Up first the Soviet Union
Youtube Video
In a room sat a group of stallions talking to one another as a mare and a few stallions came in and smiled at them.
"Hello, gentlecolts. My name is Newsflash, and you all volunteered to help with this documentary on your experiences during the second world war right?" she asked. They all nodded their heads.
"Ok well lets get started. Um...Commander Sergeant Major Jorge Nagorski?" she asked .
A brown maned stallion with dull brownish-green eyes, wearing a dress suit and pants, got up and followed her into one of the back rooms.
"Ok, sir, um...first off, do you speak Equestrian?" she asked and he nodded.
"Ok, well, first off, what were you during the war?" she asked.
The stallion sat up and spoke in a thick Russian accent. "I was the Command Sergeant Major of the 62nd Army Division. I was in charge of over 30,000 troops during the Battle of Stalliongrad, to the Battle of Berlin. I enlisted back in the 1920's after the first great war. I followed in my father's footsteps, joining the army and rising through the ranks. I eventually took command of my own division,” he stated as she nodded, smiling while she recorded him.
"Tell me, what was your favorite thing to do when you were off duty?" she asked .
He sighed and leaned back. "I remember, whenever I got a break, I would walk out of whatever building, shack, tent or whatever and have one of the guards run and grab me a cup of hot Equestrian coffee with some of my private vodka to go with it. I would just lean back and look back at the land we had took back, smiling, thinking about whatever came to mind," he said, smiling at the mare.
"Oh, so you enjoyed our coffee huh?" She asked, bringing out a harsh laugh from the stallion.
"Da, it showed that we were not alone and forgotten during the harsh winters of the motherland. It tasted like crap with no vodka or sugar though,” he said making a face, forcing a giggle from her.
"So what was the scariest time while you were there in Russia?" she asked as he sighed.
"The bombs of Stalliongrad. The Germans bombed us for days and weeks on end. And every night I would hear the bombs explode as they hit the ground, never allowing us to sleep.
(Flashback)
CSM Jorge Nagorski was wide awake as he heard the distant explosions . And occasionally those close by.
"Sergeant Major? You're still awake?" He looked up to see one of his troopers, Private Crimson, if he remembered correctly.
"Da, Pvt. Crimson, I can't sleep with that damned Nazi artillery and bombs from the planes. I just can't sleep," he stated as Crimson nodded.
"Don't worry Comrade Sergeant Major; We will push the fascists back to the pit they came from," he said, making the older stallion smile and laugh.
"Try to get some sleep, comrade; I will make sure you're not troubled,” he said, heading upstairs after getting some coffee.
' We have to move out in the morning, we've been here too long as it is.' He thought just as he heard the high pitched squeal of a incoming bomb.
"GET DOWN INCOMING!!!" He screamed as the 500lb bomb hit close to the house blowing the side of the house away and him off his hooves as he scrambled for his PPSH-41. He dashed upstairs to see most of his comrades dead or injured.
"Comrade." He heard to his right and saw Crimson on the ground with a beam on his back.
"Ok hold on private." He said lifting the beam off of him as the private scrambled out from under the debris.
"Are you ok?" Jorge asked the shaken soldiers who nodded.
"Yes Sgt. Major." He said. Suddenly they heard what sounded like a bus flying through the air.
"SHIT INCOMING!!" Jorge yelled, those that were just getting up dropped back down taking cover as the house was blown apart by a direct hit from an artillery round.
Jorge's ears were ringing as he looked around, seeing his PPSH a couple of feet away, he crawled over to it as explosions went off around him.
"SGT. MAJOR THIS WAY!!" He turned to see he was a good 50 ft from the house that was once standing. He looked over to see Crimson and a few others waving at him as he stumbled towards them as rounds cracked by his head.
"HURRY COMRADE MAJOR!!" Crimson yelled as they heard gunfire pick up in the destroyed city.
Jorge moved faster, stumbling every once in a while trying reaching his men.
"Comrade sergeant are you alright?" Crimson asked getting a nod from the Major.
"Lets move we can't stay here!" He yelled over the explosions that were heard throughout the city.
"Lead the way Comrade Sgt. Major." One of the other soldiers said. The group quickly made their way down into the tunnels and headed towards the second outpost.
(End Flashback)
Newsflash nodded seeing the major gaze off into the distance.
"We made our way back to the fallback positions, there we met up with General Shade of the 34th Sharpshooters. My first impression of her was that she was gung ho, that she would get too many of my men killed. But I was wrong, even if she was a hot head. And if things didn't go her way she had a temper that could rival Hitler himself." Jorge smiled and tried to stifle a laugh.
(Flashback)
Jorge and Crimson emerged from the subway tunnels only to find Nazi rifles in their faces.
"Hands up, commie!" One of them shouted as the two red soldiers growled not pleased to see the two red soldiers.
"ICH SAGTE, DIE HANDE HOCH!" He screamed before rounds started to rip through him and his men as Jorge and Crimson took cover behind the wall.
"Come out comrades it's ok!" The two looked at each other holding their SMG's as they came out before smiling.
"Hello comrades, out for a little fascist hunt today?" Jorge asked as they smiled.
"We were on our way to the front when Sgt Overkill saw some of them." He said pointing over to a built stallion who was holding a DP-28 squad machine gun.
"Thank you comrades, those Nazi's surprised us as we were falling back from the west." Jorge stated as they nodded.
"Well we must be going comrade Sgt. Major." He said as Jorge and Crimson thanked him before heading towards their fall back outpost.
"I'm glad those guys were around, I would hate to be taken by a fascist." Crimson said as Jorge nodded.
"I agree comrade, there is no telling what they would do to us or if they would even take us prisoner. They might just shoot us on the spot and be done with it." Jorge replied as they moved through the broken streets on over long dead bodies and through destroyed buildings before coming up to a wall of a burn house.
"Private when I tell you to, you run across the street and cover me ok?" Jorge asked as Crimson nodded while Jorge peeked around the corner to see a nazi patrol heading their way.
"Ok we have a nazi patrol coming this way so I want you to stay here and I will cover you from upstairs." He said as the private looked at him shocked.
"But the building is on fire sergeant major, you will be killed by the smoke before the fascist even get close to me." He stated.
"Trust me Crimson I will cover you before they get to you, stay here and surrender to them, and I will ambush them from above." He said jumping into the burning building, keeping low to have oxygen as he moved to the stairs not far away. He went up to the second floor right above the germans who came around the corner and spotted Crimson.
"HALT!!" One yelled
"Gib commi oder du bist tot!!!" Another yelled as Crimson surrendered just as Jorge got into position
BRatatatatattattata
Jorge let a long burst out of his PPSH killing four as Crimson picked up his Thompson firing on the other three shredding them with .45 rounds.
"Haha! That is for Mother Russia you fascist pigs!!" Crimson yelled as Jorge smiled at him.
"Good work Crimson, remind me to promote you when we get to base." He said as the stallion pointed his SMG at him and fired.
BLAMBLAMBLAM!
"HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND I SHOULD KILL YOU FOR-" He stopped as he heard something fall to the ground making him turn to see a Nazi soldier with three rounds in his chest on his knees holding the wound.
"FASCIST PIG!!"
Bratatatatata
Jorge fired point blank into the soldiers face, shredding it to pieces before kicking the body away and turning to Crimson.
"You're getting promoted AND a medal when this is over Crimson, thank you!" Jorge disappeared inside of the building for a moment. The old shredded structure let out a few creaks and groans as the stallion made his exit. He hadn’t been on the street for more than a few seconds when the roof on the first floor fell in. A final burst of flame shot through the windows on the upper floors as the entire building fell in on itself.
To the soldiers on the street, the sound was deafening. Crashing and creaking from the building was brought to a grand finale by a cloud of hot, searing dust. Both stallions held onto each other’s shoulders as they ran to clear air.
As soon as they exited the cloud of thick smoke and dust, Crimson and Jorge both fell on the ground laughing. They looked back at the smoldering pile of rubble that had once been a proud home. All eight stories of the building had collapsed into a one-story pile.
“That was some shit, was it not?” Jorge choked out between laughs.
“I think anypony left in there is flat as Overkill’s jokes!” Crimson snorted.
"Come comrade we need to celebrate." He said, clapping a hand on the boy's shoulder while they continued to make their way to the outpost.
After a few hours of dodging patrols and hiding in houses the two finally made it to the outpost only to hear yelling from inside the destroyed house.
"I DON'T CARE HOW TIRED YOU ARE SERGEANT!! YOU GET MY CABLES FIXED SO I CAN TALK TO MY SOLDIERS!!!"
"Yes General!" They heard as a mare came running out and to a group of stallions just as another mare come out letting out a sigh before spotting them.
She was dark blue with a black mane that had a purple streak running through it and light blue eyes that were narrowed at them.
"Who are you two?" She asked as they two stood at attention.
"Private Crimson of the 62nd Army ma'am!" Crimson saluted.
"Command Sergeant Major Jorge Nagorski, 62nd Army ma'am." The two stated as she regarded them both.
"Why aren't you at your post?" She asked.
"The position was destroyed ma'am we made our way here to get reinforcements to take the position back ma'am." He stated.
She slowly nodded her head taking in the information. "Fine take a company of soldiers and move out. The longer that area is unprotected the faster the Nazis will capture it and have time to make a stronger foothold." She commanded as a T-34 tank rolled up making Crimson glare at it.
"Take two tanks and retake the position comrade, I have a feeling you will need them." She stated as an old BT-5 pulled up joining the other tank.
"Crimson go round up the company and have them group up by the tanks." He said smiling getting one from him as he nodded and ran to gather the company.
"Sergeant Major, a word please." General Shade said as they went into another house.
(End Flashback)
"What did she talk to you about?" Newsflash asked. He laughed and looked at the mare.
"She threatened to kill me for abandoning my post along with Crimson and brand us as traitors. But she told me if I could retake the position then we would be spared of a traitor's death. Obviously I did it since I'm sitting here talking to you today." He said gesturing to himself which made her smile.
"So tell me what was the hardest thing you had to do?" She asked as he started to tear up.
"The hardest thing I had to do was bury my friend, Sgt. Crimson. We were pushing into Germany when it happened." He said a depressed look crossed his face.
(Flashback May 1st 1945)
"FORWARD FOR THE MOTHERLAND AND SHOW THESE FASCIST PIGS THE MIGHT OF THE RED ARMY!!!" Jorge yelled as his brigade surged forward.
"YOU HEARD HIM MOVE YOU DOGS MOVE!!!" Crimson yelled kicking a soldier to get him moving. Katyusha rockets and artillery flew over head, into the capital city while the tanks moved forward.
"MOVE MOVE MOVE COMRADES! NOT ONE STEP BACK! BERLIN FALLS TODAY!!" Jorge yelled as a tank rumbled by before it was hit by a panzerschreck blowing him off his hooves.
"Comrade Jorge!!" He heard Crimson as he raised his hand and laughed as his friend pulled him to his hooves.
"Thank you comrade, now lets go end this war." He said as the two charged forward with the rest of the men into the fray.
"UUUUURRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!" The war cry filled the air as thousands charged into the city. Planes flew overhead dropping bombs on targets as explosions went off everywhere destroying buildings and other structures.
"MOVE MOVE MOVE COMRADES!!! GET OUT OF THE OPEN!!" Jorge yelled as MG42's buzzing filled the air as the rounds ripped through their ranks cutting down mares and stallions alike while mortars exploded sending bodies flying, killing many.
(End Flashback)
"It was hell on earth for both of us and it was so loud with bombs, shells, gunfire, tank fire. Everything was just so loud, we pushed into their lines like a red tidal wave consuming all before it in death and fire. No german was spared from our revenge for the Motherland, so many of our comrades dead at these monsters hands, but it was a worthy sacrifice." He stated glaring at the door where two german captains were.
"I've never been able to forgive them for what they did to my country, my family, and my friends. So many dead that didn't need to be, so now it was our turn for them to drown in their blood and be buried under their comrades bodies." He said glaring at the door again.
(Flashback)
BRatatatatatata
Jorge and Crimson moved through the city killing all that stood in their way. Even if they surrendered, Crimson or one of the soldiers would mow them down. Today was not a good day to be a Nazi on the eastern front as hundreds of thousands of troops moved forward through the city block by block, street by street, house by house the Germans fought.
"Crimson, take a few troops to that building down the street and clear it out." Jorge ordered as Crimson nodded grabbing up a squad and headed towards the building as other squads moved down the streets clearing the house.
"MOVE COMRADES!" Jorge ordered clearing houses as they went when the house Crimson went through exploded.
THOOM!
"CRIMSON!!!!" Jorge screamed as he ran to the building getting burned as he tried to find his friend seeing the remains of the soldiers that were with him in pieces when he found his friend by a wine rack his stomach ripped open from shrapnel of the booby trap.
"No no no." Jorge fell to his knees setting his PPSH down and cradled his head as tears fell from his face as he heard hoof steps come into the building making him turn to see 1st Sgt. Overkill and General Shade stop to see what had happened.
"Comrade Jorge?" Shade asked as she came over and set a hand on his shoulder.
"Another child gone because of this war." Jorge stated sadly as he closed his friends eyes and picked him up as Overkill came up to him.
"Sergeant Major please, let me take him." He asked as the first sob escaped the older stallion laying his head on the boys chest.
"Comrade come, your troops need you we will take care of him I promise. We will make them pay comrade, he died a hero for the motherland." Shade said as Overkill took Crimson away from Jorge.
"Come Sergeant Major, lets get back to work." Shade said as Jorge nodded watching as Overkill gently took Crimson away.
'Goodbye my friend.' Jorge said as he picked up his weapon and wiped his eyes putting on a brave face for his soldiers.
"I'll see that he gets home personally comrade." Shade stated as Jorge nodded.
"Thank you Shade. Please just take care of him ok?" He asked as Shade nodded regrettably and left hiding her own tears as she followed after Overkill.
(End Flashback)
Newsflash watched as the former soldier tried to keep a straight face as tears still fell as a sob escaped.
"I need a break to calm down please." He said sullenly, she nodded respecting the retired sergeant, and let him out the back so the others wouldn't see him upset.
Inside the room, some of the other veterans talked to each other as the only other Russian in the room glared daggers at the two Germans who were talking to each other.
(Hello old friend how have you been?) The greying unicorn with black greying hair asked the light brown Pegasus with greying dark brown greying hair. The Pegasus sighed as he looked at the stallion.
(I've been good as ever my friend, how have you been? How is the family?) He asked as the other smiled.
(Aksel is grown with his own family and his children are strong.) He stated as his friend patted him on the back.
(Yes it seems my grandson is having a baby of his own.) He said as his friend beamed.
(Congrats my friend, so you're a older grandfather then me.) He said smiling as the other gave a mocking glare.
(You better watch it Captain Darkstar, I may be old but I can still whip you.) He said as Darkstar grinned.
(It's good to see that you haven't lost your spirit Rough Rider.) Darkstar said.
"General Shade Silent?" The two looked up to see the mare from earlier poke her head out as and old mare got up and shot another glare at them before heading into the room.
(It seems that the Russians still haven't forgiven us even after 50 years.) Darkstar said as Rough Rider nodded.
(Can you blame them? Our comrades became animals on the eastern front. I wouldn't doubt that they would take their hate to the grave with them.) He stated as Dark nodded and looked at the western allied soldiers in the room with.
(Inside the room)
"Ok so you two served together during the war right?" Newsflash asked as the two nodded.
"Yes in Stalliongrad, Kursk, and the invasion of Germany." The mare said flatly, Jorge sighed remembering all the battles that the two have been through.
"So who are you?" Newsflash asked.
"I am General Shade Silent of the 34th Sharpshooter Division." She stated as Newsflash nodded.
"So tell me; after the Battle of Stalliongrad where did you go?" She asked.
"Kursk." Jorge stated..
"It was one of the bloodiest battles of the war next Stalliongrad." Shade added.
"I have to say it was a very bold move by the Germans and brilliant if everything would worked out like they wanted it to. But they didn't count on the thousands of tanks that were waiting on them in reserve, but it came at a price for all of us. So many of our comrades died those days during the battle." Jorge said.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&list=WLShKAQDNVJ-0wl5gx1b-otTQ_8ml79Gbu&v=M9iiCuocNqg#t=1293
(Flashback)
Shade looked over the battlefield map on the outside towns and fields of Kursk and sighed she was in charge of the southern defense making sure to hold the line and stop the Germans from cutting them off and killing them.
"Move your artillery here outside Prokhorov and mine the banks and fields across the river, I want those bastards to pay for each step they take. We need to hold them here or all is lost, make it happen Jorge.” She ordered.
"Yes general." He said as he and Sgt. Crimson headed out to do their orders.
As the two walked outside they could see rows and rows of T-34s rolling to their staging areas.
"Do you think it's going to be this bad? The Germans can't keep losing the way they are." Crimson asked as Jorge stopped and looked back at him.
"Crimson did you learn nothing at Stalliongrad? The fascist are monsters and will fight just as savage to get what they want, I have no doubt that the battle is going to be fierce and bloody. You will do well to remember that comrade." Jorge said hefting his PPSH walking towards one of the Equestrian jeeps.
"Yes Comrade Sgt. Major." Crimson stated as he got up on the machine gun on the back as they headed to gather the soldiers.
As they drove on they picked up Sgt. Overkill who was heading to the stage point, after a few months all three were folded into the 38th Army under General Shade.
"Hey comrade Overkill!" Crimson yelled as the jeep stopped beside him.
"Ah comrade Crimson, Sgt. Major. Good to see you, going my way?" He asked as Crimson motioned for him to climb in.
"Come on comrade we're all going to the same place no need to walk when you can ride." Jorge stated while Overkill smiled and hopped in.
"Thank you comrades, my hooves are killing me." He said shouldering his pack while climbing into the jeep as they started down the road again.
(End flashback)
"The Germans launched a massive offensive trying to cut us off and kill everyone inside the pocket and deal a crippling blow to the motherland. If they won here then they could easily take back all the ground they lost after Stalliongrad." Shade stated, Newsflash nodded showing that she was paying attention.
"What was it like during the battle? Can you describe it for me?" She asked as Jorge gave a grim nod.
(Flashback)
Jorge looked around the battered village of Prokhorov. They had already been hit with the German artillery. A T-34 was unlucky enough to be hit right in front of them while it had been repositioning, a small trail of black smoke still rose from the engine block. His platoon was dug in by a house on the northern side. His squad of conscripts were mismatched, half fresh from basic and the other half veterans of the battle of Stalliongrad. Crimson was standing next to him fiddling with his Thompson. Jorge heard an odd sound, it almost seemed like whistling . . . Oh Shi-
"GET DOWN!" Jorge yelled over the blast of an artillery shell. He and Crimson dove behind the wreckage of the T-34. A single T-34-85 rolled up besides them and turned its barrel towards the edge of the village. Jorge popped his head just over the wreckage and grasped his PPSh tighter.
"By Celestia . . . There's hundreds of them!" Jorge exclaimed as a veritable swarm of grey shapes crested the hill at the edge of the village, almost an entire battalion of panzers.
"That's why we have the artillery comrade!" Crimson said and almost as if on queue a large explosion ripped through the lead lance of panzers. The artillery barrage was pre-sighted and lasted for thirty seconds, but at the end most of the panzers were unscathed. The T-34 next to them opened fire with its 75mm cannon and a Panzer-IV in the front exploded into a fireball, the fuel tank detonating and burning the crew alive.
Soviet tanks fired their cannons from enclosed positions all around the sergeant majors platoon. The panzer battalion was gutted, but the remaining tanks regrouped and fired their heavy cannons.
The T-34 next to Jorge rocked back as an 88mm round impacted the turret and the gun sagged towards the ground, The driver started to reverse but another shell hit the track and shrapnel flew everywhere. Jorge tried to duck back behind the wreck but felt a stinging pain in his cheek. He reached up with a hand and felt the wound, luckily it wasn't too deep.
“We’ve got Panzer Grenadiers in the village!” Overkill shouted over the deafening sound of tank cannons and artillery guns. Overkill commanded a squad of Guards Riflemen, elite infantry trained nearly thrice as much as conscripts and seen over five times as much combat. Jorge and Crimson popped over the top of the T-34 and saw the Panzer Grenadiers on the edge of the village of Prokhorov. Jorge looked through the sights on his PPSh, putting a Grenadier just above the middle and fired a small burst. The Grenadier fell to the ground and clutched his side, not a half second later both the Russian and German platoons erupted with fire.
Jorge’s squad fired their PPSh-41’s with impunity and Overkill’s suppressed and picked off the enemy with their DP-28’s and Mosin-Nagants respectively. The Germans returned fire with MP-40’s, K98-K’s, Gewehr-43’s, and even a single MG-42. Jorge reloaded his SMG and looked over at Crimson. Crimson pulled out a grenade and gave a silent nod to Jorge, who pulled out his own grenade. Both of them half stood up and lobbed the grenades with all their might. The grenades landed within the German platoon and Jorge heard a cry from the enemy position.
“GRANATEN!”
BOOOOOM
The Grenades detonated at the same time, neither distinguishable from the other. All fire from the Germans position halted. “We did it!” one of the conscripts cried and stood up.
“NO! Get back down” Jorge commanded the conscript.
“But-” the conscript was cut off as an MG-42 mounted in a Panther cut him down. The tank’s advance on their position was cut short as five T-34-85’s crested over the railway and opened up on the Panther tank destroying it in one volley.
“We’re not out of the woods yet comrades”
(End Flashback)
