195

Episode 195: Toward Victory (8)

In order to slit the head of Tito, the leader of the communists, the German army launched attacks from both the ground and the sky.

While Skorzeny's Friedental Special Forces and the Brandenburg Paratroopers descended from the sky using gliders, on the ground, the Brandenburg Division Infantry Regiment and the 7th SS Mountain Division Prinz Eugen joined forces with the Croatian Army and launched an attack.

"Forward, forward!"

"It's cleaning time! "Let's wipe out all the communists!"

"His Excellency the President is watching us!"

Yugoslav partisans also returned fire with rifles and machine guns toward the advancing German troops.

Even when the partisans began firing, the German army did not stop advancing.

The opponent is just a civilian soldier.

This is the world's most elite unit that has conquered Europe.

Rather than being frightened by the bullets flying towards them, the German soldiers laughed loudly and walked faster.

French-made tanks with the Iron Cross symbol, Somua S35 and S40, ran at speed and opened fire on their main guns.

-Quaung!

"Kwaaaak!"

"It's a tank! Damn it, anti-tank guns!"

Tankgewehr and PaK 36s captured from the Ustasha fired at Prinz Eugen's French tanks, but the shells bounced off their armor.

Although French tanks were criticized for their poor performance compared to German tanks, they were capable of protecting against 37mm shells from the front.

-Kaang!

"It bounced, it bounced!"

Before the Somua S35 tank gun could fire, the Vulkan grenade launcher mounted on the Sd.Kfz 251 fired a 40mm grenade towards the anti-tank gun position.

The Vulkan grenade launcher, which looks similar to the AGS-17 operated by the Russian military, was developed under Hitler's instructions - Hitler was actually thinking of a K4 high-speed grenade launcher - but its high price, equivalent to five MG40s, caused a lot of talk.

However, when it was put into actual combat, it showed excellent effectiveness in suppressing enemy infantry and was rapidly being supplied.

As the 40mm grenades flew with yellow tails exploding in succession, the partisans with their limbs torn off were rolling around on the ground around the mop-shaped anti-tank gun.

The German army advanced toward the heart of the enemy, crushing them with overwhelming firepower that the Partisans could not dare to imitate.

The members of the Friedental Special Forces, who descended on the enemy's stronghold by glider, also ran wild like fish out of water.

Although more than 20 soldiers were separated from the line because they crash-landed in a difficult place or the glider flipped over during the landing, the soldiers who landed near the target point clearly showed that the months of training had not been in vain.

Skorzeny, who made a honeycomb in the faces of the partisans in a sudden situation, fired an MP38 and killed three more partisans.

He showed off agile movements that were not befitting of his huge size, and tackled each obstacle that stood in his way.

"Sigh!"

Skorzeny, who kicked the Partisan's solar plexus with his military boot, expertly replaced the magazine and pulled the trigger, aiming at the Partisan's stomach that was rushing towards him.

A child soldier, suspicious of whether he had ever fired a gun before, pointed his gun at him, but Skorzeny did not blink an eye and picked up the enemy soldier he had kicked down with one hand and used it as a human shield.

"Huh?"

The boy soldier stopped when the bullet he fired hit his comrade's head. He must have been quite surprised because he had unintentionally killed his colleague.

To be stupid. Skorzeny threw the enemy, whose bullet pierced between the eyes, at a child soldier, and then kicked a female soldier in the face who was running towards him with a bayonet.

The loud sound of my nose being broken and my front teeth coming out of my gums passed through my ears.

"This and this, they're all just newbies."

SS Lieutenant Adrian von Voekersham from the Brandenburg unit said:

He plunged the bayonet into the right eye of a female soldier who was struggling in pain, killing her, and wiped the blood from the blade of the bayonet on the female soldier's collar.

Although Völkersham had only been transferred to the SS for two months, he was recognized by the difficult Skorzeny in a short period of about 60 days and was working as his right-hand man.

"Even if the partisans fly and crawl, it's still there."

Skorzeny spat out phlegm as he put a bullet into the forehead of a child soldier struggling under the body of a dead comrade.

It was so bland that it didn't even seem like a fight.

After dealing with all the enemies, Skorzeny and his subordinates searched the inside of Tito's headquarters.

Tito's headquarters, which was built by expanding the inside of a natural cave, was littered with various documents and loot that the Partisans had not been able to collect when they withdrew.

"Look at this, SS Major Skorzeny."

An SS sergeant wearing a camouflage uniform covered in blood and flesh came with a uniform that looked flashy.

Star-shaped decorations embroidered with gold wire on the sleeves and a red collar.

Skorzeny recognized at a glance that it was Tito's field marshal's uniform.

"Tito, you must be so upset that you leave my clothes behind and just leave."

"Ha ha ha ha ha!"

"There's a chess set here too!"

Soldiers who found rare items everywhere exclaimed in exclamation. However, Skorzeny quickly took the smile off his face and gave his subordinates a follow-up action.

"Seeing as he threw away everything, including clothes and cigars, and left, he probably couldn't have gone far. Voekersham, you and the 3rd Company will remain here to continue the search and communicate with headquarters. "The rest follow me."

"All right!"

"Let's hurry! Medals and awards are just around the corner!"

***

While Skorzeny and Friedenthal's special forces were storming his headquarters, Tito, the partisan leader they were pursuing, was boarding an emergency train for escape with his staff.

Right behind them, gunfire, screaming, and heavy drinking were repeated.

The louder the sound, the faster Tito's heartbeat. Only after the train started moving was he able to relax.

I took a breather with this. Tito's staff members were also sweating heavily from their foreheads.

"I never dreamed that the Germans' intelligence power was this much."

"I see, that's right. "I almost got into big trouble."

But it's still too early to feel safe.

The German army found out about your home base that no one knew about and attacked right in front of you, so even if you tried to escape to another place, they would quickly notice and send pursuers.

"I guess I'll have to hide in a place where they can't reach for the time being."

"I agree."

Zillas also nodded.

"If so, where are you planning to go? Greece? Türkiye?"

"no. They say they are neutral countries, but those two countries are no different from the Germans. "It would be better to go to Egypt via Italy."

Unlike Greece and Türkiye, where German military bases were located, Italy maintained strict neutrality.

Tito planned to go to Egypt, where Britain had a strong influence, via Italy and ask for help from Britain.

Egypt was also in a state of confusion in many ways because of the German-backed rebels, but it would be much safer than remaining in the Balkan Peninsula, which was virtually hostile territory on all sides.

-Quaaang!!

"Ugh!"

Suddenly, there was an explosion and the train came to a sudden stop, causing Tito to fall from his chair and roll on the floor.

"what!? "What happened?"

"I don't know!"

The binge drinking continued. Gunshots were also heard.

"comrade! "It's the Germans!"

"what? "German soldiers?"

"Such a fool! Weren't the Germans clearly behind? "But they followed me all the way here?"

Zilas screamed at the partisans who came to tell them why the train had suddenly stopped.

"It looks like they were setting up an ambush!"

"Oh my...!"

Tito's private train was intercepted by soldiers of the 22nd Airborne Division who had descended earlier.

Guided by the Ustasha and local collaborators, they descended on Tito's expected escape route, planted a bomb on the railroad tracks, and detonated the bomb when a train appeared.

Passengers of the emergency train, surrounded front and back, desperately resisted the German troops who were narrowing the siege.

Even if they surrendered, they had no choice because they knew how they would be treated as partisans.

"Comrade, come this way! hurry!"

Tito, Zillas, and his staff jumped toward the emergency exit.

And ran at full speed. Bullets were flying from all directions, and there were screams and shouts.

"Kaaaaaa!!"

One of Tito's advisers collapsed after being shot in the knee.

But no one stopped for him. If you stop now, you will only become a target for the enemy.

You have to run to live. No matter who falls next to you.

But the Germans, Skorzeny and his men were faster and more persistent than Tito.

Skorzeny, who noticed Tito's group fleeing, immediately took his men and chased Tito.

He moved diagonally through the forest.

The branches touched his skin, leaving small cuts on his cheeks and the backs of his hands, but Skorzeny did not feel any pain.

The only thing on his mind was to catch Tito.

"It's a bastard!"

Skorzeny, who found Tito's group running ahead and behind him, picked up his MP38 and fired.

However, as soon as the bullet was fired, a ticking sound was heard and the bullet did not go out.

Urazil. While Skorzeny was swearing and changing his magazine, his men opened fire with their submachine guns.

Several of Tito's staff fell. The partisans also returned fire, and one German soldier fell after being shot in the shoulder.

Skorzeny, who was shooting an MP38, measured the distance to the enemies and took out a grenade.

They were gathered in one place to fire back. If you detonate this in the center of the enemy, it will be possible to annihilate the enemy at once.

Skorzeny held the grenade for about three seconds after pulling the pin, as there was a possibility that the enemy would pick it up and throw it back.

I counted exactly 3 seconds in my head and threw it. He then yelled at his men to get down.

A dull explosion sounded and broken branches and leaves fell from the rainforest. A roar came out from the thick smoke.

"Kwaaaaa..."

The pursuers did not even blink an eye despite the screams that were no different from the sound of a pig being ripped off, and even at the scene of a gruesome slaughter covered in shredded flesh and writhing internal organs like snakes shedding their skin.

Ordinary soldiers who vomited at the sight of organs protruding from the body could not join the Friedental Special Lease Unit.

Only abnormal people who could maintain composure on the battlefield, where bullets were flying and the heads of comrades who were eating next to them were blown off, could enter the Friedental Special Lease Unit.

Skorzeny, searching among the partisans writhing like caterpillars, found a middle-aged man lying on the ground with his left knee blown off and blood pouring from his eyes.

The man, who lost his right eye in a grenade explosion, was fumbling to pick up a pistol that had fallen on the floor.

Skorzeny stepped on the FN M1910 pistol that the man was trying to pick up with his military boot and took out a photo that had been neatly folded in his pocket.

"found."

***

September 20, 1942

New Fuhrer's Residence in Berlin, Germany

Tito and his staff, who were captured by Friedenthal's special team, were immediately transported to Germany.

Skorzeny, who captured Tito, was promoted to SS lieutenant colonel and awarded the Knight's Cross, and the members of the Friedental Special Forces who participated in the operation were also awarded rewards commensurate with their achievements.

When Skorzeny, who was a lieutenant general, was promoted to the rank of warrant officer and entrusted with the training and command of the Friedental Special Forces, some in the Wehrmacht reacted by asking why create another similar unit when there was already a Brandenburg unit, but Skorzeny's performance made it possible These voices were heard right away.

It is a bonus that Himmler's attitude toward the Wehrmacht generals became even stiffer.

Pavelic requested that he would take care of everything if Tito was handed over to him, but since they also had their own calculations, they politely declined Pavelic's request.

Instead, when we said that we would not hand him over at all, but that we would keep him for a certain period of time and then repatriate him to Croatia when the time was right, Pavelic quietly withdrew without saying anything.

"No, Mr. President. "You could just execute him right away or hand him over to Pavelić, but why would he bother to keep him?"

"Himmler, you don't know anything yet."

If Tito had been killed on the spot, he wouldn't have even had to worry about this, but heaven helped him and he was captured alive by our troops.

Therefore, we must make the most of this genius opportunity.

Unless you want to see partisans running wild in the Balkans.

"If you just kill Tito, he will be branded a martyr by the communists and worshiped as a martyr for eternity. The communists who follow him will become partisans and continue to disrupt the rear of the Third Reich and take the lives of German sons.

To prevent something like that from happening, shouldn't we use him well?"

"That is a valid statement, Mr. President."

While a embarrassed Himmler was scratching his head, Göring, who had been sitting still, decided that it was time to step out.

"Even if we kill it when we kill it, right now we need to roast and boil it and manipulate it to suit our tastes! By the way, how do you plan to get him to cooperate with Germany?"

"······What are you talking about, Goering? Tito is cooperating with us?"

"uh? Weren't you planning on asking for Tito's cooperation?"

"If that were possible, would you be doing this now?"

Göring's voice suddenly quieted as he realized he had misplaced his focus.

Keitel closed his eyes and shook his head, and the corners of Goebbels and Ribbentrop's mouths turned up in pity.

It is impossible to get Tito's cooperation unless you use hypnosis beam.

If he was someone who would switch so easily, he wouldn't have become a Partisan in the first place.

But I had other plans. A perfect plan that would make the partisans voluntarily lay down their weapons without needing Tito's cooperation.

"What is the plan?"

"Everyone, listen carefully. "The plan is-"

When the explanation was over, everyone burst into laughter, regardless of whether they were left or right. Just imagining these reactions makes me laugh to death.

It's just an idea that came out of my head, but on second thought, it's still the best plan.

"You are truly amazing, Mr. President. "How can you think of such things?"

"After all, no one in Germany would even dare to follow His Excellency the Fuhrer's insight!"

"Tito, that bastard. "I'd rather be begging you to kill me!"

***

The skills of German doctors were truly outstanding.

When Tito woke up from anesthesia, the tattered cut wound was neatly wrapped with a sterile bandage.

The pain was still there, but it wasn't severe.

After waking up from anesthesia, Tito made it clear to the SD agents who came in to interrogate him that he had absolutely no intention of cooperating.

The SD agent, who had a good-natured face, asked in a tone of sincere curiosity, not in a threatening or sarcastic tone.

How can you be so determined when your life is at stake?

"Are you asking because you don't know? I'd rather bite my tongue and die than become one of you fascists. If you understand, kill me quickly. "Don't waste your time needlessly."

Before leaving the room, the SD agent offered Tito a cigarette, but Tito declined. This was not because he was concerned that his cigarettes might be poisoned, but because he did not want to be indebted to the fascists he loathed.

An hour later, footsteps were heard again.

When the door opened and an SS lieutenant who appeared to be a scholar came in with three sturdy SS soldiers, Tito smiled bitterly.

"okay. Glassesman, are you my executioner?"

"Unfortunately, not me."

"So, are you going to order your little dog in the back?"

"I don't know what you're talking about. "I think you are very mistaken…"

The SS lieutenant lifted his glasses and gave an eerie smile.

"You won't die today."

"So, tomorrow?"

"no. Even if a week or a month passes, you won't die. "You are too precious to just kill."

"then?"

To Tito, who was confused, the SS lieutenant took out a 'special gift' that he had hidden. The color slowly drained from Tito's face when he saw the special gift the SS lieutenant brought out.

"W-what is that? Fuck! Do not come! "Don't come, you bastards!"

"Hold on tight. "Don't let him struggle."

"Hey, you bastards! Better kill me! "Fuck you, kill me!!"