Opening Moves

1545 hrs, Monday, 2nd July 1945, The Kremlin, Moscow, USSR.

The military men had all gone, the GKO had gone its separate ways and that left Bulganin and Beria accompanying Stalin at his request, taking a slow walk back to the General Secretary’s office.

Once inside, tea was brought in and the men discussed the course of the day. The joint opinion was that it had gone well.

However, there was one matter that irked Stalin.

“Comrade Chairman, your messages. It is rare that news has such an effect upon you and I assume you have something to share?”

Stalin had not missed Beria’s earlier discomfort after all.

“Yes Comrade General Secretary. More agent messages from Manhattan.”

Beria passed one over without another word and waited for the storm.

‘[priority code] DDX

[agent] Gamayun

[date code] 260645d

[personal code as an authenticator] EX644007XE

[distribution1] route x-eyes only

[distribution1] AalphaA [Comrade Chairman Beria].

[message] Wellington. Weapon test 1607, strength A+ Confirmation type1. Diagram of bomb fat man en route via Tiger soonest. Load-Eels.

[message ends]

Message authenticates. Codes for non-compromisation valid.

RECEIVED 11:14 2/7/45-B.V.LEMSKY’

The storm did not arrive.

“Your interpretation of this Comrade Beria?” No storm but the cut in Stalin’s tone was noticeable.

“Confirmation of the date of test, certainly Comrade. We now have two names for a bomb, which implies two bombs. This is not news as we know the Americans are working on both uranium and plutonium projects.” That it actually was news, and not good news, was truer.

“On the positive side we now know Gamayun is still active and he has received our order as he acknowledges with ‘Wellington’. Our chances for interference with their project have increased.”

“Then why did you react so Comrade?”

“Because I learned this morning that we may have some difficulties with secure communications, particularly with our Washington Embassy, through which this message was unfortunately routed.”

Stalin looked pointedly at Beria, in a way that conveyed that this was not news to his ears.

‘This possibility was only uncovered last night and was acted on immediately. It would probably have been too late for this message.”

Stalin’s gaze did not falter, drawing Beria into further commitment.

“I have my best staff interpreting our intelligence on this but, as a precaution, all NKVD codes have been changed and new routings established.”

In an effort to end with something upbeat Beria hastily threw in an assurance.

“Our Manhattan agents all have lines of reporting which would remain uncompromised in any case, some because their own needs have dictated more complex methods of exchange.”

He indicated the message still held in the General Secretary’s hand.

“That message should not have gone through the embassy and we have identified the error and corrected it.”

Everyone present understood that referred to an individual as well as what corrected meant in this instance.

As was the case many a time, Stalin’s words were more order than question.

“You will confirm for me that there is no suggestion of Army codes being involved and absolutely no possibility of Kingdom39 being compromised.”

Beria answered with a conviction he genuinely felt.

“Absolutely not Comrade General Secretary. There has been no compromise of NKGB, GRU or Army codes. Of that we are sure.”

“The party will hold you to that Comrade Marshall.”

Stalin sat back in his chair.

“And the other?”

Beria extended a hand containing the other agents report.

Stalin read it slowly and was visibly agitated by its contents. Bulganin’s eyes silently questioned the NKVD chief who was furiously polishing his glasses.

Stalin passed the paper to Bulganin and lit a cigarette.

Bulganin digested the words.