Ch.138Makhno’s End

* * *

“That’s not what anarchy means-“

“Then what does anarchy mean if not this? We simply moved our troops because the farmers of Ukrainian land rightfully desired Russian rule.”

Anarchy, he said. Because it was a free territory, it had no meaning.

Upon hearing this, the Free Territory’s diplomatic ambassador told Makhno that Russia had deceived the Free Territory.

“How strange. How did that letter leak out?”

“A few Bolsheviks who belonged to the Supreme Labor Committee crossed the border and scurried off to tattle to the Tsarina.”

“Those traitors!”

Unlike his furious subordinates, Makhno thought differently.

No. It’s ‘that’ Tsarina.

The Tsarina who led the civil war to victory. If it were the Tsarina, the grudge-bearing Bolsheviks wouldn’t have bothered reporting to her.

Even if Makhno’s policies had failed. They would have hated the Tsarina.

Which meant that from the beginning, there were the Tsarina’s agents among those Bolsheviks.

‘I see. The Tsarina planned this from the start.’

That must be it. What was the Free Territory anyway?

It was a Free Territory established with the Tsarina’s approval. There was no reason for the Tsarina to grant independence to half of Ukraine just to check Britain.

Moreover, the Free Territory was treated as communist, just slightly different from the Bolsheviks who killed the previous Tsar.

Should he have been more selective about which Bolsheviks to accept? No. It was already too late.

He should never have accepted Secretary Liebknecht’s personal letter in the first place.

He should never have given them a pretext.

“This is different from what was promised!”

“In this situation, we must mobilize the defense forces!”

“Yes. Since Russia has deceived us, we’ll fight to the last man!”

Makhno’s Black Army, now the Labor Committee Defense Force, drew on their experience fighting the Red Army during the civil war to face Anton Denikin’s South Russian White Army in Ukraine—

“Do we really need to fight?”

“Makhno is ruining the committee, that’s for sure.”

“And we don’t have anyone to help us.”

Unlike their Black Army days, the Committee Defense Force had no real intention to fight.

They had originally followed Makhno because they believed he would govern the committee and the Free Territory well.

But Makhno had failed miserably.

Though Makhno himself seemed unaware, the committee bureaucrats implementing the collective farm policy were corrupt behind his back.

No one was willing to die for Makhno and his committee.

Rather, since the neighboring Tsar was said to be leading well, living under Russian rule might not be so bad.

With circumstances changed since the Russian Civil War days, the Black Army directly welcomed Anton Denikin’s army and guided them to Kharkiv.

Makhno, who never expected a Russian invasion, was blindsided by the Black Army’s betrayal.

Of course, some did fight on Makhno’s side until the end.

“We’re all dead if we’re caught!”

“If we’re going to die anyway, let’s die fighting!”

This was especially true for the perpetrators of the collective farm policy, who would die regardless of surrender.

But even that was just a few who had nowhere to run, while most were beaten to death by farmers while trying to escape.

Even if the remaining stragglers wanted to fight Anton Denikin’s army, Denikin’s forces knew Makhno’s army well from South Russia, and there was a difference in weapon quality and manpower.

“Finally, we can sweep away these filthy anarchists! Wipe them all out!”

Anton Denikin’s army thoroughly captured Makhno’s resisting defense forces.

In this tragic reality, Makhno, in the Supreme Labor Committee’s office, finally saw the truth.

“Is this the end of the Free Territory?”

Makhno suddenly recalled when he first led the Black Army.

That revolutionary spirit. Makhno hadn’t forgotten it.

In truth, Makhno wasn’t unaware of the problems with collective farms.

He had anticipated resistance from landowners and farmers.

But he had a vague expectation that things would improve someday.

Perhaps it could have been possible.

But there wasn’t enough time.

Tsarina Anastasia had no intention of leaving the Ukrainian Free Territory alone.

Well, even if Makhno himself were in her position, he would have tried to crush it if given the chance.

In fact, he had been planning to switch sides to Germany after assessing the situation.

He just never imagined there would be Tsarist agents in the Supreme Labor Committee.

Anyway, this was a complete defeat.

The fact that the Tsar moved so quickly meant she had already prepared everything to legitimately crush them.

If he were dragged to Moscow, his intentions would be thoroughly denied at trial.

After all, what does the loser’s opinion matter?

Even if Makhno tried to defend himself—

“No. We weren’t even treated as a country.”

In that case, Makhno would be considered a mere bandit at best.

Rather than face that fate, it would be better to die here.

With the Russian invasion beginning and public sentiment turning against him, his wife and children had left, and he had no reason to live.

As a small act of defiance against the Tsarina, dying this way would surely make him a martyr.

Makhno pressed the gun barrel to his temple and pulled the trigger.

Bang!

The bullet cleanly pierced Makhno’s temple, splattering his brains and blood on the office wall, and the Free Territory met its end along with Makhno’s final moments.

* * *

Siberian Prison Camp

Meanwhile, a small medal ceremony was held at the Siberian prison camp.

“This is ridiculous.”

And on this day, Stalin was incredulous.

After all, a ministerial-level figure specially dispatched from Moscow for the Bolshevik medal ceremony personally presented Stalin with a medal.

It was the new Double-Headed Eagle Medal, given only to former Bolsheviks who had rendered special service to the United States of Greater Russia.

The reason for the medal? Simple.

Stalin, despite being a Bolshevik, had become a priest and was awarded a medal for stabilizing the Siberian prison camp for the United States government.

Merit was just an excuse. Stalin shrewdly caught that this medal ceremony was meant to give the impression that the Grand Duchess was a merciful saint who embraced even Bolsheviks.

And the White Army soldiers and Okhrana agents attending the ceremony in the camp didn’t hold back their applause.

“I knew this day would come.”

“The Steel Priest is indeed the only one in the Siberian camp worthy of receiving His Majesty’s grace!”

“Stalin! Stalin! Stalin!”

Stalin gritted his teeth as he endured the medal ceremony.

He accepted it because refusing would look bad for a priest, but since this was the first ceremony held in the camp, Bolshevik inmates also attended.

This was intended by the Okhrana, and the Bolsheviks at the ceremony were busy pointing fingers at Stalin.

“That traitor to the revolution!”

“I knew it! I saw through him when he said he’d become a priest!”

“Did he have something going on with that Grand Duchess? Did he fall for her?”

“All of Lenin’s close associates died, but seeing how he alone survived, they must have gotten close, right?”

Now he felt a sense of futility.

Fall for the Grand Duchess? Him? For her?

For that Grand Duchess who thoroughly destroyed his dream of becoming the Secretary of Russia like Karl Liebknecht of Germany?

He wanted to tear off this hateful medal pinned to his chest right now, but doing so might cause trouble with the Okhrana.

Since coming to this Siberian prison camp, Stalin had realized one thing.

He wanted to survive somehow.

He would live as long as possible, however thinly stretched, and irritate that Grand Duchess.

Not everyone in the camp was Stalin’s Bolshevik comrade.

There were also ordinary criminals from the Tsarist era who had the misfortune of being sent to the Siberian camp, and socialists who fought against the White Army on the Red Army’s side.

These people showed goodwill toward Stalin, the camp’s priest.

After all, in this cold icy region, they needed something to lean on spiritually, and Stalin had provided that space by becoming a priest.

Today, a socialist who came to see him said:

“Hahaha, Father Stalin, did you know?”

“What is it?”

“There’s a chicken restaurant owner who’s recently become popular in America. They say he’s beloved by Black people.”

On the front page of an American newspaper was a story about a chicken restaurant owner loved by Black people, with the owner’s face printed.

But here’s the thing. The face looked very familiar.

While hiding for the revolution, Stalin had disguised himself a few times.

Of course, Trotsky, who was with him, had also disguised himself, and Stalin knew Trotsky’s disguise patterns.

Yes. So.

“This bastard? While I became a eunuch!”

Stalin had to grab the back of his neck as he thought about Trotsky living alone in America, gnawing on chicken legs and living in luxury.

* * *

There was a medal ceremony for the members of the State Duma.

To be precise, everyone who contributed to establishing the United States and played an active role in the civil war received medals regardless of status, including those from Yekaterinburg.

The highest-ranking medal was awarded here, the newly created United States Roman Cross Medal, the highest in the United States’ new medal system.

It was a platinum cross decorated with a golden double-headed eagle, which was quickly made as it had been prepared in advance when creating the Workers’ Medal.

First, Prime Minister Alexander Krivoshein and the current ministers received the United States Roman Cross Medal for preserving the South Russian government, which was essentially the predecessor of the United States government.

Then, Georgy Lvov, along with the current Zemstvo officials from Yekaterinburg and citizen representatives, received the United States Roman Cross Medal for helping me establish the Yekaterinburg Provisional Government and fighting in the Battle of Yekaterinburg.

Alexander Kolchak received it for rescuing me in Yekaterinburg and leading the civil war to victory, and Roman von Ungern-Sternberg received a medal along with Grigory Semyonov, who captured Mongolia and Northern Manchuria with few troops during the civil war, for the victory in Ukraine.

Anton Denikin also received a medal for the victory in Ukraine and for helping liberate Moscow by fighting against the Red Army led by Trotsky from the south in the Battle of Moscow. Pyotr Wrangel and Mikhail Drozdovsky, who advanced to Moscow and fought in the Battle of Moscow with me, also received medals.

Anatoly Pepelyaev, who led 20,000 troops under Pyotr Wrangel and captured Perm where 40,000 Red Army troops were stationed, also received a medal, as did Yudenich, who attacked Petrograd, and Bermont, who fought bloodily against the Red Army in the Baltic.

Mannerheim of the Kingdom of Finland, essentially an allied army, also received this medal, and due to the nature of this civil war, foreigners were also awarded.

They were given a new name, the United States Founding Medal.

Patton, who was still around for some reason, received it as a representative, it was also sent to Gajda in Austria, and separately to Hitler, who had captured Stalin and other key Bolshevik figures.

As the medal ceremony was concluding.

New news arrived.

Makhno’s Free Territory had been destroyed.

Honestly, I had some expectations this time.

Bessarabia was such a small territory from the beginning that we could take it instantly under the pretext of a peacekeeping force.

But I wondered if Makhno’s Black Army might fight hard against us.

Well, the circumstances were different from 21st century Ukraine.

What could Makhno have done with public sentiment already in ruins?

The special news was that Makhno had committed suicide.

They say Makhno put a bullet in his head in his office.

His subordinates didn’t even have time to betray him, and since he was holding the gun in his hand, it was practically suicide.

The State Duma was urgently convened.

It was about swallowing Eastern Ukraine, so it was expected.

Makhno’s death was quite a topic among the Duma members.

Honestly, I was suspicious too.

I mean, he’s not Hitler to commit suicide with a pistol.

“Is it true that Makhno committed suicide?”

I don’t know how he died in the original history, but anyway, dying like that seemed like a ploy to spite us.

“Yes, it seems he didn’t want to be dragged to Moscow.”

I nodded at Drozdovsky’s words.

Yes, death was an escape for Makhno.

If he had lived, he wouldn’t have fared well.

Once we took over Eastern Ukraine and Makhno’s army was defeated, would the farmers who had been grinding their teeth at the collective farm policy have left Makhno alone?

Being hanged at a gas station would have been merciful.

And if captured by us, he thought he would be executed on various pretexts.

To be honest, since it was anarchy and the farmers wanted Russian rule, we would have treated Makhno as just a bandit leader and killed him.

Who would have thought he would choose suicide?

“Why did he commit suicide?”

“Well, history sometimes reevaluates based on how one dies. If he had just been captured, tried, and executed, that would be one thing. But by committing suicide, it could be said he died fighting valiantly for a lost cause. That he was advancing toward an anarchist utopia but died without fulfilling his vision due to Russian invaders. Future historians might explain it that way. The Bolsheviks were defeated with no chance for reevaluation, but Makhno is different.”

“Ah, that makes sense when you put it that way.”

Even such a person might have followers in the future.

If that’s the case, we need to take a different approach.