Opening Moves

Eisenhower tossed the report on the table, exchanging it for his pack of cigarettes and lighter.

Breathing in the calming smoke, he summarised his thoughts.

“The Soviets have this sown up don’t they? Obviously, they have a pact with the Nips who are party to all of this. If they have given the Japanese all the German equipment they have captured, which is what I assume they have done, in one stroke they have eased their own logistics and massively increased the striking power of the Nip army. Want to bet they have lots of other hardware like artillery, anti-tank guns, machine guns, the complete works?”

Bradley had the advantage of reading this report as he journeyed over from his own headquarters but he was pleased his boss was on the same wavelength as himself.”

Eisenhower paused, searching for information hidden in the deep recesses of his overworked mind.

“We have a Soviet document indicating a rough outline of their commitment to the Manchurian offensive somewhere don’t we? If I recall there were extensive forces involved, and I bet they are removed from the ORBAT of their forces in Europe that we are working to at this time.”

This suddenly took a direction Bradley had not gone as yet.

“I think we need to revise our estimates on what forces we are facing Brad. Unless I’m way off, I suspect that the reds have a whole lot more hardware opposing us than first thought.”

Eisenhower stood abruptly, clutching his jaw with one hand and flipping up a cigarette with the other as he continued, a disjointed humming sound coming from his throat, almost as if he was thinking out loud. He seemed to be staring at some distant horizon before humming and staring ceased.

He summoned an aide.

“Captain Horton, find the Soviet briefing document on their Manchurian Operation please. Quickly Captain.”

Turning to Brad, he continued without so much as an intake of breath.

“They will place some forces in the Pacific, to show willing and able to support their new friends, as well as protecting their back door. So figure that about….”

He suddenly became aware he was musing aloud and focussed on Bradley standing beside him.

“…about one-third of the force we expect to be committed there.”

It was not a statement as such, and Bradley quickly did the calculations from his memory of the report and nodded his agreement.

“That is a lot of hardware and manpower that we haven’t allowed for.”

Bradley ventured an idea.

“Assuming that they are not in position because of the risk we might discover them then perhaps this is one which might interest Tedder and the bomber boys? The Reds have gotta move them somehow. Road, rail, whatever, the heavies might be able to keep them at arm’s length if they are in transit and their march routes are vulnerable.”

Eisenhower saw the sense in that and summoned an aide, gave him a verbal order to pass on, knowing he was just wrecking a whole lot of quality work done by Tedder and his staff ,who were creating a plan to govern air operations in the coming days.

“So we also cannot guarantee extra resources coming from the States, nor from the Pacific, as the Nips are suddenly frisky and well-armed.”

Bradley audibly sighed.

“You gotta hand it to them, they have worked this one out well Ike.”

There could be absolutely no disagreeing with that.

“Betcha one thing though.”

Bradley nodded to himself as he searched for a memory and found it.

“There will be an opening, an omission, an error that we can exploit. After all, history shows us that there are no invincible armies.”

Eisenhower’s punctuated laugh stopped many a staff officer in mid-task, wondering what could possibly cause the supreme allied commander to laugh on such a black day.

“And we will find it Brad,” and with a rare display of open emotion Ike slapped Bradley on the shoulder and turned to the first of a line of officers with paper in their hands.

During their conversation in the Secretary-General’s office on the morning of 12th June, Beria had handed Stalin a document detailing ‘DIASPORA- Intentions’ and called his attention to Page seventeen, addendum F.

This addendum detailed the captured German equipment that could be transferred to the Japanese Army for their use against the Chinese initially and subsequently the Pacific Allies.

Throughout the war, the Red Army had captured significant amounts of Wehrmacht hardware of all types and it was these trophies of war that were now in the hands of the Japanese.

It was an impressive list indeed.