Opening Moves

“Well no-one ever accused them of being inefficient, did they Sam?”

The Marine shook his head slowly, understanding the deeper thoughts involved, which Ike put in to spoken word anyway.

“So, how did they know I wonder eh?”

With nothing to say on that point, Rossiter wisely said nothing.

The General looked at his watch.

“Set it up for 1630 and we will start with the gentlemen who are here, although I suspect it will be all of them.”

“As do I Sir.”

“Anything else Sam?” enquired Ike with a casualness he did not feel.

“Sir, the Spanish broadcast was successfully transmitted at 1330 hrs as you instructed. No reports of reaction as yet,” and to confirm the answer to his commander’s initial enquiry the Colonel continued, “There is nothing else to report that I am aware of, Sir.”

“Thank you Sam,” and appreciating the dark circles under the man’s eyes Ike added, “Have a break Colonel, that’s an order.”

“I will Sir.”

Saluting, the Marine did a parade turn and made way for the next in line.

Ike looked at the young officer as a father to a child.

“OK Anne-Marie, what’s happening with our French Allies?”

2056 hrs 10th August 1945. Headquarters, US Forces in Europe, Trianon Palace Hotel, Versailles, France.

Grabbing some quiet time in his room to eat his evening meal, Eisenhower pondered the afternoon’s events.

The German Council had met as planned, with all members except the two allied officers present, something not wasted on either Eisenhower or the Germans.

By the time the brief meeting was complete, the American Commander-in-chief was in no doubt that the fall of Berlin would not affect the resistance and spirit of the German unless it was in a positive way.

Information on volunteers from amongst the ranks of German POW’s showed a very high rate, much higher than the acceptance rate, for many had been kept in appalling conditions since capture, partially because of the huge numbers placing strain on a creaking supply system but also because of some highly regrettable examples of man’s inhumanity to his fellow man. One day there would be an investigation into all that and no one in authority would avoid blame, that he knew.

Meanwhile, marrying the volunteers with equipment and then creating a useful field force would take time, but the overall input was encouraging throughout the twenty-nine minute assembly.

There was also a part of the General, actually more honestly the basic soldier, to whom the concept of controlling German soldiers in the field appealed, which it definitely did, but he was not totally sure he wanted to know why.

When he raised the matter of the SS and the French, there was no adverse comment and after the meeting Eisenhower was not sure if he thought there would have been some, or even, should have been some. None the less, that hurdle never existed except in his and De Gaulle’s minds, so the decision was now his to make.

He would discuss that with his senior commanders on the telephone this very evening.

He looked at his watch, coming up to 2100 hrs, confirming that now was the time for his call to McCreery.

A knock on the door received his normal invitation to enter and in stepped Rossiter and Hood, both very clearly men on a mission, albeit he sensed separate ones.

Both men came to attention and stood silently, expecting their General to make the decision for them.

Eisenhower smiled and gave a small laugh, enough to take the small tension out of the situation.

“OK, rank has its privileges, spit it out Thomas.”

Both visitors relaxed.

“Sir, General McCreery reports severe Soviet activity on his front around and to the north of Hamburg. His initial interpretation is a focussed attack on the city with diversions to the North. He is unable to confirm facts at this time and needs to get a hold of the situation. He will ring you as soon as he has firm information but he requests the normal call be set aside for now.”

Eisenhower had to concede that was quite reasonable and McCreery did not strike him as a man easily roused, so there must be something to this report. Again Ike’s inner humour made itself known as the thought that McCreery would not get roused even if his house were on fire and burning down around his ears at four in the morning; he would probably just stroll out immaculately dressed as always and holding a cup of tea.

“OK Thomas, thank you. Keep me informed.”

Hood turned and left the room.

Eisenhower had chosen Hood to go first so that he could be gone, in case the Marine officer was here on OSS business.

He was not.

“Sir, the matter of the raid on Oberwöhr you asked us to look at. We have found some more information. I confess that it was all missed initially.”

Ike’s silence drew him further in.

“A matter of geography unfortunately. One report says ‘south of Oberwöhr’, the next says ‘East of Höfartsmühle’”, and producing a folded sheet of paper he continued, “Or more importantly in this case, the important report states ‘South-west of Münchsmünster’.”