Ch.257The Falling Sun (2)

Meanwhile, the Japanese army, which had committed unspeakable atrocities in China for a long time, lost the will to fight against the advancing treaty forces. Above all, Russia led the treaty forces. Russia was the country of the Holy Lady. Wasn’t it said that this country of the Holy Lady was coming to punish Japan for its sins?

The Japanese forces on the northern front, who had carried out massacres like the Nanjing Massacre throughout China and were now beginning to feel remorse, could no longer hold out.

They had no supplies, and the world called Japan an axis of evil.

If they felt wronged, they might have fought to the death with the Yamato spirit. But they had actually committed truly evil acts.

The Emperor’s vengeful spirit was nowhere to be found, and the screams of the Chinese people they had killed, begging for their lives, echoed in their ears.

Even soldiers who initially took pride in killing Chinese people who defied the Empire now shook their heads, saying this was wrong.

Wasn’t this all happening because the Emperor, supposedly a living god, couldn’t survive like the Russian Empress?

Now that the Holy Lady had raised a sacred army to deliver punishment, what could they do?

The Japanese army, which had long held goodwill toward Russia through previous exchanges, had no choice but to face reality with the Russian invasion.

To make matters worse, the Imperial Headquarters had issued absurd orders to the China Expeditionary Army to defend their current positions at all costs before fleeing themselves.

“Aren’t you preparing to fight! The Empire of Japan—”

“Lieutenant Commander Suzuki, can you still fight? It’s impossible for us. We’ve had enough! Is Japan truly the leader of Asia? Why are we committing acts worse than the colonial empires?”

“That’s right. Aren’t we here on the continent to lead Asian civilization?”

“Aren’t even the insolent Koreans standing against us for this reason?”

“Well…”

It was a living hell for those in command positions.

After all, it was the field commanders who had ordered the soldiers to kill any Chinese they saw, following Imperial Headquarters’ orders.

Now everyone found it difficult even to hold weapons, and some soldiers had gone mad, putting bullets through their own heads.

Many soldiers who had been “cleansing” Chinese in the internment camps suffered from mental illness.

The deteriorating front line situation made everything worse.

They had lost Southern Manchuria, faced rebellion in China, large-scale riots in Korea, a declaration of war from the Balhae Republic, and the annihilation of their fleet.

Air superiority was lost after losing naval supremacy, and they began losing to European air forces in China.

The “invincible” Imperial Japanese fighter planes were being shot down like flies by Russia’s new fighters, to the point where they couldn’t even send interceptors anymore.

Japan would likely not survive after this war.

The Holy Lady would not spare Japan, the axis of evil.

And in this situation, mercy from the Holy Lady descended upon them.

-“Stop following the barbaric will of Imperial Headquarters and follow the will of the Holy Lady instead. She will embrace even sinners like you. America seeks to destroy you, so shouldn’t you try to protect your homeland? Even your proud general Renya Mutaguchi has raised a righteous army in Southern Manchuria to save Japan from its wrong path. Surrender, all of you!”

The Holy Lady’s advancing army suddenly stopped and sent planes to drop boxes full of food into Japanese military camps, along with the Holy Lady’s message.

But that wasn’t all.

“I, Renya Mutaguchi, Japan’s greatest general, tell you this! By following the corrupt Imperial Headquarters, you have become not the Imperial Army but the world’s enemy, an army of demons! However, if you change your hearts now and join me, you can somewhat atone for your past sins! Your homeland is already becoming a sea of fire from American attacks, and post-war Japan will fall to American imperialism! Shouldn’t we protect our homeland even a little? Join me in overthrowing Imperial Headquarters and building a new Japan!”

With Renya Mutaguchi, called Japan’s greatest general, urging surrender alongside the Southern Manchurian Army, they had ample justification to surrender.

The Japanese soldiers rushed to the food distributed by the Russian army to fill their hungry stomachs. Unlike the southern front, which was barely holding against China’s human wave tactics, the northern Japanese forces, battered by European armies, lost their fighting spirit, and their commander, Yasuji Okamura, raised the white flag.

Meanwhile, the Imperial Headquarters in Nanjing assigned local defense to the China Expeditionary Army and returned to the homeland before completely losing naval control.

“All 100 million Imperial subjects will fight to the death!”

Japan was making absurd claims about 100 million people fighting to the death, even as Balhae forces were entering the Korean peninsula.

On one side, Russia was dropping leaflets over Japan detailing Japanese war crimes.

“Hahaha! Burn everything! Burn all the wooden buildings of these Japs! Wipe out the island of these crazy monkeys!”

On the other side, General Curtis LeMay of the US 21st Bomber Command was burning all of Japan.

Inspired by Britain’s air campaign against communist Germany, he initiated bombing for the complete annihilation of the Japanese, treating them exactly as they had treated the Chinese, rather than just targeting a few communist cities.

* * *

From the beginning, Japan was in no position to defeat America.

While fighting the giant that was America, they should have been begging the Anti-Comintern Pact countries for help. Instead, they pushed troops into allied colonial territories with flimsy justifications to extract resources, without even properly concluding the China front.

Of course, there was no better opportunity to strike America than then, but their excessive ambition on multiple fronts was the fundamental mistake.

If they hadn’t gone overboard on the China front and had ended it quickly, the future might have been somewhat different.

But they did go overboard. As a result, they insanely decided to open yet another front.

Even when holding out was their best option, Japan rapidly collapsed with our participation.

According to incoming reports, Japan’s China Expeditionary Army is surrendering to us.

The Japanese forces on the southern front probably want to surrender too, but the Chinese are holding them back.

Well, they brought it upon themselves, so there’s nothing to be done.

“It’s absurd.”

The Japanese Empire was something I had only seen on TV programs, the internet, or in novels.

It’s natural that Japan would be inferior to Western powers, but even such a Japan was difficult for the Korean independence army to overcome.

Reality wouldn’t have been much different.

In those harsh conditions, independence activists would have tried to kill key Japanese figures with bombs and somehow attempted operations to recapture Seoul.

Of course, that was the best they could do from their position, but it didn’t deal significant damage to Japan.

The armies they managed to build fought alongside China.

But in this world, the Balhae army I nurtured has finally crossed the Yalu River and is reclaiming the Korean peninsula. From Russia’s perspective, the Japanese army collapsed too easily.

Seeing that they’ve already recaptured Pyongyang, it won’t be difficult to recover the entire Korean peninsula soon.

“At this rate, Japan will surrender before long.”

And with that, World War II will truly come to an end.

I’m now preparing for the post-war period.

I need to establish federalism in post-war China.

When Chiang Kai-shek dies soon, I can gather people to achieve federalism under the pretext of deploying troops to secure public order.

Just as Korea was divided due to complicated circumstances despite Japan being the defeated nation…

In this history, China will also be divided.

So I sought out a certain bandit.

“Are you Zhang Xueliang?”

Zhang Xueliang, son of Zhang Zuolin. In the original history, judging that Manchuria couldn’t be defended against the Kwantung Army’s attack, he ordered non-resistance and withdrew his troops from Manchuria.

Later, he imprisoned Chiang Kai-shek in Xi’an and achieved the Second United Front between the Nationalists and Communists, for which he was sentenced to prison and placed under house arrest in Taiwan before leaving for America and dying in Hawaii.

His father, Zhang Zuolin, died when his train was bombed while returning to Manchuria.

Here too, it seems Zhang Zuolin was assassinated in the same way, perhaps out of concern that he might return to his Manchurian base.

Given this precedent, it won’t be difficult to blame the Japanese for assassinating Chiang Kai-shek.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Zhang Xueliang came before me with White Army soldiers, responding to our summons.

That makes sense.

He has no lifeline except me right now.

“Your record is impressive. I hear you harassed Japanese forces in the Shandong Peninsula.”

Zhang Zuolin originally had his base in Manchuria.

It seems Zhang Xueliang continued his father’s will, using the remaining Manchurian forces his father had brought to harass the Japanese army.

“That is correct, Your Majesty.”

Unlike his father who was based in Manchuria, he seems to have operated in the Shandong Peninsula, fighting alone without a solid base. Could he govern Shandong well if I entrust it to him after the war?

I plan to integrate the northern parts of China and nearby regions to establish Israel, set up a federal China in Shanxi, and have the rest governed by nameless figures or by province.

If Zhang Xueliang refuses, I can find someone else.

I could define the Qing territory to include Shandong. But judging from Zhang Xueliang’s face, he doesn’t seem likely to refuse what I order.

“Could you govern Shandong if I entrust it to you after the war?”

“Shandong, you say?”

“China is vast, with a countless population. However…”

I wonder if I should say more, but I probably should.

“Please share your wisdom with me, Your Majesty.”

“China’s damage from this war is too severe. It would be difficult to unify it by any means. Even if forcibly unified, control would be poor. China will end up worse than during the Qing dynasty.”

Now I can rationalize reasons for division.

Even if China unifies now, it won’t last long.

What about the wandering refugees and displaced people everywhere? What about all the destruction?

Ultimately, dividing the regions for governance would be the best solution.

Japan has essentially achieved its objective in a way.

They’ve killed people everywhere, leaving few alive and creating refugees across the continent.

A unified government would be poison in this situation.

“Then…”

“Historically, when China is unified, its power is undoubtedly that of a great nation, but it never lasts long. And now, with such devastating damage, unification? I don’t think so.”

The end of a war where blood washes away blood.

There’s no place in China without corpses. Could a unified China have the capacity to solve all these problems?

“That must be true.”

“So I’m thinking of selecting capable individuals to govern different regions of China and revive it as a federal system after the war. You will take charge of Shandong.”

Zhang Xueliang must understand what will happen after this war.

It wouldn’t be bad to seize Shandong and rule as a local warlord.

His father also had his base in Manchuria, and he would simply be establishing himself in Shandong, following in his father’s footsteps.

“I will do so.”

“You’re surprisingly compliant.”

He’s more compliant than I expected. I hope he won’t start talking about unifying China once the treaty forces withdraw.

“You avenged my father and instantly saved China from hell. How could I not follow Your Majesty?”

“Indeed. You seem like you’ll live for over a century.”

He actually did live a long time. Until 2001, I think. Anyway, if he lives according to the original history, Shandong will definitely become Zhang Xueliang’s.

“Me, sir?”

“If the war with Japan had continued, you would have died isolated in Shandong, regardless of whether Japan was defeated. But effort is rewarded. In my eyes, you seem likely to live quite long.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty!”

I gave him some words that the kid would like to hear.

It’s a bit cringeworthy how submissive he is before me, considering how assertive he was in the original history. But in this world, it can’t be helped. I just let it pass.

He must know he can’t reclaim Manchuria anyway.

“Well then, take the Shandong army and help disarm the Japanese forces. Strip them of the weapons they left behind, but don’t massacre them. I understand your resentment toward the Japanese army, but must you take revenge as barbarically as they did?”

“But many people harbor deep grudges. To rule Shandong stably, I need to address my soldiers’ discontent.”

This fool. He still doesn’t get it.

I raised my hand, intending to explain clearly so this idiot could understand.

“Ah, I may not have expressed myself clearly. If you strip them of all weapons and food, the Japanese forces might resist. Some ‘minor disturbances’ might occur. I trust you’ll handle it well.”

Even American troops, when they overran Nazi Germany, killed surrendered Nazi soldiers from the Jewish concentration camps despite orders from superiors not to do so.

Knowing this, they essentially turned a blind eye. I’m just being more humane by overlooking only the inevitable minor disturbances.

Moreover, since Zhang Xueliang isn’t a regular combatant force recognized by Russia, whatever he does is beyond our control.

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

Understanding what I meant, Zhang Xueliang answered energetically and went off to deal with the Japanese army.

In the process of dividing China, I also need to create a country for Jewish people in part of China. Some Jews might still want to go to Palestine, but unfortunately, the Palestine region is now seeing Turkey regain its influence.

The Jewish people would want to establish their own country, and they probably wouldn’t be satisfied with just an autonomous region in Palestine.

So I summoned Professor Einstein here.