Chapter 35 The Dust Settles
Putting down his microphone, Merkulov quickly picked it up again directly and spoke, “This is Merkulov, get me the Special Operations Division, by any means necessary to ensure the success of the operation, the Special Operations Division is to leave immediately, and use any means possible to bring back the talent that the great Soviet Union needs.”
Historically Operation Ossawagen, began three months after the start of Operation Boomerang in the United States, and it was only in October, at the end of the war, that the Soviet Union, as an afterthought, began to scavenge for scientists from the German military industry. It had lost its head start compared to the United States, which had begun this work in July, just after the war ended.
The Soviet Union had not only no disadvantage, but even an advantage over the United States in terms of execution. Just at first to the Soviets mind filled with revenge against the Germans, and did not think about this.
After a chance message, the NKVD learned that the U.S., Britain and France had a plan of action in this regard, and all of a sudden came back to their senses, and quickly opened Operation Ossawagen, utilizing a strong executive power, and made sure to get their hands on this group of scientists in the German military industry before the U.S., Britain and France did.
The first target was the German Army Rocket Research Center on the shores of the Baltic Sea, where the famous V-2 rocket was developed. Then there were the Soviet-occupied states of Saxony and Thuringia. Before Germany surrendered, large numbers of researchers and equipment were evacuated from Berlin to these two states.
And in the midst of the Osawagen operation, Werner. Von Braun. Werner von Braun and his team of V-2 rocket researchers were among them.
Merkulov was mobilizing Special Operations personnel to the front lines, and at the same time giving the promise of independent trials. Beria, who had put down the phone, was likewise not idle, and directly contacted the commander of the Red Army, who had already attacked downtown Berlin, telling the frontline commander to keep a close eye on the relevant talents, and to protect Berlin’s scientific research institutions.
Beria then left his apartment directly for the Kremlin, ready to report to Stalin.
Because of a fortuitous piece of intelligence of doubtful veracity, the source of which could not be assessed, the battle for German scientists between the United States and the Soviet Union was brought forward, and this time it was the Soviet Union that had the upper hand.
A little later in the evening, Beria, stepping out of the Kremlin, was chipper, having received all the authorization for the operation.
The environment in the Soviet Union was still treacherous; Britain, France, and Germany were the major European powers, both in terms of population and land. Britain and France had started the journey of colonial empire three hundred years ago, and Germany was also a resounding military empire. But what about the Eastern European countries on the Soviet side, formerly countries with little presence and still ……
In order to close the gap with imperialism, Beria keenly recognized that this operation must be successful, and a huge success, although the war is over, the dark war has begun.
The unseen fronts were already in action, and in the devastated German lands, the sensational scramble for talent had begun.
And in London, stay out of the matter of the British Empire civil servants, can only be busy with some and high-precision unrelated small things, collect some tobacco and alcohol, ready to go to the European continent, soothing another defeat of the Germans, and by the way, dung in the gold, perhaps he should find an Indian assistant, after all, people may be more specialized in dung in the work of the gold.
In fact he was about to do just that, telegraphing for Ali Khan to send over one of his sons to follow him to see the market.
Because Ali Khan once the world’s richest man identity relationship, Alan Wilson was never prepared to do business with each other once, a hammer deal is not what he wants, long-term cooperation is to look forward to.
About letting Ali Khan get some grain over in Hyderabad, this is not a rude decision. Exchanging some grain from British India for a chance at world exposure was a good deal.
The inhabitants of Hyderabad should also be sympathetic to their monarch’s reputation, and this small sacrifice could be overcome for the sake of the monarch’s worldwide popularity, and in any case, they did not usually see much food.
The matter of food, and the tobacco and wine prepared in London, were left in the hands of Ali Khan’s London steward. This was easier than if he had stepped in himself, and although Ali Khan was far away in Hyderabad, it was more dignified than he was, and Ali Khan himself could even contact the British bank in London directly from Hyderabad to freeze the account.
As the liaison officer of the Ministry of Indian Affairs to the British Indian Liaison, Alan Wilson had this facility to get in touch with Hyderabad, and on the other side were his assistants working in Hyderabad to help him communicate with Ali Khan.
Relationships need to be managed regularly, always do not contact the basis of even the best relationship will slowly fade, Allen Wilson, although it is not to talk about the most intelligent, the basic reasoning is still understood.
In addition, he also has a part-time job, is to help Mountbatten’s family in London, contact the Mountbatten father and daughter in British India. The fallout was that he was in and out of Mountbatten’s home in London from time to time, acting as a messenger.
“The Permanent Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign Office is drawing up the list of those going to Europe, and I may have to go on duty at once.” Before leaving Mountbatten’s home on this day Allen Wilson spoke of his appointment, “There will be no interruption in liaison with New Delhi, and I trust that the liaison officer in the Indian Affairs Department will be able to understand with regard to General Mountbatten’s longing.”
“The level of danger in Europe is still there now!” Edwina Ashley nodded, “The war is coming to an end, the work is still important, and I would like to see my husband and daughter.”
“Madam’s wish should be realized immediately, but British India that place well, hey ……” Alan Wilson wanted to say, he still can’t forget to show the real India in front of the other party.
Wave and Mountbatten’s family to say goodbye, Allen Wilson temporarily busy finished business, now waiting to go to Europe to deal with the post-war small matter, did not use the wrong wording, is a small matter.
The Battle of Berlin was in its final hours, and over Berlin thousands of Soviet planes had once again dropped thousands of tons of bombs and petrol bombs. On the ground, an average of nearly a thousand guns of all kinds had been deployed per mile to concentrate their fire.
After the bombing and firing ended, Zhukov’s Belorussian First Front Army sent countless assault groups and assault detachments into the city from all sides.
Infantry, covered by tanks and engineers armed with flamethrowers and demolition equipment, advanced in small sections, infiltrating through backyards, basements, and even underground railroads and sewers, capturing every street and every building.
The fighting was particularly fierce in the neighborhood of the Capitol, the domed building, which, as a result of the many bombings, had been reduced to an empty behemoth. Two Soviet battalions stormed the Capitol. Immediately, the Soviets broke into small groups to clear the Germans from the first floor of the building, floor by floor. The two sides engaged in fierce close-quarter combat in the rooms, on the stairs, and in the corridors.
Almost every type of weapon was used, from daggers, bayonets, and grenades to heavy machine guns and flamethrowers. Automatic weapons swept like the wind, and all the walls of the building were turned into a honeycomb.
At 2:00 p.m., the Reichstag was captured, and as the news came in, Hitler shot himself, which was confirmed by the succeeding Führer, Dönitz.