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The bed in Stalin's bedroom was larger than the kitchens of Soviet-style apartments built throughout the Soviet Union, including Moscow, Leningrad, and Stalingrad, for the people.

There wasn't a single stain or speck of dust to be found on the sheets and blanket.

Stalin lay down on a soft bed and closed his eyes to sleep, but he could not fall asleep and turned over several times.

After tossing and turning for about 30 minutes, Stalin finally gave up sleeping and came out of the bedroom.

While drinking warm black tea made by his secretary, Stalin recalled what Molotov had said.

'Führer Hitler expressed his position that it would be difficult to tolerate our advance into the Balkan Peninsula. However, he noted that it is acceptable when it comes to expansion into the Middle East and the Indian Ocean.

When Germany invaded Yugoslavia, Stalin, who had hoped to include the Balkan Peninsula in the Soviet Union's sphere of influence and use it as a stepping stone for expansion into the Mediterranean and Africa, was very disappointed.

But he could not make any protest to Germany. Anyone could see that Yugoslavia was responsible for the war, so if the Soviet Union showed signs of discomfort, it might have provoked Germany's resentment.

Still, it was true that he still had regrets, so he asked Molotov to figure out Hitler's intentions.

If Hitler was conciliatory, he planned to ask Hitler to allow the Soviet Union to use the port cities of the Balkan Peninsula.

However, by expressing his intention to refuse, Hitler made it clear that he had no intention of sharing the Balkan Peninsula with the Soviet Union.

I guess I'll have to give up on the Balkan Peninsula. For now, there were no plans to take over the territory even by going to war with Germany. For now.

Still, it has been certified that it will tolerate expansion into the Middle East and the Indian Ocean, so if it is a good thing, it is a good thing.

But, but… ..

'Why do I keep getting this ominous feeling?'

If the Soviet Union advances into the Middle East and the Indian Ocean, it will inevitably face conflict with Britain, which dominates those regions.

In this case, there are only two countries on earth that benefit the most.

Germany and Japan.

However, Japan's target is China and Southeast Asia, and it is thousands of kilometers away from Moscow, so it does not pose a major threat to the Soviet Union.

But Germany was different from Japan. Unlike Japan, Germany is a European country and German bombers can reach Moscow within a day.

If the Soviet Union enters a state of war with Britain, Germany can attack either Britain or the Soviet Union.

It would be great if Germany attacked Britain, which is at war with the Soviet Union, but

What if the opposite is the case?

If there was a conflict with Britain, the Soviet Union would naturally have no choice but to project a significant portion of its military power to the Middle East, and its defenses against Germany would naturally be weakened.

If Germany takes advantage of that gap and launches a preemptive attack, the Red Army will inevitably suffer enormous damage.

At the very least, the Baltic countries, Belarus, and Ukraine will fall to Germany, and at worst, even Moscow will be in danger.

What if Hitler condoned the Soviet Union's advance into the Middle East for that exact purpose?

Stalin felt a chill down his spine.

'No way, no way…' ..!'

Hitler was a man with great resourcefulness. On the outside, he may be pretending to be friendly with the Soviet Union, but behind the scenes he may be preparing a plan to attack the Soviet Union.

He was a human being who could do that, and at the same time, he was a human being who was fully capable of doing so.

Since the signing of the German-German Non-Aggression Treaty, he has not made any comments about communism, but the suppression of the communist party continues.

That's why it wouldn't be surprising if Hitler and the Nazis attacked the Soviet Union to completely destroy communism from the face of the earth.

In the first place, Hitler was the one who took power by taking advantage of the German people's wariness about communism.

Of course, it was unclear whether Germany really intended to attack the Soviet Union, but it was clear that Germany would emerge as the Soviet Union's greatest threat in the near future.

No. It's not obvious, but it's already true. Is there any country other than Germany that poses the greatest threat to the Soviet Union right now?

uk? How could a country that lost the war and only knows its own colonies attack the Soviet Union?

Japan is more likely than the UK, but Japan is more interested in China and Southeast Asia than Siberia.

The United States has no interest in European affairs because it is working with Britain to keep Japan in check.

In the end, all that remains is Germany.

If Stalin had known what Hitler's true feelings were, he would never have lost sleep.

Rather, Hitler would have actively used his fear of the Soviet Union to make many demands on Germany.

However, no matter how powerful he was, he did not have the ability to see through other people's inner thoughts, so he had no choice but to always suffer from anxiety.

Anxiety turned into doubt, and doubt suddenly turned into certainty.

***

May 25, 1941

Washington DC White House, USA

Just as Stalin's Soviet Union, some countries viewed Germany's rapid rise in Europe with discomfort and concern.

This was the case with Britain, which was at war with Nazi Germany, and the United States across the Atlantic.

"Not only the Mk.6 light tank, but even the heavily armored Matilda tank could not inflict any damage on the German Panzer IV and Hatcher."

"I never thought even the ultimate weapon, the Spitfire, would be so helpless… ."

Britain, which had enjoyed the taste of German-made tanks and fighter planes on the battlefields of France, began developing tanks and fighter planes as soon as it signed the peace treaty.

"The 7.7mm machine gun on the Spitfire is too weak. "Let's go for a more powerful 20mm cannon."

The Royal Air Force introduced the Spitfire Mk.V, which had enhanced firepower by introducing the HS.404 20mm cannon, while also accelerating the development of the Hawker Typhoon, a new fighter aircraft to replace the Hawker Hurricane.

"We need to throw away the 2-pounder, which cannot even put a dent in a German tank, and get a tank equipped with a more powerful 6-pounder!"

"I admit it!"

The British Army started with the Valentine tank, which had not been deployed to the European battlefield. The Valentine tank was equipped with the same 2-pounder gun as the Matilda II, but when it was found to lack power against German tanks, it was quickly replaced with a 6-pounder gun.

Since the existing turret was too small and narrow to replace only the main gun, a newly designed turret had to be installed from scratch, and the new Balletine was given the designation Mk.III.

But the British Army knew that even this was only a temporary solution.

Although the firepower was strengthened, the armor, engine, and speed were all the same, so the fact that it was inferior to the 4th Panzer did not change.

The British army wanted a proper tank that could fight on equal footing with the 4th Panzer, not an improvised product with slightly increased firepower.

A tank that is larger than existing tanks, has thick armor and strong firepower.

Surprisingly, it was Churchill, the Secretary of the Navy, who actively supported and promoted the Army's tank development.

Churchill, who lost face due to the now-deceased former Prime Minister Chamberlain's revelations, but was able to maintain his ministerial position thanks to Halifax's consideration, decided that it would be beneficial in the future to focus on developing weapons rather than appearing in public for the time being in order to restore his tarnished image. .

If nothing else, he had the greatest political power in the UK. He contributed to the designation of the new infantry tank developed by Vauxhall, which was commissioned by the British Army, as the top priority mass production item, and the Army and Vauxhall responded as a token of their gratitude. The next new infantry tank was named after Churchill.

While Britain was busy developing weapons, the United States, across the sea, did not sit idly by.

Franklin Roosevelt, the 32nd President of the United States, who had long been extremely wary of Germany's expansionist ambitions, devoted all his energy to reorganizing the U.S. military in preparation for another war in Europe.

"Ah, George-"

"Mr. President. "Could you please call me Marshall?"

"Well, it's hard to be picky with people. "We've known each other for so long, isn't it time to stop using that title?"

"… .."

"I understand. "I lost, General Marshall."

"Thank you for your understanding, Your Excellency."

Army Chief of Staff George Marshall was a soldier among soldiers who was praised by his superiors, colleagues, and subordinates for his outstanding work ability from a young age.

If I were to pick a flaw about him, it would be that he was too 'neutral'.

Believing that soldiers should not be involved in politics, he did not even vote, did not respond to any invitations from politicians, and refused to even call himself by his name.

Because of this personality, many people respected him, but at the same time found it very difficult.

"I called you because I had a few questions to ask. Let's see… . First of all, how is the development of the new tank going? Do you think we're making progress?"

The U.S. Army, which had been operating light tanks such as the M2 and M3 in the first line, was shocked by the sight of the German army sweeping across Europe at lightning speed.

Blitzkrieg. It was a reference to the mobile warfare that Germany demonstrated in Poland and France.

The superior performance of German tanks played a significant role in the success of the blitzkrieg.

Both British and French tanks were powerless against the German tank IV and Hatcher.

It was a scene 180 degrees different from the one in Spain where German tanks were unilaterally pushed aside by Soviet tanks.

Britain, burnt by the hot taste of German tanks, hurriedly began developing new tanks, and the United States also devoted itself to developing new tanks in preparation for a war with Germany that might one day happen (Roosevelt was certain).

From the President to the Secretary of Defense, Marshall, and U.S. Army Cavalry Commander Lieutenant General Jacob Devers, they pestered Ordnance Department researchers every day, and as a result, the M3 medium tank, which would later be called 'M3 Lee' in the British Army, was able to appear earlier than history. .

The M3 medium tank, created through the blood, sweat, and tears of Ordnance Department researchers, was created based on the existing M2 medium tank. Unlike the M2, which had a weak 37mm main gun as its main armament, it was quite powerful thanks to the 75mm M2 tank gun mounted on the hull. Firepower could be projected onto the enemy.

Being able to use the 75mm main gun was certainly an advantage, but the problem was that the main gun was mounted on the hull rather than the turret, which limited the turning radius.

Researchers say that the 37mm main gun mounted on a rotating turret can be used to attack enemies in a blind spot, but compared to the 4th Tank, which can be freely used with a 75mm long-barreled main gun mounted on a turret, the M3 was at a great disadvantage.

Marshall, who received Devers' report, was also convinced that allowing the M3 to fight Panzer 4 would be suicidal.

Shouldn't a tank with a 75mm main gun in the turret be released as soon as possible to compete with the Panzer 4?

"Don't worry, Your Excellency. A prototype will be available before the end of summer. If development goes smoothly, we expect to begin full-scale mass production around November or December."

"Right. I don't want our soldiers to go through the same tragedies that the British and French went through. At least you need to give them some useful things to be able to fight.

Oh, that doesn't mean that all the products made by our friends at the Ordnance Department are useless and defective. "Please don't misunderstand."

"of course."

"The problem is not only in Germany. Japan is also a problem. I recently received a report that Japan is concentrating its troops in the French Indochina area. General, when do you think Japan will take action?"

Japan, which was invading China, was also setting its sights on French Indochina.

The United States, which had seen through the Japanese military's encryption system, had already figured out that Japan was concentrating troops and equipment around the China-Indochina border and Hainan Island in preparation for an invasion of Indochina.

"I think we will attack Indochina within June at the earliest, or August at the latest."

"I'm going to be amazed. "They're like damn bastards."

Roosevelt clicked his tongue and lit a Cuban cigar.

"Would you like to smoke one too, General?"

"I will accept your heart."

"Japan's invasion of Indochina will be just the beginning. Because they will never be satisfied with Indochina alone. After taking over Indochina, they will definitely target Malaya, Indonesia, and Burma... . Furthermore, it will threaten India and the Philippines. We need to stop their rampage before that happens. Otherwise, we need to fix it properly so that there will never be any calls for war again."

Roosevelt had a clear understanding of Japan's ambitions for invasion.

Once Japan has tasted the sweetness of victory, it will never stop its aggression.

After planting the Japanese flag throughout Asia, they will try to advance into Oceania and Africa, and even invade the territory of the United States.

Before that happens, we need to cut it off.

The use of Marshalls to reorganize the military, expand the manpower needed for logistics and supplies necessary to wage war, and develop new weapons were all in preparation for the coming war.

The American people do not want to be caught up in war, but whether they like it or not, the United States is ultimately destined to go to war.

It's just a matter of when.

"France will declare war on Japan if its colonies are attacked, but the problem is Germany… .."

Marshall, sensing what Roosevelt was trying to ask, said:

"I don't think Germany will declare war on Japan for France."

"Maybe so. But Germany is secretly screwing over Japan by selling weapons to China. "Isn't there a possibility that Germany will get involved in the Asian war because of this incident?"

As Roosevelt said, it seemed clear that Germany was very interested in the Asian region.

But does that mean you will directly jump into war? If you ask me that, Marshall doesn't think so.

"There is a good chance that we will intervene by providing material support from behind, but I do not think we will directly send troops to participate in the war. This is because, despite the distance, the Germans already lack justification for participating in the Asian War. And isn't there a non-aggression treaty between Japan and Japan?"

"What does the Soviet-Japanese Non-Aggression Treaty have to do with Germany's participation in the war?"

"Your Excellency, you probably know that Germany is supplying weapons to China via the Soviet Union. However, Japan signed a non-aggression pact with the Soviet Union. Since signing a non-aggression pact with the Soviet Union, Japan has been increasing exchanges with the Soviet Union. The same goes for the Soviet Union.

"This is just my guess, but I think Japan will soon use the Soviet Union to disrupt the friendly relationship between Germany and China."

"therefore… . "If the Soviet Union cuts off the gap between Germany and China, Germany will have no means of transporting troops and materials to Asia, so even if it wants to, it cannot intervene?"

"You got it right."

"So, in your view, the possibility of Germany intervening in the Far East is small. Let me ask you one more question. How likely do you think Germany is to launch another war of aggression in Europe?"

"I think it's significantly smaller."

In response to Marshall's response, Roosevelt removed the cigar from his mouth.

"The reason is that?"

"Because there is no sign of that."

"There is no sign. Didn't Germany sweep the Balkans just recently? But I don't think they will go to war anymore."

"Your Excellency, the reason Germany attacked Yugoslavia was because Yugoslavia first provided the pretext for war. If Yugoslavia had not invaded Albania or had accepted Germany's demand for an armistice, Germany would not have invaded Yugoslavia. And after the war with Italy ended, Germany lifted the conscription of reserve forces and focused on economic recovery.

"If Hitler had intended to continue the war, he would not have lifted the mobilization order or stopped the operation of the munitions factories."

Roosevelt seemed speechless at Marshall's words and did not respond for a while. The rebuttal he came up with after a while was very weakly based.

"But isn't Germany still focused on developing new weapons?"

"That's what all countries do, even in times of peace. "It is difficult to view Germany's new weapons tests as preparations for the next war of aggression."

"is it. But general, I don't think like a general. Hitler is a man who will never be satisfied until he takes control of Europe and the whole world."

Roosevelt pounded the desk. Marshall wasn't surprised at all.

"He had ample opportunity to stop the war, but he didn't. It was the same in Czechoslovakia, Poland, and France. In one year he had defeated his archenemies Poland and France, and had Europe under his control. He has tasted success in everything, and if his self-control had diminished, it would have decreased and never increased. The same goes for Germans. He will definitely try to start a new war sooner or later. And we have to stop it!"

Marshall could understand why Roosevelt was causing such competition between Germany and Hitler. Considering the achievements of Hitler's Germany, this was a natural reaction.

However, it was difficult to agree with Roosevelt's claim that Hitler would invade again. Because there is no evidence to support this.

I thought that maybe what Roosevelt wanted was for Germany to start a war and give the United States a reason to intervene in Europe.