Ch.136Ukraine Free Zone (3)

# The Bolshevik Medal Award System Isn’t Bad

I’ve killed enough of them, and the remaining ones aren’t much of a threat, so I could treat them more moderately. Like this.

As long as I clearly draw the line that the enemy of Modified Capitalism, the enemy of Anastasia-ism, is German communism?

“Oh, that doesn’t sound bad. But aren’t you being too merciful to those Reds?”

“No matter how wide we spread our intelligence network, Russia is vast. There must still be quite a few communists remaining.”

To be honest, as foreigners say, we’re in a position where we have to be mindful of the workers.

Naturally, communists are closer to the workers, and by awarding medals even to communists, we can unite any remaining communists under Anastasia-ism.

“Hmm, will the State Duma accept it?”

“When we convene for the Makhno matter, we’ll have to resolve that issue too.”

I’m a bit worried though.

Since I’m the one calling the meeting this time, won’t the State Duma be surprised?

# # #

As expected, the State Duma was in an uproar.

Why? Simply because I called the meeting.

Just in case they might voice complaints, I decided to preempt them.

“Well, I apologize for calling you all, including the Prime Minister and Duma members, during such busy times, but it’s an urgent matter.”

“If Your Majesty says so, what exactly has happened?”

Well, I can’t say I called them here leisurely when they must all be busy.

But I can’t make this story too heavy either.

“It’s nothing serious. Just that a Cheka agent who once tried to bury me in Yekaterinburg came to pay his respects after a long time.”

I said this casually while touching the back of my head.

At that moment, a cold silence fell over the Duma.

“What? Where is this scoundrel who deserves nothing less than a witch hunt?”

“Isn’t he one of those who assassinated the previous Tsar?”

“No, he defected to me back then and informed me about how his family was executed without trial by the Bolsheviks and about their revolutionary plans, so we’re even.”

“How dare he try to bury the Emperor of Rome! This man should be—”

No, I’m telling you the culprit is already dead.

The White Army generals of the Roman National Party were in an uproar without giving me a chance to speak.

Especially Ungern.

I barely raised my hand to stop Ungern’s fuming.

“That’s enough, General Ungern. That will do. After all, they were the ones who killed the Bolshevik official responsible for executing the Tsar’s family. It’s fine. I forgave them back then, so let’s move past this point. The information this Cheka agent brought is important.”

“What information could that wretch who deserves to be torn apart possibly bring?”

“He says that Makhno, the chairman of the Supreme Labor Committee established as the highest governing body of the Ukrainian Free Territory, received a letter from the German Secretary and decided to hide it from us.”

“Can we trust the words of this Cheka agent?”

“He has no reason to lie. There’s evidence.”

I had the Duma members pass around the love letter that Liebknecht had sent to Makhno.

“To think he’s been engaging in such behavior behind our backs. He truly deserves to be torn apart! Thanks to whom did he establish the Free Territory? And now he’s in cahoots with that Liebknecht!”

I don’t know if Makhno will actually side with Communist Germany in the future. But anyway, that’s what they say.

“What’s the current situation in Ukraine? It would be troublesome to push in without proper justification.”

We need to build up justification before going in.

Look at the Russia-Ukraine war of the 21st century.

In the special military operation launched to eliminate Ukraine’s neo-Nazis, Ukraine fought back.

Even if one supports Ukraine against Putin’s invasion war…

Makhno’s Free Territory is truly a place that can be eliminated without regret.

But even for such people, if we don’t go in with proper justification, there will be some resistance.

That’s something I’d rather avoid.

So we need at least enough justification for Ukrainians to think they’d rather become part of Russia than fight against it.

“Makhno’s collective farms are failing.”

“Collective farms?”

Could it be they still haven’t improved?

It’s fine if they keep failing over there.

The more Ukraine fails, the more Ukrainians will compare themselves with neighboring countries.

Neighboring countries include pro-British Western Ukraine and the United States of Greater Russia. They probably won’t even glance at the British side and will compare themselves with Russia, which implements worker welfare policies with a slightly red tinge.

As this continues, support for the Free Territory will decline.

It seems they’re already having trouble with internal control due to the peculiarity of “anarchy.” This is good for us.

“Yes. They continue to export grain to our side. It seems they want to show that they’re doing fine.”

That’s right. The actual historical Soviet Union was similar.

The Soviet Union’s collective farms performed poorly and failed, but they refused foreign aid and exported what they plundered from Ukraine to show that they were fine and a strong nation.

They didn’t care if millions of Ukrainians died in the Great Famine.

Could this trigger a Ukrainian Great Famine too?

These collective farms are truly terrible.

In the end, the landlords disappear, but instead, the party monopolizes the farms.

The Supreme Labor Committee or whatever it is in the Free Territory monopolizes them. And farmers won’t simply follow the new system.

Even Stalin said he feared the war with farmers more than the war with Germany.

There will be resistance, and production will be poor as committees that are just beginning to try collective farming give orders.

What happens if they plunder even that?

If the farmers aren’t truly devoted to Makhno, and if Makhno isn’t forcefully pushing collective farms, there wouldn’t be talk of failure.

But what happens if Ukraine itself repeats the Soviet Ukrainian Great Famine?

Does Makhno intend to turn Ukraine into hell?

For the Soviet Union, Ukraine was just a part, but what if Makhno thoroughly implements plunder policies in Ukraine itself, killing all farmers who don’t follow him?

Hmm.

That would be suicide.

They sell grain to avoid giving the United States of Greater Russia a pretext.

It’s a kind of bluff.

They’re trying to prove that the Free Territory is running well, but the truth must be different.

Farmers resist collective farms, Makhno plunders those farmers more, and the vicious cycle repeats.

Then, production becomes hell, and they still plunder everything and sell it through trade.

In the end, the Ukrainian Free Territory will be left with nothing but beggars.

Currently, the United States of Greater Russia obtains grain through trade with other countries.

Unlike the Soviet Union, we acknowledge our shortages and trade.

Western Ukraine is also selling grain to us.

Around the time of World War II, I plan to have Ukraine, after we take it, supply food for the White Army based on Ukraine.

For now, European agricultural products should primarily come from Ukraine.

On the surface, Russia continues to develop, but we have a long way to go. Honestly, the railways installed by Germany were only completed around Yekaterinburg to maintain an advantage during the civil war.

Looking at Russia as a whole, we’re still laying railways.

Well, once it’s all done, Russia will be better than it is now.

“But if Ukraine continues to fail like this, won’t grain imports become a problem in the near future?”

There’s a limit to how much they can squeeze out.

Even now, they seem to be barely hanging on, but eventually, this will all run out, right?

When that happens, Russia will be troubled too.

We need to swallow Makhno before that happens.

“Yes, that will be the case. In the end, as it’s human work, if the Supreme Labor Committee oppresses farmers and forcefully pushes collective farms, it’s over.”

This is truly lacking.

In the end, they’re all the same humans.

Is there no reason why the Bolsheviks, who revolutionized to create a country for workers, failed with collective farms?

Incompetent bureaucrats replaced landlords, and there’s corruption behind the scenes.

If it’s the same or even worse, it’s better to recognize the rights of farmers.

For communism to be perfectly realized, it would need to continuously develop from the current state until an amazing AI emerges to directly manage humans for an ideal paradise.

Whether it’s revolution or communist policies, as long as humans are involved, corruption is inevitable.

Just look at Communist China and North Korea.

Even Kim Il-sung of North Korea was a rootless thief installed by the Soviet Union.

As a result, both Communist China and North Korea rotted.

Come to think of it, Mao Zedong also made quite a few blunders.

Anyway, in the end, Makhno, despite claiming anarchism, will follow the same path.

“Then let’s start setting the stage.”

“I’ll create justification.”

“For justification, let’s incite the Ukrainian farmers. Is that possible?”

“We’ve been laying the groundwork for a long time.”

That’s right. Then it’s fortunate for us.

Even if Makhno plays dirty behind the scenes, it won’t matter.

Wait, I just thought about it.

Aren’t they anarchists, literally without a government? Then, is justification itself important?

If Ukrainian farmers in an anarchist land desire Russian rule, that’s all that matters.

The Ukrainian Free Territory can’t be called a state.

This way, we have legitimacy.

Not only that, but Ukrainian farmers are also dissatisfied, so apart from Makhno’s close associates, there won’t be many guerrillas.

“No, wait. It’s anarchy to begin with, so do we need justification? Anarchy means there’s no government. It means it’s not a state but no man’s land, and if the Ukrainians in that land desire Russian rule, the justification is ours.”

The justification is perfect.

Britain doesn’t recognize the establishment of the Ukrainian Free Territory but remains silent.

Just as they tacitly accepted Communist Germany.

Then they can’t say anything if we openly take the Free Territory.

As long as we don’t directly target Western Ukraine.

Ah, that’s a bit disappointing.

“Guide the Ukrainian farmers to rise up. At the very least, we must fully annex Eastern Ukraine this time.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Alright, that’s settled, hmm.”

It’s a shame that we can only take Eastern Ukraine. The map looks so messy.

With Bessarabia and Eastern Ukraine separated by Western Ukraine in between.

Hmm, it would be nice if we could quickly “Anschluss” Ukraine in World War II. Couldn’t we take Western Ukraine too if we push a bit now?

Since it’s a British puppet state, it could come to us.

“Why do you ask?”

“What about targeting Western Ukraine in this opportunity? Given Britain’s current state, it might be worth throwing out some bait.”

To be honest, if we could somehow take Western Ukraine in this opportunity, it wouldn’t be bad. Look at Britain. They’re barely maintaining peace in our era.

It might be good to act now, even if it’s a bit forceful.

When they’re looking down on us, couldn’t we take over Ukraine? Like this.

Since it’s a pro-British puppet state, we could bring it under our jurisdiction.

They could acknowledge our influence and we could gradually annex it.

“That would be difficult. Britain would resist. After conceding so much to Germany, if they concede to Russia as well, Britain’s face would be lost.”

“I see, it can’t be helped.”

That’s a shame. A real shame.

In the original history, maybe not, but at least here, Russia needs Ukraine.

As long as I am Anastasia, Russia must become stronger.

If we gain Ukraine, Russia will develop a bit more.

After all, even the Soviet Union had Ukraine.

Northern Manchuria and Pontic Greece, well, they can’t yet be used for industrial power like Ukraine.

But Makhno is ruining half of Ukraine. We must drive Makhno out of Eastern Ukraine this time.

So we’ll take Eastern Ukraine now and gain a stake in Western Ukraine later.

“Given Britain’s current state, when we fight Communist Germany later, it might be good to demand Ukraine from Britain.”

“Looking at Britain’s current situation, when they’re at war with Germany, they’ll probably be stuck in a corner of Britain. By then, they won’t be able to say much if we take Ukraine.”

The Duma also suggests taking it later. That settles it.

“Let’s do that.”

I had expected this, but I was still hopeful.