As suddenly as the cheers erupted, everyone hushed. A videotape of von Seelow speaking at an earlier political rally had flashed on the screen.
In it, Willi stood behind a podium, against a map of the Berlin district he was running to represent. The video clip cut in near the end of his speech. “Let there be no doubt. Germany will be a great power in Europe — and in the world. But that power must be used more wisely than in the past. I left the army, not because I was ashamed of my service, but because the army only serves those elected to office. And those who have never seen battle with their own eyes or heard the wounded crying for help with their own ears are often far more ready for war than the soldiers they would send. Germany’s brave men and brave women must never again be asked to shed their blood for a shameful cause — for aggression against our neighbors. Never again!”
Standing in the spotlights, his aristocratic bearing perfectly captured by the camera, Willi epitomized the good sense and decency the German people now knew had been lacking in Schraeder’s mob. Combined with a political platform that emphasized open markets, lower taxes, and a firm commitment to the new, brighter future being hammered out in London, his election had been more certain than he would have ever admitted.
Some of his supporters had wanted him to become party chairman. In their view the New Democrats needed a national spokesman and Willi was the perfect choice. He had turned that down, though. He had no political experience, and he wanted to act — not just to give speeches.
No, for now, the Bundestag was the place for him, although people were already speculating about what might come next. A few terms in the legislature for seasoning, then perhaps a cabinet post. After that, who could say?
Captain Mike Reynolds watched Alpha Company’s soldiers file into the belly of a C-141 Starlifter transport plane. He was sorry to leave Poland, but most of his men couldn’t have been happier. The hard work involved in rebuilding a nation ravaged by war had made them restless and eager to get home.
Reynolds was sure he would have felt the same, if he’d had a family waiting, too, but there was precious little in West Texas or Fort Campbell for him. Poland was far more interesting.
Nevertheless, the army said it was time to go. The speeches and ceremonies were over. The 3/187th’s battalion colors bore a new battle honor. Those who had fallen in combat were at rest — buried in a new cemetery outside Swiecie. And those who had lived had been decorated, feted by town after town on their march north, and generally given a hero’s farewell.
Reynolds straightened up, feeling the box containing the Silver Star he’d been awarded shift inside one of his pockets. He was proud of what that medal represented — proud of what he and his men had accomplished. Right now, though, he felt mostly sorrow for the men he couldn’t bring back with him, for the Poles who had died beside them, and, oddly enough, even for the French and Germans.
The line of soldiers shuffled ahead. Now it was his turn. The last Alpha Company soldier to leave Polish soil, he stepped onto the C-141’s ramp. Even this late in September, the dim interior of the plane was stifling in the afternoon heat, but that would change as soon as they were airborne.
Tomorrow they would be back at Fort Campbell, and in his mind Mike Reynolds was already starting to organize his thoughts around a peacetime schedule. The war was over. Now it was time to immerse himself again in the army routine — in training and more training, and, through it all, the continuous struggle to stay ready.
Until the next time.
GLOSSARY
ADC — British Air Defense Command, responsible for defending the U.K. against air attack.
Aegis cruiser (Leyte Gulf) — Technically called Ticonderoga-class cruisers, these ships are more commonly referred to by the name of their Aegis air defense system. This powerful combination of missiles, radars, and computers makes the “Ticos” the most powerful surface warships in the world.
AH-64 Apache — A sophisticated, first-line helicopter gunship, the Apache carries laser-guided Hellfire antitank missiles, unguided rockets, and a 30mm cannon, along with an array of sensors so that it can fight at night as well as day. It is heavily armored.
AIM-7 Sparrow — A medium-range (about 20 to 25 miles) radar-guided air-to-air missile, the Sparrow can be carried by most American and many other Western-built fighters. It is moderately effective, but is beginning to show its age. One problem is that the firing plane must keep its nose pointed at the missile’s target. Even though the Sparrow is fast (Mach 4), those seconds are too long to fly straight in air combat. Sparrow is being replaced by the more modern AMRAAM.
AIM-9 Sidewinder — Almost legendary for its reliability and simplicity, the Sidewinder has appeared in dozens of versions and has been carried by scores of different aircraft. It has also been extensively copied. The missile’s guidance package, or seeker, homes in on a heat source, usually a jet exhaust, but later versions can even detect the hot skin of a fast-moving aircraft. It has a relatively short range, about ten miles, less for earlier versions.
AIM-54 Phoenix — The longest-range air-to-air missile ever built, the Phoenix is carried only by the U.S. Navy’s F-14 Tomcat. Combined with the Tomcat’s weapons system, the Phoenix can attack targets over 60 nautical miles away. It is a big missile, and not very maneuverable, but it flies at over five times the speed of sound.
AIM-120 AMRAAM — The replacement for the Sparrow, the long-overdue advanced medium-range air-to-air missile will allow a plane to maneuver freely after launch, since the missile has its own active radar-seeker in the nose. The missile can also receive updates on its target’s position from the launching plane. The French Mica, also in development, is similar. The AMRAAM’s range is slightly better than the Sparrow’s, about 30 miles.
Airmobile — The term “airmobile” refers to a U.S. Army unit’s ability to be moved quickly from one place to another by air, either by cargo plane or by helicopter. It does not refer to its mobility on the battlefield. See Light infantry.
AK-74/AKR — A replacement for the famous AK-47, the newer AK-74 is the standard Russian Army weapon and has been widely exported. It uses a smaller 5.45mm round and a 30-round magazine. The AK-74 weighs eight pounds without a magazine. The AKR is a smaller, carbine version of the AK-74 with a folding stock and a short barrel.
AKM — A modernized, refined version of the AK-47 assault rifle, it uses the same 7.62mm round and has the same performance. It weighs nine and a half pounds and has a 30-round magazine.
AMX-10P — A boxy tracked vehicle with a steeply sloped front plate, this French APC can carry eight infantrymen and a crew of three. The vehicle’s power-operated turret mounts a 20mm autocannon and a 7.62mm machine gun, but like other armored personnel carriers, the AMX-10P is only lightly armored.
AMX-10RC — A six-wheeled French armored car, the AMX-10RC carries a 105mm gun equipped with a sophisticated fire control computer and ranging system. Although only lightly armored, it packs a powerful punch and is a useful scout vehicle.
An-26 — Called Curl by NATO, this light twin-engine turboprop is similar in size and role to the F-27 Fokker transports seen at many American airports. It cruises at 270 mph and can carry a load of six tons or 40 passengers.