Ch.12The Tsaritsyn Opens Wide

# Tsaritsyn

Stalin probably wouldn’t have expected this.

That the Grand Duchess herself would lead the White Army.

But I had to do it.

I needed to boost the morale of the White Army.

Of course, if those Reds found out, they might get fired up to kill the Grand Duchess, but since they’re holed up in Tsaritsyn, they won’t know until we gain the upper hand.

“Is it true that Her Imperial Highness has personally come here?”

Krasnov, who was in charge of surrounding Tsaritsyn, showed proper respect to me as a member of the imperial family.

How strange the turns of history.

Pyotr Wrangel also arrived in Tsaritsyn, leading troops under Anton Denikin’s command.

This was possible because the Czechoslovak Legion and the Great Powers had established communication networks.

If we can win the Battle of Tsaritsyn, we’ll connect with Southern Russia, putting more pressure on the Soviet Union than in the actual historical timeline.

“I’ve left the defense of Yekaterinburg to General Gajda, so it should be fine.”

Gajda’s Czechoslovak Legion should be more than capable of defending Yekaterinburg.

Besides, even Lenin wouldn’t expect a seventeen-year-old Grand Duchess to take the field personally.

That’s why this battle is crucial.

We take out the butcher Stalin and recapture Tsaritsyn.

In this timeline, Trotsky might become Lenin’s successor.

“Your Highness. The Red Army’s defense line is solid. Very solid. We have them surrounded, but…”

“I’m sure it is. They’re fighting for their lives here. It would be troublesome for them if Southern Russia and Yekaterinburg were connected.”

Krasnov is right.

They’ve dug trenches and positioned the Red Army in the city.

Trench warfare is a long, tedious war of attrition.

Tedious for the attackers, that is. For the defenders, it’s not so bad since they can grind down large armies.

In actual history, the Whites only recaptured Tsaritsyn in the later stages when they were already weakening, thanks to Stalin’s stubborn defense.

I don’t know if Stalin used trench warfare then.

When the White Army was at its peak, they couldn’t capture it, preventing Kolchak’s White Army from connecting with the Southern Russian White Army.

“What about surrounding them tightly and demanding surrender?”

“No. We can’t drag out the Battle of Tsaritsyn. Waiting for them to collapse from the siege would only give the Red Army time.”

“So no surrender proposal?”

“Our situation is more urgent. We need to inflict maximum damage with our military capabilities before they regain their senses.”

Stalin wouldn’t accept a surrender proposal anyway.

I’m guessing that right now, he might be competing with Trotsky to be Lenin’s successor.

After all, their situation is much worse than in the original Soviet timeline.

It’s precisely in difficult situations that people fight for power.

Each claiming they could lead the Soviet Union better than the other.

Originally, it was Leon Trotsky who organized the Red Army.

Perhaps Trotsky was behind the attack on Yekaterinburg.

In actual history, opinions differ on the execution of the Tsar’s family.

Whether big figures like Lenin or Trotsky gave the orders, or if the Ural Soviet carried out the plan independently.

But given the current situation, I suspect someone like Trotsky gave the order from behind the scenes.

At least Stalin, fox-like, waited for his opportunity before swiftly removing Trotsky and taking the position of General Secretary.

If Trotsky was responsible for the Yekaterinburg attack, then the Battle of Tsaritsyn would be Stalin’s debut.

Not a chance.

In this history where I exist, the man with the steel mustache will never live to become the great leader of the Soviet Union.

I’ll make sure he dies as the butcher from Georgia.

“Then…”

“Let’s break through the trenches with tanks.”

“But our army still needs time to learn how to use tanks. Using them immediately…”

That’s true, but…

In this period, the defeated and struggling Soviet Union wouldn’t have anti-tank guns. Just pushing in tanks would make their defenses crumble.

“We’re not flying the Russian flag anyway.”

“Yes.”

“Let’s use the British and French volunteers. We can have them fight as Russians who suspiciously speak excellent English and French.”

The British and French “volunteers” had officers training the White Army in tank operations.

But for this Battle of Tsaritsyn, there’s still the issue of training levels for the White Army to use the donated tanks.

The Red Army in Tsaritsyn won’t see the British and French soldiers inside the tanks anyway.

Unfortunately for them, there are no forces helping the Red Army, so they lack weapons and have no way to counter tanks. They’ll just see tanks operated by suspiciously English and French-speaking Russian soldiers rolling over their trench lines.

That’s what the British and French sent them for, isn’t it?

As long as we don’t reveal they’re foreign troops, the Bolsheviks won’t be able to use it to win public support.

Well, now it’s time.

“Tsaritsyn is suffering under the Red plague! Great White Army of the new Russia! Cross those filthy Bolshevik trenches and liberate Tsaritsyn!”

The White Army’s advance began.

Tanks led the way with infantry following behind to provide support.

Tanks made during World War I.

British MK series and French Renault FTs proudly led the front, rolling their continuous tracks toward the trench lines.

Rumble rumble rumble

It feels like I’m watching the grandfathers of tanks.

That’s why I came out personally—to see this.

Look at how heavily they roll.

In this period, tanks lowered their machine guns to clear out enemies in trenches while cleaning up the trench lines.

During World War I, the development of tanks earned Britain and France the title of tank pioneers.

They also have abundant combat experience from the Great War.

The hastily assembled Red Army has no way to defeat them.

Rumble rumble rumble

Listen to those tracks rolling.

It’s a heavier, more majestic sound than modern tanks I know—a sound that seems like it could destroy the entire road just by rolling over it.

“Does Your Highness know much about tanks?”

The men who brought the tank divisions as “volunteers” from Britain and France asked with sparkling eyes. I don’t know who they are, but I shook my head in denial.

“No, I don’t know much. But at least these tanks seem like they’ll protect our infantry.”

What would I know?

I’m just acting based on what I’ve picked up here and there.

To pull the Russian White Army up by its collar, we must win the Battle of Tsaritsyn.

“For someone who claims not to know much, you seem to have a good understanding of tanks.”

Not really, though.

“Isn’t it just common sense to put sturdy tanks that can withstand attacks in front of easily killed humans?”

“I hope Your Highness wins this civil war. My superior, Marshal Philippe Pétain, also wishes for White Russia to prevail.”

What? Philippe Pétain?

“May I ask your name?”

“Captain Charles de Gaulle.”

What is this person doing here?

And as a captain?

The chaos of World War I must have been quite severe indeed.

The officers who came from Britain also expounded on the greatness of their tanks while making it clear they expected gratitude after the civil war.

Typical of the Entente powers.

I’m planning to drag out this civil war anyway.

When these people are exhausted from the Great War and expect some scraps, I’ll proudly ignore them.

This man called Charles talked about tanks for a while before going to board a French tank.

“The reactionaries are advancing to occupy our workers’ city! Red Army, stop them!”

“Our Yekaterina is watching! Let’s liberate the city and present it to the Tsarina!”

Among the White Army, I was already being called Tsarina.

Not all White Army soldiers are monarchists, but my actions so far must have made quite an impression.

Tsarina, really.

If they mean Yekaterina, wasn’t she that famous Russian empress?

I don’t know her achievements in detail, but I’ve heard she did many good things and many bad things too. They must be trying to give me a title.

“You look uncomfortable.”

Kolchak, who was temporarily appointed as the White Army Commander-in-Chief of Yekaterinburg and Siberia and followed me here, was carefully watching my expression.

“I’m not a Tsarina yet. We don’t know if the Empire will be restored at the end of this war. It could become a republic, or a more moderate socialist state than those Bolsheviks. Or even a federation.”

We don’t know what Russia will become after the civil war.

The current White Army is just using me as a rallying point to defeat the Bolsheviks first.

If there are truly broken-headed people who want to feel the nostalgia of the empire again, well, I could establish a Duma (parliament) and step back.

With all those possibilities, I’ll have to decide whether to exile myself to another country, become a figurehead Tsarina, or just live comfortably somewhere with my Grand Duchess title.

“What they need right now is a Tsar. Even if there’s no empire at the end, accepting whatever they call you now will boost morale.”

“Is that so?”

“Even though the Tsar ruined the country, the concept of the Tsar remains an important symbol to them.”

Well, let’s see how the situation unfolds.

Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat

The tanks crossing the trenches are clearing out the Reds who were only defending from their trenches with machine guns.

Yes, that’s it.

Look at how cleanly the trenches are being breached. It’s really a sight to see.

“What is this?!”

“The Grand Duchess brought something strange!”

“Stop them! Stop them!”

I can’t see clearly, but judging by how the tanks are advancing without hindrance, the Reds don’t seem to be able to stop them well.

It would be better to see something like this up close.

Should I follow them?

“Absolutely not. You’ve already done enough by coming this far.”

Kolchak adamantly refused to let me go.

I, the idol and mascot of the White Army, absolutely cannot go there.

Well, when Kolchak heard that I had fought directly in trench warfare, he was furious.

Whatever his true feelings, he knows it would be troublesome if I, the rallying point of the White Army, were to fall.

“Your Highness! The trench line has been breached!”

Why is this so easy?

Even though I bet on the winning side, I expected at least a few days of bloody fighting.

As far as I know, the Battle of Tsaritsyn was ultimately defended successfully by Stalin.

The White Army barely broke through in the later stages of the civil war.

That’s how impenetrable Tsaritsyn was supposed to be.

I guess the difference between unified forces and warlord groups is clear.

Moreover, the Bolsheviks were also defeated in Yekaterinburg, so their morale must be terrible.

The Grand Duchess stands at the forefront.

This fact alone made our fighting power different from the original history.

Add to that the tanks from Britain and France that fought against the German army in the Hundred Days Offensive, and the outcome seems obvious.

But they’re retreating too easily.

Wait, should I revise my strategy?

They’re retreating far too easily.

At this rate, my declaration of staking the White Army’s fate on recapturing Tsaritsyn might seem like I was just putting on airs.

“No, wait a moment.”

If Trotsky was indeed in charge of the Yekaterinburg attack…

Then Trotsky would suffer a political blow.

Couldn’t Stalin use that opportunity to advance?

Originally, if the attack on Yekaterinburg had succeeded and disrupted my forces, stopping the Southern Russian White Army at Tsaritsyn would have been easy.

But the attack failed, and I counterattacked toward Tsaritsyn.

Yes, I’ll give Stalin some justification.

It’s a bit of a gamble, but…

Just as Germany dropped Lenin into Russia, what if I make Stalin retreat to Moscow?

Since Stalin has been defeated anyway, he’ll probably try to win a power struggle against Trotsky.

I could push Stalin back completely, but it might be more interesting to let them tear each other apart.

“Your Highness?”

“The Bolshevik in charge of Tsaritsyn’s defense, a man called Stalin, is in a power struggle with another Bolshevik named Trotsky within the Bolshevik leadership.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. A former Bolshevik who was liberated from the Red plague told me.”

“He’s quite a big shot among the Reds, isn’t he? We must kill him.”

Yes, normally that would be the right move.

I’d find it satisfying to personally wring Stalin’s neck.

But if we kill Stalin now, he’ll become a martyr.

If we kill him now, during this battle, rather than during the final battle for Moscow, the revolutionary idols Lenin and Trotsky might use it for propaganda.

“What if we let him live to create internal conflict?”

“You mean let him go?”

“Let’s deliberately open a path toward Moscow for him to see. Rather than killing someone who’s fighting to the death and making him a martyr for the Reds, let’s make him think, ‘Oh, there’s an escape route to Moscow.'”

“That’s unfortunate, but…”

It is unfortunate, I feel the same way. But we need to look further ahead.

“Trotsky was behind the Red Army that was defeated in Yekaterinburg. He failed, and as the prince joined forces with me, our strength grew even more. Isn’t that how we advanced this far?”

“You’re saying that Stalin might try to shift the blame for the defeat at Tsaritsyn to Trotsky.”

“Yes. While those two fight each other, we can govern our internal affairs using Southern Russia, Siberia, and the Far East as our base.”

Well, butcher.

I’ll spare you this once, so please, you and that bespectacled man, destroy yourselves.

And take Voroshilov with you on your way out.