Читаем Chieftains полностью

'Soldiers of the 1st British Corps of the NATO Northern Army Group have been in action since the onset of hostilities in the British zone of responsibility to the east of Hannover.'

'Too fucking true, mate,' agreed the corporal sitting beside his transistor.

'Shut up, Nash,' growled the staff sergeant.

'…NATO Defence Headquarters, now evacuated from Brussels to minimize the risk of attack on the Belgium capital, reported in a communique issued a few minutes ago that forces of Belgium, Britain, Germany, the Netherlands and United States are all involved in the fighting, and that there are at present eight major defensive actions along the entire front.

'The communique said that the Soviet advance had been slowed down, and although no casualty figures were available those of the Soviet Union were very high.

'Soviet fighter aircraft and medium range bombers, bearing the insignias of the Frontovaya and Dal'naya Aviatsiya have made repeated raids on the north German towns of Lübeck, Hamburg, Hannover and Braunschweig. Heavy casualties are reported among the civilian populations.

'At 06.00 hours this morning, ministers of the North Atlantic Council, NATO's governing body, were called into immediate session. We will have more news of that later in the broadcast.

'In New York, the United Nations Security Council emergency debate on the crisis was resumed. Earlier today, the Soviet and Chinese delegations staged a brief walk-out when the Japanese delegates denounced the invasion of Western Europe as "wanton treachery by insatiable expansionists!" '

'Sodding Chinese! Last bloody Chairman was supposed to be a mate of ours.…they're like the bleeding Vicar of Bray.' The staff sergeant had a pinch of dark tobacco in the palm of his hand and began rolling a match-thin cigarette.

'…here, at home, the Prime Minister, Mr James Newlin, called the invasion an "act of unparalleled insanity and barbarity, more dangerous to the future of all mankind than any the world has ever previously experienced". He called on all world leaders to support the determined fight to maintain the freedom of the West, and congratulated the President of the French Republic, Monster Charles Dupré, on his government's decision to join those of the NATO alliance in the defence of West Germany. Five divisions of the French First Army, including three mechanized divisions, are expected to move eastwards in support of the American forces.