Ch.234Towards Berlin

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Ah, with Britain and France in that state, it might not be impossible. Britain only has its navy left anyway, and France’s stability is questionable at best.

Britain can’t even deploy troops right now. It’s the perfect opportunity for Japan to pursue its ambitions.

This way, they definitely won’t dare open a front against Russia.

“Should we protest to the Japanese?”

Protest to Japan?

No, that wouldn’t be right. Why should we? They haven’t bothered us.

If they had attacked Northern Manchuria, we’d have legitimate grounds to protest, but this isn’t our business.

It will only result in Churchill and Pétain losing more hair.

I waved my hand dismissively and said:

“No. We have no reason to protest. It’s not our colony—it’s their colony.”

If France clings to Russia now, the power dynamic would completely reverse.

Moreover, with things going this way, Japan might want to take a bite out of British Malaya or India. That’s how things might develop.

That’s why Churchill is losing his hair.

Is that our problem? No.

The sight of current Britain and France fighting against Japan… Hmm. It might be interesting.

I have no intention of supporting Britain and France until we’re ready to strike Japan from behind.

Wait a minute. Since we’re planning to strike Japan anyway, if we handle this at Britain and France’s request, wouldn’t they be more deferential to us during post-war negotiations?

“Actually, this could be an opportunity for us.”

“Indeed. They’ll have nowhere else to turn but to us.”

They’ll probably beg us while flattering Russia, asking us to attack Japan.

Even if they’re colonies they’d have to abandon anyway, there’s a difference between voluntarily giving them up and having them seized by Japan.

By helping Britain and France, we’ll have more to gain after the European war.

We’ll make Churchill’s Britain follow our order.

“Though we’ll have to make various demands.”

“They wouldn’t dare refuse our proposal.”

Of course, I haven’t thought about what that proposal would be yet.

“Goebbels must be getting nervous.”

“He’s stubbornly declaring he’ll remain in Berlin.”

Just like Stalin.

Goebbels has taken Stalin’s position.

But Stalin’s Soviet Union at least had people sprouting from fields, and General Winter on their side.

What does Communist Germany have?

Do they have vast lands like the Soviet Union or an overflowing population?

Germany does have a sizable population, but they’ve been ground up in the Danubian-Sudeten meat grinder. Can they really face Russia, which has already surpassed 200 million people?

They even threw the French Commune into the Sudetenland.

Their tanks are destroyed with every shot they fire at us—the quality difference in weapons is severe.

Even if they could somehow match our tanks, we have well-researched tank doctrine and powerful air support for our armored and ground forces.

Germany has no way to hold out.

One notable point is that our Communist Germany has built defense lines centered around Berlin with urban warfare in mind.

“Communist Germany has built defense lines centered around Berlin.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. They’ve been working hard on defenses. However, some troops that were fighting in the Sudetenland appear to have moved west.”

West? Hmm, I’m not sure about that.

Anyway, if Goebbels is holding out like this, we should prepare for casualties.

No matter how good our weapons are, if they’re willing to sacrifice their lives, we’ll certainly take losses.

Still, it’s within expected parameters, and Germany will fall before our overwhelming firepower.

With our superiority in both quantity and quality, the exchange ratio is quite favorable.

Communist Germany, with a smaller population than ours, has suffered far more casualties—that much is obvious.

“But they’re still beneath us. How can they resist when we’re attacking from the east and south?”

Right. They’ll eventually collapse.

What will those who have run out of resources do now?

With the Imperial German Army present, there must be much internal discord within the German People’s Army.

“That’s correct, Your Majesty. Anti-Comintern Pact forces are converging from all directions. There’s not a single intact city left in Germany proper.”

I received several photos of bombed cities. It’s true.

The cities are grotesquely exposed, with smoke rising from everywhere.

Given enough time, reconstruction would be possible.

But before that, Berlin will fall, and Goebbels will either be captured or escape.

“All collapsed due to bombing. Britain deserves much credit for that.”

I like how Churchill fawns over me, despite being old enough to be my daughter.

“Your Majesty, isn’t this somewhat dangerous?”

“What do you mean?”

“Goebbels is no ordinary figure. He quickly took Karl Liebknecht’s position and seized control of the Communist Party. Foolish people might worship him in the future. We shouldn’t let him die in Berlin.”

If capture is impossible, it’s right to give him a chance to escape.

That way, we’ll have an opportunity to catch him later.

If all else fails, we could just kill him and deny it later, but that’s not ideal.

“The Chief of General Staff is right. Capture would be preferable, Your Majesty.”

“We have a method used previously to capture Stalin at the Battle of Tsaritsyn—deliberately leaving an escape route.”

Though there’s no guarantee Goebbels will flee.

Communist Germany isn’t the only Red Front nation.

For world revolution, he might resist to the end or flee to the Commune or Rome.

If he escapes to the Commune, it becomes awkward to use nuclear weapons on Paris.

“Ah, I understand.”

“Prepare a stand-in to face trial in case he dies. Find someone who resembles Goebbels as closely as possible.”

We cannot allow Goebbels to become an invisible icon for future communists.

Still, capturing the real person would be ideal, so perhaps we should send the Okhrana.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Still, we should prepare. Infiltrating the Okhrana to capture him if possible is one approach.”

The Okhrana is skilled at infiltration.

After all, didn’t we use them to capture Trotsky?

There’s definitely a possibility.

If security is too tight, we can just use a stand-in.

Now, for our counterattack.

It would be good to have other countries join us.

We need to show that we’re hosting an “in-crowd party” and demonstrate overwhelming force against Communist Germany.

“It would be good if Bulgaria or Turkey could join us.”

“They’re still engaged in the Yugoslav campaign.”

Hmm. Still engaged in the Yugoslav campaign.

“Only Belgrade remains in Yugoslavia now.”

Yugoslavia has been pushed back with only Belgrade remaining.

The Yugoslav ambassador is desperately pleading for peace negotiations, but regrettably, we have no intention of showing mercy.

We can accept royal exile, but we need to make an example of them by crushing them completely.

Above all, Bulgaria and the Danubian Federation have been harboring deep grudges against Yugoslavia.

“They’re not accepting peace or armistice. They seem determined to hold out.”

“What were the peace terms?”

“Yugoslavia’s condition is to return to pre-Great War territories.”

Return to pre-Great War territories.

So they’re willing to give up all the land that could have become Yugoslavia.

But is that enough?

There’s karma to consider, and we need to clearly show what happens to countries that start wars.

“Not unconditional surrender, but returning to pre-Great War status? Really?”

“They responded that if we don’t accept, they’ll fight to the end.”

What nonsense is this? Are they joking?

If you don’t accept these terms, we’ll bite you until the end, even if we die!

Or perhaps they’re planning to hold out until anti-war sentiment emerges. It seems like one of these two.

“Hmm. This seems to be the Yugoslav military’s thinking, not Alexander’s.”

“Yes. They’re quite arrogant. But the Bulgarian army is attacking relentlessly, so we should have good news soon.”

Wasn’t it agreed to throw them to the Danubian Federation and Bulgaria?

I hear Bulgaria has been fighting quite diligently in this war.

Indeed, the Prussia of the Balkans.

But we can’t be tied down by them.

“They’ll eventually collapse, but we can’t remain tied up at Belgrade. We should just surround it and redirect the rest of the army.”

And Belgrade probably won’t remain intact.

After all, it’s a candidate for my nuclear strike.

“Yes, Your Majesty. So, will we finally use the new weapon on their city?”

“Tell them we’ll accept royal exile. But make it clear there will absolutely be no peace or negotiations.”

Since the country won’t exist anyway, we can accept exile.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Strangely, I really dislike them.

They should just perish completely.

The Danubian defense forces will send their main forces to Germany, so dealing with Yugoslavia will be left to the Balkan nations.

In the future, won’t Yugoslavia be remembered as an example of “Don’t do things that make you hated”?

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Belgrade, Yugoslavia

King Alexander I of Yugoslavia had repeatedly requested peace from Russia but was rejected each time.

He even desperately pleaded, offering to restore territories to pre-Great War boundaries and do anything required, but Moscow refused to respond, claiming the Tsar was at the front.

Even unconditional surrender was impossible due to the military’s conditions.

Currently, Yugoslavia was heavily influenced by the military led by Defense Minister Milan Nedić.

They knew surrender was necessary but had already joined the war and were running on hopeful thinking that if they could hold off the Danubian Federation and Bulgarian armies, Anti-Comintern Pact forces would be diverted from Germany and Italy, allowing them to at least defend themselves.

However, contrary to the military’s wishful thinking about peace, there was no chance the Anti-Comintern nations would accept their proposal.

Russia was making excuses, but the conclusion was clear: they intended to throw Yugoslavia to the Danubian Federation and Bulgaria.

The only concession was royal exile.

Even that would be more like house arrest, conditional on not causing trouble.

“Russia says they can accept royal exile but can’t preserve the nation. Bulgaria and the Danubian Federation want our country destroyed.”

Prince Pavle reported to the king with a face full of despair.

It was virtually over.

“So this is the end.”

King Alexander I sighed deeply with a haggard face.

This was a warning that there would be absolutely no mercy.

The royal family was being told to abandon the country or do whatever they wanted.

It was too late to salvage the country.

Yet the military remained hardline, not willing to surrender to the enemy.

“It seems so.”

“Did we really do something so wrong?”

Alexander I’s hands and feet trembled.

He was terrified by the external pressure threatening to destroy his country and angry at this absurd reality.

But in international society, everything is decided by power.

What could they do if the others were determined to tear Yugoslavia apart?

“The Anti-Comintern nations have already classified us as an axis of evil. A dirty nation that keeps trying to start wars despite being a small country.”

One could argue that Russia backed Serbia during the Great War, leading to this situation—

But they would counter that the Sarajevo incident wasn’t the only reason.

Besides, the world is ruled by the strong.

What could they say if the Russian Commonwealth claimed to be different from Russia of that time?

“But don’t we have our own justifications? By that logic, how many countries in the world should perish!”

He was venting his anger at Pavle, who effectively ran the country on his behalf.

But this was merely an outlet for his frustration.

Regardless, Yugoslavia now faced defeat.

If they were winning, it might be different.

They had foolishly made arrogant statements about proving Yugoslavia’s value to Russia.

“They probably want to make an example of us.”

“Then what should we do?”

What should they do?

Honestly speaking, there was no solution. None at all.

The military remained hardline, and unconditional surrender was impossible in their current situation.

The country was increasingly approaching collapse.

“There’s no other way. Since they’re offering exile, the royal family should take it.”

“Is exile the answer?”

“Yes. It would be best for the royal family to go into exile.”

Go into exile. It essentially meant abandoning the country.

To leave this country—the royal family could never escape this responsibility.

“Even as the country perishes?”

“Even if they destroy the country, they’ll surely leave at least a small piece of land.”

Pavle had given up too.

There was simply no way to survive now.

“The Sarajevo incident was clearly a mistake. If we had just given everything according to the Dual Monarchy’s wishes back then, things wouldn’t have come to this.”

Isn’t that exactly why the Danubian Federation is attacking so fiercely now?

Even though Russia was backing them during the Great War, it was a conflict that could have been avoided.

What was the point when Yugoslavia gained nothing after its formation?