I Will Stage A Coup D'état-Chapter 52: Operation Barbarossa (1)

While Korea was devoting all its efforts to purges, the month changed.

A decisive battle that would determine the fate of Eurasia was imminent.

On May 9, 1941, the Soviet military command received a report that a German army deserter had crossed the border and was talking incoherently.

“Will you spare my life?”

Although the Union and Germany were effectively in a hostile relationship, they were still officially in a non-aggression pact.

“Why would we harm a soldier of an allied nation?”

“I will tell you the truth. The German army will invade the Federation on May 15, 1941, at 4:00 a.m.”

The authorities listened seriously to the story of the German deserter.

Around the same time, the Union’s spies in Germany reported that a large number of small dictionaries containing the words in Russian - Surrender, Hands Up, Are you a communist? Open Fire! - had been printed.

Communist workers on the railways also reported seeing endless processions of aircraft, tanks, cannons, and soldiers moving eastward.

Important intelligence reports were also obtained from Swiss spy Alexander Foote1.

“The German invasion force, a total of 168 divisions and 3.8 million troops, plans to invade Russia. The targets are Leningrad, Moscow, and Kiev.”

Foote reported to Moscow even the detailed parts of Operation Barbarossa2 that had been veiled in secrecy.

The Soviet Army Supreme Command was shocked by this report.

“The Nazi bastards are going to send such a large-scale invasion force?”

Now, Germany’s intention to invade was so clear that even a three-year-old child could understand it.

That’s why Comrade Secretary’s mobilization order was timely.

If it weren’t for Stalin, how could he have made the bold decision to conscript 12 million people starting from February?

The generals were tense about the size of the German invasion force, but they judged that they could fight well enough.

Our army is close to 13.5 million.

In terms of numbers, it was four times the size of the German army.

Considering that the Soviet army at the time of the original Operation Barbarossa had 3.2 million soldiers against 4.3 million German and allied troops, suffering from numerical inferiority, it was not unreasonable for the generals to show confidence.

“Comrade Secretary. What measures should we take now?”

“Transition to a wartime posture. From now on, the Germans are our enemies.”

Stalin resolutely prepared to engage in battle.

On May 10, smoke rose from the burning of codes at the German embassy, and embassy families returned to their home country.

On May 13, trains from Germany to the Soviet Union were cut off.

On May 14, no German merchant ships entered Soviet ports.

Meanwhile, in Berlin, there was a deceptive story that the tension between Germany and the Soviet Union could be resolved diplomatically.

Stalin did not believe that lie.

As the Soviet Union was sharpening its blade like this, Germany also became a little tense.

Hitler was overconfident, intoxicated by his previous successes, but the thoughts of the German army generals were a little different.

“The Federation has openly issued a total mobilization. The ratio of forces on the front line will be at least 1:2 now.”

In reality, there were even more Soviet troops than that.

Anyway, in a 1:2 situation, it was very difficult for the attacker to easily penetrate the enemy’s weaknesses and carry out a war of maneuver.

The German army command was troubled by this problem but could not come up with a clear solution.

If we drag out the war until winter like this, the lack of winter clothing will be a problem. What should we do?

They tried to casually mention the winter equipment issue to the Führer, but Hitler didn’t even pretend to listen.

“The Soviet Union is a rotten door. You think we’ll wage war until winter against a door that will fall over with just a kick?”

“So-sorry.”

They could only hope that the Ivans would show the same low combat power as in Finland.

The German army prepared for the operation as planned.

May 14, 1941, 10:00 p.m.

The 3.8 million German Wehrmacht soldiers deployed on the Eastern Front heard a speech written by Hitler.

“Soldiers! The time has finally come when I, who have been silent for months under the weight of heavy worries, can speak publicly.”

Hitler explained the justification for the Great Patriotic War with aggressive phrases.

The forced migration of Baltic Germans in the Baltic States, which had been a traditional German territory, the continued irresponsible actions and provocations of the Soviet Union despite the non-aggression pact, Stalin’s sinister plot to destroy the West and Germany together.

The condemnation of the deception of the untrustworthy Bolsheviks continued.

The Führer also said that,

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Without eliminating this Jewish-Bolshevik regime, there will be no peace in Europe.

For the sons and daughters of Greater Germany to live comfortably with their legs stretched out, these disgusting beasts in the east must be eliminated.

Only then can Germany survive.

Hitler continued, saying how likely this war was to succeed.

“Our army has already proven to be invincible. In Norway, in Denmark, in the Netherlands, in Belgium, in Luxembourg, in France, we have continued to win and prevail. Even the great British Empire begged us for peace. The united Germanic people are this powerful.”

“Here, many friends have stood under our flag. Marshal Mannerheim of Finland and Marshal Ion Antonescu of Romania will march alongside us towards the heart of the Reds.”

“I say resolutely, in 1942, the unpleasant name of the Soviet Union will not exist on the earth. Soldiers of Germany, march towards victory. Deutschland, Sieg Heil!”3

Hitler packaged this war as a holy war.

A crusade against the great evil of communism.

The actual nature was also like that.

Fascists from all over Europe put on military uniforms and volunteered as SS volunteers or German soldiers for this match.

This war had to be won at all costs.

The soldiers steeled their resolve, reflecting on how they were standing at the center of such a great history.

They would surely crush the Reds in this war.

They would tear them to shreds and leave no trace of them on the earth.

The German soldiers stared fiercely at the eastern lands, inciting hostility.

May 15, 1941, 2:00 a.m.

The darkened airfield was brightly lit, and hundreds of pilots and aviation support personnel moved busily.

To end the first attack with a perfect surprise, the air raid had to begin at dawn.

Considering the dangers of night flying, only veteran pilots were mobilized for this mission.

“Hurry up. We’re running out of time.”

At the maintenance officer’s shout, the hands of the non-commissioned officers became even busier.

3:00 a.m.

The German field guns that had been staying at the garrison advanced to the prepared artillery positions and completed their deployment.

The targets of the massive artillery of over 10,000 guns were the Soviet positions and outposts beyond the border.

“The Ivan bastards will be stunned.”

The Germans thought that the Soviets would not be able to handle their three-dimensional attack.

3:50 a.m.

Huge columns of vehicles appeared on roads near the border.

Tanks and trucks, with their engines running, waited for the order to begin the attack.

Heinz Guderian4, the father of the German armored forces, also waited in a tank to directly command his armored corps on the front line.

“10 minutes left until the start of the attack.”

“Is it already that time?”

Guderian brought a headset and put it on his ears.

4:00 a.m.

Along the entire long front stretching from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea, more than 10,000 cannons spewed fire all at once.

Kwang!

The Germans’ overwhelming bombardment swept everything away in an instant.

The outposts, barracks, positions, fortresses, and airfields of the People’s Commissariat for Internal Affairs were all targets.

At the same time, German bomber units pierced the darkness and took off towards Soviet airspace.

“In this attack, we’ll wipe out the Ivan bastards’ air force on the ground.”

“Haha. Easier than twisting a child’s arm.”

The German pilots were confident of victory.

Even without mentioning the Soviet army’s poor record in Finland, they were well aware of the Soviet air force’s capabilities.

What was there to fear about an enemy they had shot down countless times in the Spanish Civil War?

The pilots exchanged communications and quickly flew towards the nearest airfield.

The airfield was dark, as if blackout regulations were in effect.

“Take this, you Ivan bastards.”

The Germans poured a large amount of 250kg bombs on the runways and hangars where aircraft were likely to be parked.

After a few explosions and the base was somewhat illuminated, the German commander circled around and took pictures to confirm the results achieved on the ground.

But something was strange.

There didn’t seem to be much burning.

The area that looked like the base’s fuel depot was definitely burning well, but there were few objects that looked like aircraft.

Could it be that the surprise attack failed?

One couldn’t help but have such thoughts for a moment.

However, they couldn’t just keep circling above the airfield to assess the situation.

“Returning to base.”

The German commander turned the nose westward with an uneasy feeling.

5:00 a.m.

After an hour of preparatory bombardment, 3.8 million German Wehrmacht and 800,000 allied troops consisting of Slovak, Romanian, and Hungarian armies crossed the border.

It was the moment the largest invasion operation in human history, Operation Barbarossa, began.

However, contrary to the grandiose preparations, Soviet resistance was weaker than expected.

“Enemy resistance?”

“Minimal. Apart from the border guard troops of the People’s Commissariat for Internal Affairs, there is no resistance at all.”

“Is that so?”

The German Army High Command didn’t know how to interpret this situation.

If they failed to encircle and annihilate the main Soviet forces near the border, there was a risk that the planned short-term war would fall through.

Those Ivan bastards are unnecessarily timid, making things complicated.

But it would not hinder Germany’s ultimate victory.

No matter how long the war dragged on, it would end in victory by ‘42.

The German generals had no doubt that the invincible Wehrmacht would surely bring victory.

Footnotes

1. Alexander Allan Foote (13 April 1905 – 1 August 1956]) was a radio operator for a Soviet espionage ring in Switzerland during World War II. Foote was born in Liverpool and raised mostly in Yorkshire by his Scottish-born father and English mother.

2. Operation Barbarossa was the invasion of the Soviet Union by Nazi Germany and many of its Axis allies, starting on Sunday, 22 June 1941, during World War II.

3. Germany, Hail Victory!

4. Heinz Wilhelm Guderian was a German general during World War II who, after the war, became a successful memoirist. An early pioneer and advocate of the "blitzkrieg" approach, he played a central role in the development of the panzer division concept. In 1936, he became the Inspector of Motorized Troops.