The room clattered
with scraping chairs and clicking heels as the Führer entered
the palatial conference room with its open-walled view of the
Alpine countryside. As he moved to the end of the long marble
conference table he felt again the quickening, the narcotic
thrill unknown since the last days of the Russian campaign. Both
the victories won at the negotiating table and the trimphs earned
in dictating to an empire paled to insignificance when compared
to that greatest of all human endeavors, war - this time against
the United States of America. In a way, he would regret it when
this last and foremost opponent ceased to exist, but then he had
always been a sentimentalist.
To his left stood Field Marshal Manstein,
his chief of staff for the army. Next to Manstein was Doenitz of
the Navy, and then Air Marshal Kesselring, Chief of Air
Operations. To his right, down the other side of the table waited
Himmler, Göring, Kaltenbrunner, who headed intelligence, the
ever-present Bormann, and Albert Speer, head of industrial
production and economic strategic planning.
Hitler's gaze fixed on General
Kaltenbrunner. "The updated report you turned in yesterday.
Do you vouch for it ?"
"The reports are most reliable, my
Führer. They come straight from the President's own Chief of
Staff. Furthermore, what he's saying dovetails with reports from
other sources."
"Then it is all too clear,"
Hitler announced. "They will try to lull us with hackneyed
platitudes about peace - until this wonder weapon is ready. Then
watch how their song changes. If they have this bomb first, that
farmer and his fat degenerate friend in London will dictate
to us."
He paused and looked around the room.
"To us!"
Hitler's gaze returned to his
intelligence officer. "Is the estimated date we have for
completion as reliable as the rest?"
"Such things are never certain, of
course, but Harrison's Chief of Staff believes it to be accurate.
The Russians too believe the Americans will achieve their target
date. A couple of the American and British scientists, Communist
sympathizers, are leaking information to Stalin, and they believe
the dates." Kaltenbrunner carefully did not discuss his own
pipeline into the Kremlin.
"Gott im Himmel!" Hitler
roared. "The idiot Americans will give this bomb to the
Russians - Stalin will be at our throats!
"In a way we are fortunate,"
the intelligence officer continued when Hitler had calmed
himself. "Had they maintained their initial pace they would
have the bomb right now. Luckily, they slowed down their atomic
research after Pearl Harbor so that they could devote all their
resources to dealing with Japan. Alas, once the war was over,
Roosevelt managed to get the project's priority upgraded again,
under the code name Manhattan.
"We already have two intelligence
teams in place to survey the main manufacturing site for the
bomb." Kaltenbrunner paused and pointed at the map of the
United States that covered the wall behind Hitler. "There,
in Tennessee. They've concentrated all their production of
radioactive material at one site. They're planning to build a
second site in the state of Washington but it'll be two years
before that's completed. Our sources don't know yet at what rate
they are producing the crucial elements in Tennessee so we must
assume the worst, that they will complete work within eighteen
months, just as Harrison's Chief of Staff boasted."
Hitler stirred. "Early 1947."
"Yes, my Führer."
Hitler shifted his gaze to Speer.
"And our bomb?"
"1948 at the earliest, and that only
if everything goes perfectly, which it will not. As I have said
previously, the British sabotaged some key research sites, and we
still don't have a secured supply of uranium ore. Beyond that it
will take us at least eighteen months to build the massive
facilities required to refine bomb-grade uranium in the sort of
quanties that will be required. Like the Americans, we will need
a factory area where nearly a hundred thousand workers can labor
undisturbed."
"Then why not move now?"
Hitler demanded. "We are already running rehearsals and
training exercises. This conference merely confirms what I
already knew. We could be ready in four weeks, six at most."
With one or two exceptions the entire
group froze with almost the same look of nervous dismay. This had
all been hashed out weeks ago, but Hitler had been known to
change his mind. It would be very bad if this was one of those
times.
"Because, my Führer," Speer
replied quickly, "as we already discussed, we have another
generation of weapons just coming on line, but it will be four to
six months before we are up to full-scale production. When we
have them in sufficient quantity, the new jets, television-guided
rocket bombs, hydrogen-powered submarines and improved rockets
will give us a tremendous edge. But we need time to develop
sufficient reserves. Four months would give us another thousand
of the new Gotha fighters and eight hundred more Arado bombers.
As for the television-guided rocket bombs, we have only two
hundred and fifty; in four months we will have a thousand, enough
to send every single American carrier to the bottom.
"What we showed off at the parade
looked glorious - and was! - but that display comprised nearly
every plane we own of those designs. We will need these new
weapons if we are to destroy the American fleet. During their
Pacific War the Americans made tremendous advances in naval
warfare. Their fleet is formidable. Our best plan is to
keep a close watch on their Manhattan Project - and move just
before they have the final design. For the next six months, time
is our ally, and with our marvelous new asset in their White
House, we will know their every move; if there is some
breakthrough we can act earlier if need be. Please, my Führer,
let us wait just a little. Come spring, we will be ready."
Hitler lowered his head as if calculating
the odds once again. He finally raised his head. One by one, his
gaze speared the commanders of the three military branches.
"No latter than April."
Those gathered around the table visibly
relaxed.
"Now, let us consider England. The
American Manhattan Project is the reason we must fight,
but the assault on Oak Ridge is just part of this operation, and
a minor one in terms of men and materiel. Gentlemen, I expect to
be in Buckingham Palace within forty-five days of the
commencement of hostilities. Furthermore, I expect you to arrange
matters in such fashion that England's death throes act as a lure
to bring the American fleet within range of the Luftwaffe.
"This will not be a repeat of
1940," Hitler said meaningfully, looking straight over at
Göring. "Thanks to Speer, control of the air will be
achieved using our ME-262s and the new Gotha 229s, which are
superior to anything the British have. With drop-tanks these
fighters will be able to supply cover over all of England, thus
eliminating our greatest problem in the previous war: protecting
our bombers. This time, in all the British Isles there will be no
single place of refuge. As for the invasion itself" - Hitler
paused to look over at Manstein - "I've reviewed your
proposals." He fell silent for a moment, then, theatrically,
"I approve. I will help you refine them, of course, but in
general, I approve of your implementation of my original
plan."
Manstein smiled and nodded his thanks.
"Full operational details for the
invasion to be on my desk within thirty days. Training schedules
in Russia are to be doubled immediately."
Hitler looked back at Göring.
"For the Luftwaffe the task
is twofold. First you must gain air superiority both in the
Midlands and the North, so that the invasion is not hindered by
the RAF and the Royal Navy. Next you must destroy the American
fleet. Do not doubt that they will come to you. The Americans
will not stand idly by and watch England fall. Harrison made that
clear to me at Reykjavik.
"According to our naval
planners" -- he nodded towards Doenitz -- "the
Americans will be able to marshal a fleet of at least twenty
carriers at several ports along their east coast and perhaps even
recall elements from as far as Pearl Harbor. They also have five
active divisions within the United States, three infantry, one
airborne, and one Marine Corps, which we can expect will be
loaded aboard transports. This fleet should be ready to sortie to
England's relief by day twenty-five and will take ten days more
to make the crossing."
"The American fleet will be pounded
from the time it leaves port until it reaches English
waters," Göring puffed. "I have developed plans for Luftwaffe
ground units to seize airstrips in Iceland and Greenland. The
Americans will have my planes overhead from the beginning to the
end of their voyage. And I do mean the end," he said
with a laugh as he leaned forward in his seat to look directly
directly across at Doenitz. "Of course, Admiral, your
U-boats will be there to pick off what's left," the Air
Marshal added with poisonous condescension.
"Just provide decent reconnaissance
this time," the man in charge of the German Navy replied
icily, "and we will harvest our share."
Hitler slapped the table and the two fell
silent.
"We need two years to complete our
own bomb. To ensure that we have those two years, England must be
eliminated once and for all, so that it can no longer serve as a
base for air attacks. Furthermore, our holdings in Africa must be
pushed clear into the Congo to secure the uranium mines, and to
prevent the Americans from building airbases there. But, above
all, their fleet must be destroyed, because without their navy
the Americans are simply not a threat. To that end, I expect full
cooperation between all branches of service." He scanned the
room, pausing thoughtfully on Doenitz and Göring. "Full
cooperation. Those who do not cooperate will be replaced."
"My Führer, I believe it is my duty
to you to raise some concerns," Doenitz said after a
moment's silence. All eyes turned to Doenitz, and then towards
Hitler to gauge his reaction.
"Go on then," Hitler finally
said, apparently all affability.
"My Führer, this American fleet
survived attacks from over six thousand Japanese suicide planes
during the 1944 campaign. They lost only fifty-six ships, only
two of which were carriers, light carriers. Only one
fleet carrier was lost, not in battle but as it was being towed
back to Pearl Harbor. They will not be an easy nut to
crack."
"And our own carriers, which you
pressed so hard for?"
"In an open engagement against
twenty American carriers they would would be quickly sunk,"
Doenitz replied simply. "We must keep them out of that
engagement so that they can continue to support the invasion of
England, and later, if they survive, help take the islands in the
South Atlantic."
Hitler glared at him. "Then why did
you press so hard to have them built, if they can do nothing when
the so-terrible Americans come? Why?" We ceased
production of the current generation of fighters, so that you
could have your verdamnt carriers!"
This was not precisely true. Hitler
himself had concluded that after England had stood down there
would be no need for prop-driven fighters before they were made
obsolete by jets, which were scheduled to be in full production
by 1946. Better the resources go to weapons that would still be
useful well into the 1950s, when it might be time to deal with
the Americans. Or so he had thought before the Manhattan
Projects. Now - "If it weren't for your pointless
demands we would have twenty thousand fighters and fighter
bombers! The American fleet would be sailing into a -- into a furnace!"
"We won't need his carriers,"
Göring interjected. "Sinking that fleet is a job for the Luftwaffe.
And, trust me mein Führer, even with only one thousand
jet aircraft, we have the means to accomplish that mission."
In one of his volatile mood shifts,
Hitler nodded calmly and nodded to Göring. "Go on, explain
it to them."
The rotund head of the Luftwaffe
stood up and went over to the map.
"For one thing, this time their
fleet won't be facing pilots drunk on saki, and flying bamboo
planes." He laughed expansively. After glancing at Hitler,
the group joined in.
"For another," Göring
continued, "the Americans must drive straight for the
Channel, since by this stage the invasion will already be in
progress and their only hope for saving England will be to defeat
us immediately. Our third Air Fleet, which will have just
completed its task of destroying the RAF, will now turn to face
the Americans as they move into the channel. The American
carriers will have some of their new Panthers and Phantom jet
fighters, but not more than a hundred taken together. They will
be overwhelmed by our thousand Gotha 229s. The rest of their
planes will be the older P-80 jets, which aren't even designed
for carriers and have a high rate of damage on landings, and
their antique Bearcats and Corsairs. Our ME-262s will annihilate
them.
"As for the carriers themselves, we
will have over one thousand of the new television-guided Henschel
294 rocket bombs." Hitler nodded appreciatively. He was
thoroughly briefed on this particular super weapon, and approved
of it heartily.
Beaming with delight, Göring continued.
"They will be air launched from specially equipped JU-88s
that will move under fighter protection to within ten kilometers
of the carriers before doing so. Six or seven hits from these
bombs, diving vertically, each loaded with a ton of high
explosives, will sink even their newest Midway class carriers.
Simultaneous torpedo strikes will be carried out on carriers and
other war vessels using Arado 234s. Transports and lighter ships
will receive the attentions of rocket-firing ME-410s and 510s. As
soon as the fighting vessels have been disposed of, any
transports that have survived will be invited to surrender. If
they do not - well, they cannot be allowed to reach Engand, of
course."
Göring paused for breath and triumph,
then continued. "When my boys are done with them, your
precious carriers will be safe enough, Doneitz. Maybe even the
French fleet will finally sortie out to do battle with the
American lifeboats that will cover the sea."
Hitler too looked around the room
triumphantly, as if Göring's promises had already guaranteed
victory for the Reich. "With England denied to them
as a forward base and their fleet smashed, the Americans will
have no means of striking at us for a year or more. By then two
things will have happened. First, we will be within months of
developing our own atomic bomb. Second, yet another generation of
wonder weapons will be in the hands of our military. New York and
Washington will be at our mercy, and if they continue to fight
they will soon be facing atomic bombs delivered by rocket. That
will destroy their will to resist. If it does not, they will
simply die."
Hitler's gaze slowly swept the room and
each in turn nodded approval, even Doenitz. "This meeting is
concluded," he announced. "You know your duties. Get to
them."
As the men who ran the Reich filed
out, they noticed a towering SS officer waiting in the
antechamber. All were curious, those who recognized him even more
so than the others. Almost before the last of the group had
exited, an aide gestured the tall SS officer into the presence.
As the door closed behind him, Colonel Otto Skorzeny snapped to
attention and heiled Hitler.
Hitler smiled and motioned for Skorzeny
to join him at the conference table. This time Hitler's
affability was not assumed. Otto Skorzeny was his kind of
soldier. "Sit down, my dear Otto. You are well? You leg -
does it still trouble you? That was a magnificent achievement -
and on one leg!" Hitler laughed admiringly.
As he sat, Skorzeny laughed modestly in
response. "Compared to your achievements in the Great War, mein
Führer, mine are pale. And what is a broken leg compared to
a year in hospital from poison gas?"
"Otto, Otto, you deserve your glory.
As for me, I was an enlisted man, a runner. How can that
compare?" Hitler was enjoying their little gavotte. Here was
praise from a man whose praise had meaning.
"You were one of the very, very few
enlisted man ever to win the Iron Cross, mein Führer."
"Kind of you to say so, Otto, very
kind." Hitler basked for a moment, then turned the
conversation to the matter at hand. "Perhaps you are
wondering why I have asked you here today. It has been a
while since I have enjoyed the presence of your company in
private."
"I must confess, mein Führer,
to a certain curiousity," Skorzeny said as drily as he
thought wise.
"You are to plan for a mission, the
most difficult of your career."
Skorzeny said nothing, but within him joy
began to kindle.
"America and Germany will soon be at
war."
At last. Skorzeny allowed a
flicker of that joy to shine through. Hitler nodded approvingly.
"This shall be the final struggle.
All that we risked is as nothing compared to that which we now
embark upon; truly this is the culmination of mein kampf.
And you, Otto Skorzeny, shall strike the first blow." Hitler
looked him in the eye, man to man. "To one such as you I
will not belabor the personal advantages that will accompany
success. But do consider this: your success or failure will
determine whether the Reich survives or is destroyed. In your
hands rests the future of Germany." Both Skorzeny and,
despite himself, Hitler, were caught in the moment. It was as if
some higher power, the German race itself perhaps, were reaching
through them to grasp the future in its fist.
After a time, Hitler motioned for
Skorzeny to follow him to the far wall, where the map of the
United States waited. Hitler extended his pale hand.
"Here" - jab - "is the target you must destroy.
This is not a job that the Luftwaffe can do alone, though
Göring has pleaded otherwise. With my background I realized
immediately that it required a combined effort by air and ground
assault forces led by someone with consummate special
skills."
Skorzeny nodded his thanks at the praise.
Hitler proceeded to explain the situation
in detail, concluding with, "The full resources of the Reich
will be at your disposal. You will answer directly to me and to
no other. If you have problems with anyone, report them directly
to me. Before you leave talk to Speer and Kaltenbrunner. They
will provide you with briefings on the target. I expect you to
develop a full strike plan and deliver it to me within the
week."
Grinning like a starved wolf that has
finally scented blood, Skorzeny leaned forward to study the
target for just a moment more. This would be a very difficult
assignment. His joy was complete.