Upfall

Captain Holzer, Kumm's operations officer, passed out a neatly typed out order of march and operational plan. The plan reflected Kumm's experiences in Russia, where after a period of trial and error, he had successfully crushed several partisan bands. Kumm's plan did not involve anything like hearts and minds, but rather speed, envelopment and brutal force. Holzer's order reflected this, calling for the four assault guns and mounted troops to move aggressively down the two available roads to pin the partisans, while infantry infiltrated their flanks. Once surrounded, Kumm's artillery, consisting of eight 81mm battalion mortars in two batteries, would pound the partisans into submission; at which point the infantry would mop them up. If any of the enemy survived the battle, they would parade before Mueller as instructed. But if Kumm's men fought correctly, not many enemy troops, partisans or commandos would be left alive—and no old men, women, or children in any case. Under SS policy, anybody in the battle zone was considered a partisan. It was gruesome, but it made Kumm's job easier.

Chapter 38

A full company of Biali's defense force, and half the sayeret sat in the trenches and bunkers 0n the ridges west of Biali all day on June 27th anticipating an attack that did not come. Bolander waited alone, well in advance of the main positions, with the motorcycle and a radio, watching the southwest road to Lubin. Yet the road stayed quiet and empty. On the evening of the 28th fresh men entered the defensive positions to give others a break, and half the sayeret returned to Biali to rest and recharge batteries for the coming night. Yatom ordered Roi to replace Bolander and the Negev gunner happily roared out to take the forward sentry post.

Just after dawn the next day Roi returned from the sentry post for a rest, and found Yatom dozing in the command bunker atop the main north-south ridge that dominated the Lubin road. Like the other positions the command bunker was built cleverly into the hillside and carefully camouflaged, but was somewhat larger and better constructed than most of the other fighting points—Nudelman had designed it to take a direct hit from a heavy shell. Roi put up the motorcycle and asked Yatom if Bolander should take the bike back out to the high road. Yatom told him no. In fact, Yatom had begun to hope that there would not be any attack at all. Possibly the SS patrol misinterpreted the clash on the 26th, or the patrol leader didn't make an accurate report. Perhaps the Germans just no longer cared that much. Earlier that morning Shapira had transmitted a brief message that he had linked up with Sandler's men, and would move on Belzec within the next two days. Maybe, just maybe, Yatom thought, the sayeret would get away without further fighting and loss of life.

Yatom was acutely aware that the unexpected lull had not been good for morale among the sayeret or the men and women of Biali. Everyone had been geared up for an attack. That intense sense of anxiety and urgency was good, but didn't last forever. Eventually it robbed people of strength and resolve. Biali's defenders could not stay on alert forever.

Yatom decided to speak with his deputy. He left the bunker, and walked over to the deserted forester's encampment that guarded the right flank where Mofaz was stationed. Mofaz was grumpy again. The abandoned buildings of the settlement cast early morning shadows over acres of high grass and weeds. Yatom suggested that if things were still quiet by midday, they stand down the ridgeline defenses, pull back the sayeret and just leave a small advance force in the hilltop fortifications. Mofaz agreed.

Restless and with nothing better to do, the Yatom decided to stroll his lines until the expected midday withdrawal. He found Bolander and Roi sitting outside the command bunker, the motorcycle between them, chatting amiably and eating a meager breakfast of dry bread and cheese. Yatom considered sending Bolander back out, but didn't have the heart to disturb the young soldier. He squeezed each man on the back of the neck in an unaccustomed show of affection and moved on to check the mortar position.

Two hours later the sun had risen over the trees, and although it was only mid—morning Yatom, still on the main ridge, had had enough. He stood up and raised his binoculars to take a last look at the Lubin road when his Madonna crackled in his ear. It was Roskovsky. The engineer was forward of the main positions with his platoon. There he was to block the access roads and coordinate the detonation 0f the EFPs.

"I hear vehicles to the west" said Roskovsky. "They are close."

Yatom looked through the binoculars again, and noted a thin cloud of dust over the western trees he'd missed just a moment before. He cursed his own lassitude.

"Standby" answered Yatom. He had Nir broadcast a general alert and warn the radio station in Biali that the Germans had finally arrived.