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It had been Colonel Bukharin who had asked General Kalinin to address his men. "Speak to my men, Excellency," Bukharin had told him confidently. They are eager to be part of the coming New Order in Russia." |
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Kalinin's misgivings grew. This did not appear to be an audience prepared to hang on his every word. The remembrance of Eduard Aleyev's ignominious departure from the Morskaya Pristan Naval Base was very clear in his mind. He had promised General Kondratiev that he would succeed with the airmen where Aleyev had failed with his naval officers. But these New Order Russian warriors, lolling in battered easy chairs or sitting on tables or even on the floor, were unimpressed by their visitor. |
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Kalinin fixed his restless audience with a glare until they quieted down a little. "I have come here informally to speak with my fellow fighter pilots." Now he smiled at them, showing them that in spite of his lofty rank, he was sympathetic to their concerns. "I invite you to join the greatest adventure of your lives," he said in a very loud voice. ''It will bring glory to every one of you, but the grandeur of her past will be restored to Mother Russia." |
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When he paused to see the impact of his words, the ingrates began to talk among themselves again. We need these damned hooligans, Kalinin thought, enraged, and that is the most maddening part. Having a regiment of Sukhoi fighter-interceptors with us would not only put on a brave show; they could inflict terrible damage on any troops foolish enough to stay loyal to Aleksandr Cherny. But the spirit of levity in this ready room appalled Kalinin. Were all the elements of his Moscow Air Defense command so slack, so indifferent? |
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Kondratiev should have come himself. People responded to the general, sometimes viscerally, never indifferently. But Piotr Kondratiev, who obviously held no high opinion of the air forces, had said that these men were unlikely to welcome anyoneno matter what agefrom another service, or from the security forces. "They will come round only if spoken to |
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