Ch.79The Great Writer of Russia

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Thinking about it, unless the escaped Bolsheviks incite something, Germany already had a successful communist revolution.

What if communist party members from Communist Germany try to encourage others to have communist revolutions like theirs?

If nowhere else, Austria’s public sentiment toward the imperial family had already fallen after the war.

Thanks to Britain, the imperial system was maintained, and in Britain’s absence, General Gajda stepped in to take charge of part of Austria’s defense.

The troubling thing is this:

An imperial family that has lost public support, forcibly maintained by the military. It’s the perfect environment for a communist revolution to break out.

Deploying Adolf Hitler might make things a bit better.

No, actually, isn’t it being maintained right now thanks to Adolf Hitler?

Since Adolf Hitler is working hard on anti-communist propaganda.

“Yes. For now. How are things in Austria?”

When Adolf Hitler returned, some Okhrana agents went with him.

Since some people from Volga Germany followed Adolf Hitler, they needed to ensure his safe passage.

That was the Interior Ministry’s business, so I heard about it later.

As for his subsequent activities, I only know that Adolf is working hard.

“Adolf Hitler of the National Liberal Austrian Workers’ Party is reportedly working hard on anti-communist propaganda.”

Adolf Hitler seems to be working very diligently.

Even if he’s not the axis of evil, he must be quite a troublesome figure for communist countries.

But wait.

“You mean it’s become well-known enough to reach the Interior Ministry?”

I asked in surprise.

Has Hitler already grown that much?

He seems quite capable as an anti-communist, too.

I don’t think he’ll write something like Mein Kampf though.

“Yes. That area doesn’t even need our anti-communist propagandists.”

“To that extent? But how did they establish a party so quickly?”

They created it remarkably fast.

It’s fortunate he’s on our side; if he were working for the enemy, we’d be in serious trouble.

Conversely, imagine if someone became fascinated with the German revolution and started spreading communist propaganda in Austria.

It would have been disastrous.

With the country already in shambles after losing the war, a communist revolution would have easily succeeded.

“Austrian Junkers and capitalists who fled from Germany are actively supporting him, so that’s likely why.”

“Then there’s no need to send anti-communist propagandists to Austria.”

“Correct. The Okhrana agents who followed Hitler are already cooperating with General Gajda to find communist party members within Austria.”

The Okhrana might be more capable than I expected.

“Then we should send anti-communist propagandists with help from the Anti-Comintern Pact countries. What about Turkey?”

Bulgaria, Romania, Austria, and Hungary are already taken care of.

“Atatürk has agreed to come to Moscow himself.”

“That’s fortunate.”

Still, I think it would be better if Russians themselves conducted the anti-communist propaganda.

Romania, Turkey, Bulgaria. We need to send anti-communist propagandists to these three countries.

“How do you plan to recruit these anti-communist propagandists?”

Is he thinking of recruiting them like part-time workers?

While Russia has become a country that despises communism now…

“I plan to use the Okhrana.”

“The Okhrana seems to be involved in many operations.”

Just how many Okhrana agents are there?

They’re the Public Order Protection Agency, but isn’t their number excessive?

Perhaps their numbers increased during the Civil War.

They seem to have transformed from their original role into something more like a secret organization protecting the imperial family, but anyway.

No, asking about this would be admitting defeat.

“Yes, Your Majesty. What about sending some to communist countries as well?”

Communist countries. No, that’s a bit much.

“Sending agents to communist countries requires more consideration. Wouldn’t it be problematic if they went to communist countries and became captivated by communist propaganda?”

I mean things like labor re-education.

“Honestly, most of the current Okhrana agents wouldn’t fall for that. They’ve experienced the civil war firsthand.”

Ah, I see.

Indeed, if they were easily swayed by communism, they would have joined the Cheka instead.

While communism has various factions, that’s just wordplay.

In the end, it’s just an idealistic ideology in words, nothing more, nothing less.

But.

The same applies to the opposite case.

To hide the flaws of communism and their own atrocities, communists would kill any Okhrana agents we send.

That absolutely cannot happen.

“Even apart from that, there are many problems. Wouldn’t communists try to kill our agents if they discovered them?”

Okhrana agents are valuable.

We can’t send them to communist countries to die.

“Ah, I see.”

“The only good communist is a dead communist. We should only send anti-communist propagandists to countries where communists might operate in the shadows.”

It’s a bit much to send them to directly confront communists.

Of course, it would be good to infiltrate and gather information, but aside from Mussolini in Italy, we just need to prepare thoroughly for Germany.

Just looking at how German communists are running wild in the shadows, we need to focus on dealing with this.

The fact that Germany desperately wants to create more cockroach states means that for isolated Germany to survive, they need to somehow transform neighboring countries into communist states.

“Understood, Your Majesty.”

I think this anti-communist propaganda is quite beneficial.

We can use it to prevent people who might be susceptible to communism from falling into it.

“As I always say, communism is dangerous. Despite being a failed ideology destined to disappear, it creeps into people’s minds like a devil.”

“We understand that. Thanks to the current State Duma and Your Majesty, communism is now hard to find in Russia.”

Yes, that’s fortunate.

“According to what Your Majesty mentioned before, wouldn’t the Great Depression be a problem?”

That’s right.

Around the Great Depression, the idea that communism is right might emerge.

In actual history, the Soviet Union wasn’t affected by the Great Depression due to its communist system. Will Germany also avoid damage?

If that happens, France, which is already troubled by internal communes, would almost certainly lean toward communism.

Although they say France’s economic depression damage won’t be severe due to the extensive damage from the Great War, ultimately, the idea that “communism is right” could still emerge.

“To prepare for this, the anti-communist propagandist project that the Interior Minister just mentioned seems appropriate.”

Communism must be eradicated.

Anyone can see that my favorably applied Modified Capitalism is better than communism.

Rather, communism is an ideology for stable dictatorship, nothing more, nothing less.

Those who defend communists by saying “communism is great” or “communism would be ideal if properly implemented” should be torn apart.

Unless there’s an artificial intelligence with absolutely no desire for power and no self-interest, capable of governing everything equally for communism, it’s impossible.

At least in human society, communism cannot be realized.

In the end, someone becomes a dictator, and it becomes stagnant and corrupt.

Therefore, Germany’s communism must never be allowed to exist.

To ensure that, we should make good use of anti-communist propagandists.

“So we need to send anti-communist propagandists to the Anti-Comintern Pact countries. Hmm.”

Britain should be fine.

Wasn’t Churchill an anti-communist?

Even if he wasn’t, he would want to eliminate any country that threatens Britain.

Someone like him would probably despise communist Germany. So there’s no worry there.

If we sent anti-communist propagandists there, what would they say?

They might say that those who recently fought a civil war against communists have grown a lot.

“Your Majesty, sending anti-communist propagandists is good, but we should also actively support people who have fled from communist countries.”

This time it was Administrative Minister Sergei Dmitrievich Tverskoy.

Aren’t we already doing that?

I didn’t expect this to come from the Administrative Department.

“Aren’t we already doing that?”

“Ah, I misspoke. To be precise, I mean ‘persecuted’ individuals.”

Persecuted individuals.

That’s a bit interesting. In communist Germany, the persecuted individuals would be the Junkers, wouldn’t they?

If those Junkers didn’t die, they would have eventually moved to East Prussia or Austria. But the persecuted individuals he’s talking about probably aren’t those Junkers.

Then who?

“Persecuted individuals?”

“Many artists have come over from Germany and Italy.”

“That’s the first I’ve heard of it.”

Ah, artists.

Why are they being persecuted?

“The surrendered Bolsheviks implemented policies that Lenin had planned to do, which caused public opinion against the Bolsheviks to decline.”

“So just like that, you’re suggesting that Russia should accept and support individuals fleeing persecution from Germany and Italy?”

“Yes. Since artists and similar individuals are reportedly being persecuted in Germany and Italy, wouldn’t it be good to seize this opportunity?”

Ah, yes. I recall there were many artists under Nazi Germany who were labeled as creating “degenerate art.”

Are such individuals now being persecuted in communist Germany?

“Why are they being persecuted?”

“Isn’t it because of the communist system?”

“I wouldn’t think communism would necessarily oppress them.”

Surely Germany can’t be crushing everyone.

“Who usually sponsors artists, and who appreciates their work? And right now, only artists can promote those isolated countries.”

Ah, I see.

Wealthy individuals mainly sponsored, appreciated works, and supported them.

Is that the calculation?

If German artists don’t follow the Communist Party’s orders and engage in counter-revolutionary activities, then it’s possible.

My thinking was a bit narrow. Weren’t there Russian artists who fled to other countries to escape the Soviet Union?

To maintain the regime, they can expel anyone with anti-communist potential.

If we bring them in, we could elevate Russia culturally and artistically beyond what the Soviet Union was in actual history.

“Hmm. That makes sense. Moreover, it would raise the level of Russian art and culture. But is it feasible?”

“They’re already coming to East Prussia or Russia.”

I hadn’t thought of that.

For the Administrative Minister to advocate this, he must have a novelist or painter he likes.

That’s probably why the Administrative Minister is suggesting this.

“Continue.”

“To actively promote abroad, how about creating a department for culture? For paintings, novels, poetry, to contribute to the development of Russian art and literature. Additionally, we could promote Russian culture to other countries.”

So he’s suggesting creating a department?

Doesn’t South Korea have something like a Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism?

“Hmm. Are you suggesting formally creating a department?”

“Yes. Many artists were scattered during the civil war. To bring them back together, wouldn’t it be appropriate for the United States Duma to directly create a department? Creating a Ministry of Culture and Arts.”

Ministry of Culture and Arts.

Yes, that’s not a bad idea.

A department to revitalize Russian culture and arts.

Alright, let’s assume that’s settled. Then the next issue is…

If we create a department, we need a minister and vice minister. Is there someone to appoint?

The Administrative Minister probably doesn’t intend to do it himself.

“How should we appoint a minister?”

Sorry, but I really don’t know anyone this time.

Shouldn’t we appoint someone related to the field as minister?

Especially for Russian culture and arts, it’s a bit challenging.

“Wouldn’t an artist be best? Most United States ministers are from the civil war, so appointing someone famous would be good.”

“Do you have someone to recommend?”

“Ivan Bunin from the Writers’ Association of the United States of Greater Russia.”

Writers’ Association of the United States of Greater Russia.

It seems such an organization has been established without my knowledge.

“Ivan Bunin?”

“He’s a novelist called the successor to Tolstoy and Chekhov.”

If that’s the case, he must be an extraordinary person.

I’ve never read Tolstoy’s works, but I know he’s a world-renowned literary master.

If someone is called the successor to such a figure, it wouldn’t be bad.

“I also know about Ivan Bunin of the United States of Greater Russia. He’s quite an excellent novelist, highly regarded abroad as well.”

Other ministers agreed.

If both the Administrative Minister and other ministers know him, he must be a great literary figure.

Someone of that caliber should be suitable for appointment.

“Hmm, if he’s already leading the Writers’ Association, he must be quite famous in Russia.”

I thought about it for a moment.

But is it appropriate to appoint a novelist as the Minister of Culture?

Then again, we appointed everyone who was in South Russia as ministers, so maybe it doesn’t matter?

No, but most of these people had held high positions in the Duma or elsewhere before the revolution or before the Bolsheviks took power.

Well, I suppose the Tsarina could directly invite him and appoint him as minister. But it’s strange that others have no doubts about appointing such a person as minister.

“Do other ministers share the same opinion?”

“Ultimately, doesn’t it depend on Your Majesty’s decision?”

No, that’s exactly what I’m asking. Why do you defer to my decision?

Don’t pass your responsibilities to me. This isn’t a group project.