tc.redstormrising-第167部分

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　against　counterattack。
My　rear　areas　are　awfully　weak　。　。　。
〃rade　General；　the　attack　at　Dunsen　is　posed　of　enemy　tank　and　motorized　troops　with　heavy　tactical　air　support。　The　regimental　mander　at　Dunsen　estimates　brigade　strength。〃
A　brigade　at　Dunsen；　and　a　brigade　at　Salzhemmendorf？
Those　are　B　unit　manders。　Out　of　practice；　inexperienced。　If　they　were　really　effective　officers；　they'd　be　in　A　units；　not　shepherding　out…of…shape　reservists。
〃Enemy　ground　units　at　Bremke；　strength　unknown。〃
That's　only　fifteen　kilometers　from　here！　Alekseyev　reached　for　some　maps。　It　was　cramped　in　the　mand　vehicle；　so　he　went　outside　and　spread　them　on　the；　ground　with　his　intelligence　officer　beside　him。
〃What　the　hell's　going　on　here？〃　His　hand　moved　across　the　map。　〃That's　an　attack　on　a　twenty…kilometer　front。〃
〃The　new　enemy　division　is　not　supposed　to　be　in　place　yet；　and　Theater　Intelligence　says　it　will　be　broken　up　for　spot…reinforcement　use　all　over　the　northern　front　area。〃
〃Headquarters　at　F〃lziehausen　reported　a　heavy　air　attack　and　went　off　the　air！〃
As　if　to　emphasize　this　latest　report；　there　was　a　massive　explosion　to　the　north　in　the　direction　of　Bremke；　where　24th　Tanks　had　its　main　fuel　and　ordnance　dump。　Suddenly　aircraft　began　to　appear　low　on　the　horizon。　The　mobile　mand　post　was　in　woods　overlooking　the　small　town　of　Hunzen。　The　town　was　largely　deserted；　and　the　unit's　radio　transmitters　were　there。　NATO　aircraft　had　so　far　shown　a　reluctance　to　damage　civilian　buildings　unless　they　had　to
Not　today。　Four　tactical　fighters　leveled　the　center　of　the　town；　where　the　transmitters　were；　with　high…explosive　bombs。
〃Get　Alternate　One　going　immediately；〃　Alekseyev　ordered。
More　aircraft　swept　overhead；　heading　southwest　toward　Highway　240；　where　Alekseyev's　A　units　were　moving　toward　R乭le。　The　General　found　a　working　radio　and　called　CINC…West　at　Stand。
〃We　have　a　major　enemy　attack　ing　southeast　from　Springe。　I　would　estimate　at　least　two…division　strength。〃
〃Impossible；　Pasha…they　don't　have　two　reserve　divisions！〃
〃I　have　reports　of　enemy　ground　units　at　Bremke；　Salzhemmendorf；　and　Dunsen。　It　is　my　opinion　that　my　right　flank　is　in　jeopardy；　and　I　must　reorient　my　forces　to　meet　it。　I　request　permission　to　suspend　the　attack　at　R乭le　to　meet　this　threat。〃
〃Request　denied。〃
〃rade　General；　I　am　the　mander　at　the　scene。　The　situation　can　be　managed　if　I　have　authority　to　handle　it　properly。〃
〃General　Alekseyev；　your　objective　is　the　Ruhr。　If　you　are　not　able　to　achieve　that　objective；　I　will　find　a　mander　who　is。〃
Alekseyev　looked　at　the　radiotelephone　receiver　in　disbelief。　He　had　worked　for　this　man…two　years。　They　were　friends。　He's　always　trusted　my　judgment。
〃You　order　me　to　continue　the　attack　regardless　of　enemy　action？〃
〃Pasha；　they　make　another　spoiling　attack…nothing　more　serious　than　that。　Get　those　four　divisions　across　the　Weser；〃　the　man　said　more　gently。　〃Out。〃
〃Major　Sergetov！〃　Alekseyev　called。　The　young　officer　appeared　a　moment　later。　〃Get　yourself　a　vehicle　and　head　for　Dunsen。　I　want　your　personal　observations　on　what　you　find。　Be　careful；　Ivan　Mikhailovich。　I　want　you　back　here　in　less　than　two　hours。　Move。〃
〃You　will　do　nothing　else？〃　the　intelligence　officer　asked。
Pasha　watched　Sergetov　board　a　light　truck。　He　could　not　face　his　officer。　〃I　have　my　orders。　The　operation　to　cross　the　Weser　continues。　We　have　an　antitank　battalion　at　Holle。　Tell　them　to　move　north　and　be　alert　for　enemy　forces　on　the　road　from　Bremke。　General　Beregovoy　knows　what　he's　supposed　to　do。〃
If　I　warn　him；　he'll　change　his　dispositions。　Then　Beregovoy　will　be　blamed　for　violating　orders。　That's　a　safe　move。　I　prudently　pass　on　a　warning；　and…no！　If　I　can't　violate　orders；　I　cannot　co…opt　someone　else　into　doing　so。
What　if　they're　right？　This　could　be　another　spoiling　attack　The　Ruhr　is　a　strategic　objective　of　vast　importance。
Alekseyev　looked　up。　〃The　battle　orders　stand。〃
〃Yes；　rade　General。〃
〃The　report　of　enemy　tanks　at　Bremke　was　incorrect。〃　A　junior　officer　came　over。　〃The　observer　saw　our　tanks　ing　south　and　misidentified　them！〃
〃And　this　is　good　news？〃　Alekseyev　demanded。
〃Of　course；　rade　General；〃　the　captain　answered　lamely。
〃Did　it　occur　to　you　to　inquire　why　our　tanks　were　heading　south？　Goddamn　it；　must　I　do　all　the　thinking　here？〃　He　couldn't　scream　at　the　right　person。　He　had　to　scream　at　somebody。　The　captain　wilted　before　his　eyes。　Part　of　Alekseyev　was　ashamed；　but　another　part　needed　the　release。

They　had　the　job　because　they　had　more　battle　experience　than　anyone　else。　It　had　never　occurred　to　anyone　that　they　had　no　experience　at　all　in　this　sort　of　operation。　They　were　advancing。　Except　for　local　counterattacks；　no　NATO　unit　had　done　very　much　of　that；　but　Lieutenant…he　still　thought　like　a　sergeant…Mackall　knew　that　they　were　best　suited　to　it。　The　M…1　tank　had　an　engine　governor　that　limited　its　speed　to　about　forty…three　miles　per　hour。　It　was　always　the　first　thing　the　crews　removed。
His　M…1　was　going　south　at　fifty…seven　miles　per　hour。
The　ride　was　enough　to　rattle　the　brain　loose　inside　his　skull；　but　he'd　never　known　such　exhilaration。　His　life　was　balanced　on　the　knife…edge　of　boldness　and　lunacy。　Armed　helicopters　flew　ahead　of　his　pany；　scouting　the　route；　and　pronounced　it　clear　all　the　way　to　Alfeld。　The　Russians　weren't　using　this　route　for　anything。　It　wasn't　a　road　at　all；　but　the　right…of…way　for　an　underground　pipeline；　a　grassy　strip　one　hundred　feet　wide　that　took　a　straight　line　through　the　forests。　The　tank's　wide　treads　threw　off　dirt　like　the　roostertail　from　a　speedboat　as　the　vehicle　raced　south。
The　driver　slowed　for　a　sweeping　turn　while　Mackall　squinted　ahead；　trying　to　see　whatever　enemy　vehicle　the　helicopters　missed。　It　didn't　have　to　be　a　vehicle。　It　just　could　be　three　guys　with　a　missile　launcher；　and　Mrs。　Mackall　would　get　The　Telegram；　regretting　to　inform　her　that　her　son　。　。　。
Thirty　kilometers；　he　thought。　Damn！　Only　a　half…hour　since　the　German　grenadiers　had　punched　a　hole　in　the　Russian　lines；　and　zoom！　goes　the　Black　Horse　Cav！　It　was　crazy；　but　hell；　it　was　crazy　to　have　stayed　alive　ever　since　his　first　engagement…an　hour　after　the　war　started。　Ten　klicks　to　go。
〃Look　at　that！　More　of　our　tanks　southbound。　What　the　hell　is　going　on？〃　Sergetov　snarled　to　his　driver；　even　talking　like　his　general　now。
〃Are　they　our　tanks？〃　the　driver　asked。
The　new　major　shook　his　head。　Another　one　passed　through　the　gap　in　the　trees…the　turret　had　a　flat　top；　not　the　usual　dome　shape　of　Soviet　tanks！
A　helicopter　appeared　over　the　gap　and　pivoted　in　the　sky。　Sergetov　didn't　mistake　this　for　a　Russian；　and　the　stubby　wings　on　either　side　of　the　fuselage　marked　it　as　an　armed　attack…chopper。　The　driver　lurched　to　the　right　just　before　the　nose…mounted　machine　gun　flashed　at　them。　Sergetov　jumped　clear　as　the　tracers　reached　out。　He　landed　on　his　back　and　rolled　toward　the　treeline。　His　head　was　down；　but　he　could　feel　the　heat　blast　when　the　machine…gun　tracers　ignited　the　spare　gas　tank　on　the　back　of　the　truck。　The　young　officer　scampered　into　the　trees　and　looked　around　the　edge　of　a　tall　pine。　The　American　helicopter　flew　to　within　a　hundred　meters　of　his　vehicle　to　ensure　its　destruction；　then　spun　off　to　the　south。　His　radio　was　in　the　overturned；　burning　truck。
〃Buffalo　Three…One；　this　is　anche；　over。〃
〃anche；　this　is　Three…One。　Report；　over。〃
〃We　just　popped　a　Russian　truck。　Everything　else　looks　clear。　Roll　'em；　cowboy！〃　the　helicopter　pilot　urged。
Mackall　laughed　at　that。　He　had　to　remind　himself　that　this　wasn't　really　fun。　Quite　a　few　tank　drivers　had　gotten　into　trouble　by　getting　just　a　little　too　unwound　on　the　German　countryside；　and　now　they　were　being　ordered　to！　Two　more　minutes　and　three　kilometers　passed。
Here's　where　it　gets　tricky。
〃Buffalo　Three…One；　we　show　three　Russian　vehicles　standing　guard　on　the　hilltop。　Look　like　Bravo…Tango…Romeos。　All　the　bridge　traffic　seems　to　be　trucks。　The　repair　shop　is　on　the　east　bank　north　of　the　town。〃
The　tank　slowed　as　they　came　to　the　last　turn。　Mackall　ordered　his　〃track〃　off　the　road；　onto　the　meadow　grass；　as　it　edged　ponderously　around　a　stand　of　trees。
〃Target　BT