Ch.357South Jerusalem

That’s right. Even the Qing Dynasty acknowledged it, but these half-baked government officials are claiming ownership of Shanghai. For Israel, it was absurd.

“What nonsense.”

“If you keep this up, Israel’s army might embrace this eastern land into the bosom of Eastern Jerusalem.”

“What?”

“Now that we have descended—no, established our foundation here, the Chinese mainland is our land.”

“What ridiculous—!”

“If you don’t confirm Shanghai as our territory, our advance, our holy war, will continue.”

The problem wasn’t just Shanghai.

Former European concessions like Hong Kong and Macau.

Macau had been returned, but unfortunately, Hong Kong had not.

“When will Hong Kong finally be returned? With warlords advancing eastward, we need to reclaim at least Hong Kong!”

“Hong Kong has Constantinople Treaty capital invested in it. It will take some time to relocate all the facilities, so please be patient.”

“Relocate?”

“The return of Hong Kong is certainly an issue we must resolve. But shouldn’t we properly dismantle and take all the infrastructure with us?”

Why are they trying to swallow everything so quickly?

The Constantinople Treaty had no intention of simply handing anything over to China, even if they did return it.

Of course, if China had enough money, that might be different, but this was to prevent China from prospering even slightly.

“Your people have oppressed us since the Qing Dynasty era. Are you saying you’ll take all of that away too?”

“You speak well for people who would never have built railways or modern buildings and would have remained arrogant to the end if it weren’t for us. And the Qing Dynasty is still in the north under federalism.”

On top of this, the people of Hong Kong rose up.

If they had said “We are Chinese! Foreign powers, get out now!” then the various Chinese governments might have been moved to prepare for a military recapture of Hong Kong.

Unfortunately, the reason Hong Kongers rose up was different.

“We don’t want to be with those barbaric Chinese!”

“We want Roman rule!”

“We Hong Kongers choose to sever ties with China!”

Even in the original world, there was much debate when Hong Kong was returned to Communist China, but what about here?

Of course, it’s not yet the 21st century, so one might ask if there’s anyone who misses China.

Frankly speaking, isn’t it better to live with the support of the world’s strongest power and enjoy all its benefits? With China still not unified and local governments fighting daily, would anyone really want to be incorporated into China?

So the Hong Kong people raised their heads and protested against the return.

“Oh well, what can we do! As they say in Asia, the will of the people is the will of heaven, so we have no choice but to maintain control of Hong Kong!”

In fact, when Macau was returned, most Chinese in Macau had crossed over to Hong Kong.

“Since Chinese local governments might provoke trouble, please station troops from Israel and Balhae as peacekeepers.”

They even mobilized Israeli and Balhae forces. Especially Israel, dreaming of a Greater Israel in the East, repelled Chinese forces whenever they provoked.

Israel was emerging as the designated China handler.

“Well, shouldn’t we also get a taste of this?”

Balhae, wanting to get in on the action, was starting to feel restless.

* * *

With the space race beginning, I was curious about how far America had progressed.

I had dispatched the Okhrana to America to find out, but unfortunately, disappointing news arrived from Beria.

“America seems to be rushing rocket development.”

“They’re developing rockets?”

“Yes. It seems they’re facing some difficulties at this point.”

“Why is that?”

“Simple logic. America has so much money that they’re only accustomed to purchasing things.”

“Ah.”

Unlike the original history, many talented individuals from various countries had remained with the Constantinople Treaty.

Moreover, America had gone through a civil war.

In that process, a different America from the original emerged, and during this process, the pillars of the American nation must have undergone some changes.

So while they had money, they were accustomed to purchasing rather than developing.

“Hmmmm.”

Even so, isn’t “rocket development” a bit much?

I thought we had transferred technology that, while not cutting-edge, was adequate enough for them to catch up if they developed it properly?

Ah, perhaps they’re focusing all their efforts on Japan.

In this world, Japan troubles America in a different way.

“There are social issues too, and they probably couldn’t think about spaceships and such.”

“Social issues?”

What social issues could America have?

Well, I have some guesses, but honestly, I don’t think that’s it.

“Yes, it seems the issue of Black people remains. Since the KFC was a communist party led by Black people, discrimination against Black people is now severe.”

“What’s the solution?”

MacArthur would probably sweep it all away.

“They say they’ll try to eliminate discrimination as much as possible, but that’s easier said than done.”

I see. No matter how much the government says not to discriminate, how can they stop discrimination in the private sector?

Even during the Japanese occupation, the Governor-General of Korea said not to discriminate against Koreans, but Japanese business owners continued to discriminate.

I’ve heard such stories.

“In the end, you can’t embrace everyone.”

Anyway, Black people must have suffered greatly after the last civil war.

Black discrimination has continued for a long time, and they went through a civil war too? This is just—words fail me.

“Should we incite the Black people again like before?”

“No. If I had wanted to do that, I would have intervened earlier.”

Well, if they’re now embarking on spacecraft development, it should produce some results.

This was the era when the world was striving for space competition.

It was during this time that humans sought to develop science to its extreme limits for the space race.

Especially in Europe and the Middle East, which were peaceful, there was endless investment in scientific development.

“At this rate, development will be faster than expected?”

It’s already the time when internet discussions are emerging due to communication technology aimed at connecting all of Europe.

Of course, computer technology is still somewhat behind, but still.

What’s certain is that science is advancing for “space development.”

It will probably be much more advanced than the original world’s 2024.

“The problem is nuclear war.”

Will nuclear war break out like in the original history?

That old man must have sent me here to prevent that. Really? Is it good for me to continue establishing myself here with a new identity?

I should check on Mr. Fu and Mr. Xi through the Okhrana.

Of course, if someone asks whether peace will come just by catching those guys, there might be second and third Mr. Fus and Mr. Xis, but we’ll see when the time comes.

As the years pass, I’m increasingly anxious about whether nuclear war might break out. Looking at the Russia-Ukraine war, Russia’s “official” reasons for invasion were issues like NATO or neo-Nazis.

Since Europe is unified, maybe it’s fine for now.

Well, that’s enough about science.

“I like what’s happening in Serbia.”

Serbia, completely devastated.

Civil war had broken out between the pro-Danube militia who wanted to become Constantinople Treaty citizens and the Serbian Chetniks.

“They’re such fools.”

“They can obtain Constantinople Treaty citizenship, so that’s why.”

I nodded at Maria II’s words.

Those who get vaccinated or conform have been weeded out from the beginning.

These people, though ideologically different from the Chetniks, are equally stubborn, trying to kill Chetniks to gain some recognition of Serbian rights.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk.”

In Korea, the north is a communist group. These guys are fighting over truly insignificant things.

Not even related to communism, sheesh.

Don’t they realize they’re being played by us?

They’re causing trouble in the Danube Federation’s front yard, but if they look at why the Danube Federation isn’t mobilizing troops and why weapons are suspiciously being supplied, they should immediately understand.

Well, whatever.

Let the evil nation’s people fight and die among themselves.

It’s pitiful, but pathetic nonetheless. From our perspective, it’s satisfactory.

And the Greater Israel plan I heard from Maria II. I really like this point.

The Greater Israel plan. A plan to occupy China, they say.

Of course, given Israel’s caliber, they won’t be able to consume all of China.

But it’s the intention that matters.

The Israeli army is strong, and the Chinese army is weak.

It can’t be helped—the Chinese army’s best strategy now is human wave tactics against each other.

Is it easy to cultivate elite soldiers in a war of attrition where large armies clash? They’re tearing each other apart.

Moreover, their outdated tactics aside, the weapon disparity is severe.

The Israeli army is equipped with the latest tanks and artillery, so they can hold out just by defending Shanghai.

Compared to the Israeli army, which has combat experience in Europe—a class above Asia—the Chinese forces can only be pitiful.

For a while, the Israeli army will dream of Greater Israel and continuously engage in combat with southern China.

China’s population will be controlled, and reconstruction will be difficult.

When there’s internal pus, how can you not lance it?

The already unpopular National Government will focus its efforts on breaking through Shanghai.

“And in North China, they’re implementing a policy of introducing immigrants.”

The Federalism Government and the Qing Government can’t say anything about this.

If they do, they’re being fed money, and both governments need Israel’s help to block the northward advance of South Chinese warlords.

So they have no choice but to listen.

The method is to push people in, let them settle, create their own villages, and even establish administrative departments.

Then they drive out the Chinese people, either by paying them or expelling them. It’s essentially ethnic terraforming.

Of course, this will have its limits, but for at least several decades, China will be hard-carried by Israel and, if lucky, might only reach Vietnam’s level.

Vietnam might even rise above them.

“The world is indeed interesting.”

I never knew changing history could be this fascinating.

China will continue to fall further.

“In the Shanghai battle, Israel counterattacked after five rounds of fighting and actually expanded their territory.”

“Their combat power is impressive.”

So a nation of non-Chinese people will once again establish itself in China.

But this time, the era is different, and their numbers aren’t just at minority levels, making it difficult for them to be Sinicized.

“Won’t Israel become too large?”

“Probably. Well, maybe they really could conquer China.”

That’s been China’s history.

This time it’s proceeding through terraforming and war, but what was China’s history like?

Unlike the Korean peninsula nations that survived as vassal states, numerous foreign tribes migrated south to the Central Plains, established countries, divided the land, massacred Han Chinese, and ruled over them. That was China’s history.

Because that’s the history of China, China merely considers the rule of nomadic peoples as part of its own history.

If lucky, Israel might swallow all of China, but what’s different is that they’re driving out Chinese people through mass migration and leaving only Israeli Jews on that land.

In other words, if Israel is determined to consume all of China, they must expel all Chinese people from China.

Israel’s method is an occupation style never seen before in Chinese history, so Jews won’t be assimilated into Chinese culture, but I’m curious about what will happen to a China that has lost its land.

“And America is selling weapons to Chinese warlords through Vietnam.”

“Vietnam will profit in the middle.”

America seems to be thinking quite hard.

If they have a plan, they’ll just sell weapons moderately.

If they had decided to support one side, given MacArthur’s personality, they would have openly supported them since they’d be caught anyway.

And Vietnam at that. Vietnam seems eager to make the most of this opportunity.

Well, France left a lot for Vietnam.

If they receive adequate support from America, won’t their situation improve even more than in the original history?

The unexpected part is that with the end of communism, Ho Chi Minh isn’t a communist but has created a somewhat peculiar capitalist state.

So, it’s Israel again.

“Yes, that’s how it will be.”

“It doesn’t seem like Israel will ever give up Shanghai?”

I’m now very curious about how this Greater Israel will turn out.

They’re not just picking fights in the south without any thought. How is China continuing to provoke them?

“For now, Eastern Jerusalem (Israel’s capital) has declared Shanghai as Southern Jerusalem.”

Declaring Shanghai as Southern Jerusalem.

This has become quite amusing? Well, from an Israeli perspective, that might be better.

“The National Government officials must be foaming at the mouth.”

Eastern Jerusalem is bad enough, but Southern Jerusalem?

It would be normal for the National Army to charge in with an “I don’t care” attitude.

The sad part is, what can a divided China do anyway?

“It seems that China as a country can’t do anything except human wave tactics.”

That’s right. How formidable China’s human wave tactics have been until now.

Even the Soviet Union, creating people in fields and sacrificing its population, managed to withstand Nazi Germany’s attack.

They even counterattacked with Lend-Lease and finally made Nazi Germany surrender. China’s history itself was an era of human wave tactics.

“Should we sell more weapons?”

It might be interesting to sell more weapons.