< World War II - Belli dura despicio (6) >
July 20th, 1940
Berlin, Northern Germany
The Fourth Reich was preparing an additional mobilization of 500,000 n for the upcoming war with France, and furthermore, the Soviet Union.
Previously, we had only mobilized a military force of two million, leaving behind as much of the core workforce essential to society, such as skilled laborers, as possible.
But an additional mobilization would require conscripting a significant number of them.
We had already encouraged the placent of won and the middle-aged into empty factory positions to give them ti to get used to the labor and learn skills from the experts, but it’s not like they could beco skilled workers in less than a year.
A certain degree of damage to our industrial capability would be inevitable.
So, to mitigate that even a little, we decided to recruit a large number of female support personnel.
Even if they weren't in combat branches, if they could fill support roles like communications soldiers or nurses to so extent, it would an that many more troops would be available to fight at the front.
Nazi Germany, in its pathetic attempt to uphold its damn patriarchal authority, didn't introduce female support personnel until the mid-war period, but we have to use every thod available to us.
“Alright, could you look this way? Your head just a little to the left.”
“Like this?”
“Excellent! You certainly know how to have your photograph taken!”
As the photographer pressed the shutter and the cara went click, Claudia, dressed in the newly created won’s military uniform, smiled naturally.
As expected, her natural beauty made for a perfect picture. At 168cm, tall for a woman of this era, her long, elegant limbs suited the uniform perfectly.
Hmm, her style is very—
“Vice-Chancellor. You’re making a foolish facial expression.”
“Ugh.”
Thanks to the know-how from her days as a reporter, Claudia had the composure to glance at even while naturally striking poses at the photographer’s request.
To recruit won for the military, the PR had to be appealing to them, so we made the won's uniform stylish. Combined with the one wearing it, it was hard to look away…
“How is it?”
“Very sharp.”
Claudia giggled at my reaction and continued to have her picture taken, changing poses as the photographer requested.
As a young beauty and the wife of a high-ranking official of the Fourth Reich who had contributed since the new governnt’s formation, she had been unanimously selected by the Propaganda Departnt as the PR model for female recruitnt.
Well, it was a little surprising that she, already swamped with her work as my aide, had so readily accepted the Propaganda Departnt’s request.
“So, Aide.
As a fellow socialist, what do you think about the Trotsky matter?”
“Umm— could you not lump in as a ‘fellow socialist,’ Vice-Chancellor?”
“Ah, sorry about that.”
True, she wasn't the type of person to sympathize with an ideology as radical and extre as Trotsky's, which was in so ways even more so than Stalin's.
“I don't really want to think about it too deeply. One crazy communist leader is enough of a headache.”
“Hmm, I suppose so, right?”
Although Trotsky denounces the Soviet Union as a degenerate workers' state, he’s far too reckless of a figure to get friendly with under the logic of 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend.'
In the first place, the theory of permanent revolution he advocates essentially boils down to overthrowing every country through communist revolution to make communism a success.
“Besides, the communists in Germany already took a serious blow because of the Nazis, right? And even then, Director Canaris, second to none in his anti-communism, is keeping a constant watch on them—”
Claudia finished her sentence there, shrugged, and added.
“And thanks to you dragging us Social Democrats into this, we, who know their thods well, are taking the lead in rooting out and monitoring the communists.
There will be almost no one in Germany who sympathizes with that crazy old man.”
“That's a relief, I guess.”
As much as I value freedom, I have no intention of standing by and watching the growth of a faction aiming to overthrow the system, like in the Weimar days.
In any case, the Trotskyists within the Soviet Union have been wiped out, and the communists in Germany have been all but annihilated.
Trotsky surviving the assassination attempt from the original history probably won’t be a huge variable, right? Even the surviving Trotsky seed to have just given one interview in xico and then vanished without a trace after the Soviet Union ignored him completely.
Even if that weren't the case, there’s no suitable counterasure for now.
While I was lost in thought, Claudia, having finished the photoshoot, approached and smiled brightly.
“Vice-Chancellor?”
“Hm?”
“I’m going to enlist as support personnel, too.”
“Huh?”
What is she talking about! As I stood there, flustered, she gave a soft smile.
“Surely you weren't hoping to use as a mannequin to advertise enlistnt to won, only to have the public curse for feigning ignorance after the fact, were you?”
“N-No…”
No wonder she so readily agreed amidst her already busy schedule.
So this was her plan.
“I don't want either myself or you to be caught up in such gossip.
I’ll arrange for soone else to take over my role as your aide, so please, allow .”
“No, this is a different matter.
Leaving aside the fact that you’re the best aide I could ask for, I can’t guarantee your safety, even as rear area support personnel.”
“Yes, and we are the ones advertising to send German won to those very positions.”
Claudia, in her won's military uniform, ca right up to my nose and looked up at with those blue eyes.
“Of course, there’s the aning of leading by example, but I think this will beco a great political asset for you and… no.
For . You know, right? That I’m greedy.”
I felt a headache coming on and pressed my hand to my forehead. Damn it, I hate that I was the damn one who ca up with the idea of introducing female soldiers.
“To do this after saying nothing, proceeding with the Propaganda Departnt, and even finishing the photoshoot… isn't that a bit much?”
“You wouldn’t have allowed it otherwise, would you?”
Honestly, she knows too well. This young lady, who looks like she should be sitting quietly and playing the piano…
Of course, she is no woman to be protected like a flower in a greenhouse.
With that face, she had also cleanly handled Ribbentrop.
Still, I really don't want to allow this—
“Dietrich.”
At her call, her eyes pleading, I finally let out a sigh that could swallow the land and opened my mouth.
“Fine.
But your post will be as a communications support personnel in Berlin. You’re already skilled in that from your ti as a reporter.
I won't accept any objections.”
“That’s an abuse of power—”
“If you don't like it, I'll go out as a front-line commander.”
At this, Claudia imdiately surrendered.
“Alright.
Hearing that, I think I know how you feel. …I’m sorry.”
“You know you should be sorry?”
Claudia smiled faintly at my question and linked her arm with mine. I deliberately frowned to stop the corners of my mouth from turning up at the soft sensation on my arm, and she spoke.
“Yes, I am truly sorry. And thank you.
For giving permission.”
“…I didn't want to.
But you’re not just an accessory of mine.”
My words seed to please Claudia imnsely, as a smile blood on her face.
It’s hopeless that she looks so lovely even in a mont like this. I've really got it bad.
“You can look forward to it. Your popularity with the public is greater than you think.
If we promote this with as the model, and I announce my enlistnt, we're sure to et our recruitnt goals.”
“I’d rather we didn’t et them, if you would just stay on as my aide.”
Hearing my words, Claudia chuckled.
“That’s why I’m even more grateful.
To be honest, I thought you’d refuse, so I prepared a lot.”
“Prepared?”
Claudia gave a deep smile at my question, then whispered slyly into my ear.
“I’ll tell you tonight.”
…What on earth have you prepared?
-
July 21st, 1940
Near Pondicherry, a French-ruled territory in British India
“Must we really do this?”
Jawaharlal Nehru, the spiritual pillar of India's non-violent resistance movent alongside Mahatma Gandhi, asked with a face full of worry.
“Of all the things those British rulers promised India after the last Great War, how many have they actually implented?”
But Subhas Chandra Bose retorted with a question of his own. When Nehru fell silent, Bose continued.
“Now that their own feet are to the fire, they say they might grant independence if India enters the war, but those oppressors who have fattened themselves on India's blood and sweat will never let go of India if they have the strength to hold on.”
“Bose, everyone in the Indian National Congress knows well that your words have a valid point.
But couldn’t this render all the efforts Mr. Gandhi and we have made until now co to nothing?”
“The gentleman would not understand our mood.”
Unlike Nehru, who belonged to the highest Brahmin caste, or the respected Gandhi, who actively supported the caste system despite his Vaishya origins, Bose, who advocated for ard struggle and associated with Sikhs and Gurkha units, did not much believe in the illusions of the so-called ‘higher-ups.’
“In the end, the international community moves by the logic of power.
Because we are powerless, the British change their words as easily as flipping their palms, and although Germany was a war criminal nation from the last Great War, it is recognized by the international community because it has power.”
Chandra Bose looked at Nehru for a mont before continuing.
“We will not fight in the na of the Indian National Congress, but in the na of Free India. We will respect the Congress, but we will not take orders from it, and even if we should fail, it will have nothing to do with the Congress.”
Jawaharlal Nehru spoke with a face full of anxiety.
“France and Japan are ultimately just using you and the pure aspirations of the people of this land.”
Chandra Bose nodded at Nehru’s words, but—
“I am well aware of that, sir.”
He added resolutely.
“We are just using them as well.”
A few days later.
Chandra Bose's Free India Army, ard with equipnt smuggled in by the La Rocque governnt before the war through the French territories of Pondicherry, Karaikal, Yanam, and Mahé, began to stage civil unrest in various locations.
-
July 26th, 1940
London, the capital of Britain
British Pri Minister Winston Churchill wearily raised a hand and wiped his face.
“The Far East Fleet… is annihilated.”
“Y-Yes, Pri Minister.”
The Royal Navy's Far East Fleet had fought a desperate battle against the Imperial Japanese Navy, but with only three heavy cruisers and the aircraft carrier HMS Eagle, they could not stop their navy.
Less than a month into the war, the Far East Fleet had lost all its capital ships and was left with only a few destroyers and light cruisers, now engaged in comrce raiding to sohow delay the Japanese capture of Singapore.
Of course, this was nothing more than a ans of buying ti, and the British military high command had already judged the loss of Singapore and British Malaya to be a matter of ti.
“Hold Singapore, no matter what it takes.”
“But Pri Minister…”
“I said hold it, whether for a month or two!”
Unlike in the original history, where Singapore was attacked only after the attack on Pearl Harbor, holding Singapore was impossible now, when Commonwealth nations like Australia and New Zealand had not yet entered the war.
But Britain, in a situation where it had to show sothing to bring that very Commonwealth into the war, was utterly desperate.
“And in the midst of this, our so-called allies Arica and Germany are luring away our companies…”
Germany and Arica had attracted companies that were moving their assets out of the country, thrown into chaos by the unprecedented incident of a British mainland invasion, and being the only great powers that could help Britain at this point, he couldn't even protest.
Churchill felt a surge of resentnt.
In truth, what Britain did best was profiting from the misfortunes of other countries, but in any case, it was not a pleasant experience to be on the receiving end.
As Churchill, with an anxious face, took out a cigar and was about to light it, Foreign Minister Anthony Eden burst in with an urgent look on his face.
“Pri Minister! There are reports of large-scale civil unrest in India!”
Winston Churchill dropped his lighter.
“Those uncivilized tribes, of all tis! And after we said we’d consider their precious independence if they joined the war!”
Of course, Churchill himself had no intention of ever allowing India's independence, but the shining na of the British Empire had been reduced to a re husk by the fatal blow from an ally's surprise attack.
The war situation, which made the defeat of the British Empire seem imminent, was the most fundantal reason why the Commonwealth nations hesitated to enter the war, and now, a problem had erupted in India, the core of Britain's colonies.
“What in the world has Governor-General Linlithgow been doing!”
Churchill felt his breath catch in his throat.
He picked up the dropped lighter, lit his cigar, and walked over to the window.
But it was no use; outside the window was London’s characteristically gloomy weather, with no sunlight to be seen.
“General Auchinleck is a man of ability, he will hold the line well.”
“Auchinleck will have no major problem defending against Indian rebels, but if the opponent is local guerrillas rather than a regular army, complete eradication will be difficult.
Furthermore, it will be dangerous if Singapore falls and the Imperial Japanese Army begins to pour into India, Pri Minister.”
Hearing the words of Chief of the General Staff Ironside, Churchill felt a throbbing headache.
“Arica?”
“They’ve imposed trade sanctions on France, but their election is less than four months away, and they say the Neutrality Acts prevent them from helping for now.”
The reason Arica began providing aid from the start of the war in the original history, despite the Neutrality Acts, was because all of Europe was being rapidly conquered by Hitler.
But now, although Britain was in crisis, it was not collapsing, and with Germany functioning as a bulwark for the free world, the Arican Congress felt little urgency.
In addition, paradoxically, with Britain playing the role it had in the early days of World War II and Arica not intervening in Europe, the effects of the New Deal were fading, unlike in the original history, and the recovery from the aftermath of the Great Depression was being delayed.
It was only in hindsight that Arica's economy began to recover as it beca the Arsenal of Democracy, generating imnse demand; the common sense of this era was that intervening in a war could not possibly be good for the economy.
With the economy already in shambles, why on earth should Arica help well-defended great powers with its own blood, sweat, and tears?
“…And Germany?”
“It seems the anti-war sentint has greatly diminished thanks to the speech by their Vice-Chancellor and the subsequent dostic propaganda.
But they say they also need ti for preparation and a declaration of war.”
Churchill took a deep drag from his cigar and then exhaled.
Was his vision blurry from the cigar smoke, or from the current situation?
Britain's situation was one of utter isolation.
There was a glimr of hope from Germany's side, but if it ca to this, the public image of being saved by Germany would an the British Empire as a great power was completely finished.
“In the end, we have no choice but to achieve so results ourselves.”
Muttering under his breath, Churchill spoke again.
“General Ismay, are the French forces in southern England still quiet?”
“Yes, Pri Minister.”
Churchill slowly inhaled the cigar smoke again, exhaled, and then spoke.
“They must be having trouble with their supplies. Give the order to General Alan Brooke.
Launch a general offensive and retake the occupied naval port of Portsmouth.”
“But Pri Minister, their military force is still not small.
It would be better to wait for support from Arica or Germany…”
Chief of the General Staff Ironside objected, but Churchill bellowed.
“While we wait for that, the British Empire is about to be shattered to pieces! We must show that we can push them off our holand with our own strength and get the Commonwealth's help to save India!”
“Y-Yes, sir.”
Churchill stubbed out his cigar in an ashtray and shouted.
“The British Empire cannot exist without India! We must protect India from those uncivilized Eastern barbarians! Whatever the price!”
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