2nd Aug/1st Aug New Beginning Day 4
10am New Delhi Despite Gromyko speech in Monday, the world press expressing the belief that the Soviet Union and the America would quickly come to an agreement. The fact that in the negotiation there was no movement or compromise from either side. Gromyko could not while Schultz was waiting for the Soviet Union to come to its senses. While Indira Ghandi talked behind the scenes to both men. Gromyko expressed confidence that an agreement could be found but he emphasized it could take time. While Schultz simply commented that he believed that with time both sides would come together. But for the moment nothing was changing and the crisis dragged on.
1pm Moscow
The Politburo had gathered for a meeting, it was agreed that the President of the Presidium Vasili Kuznetsoz would be in charge of the Politburo during any of Chernenko’s absences due to sickness. The announcements of United Kingdom and Canada of the movement of additional troops to West Germany. The United States was also not letting up on sending more troops but the KGB was reporting that the United States was running out new units to commit to the battle in Europe until now the Americans had refused to consider the idea of sending the older M-48 Patton’s into battle. But there were some reports that the US Army was gradually coming around to the idea of committing these tanks into combat should the war last longer than expected.
Then the discussion about cutting the budget, the problem was that no one really wanted to cut the budget. Gorbachev finally decided to make a stand, he stood up and told the Politburo we need to face the reality of the situation. To bring the crisis quickly to an end should be our first priority. Then once the crisis is over we can demobilize the army that will bring considerable cost saving. Then we can assess the situation and consider just where to make the necessary cuts in the current expenditures of the Soviet Union.
Gorbachev decision to make stand gained him some approval but other than saving money on the demobilization of the military as well as bring the crisis to a quick end. Both of those stands were popular, the making the necessary cuts at a later date also was appealing to the more moderate members of the Politburo.
Romanov considered his response, he decided to point out that too quick of a retreat would encourage the west. He pointed out that to swift of a retreat from the hardline positions taken by the Soviet Union would only encourage the West to believe that Gorbachev was weak and not willing to standup to West. That line of reasoning was accepted by the hardliners. But it quickly became apparent that neither man had a majority.
The people in the middle were not convinced that either argument was totally correct. While they had supported the Hardline positions for the negotiations. They were in their minds flexible on what to do. They were not going to go one way or the other without being convinced.
Gorbachev’s response was simple, we have a crisis we need to face and to take rapid action to bring this crisis to an end. Romanov stood up and he replied, **We need to face the crisis but we don’t need to create new problems by blindly brining the crisis to an end. Without consideration to certain realities. We need to realized that much of the expenditures made by the Soviet Union is the defense budget and to cut the defense budget right after a crisis with the West especially one that reduces the number of divisions, troops, officers and equipment could cause the West to make aggressive moves against the Soviet Union’s allies in the WASAW PACT.
Both lines of reasoning were pretty much accepted by the members of the Politburo. But no one in the middle wanted to look like they were siding with either Gorbachev or Romanov. After all none of them knew for sure who would come out on top in the upcoming power struggle. At the same time Chernenko was still in power even if he was on death doors, who knew how long he would survive. That meant no one wanted to get to far out in front. This left a lot of people more interested in keeping a low profile that taking a serious stand on anything.
Romanov had a brainstorm, a few well-placed leaks putting for the idea that Gorbachev wanted to cut drastically cut the defense budget. Romanov also knew that this could backfire if he was not careful. Then he decided to see if Gorbachev would commit himself to cuts in the defense budget. Romanov sudden spoke out, **Comrade Gorbachev I would like to know just how much the defense budget you think should be cut to get the Soviet Union out of this crisis.
Gorbachev knew a trap when he saw one. But at the same time, he felt had to say something to show that the was truly a leader to follow. Gorbachev looked around the room at the other members of the Politburo as he considered what to say. Then he spoke, **At this time I don’t have any definite plans to cut the defense budget but I will do what I need to do to make sure that the Soviet Union does not collapse due to a financial shortage. Possibly reducing the over size of the Military and slowing down ship construction. **
Romanov listened carefully to what Gorbachev had said but he said nothing in return. Now he had some of the ammunition he needed to bring the military over to his side. Chernenko was not attending this meeting but his failing health a consideration to everyone in the room. When the meeting was over nothing had been decided but the battle lines were now even more firmly set in place. But it was agreed to hold off anymore talk until Friday to give the Politburo more time to think. But Gorbachev was not optimistic that anything would be decided, the truth was that the defense budget needed to be cut. But no one had the courage to face that truth, what Gorbachev was hoping that his display of courage of at least thinking about cutting the budget would gain him some more support.
Narvik, Norway The ships carrying the equipment for the third companies of the 5th brigade’s battalions and the troops for the equipment had been waiting for a little over a week for the equipment to arrive. Morale amongst the troops was quite high, but that was pretty much because everyone expected the crisis to end.
Warcop UK The reporter with a cameraman had been trying to find out what was going on at the Warcop training area. But so far, he had been able to find pretty much nothing. What he had not realized was that while he had been nosing around for his story. The local populace had told the military that there was a Soviet spy pretending to be a BBC reporter. MI-5 and military intelligence had been keeping an eye on the two men. It had not taken long to figure out that they employed by the BBC. But that did not mean they were not spies or in the view of the military worse members of the press out to make the 43rd Wessex Division look bad. That in the view of the divisions commander was infinitely worse. Finally, it had been decided to just keep an eye on them just in case they tried something. Then he could arrest them and if anyone complained he could tell the world that they had not come to the military with any requests to see the troops train so he had decided that they were really spies. Then let the reporter and his cameraman talk their way out of the situation.