Free The Night of the Generals by Hans Hellmut Kirst Page B

General Tanz. I can't think of anyone better equipped to deal with him. Tanz has an uncomplicated way of handling people--he just ups his horns and tosses everyone who crosses his path."
    "Agreed," said von Seydlitz-Gabler with relief. Then, cautious as ever, he added: "You really think Tanz is the right man for the job?"
    "The only man," said Kahlenberge.
    General Tanz seemed to be magically attracted by one particular street intersection in the western half of central Warsaw. There was nothing noticeably different about it. It was just an intersection like a hundred others, a drab expanse of cobbles, trees, groups of houses--alternately grey and green--and dirty window-panes like dull, sightless eyes.
    On the ordnance survey map in General Tanz's hands, however, this intersection bore the legend "P1", pencilled in bold, vigorous characters as red as fire. P1 stood for Point One--the place chosen as the jumping-off point for General Tanz's proposed mopping-up operation.
    "So the G.O.C. hasn't rejected our plan," Tanz said thoughtfully.
    Major Sandauer stood a pace or two behind his General in an attitude of alert and respectful attention. "We haven't received official confirmation yet," he replied cautiously.
    "No rejection is the equivalent of approval," asserted General Tanz.
    Sandauer did not dispute the point. Disagreement had an explosive effect on General Tanz.
    "Coffee," said Tanz.
    The Divisional Commander's current combat orderly, new at his job and destined never to grow old in it, sprang out of the staff car. Bustling round to the back he opened the boot, removed a Thermos flask, a china cup and the saucer belonging to it, wiped the two latter articles with a linen cloth, poured out some coffee and extended the result of his labours to the General with a slightly tremulous hand.
    "Too cold," said Tanz after a brief appraising glance.
    The combat orderly froze in his tracks, realizing that he had committed some inexcusable blunder. Either the coffee had not been hot enough when he poured it into the Thermos, or the flask itself was defective, or he had paid insufficient attention to the external temperature. Whatever the reason, he was to blame. His hands started to shake so violently that the coffee slopped over the rim of the cup and flooded the saucer. However, he had ceased to be the centre of attention.
    General Tanz was contemplating, almost lovingly, the houses on the far side of the intersection. Major Sandauer was watching the General. Sergeant Stoss, sitting at the wheel of the Mercedes, appeared to see nothing but the street ahead of him. Behind the Mercedes stood two armoured scout cars, both equipped with wireless, and the Divisional Commander's permanent dispatch-rider detachment, four soldiers encased in gleaming black leather and mounted on powerful B. M. W. s. For all of them, nothing existed save what lay ahead, least of all the trembling orderly, who slunk back to his place.
    "We'll carry out a tactical exercise," said Tanz.
    "Without the G.O.C.'s approval?" Major Sandauer, G. S.O.1 of the Nibelungen Division, asked the question in an undertone. His words were intended for the ears of the Divisional Commander alone.
    "An operation of this type," said Tanz undeterred, "requires the most meticulous planning. I consider it vitally necessary that we first try out on a small scale what we shall have to carry out later on a large scale. Only then will we be able to operate with any guarantee of success. Alert the division, Sandauer. Code word: Waldfrieden."
    Sandauer nodded, but permitted himself a small aside. "Is Corps to be notified?"
    "Later. The operation will be little more than a test exercise, but I regard the experience to be gained from it as absolutely indispensable. We'll try out on four or five streets what we may have to do later with forty or fifty--without arousing any unnecessary attention. Afterwards we'll see."
    "Is the whole division to be alerted?"
    "Down to the last man. When I do