Ch.210The Enemy Within

# Russia is still conserving its strength. They develop new weapons every day, and resources overflow within their own country even without colonies.

The population has somehow surged as if everyone took some medicine, with birth rates rising as people want to have daughters who resemble the Tsar. Even without colonies, the population exceeds 200 million, and their army alone would match the combined forces of Britain, France, and the Low Countries.

After this war, if Russia is the only one left standing, they will naturally become Europe’s balancer and leader.

This means the British Empire, which draws its power from colonies, will collapse before Russia without even fighting a war, as they’ll lack the strength to manage their colonies.

“Wait, doesn’t this only benefit Russia?”

“Prime Minister, what’s the matter?”

“We need to hurry our offensive.”

This is making Russia look too good.

Letting things drag on might seem fine, but Russia will end up devouring everything we’ve prepared.

In that sense, we must capture Communist Germany as soon as possible.

We need to capture Germany and let the Kaiser or whoever else take charge of it, then gather a European allied force again.

“Pardon?”

“Didn’t you say communist forces have been pushed back in America?”

“Yes. Black communists seem to be conducting guerrilla warfare in various regions, but it doesn’t look like it will end anytime soon.”

There isn’t much time.

Until now, Russia had no justification to join the war, and we don’t know what they’re thinking.

Now Russia will turn its attention to the European war as soon as America stabilizes.

“We can ignore Italy, but Germany is the main body. We need to strengthen our offensive against Germany. We must stop them before Russia gets involved.”

While Churchill was urgently preparing for an offensive…

In the Free Socialist Republic of Germany, Goebbels was contemplating an attack of his own due to the Allies’ lackluster offensive.

Of course, this was just a contingency plan.

If the Allies truly proved ineffective, he thought about launching one all-out attack.

This could accelerate the communization of France, and even Communist Germany, as crazy as it was, knew it couldn’t handle a two-front war if Russia joined later.

The Germans already knew they would fall the moment a two-front war opened.

“Hmm, so what’s the operation plan?”

“Comrade, Schlieffen seems most promising.”

The candidates were either to proceed with the Schlieffen Plan again, like in the original history, or something similar to it.

From the beginning, looking at the encirclement, using the Schlieffen Plan or even a “Schlieffen’s grandfather” plan seemed impossible.

This wasn’t the Germany that had achieved Anschluss, devoured Czechoslovakia through the Munich Agreement, or conquered Poland. In fact, this was an even bigger gamble than Nazi Germany, especially given the tight encirclement.

One thing that hadn’t changed in this history was that the German military was similar to Nazi Germany because Goebbels had tried to embrace the Junkers more broadly.

The German Communist Party calculated that the Junkers would help defend Germany if war broke out.

But Goebbels’ mistake lay elsewhere.

While some Junkers supported this, others with the goal of overthrowing the communist regime believed the communist system should be destroyed by the Allies.

Especially since Britain, the leader of the Allies, was also a monarchy. They hoped Britain would overthrow their regime.

Of course, it was somewhat bitter to need Britain’s help, but resistance would clearly lead to defeat.

At first, they considered assassinating Goebbels, but the military was filled with political officers, and Goebbels’ security forces were formidable, making assassination impractical.

By coincidence, Werner von Blomberg and Werner von Fritsch, famous for the Blomberg-Fritsch affair in the original history, managed to flee to Austria, along with many other Junkers, though not figures like Manstein.

Manstein, believing the communist system was failing and that the Second Reich era was better, decided to connect with East Prussia and planned an operation similar to the original history’s Sickle Cut.

If the Sickle Cut failed and they were surrounded by Allied forces, he planned to surrender.

If that wasn’t accepted, they would have to act accordingly.

Unexpectedly, Goebbels liked this strategy.

‘If we can surround them even briefly by passing through the Ardennes Forest, we can trigger a revolution in France.’

A revolution was possible.

This Germany was more difficult than in the original history, and honestly, Goebbels was starting to feel the pressure.

They had been holding out well so far, but at this rate, Germany would collapse.

They needed to accelerate the communization of France.

The operation plan that emerged was one that could surround the Allied forces.

It was fundamentally different from conventional methods—a perfect gamble for Germany in its current state.

For Germany, this would truly be a soul-consuming, all-or-nothing battle, more desperate than in the original history, but if successful, it could accelerate France’s communization.

Success meant communist revolution; failure meant downfall.

These were the only two options, and unfortunately, Germany had no other choice.

Thus, Secretary Goebbels approved the operation. Manstein planned to leak this information to the Allies, surrender to them with his German forces, and then join Ludendorff’s Imperial German Army in East Prussia, which was still alive due to some historical change.

However…

“Talk sense. How could those who are barely defending themselves come up with such an operation? Through a forest, no less? This is a ploy to tie down our forces. They’re deliberately leaking information to make us immobile so they can rest. If this is real, I’ll snort the mint chocolate that the Russian Empress loves so much.”

Churchill, who was losing what little hair he had left preparing for the offensive, simply ignored it.

***

Vienna, Austrian Empire

Meanwhile, in Vienna, Hermann Göring urgently sought out Chancellor Hitler.

“Chancellor, isn’t this our opportunity? If the British or the Kaiser of East Prussia recover the German mainland…”

In response to Hermann Göring’s words, Hitler shook his finger as if to say no.

When Hermann Göring tilted his head at this seemingly obvious rejection, Hitler stood up and pointed to the map of Europe on the wall.

At first glance, it might seem that way, but this was wrong.

“I don’t think so. Goebbels is preparing something. And the Allies aren’t trying to isolate and capture Germany through attrition; they’re only conducting offensives and suffering casualties in trench warfare.”

Hitler traced his finger along the borders of the Low Countries, France, and Germany on the map as he continued.

It’s flowing in a pattern similar to World War I.

Moreover, according to rumors, Communist Germany’s tanks are performing quite well.

Austria had begun producing tanks through Škoda in a different way from the original history.

Hitler had accelerated tank production out of concern that it would ultimately become a ground war.

But communists deep within Austria had handed over tank designs to Germany.

They should have caught them sooner.

“Then, what is Goebbels preparing?”

“Do you know how the Russian Empire fell?”

Hitler had seen much while participating as a German volunteer in the Russian Civil War.

The Bolsheviks’ ability to agitate, and the stupid Slavs who fell for that agitation.

He had also studied how the Russian Empire collapsed.

That’s what communists are like.

Like trying to seduce a heartbroken woman, they corrupt people to become as red as themselves.

Of course, while one might attribute this to the inferior Slavs, much had changed.

Looking at Britain and France, they weren’t much different, and above all, the Germanic people of Communist Germany, who could be considered true Aryan blood, were admitting their inferiority.

“It was because of Lenin, right? Surely not!”

“The German Empire sent Lenin to Russia to end the Russian front, triggering a revolution. That’s how they were able to end the Russian front with the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk.”

Germany had used Lenin as a bomb quite effectively.

Thanks to that, the Russian Empire collapsed, and the current Empress’s Russia was established.

Just to reduce one front, they created an opponent more powerful than the Russian Empire.

“But there’s no figure like Lenin now, is there?”

True, there isn’t.

But within France, there’s the French Commune, and the French government, with its terrible public sentiment, lacks the ability to properly suppress those who propose solutions to France’s difficult situation.

Yes, France is letting its own revolutionaries be.

Terribly so.

“Instead, there’s the French Commune loyal to Berlin inside France. What if Goebbels has been in contact with them for a long time and is inducing a revolution? Since they can’t break through Germany’s defense line now, there’s a good chance for the Commune if they use anti-war sentiment.”

If they withstand the Allied offensive a few more times…

Then the French Commune will gain more strength.

“Indeed, if France is suddenly communized, the British forces are finished.”

That’s right. Then Britain would be isolated.

No matter how strong the Royal Navy is, they might not be able to evacuate their army in time.

“That’s right. Britain has brought all its elite troops from the British Isles. I’m looking that far ahead. If the British Army takes a big hit in this battle, will the colonies roll away?”

Churchill is conscious of Russia.

He’s conscious of Russia and wants to finish Germany before Russia can settle matters in America.

But such urgency will ultimately bring down the Allied forces.

There’s also the option of attacking Communist Germany from below to widen the front, but…

Austria isn’t properly prepared yet, and even if they’re lucky enough to capture Communist Germany, they’ll be torn apart by the Allied nations.

“I’m truly impressed by your insight, Chancellor.”

“Where next? It’s our Austria. We need to fortify the border with Germany, including the Sudetenland.”

Hitler drew a line with his finger along the German border on the map.

Now is the time to strengthen our defenses.

“Shouldn’t we also block the Italian side?”

“A quasi-power that can’t even occupy an African country after waging total war, and gets defeated by French mountain divisions? Two divisions should be enough. The War Minister has already assessed it that way.”

Sincerely, not out of carelessness, but truly sincerely.

Italy seems manageable.

Still, other preparations must be made. To prevent division if war breaks out later.

Already, Galicia-Lodomeria, which had been balancing between Poland and Ukraine, could be reincorporated due to Poland’s blunders and Ukraine’s incorporation into Russia.

“Then, let’s prepare for the Great Compromise as planned.”

“Yes, Chancellor.”

Now is truly the time for Austria to be reborn.

***

Unlike European countries, Russia was very peaceful.

If anything, there was an increase in weapons purchase requests from Austria? That makes sense. Austria has no choice.

Hitler probably knows that Germany won’t collapse easily.

The same goes for the Balkan countries.

“As Your Majesty predicted, the Allied forces can’t push back Germany.”

I nodded slightly at Maria’s words.

That’s right. If they gave way immediately, they wouldn’t be Germany.

Although they’ve turned bright red, their unity might actually be better than during the imperial era.

“We have to consider the positions of aggressor and defender. The aggressors, Britain and France, have the complacent idea that they’ll win this time too because of their Great War experience, but they also remember the nightmare of trench warfare. On the other hand, Communist Germany knows that if they lose this time, it’s truly the end. Above all, since Britain and France started this war, it’s perfect for Goebbels to agitate.”

Of course, no matter how good their mindset is, it can’t overcome the quality of weapons.

Unfortunately, these Communist Germans have obtained weapon designs through spies.

No matter how inferior Communist Germany is, developing weapons based on designs shouldn’t be too difficult.

“Churchill seems too urgent. They could inflict enough damage just by isolating them, you know.”

That’s not so easy.

Churchill isn’t a fool; he knows such attacks will harm his side too, but he has no choice.

Having started this, there’s the pride of the colonial empire, and the longer it drags on, the more urgent it becomes with the uncertainty of when Russia might join.

“That’s because they’re conscious of us. Both Communist Germany and the Allies. They’re thinking of reaching a decision while we’re tied up in America.”

One of them has to fall.

But neither side thinks they’ll be the one to fall.

For now, Goebbels in Communist Germany has been preparing for a long time, and while Churchill seems to have started the war somewhat hastily, his forces are still superior to Communist Germany.

We said we’d end things quickly in America, but in reality, we’re dragging it out.

Especially since Huey Long has just requested talks with MacArthur, our army remains in America, dragging things out.

I’m doing this deliberately.

To make that European war more intense.

Those guys must be getting quite anxious.

Unexpectedly, with Russia being tied up longer in the American civil war, there’s psychological pressure.

The longer the American civil war continues, the more uncertain its end becomes.

If America becomes one again through talks between Huey Long and MacArthur, we can minimize our losses, which is good.

“Your Majesty, it seems Churchill is preparing an offensive.”

Soon after, new information arrived from the military.

Churchill is preparing an offensive. This was expected, so it doesn’t matter.

Yes, that would be normal. Churchill would want to make one big move.

Britain must have also heard about the talks between MacArthur and Huey Long in America.

For him, the real enemy isn’t Communist Germany. It’s Russia.

Even if they can’t go to war, they want to bring down Germany, divide the land among the victors, place European spheres of influence under Britain, and compete with Russia.

Churchill, though different from Communist Germany, is an enemy to us with his own goals.

Looking at the related documents, it seems the Allied forces are pushing down across the entire German border.

Churchill seems to be moving too urgently. Well, this might be his only option.

So, how will our Mr. Goebbels move?