Dimitrov enjoyed Beria’s confidential commentaries on the latest geopolitical strategies employed by the ruling comrades. Such information corroborated Dimitrov’s status as a loyal associate.
Today was no exception, and as they walked, Beria revealed that the Soviet’s worldwide propaganda effort was winning more and more adherents to the Communist cause.
“The corrupt capitalist states were falling under their own weight,” he explained, shaking his head and patting Dimitrov on the shoulder. Beria nodded in emphasis and chortled — a signal that his superior was going into a gossipy “behind the scenes” mode — especially at his observations at Yalta where he had been in attendance. These were the revelations Dimitrov treasured most.
Stalin’s manipulation of Roosevelt had been masterful, Beria told him, gleeful in his rendition. Roosevelt had seemed to Stalin a buffoon who told long anecdotes and could not hold his liquor. Stalin had remarked privately on the president’s preference for the martini, which he had dubbed an effeminate drink.
Churchill on the other hand, with his scotch, brandy, and champagne, was characterized as a shrewd, cunning, and dangerous poser. His capacity for alcohol, at first, seemed astonishing. The more he seemed to imbibe, the more eloquent he became. Beria had deduced, after careful analysis of the minute observations by his operatives, that the prime minister had faked his capacity. In other words, to Beria, Churchill was a hostile menace, a powerful dissimulator with a satanic talent for persuasion and a potentially destructive influence on Soviet plans for the future.
He had been a thorn in their side since the beginning, and Stalin blamed him not only for deliberately stalling the second front but secretly trying to sow dissent between him and Roosevelt. Worse, Beria explained, he wanted to make nice to the Germans.
“You know why?” Beria told him, again and again.
Dimitrov had been party to many a diatribe against Churchill by Beria.
“Churchill wants a Germany that will serve as a bulwark against the Soviet Union. He distrusts us to the point of fanaticism. We were partners only because Hitler was a military moron, taking on the Soviet Union when he could easily have conquered Britain despite that breast-beating ‘blood, sweat, and tears’ speech. It was all horn blowing and crap. Hitler would have gone through England like a hot knife through butter.”
Once, Beria told him that the assassination of Hitler was put on the table for discussion. Churchill turned it down on the grounds that the Führer was making so many military blunders it was best to keep him alive rather than risk the chance that the German military would fall under the command of a really competent general.
Dimitrov basked in Beria’s trust.
Beria had been told that Hitler’s body was unquestionably identified by his jaw and dental work, which were now kept under guarded wraps in a Kremlin vault. This was deliberately hidden from public view because Stalin wanted the German people to believe he was still alive. He needed to convince Churchill and Roosevelt that the Germans were fighting harder because they believed that the Führer would return; and therefore, he provided them with a reason why it was necessary for the Red Army to sweep deeper and with more urgency into the Nazi state to quell all expectations of a Nazi comeback. Beria took credit for the ploy, which Stalin had called brilliant.
Although Churchill was out of power, Beria considered him even more dangerous as an anti-Soviet propagandist.
“He has always been anti-Soviet and one of the prime organizers of the White Russian pigs who tried to thwart the revolution.”
This was one of Beria’s favorite accusations.
The NKVD files, he revealed to Dimitrov, were filled with secret Churchill material that confirmed his anti-Soviet feelings. “Kill the Bolshie” had been his mantra. It was he who, along with Patton, wanted to thwart the Red Army’s advance to Berlin. Secretly, they both wanted to push deeper into Germany and entertained the idea of taking on the Red Army. Such pressure did not move Eisenhower and Roosevelt.
“Did you know, Ivan Vasilyevich, that Churchill, to press his case against us, suggested privately that with the new super bomb they were building, they could have easily defeated us. With that atomic bomb, they could have succeeded, destroying our major cities in minutes. One day we will have it; I promised this to Comrade Stalin. We will have it, and that will no longer be an issue. Believe me, we have people inside their labs who are providing us with information. In due time, we will have it, despite Churchill’s Red-baiting eloquence.”
To Beria, Churchill was the ultimate enemy, in or out of power. Once he got started on the subject he was unstoppable.
“Under his guise of bonhomie and outward show of affection for Stalin and despite his kind words, Churchill was playing a double game. To me, it was absolutely clear. I don’t trust him. He is an obstacle, a weapon as potent and destructive, perhaps, as the big bomb itself.”
As they walked through the forest path, Beria informed Dimitrov, “I told Stalin himself just the other day that Churchill should be eliminated, pushed off the world stage as quickly as possible. We had a great debate on this issue. Actually, he is amused by this silly chubby man with the pink cheeks, his big cigar, and his stupid finger sign.”
Beria made the V-for-victory sign and chuckled.
“Only he is not a joke, and Stalin knows that. In or out of office, Churchill is a menace. Stalin agrees. In private conversation with me, he cited the power of his words. He referred to Lenin, whose speeches were electrifying, and of course, Marx and his books. No one could dispute the power of the words coming from the pen of this obscure apostate Jew, who was able to articulate the true path for all of us who demand justice and an end to slavery by the powers of entrenched privilege.”
Dimitrov had heard differing versions of Stalin’s opinion on Churchill, but they all added up to the same thing: He was a continuing hazard and obstacle.
“Comrade Stalin does not believe Churchill is finished. He thinks Attlee and Truman are both no better than shopkeepers. He doubts the Americans would be stupid enough to keep Truman in office. The same will be true of Attlee. England is in even worse economic shape than us, and their system will throw him out in the next election and turn again to Churchill. We mustn’t let that happen, he told me. Of course, I agreed.”
Beria continued, “So far, Churchill’s ant-Soviet remarks have been publicly muted, although in his Parliament he is sometimes vehement in his criticism. Even Attlee heeds the bluster and has publicly declared our party as undesirable, preferring his own socialist system. But this speech in America could be a public attack on us with the whole world watching. I have urged Comrade Stalin that we must take steps.”
Beria lowered his voice and sucked in a deep breath. “He is worried that Churchill will spread his lies and make us out to be devils. The man is an imperialist provocateur who has nothing but enmity for our cause. If he expressed his views in our domain, he would be dead meat.” Beria smiled. “He doesn’t understand the extent of our reach; one day, he will.”
“Surely, Lavrentiy Pavlovich, you explained to Stalin the beauty of our plan, using our captive SS officer?”
“A great leader must not be burdened with details. He knows his trusted lieutenants will carry out his wishes to the letter.” Beria paused. “We agree in principle. We have always agreed in principle.”
Dimitrov seemed confused.
“Ivan Vasilyevich,” Beria explained. “There is no substitute for….” He made a motion with the edge of his hand across his throat. “…It is far cheaper and more effective to physically destroy your enemies. Dead is dead, comrade. The dead don’t make trouble. It is a messy business, and only the most dedicated and courageous can do the job properly. Some brand me a tyrant and executioner, but history will prove that I have served our cause with honor and courage. Our enemies are everywhere. They want to eradicate our movement. Capitalist propaganda has created a gigantic battalion of destructive fools. Their system is decadent and serves only those who exploit and rule.”