Unconditional

'Lay down your arms', was the command. As Doenitz hesitated his men stood silent their features wooden, still willing though to give their all at his command. The Fuehrer dead, the news had travelled as bad news does with lightning speed. Or was it bad perhaps they would go home and sleep for thirty days of total silence where not one bomb or bloody Mauser would ever dare to speak out loud. But here was Ivan, no sense of humour, 300 thousand had been lost to take Berlin at last, what would be fair the doubt hung heavy all cloaked in fear so close to terror. Sharp fingernails were cutting through their owners' flesh and breathing stopped as heartbeats stumbled. These guys were Russkis who raped and killed and drank without an end in sight. What cruel quirk what shameless trick of fate, so undeserved. And now the word 'Konetz', the Russian says they understand it means the end and for the first historic time the German soldiers carry out the wishes of a 'subhuman creature'. Though happily and shedding, as they drop their deadly weapons, ingrained indoctrination. They briefly wonder, though about the meaning of 'buystro, tovarishtshi'.