Ch.236Towards Berlin (3)

# Free Socialist Republic of Germany, Berlin

Berlin was frantically preparing its defenses during this period.

It made sense. After all, Berlin was the revolutionary stronghold where revolution had uniquely succeeded while Lenin had failed miserably.

Naturally, red flags hung throughout every street, communist propaganda covered the walls, and propaganda films played in theaters despite the difficult situation.

Meanwhile, the Berlin Defense People’s Army urged citizens onward.

“Comrades, if we falter here, the world revolution ends! Work harder!”

“The German worker is invincible!”

They gathered troops and supplies to strengthen defensive lines on Berlin’s outskirts. Even children were mobilized.

Anti-aircraft guns were installed throughout Berlin, and they even prepared Molotov cocktails to throw at the Russian forces.

They had been preparing as thoroughly as possible during the brief time while others were surrendering to the Imperial German Army at the front.

They also maximized their limited numbers.

“Gender doesn’t matter when defending the country. Female comrades, take up submachine guns for Germany and Comrade Goebbels.”

“Children and the elderly must carry weapons too.”

Berlin’s women now had to leave the factories for the defensive lines, and children and the elderly were no exception.

They even scraped together British prisoners of war from Dachau who might become enemy soldiers if the camp fell to the enemy.

Conversely, refugees and deserters were shot without exception.

“How dare you betray the fatherland and Comrade Goebbels! Die!”

Communist-style impromptu people’s trials invariably resulted in execution, with bodies hung throughout the city as examples to anyone thinking of escape.

In this way, only hardcore communists remained in Berlin.

“You Tommies have also been given the honorable opportunity to defend Berlin, the bastion of communism! Fight hard to defend Berlin and you too will become German people!”

There was no right of refusal, and the British soldiers who had long suffered miserable re-education and labor at Dachau had no choice but to submit just to survive.

Meanwhile, in the Goebbels bunker in Berlin, Goebbels was reviewing the defense plan.

“Comrade Secretary. The defensive line is almost complete, and the enemy forces have appeared.”

“Can we stop them?”

He asked Keitel suspiciously, though it was a foolish question.

“We must simply do our best, Comrade Secretary.”

“The people of Berlin are united under the workers’ flag! We can repel the enemy attack!”

Goebbels laughed hollowly at the words of Keitel and Burgdorf.

Do our best. We can stop them. Mere wishful thinking.

Yes. Having already decided to defend, what else could be done?

Now, even knowing defeat was coming, they had to fight.

They had to show the will of the German people to those inferior Slavs.

Meanwhile.

Helmuth Weidling, one of Berlin’s defense commanders, sighed as he watched the approaching Russian army in the distance.

Despite mobilizing the Central Army Group and Berlin Defense District, this was unstoppable.

The so-called People’s Army meant to stop the enemy had become a reactionary force again, and there was no one trustworthy in Berlin.

Moreover, the colonels and generals of the organized defense zones were inexperienced figures who couldn’t be expected to perform well in battle.

Furthermore, Ferdinand Schörner, the commander in charge of Berlin’s defense, wasn’t particularly impressive, and Weidling himself wasn’t exceptional either.

“Comrade. The reactionary Russkie scum are coming.”

“So it comes to this after all.”

While he was thinking this, the enemy attack finally began.

As the battle started, bombs rained down from Russian White Air Force bombers that had defeated the Red Air Force and now dominated the skies, pounding the defensive lines.

Russia’s J2 rockets mercilessly poured into Berlin’s city center.

Soon, Russian rocket weapons like Katyusha multiple rocket launchers and artillery launched brutal attacks on the defensive lines.

“Sons of His Majesty the Tsar! Children of the United States! Let’s crush all the German reds!”

“Charge for Mother Tsarina! Uraaaa!”

After heavy bombardment, the armies of Ungern, Grigory Semyonov, and Tukhachevsky finally advanced toward Berlin.

The main forces of Ungern and Semyonov’s armies were veteran armored units that had been active since the Russian Civil War, while Tukhachevsky’s army consisted of early Bolshevik defectors organized into armored units to prove they were no longer Bolsheviks.

Boom! Kaboom!

Every time a Russian T-34-85 fired its 85mm main gun, German Panzer III and IV tanks were destroyed along with their crews.

The Russian army facing the Communist German forces was on a completely different level from World War I.

Unlike the Germans, they didn’t need radio communication to move and follow orders. Meanwhile, the quality of Russian tanks was overwhelmingly superior.

Although they had absorbed the French army, Communist German tanks were weak compared to Nazi Germany’s.

“Panzer III at 11 o’clock! Range 1000, armor-piercing round!”

“Loaded!”

Boom!

“Hit! Reload!”

“HE loaded!”, “Target acquired!”, “Fire!”

Kaboom!

For Mother Tsarina watching from headquarters, to bring victory to Mother, the Russian tanks reloaded and fired high-explosive rounds in rapid succession, destroying German tanks with crew coordination.

Of course, the Communist German forces hadn’t been idle either.

They had anti-tank weapons like the Panzerfaust, and hardcore communist German soldiers who couldn’t surrender Berlin ran up to T-34s and destroyed them with Panzerfausts.

“How does that taste, reactionary Russkies? Huh?”

Rumble rumble rumble

But they couldn’t overcome their disadvantage.

Destroying a few tanks couldn’t stop that steel wave advancing on endless treads.

The People’s Army soldier who got excited after destroying one tank was crushed under treads and turned into a meat paste.

For every tank they destroyed, three or four more took its place.

The differences in quantity, quality, and soldier experience were vast.

Charging at reactionary imperialists with the people’s will was like throwing eggs at well-tempered iron.

The Communist German Army had been significantly weakened after delivering a serious blow to the Sudetenland, and even Army Group A with some strength remained in the lowland regions.

The difference in officer quality at the front was also significant.

Most inexperienced Communist German officers were simply stunned by that wave of steel.

“How are we supposed to stop that!”

Eventually the defensive line was breached, and soldiers disembarked from Russian infantry fighting vehicles following the tanks to engage the German forces.

Coordinating with them were the Danube Defense Forces led by Field Marshal Eugen and the Imperial German Army commanded by Field Marshal Werner.

The T-25, which in the original timeline had been developed by Škoda but disappeared into history overshadowed by Panzer, had debuted as the ST-25 in the Danube Defense Forces under Russian United States influence and was now crossing the Berlin defensive line.

The Imperial German tanks (which until recently had been People’s Army tanks) followed behind.

“Who would have thought having Russians as allies could be so reassuring?”

“We’d be doomed if we were hostile to Russia.”

The Anti-Comintern Pact forces lacked nothing.

They had Russia, the source of weapons and resources, and nearby Romania for fuel supplies.

While the Anti-Comintern forces were excitedly preparing to enter Berlin with high hopes, Weidling could only laugh hollowly.

The enemy forces were so numerous they could push forward without strategy, while his side was severely lacking in both supplies and manpower, even with the addition of Commune forces that hadn’t managed to retreat.

Even the British forces coerced into fighting weren’t much help.

“It seems this battle is already lost.”

Weidling turned to the political officer watching to ensure he wouldn’t surrender and spoke.

The political officer, a hardcore member of the Goebbels fan club who understood the meaning of those words, drew his gun.

“Comrade Commander, what are you saying?”

“I need to save what soldiers remain.”

Honestly, the defensive line had already been mercilessly attacked, and it was unclear how many troops had survived, but now was the time to save the remaining soldiers.

The political officer drew his gun and aimed at Weidling.

“This is betrayal of Comrade Goebbels!”

“You’re not the only one with a gun.”

Bang!

Unlike the political officer who only meant to intimidate, Weidling’s gun immediately fired.

A clean hole appeared in the political officer’s forehead as he collapsed on the spot.

This might not be the end of the war, but world communist revolution was already doomed.

The enemies were the kind who viewed killing communists as natural, even civilians.

He had to surrender while there was still some possibility of acceptance.

With Weidling’s defense force surrendering, the Berlin defensive line completely collapsed.

* * *

Anti-Comintern Pact Joint Command Headquarters

The nuclear strike on Berlin was something to consider.

It was really just a contingency in case that Berlin defense wall proved too strong to breach, but there wasn’t much thought beyond that yet.

The Manta Ray Project was almost complete with the first swept-wing aircraft built, and it would be good to showcase all these weapons.

But I think I was viewing this war as too difficult.

I had spoken very seriously to Wilhelm II, but the advantage was visible without needing to go see for myself.

“Your Majesty. The enemy defensive line has been breached.”

“Already?”

I had my doubts, but did it break through this quickly?

How long had I been at the front line, and it’s already over?

“They were apparently in such short supply that even urban warfare was difficult. Berlin Defense Commander Weidling has surrendered.”

“Considering the difference in military strength, the fact that they held out this long isn’t a bad thing.”

That was true. Goebbels had worked hard to incite people and build defensive lines with the People’s Army.

But supplies had run out.

The British destruction of factory facilities was one reason, but considering they weren’t even Nazi Germany caliber and lacked Czechoslovakia and Austria, this might be normal.

Spain’s attack on France also played a role.

The morale drop in Berlin upon hearing the Imperial German Army had arrived likely contributed too.

Honestly, a quick breakthrough benefits us as well.

Just as the Rasputitsa hampered Germany in the German-Soviet war, despite road improvements, the Rasputitsa could make reinforcements from our homeland troublesome for us too.

Above all, how long would the supply line stretch if we pushed from Russian territory all the way to France?

We can’t leave everything to Spain. In the end, we need to push through everything ourselves.

“Oh, wonderful! We won’t need to use that weapon!”

The Kaiser was rejoicing like a child.

“Indeed.”

I’m not sure if I should feel disappointed.

You know, like having manta ray-shaped aircraft flying over Berlin, dropping bombs everywhere.

The communists getting shocked and flipping out. I was expecting something like that.

Well.

Unfortunately, it seems impossible here.

Next is Goebbels.

As soon as the defensive line was breached, I headed to Berlin with the command.

While we’re advancing majestically forward, how we handle Goebbels—capture or kill him—will determine our future treatment of communists.

If that man dies as a communist martyr, that’s the end of it.

We’d need to increase anti-communist education to prevent future sympathizers.

Otherwise, we’d need to prepare a fake Goebbels.

Boom! Kaboom!

Fighting seems to be continuing throughout Berlin.

We’ve already entered the suburbs, but our bombers are dropping bombs from the sky.

Looking closer, German snipers shooting from buildings are being collapsed by our tanks, building and all.

“Aaaaargh! Spare me!”

“Damn you Russkie bastards!”

The sight of dying communist German soldiers in the distance is truly pitiful.

How did they become communists?

How did they end up desperately resisting here?

It would be so much easier if they just laid down their arms now.

All around, hideously exposed ruins are visible, and the bodies of German People’s Army soldiers lie scattered randomly on the ground.

Ratatata Bang!

The sound of intense urban warfare can be heard in the distance.

Acrid smoke and pillars of fire rise from all over Berlin.

“Your Majesty. It’s too dangerous. You should stay back.”

Ungern, who’s in charge of the Berlin offensive, rushes over to urgently block my path.

Unfortunately for him, those German communist forces won’t be able to reach us.

How could they stop the Anti-Comintern forces converging from all directions?

We’ve even deliberately left escape routes open, so considering those trying to slip away, how many would actually try to target the command?

To reach me, they’d have to break through the Cossack Guards too.

Despite appearances, I am the Ataman of the Cossacks.

The Cossacks always escort me, you see.

“Those guys won’t be able to reach us anyway.”

Isn’t that right?

It’s already a struggle to hold out even fighting one against a hundred.

Right now, the Anti-Comintern forces are killing the German communist “vermin,” saying the pests must be exterminated immediately.

They truly are pitiful creatures.

They would have been better off under the Kaiser’s Germany.