Chapter 48

Now, the population of the Soviet Union is in a recovery phase, but the indicators of this recovery are different. The population growth rate in Central Asia and the Caucasus is clearly faster than that in the Slavic regions. As a unified multi-ethnic country, measures should be taken to avoid this situation, which would be beneficial for all ethnic groups.

Leaving the construction site of the Berlin Wall, Yegorov and Markus Wolf arrived at the headquarters of the Stasi. Yegorov, who had weathered the domestic pressure unscathed, had not been exposed to the media recently. Adhering to the principle of "entering quietly and not making a fuss," Yegorov kept a low profile for a few days. After all, West Berlin would soon be sealed off, and both sides would be out of each other's sight, which was a good thing.

The deeper he delved into the Stasi, the more he felt that such a high-quality organization was being underutilized by merely fighting an internal war between East and West Germany. As the only country in the socialist bloc that did not drag the Soviet Union down, East Germany should play a greater role in all fields. Yegorov could not manage other areas, but in the intelligence field, he believed the Stasi should, like the KGB, establish a global intelligence network.

Clearly, East Germany was the only ally in Europe that did not hold the Soviet Union back, yet its development was still being restricted. Yegorov wondered whether the Soviet Union was overly confident or truly feared the resurgence of the Third Reich. He believed the former was more plausible, as the overall development speed of the Soviet bloc indeed provided a solid foundation for such confidence, and many people in various countries genuinely believed that the Soviet development model could challenge the American model.

"Like your Stasi, all the intelligence agencies of the allied countries should join hands with our KGB to set up a global network. It's a waste of talent for us professional agencies to focus solely on domestic affairs. I would like to discuss this with Comrade Iliescu and try to integrate our forces in a joint operational structure!" This was not just Yegorov's vision; the joint intelligence operation mechanism within the Soviet bloc was his proposal. The current chairman of the joint operational structure was the Romanian Minister of Internal Affairs, Iliescu.

"Compared to the KGB of the Soviet Union, our agencies in these countries are too weak. How can we help the Soviet Union?" No matter what organization a person is in, they naturally hope it becomes stronger. Markus Wolf was no exception. It was not true that he was not moved, but after much thought, he could not think of any inherent advantage that would make the KGB rely on him.

"That's not necessarily true!" Yegorov lit a cigarette with a half-smile. "My biggest gain in Berlin is not making Stevenson lose face or overseeing the construction of the blockade around West Berlin. The greatest gain is here, in this building, the headquarters of the Stasi. It made me put aside the arrogance I had in the KGB. I once thought no intelligence agency in the world could match the KGB. The CIA of the United States, the MI6 of the UK, and other countries' intelligence agencies were not even worth mentioning. But the Stasi headquarters changed my mind. Over the past two months, I have closely observed the operations of the Stasi. Honestly, if the KGB were the same size as the Stasi, the Stasi would do more. The Stasi is my greatest gain in Berlin!"

"Comrade Yegorov, you seem different from the average Soviet!" Markus Wolf hesitated but ultimately did not say more. He did not want to delve into this topic.

"I believe all the allied countries are equal. Since we adhere to a common belief, there should be no distinction between large and small countries!" Yegorov seemed to see through Markus Wolf's thoughts and continued, "If we are equal, there should be no notion of who is the leader and who follows. In each field, we should follow the authority of the most competent!"

Equality! This word struck at the heart of Markus Wolf's most vulnerable spot. He stared intently at Yegorov, who met his gaze with complete sincerity. This man was speaking genuinely.

For some reason, Markus Wolf could sense Yegorov's sincerity. The iron-willed Markus Wolf, for the first time, thought that the Soviet Union should have more people like Yegorov. This would reduce the friction between the East German people and the Soviet troops.

"If any Soviet soldiers violate military discipline, the Stasi has the right to arrest them without considering pressure from the Red Army! You can handle these matters yourselves and report the results to the Military Administration Department! The Soviet Red Army is a garrison, not a colonial force. East Germany has the right to arrest the corrupt elements in the military. With me in the Military Administration Department, I don't think ordinary Red Army generals would dare to say anything. As long as the law is enforced fairly, you should not fear the Red Army!" Yegorov said with great seriousness.

"If I give you the cases of Soviet Red Army garrisons since the beginning of the year?" Markus Wolf's heart stirred as he tested the waters.

"As long as they are genuine, I can immediately investigate the Western Group of Forces..." Yegorov said without hesitation.

In Germany, Yegorov had been so focused on the Berlin Wall that he almost forgot he was the head of the Military Administration Department, whose primary responsibility was to manage the Red Army, not to act as a contractor. If not for the need to rally the Stasi, he would have forgotten that he could intervene in the Western Group of Forces.

"Once the situation in Berlin is resolved, I will return to Moscow and suggest to Chairman Serov that we work together with the intelligence forces of our brother countries. In September, all intelligence agencies of the Warsaw Pact countries will meet in Bucharest. I will attend the meeting with some department heads, and I hope to see Comrade Markus Wolf there!" Yegorov, standing outside the Stasi headquarters, looked fierce, a stark contrast to his earlier calm demeanor.

The reason for Yegorov's anger was right before his eyes. Two Stasi agents were moving a stack of files, over half a meter high and containing nearly 200 documents, detailing the friction between the Western Group of Forces and the East German people over the past five months. Markus Wolf did not hold back and handed over all the records to Yegorov, eager to see how the KGB's Military Administration Department head would handle the situation.

"I will definitely attend!" Markus Wolf's eyes kept darting to the thick stack of files in the trunk.

"See you in a few days!" Yegorov said absentmindedly, then got into the car and said gloomily, "Gather all the heads of the Western Group of Forces' Military Administration Department offices in Berlin for a meeting. What the hell have you been doing? Why didn't I receive any reports while I was in the country, even one..." Yegorov wanted to give East Germany a fair deal. If not for the long distance, he would have summoned the KGB heads of the four groups.

[Group number in the profile!]

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