The Honor of Spies

Or is there something Machiavellian in play here?

Himmler wants Skorzeny to be a hero, because he has plans for him?

"As I am sure the Reichsfuhrer is aware," von Berlepsch began, "any type of vertical envelopment operation is very difficult in mountainous terrain."

"Vertical envelopment means parachutists, gliders?" Himmler asked.

"Precisely, Herr Reichsfuhrer. In the case of the Gran Sasso, the wind conditions are such that parachute envelopment is impossible. The only way to envelop the hotel is by glider, and they will, for lack of a better term, have to be crash-landed."

"Von Berlepsch, aren't all glider landings, for lack of a better term, 'crash landings'?" von Deitzberg asked.

"Yes, Herr Brigadefuhrer, they are. My point here is that Fallschirmjager troops are trained in glider crash landings--necessary because, under optimum conditions, one glider landing in four is a crash landing--and I don't think this is true of the Waffen-SS troops you envision employing."

"I don't think I'm following this, von Berlepsch," Himmler said. "Let me put a question to you: Suppose it was absolutely necessary that a number--say, twenty-five--of the Friedenthal unit participate in Operation Oak. How could that be done?"

Von Berlepsch looked first at Major Moors and then at General Student for guidance.

"I asked you, von Berlepsch," Himmler said curtly.

"If such a requirement were absolutely necessary, Herr Reichsfuhrer--and I would hope that it would not be--I would put the SS men in the last three gliders."

"Why the last three?" von Deitzberg asked almost angrily.

Himmler pointed an impatient finger at him to shut him up, then made a Let's have it gesture with the same finger to von Berlepsch.

"Herr Reichsfuhrer," von Berlepsch said, "I of course have no idea what Hauptmann Skorzeny has planned, but in our plan--"

"The author of which is who?" Himmler asked.

"Major Moors and I drew it up for General Student's approval, Herr Reichsfuhrer."

"Go on."

"There will be a dozen gliders towed by Junkers Ju-52 aircraft, Herr Reichsfuhrer. The aircraft will be in line, one minute's flying distance apart. Each will be cut loose from the towing aircraft as it passes over a predetermined spot on the mountain. I can show you that point on Hauptmann Skorzeny's maps, Herr Reichsfuhrer . . ."

Himmler made a gesture meaning that wouldn't be necessary.

". . . which will cause the gliders to land at one-minute intervals on a small flat area--not much more than a lawn, actually--near the hotel."

"That will take twelve minutes," von Deitzberg protested. "Why can't they land at thirty-second intervals? For that matter, fifteen-second intervals? Fifteen seconds can be a long time." Then he began to count: "One thousand one. One thousand two. One thousand three. One thous--"

"Because a sixty-second interval is what these officers recommended to General Student," von Wachtstein interrupted, "and what General Student approved. I think we can all defer to his judgment and experience."

"And your reason for putting Skorzeny and his men in the last three of the gliders to land?" Himmler asked von Berlepsch.

"Because by then the Fallschirmjager in the first gliders to land will be in a position to help the Waffen-SS troops get out of their crashed gliders," von Berlepsch said.

"Unless they themselves have crashed, of course," von Deitzberg said sarcastically.

"Some of them will have crashed, von Deitzberg," Student said icily. "We expect that. What von Berlepsch has been trying to tell you is that Fallschirmtruppe are trained to deal with that inevitable contingency."

"Well," Himmler said, "that would seem to solve the problem, wouldn't you agree, von Wachtstein?"

"If what you are saying is that General Student, Admiral Canaris, and you are agreed . . ."

"I'm just a visitor here, General," Himmler said. "The agreement must be between Student and Canaris."

Canaris thought: And the translation of that is that if this absurd operation fails--as it well may--Student and I will take the blame.

If it succeeds, Himmler and the SS will get the credit because Skorzeny was involved.

"Admiral Canaris?" von Wachtstein asked.

"If General Student is happy with this, I will defer to his expertise and judgment."

"I will so inform the Fuhrer," von Wachtstein said.

"And now, if I may delicately suggest to you, Admiral, that your knowledge of the fine points of an operation like this is on a par with my own, and that neither of us is really of any value here, I wonder if we could have a few minutes alone?"

"There's a battered desk and several chairs in my cryptographic room," Canaris said. "Would that be all right with you, Herr Reichsfuhrer?"