　to　pushing　paper　to　change　into　bat　leaders。〃　Rozhkov　skirted　the　issue；　but　his　superior　received　the　message　clearly　enough。
〃A　free　hand　on　both；　Yuri。　But　act　carefully；　for　both　our　sakes。〃
Rozhkov　nodded　briefly。　He　knew　whom　he'd　use　to　get　this　done。　〃With　the　troops　we　led　forty　years　ago；　Andrey；　we　could　do　this。〃　Rozhkov　sat　down。　〃And　in　truth　we　have　the　same　raw　material　now　that　we　had　then…and　better　weapons。　The　chief　unknown　remains　the　men。　When　we　drove　our　tanks　into　Vienna；　our　men　were　tough；　hard　veterans…〃
〃And　so　were　the　SS　bastards　we　crushed。〃　Shavyrin　smiled；　remembering。　〃Keep　in　mind　that　the　same　forces　are　at　work　in　the　West；　even　more　so。　How　well　will　they　fight；　surprised；　divided？　It　can　work。　We　must　make　it　work。〃
〃I'm　meeting　with　our　field　manders　Monday。　I　will　tell　them　myself　〃

NORFOLK；　VIRGINIA
〃I　hope　you　take　good　care　of　it；〃　the　Mayor　said。
It　was　a　moment　before　mander　Daniel　X。　McCafferty　reacted。　USS　Chicago　had　been　in　mission　for　only　six　weeks；　her　pletion　delayed　by　a　yard　fire　and　her　missioning　ceremony　marred　by　the　absence　of　the　Mayor　of　Chicago　due　to　a　strike　of　city　workers。　Just　back　from　five　tough　weeks　of　workups　in　the　Atlantic；　his　crew　was　now　loading　provisions　for　their　first　operational　deployment。　McCafferty　was　still　entranced　with　his　new　mand；　and　never　tired　of　looking　at　her。　He'd　just　walked　with　the　Mayor　along　the　curved　upper　deck；　the　first　part　of　any　submarine　tour；　even　though　there　was　almost　nothing　to　be　seen　there。　〃Excuse　me？〃
〃Take　good　care　of　our　ship；〃　said　the　Mayor　of　Chicago。
〃We　call　them　boats；　sir；　and　we'll　take　good　care　of　her　for　you。　Will　you　join　us　in　the　wardroom？〃
〃More　ladders。〃　The　Mayor　pretended　to　grimace；　but　McCafferty　knew　him　to　be　a　former　fire　chief。　Would　have　been　useful　a　few　months　back；　the　captain　thought。　〃Where　are　you　heading　tomorrow？〃
〃To　sea；　sir。〃　The　captain　started　down　the　ladder。　The　Mayor　of　Chicago　followed　him。
〃I　figured　that。〃　For　a　man　in　his　late　fifties；　he　handled　the　steel　ladder　easily　enough。　They　met　again　at　the　bottom。　〃What　exactly　do　you　do　in　these　things？〃
〃Sir；　the　Navy　calls　it　'Oceanographic　Research。'　〃　McCafferty　led　him　forward；　turning　for　a　smile　with　his　answer　to　the　awkward　question。　Things　were　starting　quickly　for　Chicago。　The　Navy　wanted　to　see　just　how　effective　her　new　quieting　systems　were。　Everything　looked　good　in　the　acoustical　test　range　off　the　Bahamas。　Now　they　wanted　to　see　how　well　things　worked　in　the　Barents　Sea。
The　Mayor　laughed　at　that　one。　〃Oh；　I　suppose　you'll　be　counting　the　whales　for　Greenpeace！〃
〃Well；　I　can　say　that　there　are　whales　where　we're　heading。〃
〃What's　with　the　tile　on　your　deck？　I　never　heard　of　rubber　decks　on　a　ship。〃
〃It's　called　anechoic　tile；　sir。　The　rubber　absorbs　sound　waves。　It　makes　us　quieter　to　operate；　and　makes　it　harder　to　detect　us　on　sonar　if　somebody　pings　at　us。　Coffee？〃
〃You'd　think　that　on　a　day　like　this…〃
The　captain　chuckled。　〃Me；　too。　But　it's　against　regulations。〃
The　Mayor　hoisted　his　cup　and　clicked　against　McCafferty's。　〃Luck。〃
〃I'll　drink　to　that。〃

MOSCOW；　R。S。F。S。R。
They　met　at　the　Main　Officers　Club　of　the　Moscow　Military　District　on　Ulitsa　Krasnokazarmennaya；　a　massively　impressive　building　dating　back　to　Czarist　times。　It　was　the　normal　time　of　year　for　senior　field　manders　to　confer　in　Moscow；　and　such　events　were　always　punctuated　by　elaborate　ceremonial　dinners。　Rozhkov　greeted　his　fellow　officers　at　the　main　entrance；　and　when　all　were　assembled；　he　led　them　downstairs　to　the　ornate　steam　baths。　Present　were　all　Theater　manders；　each　acpanied　by　his　deputy；　his　air　force　mander；　and　the　fleet　manders：　a　small　galaxy　of　stars；　ribbons；　and　braid。　Ten　minutes　later；　naked　but　for　a　pair　of　towels　and　a　handful　of　birch　branches　each；　they　were　just　another　group　of　middle…aged　men；　perhaps　a　bit　fitter　than　was　the　average　in　the　Soviet　Union。
They　all　knew　one　another。　Though　many　were　rivals；　they　were　members　of　the　same　profession　nevertheless；　and　with　an　intimacy　characteristic　of　the　Russian　steam　baths　they　exchanged　small　talk　for　several　minutes。　Several　of　them　were　grandfathers　now；　and　spoke　with　animation　about　the　continuation　of　their　lines。　Regardless　of　personal　rivalries；　it　was　expected　that　senior　officers　would　look　out　for　the　careers　of　their　rades'　sons；　and　so　information　was　briefly　exchanged　on　whose　son　was　in　which　mand　and　wanted　advancement　to　what　new　posting。　Finally　came　the　classically　Russian　dispute　over　the　〃strength〃　of　the　steam。　Rozhkov　peremptorily　settled　the　argument　with　a　thin　but　steady　stream　of　cold　water　onto　the　heated　bricks　in　the　center　of　the　room。　The　resulting　hiss　would　be　sufficient　to　interfere　with　any　listening　devices　in　the　room；　if　the　foggy　air　hadn't　already　corroded　them　to　junk。　Rozhkov　had　not　given　the　first　hint　of　what　was　happening。　Better；　he　thought；　to　shock　them　into　the　situation　and　get　candid　reactions　to　the　situation　at　hand。
〃rades；　I　must　make　an　announcement。〃
Conversation　stilled；　and　the　men　looked　inquiringly　in　his　direction。
Here　we　go。　〃rades；　on　15　June　of　this　year；　just　four　months　from　now；　we　launch　an　offensive　against　NATO。〃
For　a　moment；　only　the　hiss　of　the　steam　could　be　heard；　then　three　men　laughed；　having　imbibed　a　few　stiff　drinks　in　the　sanctity　of　their　staff　cars　on　the　drive　over　from　the　Kremlin。　Those　close　enough　to　see　CINC…Ground's　face　did　not。
〃You　are　serious；　rade　Marshal？〃　asked　the　mander…in…Chief　of　the　Western　Theater。　Receiving　a　nod　in　reply；　he　said；　〃Then　perhaps　you　will　be　so　kind　as　to　explain　the　reason　for　this　action？〃
〃Of　course。　You　are　all　aware　of　the　Nizhnevartovsk　oil…field　disaster。　What　you　have　not　yet　learned　are　its　strategic　and　political　implications。〃　It　took　six　brisk　minutes　to　outline　everything　the　Politburo　had　decided。　〃In　just　over　four　months　from　now；　we　shall　launch　the　most　crucial　military　operation　in　the　history　of　the　Soviet　Union：　the　destruction　of　NATO　as　a　political　and　military　force。　And　we　will　succeed。〃
Finished；　he　stared　at　the　officer　in　silence。　The　steam　was　having　its　desired　effects　on　the　assembly　of　flag　officers。　Its　searing　heat　assaulted　their　breathing　passages；　sobering　those　who　had　been　drinking。　And　it　made　them　sweat。　They'd　be　doing　a　lot　of　that　in　the　next　few　months；　Rozhkov　thought。
Then　Pavel　Alekseyev；　deputy　mander　of　the　Southwestern　Theater；　spoke。　〃I　heard　rumors；〃　he　said。　〃But　that　bad？〃
〃Yes。　We　have　sufficient　POL　supplies　for　twelve　months　of　normal　operations；　or　enough　for　sixty　days　of　war　operations　after　a　brief　period　of　increased　training　activity。〃　At　the　cost；　he　didn't　say；　of　crippling　the　national　economy　by　mid…August。
Alekseyev　leaned　forward　and　swatted　himself　with　his　bundle　of　branches。　The　action　was　strangely　like　a　lion's　swishing　its　tail。　At　fifty；　he　was　the　second…youngest　officer　there；　a　respected　intellectual　soldier　and　a　fit；　handsome　man　with　the　shoulders　of　a　lumberjack。　His　intense；　dark　eyes　squinted　down　through　the　rising　cloud　of　steam。
〃Mid…June？〃
〃Yes；〃　Rozhkov　said。　〃We　have　that　long　to　prepare　our　plans　and　our　troops。〃　CINC…Ground　looked　around　the　room。　Already　the　ceiling　had　bee　partially　obscured　by　a　mist。
〃I　presume　we　are　here　so　that　we　may　speak　frankly　among　ourselves；　no？〃
〃This　is　so；　Pavel　Leonidovich。〃　Rozhkov　replied；　not　the　least　surprised　that　Alekseyev　had　been　the　first　to　speak。　CINC…Ground　had　carefully　advanced　the　man's　career　over　the　last　decade。　He　was　the　only　son　of　a　hard…charging　tank　general　of　the　Great　Motherland　War；　one　of　the　many　good　men　pensioned　off　during　the　bloodless　purges　under　Nikita　Khrushchev　in　the　late　1950s。
〃rades。〃　Alekseyev　stood；　climbing　slowly　down　the　benches　to　the　marble　floor。　〃I　accept　everything　Marshal　Rozhkov　has　told　us。　But…four　months！　Four　months　in　which　we　may　be　detected；　four　months　in　which　we　may　lose　all　the　element　of　surprise。　Then　what　may　happen？　No；　we　have　a　plan　already　for　this：　Zhukov…4！　Instant　mobilization！　We　can　all　be　back　to　our　mand　posts　in　six　hours。　If　we　are　going　to　conduct　a　surprise　attack；　then　let　us　make　it　one　no　one　can　detect　in　time…seventy…two　hours　from　now！〃
Again　the　only　sound　in　the　room　was　that　of　the　water　flashing　to　steam　on　the　dun…colored　bricks；　then　the　room　erupted　with　noise。　Zhukov…4　was　the　winter　variant　of　a　plan　which　hypothesized　discovery　of　NATO's　in