The Siege of Saint Petersburg had come to a sudden and violent conclusion. One that onlookers from abroad were not expecting in the slightest. First and foremost, it was assumed that the city would fall, and with it all of Ingria soon after.
If this had occurred, the Bolsheviks would have stolen a vital port from the Russians and would have been able to receive military aid from foreign interest groups which supported them. But in a rather shocking display of firepower. The 6,000 man strong Iron Brigade almost single-handedly obliterated the enemy with an absurd degree of machine guns.
It was still an era where machine guns were not adopted by any military other than the major powers. And even then, they were almost always deployed incorrectly, as if they were another artillery piece.
In addition to this, they existed in such limited numbers they had no real effect to change the battlefield. But two things stuck out like a sore thumb to everyone who learned about what happened in Saint Petersburg.
One, machine guns were a far more valuable weapon of war than initially estimated. Two, the use of steel helmets to protect one’s skull from shrapnel might actually be an investment worth looking into. Because of this, Bruno had, as he feared sparked an arms race between the major powers of the world.
This was however an arms race, which, unlike the naval arms race waged between the British Empire and the German Reich, that the Germans had a significant advantage of. Having already manufactured thousands of machine guns over the course of the last few years.
So much so that they were able to send 100 machine guns and teams that knew how to operate them abroad. The result of which was clear enough for everyone to see. But the more important effect of this battle was the fact that Leon Trotsky’s death had made him a martyr in the eyes of the Bolsheviks, and those who were sympathetic to their cause.
The death of Leon Trotsky was painted as an abuse of power by the Tsar and his foreign volunteers who according to Bolshevik propaganda were ravenous savages who had needlessly massacred the Red Army at Saint Petersburg, and executed the prisoners they gained. And in doing so, accusing them of War Crimes.
There was only one problem with this line of thinking. Neither the Iron Brigade nor the Red Army were state actors. And because of this, they were neither protected by the conventions of the Hauge nor obligated to abide by its rules.
In fact, rules of war were generally easy to skirt around due to the specific language within them. And this was a time when the Rules of War were even more loosely defined as the Geneva conventions which firmly solidified the concept into international law had yet to be established.
But even under the Geneva conventions, which limited how militaries must conduct themselves during times of war did not provide protection to uniformed combatants. This, of course, meant the likes of partisans, mercenaries, and foreign volunteers operating outside the scope of a nation’s department of defense.
For all intents and purposes, the Iron Brigade had no official ties to either the German Military, or the Russian Army. Because of this, they were an organization not bound by even the strictest rules of war. And the Red Army could most certainly be defined by the term of “partisans” meaning they were not protected by the rules of war either.
Hence why nobody really took the Red Army’s complaints seriously, at least on the international stage. However, the Russian peasantry did indeed side with the Bolsheviks. Seeing the death of 80,000 working class Russians at the hands of foreign mercenaries brought over by the Tsar as an act of supreme oppression. One that must be stood up against.
Even normal Russian men and adolescent youths who had no such notions towards Socialism, or Communism quickly took up the hammer and sickle and declared their support by joining the Red Army.
The Tsar and his family were for the time being safe in Siberia where ample troops of the Russian Army, and its most loyal soldiers were stationed to protect them. And meanwhile Bruno was meeting with the Russian military leadership in order to find a way to properly deal with the communist rebels.
Any doubts they may have had about the Iron Brigade quickly fell to the wayside after lifting the siege of Saint Petersburg, and because of it the Russian Generals and admirals were quite friendly with Bruno. Despite any past grievances, they may have had for him because of his actions in China and Manchuria.
Or at the very least, they were respectful towards him. Such as Dmitri Feodorovich Trepov, who was the Head of the Moscow police and Governor-General of St. Petersburg. The man held extraordinary influence with the Tsar despite his inability to put down the Bolsheviks when they first broke out in rebellion.
He was one of the Russian Generals who may not personally like Bruno, but forced himself to remain polite for the sake of their temporary alliance, as well as in recognition of Bruno’s accomplishments in Saint Petersburg.
“Generalleutnant, your reputation precedes you. One that is clearly justly earned after what you did to Leon Trotsky and his army of rebels… Although I must say, as effective as your machine guns were in static defensive positions, I have a hard time believing they will be useful in an offensive.”
The Governor-General was indeed correct about that. Under normal circumstances, the maxim style machine guns, or any water cooled heavy machine gun for that matter, weighed far too much to be carried into battle by a single man, or even a team of men.
There was a variant which the Germans had made during the Great War to remedy this, but honestly it was more of an ad hoc solution rather than one that was properly thought out. Instead, Bruno had a far more useful strategy in mind for how to handle this matter.
One that he ironically enough hard learned from the Red Army with the tactics they used during the Russian Civil War in his past life. Because of this, he was quick to comment on such a matter.
“You’re not entirely wrong, General-Governor. However, nor are you as forward thinking as I am. Sure it would be damn near impossible for a single man, or even a team of machine gunners to effectively wield such a weapon offensively.
But what if you mounted it on the back of a carriage? One specifically designed to carry such a weapon and its mount?”
Bruno was, of course, referring to the legendary Tachanka. From Bruno’s perspective, the Tachanka was an unrefined solution to a problem that was best suited to a partially industrialized society like the Russian Empire.
Had this been a civil war fought in the respectable boundaries of the German Reich he simply would have proposed the elegance and efficiency of an armored car. Which had actually played a pivotal role putting down the German revolution of 1918-1919.
Which was an attempt in Bruno’s past life by Marxists living in the boundaries of the German Reich, and the later Weimar Republic to overthrow the government and replace it with a revolutionary communist state. Something that was a common occurrence throughout Europe at the time.
The moment Bruno suggested this idea, the lights went off in the minds of the Russian Generals. Indeed, they could mount the machine gun to the back of a carriage. That would indeed prove to be a valuable weapon for their cavalry, would it not?
Because of this, Bruno did not say anything more, and would instead allow the Russians to create the Tachanka themselves, as it was not necessarily something that was difficult to make. Instead, he pointed at the map, where battle lines were being drawn. Pointing towards the Volga river where the heavily industrialized city of Tsaritsyn lied.
It was a city known for exceptional Marxist activity, and because of this Bruno feared it would fall into Bolshevik hands next. Something that would hit the Russian Empire hard, as they relied on the industrial output from the city. Which was one of few that existed in the Empire’s borders.
“I get the feeling after suffering defeat at my hands in Saint Petersburg, the Red Army will move to seize industrial centers and the means of production within them. In doing so they will be able to cut off the Empire’s domestic production of goods. Something that could cripple the economy, as well as supply lines.
It is with this in mind; I suggest deploying a division of men to the area, along with the Iron Brigade. If we can maintain authority over Tsaritsyn, then they will be able to halt the plans of the Red Army before they even begin.
If we’re too late, then a battle will be unavoidable. And I have the suspicion that the Red Army in the region will outnumber us significantly if such a thing were to occur…”
There were no arguments to be had against Bruno’s statements. There was actionable intelligence collected in the region that suggests a Bolshevik takeover of the city was being planned. In addition to this, the man’s logic and reasoning were sound regarding why this would occur. And the effects it would have on the Russian Empire.
As a result, the Russian Generals were quick to agree with Bruno’s assessment, albeit debate with the man over whether or not a division of men would be enough to suffice the demands of war.
“Are you sure you only need a single division? We could always send more men to the area…
Bruno however shook his head. 25,000 men, plus the 6,000 members of the Iron Brigade would suffice. After all, he had a significant advantage in firepower, which could easily overcome the human wave tactics of the Red Army. And hence, he voiced his thoughts on the matter with supreme confidence.
“A single division will be enough. Just make sure they aren’t conscripts who barely know how to handle a rifle and I’ll be fine.”
With this, Bruno would begin making preparations to secure Tsaritsyn for the Tsar. Something which the Red Army was also preparing to counter.
