Week 34, 1944
Pittsburgh falls to Cherniakovsky's 4th Tank Army. Many US aircraft are lost, but worse, Pattons 3rd Army is virtually cut off. One quarter of the US Armys tank destroyers and over half their mainstay M-3 Lee tanks are among those in the pocket around Buffalo, NY.
The Offensive Resumes
Week 35, 1944
Mexico declares war on US after the USSR had declared war on Mexico.
Week 36, 1944
A massive air attack is launched, specifically designed to destroy all US fighter planes in Buffalo, stripping Pattons forces of air cover. MiG fighters initiate the attack against ground troops, taking many casualties, but downing some US fighters. Then once the fighter defenses are exhausted, sturmoviks and Pe-8s pounce on the fighters within Buffalo itself. The defending fighters are obliterated. Now without air support, the concentration of M-10 tank destroyers are blasted near Buffalo
Week 39, 1944
Army groups under Zhukov, Malinovsky and Cherniakovsky attack US 3rd Army from the west, east, and north. With hundreds of aircraft in support, the results are never in doubt. Five months after the offensive began, the destruction of US 3rd Army is complete...
This is Arthur Shaw of the National Broadcasting Company reporting live from the War Department. At 6pm this evening Secretary of War Henry Stimson confirmed reports earlier today from Radio Moscow that the commander of the United States Third Army, General Omar Bradley, surrendered his forces to Marshal Georgi Zhukov at Watertown, New York last night. General Bradley, only in command of Third Army for four days since the confirmed death of General George S. Patton, said in a statement that he was ordering the surrender of his men to prevent further unnecessary slaughter. The United States Third Army had for the last several weeks been engaged with three Soviet Army Groups including Marshal Zhukovs. Deprived of food, fuel and ammunition while being virtually surrounded in recent days, the state of the Third Army had been the subject of much speculation. Secretary Stimson while acknowledging the valliant fighting spirit of American forces, also conceded that the defeat ranked among the worst in American history, while insisting that the country will fight on. This news on top of that earlier in the day that Secretary of State Cordell Hull would be resigning his position due to failing health only added to the grim situation the nation is facing. The Department of State also reaffirmed its assertions that Soviet administration of occupied American cities on the Eastern seaboard are continuing a practice of forced resettlement into labor camps under inhumane conditions. The International Red Cross has been pressed by the State Department in recent weeks to investigate the situation, but there has been no response by officials in Zurich.
Secretary Stimson also released additional details on General Pattons death, confirming that he had succumbed to wounds from a strafing by Soviet fighter-bombers on his staff car in the vicinity of Syracuse, New York on Monday. The general was rushed to a Third Army field hospital, but died on the operating table within minutes after his arrival. While the exact details are still unclear, it is believed that General Patton received four wounds including a traumatic head injury.
With Soviet forces now advancing west over the Ohio River and the Appalachians, new evacuation orders have been prepared for the cities of Indianapolis and Nashville. In the nations capital, there exists an uneasy calm among the citizens that remain as Russian troops remain within easy striking distance. And with gasoline almost impossible for civilians to acquire after the federal order suspending service station deliveries at the start of the summer, most who have left their homes have been forced to rely on carts and wagons, repeating the same scene as the refugees of Europe fleeing the same Soviet forces only a few years earlier. Nevertheless, President Roosevelt continues to calmly manage the affairs of state from the former Chicago company offices of Sears Roebuck. A spokesman for the President denied persistent rumors that Congressional leaders were secretly urging Roosevelt to resign and turn the nations affairs over to Vice President Harry Truman. The Vice President has similarly denied such discussions have taken place and that the government fully backs FDR.
Soviet forces now heading west
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bowling Green, Kentucky
September, 1944
"Gail, we have to leave now."
Tom Wilkins had been holding out hope that leaving his home of fifteen years would not be necessary, but with the Russians on the move towards Nashville and the American armies in the east having given up the fight, their last chance was gone. Many had notions of fleeing to some undetermined sanctuary in the hills of Tennessee or even the great Rocky Mountains to the west. Tom had been deftly gathering up what gasoline could be found over the last few weeks and figured the family had enough to make it at least as far as Missouri. After that, they would have to see what fortune would bring. Tom and Gail Wilkins had loaded up their 1939 Studebaker Champion with everything they could take with them. Son Terry Wilkins, age 12 and daughter Hope, age 8 were quite nervous about leaving the only place they had ever known. Uncle Pete helped tie up the last of the belongings on top of the roof.
Shortly after beginning their trip, the converation started.
"You know Tom, we should have left weeks ago."
"Well Uncle Pete, I dont scare as easily as others, you know that."
"Yeah, but several weeks ago we didnt have to worry about commies coming down Main Street either. And if we had left back then we could have taken a train west. Now they arent even running anymore round here."
Luck was not with the family that day, for only an hour into the trip, they were forced to come to a halt just short of a bridge that had been damaged by aircraft hours earlier.
"Uncle Pete, check the map, see where we can go to get around this."
His uncle scrutinized the map, "Well I think we can head back a couple miles and take a right down Highway 4. Then another twelve miles and we can get around that way."
As they were about to turn around, an amazing sight, American troops on horseback no less. Even theyre having a tough time finding gas, Pete said. Terry and Hope, who had never seen such a thing waved at the men. The troopers, armed with carbines and now about a hundred or so yards away smiled at the vehicles passengers, knowing that refugees had as tough a time as any of them. The pleasant scene ended quickly though, as one of the soldiers pointed skyward. The person in charge of this small group quickly ordered them to separate.
"Whats wrong Tom?" said Uncle Pete
"I dont know, but I dont like the look of this."
Instantly, chaos erupted as two sturmovik fighters broke over the trees, firing their machine guns along the road.
"Everybody out of the car!" Tom cried out. Gail flung the door open, grabbing Hope while Tom, reached for Terrys arm. One burst of fire cut into one group of troopers attempting to flee to the treeline in the distance while the second fired on the soldiers raced at full gallop down the road. As the family tried to get clear of the vehicle, a third Soviet plane added its fire to the first two. Pete Wilkins lay in the dirt, hands over his heads as the patter and thud of bullets raced along the road. A minute later it was over, the aircraft having left as quickly as they appeared.
Pete stood up and called out. "Tom, where are you? Gail, can you hear me?" There was no reply. Pete looked over towards the car. Nothing. He started to walk towards the car, and then he did hear something, it was Terry. But something was horribly wrong and Pete realized it. A few more steps and his worst fears were realized. The fact that the car was shot up meant nothing. His brother had been killed in the hail of fire. Terry was crying, begging his father to move. Another twenty yards from them lay Gail and Hope. They too had been unable to escape; only Pete and Terry had lived through the episode.
Three more casualties of a war that seemed to have no ending.
