Ch.224Opening Battle (2)

* * *

Soon I began my war declaration speech from a podium on the stage provided by the State Duma, with the help of the Moscow Broadcasting Station.

“Citizens of the United States of Russia. Today I must convey unfortunate news to you all. Despite Russia’s long pursuit of peace both domestically and internationally, the Red Front’s Communist Germany, French Commune, and Italy have invaded Austria, which is bound to us by a mutual defense treaty. This is tantamount to looking down on Russia and declaring war against us.”

Slowly and deliberately. Not that you’re simply being dragged into war, but that the world is flowing in this direction. And therefore, we must fight back.

I persuade everyone as the Tsar.

“Their goal is simple. They want to turn Europe red, achieve world revolution, and turn everyone into red cockroaches. We, the United States of Russia, have experienced civil war firsthand and have seen with our own eyes how vicious communism is. If Europe falls into their hands, we will be the last target. If we simply watch their red tide, we will be guilty of standing by when we could have stopped them. This is certainly not unrelated to our survival. Let us all rise up! Just as we defeated the Bolsheviks! On the plains! In the mountains! On rivers and seas! Let us become the white wave of the proud United States of Russia and sweep away the red plague, liberating Europe and protecting freedom!”

A speech that’s not even particularly long to be called a speech.

Short and simple, but more impactful than anything else, it raised support for the war.

In reality, my personal war declaration speech received explosive support from the Russian people.

War is unavoidable. If so, we must fight from an advantageous position.

Although 20 years have passed since the Civil War, people still remember the nostalgia of the past Red-White Civil War.

“Mother Tsar, hurrah!”

“God save Russia!”

“It’s time to protect Europe from the Reds!”

With the war broadcast, the United States of Russia entered wartime footing.

Numerous factories were converted to military production, beginning to manufacture tanks, aircraft, small arms, and various other weapons.

This was not the Russia of World War I that had to rely on other countries for weapon production, but Russia itself producing from countless factories across Eurasia.

The Far East, Central Asia, and Siberia went through new logistics hubs like Yekaterinburg, and equipment produced in the Caucasus and all regions of southern Russia filled Russia’s European arsenals to capacity via railways, the lifeblood of Russia. So many people visited recruitment offices that the Danubian Federation’s recruitment centers were overwhelmed.

The Black Sea Fleet that had been built up joined with the Turkish fleet to form a combined fleet.

The problem was…

That Hitler brat had to boost the morale of the Danubian troops with his war declaration speech.

Feeling that I should do at least that much as the Russian Tsar, I decided to boost the White Army’s morale for a second time.

To catch the communists.

So I stood before the White Army troops who filled the White Square for my second address.

“Listen! Twenty years ago, you eliminated the Soviet red plague that tried to stain Russia red, making today’s Russia possible. Thus, I formally organized the former Imperial Army, known as the Russian White Army, into the White Army to protect Russia from world communist revolution. And now finally, as those red Germans, French, and Italians invade the Danubian Federation to ignite a European revolution, how can we, as guardians of liberal democracy and the Orthodox Church, stand by and watch? We must rise up and become the white wave that covers their red tide, breaking the red flags that seek to dominate all of Europe!”

It’s actually embarrassing to be saying this.

Look at the bright-eyed White Army soldiers.

Standing in the middle of Moscow doing this feels quite awkward.

“Fear not! The White Army is the army of the United States and my army, Tsar Anastasia’s army. I will never send you alone to the battlefield! Would I, standing here before you, send you alone to the battlefield with your strength? As in the battles of Yekaterinburg, Tsaritsyn, and Moscow twenty years ago, I, Anastasia, will also be with my army as a soldier. The British Empire, once called the world’s greatest nation spanning five oceans, has now become a toothless lion that cannot even make landfall, but you, our Russian forces, are different! We will sweep away their red tide at once and reorganize all of Europe under Russian order!”

Reorganizing Europe under Russian order.

What an ambitious statement for the White Army.

The Russia that was struggling during the Great War now seeks to reorganize the world.

What a thrilling prospect.

“How can the Tsar personally take the field!”

“Mother Tsar, we will bring you victory! Please just wait for news of victory at the Kremlin Palace!”

“We will do the fighting! We will slaughter all the Reds!”

Oh, yes. At times like this, I should leave. Unfortunately, the atmosphere seems better if I join them.

It’s not like I’m going to die anyway, so what’s there to worry about?

Of course, the bomb was quite painful. But still, I have something to rely on. I won’t end up as a cube steak like Hirohito.

“I am different from my father! I will never lead you to meaningless deaths! I, Vladimir, and the entire Romanov Dynasty will stand with you!”

At first, there was resistance within the White Army.

Of course, it would be strange if there were no opposition to the Tsar personally taking the field.

But no one could stop my decision.

“Let’s bring victory to Mother Tsar! Hurrah!”

“Glory to the White Army! Glory to the Third Roman Empire!”

“God save the Tsar!”

Now, the second act of World War II has officially begun.

And shortly after, the Balkan nations declared war on Yugoslavia.

“Bulgaria, Romania, and Turkey have declared war on Yugoslavia!”

“That should be enough to trample Yugoslavia.”

Isn’t Bulgaria quite strong in its own right? It would be good if they rampage as the Prussia of the Balkans.

If Turkey mobilizes its army too, Yugoslavia is essentially finished.

Yugoslavia doesn’t have a large population like Russia. With an army that’s in terrible shape like a minor version of the Dual Monarchy, attacking the Danubian Federation was already a gamble.

Could Yugoslavia really not have anticipated this much?—though perhaps they asked Russia to mediate in hopes that Russia wouldn’t use the Balkan countries to attack Yugoslavia from behind, but that’s obviously not happening.

The Balkan countries can attack Yugoslavia separately, just like Britain and France considered their wars separate.

We just need to watch.

There’s no need to waste the White Army on Yugoslavia anyway.

* * *

Belgrade, Yugoslavia

As Russia entered full wartime footing.

Yugoslavia, finding itself in an awkward position, finally received declarations of war from Bulgaria, Romania, and Turkey in succession, like an idol fan holding out paper for an autograph.

“Bulgaria, Romania, and Turkey have declared war on us.”

“All three countries? At once?”

Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey.

All three are countries with considerable weight, and Bulgaria in particular is a neighboring country with deep ties.

Alexander groaned at the three countries’ declarations of war.

“Yes. Bulgarian forces are already attacking our defensive lines. Romanian troops are supporting Bulgaria, and it seems Turkish forces will move soon as well.”

Not just declarations of war as allies, but Turkish troops too? What does this mean? That all three countries are determined to pound Yugoslavia?

“Didn’t we speak to Russia? Begging them to look after us? I swallowed my pride and pleaded?”

“Russia claims they know nothing about it. They say the three countries are attacking Serbia separately. They replied that if we have complaints, we shouldn’t have made enemies in the first place.”

Shouldn’t have made enemies.

Is there such a thing in international relations? If countries dislike each other, they compete and fight.

Of course, the assassination of the Austrian Archduke crossed a line, but it’s not something to bring up now.

The reason Russia is being so rude is probably because they had planned to throw Yugoslavia to the Balkan countries from the beginning.

No, this is not the time to just sit still.

We need to think about countermeasures first.

“Can’t we stop them? How many are coming?”

“Just from confirmed numbers, they’re approaching 700,000.”

“Damn it!”

We’re doomed. Yugoslavia is in no position to divide its forces right now.

The troops sent up to attack the Danubian Federation aren’t performing well, and they’re being beaten by Danubian forces. We can’t spare more troops in this situation.

Yugoslavia, which had been prone to acting alone despite inferior combat capabilities since the Great War, was heading toward the worst situation as soon as the war began.

“What about requesting reinforcements from Italy?”

They are allies in name, after all.

Receiving aid from the Reds isn’t pleasant, but there was no choice.

We need Italian forces to defend against the Balkan countries’ armies.

But.

Our Benito Mussolini certainly didn’t disappoint us.

Around this time, Benito Mussolini was deep in thought in the General Secretary’s office.

The Danubian Federation was unexpectedly strong.

This Hitler fellow was truly formidable.

To defend against the most powerful Red Roman Army under the sun with just mountain divisions—if the situation were reversed, the Danubian Federation couldn’t have crossed into Red Rome either. Truly worthy of the Habsburg name.

But that meant he needed to increase his share of the spoils.

If the Danubian Federation was torn apart by the French and German People’s Armies, Italy would have done nothing, making it awkward to demand Croatia.

At that moment, a request for assistance came from Yugoslavia.

They were being beaten by the Balkan countries and needed help.

Could he gain a significant share in the war just by sending supporting troops? Then an idea occurred to him.

What if he opened a new front under the pretext of helping Yugoslavia?

He could capture Greece and attack the Balkan countries from the south.

Finally, Mussolini clenched his fist and shouted in front of the Yugoslav ambassador, who was trembling like a puppy needing to urinate while begging for support.

“Ambassador, rest assured! Italian Communist Party, listen! We shall rightfully send the Red Army to aid our comrades in Yugoslavia!”

The Yugoslav ambassador, moved by Mussolini’s words, was about to shed tears and express gratitude.

“Th-thank you! I owe a great debt to the General Secretary—”

“Now then, we’ll mobilize the navy and occupy Greece first!”

He didn’t hold back such a statement that clearly revealed his true intentions.

The Yugoslav ambassador was dumbfounded by the sudden nonsensical declaration about attacking Greece.

Going toward Greece? They could just send reinforcements, or if not that, Albania was there, so why Greece specifically?

“Excuse me?”

“We’ll consume Greece and attack the Balkan imperialist countries together with the communized Greek army!”

What kind of absurd statement is this?

Fighting the Balkan countries together with a communized Greek army—what nonsense.

“No, if you could just send reinforcements!”

“I shall rebuild Red Rome!”

Despite the Yugoslav ambassador’s pleas, Mussolini immediately opened a new front.

It was to clearly establish Italy’s share in this war between communism and imperialism.

That was the only reason for opening a new front.

Naturally, Goebbels in Berlin also received this news.

“Um, General Secretary Comrade. Comrade General Secretary Mussolini has declared war on Greece.”

“Comrade, say that again. What?”

He must have misheard.

They were already suffering considerable damage from the Danubian Federation’s fierce resistance, and now what?

“He says it’s to help Yugoslavia.”

Opening another front to help Yugoslavia?

Greece was essentially a neutral country, and now he’s invading Greece in this situation? What’s the point of opening another front?

Of course, Greece should eventually undergo communist revolution, but not now.

He should just send reinforcements to Yugoslavia, what is he thinking?

And given Italy’s track record, it’s uncertain whether they can decisively deal with Greece.

Honestly, Italy could be considered successful just by providing manpower.

Why create a new war in this situation? Is he that confident?

Although they’re currently sourcing resources from South America, frankly speaking, if Churchill got serious and decided to interfere with the Royal Navy, it would become quite troublesome.

This is not the time to create new wars for fun.

What is he doing?

Suddenly, one possibility came to mind.

“Is that man perhaps a Russian spy?”

How else could he seriously come up with such a crazy idea? With Italian military capabilities?

Or does he think the Italian army is that impressive?

No, no. Considering how he constantly talks about rebuilding Rome, perhaps… it’s not entirely wrong.

We’re already fighting the Danubian Federation—the big match of Hitler vs. Goebbels in the Sudetenland—and now this cursed Italy is messing things up.

Well, surely they can’t fail to break through Greece?

Trying to rationalize a bit, Ethiopia was receiving strong support from those Russian imperialists, and they were only playing a defensive role on home ground.

North Africa was due to carelessness, and engaging with France, Europe’s premier army, starting with an offensive that turned defensive, was understandable. Within possible limits.

Who knows? If Operation Sickle had failed, perhaps steadfast Comrade Mussolini would have broken through southern France and advanced to Paris in one go.

But Goebbels shook his head.

No matter how much he tried to be optimistic, Goebbels couldn’t imagine the Italian army breaking through France.

He should strongly pressure them to stop even now—

“General Secretary Comrade!”

“What is it now?”

Surely nothing else has happened? What’s with that face? Is the Russian army crossing the border and advancing directly?

Although resistance fighters were rampaging in western Poland, there was a pro-German, Goebbels-loyal Polish Communist Party in western Poland.

They were establishing a new communist government, and together with the absorbed Polish Red Army, they were holding the Polish defense line.

He was furious at Russia for quickly swallowing the eastern part, but the Russian Empress was a fox-like woman who would obviously enter when they were sufficiently weakened.

So, it’s probably not Russia.

“Mussolini’s landed forces have been stopped by the Greek army. He says he needs some support.”

“Heh heh heh.”

Ethiopia, France, Austria, Greece.

Already blocked by four countries?

Goebbels seriously wanted to tear Benito Mussolini to pieces.

And not long after, the Russian army finally began attacking western Poland.

“What are those things? They don’t have propellers?”

“Damn it, something keeps flying in and destroying the cities!”

And they were using various weapons unknown to Communist Germany.