'Odin' and Stalin's Secret Committee

[RustyHunter]

This is a really good mystery! It's a bit of a mystery how Odinatsat and the hijacking fits into the murders. She doesn't strike me as someone that would murder her own cadets, and I'd think the Committee would know about that.

I really like Lyadov as a narrator! I've never thought what an NKVD goon would be like, and I think you did a good job getting in his shoes.

Rozitis seems to be getting himself into more trouble than he realizes, and Lyadov might not be the best partner for him...

 

[nuclearslurpee]

This update didn't happen.

The mystery deepens. I admit, it has been long enough that I do not recall all of the details, but from what I do recall I do not think Odinatsat is the culprit, but it is quite certain that she knows more than any other party in this story. The murder of Cadet Kalyagin is suspicious, to be sure, but arguably too suspicious - surely Odinatsat would know that to ensure her student's silence would only draw attention to herself, accomplishing little if anything.

A gripping narrative to be sure!

The surprising thing here is not Rozïtis‘ musical knowledge, but Lyadov himself knowing so much about it. Not the expected province of a humble NKVD lieutenant/goon. What is his background again? It’s been a while and I can’t recall his backstory, if there was one.

I must second this, it is more than a bit suspicious and I begin to suspect that even Lt. Lyadov is not entirely, how do you say, above the board, da?

 

[roverS3]

I certainly am, Gandalf!

The wizard has arrived!

The British AI continues to disappoint, but perhaps not as much as the US one.

That's a really low bar to clear.

There is some minor pedantry around HMS Virago but I am more than happy to never speak of it again, because frankly given the impressive amount of detail you are mastering in these updates it is an utterly unimportant detail.

You made me curious, so I looked it up, and yes, Virago wasn't built yet in October 1942. Thanks for letting that one slide.

Time to consider recruiting him into the service of the Committee?

Let's not get ahead of ourselves here.

Lyadov is either delightfully naive or, more likely, is writing for his possible audience!

Now I’m convinced he’s writing for his audience.

You don't become an NKVD Lieutenant of State Security by not pandering to your superiors.

A touch of the Sherlock Holmes?

I can see that, though he doesn't seem to play the violin himself. There was, however, a reference to another fictional detective in the update, which wasn't noticed. Perhaps it was too subtle?

The surprising thing here is not Rozïtis‘ musical knowledge, but Lyadov himself knowing so much about it. Not the expected province of a humble NKVD lieutenant/goon. What is his background again? It’s been a while and I can’t recall his backstory, if there was one.

I must second this, it is more than a bit suspicious and I begin to suspect that even Lt. Lyadov is not entirely, how do you say, above the board, da?

There has been no backstory for Lyadov (yet), which is why you don't recall it. And yes, it does seem atypical for an NKVD Lieutenant to have such a good knowledge of music. Maybe that's that little thing that makes him stand out from the crowd of NKVD goons? Also, has there ever been an NKVD Lieutenant who is entirely 'above the board' as you say?

Yes - his own well-being, foremost! These are dangerous things to be mixed up with in Stalin’s Russia.

Considering he could also be fighting on the German front, I'd reckon he could be in more danger still.

This is a really good mystery! It's a bit of a mystery how Odinatsat and the hijacking fits into the murders. She doesn't strike me as someone that would murder her own cadets, and I'd think the Committee would know about that.

The mystery deepens. I admit, it has been long enough that I do not recall all of the details, but from what I do recall I do not think Odinatsat is the culprit, but it is quite certain that she knows more than any other party in this story. The murder of Cadet Kalyagin is suspicious, to be sure, but arguably too suspicious - surely Odinatsat would know that to ensure her student's silence would only draw attention to herself, accomplishing little if anything.

Not to mention that each murder victim was found with a note referencing one of Odinatsat's aliases pinned to their bodies. Sure, most people don't know about her past aliases, but it's still a massive risk to take if she were to be the murderer. As to who did the breakin, I guess you'll have to wait for Lyadov's little investigation...
I'm glad you're enjoying this @RustyHunter .

I really like Lyadov as a narrator! I've never thought what an NKVD goon would be like, and I think you did a good job getting in his shoes.

Thanks. It's a bit of a balancing act. As an NKVD goon he's obviously been trained, even indoctrinated, to think and work a certain way, but at the same time, he can't just be a caricature, he's still his own person, yet he's writing a report for his superiors, so working hard to fit their expectations, at least in his writing.

Rozitis seems to be getting himself into more trouble than he realizes, and Lyadov might not be the best partner for him...

As far as NKVD goons go, it seems to me Lyadov has been quite flexible with the Inspector, and he seems to actually enjoy the detective's musical numbers. It could definitely have been a lot worse.

This update didn't happen.

Of course not, and saying it did will result in a one way trip to Siberia.

A gripping narrative to be sure!

Thanks. With all the planning and rewriting that's gone into this little detective story, I'm glad it seems to be hitting the mark.

I've been quite busy over the summer with my internship, which has been fascinating, and very much on the intersection between music and architecture. I even tried to get my master's thesis done for mid August. Turns out that was pretty much impossible, but I still made some good headway. In retrospect I'm really glad I actually wrote down the whole structure of Rozitis' investigation before starting my internship, because I'm not sure I would have remembered exactly what my plan was when I returned to writing it. I hope you're all doing well in these difficult times. Have a nice day.

 

[Finshades]

That's a lot of things that didn't happen, and some that might or might not have happened.

I'm starting to wonder if this case isn't coming a bit too close for comfort. Odinatsat's previous identities, flouted right in the face of a highly skilled detective. Her modified staff car, and now liaisons with said detective. A British spy, and disappearing cadets. Had they been able to rule out further suspects, it might have been simpler to simply apply the tried and tested Soviet solution of simply making everyone involved disappear permanently. Alas, this doesn't seem like something Odinatsat would do, unless she was trying to get someone's attention or prove something. Bad enough that we have two competing, highly skilled spies with our detective in the middle, but there's also the Americans, no doubt watching every move. Seems like all sides still have more tricks up their sleeves.

 

[Wraith11B]

Hearing about the detective dancing about certainly reminded me of another detective who listens to music while making good insights into the case...

 

[El Pip]

The committee is getting a bit soft frankly. At this point the proper Soviet response is to kill off 'Odinatsat', not necessarily because she is guilty (though I think she might be) but because she is too much of a loose cannon and becoming an intolerable security risk. Quick 9mm haircut and then bury her in an unmarked grave in Siberia, thus ensuring there is no possibility of the Committee or it's secrets being compromised.

That said, all of Rozïtis' excellent work does deserve some form of result and not just hitting a literal dead end, so from a story perspective it is best it doesn't happen. I just don't think it's the best option for Odin and co.

 

[Wraith11B]

Here I am thinking that Rozïtis should be placed in charge of counter intelligence operational training...

 

[roverS3]

That's a lot of things that didn't happen, and some that might or might not have happened.

Such are the realities of the Soviet Union, and the ever-present NKVD, that many things only happen hypothetically or not at all.

I'm starting to wonder if this case isn't coming a bit too close for comfort. Odinatsat's previous identities, flouted right in the face of a highly skilled detective. Her modified staff car, and now liaisons with said detective. A British spy, and disappearing cadets. Had they been able to rule out further suspects, it might have been simpler to simply apply the tried and tested Soviet solution of simply making everyone involved disappear permanently. Alas, this doesn't seem like something Odinatsat would do, unless she was trying to get someone's attention or prove something. Bad enough that we have two competing, highly skilled spies with our detective in the middle, but there's also the Americans, no doubt watching every move. Seems like all sides still have more tricks up their sleeves.

The committee is getting a bit soft frankly. At this point the proper Soviet response is to kill off 'Odinatsat', not necessarily because she is guilty (though I think she might be) but because she is too much of a loose cannon and becoming an intolerable security risk. Quick 9mm haircut and then bury her in an unmarked grave in Siberia, thus ensuring there is no possibility of the Committee or it's secrets being compromised.

Well. With the murders seemingly focused on 'Odinatsat' in particular, making her disappear might make the murders stop, or it could lead to the murderer to move heaven and earth in an attempt to find her. This we do not want, though it might allow us to identify them, if XI and the murderer are not the same person, that is. It's a difficult call to make, obviously there is this murderer on the loose, and we need to figure out who they are, but we also don't want the Committee's Secrets to be exposed. When do we pull the plug? And how do we give the investigation enough room to find the murderer without them finding out about the existence of the Committee? With the OSS snooping around, an investigation by a Committee member seems too risky as exposure of our Secrets would be even more likely if this Committee operative is somehow identified by the Americans, or the detective.

Yes, having some NKVD grunt do the actual tokarev solution on her, and burying the body in Siberia would not leave a trail that leads to the Committee, but as opposed to much of the Soviet Union, the Committee, if you remember, was started based on the premise of giving people a second chance to serve the Soviet Union albeit covertly, and insulated from society. I'm also not sure 'Odin' has it in him to let that happen. In a way, 'Odinatsat' became almost a daughter to him during her long recovery. As for 'Shest', he is definitely still infatuated with her ever since they had that affair back in France, she seems to be his kryptonite. With no real identity, and thus no family, the Committee members become a small tribe, a family almost, relying on each other more than anyone else to get the job done. However reckless she can be, I think that, deep down, the core committee members trust that 'Odinatsat' will not under any circumstance reveal their existence in any way.

That said, all of Rozïtis' excellent work does deserve some form of result and not just hitting a literal dead end, so from a story perspective it is best it doesn't happen. I just don't think it's the best option for Odin and co.

I seem to have written myself into something of a corner. The more Rozïtis finds out, the more difficult it is to justify a hands-off approach by the Committee. But of course, if he's not getting any results, he wouldn't be a rather good detective, so his whole character, and his raison d'être is called into question. What will happen to the detective depends very much on how much, and what, he finds out. Anything that can be explained away without revealing the existence of the Secret Committee will be, and if that doesn't work and he digs deeper, tough decisions will have to be made. Maybe some suspension of disbelief will be required, though I'll try to keep things somewhat reasonable.

Here I am thinking that Rozïtis should be placed in charge of counter intelligence operational training...

That does make quite a bit of sense, he does seem to have the skills, though I'm not sure the NKVD would trust a Latvian to fill such a key role. After all, a few years ago Latvia wasn't even in the Soviet Union (though his parents were).

Hearing about the detective dancing about certainly reminded me of another detective who listens to music while making good insights into the case...

That scene is great, now I have to watch the whole movie. Looks like I've been missing out on some musical vigilante/detective work. I can't believe I never heard about the Boondock Saints.

I've started working on the next update, but I won't have much time next week, nor really next weekend, so it could take a couple of weeks to be finished and uploaded. It will be the next instalment on the investigation.

 

[roverS3]

11th of October, 9am Moscow Time,

As I arrived at breakfast, a thick folder from 'Shest' was waiting for me. It seems a lot has happened in Leningrad these past few days. First was a report from the NKVD people who track arrivals at Leningrad Shosseynaya Airport (Pulkovo Airport):

Shosseynaya Airport in 1933. One building and a gravel airstrip. it's been somewhat improved through the years, mostly with military infrastructure. The passenger terminal remains the same old building.​

General Markkur's Beechcraft C-45 landed at 9pm on the 8th of October. The US Consul General's personal V12 Packard and a V8 Ford arrived about fifteen minutes later. Captain Johnson stepped out of the Ford, towards the plane. Only when the captain got to the door, was it opened from the inside. The general stepped out and as both men walked slowly towards te Packard they talked, rather quietly, exchanging only short sentences. A US Marine Sergeant stepped out of the Packard, holding the door open for the General before going to pick up the V8 ford. Johnson got in the front passenger seat of the Packard. The car wafted off towards the docks, entirely unbothered at the fact they were being quite obviously followed by several NKVD vehicles, including my own. The V8 Ford returned directly to the Consulate General.

They drove straight up to a large crate with diplomatic markings, which was guarded by US Marines, who swiftly straightened their uniforms and stood at attention. The Packard ground to a halt about ten meters from it. The US Marines Lieutenant in charge approached the rear of the car. As he did so, the window rolled down, and General Markkur gave him an order. The Lieutenant briefly looked further into the car for confirmation before yelling out: "Open her up!"

With a ladder and two crowbars they pried off the front panel of the crate, sending it clattering down onto paved surface below, revealing the front of a rather large automobile. Captain Johnson got out of the Packard, and made his way into the crate, where he had to climb over parts of the vehicle, to get to the steering wheel. A few minutes later, there was a deep rumble, and the Captain inched the vehicle, ever so slowly as to not scratch the paintwork, out of the crate. My research has revealed the vehicle in question is a four-door convertible 1933 Duesenberg Model SJ. Diplomatic plates were already affixed.

Johnson drove it up to the rear passenger-side door of the Packard, which seemed rather ordinary in comparison. The General stepped out of the Consul General's vehicle on his own as the Captain had just started the long walk around the front of the Duesenberg. Markkur got in, and swiftly slid over to the driver's seat, before firmly fixing a fur hat on his head. By the time Johnson got to the passenger side door, he was faced with a fait accompli, and he got into the passenger seat, though an NKVD observer noted he was quite hesitant to get into the car with the General.

It soon became clear why. Markkur gave it the beans. A deep rumble turned into a mighty roar, and the entire car leaned back on it's rear wheels before charging off down the pier, leaving the US Marines, and the V12 packard in a cloud of tire smoke and exhaust fumes. Terrorising the regular road users, pedestrians, and wildlife alike, the General blasted his way through the city, towards the Consulate General, the V12 packard could barely keep up in it's wake, despite the fact that Markkur was having to occasionally, and reluctantly, slow his Duesenberg down to give lesser vehicles a chance to get out of his way.

The General is thought to reside in the Consulate General, the exact reasons for his stay are unclear. Will investigate further.

Top, a USAAF Beechcraft C-45 aeroplane (military version of the Beechcraft Model 18 'twin beech'), used by General Markkur as his personal plane during his time in the Soviet Union. Bottom a 1933 Duesenberg Model SJ. The SJ was a marked improvement over the J, featuring a supercharger to give the 7 liter straight eight engine a bit more oomph, upping the power output from 265 bhp to 320 bhp. It had a top speed of around 235 km/h and could accelerate from 0-100 km/h in about 8 seconds. These cars were faster than the Buggati's of the time, despite being a lot longer and heavier.​

I find it hard to believe that Markkur's trip to Leningrad is a coincidence. The second file grouped exerpts from Lieutenant Lyadov's reports on the ongoing investigation:

7th of October

Inspector Rozïtis arrived late, finding a note on his desk:

"Inspector,

I hereby cordially invite you and your Lieutenant of State Security to stay away from the 1st Naval Infantry Brigade's current training exercise. This is in the interest of the Soviet Union, and for your safety, as live rounds will be used in parts of it. Following our return tomorrow morning, my office will, of course, continue to supply you with anything you may need for your investigation. As long as it does not interfere with the Brigade's training schedule.

All the best,

MajGen. Bordanovisy
CO 1st Naval Infantry Brigade"

We both agreed that going against the General's suggestion would be counterproductive for our investigation. This meant that we found ourselves in the mostly empty Naval Infantry wing of the Naval Academy. Rozïtis spent the morning going over all manner of files without much new insight.

By lunch we both had enough, and in the afternoon lunch, we had a stroll around the Naval Infantry Wing of the Academy. This lead us to the discovery that Major Goleniewsky's office was significantly smaller than those of the other Naval Infantry Majors. It was just about average for a Captain's office. Rozïtis remarked that he had heard rumours that Goleniewsky's promotion to Major had been forced on MajGen Bordanovisy, which might explain why she hasn't been given a new office fitting to her rank.

A thorough search of her office revealed a surprisingly large amount of firearms hidden around the place, but no smoking guns, so to speak. But then again, as the inspector pointed out, there wouldn't be, would there. I did my best to put everything back the way it was when we got there, while Rozïtis pointed out that it was a pointless effort as she would definitely notice we had been there upon her return. He wasn't in the greatest of moods today. Maybe it was the lack of progress, or maybe he missed having the Major around. This slow day only increased my doubts about Rozïtis and the new direction of this investigation.

8th of October

Having had trouble sleeping, I arrived late today, and when I got to the office, I noted Major Goleniewsky was sitting, rather seductively I might add, on Inspector Rozïtis' desk. She was facing away from me, and towards the chair, which I assumed contained the detective. I moved towards my left until I could see past the Major's lightly arched back. He immediately noticed my presence:

"Ah, Lyadov, nice of you to join us."

As he said it, Goleniewsky quickly grabbed her crutch, got up from the desk and straightened her uniform.

"Major Goleniewsky here has just invited me to join her at the premiere of "Gayaneh" tomorrow evening. It's the new ballet composed by Aram Khachaturian. Major, you wouldn't have another ticket so the Lieutenant can join us?"

"I'm afraid not. It's sold out."

I decided to prod her a little:

"And what about Starshina Kharkov, doesn't he like the ballet?"

"Oh, Sergei does like the ballet, but he is on duty that night. Of course, to not let the ticket go to waste, I immediately thought of Inspector Rozïtis. He's a very musical man after all."

Maybe she just heard about his humming and whistling during his crime scene visits, or maybe she knows something about the Inspector I don't. Rozïtis looked at me, then back at the Major, which prompted Goleniewsky to leave.

As soon as she was out of the room, the detective had a big grin on his face, and as soon as she was out of earshot, he exclaimed:

"This is great news. I love the ballet."

I responded: "But Inspector, what about the investigation? the murders?"

"This is exactly what the investigation needs. You see, I arranged for an invitation to be sent to the Major. All part of an initiative by the Kirov State Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet to recognise those officers in Leningrad who earned substantial decorations recieved following their actions on the front. With her order of Aleksander Nevsky medal, Goleniewsky qualifies. I was wondering what she would do with it, as I could find nothing in her record to suggest she's a music lover."

"So, she invited you to go to the Ballet. Now what?"

"Well, I go with her to the Ballet, what else did you expect?"

"Something that would help with the investigation, perhaps."

I was getting somewhat frustrated. Was he giving me the run-around, or did he really believe that going to the ballet with Goleniewsky would solve our case for us?

"Lyadov, Lyadov, Lyadov. The ballet is the perfect place for espionage. I'd be surprised if nothing interesting happens."

We speculated briefly on what might happen at the ballet, and I prodded the detective again to ascertain whether he was fallig for the Major or playing her. Results were inconclusive to say the least.

Rozïtis busied himself by preparing for the ballet by looking at the blueprints of the theatre and making phonecalls, possibly to whatever contacts he had in the ballet. He certainly wasn't forthcoming with information on who he might know there. I get the feeling he's pulling away from me, but it's hard to know why exactly. Is he doing things the NKVD might frown upon in order to solve this case? Is he trying to hide his growing affection for Irina Goleniewsky?

Top: The 1937 Lagonda LG45 of the British Consul in Leningrad. Bottom: The 1939 Packard Twelve of the American Consul General in Leningrad.​

9th of October

As the detective prepared for his ballet date with Major Goleniewsky, I did some investigating of my own. At Muruzi House. I spoke to all of the Major's neighbours. My aim was to figure out if the Major had been out the night of the murder on cadet Kalyagin and the break-in at the naval academy. Oddly, none of her neighbours had seen any suspicious comings and goings. What was strange, was that they all used the same phrase:

"Major Goleneiwsky is rather private person, I don't really pay attention to her comings and goings."

This smells of a cover-up, a rather hasty one at that. It's almost as if the Major wants someone to figure out it's a cover-up.

Having once again reached a dead end, I made my way over to the State Academic Kirov Theatre of Opera & Ballet. I found the perfect spot to watch the arrivals. A little café on the corner of Glinka Street and Decembrists Street. From my seat, I could watch the arriving guests being driven in their cars, over theatre square, right up to the entrance. Mostly, they were the usual suspects: A bunch of ZiS-101 and GaZ M1 variants delivered high ranking Soviet Officers and apparatchiks, foreign saloons delivered the diplomatic representatives of the UK, the United States, and Sweden. Then, I was pulled from my relative boredom by a deep rumble that overpowered all the other engines around. Around the corner came a monster of an automobile. The bonnet was higher and wider than all the others, and it had shiny tubes sticking out on one side. It was also a convertible, and the roof was down, despite the cold. A US Army captain was driving, and in the back was a US Army General. I had to look twice as they were wearing woolen caps ins Later research revealed it was General Markkur, one of the top US liaison officers in the Soviet Union.

The detective and the Major arrived about ten minutes later, not long before the curtain call. He was wearing his usual suit, but with a bow tie. Major Goleniewsky wore a white-blue striped scarf, and the long coat of her winter uniform over an elegant navy blue dress and blue high heels with red soles. Her cast must have been taken off in the last two days as it was gone, though it was clear she needed help to walk, especially on those heels. Around her neck, on a red lanyard, hung her order of Alexandr Nevsky, and she had affixed a small naval infantry patch to her hair bun. There was no way to identify her rank, but it was very clear which branch she was from. When the last of the audience made their way inside I was mostly left wondering where she had hidden her gun in her outfit, which was very definitely a breach of the Naval Infantry dress code.

The theatre square became rather quiet, and I settled down in my seat for the next two hours. Not knowing what was going on inside the theatre, I expected the NKVD officers providing security for the première to keep everyone safe, and to report any irregularities up the chain. If these few hours could crack the case somehow, I was all for it.

Top: The State Academic Kirov Theatre of Opera & Ballet (Mariinsky Theatre) opened in 1860. It was, and still is one of the two most influential Ballet and Opera venues in Russia, and Europe, along with it's long term rival, the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow.​

Bottom: Aram Khachaturian with ballerinas Natalia Dudinskaya (Gayane) and Tatanya Vecheslova (Nune) during the première of his ballet Gayane on the 9th of December 1942. This première happened not in Leningrad, but in Perm (then known as Molotov) where the Theatre found a temporary home during the Siege of Leningrad.​

​

A video of the final act of 'Gayane' performed by the Bolshoi in 1964, directed by Khachaturian himself. Skip to 26:12 for the world famous sabre dance.​

Two hours and several litres of tea later, I was pulled out of my wandering thoughts by a woman's piercing scream. Looking over, I noticed that much of the audience was rushing out of the theatre, and hurrying to their cars. By now, the ballet was over, and it was clear something rather dramatic must have happened for such a reaction to take place. Amidst the escaping crowd, inspector Rozïtis and Major Goleniewsky were no-where to be seen. One of the last people to run out was the US consul with his entourage. There was also no sign of the US Army General and his driver as evidenced by the quiet and imposing presence of the massive convertible amongst the dwindling number of cars parked to the side of the theatre square.

Just as I was pondering whether I should rush over to the theatre to see what was going on, the waiter appeared behind me:

"Lieutenant, telephone for you at the bar."

I was dressed in civilian clothing, so I was rather surprised that the waiter called me by my rank. When I picked up the phone, it became clear why. The detective was calling me from inside the theatre. He must have spotted me earlier, and expected me to still be there.

"Lyadov. I should've known you wouldn't be able to stay away. I understand, you've got a job to do after all. Since you're there, would you please come over to the theatre right away. It's rather important."

As I crossed the street, police and NKVD vehicles started to arrive, and when I got to the front door, the NKVD sergeant checking my documents was on edge:

"Lieutenant of State Security Lyadov... Yes, Inspector Rozïtis is expecting you. 3rd circle, box number 5."

I rushed up the monumental stairs of the foyer until I reached the third level, then went straight on to the left until I reached box number 5. Before I got close to the box, I was once again stopped by an NKVD sergeant who asked to see my papers, but Rozïtis, who was standing further down the hallway saw me and told the sergeant to let me through. The doors to the box were open, but I couldn't see inside it. Right outside the box, looking in, stood three people: Detective Ivars Rozïtis, US General Markkur, and Major Irina Golenewsky. The Major had lost or kicked off her shoes, she was holding a tokarev with a silencer in one hand, and supporting herself on the General's shoulder with the other. There was a tear in her dress, revealing a thigh holster underneath, answering my question about where she would hide a weapon. Detective Rozïtis couldn't help himself, he was humming part of the Ballet they had just watched while he was concentrated on the inside of the box. (turns out the part he was humming is called the sabre dance, oddly fitting really) The General struggled to hide a mix of sadness and anger behind his stern expression.

A seat map of the Kirov Theatre performance hall. (the box where the murder was committed is highlighted in red)
​

The General's surprising presence was explained when I got to the box. There was a fresh corpse, not even half an hour old. It was an American military man, a certain Captain Johnson, the General's driver, and presumably his right hand man. He had been murdered, following the exact same script as the other two murders. Multiple stab wounds, looked like the same kind of knife had been used, and there was a note, from the same typewriter:

"As opposed to you, Madeleine, this one stays dead."

We went through the motions as more and more police and nkvd personnel arrived. The General and the Major looked on, the detective insisted they stay there. Once we were done with the crime scene, we turned to the two observers. Inspector Rozïtis first questioned the General in the box next door, telling Major Goleniewsky to stay put:

"You and Captain Johnson were meant to be seated in box nr. 10 on the bel étage. What was your captain doing all the way up here?"

"I guess he wanted to stretch his legs. He wasn't a big fan of the Ballet, but he always goes along with me out of a sense of duty. He probably got bored, or went looking for the restroom, and found that he preferred to meander the empty hallways while he waited for the performance to finish. It wouldn't be Captain Johnson's first time doing so."

"If I understand correctly, in your function of Military observer you are based out of Moscow, but you make occasional trips to the front. What brings you, and Captain Johnson, to Leningrad General?"

"As I said, I really enjoy the Ballet, and I wanted to be at the première." - looking at me - "I'm sure the NKVD is aware that I arrived in the city only yesterday." - and back to looking at the dtective- "Now, during my time here, I planned to mix some business with the pleasure that is the ballet. By visiting the Naval academy, the docks, the military hospital, and by taking delivery of my personal car, which finally made it here from the states. Captain Johnson and I planned a week-long trip. I'm staying at the US consulate as a guest, so if you have any additional questions feel free to call the consulate and they will set up a meeting."

"My condolences for this brutal loss. Have you and Captain Johnson been working together for a long time?"

"It definitely felt like a long time. I took him under my wing as he graduated from west point three years ago, and he's been by right hand man for about two years now. As you probably know, two years is an eternity in these troubled times, and it feels more as if I've worked with him for a decade."

"Did the Captain have any enemies I should know about? Has either of you met Major Irina Goleniewsky before tonight?"

"Outside of our common enemies, the Axis Powers, not that I know of. Today is the first time I've met the stunning Major Irina Goleniewsky. I cannot speak for Captain Johnson, but I would expect he would have said something, had he met her before. And I must say, the Soviet Union is spoiled. We don't have any US Marines that could look that good in a dress."

"Could you elaborate on what you and Captain Johnson were doing before your posting in the Soviet Union as Military observer and liaison officer?"

"I'm afraid that's classified, Inspector."

"All right General, I won't keep you any longer. Myself or Lieutenant Lyadov will be in touch in the coming days. Please check in regularly with your Consulate."

As the General passed Goleniewsky they briefly made eye contact. For a fraction of a second, I had the feeling that this isn't the first time they've met, that they might even be in cahoots somehow. My train of thought was interrupted by the detective:

"Irina, would you come in here please, we need to talk."

Rozïtis insisted he interview the Major on his own, but anticipating such a request, I simply went onto the balcony next door and listened in.

"I think it's time to cut the crap, Irina. These murders seem to be following you around. This time, you went to the restroom around the time Captain Johnson was killed. Another unlikely coïncidence, I'm sure."

She picked up on his doubtful, almost sarcastic tone.

"Ivars. You don't mean to say that you think I am commiting these murders."

"I don't know anymore Irina, I want to believe you have nothing to do with all this, but the evidence all points to a strong connection. Your total denial of this connection makes it hard for me to trust you, and you know I desperately want to."

"You're right Ivars, I also don't want this thing we have to end. I want you to know, I'm afraid for my life, I'm terrified, and that's why I haven't opened up to you before. So, here it goes, the truth, or at least what I can tell you."

She took a long breath

"My past is coming back to haunt me. I don't know who is killing these people, nor in most cases why them in particular, and if I did I couldn't tell you. What I can tell you with near certainty is that they are targeted at me. The names on the notes are, as you probably have been suspecting, old code-names from my GRU days. I'm terrified, Ivars, how would anyone have gotten all these different aliases from different missions and connected them to me. Even my old handlers don't know about all four of the names in the notes. People keep dying around me, and I feel like I'm powerless to do anything about it. I don't want to go back into the GRU to sort this out, I just want to be a soldier and kill the enemy in battle."

Now she was really crying. Rozïtis tried to calm her down.

"It's going to be okay Irina, I'll get you a protective detail, and we'll get to the bottom of this."

The sobbing became muffled, as I expect the detective gave her a comforting hug.

"Oh, thank you Ivars. What would I do without you."

She was really putting on the charm now.

"So, let's go over the murders, Irina. First, Captain Zimkov, anything you haven't told me?"

"This is all between you and me, right Ivars, off the record?"

"Of course darling. That's why I had Lyadov stay outside."

"Well, I think he was doing some counter-espionage work on the side, he figured out that I used to be in his line of work, so he met me at that bar and he asked me a few pointers because he was in a tricky situation. Next think I know he turns up dead. Of course, I couldn't just tell you that, I had to protect his cover and respect his confidence in me."

"Ok, and Herbert Smith."

"No idea, maybe he was spying on me, or Zimkov, or something."

"Cadet Kalyagin?"

"Well, he was a very promising cadet for commando operations and the like, so I took him under my wing along with a few others, giving them extra training on my own time. I also brought them into contact with Captain Lieutenant Viktor Leonov of the Northern fleet, who commands his own bunch of naval commando's. I did all this outside of the chain of command. As you may have noticed, I am a bit stubborn, and I heve my own ideas about how naval Infatry should be trained. This one hit very close to home."

"And Captain Johnson?"

"I honestly wouldn't know, if only that maybe the murderer is trying to rattle me by killing a foreign officer in the same building as myself. If that's the case, it's working."

"All right, Irina, I'm glad you feel you can trust me, you're being a great help. If you want you can go now."

"Ivars, will you please sleep over at my place? Starshina Kharkov is on duty all night, and I don't think I'll be able to sleep without a strong man like yourself nearby."

"Of course, Irina, just wait for me in the foyer, and I'll be down in half an hour. We'll go home together."

Then I believe they kissed before parting ways. I waited ten seconds before I went back out into the hallway and entered box number 4. Rozïtis' suit was a bit ruffled, and there was some lipstick on his neck. I snapped.

"Detective, I must protest. You are far over the line of impropriety. This flirtation to get information is clearly turning into a full-blown amourous affair between yourself and a person of interest in your investigation. How can you even pretend to be objective after what just happened?"

Rozïtis was smiling, though it was tough to say whether he was smiling at my remark or still enjoying Irina's kiss. He soon proved it was the former.

"Lieutenant Lyadov. Have you been listening in? Of course you have. Now she's playing the damsell in distress, making me feel like her protector to stroke my ego. This act is also designed to make me see her, not so much as an active participant, but as a passive person who is suffering from the actions of others. She's pretending to put all her trust into me, and had I been half as in love with her as I pretended to be, it might have worked. You might have noticed that she hasn't told me anything I didn't already strongly suspect in some shape or fashion. She also talked as little as possible about her own actions. Zimkov was working counter-intelligence for the NKVD? Seems plausible, but she might very well have been his handler. She also indirectly took responsibility for the Ocean Senior non-incident.

She's working very hard to keep me close so I don't look too closely at what she's doing when I'm not there. That has a price, she has to open up, and help me keep her safe. Of course, we're only getting crumbs, but we learn as much from what she tells us than we do from what she doesn't. Will you give me five minutes. I need to go to the restroom. I'll be right back."

Rozïtis went into a service stairwell. I tried to follow him, but he lost me rather effortlessly in the maze of techincal and artist spaces. I found my way back to the hallway behind the third circle. Not two minutes later he re-emerged.

"I prefer the artist's restrooms, where I have confirmed my suspicion. Major Goleniewsky was meeting with Captain Johnson in box nr.5 of the third circle shortly before he was killed. But I don't think she killed him. When we arrived at the box and she saw the body, she was truly shocked, but I also saw some sadness at his passing, as if she had known the man. General Markkur strikes me as a Military Intelligence type, likely OSS, and I suspect they have met before, during her time as a spy."

"So she's a traitor? Meeting with US intelligence operatives instead of turning them in to the autorities."

"A traitor? Her? I don't think so. Irina is afraid of this murderer, and for some reason, probably because we lack quite a lot of information about her past, she doesn't believe we can get to them in time."

"So she goes and meets with the Americans? Tell them about her past? That's still treason right?"

"She's not telling them about her past, they're part of her past, one way or another. They also have information the NKVD and the GRU don't have. It's not that hard for her to convince the americans to help her, General Markkur either ows her a favour, or he would like for her to owe him one. I wouldn't be surprised if the General came to Leningrad specifically to help her find and root out this murderer. The world of espionage is far from black and white. The US and the Soviet Union share a common enemy, it wouldn't be entirely unbelieveable if some GRU and OSS operatives have worked together or at least tolerated each-other's presence when pursuing similar goals."

"It's a rather pragmatic way to view things, but it's not generally how we do things in the Soviet Union. It is very much frowned upon to collaborate, even with the enemy of one's enemy. Based on what you have deduced, and what she has told you, I could have Major Goleniewsky on a one-way train to Siberia by tomorrow morning. And I would be entirely justified. Name one good reason why I shouldn't do that right now."

"The murderer hasn't been caught yet."

"What are you going to do then, go home with a traitor, maybe even sleep with her? If this goes on, you'll be right on that train with her, you know."

"She's not going to sleep with me. She's too loyal to Starshina Kharkov, of course she does a very good job at hiding it when she's seudcing me. All that's beside the point, I'm curious as to what she is going to do if I stay over at her place every time the Starshina has the night shift. How will she manage to operate in the shadows ? Is she going to sneak out with me in the room? Now it's all about giving her enough rope to hang herself, or find the killer."

"I thought we were supposed to find the killer? What happened with that plan?"

"Well, to be fair, we're operating at a big disadvantage. We don't have nearly as much information as Major Goleniewsky, the OSS, or even the NKVD. More importantly, it could be very dangerous for us to get to know this information. The advantage we do have, is that we have an official mandate to bring in the murderer and their accomplices. If the OSS operatives, and the Major, don't want to end up in Siberia, or in front of the firing squad, their best bet is to somehow gift us the murderers. Or, you know they could just tell us the truth about Goleniewsky's past, and about who they think is doing this. But we both know that's not going to happen.

In the end we are not spies, and this case's resolution seems to be deeply buried in the shadowy world of international espionage. As you remarked, we've already more than overstepped our bounds in an attempt to get close. All we can do now is wait, observe, and trust that the Major and the Americans will uncover the killer. We must, of course, keep an eye on what they do, if only to make sure that they don't just hand us a scapegoat.

Well, look at that, time flies. There's a Naval Infantry Major waiting for me to escort her home. So, if you don't mind, I'll be off." - and off he went.

This reply is out of character for the detective, who has shown he was willing to overstep some boundaries to get results. Why would he stop pushing now, and content himself with watching the show as it unfolds to claim the credit in the end? It doesn't really add up, he has to be up to something, and his reluctance to share it with me only helps fuel my suspicions. He clearly has one, if not multiple, contacts within the Kirov, but he sneaks away to meet them. It's as if he's finding out things he doesn't trust anyone with, not even his colleague. I will now be surveilling Inspector Rozïtis around the clock, starting tonight at Major Goleniewsky's home. I would also like to stress that I do not condone the Inspector's latest actions. I'm looking for orders on how to proceed, and on whether the Inspector and Major Goleniewsky should be locked up now, or once the investigation is over.

There was another page to the report in which Lyadov rambles on about exactly which laws have been broken by both Inspector Rozïtis and Major Goleniewsky, but that doesn't really add to our understanding of the situation.

Once again the Committee is torn on the issue of what to do with the unfolding situation in Leningrad. While Rozïtis is getting closer to uncovering 'Odinatsat's past, the Americans are now very much involved, with General Markkur now likely leading a personal vendetta against whoever murdered Captain Johnson. 11 herself seems to be threading a fine line, revealing enough to keep the detective close, but not significantly more than what he already knows. Considering how calculated her responses are, it seems quite likely now that she has broken into Rozïtis' office at least once. It's not easy to say who is playing who between Goleniewsky and Rozïtis, but they are definitely playing a dangerous game. What is Rozïtis' endgame really, and how much is 'Odinatsat' going to reveal to keep the charade going? I'm sure we'll find out from Lyadov, who is gearing up to use every tool in his arsenal to keep tabs on his now secretive colleague and his new ladyfriend.

Any advise on how to handle this situation is most welcome, though I fear it may develop too quickly for us to react. At least our youngest committee member is still alive, and diplomatic relations with the Allies are not yet in significant trouble. As long as the murderer is found soon.

I wish you all an excellent day, and hope that the next Ballet performance you go to is less eventful than this one,

'Odin'

OOC: It's been a while, but I'm back again. Next update should be the regular 10-day report, followed by the next installement of our murder-mystery saga. This one proved a bit tricky, but the première of Gayaneh was the catalyst that could tie everything I had planned together.
The ballet was already practising for Gayaneh before their chaotic evacuation to Perm (Molotov at the time). This likely delayed the première by a few months. If Leningrad had remained relatively peaceful, I don't think an October première would be out of the realm of possibilities. Gayaneh is about Armenian farmers working in a Kolkhoz. They're all hard workers, except for Gayane's husband, who's a lazy drunkard and a criminal. They go through some trials and tribulations, ending in her husband being arrested, and the good worker who arrests him becoming her lover. In the final act, there is a bunch of weddings with Armenian folk dances. It's a celebration of the many ehtnicities happily working together under Socialism, which unites them against the lazy drunkards... The work was modified several times over the years by it's composer, to emphasize the romantic life of Gayaneh and her siblings and the exotic location (Armenia) over the political and patriotic aspects of the story which were front and centre in early renditions. The later versions are still performed today, mostly in Armenia.

 

[RustyHunter]

An excellent update, and I find Rozitis' motives really hard to make out. The fact both he and Odinatsat think they're playing the other makes this even more complicated, and we've got an impatient NKVD man ready to send some people to Siberia. I'm really enjoying this subplot and look forward to where it ends up.

 

[Bullfilter]

It's been a while, but I'm back again.

And a very welcome return it is! A very intricate plot is slowly unfolding. I suspect ze Germans, some SD or Gestapo type (from her time as a captive) but it could be something else.

It's a celebration of the many ehtnicities happily working together under Socialism, which unites them against the lazy drunkards...

Of course it is!

 

[Finshades]

Oh dear, what a mess. Lyadov is clearly falling back on tried-and-true NKVD protocol, but he also seems to be the only person involved who doesn't think he's playing everyone else for a fool. Someone out there knows far too much, and so do 11 and the good General at this point.

 

[roverS3]

An excellent update, and I find Rozitis' motives really hard to make out. The fact both he and Odinatsat think they're playing the other makes this even more complicated, and we've got an impatient NKVD man ready to send some people to Siberia. I'm really enjoying this subplot and look forward to where it ends up.

Oh dear, what a mess. Lyadov is clearly falling back on tried-and-true NKVD protocol, but he also seems to be the only person involved who doesn't think he's playing everyone else for a fool. Someone out there knows far too much, and so do 11 and the good General at this point.

If sending everyone to Siberia works, why change right? Rozitis had his shot... That seems to be Lyadov's reasoning. The others are seemingly paying a more intricate game, but with the added complexity of everyone trying to play the others despite being largely in the dark on exactly how much the others know. It's inevitable people will end up getting played, or worse. I'll leave the predictions up to you. I haven't fleshed out the exact details, but I have planned the main events of the subplot.

And a very welcome return it is! A very intricate plot is slowly unfolding. I suspect ze Germans, some SD or Gestapo type (from her time as a captive) but it could be something else.

You may remember that her Gestapo captors ended up shot during an ambush in Poland. That said, there will be no spoilers, even if my upload schedule has been slowed down by real life.

I regret the slow update cycle, that thing called real life keeps interfering in unpredictable ways... A short infrastructure update will be posted this weekend, and then a regular 10-day report, likely next week. Only afterwards will the story continue, with the next 11 update likely to be posted around Christmas.

I hope you're all doing great, and have a nice weekend,

RoverS3

 

[roverS3]

The 14th of October, Tornio, 0,8°C, 5pm Moscow Time.

Once again, 'Devyat' invited me to get some fresh air, and to assist another one of his infrastructure meetings.

This time around, it was happening in the Finnish border town of Tornio. We flew in for this one, hitching a ride on a VVS Lisunov to Leningrad Airport, where we borded a Junkers J-52 called 'Kaleva', part of the fleet of AERO, the Finnish civilian airline, now a subsidiary of Aeroflot. 'Kaleva' took us to Oulu Air Base, and after a short bus ride to the station, we took a train to Tornio, on the Swedish border of the Finland SSR.

The trimotor Ju-52/3m was the pride of AERO O/Y, the main Finnish airline. From it's founding in 1923, it flew exclusively Junkers aircraft, the German aeroplane manufacturer even had a 50% stake in the company. Of course, after the the heroic liberation of the Finnish people during the winter war, the Airline was taken over by the Soviet state, though Junkers continued to be included in the operations and remunerated for the maintenance of the aircraft, in addition to being given a fixed dividend per passenger. This muddled arrangement which only existed to try and keep Germany on our good side ended when Germany declared war. The contract with Junkers was declared null and void, and the foreign mechanics working for Junkers in Finland were given the option to join the enlarged maintenance department of the now 100% state-owned AERO, or to be treated as enemies of the state. Some of the obstructionists managed to flee to Sweden before the NKGBF and the NKVD caught up to them.​

​

Our train was pulled by a SNR (VR ATL) class Hr1 locomotive. With a classic 'Pacific' 4-6-2 axle layout, these impressive steam locomotives are ideal for express passenger trains. Built in Tampere by the Lokomo and Tampella factories, they are over 22 metres long, for a weight of 155 tonnes. In tests, a maximum speed of 110 km/h was achieved as well as a maximum tractive effort of 141 kN. The Hr1 is still being manufactured along with it's sister locomotive class, the Tr1, which is more suited to heavy freight trains with a 2-8-2 axle layout for added tractive effort (but lower top speed). These locomotives are the pride of the Finnish Soviet Railways (renamed from Finnish State Railways after the heroic liberation of the Finnish people during the winter war.)​

As usual, our little group consisted of high level apparatchiks, civil engineers, logisticians, and the obligatory state security people. Before the meeting, we went on a little field trip to a useful, and very symbolic piece of infrastructure. The Torne River Railway Bridge.

The Torne River Railway Bridge, linking Haparanda (Sweden) with Tornio (Finland) was opened in 1919. The 245 m long bridge connects the railway networks of Finland and Sweden, though cross-traffic is still complicated by the rail gauge difference. The bridge accommodates both standard gauge (1435 mm, inside pair of tracks) and Russian Gauge (1524 mm, outside tracks) vehicles. Bar some rare variable gauge railcars, cross-border cargo and passengers have to be transferred from a standard gauge train to a Russian gauge one, either at Tornio or at Haparanda in order to travel beyond either town. The central span of the bridge can be rotated around it's centre to allow taller ships to go up the river, though this is a rare occurrence.​

​

Post card of Tornio Station from 1910.​

The meeting itself took place in a railcar parked on a siding at Tornio station as there was no suitable meeting room in the station itself. Luckily the carriage had a stove. On the table, a map of the Finland SSR was laid out. The Infrastructure of pre-liberation Finland was shown in black, and improvements to the network had been added in coloured ink. 'Devyat' briefly explained what had been done, and what the future plans were:

Map of Transport Infrastructure in the Finland SSR, based on an American map of the Finnish transport network during the winter war (1939-1940).​

'Gentlemen, since the Finnish people have been liberated, we have strived to further integrate the Finnish railway network into that of the wider USSR. The first project was to build a new railroad around the Northern side of lake Ladoga, which would allow us to transport a large volume of goods and people between Finland and the Soviet Union, even if the connection to Leningrad were to fail.

Building on that success, work started on a more direct connection between Leningrad and Oulu. This project includes the construction of a new direct double track line between Joensu, where two existing lines cross, and Oulu , as well as a branch line that connects the new line to existing track that runs towards Viipuri and Leningrad. This project is nearing completion, with only the stretch between Iisalmi and Rantsila (to the South of Oulu) still to be double-tracked.

On the Arctic coast, a single-track line was built between Murmansk and Petsamo. This was then lengthened to follow the pre-existing Arctic Highway down to Ivalo. In the long term, it would be advantageous to connect this Arctic Railroad to the pre-existing network in Kemijärvi and Rovaniemi. This isn't shown on the map because this isn't considered essential to the war effort right now.

The project that is getting most of our attention nowadays is the construction of a brand new road and rail connection between the Finnish rail network andNorway, more specifically Tromso and Narvik. This is of major strategic significance as such a link will reduce, and eventually eliminate, the need for naval convoys to ship supplies and fuel to our troops in Norway. And before you ask, despite the best efforts of our diplomats, Sweden does not currently allow us to transport military supplies and personnel over their railway network. Even before it is completed, this rail line will have the additional benefit of making it easier to supply our own troops on the Swedish border in case of a war.
As there isn't even gravel road beyond Enontekiö, it will take about 10 months for us to complete a single track rail line to the current border with German-occupied Norway. The connection with the Norwegian network depends on how quickly the Red Army can establish control over the area. If we're being optimistic, we will have a single track connection in fifteen to eighteen months...'

Left: The port of Petsamo, now connected to Murmansk by rail. Right: The 'Arctic Highway', somewhere between Ivalo and Rovaniemi. (Level 2)​

The rest of the meeting was spent going over completed infrastructure projects, and officially green lighting new infrastructure projects, including those in the Finland SSR, which were discussed in more detail as representatives from the Finnish Soviet and of the Finnish Soviet Railways were present.

The following projects have been completed:

-Transsiberian railroad, Omsk-Novosibirsk-Irkutsk:​

Infrastructure will be upgraded to 'Level 7' in Mariinsk, Bogatol, Uzhur, Acinsk and Krasnojarsk.​

​

-Muonio river / Swedish border Railroad​

Infrastructure will be upgraded to 'Level 3' in Muonio​

​

-Leningrad-Oulu Railroad​

Infrastructure will be upgraded to 'Level 4 in Kestilä.​

​

-Moskva area railway network:​

Infrastructure will be upgraded to 'Level 9' (electrification) in Mozhaysk, Viaz'ma and Venev, to 'Level 8' in Obninsk, Serpuhov and Ivanovskoye,​

and to 'Level 7' in Myatelevo and Juhnov.​

​

-Amur river Railroad (Khabarovsk-Nikolayevsk na Amure):​

Infrastructure will be improved to 'Level 4' in Dzhuen.​

​

-Moskva-Orel-Kursk Railroad:​

Infrastructure will be upgraded to 'Level 8' in Mtensk and Novosil.​

After much debate, the roads and/or railways will now be upgraded in the following 25 provinces:

-Transsiberian railroad, Omsk-Novosibirsk-Irkutsk:​

Infrastructure will be upgraded to 'Level 7' in Kansk, Botogol, Kyren, Slyudyanka and Ulan Ude​

​

-Muonio river / Swedish border Railroad​

Infrastructure will be upgraded to 'Level 4' in Kolari, Muonio, to 'Level 3' in Enontekiö, and to 'Level 2' in Kilpisjärvi​

​

-Leningrad-Oulu Railroad​

Infrastructure has been upgraded to 'Level 5' in Vuolijoki.​

​

-Moskva area railway network:​

Infrastructure will be upgraded to 'Level 10' in Naro Fominsk, to 'Level 9' in Obninsk and Odintsovo, to 'Level 8' in Laptevo, and to 'Level 7' in Aleksin.​

​

-Amur river Railroad (Khabarovsk-Nikolayevsk na Amure):​

Infrastructure will be improved to 'Level 4' in Elban.​

​

-Moskva-Homel Railroad:​

Infrastructure will be upgraded to 'Level 7' in Mozhaysk (II), Bytosh, Ekimovichi, Roslavl and Kasciukovicy.​

​

-Connection between the Moskva-Vitsyebsk-Riga line and the Leningrad-Vitsyebsk line allowing a better connection to Kholm and Tallin.​

Infrastructure will be improved to 'Level 5' in Velizh.​

​

-Local improvements to the road network in the area behind the main front:​

Infrastructure will be improved to 'Level 4' in Hlusk, Zhytomyr, and Zhubrovicy.​

​

Funding was increased to allow for faster construction of the rail link with Norway.

Outside of the Finland SSR, further improvements are being made in the Moskva area.

The direct rail line between Moskva and Homel, a crucial artery for the supply of our forces in the Ukraine SSR, is also being upgraded to allow for a higher throughput.

Work on the Trans-Siberian railway continues, with the new batch of projects going past Irkutsk.

Single province projects are also underway to improve the flow of supplies behind the front.

In the Far East, work continues on a single track rail line on the Western bank of the Amur river.

This batch of upgrades should be completed in January 1943, at which point the Infrastructure commission will reconvene,

Let us celebrate our Finnish railway builders who are working through the winter,

'Odin'

 

[Wraith11B]

A good plan. Using trains is far more efficient than trying to use trucks!

 

[Bullfilter]

foreign mechanics working for Junkers in Finland were given the option to join the enlarged maintenance department of the now 100% state-owned AERO, or to be treated as enemies of the state.

They were made an offer they don’t refuse - unless they want to be branded as counter-revolutionary provocateurs etc. Industrial relations Soviet style!

Confirming the lessons of WW1, which was a war of railways, trenches, machine guns and artillery.

 

[RustyHunter]

I'm always impressed by the details you can find, and this update does not fail to impress! The information on Junkers was interesting, while the railroads, bridge in Tornio, and station are such great historical details that make it feel more real and contribute to the update. I'm glad to have you back, and I'll be patiently awaiting your future updates.

 

[roverS3]

A good plan. Using trains is far more efficient than trying to use trucks!

Depends what you're trying to do, but I agree that nowadays logistics in Europe is overly reliant on trucks, even for many trips that could be done reliably by train if only the incentive structure was better. Basically, in much of Europe lorries pay only a fraction of the cost of maintaining and building the roads, be it through tolls or taxes. As lorries do a lot more damage to the road surface when compared to a regular car, let alone a bicycle, this means the trucking industry is subsidized. Air freight also benefits from massive subsidies and advantages, as in quite a few European countries (including Belgium) there is no vat on jet fuel. Meanwhile, rail freight operators pay the full price of their rail usage, as the vast majority of rail subsidies is focused on passenger travel. This also has it's effect on the network as rail improvements are usually in the places where they benefit passenger trains rather than freight trains, even if the latter do sometimes benefit as well. In the US Freight trains are given near-absolute priority over passenger trains on most of the network, the reverse is true in much of Europe, where passenger trains get priority over freight. Considering most of the Western European railway network is electrified, the potential for reducing carbon emissions and congestion from road freight is there, if only the fiscal climate and the infrastructure was there to support it.

Anyhow, one of the better ideas of the Soviet Union was to continue to use trains as the primary mode of medium- to long distance transport for both freight and passengers. They built and maintained a massive network, and they were electrifying at a rapid rate (as discussed in the previous infrastructure update). If you look at the amount of both passengers and especially freight moved by rail in the Soviet Union post-ww2, it's continually increasing all the way up to the end of the USSR in the 1990's, quite the contrast to the steady decline in railway usage in the west starting in the 50's and 60's.

They were made an offer they don’t refuse - unless they want to be branded as counter-revolutionary provocateurs etc. Industrial relations Soviet style!

Note that AERO was a private company before the winter war. And even before this heavy-handed take-over of the 50% owned by Junkers, there was an equally heavy-handed take-over of the 50% owned by various Finnish investors. That's indeed the Soviet way of doing Industrial relations. Also note that there are no Unions, because the state and it's nationalised industry are run 'by the proletariat, for the proletariat', so it seems inconceivable for there to ever be a labour dispute at all.

Confirming the lessons of WW1, which was a war of railways, trenches, machine guns and artillery.

Railways were vital in ww2, as were horses, trenches, machine guns, and artillery... especially on the Eastern front.

I'm always impressed by the details you can find, and this update does not fail to impress! The information on Junkers was interesting, while the railroads, bridge in Tornio, and station are such great historical details that make it feel more real and contribute to the update. I'm glad to have you back, and I'll be patiently awaiting your future updates.

The OTL story is that much of the AERO fleet was requisitioned by the Finnish Air Force during the Winter War, and again during the Continuation War. It is to be noted that the airline continued to operate regular services to Sweden throughout both wars, allowing many to escape to neutral ground. After the war, the Finnish state bought a majority stake in AERO in order to re-establish routes beyond the Baltic, they soon changed the name to Finnair, which it remains to this day. (The Finnish state still owns 55,8% of Finnair) I haven't been able to find any info on what happened to Junkers' share though I expect it was sold post-war, either to the FInnish government or piecemeal to various shareholders. It's not like Junkers was swimming in cash in the late 1940s.

The railway bridge over the Torne river is still there, and in use. However, the centre span is now fixed in place instead of being able to rotate. The Tornio station building hasn't changed very much either.

I'm glad to read you appreciate these details. I really enjoy doing this kind of research to flesh out my understanding of the period, and to flesh out 'Odin's alternative universe.

 

[El Pip]

It speaks to the success of the Soviet war effort that all these infrastructure projects are still going ahead. Things are comfortable enough that such "nice to have" upgrades can be carried out, certainly quite the contrast to OTL!

Depends what you're trying to do, but I agree that nowadays logistics in Europe is overly reliant on trucks, even for many trips that could be done reliably by train if only the incentive structure was better. Basically, in much of Europe lorries pay only a fraction of the cost of maintaining and building the roads, be it through tolls or taxes. As lorries do a lot more damage to the road surface when compared to a regular car, let alone a bicycle, this means the trucking industry is subsidized. Air freight also benefits from massive subsidies and advantages, as in quite a few European countries (including Belgium) there is no vat on jet fuel. Meanwhile, rail freight operators pay the full price of their rail usage, as the vast majority of rail subsidies is focused on passenger travel. This also has it's effect on the network as rail improvements are usually in the places where they benefit passenger trains rather than freight trains, even if the latter do sometimes benefit as well. In the US Freight trains are given near-absolute priority over passenger trains on most of the network, the reverse is true in much of Europe, where passenger trains get priority over freight. Considering most of the Western European railway network is electrified, the potential for reducing carbon emissions and congestion from road freight is there, if only the fiscal climate and the infrastructure was there to support it.

Not sure about that. Fuel taxes bring in ridiculous amounts of money, certainly in the UK the total tax revenue from fuel duty covers the entire cost of road maintenance and most of the subsidy that goes to the railways. If anything it is rail freight that is subsidised. Belgian fuel taxes look similar (about 0.6 euro/litre on petrol) so I'd imagine it is a similar situation. That said I do agree that trucks are more damaging, it's just they are being subsidised by other road vehicles not by taxpayers. There are good arguments for more rail freight and less long distance lorry, I'm in favour of it as an idea, but it is not the cheap or economical option. Indeed with electric/hybrid vehicles coming road transport is going to get even cheaper (no fuel duty) and government's can't really start increasing the price of electricity without slowing down the very necessary move away from fossil fuels. It's a complicated problem.

On air freight, well tax on jet fuel is banned under the 1944 Chicago Convention on civil aviation, so changing that requires getting 193 nations to agree. Which has indeed proved tricky!

That's indeed the Soviet way of doing Industrial relations. Also note that there are no Unions, because the state and it's nationalised industry are run 'by the proletariat, for the proletariat', so it seems inconceivable for there to ever be a labour dispute at all.

There can be labour disputes in the Soviet system, it's just they end in labour being declared 'traitorous wreckers' and being sent to the gulag.

The OTL story is that much of the AERO fleet was requisitioned by the Finnish Air Force during the Winter War, and again during the Continuation War. It is to be noted that the airline continued to operate regular services to Sweden throughout both wars, allowing many to escape to neutral ground. After the war, the Finnish state bought a majority stake in AERO in order to re-establish routes beyond the Baltic, they soon changed the name to Finnair, which it remains to this day. (The Finnish state still owns 55,8% of Finnair) I haven't been able to find any info on what happened to Junkers' share though I expect it was sold post-war, either to the FInnish government or piecemeal to various shareholders. It's not like Junkers was swimming in cash in the late 1940s.

This one I can help with. Junkers sold it's stake to a group of Finnish private investors in 1929, partly because Junkers owned Lufthansa and didn't want the competition and partly because they needed the money due to a series of financial mistakes, compounded by the stock market crash and depression.

Another excellent update and I commend your for including the vital infrastructure that others often overlook.

 

[RustyHunter]

It speaks to the success of the Soviet war effort that all these infrastructure projects are still going ahead. Things are comfortable enough that such "nice to have" upgrades can be carried out, certainly quite the contrast to OTL!

I agree! It doesn't feel like a truly life or death struggle for the Soviets in TTL, which I'd consider a massive win.

Belgian fuel taxes look similar (about 0.6 euro/litre on petrol) so I'd imagine it is a similar situation.

Wow, maybe this is just my American bias but that's an incredibly high tax! Our federal tax is only 18 cents/gal, while states range from 15-70, with most states being in the 30ish range.

Indeed with electric/hybrid vehicles coming road transport is going to get even cheaper (no fuel duty) and government's can't really start increasing the price of electricity without slowing down the very necessary move away from fossil fuels.

I've seen some talk about creating some sort of usage tax so electric cars can help pay for their use of roads, but there aren't enough electric cars around yet to make it truly useful IMO. Also, I'd expect electricity prices to go up as the demand due to electric cars goes up dramatically.

On air freight, well tax on jet fuel is banned under the 1944 Chicago Convention on civil aviation, so changing that requires getting 193 nations to agree. Which has indeed proved tricky!

Well, that's something I'd never known!

There can be labour disputes in the Soviet system, it's just they end in labour being declared 'traitorous wreckers' and being sent to the gulag.

Were there labor disputes broken up that way? I'd be curious to briefly read about one.