Better the late than never, right?
So, here comes the story behind the "Katyusha of the Waters". I hope you enjoy it and forgive my English mistakes.
Katyusha of the Waters - Myths and Legends
1. Introduction and geographic coverage Everyone knows that Russia is the biggest country in the world.
From Moscow
to Leningrad / St Petersburg
there is a network of rivers, canals, lakes and floodgates, which allows one to go from one city to another without having to step on land...
And on the way one passes the two biggest lakes of Europe: the Onega and the Ladoga.
And it is precisely in a small island on the Lake Onega, located in a beautiful region called Karelia,
that our history takes place ....
2. Katiusha of the Waters - Historical background Legend has it that one night, Josef Stalin woke up startled. Coming to the window of his room overlooking the Kremlin,
he found a strange, brilliant shape that seemed to hover over Lenin's grave...
As he rubbed his eyes to try to figure out what it would be, he heard a deep voice that seemed to come from beyond:
Kizhi is in danger. You have to save it!
What the hell! ... He thought. I gotta see what's going on in Kizhi, and went back to bed, falling asleep.
The next morning he hardly remembered what had happened. Thinking that he had had some vodka induced hallucination,
he called his deputy and asked him: Do you know where Kizhi is? I think it's up north, but I am not sure.
To which the deputy replied: Yes, comrade, it is in Karelia. It is a small remote island, situated on Lake Onega,
where the famous wooden monastery of last century is located.
"But was there any problem reported in this area?" Questions Stalin.
"Yes," replied the deputy. We have had some disturbing news about the Germans moving in that direction and trying to surround the region.
"But that is in the middle of nowhere, with no natural resources or strategic importance," exasperated Stalin.
What the hell do the Germans want?
"Well, they probably believe in the legend of Katyusha of the Waters.
"It smells like BS to me," growled Stalin.
"I do not know about that," the subaltern replies, "but the locals attribute miraculous properties to the monastery,
and it is said that whoever controls it dominates the whole of Russia.
The legend also says that it is inhabited a mysterious damsel that goes by the name of Katyusha of Waters, that protects it.
- I see! Only superstitions on top of superstitions. Needless to say, this Katyusha of the Waters also seems to randomly appear
during the night to hover over the tomb of Lenin, to ask for help. Get out, I want to think!
After being alone again and reflecting long on the problem, he came to a conclusion:
I definitely cannot let Kizhi fall into the hands of that Hitler bastard. It can demoralize the most credulous populations and troops.
But for that I need a fast attack force that can move in that tangle of rivers and lakes!
"Call the Commissar of Special Affairs," he ordered promptly.
"Impossible, Comrade Stalin!" He was executed yesterday by your command, replied the deputy. The post is vacant!
"Well," says Stalin, "then call the Commissar of Expedite Solutions!"
"Yes, comrade, but only in the afternoon, that this morning he is solving an urgent situation”.
After lunch, the deputy announces: "Comrade Stalin, here's Commissar Anton Rodriguiev Sobralovsky.
"Let him in," shouted Stalin.
"Good afternoon, Comrade Stalin, how may I be of service to our great nation?"
- Commissar, the situation in Karelia is serious and you must immediately arrange a means of attack
that can easily move through the rivers and lakes of the region, to detain the Nazis.
"I see," said the Commissar phlegmatically. You want the impossible, and now!
For that we have to adapt something that already exists on land with given proof, and that can be easily put afloat.
Relatively light stuff, no tanks for sure. Maybe a modified Katyusha with floaters and...
YES!!!! Interrupted Stalin immediately. That's right! Katyusha is the ideal for this situation.
Even the name fits perfectly. Set up immediately a test prototype and keep me informed!
And this is how the Commissar of Expedite Solutions found himself facing two almost impossible tasks:
To get something that works on time, and to please Stalin.
Next Chapter - What will the Commissar do?
Thanks for watching and the patience for reading!