Ch.40Rome’s Legitimacy

* * *

Revolution broke out in Germany.

But the country that emerged wasn’t the Weimar Republic.

Free Socialist Republic of Germany.

The Free Socialist Republic of Germany, established through the revolution of Rosa Luxemburg and Karl something.

It was ridiculous that “free” and “socialist” existed together.

“A German revolution. What exactly does one have to do for a revolution to happen?”

Rosa Luxemburg. Originally, her revolution was supposed to fail.

But here, a revolution erupted while the German Empire still existed?

What kind of mess did they make for things to turn out this way?

“The Kaiser has been driven out of Berlin, they say.”

Every piece of news coming in was equally devastating.

World War I ended anticlimactically.

With the White Army’s victory in the Civil War, instead of the Bavarian Republic, a well-prepared communist revolution erupted.

“This seems quite serious this time.”

How does one influence events to make something that should be immediately suppressed unfold like this?

Rosa Luxemburg was originally supposed to be quickly suppressed, publicly humiliated, and executed. Strange.

Well, Rosa Luxemburg did rise up later than expected.

In this process, did she thoroughly prepare and even recruit the German regular army?

Unlike actual history, military reduction wasn’t that severe either.

So then, unlike real history, will Germany become the leading communist nation?

Is Trotsky in Germany?

“They say the revolution broke out when they tried to attack France again.”

“A defeated nation, one that survived only by the mercy of the Entente, tried again? Is the Kaiser really living in the same era as me?”

Well, even Hitler tried to pay back debts through war to avoid bankruptcy, but still, this is a bit…

One should act according to the circumstances.

My prediction was right after all.

Germany is being Germany and this is how they should fall. Indeed.

So depending on how this civil war unfolds, can we just swallow everything we’ve received?

If the Reds take over as is, we can swallow everything we received from Germany.

The problem is what will happen to our Mr. Mustache. What will become of World War II?

Being communist, they’ll suffer less from the Great Depression.

Will they fight to spread communism instead of the Soviet Union?

Will I be able to legitimately beat Germany later?

I heard Patton is currently creating Russian armored units with Mikhail Drozdovsky and Ungern.

World War II is ultimately important.

Whether the Germany we face becomes Nazi Germany or Communist Germany, it seems inevitable that we’ll clash with Germany.

“Hmm.”

If we’re looking for an opportunity, it might be better to intervene now. But having just ended a civil war, when internal consolidation is difficult, we can’t support the Kaiser in the German civil war.

“Your Highness?”

“How many White Army troops can we mobilize right now?”

“Considering troops tied up in eliminating Red remnants and securing public order, we can immediately mobilize about 500,000 troops in the west. Surely you don’t mean…”

500,000 men. Indeed, the population is quite large.

That’s how many can be mobilized immediately, and if we mobilize all White forces, it would be several times that.

Russian territory is so vast that having many troops doesn’t mean everything.

I shook my head.

“No. I’m just preparing for any contingency. I have no intention of supporting the Kaiser despite the help we received.”

Unless there’s adequate compensation.

There’s no particular reason to support the civil war.

What we need to do now is monitor the German situation while stabilizing internally.

The damage from the civil war is quite significant.

Though we have an abundance of population, rebuilding cities and other things will take time.

Originally, Azerbaijan declared independence and historically aligned with Britain, but now Britain has handed it over to us and we’re moving troops to incorporate it. Georgia goes without saying.

“Then we should focus on our own tasks.”

“What tasks do you mean?”

“I need to personally visit the areas that suffered the most damage in this battle.”

First, Petrograd, where we are now.

Then I need to travel around Moscow, Tsaritsyn, and Yekaterinburg to gather public support.

Like a politician on a campaign trail.

Petrograd had many refugees returning, as well as citizens who had been suffering under Bolshevik oppression.

I need to appease them while promising a future.

They left the Tsar only to find that the Bolsheviks they trusted were no different.

And now a new Tsar appears, seemingly just with a different name.

So, I need to soothe public sentiment.

After all, areas under Bolshevik rule, despite suffering under their tyranny, would have been influenced by communism.

For a while, I need to use the aid we received to manage public sentiment.

I traveled around Petrograd, comforting citizens.

“After the Holy Lady touched my daughter, she jumped right up!”

“My elderly mother got up!”

“I’ve been starving for so long, but now I feel full!”

People naturally seek something to rely on in difficult times.

It all depends on one’s mindset.

And so the “skull water of Won-hyo” continued for a while.

* * *

During this time, the Entente had a war they hadn’t yet finished.

The Turkish War of Independence in the dismantled Ottoman Empire.

It began with an uprising of people in Turkey, which had been torn into tiny pieces, and now Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, a hero of the Gallipoli Campaign and a hero of the Ottoman Empire in the Great War, was leading the Turkish Grand National Assembly (independence army) and giving the great powers a hard time.

Despite having no Soviet support and being in a worse situation than in actual history, Atatürk was remarkably beating the great powers and exuding the spirit of independence.

Even the Greek army, which had advanced to Ankara shouting “Megali Idea” with great momentum, was beaten by the Turkish army and reached its culmination point.

“At this rate, Atatürk will run wild.”

“They said they would recover Eastern Roman territory, but Greece has come this far.”

“Germany is in chaos right now.”

“Perhaps we should just recognize Turkey’s independence.”

Let’s just recognize Turkey’s independence.

The great powers were leaning in this direction, but…

Unlike actual history, with the Civil War ending in White victory, the great powers had other thoughts.

The Great War ended too anticlimactically.

They needed a symbol of victory for the Great War.

Austria was adequately torn apart, and Germany was treated leniently.

They regretted not tearing Germany and Austria apart more, had they known the Russian Civil War would end so quickly with a White victory.

But it was too late.

In this situation, they needed to tear the Ottoman Empire to pieces.

After much deliberation, the Entente turned their eyes back to Russia.

Yes. Although the civil war had ended, Russia, which had just finished its civil war, still had millions of troops.

If they could bring them in and stab Atatürk in the flank?

Especially Russia, which had historically claimed to be the successor of Rome and had been beating the Ottoman Empire.

Recently, perhaps for national pride, they were even called the successor of Rome, the Third Roman Empire.

What better opportunity than now?

“Hasn’t Russia’s civil war ended? Don’t they have millions of troops left?”

“What about requesting support from Grand Duchess Anastasia?”

“Grand Duchess Anastasia is called the reincarnation of Catherine II. If she knows our situation, she won’t help us for nothing.”

Among White Russians, the Grand Duchess was even called the incarnation of Catherine II.

Of course, considering that Catherine II oppressed peasants and was criticized as a tyrant, it’s a curious title, but looking at her achievements alone, she was revered as Catherine II’s incarnation due to the common point of being a female monarch who expanded territory.

A female monarch. For Anastasia, whose position would be unstable due to the civil war, the recovery of the Eastern Roman Empire’s territory would be a very tempting proposal.

Especially with over a million battle-hardened White Russian troops from fighting the Reds.

“Hmm. But Grand Duchess Anastasia came to the throne through civil war. Moreover, being a woman. She might be tempted to establish legitimacy.”

“What if we modify the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk or hand over Constantinople and former Byzantine territory?”

“They’ve already taken Belarus and subtly created their sphere of influence in eastern Ukraine under the guise of an anarchist free zone. No further treaty modifications.”

While we were off guard, Belarus was taken. Eastern Ukraine was also handed over to anarchists.

Of course, digging deeper, the plan was to first hand it over to anarchists, remove it from British influence, and then annex it later.

However, the British Empire wasn’t in a position to manage all of Ukraine, so placing a pro-British government in western Ukraine was the best they could do, and they couldn’t demand the east back.

“That’s Britain’s situation, but we French are different. The Kaiser is causing trouble, and our Commune is trying to rise up. Or do you want to give Atatürk more time while we have the German problem?”

Unlike actual history, France couldn’t withdraw from the Ottoman Empire.

They had to crush at least one country.

That was their mindset.

“If we give Eastern Roman territory to Russia, we’d be modifying the Treaty of Sèvres. What about Greece?”

“Why should we be responsible for their failure? Let’s bring in Russia instead.”

“If Russia, which just ended its civil war, gets involved in another external war, we’ll have to provide appropriate compensation.”

They’re already busy dealing with the aftermath of the civil war. Would Russia accept being dragged into another war?

Those Slavs wouldn’t try to repay the favor for saving them from the Reds.

So compensation would be needed.

We’re already providing economic aid, so excluding that…

“What about helping with troop transport and offering all of Eastern Thrace, including Constantinople?”

“Not bad.”

It was decided.

Russia would claim the legitimacy of Eastern Rome.

During this time, Anton Denikin was in charge of the Caucasus Military District in southern Russia, effectively commanding the troops in the southern Russian region.

The civil war ended with the White Army’s victory, and he maintained his position as commander of the Southern Russian Army Group.

But he had one complaint.

That Pyotr Wrangel, who was under his command, was doing better than him.

He was the one who threatened the Bolsheviks in southern Russia and captured all of southern Moscow.

But he was dissatisfied that his reputation seemed worse than the Black Baron’s.

The best he could do here was to monitor that Makhno fellow who controlled eastern Ukraine.

At that time, Anton Denikin heard news that would pique his interest.

“The British and French are trying to drag us into the Ottoman Empire?”

Yes. This is an opportunity.

An opportunity to present the Tsarina with the legitimacy of Rome, the Second Rome!

An opportunity to restore the pride of Russians, tarnished and scratched because of the Bolsheviks!

How dare a small country like Greece claim Eastern Rome? Impossible!

Anton Denikin yearned to lead the White Army to Anatolia.