Codegease: Air and Land Warfare 1946

第115节 总集篇二：美苏欧洲边界危机·1945年10月-11月（2）

[Note: Regarding the issue of Operation Magic Carpet, only the repatriation efforts in Europe have been suspended; the repatriation work in the Pacific region is still ongoing.]

Then, on October 29, as both sides became increasingly aware of the shift in the atmosphere of the war in Berlin, the US and the Soviet Union discovered through radio eavesdropping that there was a signal in the radio waves over Berlin that was different from their own. In subsequent aerial reconnaissance and air strikes, the Soviet army also discovered that the enemy troops close to the Soviet ground front did not have any US markings. At the same time, they also discovered the US troops that they had been "longing for" in the southwest of Berlin, but were being closely watched by the firepower on the other side of the city.

Based on this, both the US and the Soviet Union found a breakthrough. After a telephone conversation between Eisenhower and Zhukov, both sides made concessions on the fighting in Berlin. Zhukov agreed that US military trains and escort aircraft could enter Berlin through the German railway network in the Soviet-occupied zone, withdrawing US troops and a small number of British and French personnel from the city. After that, the fighting in Berlin was entirely handed over to the Soviet Union, which was arranging the battle plan.

However, as a precaution, the Soviet high command still issued orders to Soviet troops at stations along the railway line: if any vehicles belonging to unidentified armed groups in Berlin, as shown in the photos, were spotted on American military trains, they should immediately approach the trains to investigate.

The US evacuation operation proceeded smoothly from the afternoon of the 29th until a minor skirmish occurred with Britannian forces on the morning of October 30th. After this brief disturbance, the US forces successfully completed their evacuation. Soviet intelligence, gathered from reconnaissance aircraft, led them to conclude that the forces engaged in fighting within Berlin were likely not US, and they thus devised a plan for a preemptive attack.

However, just when Eisenhower and Zhukov thought the crisis on the US-Soviet border was about to subside, an unexpected event occurred.

At approximately 2:20 PM on October 30th, a dozen minutes after the Soviet army began shelling Berlin, the last American military train, codenamed "Easy," stopped at the Erfurt train station in Soviet-occupied territory. While refueling at the station, a dispute arose between the Soviet and American troops regarding the new armored vehicles and humanoid combat vehicles carried on the train, an event later known as the "Earfurt Incident."

Regarding the course of events, the Soviet explanation was that Soviet personnel were physically obstructed by an American soldier while inspecting the train, resulting in minor injuries. Consequently, the Soviet military took the highest level of responsibility in handling the situation at the train station.

However, the US explanation was different. According to eyewitness testimonies provided by the US, a Soviet soldier, without US permission, forcibly boarded the cargo wagon while the US was negligent. When verbal attempts to dissuade him failed, the US soldiers ultimately resorted to violence to stop the Soviet personnel's unreasonable demands.

However, the dispute was eventually resolved peacefully between the US and the Soviet Union. After the Soviet side conducted a preliminary inspection of the equipment captured by the US, the military train Easy continued its journey back.

However, the dispute did not end with the departure of the train; instead, it brought an even more alarming escalation to the border.

第116节 总集篇二：美苏欧洲边界危机·1945年10月-11月（3）

Given the tense situation along the US-Soviet border, the Soviet military initially sought to gain a general understanding of the US military deployments along the border through aerial reconnaissance. When the Easy train was just one leg away from the US-occupied zone, the Soviet military, as pre-arranged, attempted to use the last group of Soviet fighter jets monitoring the train to simultaneously gather intelligence on the US forces.

As fate would have it, General George Patton, originally an outsider, inadvertently became the first high-ranking commander to learn of Easy's ordeal in Erfurt. Incited and persuaded by him, several American troops still deployed deep within American-occupied territory, along with his already deployed air defense brigade, immediately marched towards the US-Soviet border to ensure the train's safety as it entered American-occupied territory.

At approximately 4:20 PM on October 30th, just after the military train Easy safely entered the American-occupied zone, four Soviet warplanes originally tasked with monitoring the train suddenly appeared on the American air defense positions at Verdek. Nearby American warplanes immediately intercepted and warned them, and the air defense positions were in complete chaos with various searchlights and alarms.

The Soviet warplanes quickly withdrew in the direction they had come from, but this incident of warplanes crossing the border seems to confirm that the situation between the US and the Soviet Union in Europe is deteriorating in an irreversible direction.

Fearing a complete collapse of the situation in Europe, the United States ordered all border troops to remain on standby, monitoring Soviet troop movements, and, in order to maintain stability, prohibited any U.S. troops in the rear from approaching the U.S.-Soviet border.

Although the Soviets suffered a setback in the cross-border incident, they learned from the flight crews that "more US troops were moving towards the border." Similarly, fearing an imminent war between the US and the Soviet Union, Marshal Zhukov, Commander-in-Chief of the Soviet forces in Germany, ordered the urgent deployment of five infantry divisions from the 47th Army and parts of the 5st Guards Tank Army to the US-Soviet border region. Tanks were even deployed only one or two kilometers from the border checkpoints, demonstrating a readiness to fight the US forces.

But everything has just begun.

The situation in Europe was instantly thrust into the spotlight by this incursion of the warplanes. Austria, a country also divided up by the United States, the Soviet Union, Britain, and France, was also on high alert after Eisenhower and Zhukov sent their messages to the highest military commanders in the US- and Soviet-occupied territories.

[PS: After World War II ended in 1945, Austria, like Germany, was divided into four parts by the United States, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, and France, becoming a four-power joint administration. However, unlike Germany, Austria's central city was an international district, rotated between the four powers. This continued until 1955, when Austria agreed to permanent neutrality, and the troops and personnel of the four powers withdrew, restoring Austria's independence and unity.]

第117节 总集篇二：美苏欧洲边界危机·1945年10月-11月（4）

Let's chat a little about the two small towns that are right next to the border, which I mentioned in the previous chapter.

Wildek was the closest American train station to the border on the Frankfurt-Leipzig railway line during the Cold War division of East and West Germany, and also an important border bridgehead for the United States.

Geistungen was also the Soviet railway station on this line closest to the border, only two kilometers away as the crow flies. Because of its proximity to the city of Eisenach, it became a haven for smugglers in the early Cold War. Later, after renovations, Geistungen's railway station became a major checkpoint for East Germany to prevent illegal immigrants from entering West Germany by rail.

It's worth noting that because a section of the Eisenach-Gestungen railway line was within the US-occupied zone (see the image below), in the early Cold War, to prevent passengers from jumping off the train to West Germany, train conductors would lock all passenger carriage windows and doors. This regulation was only abolished after a bus route between Gestungen and Eisenach was established; passengers had to disembark at Eisenach station and take a bus to Gestungen (yes, train tickets to Gestungen were no longer sold, but the railway wasn't dismantled and remained as a freight line).

In subsequent high-level talks between the US and the Soviet Union, the Soviet explanation for the incident was that the lead aircraft of the Soviet fighter group experienced instrument malfunction and communication failure during flight. In order to guide the malfunctioning aircraft back to Soviet-occupied territory, the wingman pilot spent a considerable amount of time keeping the formation flying in a straight line towards the US-occupied territory, and finally managed to bring the malfunctioning aircraft back to base.

The US did not have many doubts about the incident on the spot and basically accepted the Soviet explanation. Both sides also recognized that the incident was an accident, and the situation in Europe began to cool down.

Below is the eyewitness testimony of John Pyle, an American air defense soldier who was present at the scene.

"At the time, I was on duty to keep watch over the sky opposite, as ordered by my superior. Then I spotted a squadron of planes. I looked at them for a while and recognized them as our Mustangs. But then, I spotted another squadron of planes a little further away, which looked a lot like the Mustangs. So I asked the sergeant if we had another escort fighter for our train. But the answer I got was no. He told me that these were Soviet planes, and they were likely going to take action. Then we went into the air defense formation..."

"..."

"...The Soviet planes initially flew straight in the sky in a roughly southwest direction. During this time, they changed formation once, and then, surrounded by Mustangs and P-47 fighters, the Soviet planes began to fly in formation, circling like windmills. After circling about two or three times, they left..."

第118节 总集篇二：美苏欧洲边界危机·1945年10月-11月（5）

Meanwhile, while closely monitoring American movements, the Soviet army also successfully apprehended several unidentified armed men in Berlin. However, the interrogation results surprised both the US and the Soviet Union: they claimed to be from Britain and had arrived in Berlin through a portal from Japan. Although both sides expressed strong skepticism about this explanation, they had to admit that it proved neither the US nor the Soviet Union were the instigators of the Berlin unrest.

Therefore, on the afternoon of November 1, US representative Lieutenant General Lucius Clay and Soviet representative General Vasily Sokolovsky formally signed the "Agreement between the United States and the Soviet Union on the Solution to the Border Standoff in the Occupied Zones of East and West Germany" in a town near Berlin.

The agreement stipulated the following arrangements for the US and Soviet troops:

……

⑤ Both sides' troops located on the border between the US and the Soviet Union in the occupied territories must withdraw to a distance of at least five kilometers from the border by the end of November 2. During the withdrawal, neither side is allowed to deploy any more forces to the border area.

⑥ After the withdrawal deadline of the 2nd is completed, both sides may redeploy their troops, but neither side may deploy any heavy firepower units within the other's line of sight. The expiration date of this clause will be discussed after the US and the Soviet Union reach an agreement on the Berlin Incident.

⑦ Both the United States and the Soviet Union urged the top military commanders of other countries and regions with military confrontations, including but not limited to Austria, to completely resolve the border incidents and ensure the stability of the situation in Europe before the end of November 3.

……

On the evening of November 1, US and Soviet troops began to slowly withdraw from the border. The signing of the agreement finally brought this close to a somewhat uneasy end to the US-Soviet border crisis, which ended without major incident.

But no one knew that this crisis was accompanied by an unusual aura that was reverberating across this nearly desolate German land.

As the former world's largest colonial empire, the British Empire failed to make any influential statements or decisions in this crisis that threatened the peace of the entire European continent. All they did and could do was send Field Marshal Montgomery to meet with General Eisenhower to understand the current situation and the new weapons they had captured.

The world order was destined to slowly slide into the hands of the United States and the Soviet Union, the two future superpowers.

What's even more unsettling is that neither the British, who occupied northwestern Germany at the time, nor the Holy Britannian Empire, trapped in Berlin, knew that just over a hundred kilometers away, an "alien" with a nearly identical name was quietly waiting for the other to arrive first.

When two countries, both named Britain but with opposite fates, meet, who knows what kind of future will unfold?

This concludes the summary of the US-Soviet border crisis in Europe.

Chapter 74, Section 121: I am a lieutenant, and I lead from the front.

The land along the US-Soviet border was already cooling down in the night. In the chilly night, the clock had already struck 11 o'clock. Everything seemed to make people almost forget the thrilling events that had occurred in the past few days.

If you continue heading towards Berlin, you'll find that the world remains as chaotic as purgatory—the gunfire and explosions between cities seem determined to keep the land from returning to peace.

Standing leisurely before the main portal near the Reichstag building in the city center, General Marendor watched as more supply trucks emerged and drove onto the Berlin landscape. These were supplies and ammunition being prepared in advance for the three corps and armies ten days from now; of course, some of these supplies undoubtedly belonged to the 41st Army, which the general currently commanded.

"Hmm!" The general nodded, his unwavering posture and confident expression offering silent encouragement to the passing soldiers.

Inside the command center, however, the atmosphere was quite the opposite.

Colonel Kari and Lieutenant Colonel Eddie Hill, along with several other staff officers, were still lingering here, preoccupied with the front lines in four directions within Berlin.

"News from the 3rd Alaskan Brigade, Colonel!" the communications officer shouted from his console. "Their flank is nearing its breaking point; if it collapses, they could be encircled and annihilated by the enemy! The situation is critical! Requesting a retreat!"

"Ugh... why is it still not working..." Eddie Hill scratched his head. "It shouldn't be like this..."

“Calm down, Lieutenant Colonel Groen,” the colonel advised him. “I’ll help you manage the evacuation of the 3rd Alaskan Brigade now. As for the collapsing flank, think of a way to delay its collapse.”

"What do you think, Colonel, about exchanging five scattered squadrons for a complete brigade?" the lieutenant colonel quickly gave his answer.

"Very good, go ahead and do it if you think there's no better way."

“Okay.” Eddie Hill turned and walked to the communications officer, giving him his orders.

“OK.” The lieutenant colonel returned, continuing to look thoughtfully at the map table, and began planning with Colonel Kari.

“So, son,” the colonel asked him first, “do you have any concerns?”

"Concerns? Do you mean regarding the war?"

"No, it's about yourself."

"Ahem... Me, really..." The lieutenant colonel scratched his face. "Indeed, those 12 companies originally tasked with the assault might have been able to halt the Soviet offensive had it not been for my slight hesitation at the time. But..."

"A narrow defeat, leaving only five scattered companies of soldiers, is that right?"

“Um…yes.” Eddie Hill was clearly very bothered by his mistake. “Why…why did I…”

“It takes time to improve your courage in battle, Lieutenant Colonel.” The Colonel’s words were calm. “Haste makes waste. If you lost your mindset in the name of so-called ‘brave attack,’ you might be sacrificing not five companies, but five men, five ‘men’ with only assault rifles. The former is a powerful brake pad, while the latter is a mantis blocking the wheel.”

"I understand... but why did the colonel also..."

“I’m getting old and might not be able to keep up with the thinking of young people. If I interfere with your command, it might make the plan even more chaotic.”

"..."

……

At this moment, on a street in the east, the air was filled with shouts and the roar of gun barrels.

"Get to the sides! Comrades! Get away from the street!"

Lemilia and his comrades once again huddled under a small building. The road beside them was littered with sand dunes, collapsed rubble, and shattered humanoid weapons. Not far from the lieutenant was an M3 half-track vehicle that was almost completely burned out. Soviet soldiers, armed with rifles and submachine guns, were dodging the hail of bullets from ahead and running towards the ground away from the center of the road.

"Damn it...look to the side quickly..."

And what was on the road in the distance? It was a black armored vehicle guarding the street. Judging from the paint, it wasn't a Soviet weapon. It had just recklessly rushed into the soldiers' path.

It was swinging the twin-gun turret on its roof, turning the muzzle away from the street and instead firing at the windowsills on both sides of the street. It had chosen a good position; there were almost no decent shell craters or bunkers nearby, and enemy infantry were keeping watch behind it with a hail of bullets. The Soviet soldiers closest to the armored vehicle were also finding it difficult to advance further to the throwing range of anti-tank grenades and Molotov cocktails.

To make matters worse, according to word of mouth among his comrades, enemy assault guns were slowly approaching from behind.

Now, without tank support, our comrades can only rely on their cleverness and the big tanks that have just been pushed over to deal with this bastard blocking their way.

"Hurry! Hurry, comrade!"

The lieutenant was looking with delight at the road behind him, where several comrades were pushing a cannon that had just been unloaded from the back of a truck, carefully rolling its wheels as they slowly moved along the side of the road toward a sand dune.

This is a Soviet ZIS-3 76mm field gun, the heavy firepower directly under his infantry regiment. The regimental commander has now sent this gun and its operators here to try and turn this bad situation around.

"Alright!" The field gun, less than 1.5 meters tall, was lowered close to the sand dune. "You guys prepare the shells! The rest of you, position the gun!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a soldier crouching to the right front of the artillery pulled out his shovel and began to dig the soil from the sand pile towards his feet. They were quite a distance from the armored vehicle, and their comrades on the street ahead were desperately trying to buy time for the artillery. As long as they kept quiet, that was enough.

"Armor-piercing rounds! Armor-piercing rounds! Hurry!"

"Here it comes!" With a loud thud, the cannon was ready to fire.

"Alright!" the comrade in charge of digging said. Just as the armored vehicle was still firing freely along the street, the ZIS-3's gun barrels had already been fixed on this guy.

"Fire!—"

A sudden, lightning-fast firecracker rang out from the street. The ZIS-3 shells, kicking up mud that splashed across half the street, slammed into the front of the armored vehicle, sparks flying everywhere like shards of porcelain hitting a wall.

"One more shot! Comrade!" The artilleryman glanced to the side and saw Lemilia shouting at them while putting on something that looked like a bulletproof vest. "We have to make sure it's destroyed!"

"Good! It's an armor-piercing round! Hurry up!"

"alright!--"

"Fire!—"

Another firecracker exploded and sparks flew, turning the armored vehicle into a smoking, smoldering furnace, completely silent. Seeing this, the black-clad soldiers who had intended to approach it had no choice but to retreat towards the back of the street while still firing.

"Well done! Comrades! Thank you!" Lemilia waved happily to them, preparing to put on her bulletproof vest, grab her submachine gun, and run forward with the soldiers. "Get ready to suppress the enemy over there!"