Ch.35The City of Revolution, Petrograd (2)

# The Duma

Around the time Anastasia was setting out from Moscow with the White Army.

Alexander Kolchak, Admiral of the new Russian fleet and interim chairman of the Duma, convened a temporary Duma session.

The Duma included representatives from Yekaterinburg citizens, nobles who had joined in Yekaterinburg, and representatives of the Green Army, among many others.

These were people who had originally been divided by various ideologies and thoughts, and after the civil war, they were planning to determine the direction the new Russia should take in the Duma.

That is, whether it would be a socialist state, a democratic state, or a monarchy.

Kolchak convened the Duma to determine this in advance, at the point when the Grand Duchess had left Moscow.

“When the Grand Duchess returns to Petrograd later, we will convene again to decide, but I thought it would be good to gather consensus now to avoid confusion then.”

“Would the chairman please inform us of the agenda?”

“The direction our Russia should take going forward.”

“Hmm.”

The deputies’ reactions showed they were flustered, perhaps because the agenda was too sudden.

Some had anticipated it, but it was understandable since they had been focusing on reforms while fighting wars recently.

“There may be those in this place who, though different from the Bolsheviks, desire a socialist state of moderate tendencies, or republicans. There would be monarchists too. But the deputies also know this. That this Russia already cannot function without the Grand Duchess. Right now, though they haven’t been dispatched yet because we’re still in civil war, places like Mongolia and Northern Manchuria are territories recognized because of the Grand Duchess’s presence.”

“Hmm. Then is the chairman’s intention to return to the way things were before?”

All the Duma deputies knew that Kolchak was a monarchist.

Recently, Anastasia had been pushing reforms hard, so he might be aiming for a return to the old autocracy.

“That’s not it. From the beginning, the Grand Duchess does not desire the old autocracy.”

“Then.”

“The United States of Greater Russia. A federation. This is what the Grand Duchess has planned.”

“A federation, is it.”

To turn toward a federation in consideration of the ethnic minorities within Russia, the warlords and leaders.

To become newly united under a federation after experiencing the difficult ordeal of the Red-White Civil War together.

Various ethnic nations mixing together under the Russian Federation.

In fact, representatives of ethnic minorities had advanced into the Duma, and it was also part of the plan that had led ethnic minorities to support the White Army.

Federation, union.

Kolchak intended to go one step further with this.

“What if we enthrone the Grand Duchess as Tsarina according to a constitutional monarchy?”

The enthronement of Grand Duchess Anastasia as Tsarina.

In fact, there was one reason Kolchak pushed this agenda.

She said she would step back. She said she would retreat, but seeing that she even reformed during the civil war, it seems she still has some lingering attachment to not stepping back herself.

After all, if she was going to exile herself, she should have done so earlier.

The Grand Duchess had also come to hold the position of Great Khan of Mongolia.

Here, Kolchak reached one conclusion.

That Anastasia wants someone to enthrone her as Tsarina. Because of what her father did, she cannot declare herself Tsarina on her own. She wants someone to elevate her.

Kolchak had seen through Anastasia’s mind and brought up this agenda.

Of course, one cannot say there was no personal interest.

He had been on Anastasia’s side from the beginning, and if the Grand Duchess failed to become Tsarina and perhaps exiled herself to another country or stepped back, he would have to step back in the same way.

Rather than power hunger or such things, it was more that after all that hardship, retreating to the background felt wrong.

Once already marked as a monarchist, if the country became a republic or socialist state, his retreat was certain.

So, enthrone the Tsarina under a federation.

The Duma deputies whispered among themselves about the enthronement of the Tsarina.

‘Well, it’s already leaning that way.’

‘If the Grand Duchess withdraws at this point, Russia will split apart again.’

‘Even with a constitutional monarchy, considering the Grand Duchess’s reputation, it will be no different from autocracy for a while.’

‘The Grand Duchess already has control of the military and public sentiment. Resistance would be futile.’

‘…The Salic law would be meaningless.’

If Southern Russia had not joined at this point, the Green Army might have raised a big voice, but Southern Russia had joined, and the Grand Duchess had a firm grip on the military and public sentiment.

In this situation, rather than rising up against the Grand Duchess, it would be better to secure a seat as a deputy.

“I am in favor.”

Starting with Krasnov of the Don Republic, who had defended Moscow with General Gajda, followed by Caucasian White Army leader Vasily Kharlamov and other White Army leaders, even the socialist-leaning Green Army leaders agreed.

“What about the Salic law?”

One deputy brought up the Salic law and received glares from everyone, but that was lightly passed over.

In the end, it was unanimously decided that post-war new Russia would establish itself as a constitutional monarchy, a federation.

Of course, while it was called a federation, it was essentially Russian Empire Season 2.

* * *

Petrograd

“The Tsarina herself has conquered Moscow! Now we! The army of the Greater Russian Empire will conquer Petrograd and present it to the Tsarina!”

Yudenich’s army, with Finnish support, was on the verge of capturing Petrograd.

However, the Bolsheviks, reinforced with Trotsky, showed considerable strength, making Petrograd’s defense line solid.

“Stop the reactionaries to the end! Defend the revolutionary city of Petrograd at all costs!”

Although it had almost fallen, the situation in Petrograd changed as Trotsky became the rallying point again.

It was the city of revolution, after all.

The city where the revolution took place could not be occupied by such reactionaries.

Trotsky defended Petrograd desperately.

They had already inexplicably collapsed to the White Army in Moscow and had to leave Comrade Lenin behind. They could not retreat here as well.

Yudenich’s offensive failed due to Trotsky’s desperate defense.

The West Russian Army under Pavel Bermondt could not help Yudenich as they were recovering from damages.

“Damn it. Does the Finnish military commander have any ideas?”

“Well, it would be difficult. If a civil war hadn’t broken out in Finland and we could have pressured Petrograd earlier, perhaps…”

If they had helped Yudenich earlier, it might have been different, but even if Mannerheim wanted to help alone, it wasn’t possible.

At least this time things went well thanks to the Tsarina’s proposal.

Waaaaaah!

“What’s happening?”

“Tsarina Anastasia has come with a great army!”

“The Tsarina?”

The Tsarina, who had slaughtered the Reds in Moscow, came personally with a great army.

In the 20th century, a monarch personally leading an army.

Is this even believable?

The Tsarina personally leading an army to a place where cannon fire would rain down and become a sea of blood.

Of course, the Tsarina’s father, Nicholas II, also went to the front lines to command battles, but this time was different.

A Grand Duchess who should be wearing a dress, laughing gaily, marrying a husband and becoming a wife, instead wearing a military uniform and personally leading an army.

It was different from the time when Rasputin was around.

Unlike the time when those who betrayed the imperial family by joining the revolutionaries were rising up, many now followed the Tsarina.

The morale of the White Army surrounding Petrograd soared to the skies.

* * *

In the battle for Moscow, the Bolsheviks had brought in most of the Red Army that had been conducting the Western offensive and deployed them in the defense of Moscow.

Of course, most of them died or surrendered, and only a small number of the Red Army remained in the Western offensive.

These collapsed or surrendered with each attack.

Of course, there were quite a few hardcore Bolsheviks, but that was it.

Anyway, Brusilov was taking care of them in the Western offensive.

“God, protect the blessed saint of all Russia!”

“God, protect the Tsarina!”

It’s truly regrettable.

I clicked my tongue.

If only Lenin, Stalin, the Red Army command, the Soviet Union itself had been in Petrograd, destroying the revolutionary city would have had more symbolism.

That’s a bit disappointing.

Because now the revolutionary city is just a city occupied by some Red Army.

“How many Red Army troops are there?”

“We don’t know the exact number, but it’s estimated to be tens of thousands.”

Tens of thousands, huh. It should be easier than the Moscow battle.

Excluding the White Army left behind in recaptured territories for security reasons, the army I’ve brought is enough to overturn Petrograd.

Of course, if they resist desperately, we’ll suffer some damage too, but they’re just defeated soldiers after all.

The more they resist, the more the White Army’s hatred and anger toward the Bolsheviks will rise.

I wonder if Trotsky would accept a surrender proposal?

That hardcore Red probably wouldn’t.

“Tens of thousands, you say.”

“Let’s launch the offensive now.”

Yudenich seemed to be grinding his teeth, urging an attack.

But I don’t plan to attack right away.

Petrograd is isolated anyway.

Even if Trotsky alone grits his teeth and holds out, insufficient weapons won’t be resupplied, the flawed Mosin-Nagant rifles won’t turn into Fedorov rifles, and tanks and planes won’t appear.

Food is a given, of course.

Will the citizens, who were already growing distrustful of the Bolsheviks, abandon Trotsky?

Or will they cling to Trotsky, befitting the revolutionary city?

That’s another thing I’m curious about.

“They were once my father’s subjects. Let’s surround them and give them a few days. That way, I’ll appear somewhat merciful.”

I gave them a few days.

Naturally, and quite surprisingly, Trotsky consistently gave no response to the surrender proposal.

On top of that, I even dropped leaflets to the citizens of Petrograd saying there would be no battle if they brought Trotsky and his gang to us.

The result? Complete disregard.

They’re determined to see blood.

Or perhaps it means that even if they die, they won’t hand over the capital of the Russian Empire to me intact.

I clearly gave them a chance.

It was the Reds of Petrograd who rejected that chance.

I must assume only hardcore Reds remain.

I’ve been patient until now, but I hate the Reds.

Those filthy people who started a nuclear war and destroyed the world in my world where I was just living as an ordinary college student.

Politics that sounds like idealism when spoken of, but is carried out through oppression and violence.

Saying everyone should be equal, but in reality, cockroach-like hypocrites who serve a dictator.

Combined with Anastasia’s emotions from having her family shot in this world, my disgust has reached an extreme.

Didn’t I clearly tell them to surrender?

It was they who didn’t surrender.

“I clearly gave them a chance. But they ignored it. Should I forgive them?”

“No.”

“They still haven’t escaped the Red plague. I intend to treat them with the extreme method of death. Is there anyone who objects?”

“Death to those Bolsheviks!”

“Severe punishment!”

The White Army commanders unanimously agreed to destroy them.

These are White Army soldiers who have fought the Bolsheviks for a long time.

Those who didn’t participate in the revolution but rose up to fight the Bolsheviks wouldn’t oppose the eradication of Bolsheviks.

“Moscow was tainted as the center of the Red plague, but it surrendered and will become part of the new Russia, if not quite the Third Rome. But not Petrograd.”

So I cannot forgive them.

If they want to remain as the city of revolution until the end, I will thoroughly uproot them.

All the White Army commanders present here.

Excluding Anton Denikin, Brusilov, and Ungern, who are conducting the Western offensive against the Bolsheviks and eliminating the remnants.

Pyotr Wrangel, Drozdovsky, Nikolai Yudenich, Krasnov, Pepelyaev, and others. Plus Mannerheim, who came as the Finnish Army commander.

I scan them and clearly declare:

“From today, Petrograd disappears from Russian history. I delete that Red city, which symbolizes the fall of the Russian Empire and the revolution, even the name Saint Petersburg. Deploy all field guns, tanks, and fighter planes. Don’t spare it just because the Tsar once lived there. I, your Tsarina, permit it. Destroy it thoroughly. Uproot the Bolsheviks who still seem to think this is their world.”

That place, Petrograd, which became the city of revolution, distrusting the Tsarist regime more than anyone else, and becoming not just a symbol of revolution but a sanctuary for hardcore Bolsheviks.

To uproot the revolution, I will thoroughly destroy that place.

“Yes!”

I cannot be held back by the hardcore Bolsheviks of Petrograd.

To prevent the Red embers still remaining throughout Russia from rising up.

I will thoroughly destroy that symbol of revolution.