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Episode 211: What will you toast for (2)

November 16, 1942

New Fuhrer's Residence in Berlin, Germany

Murmansk fell to the combined forces of Germany, Norway, Sweden, and Finland.

With the fall of Murmansk, all friendly forces' offensives on the Eastern Front ended, and the front entered a lull.

This is because winter in Russia has begun in earnest. Now, the important thing for our troops was not to advance, but to survive the winter safely.

Rewards were also given to soldiers who made major achievements in the Battle of Moscow.

Manstein, commander-in-chief of the Eastern Front, was awarded the Knight's Cross with Golden Diamonds and White Blades.

The Knight's Cross of Diamonds and Blades was awarded to Bock, Kluge, Modell, Hott, Strauss, Hausser, Dietrich, Eicke, and Kesselring for their contributions to the capture of Moscow as part of Army Group Center, and Rudel, the legendary Stuka ace who made hundreds of sorties. also received the same medal.

Joachim Pfeiffer, commander of the Peiper Battle Group, which was the first to enter Red Square during the Battle of Moscow, and Michael Wittmann, Tiger ace, were awarded the Knight's Cross of the White Leaf, while Ernst Barkmann, Panther ace of the Das Reich Division, and Erwin Henschel, rear machine gunner of Rudel, were awarded knights. A cross was awarded.

In addition, dozens of soldiers received medals for their merits, but there are too many, so they are omitted.

The Russian People's Liberation Committee, which moved to Moscow, officially declared the establishment of the 'Free Russian Republic' two days ago.

Twenty-five years after the fall of the Russian Republic in the October Revolution, a republic was established in Russia again.

Vlasov, commander-in-chief of the Free Russian Army, was chosen as the president of the new Russia, and the position of commander-in-chief of the Free Russian Army, which became vacant as Vlasov became president of Free Russia, went to Krasnov.

Rozaevsky, leader of the Russian Fascist Party, was promoted to the position of Prime Minister, and Taboritsky, a German citizen and member of the Nazi Party, was appointed as a permanent advisor to the president and served as a communication channel to convey the intentions of the Third Reich to Russia.

When Free Russia was established, many Soviet prisoners of war who had previously refused to convert began to convert.

Since they had crossed over to Moscow, they probably thought there was no hope for the Soviet Union anymore.

The number of prisoners who had converted to the Free Russian Army now far exceeded the number of prisoners who refused to convert and remained in the camp.

Among the Russians who fled to Germany during the civil war, there were many who wanted to return to their liberated homeland.

However, full-scale relocation was scheduled to take at least six months to a year, and supplying supplies to friendly troops on the front lines was the top priority now.

I leaned back on my chair and read the last of the many reports sent from the Central Army Group.

The title of the report was.

Before explaining what the Lokot Autonomous State is, I would like to introduce a person first.

Bronislav Kaminski.

Along with Vlasov, he was one of the representative Soviets who cooperated with Nazi Germany and was the division commander of the 29th SS Waffen Grenadier Division, famous under the name of 'Kaminsky Brigade' or 'RONA'.

Kaminski was born to a Polish father and a German mother, but he identified as Russian. In 1937, when the Great Purge was in full swing, he was arrested by the NKVD for criticizing Stalin, tortured, and sent to the Gulag.

Kaminsky was an intellectual who graduated from university, so he worked in a distillery in the gulag. After being liberated by the German army when the German War broke out, he formed a pro-German militia with fellow inmate Konstantin Voskovoynik to secure autonomy for the Bryansk region. got it

At this time, the Lokot Autonomous State was established.

The real power of the newly established Lokot Autonomous State was Boskovojnik, and Kaminsky was only the second-in-command, but when Boskovoinik was killed in battle with the Soviet airborne troops, Kaminsky became the head of the Lokot Autonomous State.

Under the support of Senior General Rudolf Schmidt, commander of the 2nd Panzer Army of Army Group Central, Kaminsky dismantled collective farms and distributed land and livestock evenly among local residents to win the favor of the local residents. Meanwhile, the pro-German militia led by him, the Kaminsky Brigade, played a major role in suppressing partisans. When he made his contribution, he received good reviews from the German military.

However, when the Battle of Kursk ended in German defeat and the Soviet offensive began, Kaminsky led his militia and residents to the Polish Governor-General.

In the process, Kaminsky's brigade was integrated into the Waffen-SS, and Kaminsky himself was appointed SS major general.

However, Kaminsky, who had been causing frequent friction due to various indecent acts shown in the Warsaw Uprising, massacres and rapes that went too far even by Nazi German standards, and discord with the upper echelons of the SS, was executed by the Gestapo disguised as a Polish partisan, and the division came to a sad end with disbandment. welcomed.

Kaminsky's personal information written in the report was exactly what I knew.

Immediately after being liberated from the Gulag, he founded a pro-German militia with his friend Boskovojnik.

Similar to history, Boskovojnik died due to worsening injuries suffered during the battle with the Partisans.

Schmidt wrote in the report that the establishment of Lokot Autonomous State is expected to have a positive impact on the formation of a pro-German attitude among local residents and on security.

'There is so much equipment and ammunition that was abandoned when the Soviet Army withdrew that there is no need to provide separate weapon support, and there is no reason to oppose it as they voluntarily cooperate with our troops' operations.'

It's a little uncomfortable because of Kaminsky's actual actions in history, but it's okay because the current situation is different from actual history.

I pressed the certification stamp on the report. With this, Lokot Autonomous Oblast became the first autonomous oblast within the Free Russian Republic.

"Are there any more reports now?"

"Yes, Mr. President. "This is the only report on the Eastern Front."

After the fabricated truth about Tito became known around the world through newspapers and radio, partisans in the Balkans were virtually destroyed.

As expected, no one followed the pedophile whose hobby was cross-dressing.

Although the subjugation of our troops and the Ustasha was significant, it is said that hundreds of people deserted from the Partisans and voluntarily surrendered after learning about Tito's true identity.

The partisans who surrendered unanimously said, as if they had promised in advance, that they would not have become partisans if they had known that Tito was a pedophile.

Although it wasn't about Europe, there was more news worth noting.

It is said that the Guadalcanal Campaign, fought between the US and Japanese forces for leadership in the South Pacific, ended with the US military's victory as of yesterday.

Even in history, the Guadalcanal campaign ended in victory for the U.S. military, but that was in February 1943. However, here, for some reason, it ended about three months earlier than history.

What is the reason? I guess we'll have to wait another 3 months here? Could it be that the Japanese military withdrew early because they became more capable than they were in reality?

...Now that I think about it, I don't think that's true. Japan's actions so far were no different from the history I knew.

Therefore, it is unlikely that the Japanese military suddenly became more capable. I can't say it's 100% true, though. Then why?

'Is it because the United States did not intervene on the European front?'

As everyone knows, the United States currently maintains a neutral relationship with Germany.

The White House may be emotionally inclined toward Britain, but there is no particular friction with Germany.

Although Japan was the country that brought the United States into World War II with the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Roosevelt was acutely aware of the fact that Germany, the head of the Axis powers, was several times more dangerous than Japan, and he followed the Europe-first principle of subduing Germany before Japan. First, 70 to 80 percent of the power was invested in Europe.

However, since Germany had not declared war here, all the forces that would have originally gone to the European theater would have been deployed to the Pacific theater.

Therefore, it is understandable if the result is an early end to the Guadalcanal campaign.

Unlike history, there will be no Manhattan Project, the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, or the Soviet Union's declaration of war against Japan, but instead, the United States can focus entirely on the Pacific War, so the Pacific War may end earlier than history.

Since there is no Soviet intervention, the Korean Peninsula will not be divided along the 38th parallel, and since there is no division, the Korean War will not occur. Now, everyone applaud.

All that's left is to end this war quickly...

"Still no reply from England?"

"I apologize, Mr. President."

Ribbentrop bowed his head.

Ribbentrop loudly exclaimed that Britain would undoubtedly respond to the peace proposal as the navy and air force had become anti-military, Moscow had fallen, and the Soviet Union was likely to leave the front.

However, contrary to expectations, the UK has not shown any response to date, and Ribbentrop, who had assured that the UK would come to the negotiating table sooner or later, was left in an awkward position.

"Anyway, Churchill. "I will try to do it until the end."

As was the case throughout history, Churchill seems determined to go as far as he can.

Not only the Army, but also the Navy and Air Force are in the same situation, but the mindset is to try until the end. Anyway, one thing you really need to be aware of is stubbornness.

The U-boats of the Creek Marines blockaded the British area and sank all British and Commonwealth ships, but due to strict orders not to attack American ships, Britain continued to receive supplies from the United States.

"Mr. President. In order to completely bring Britain into submission, we must no longer go to great lengths. Please give us permission to attack American convoys as well."

Doenitz, who had been frustrated with this situation for some time, asked me every day for permission to attack American ships, but each time, I resolutely refused.

"Admiral Dönitz, are you saying that because you really don't know why Germany was defeated in World War I? "What do you think would happen if our navy sank an American ship while Roosevelt was already looking for an excuse to enter the war?"

"If the U.S. ships are left alone, a blockade using U-boats will be useless. "If the hole in the jar wasn't plugged, how could it possibly be filled with water?"

"But it's true that Britain is currently suffering from a shortage of supplies, so you can't say it's ineffective, right? In any case, we can never give permission unless the United States attacks us first."

According to regular reports from SD and Afbear agents in the UK, the UK is currently in a state of chaos in many ways.

Although supplies are supplied through the United States, American aid alone is not enough to feed all British citizens, so a strict rationing system is in effect throughout the United Kingdom.

For this reason, British people's dissatisfaction is increasing day by day, but it seems that it will still take more time for dissatisfaction within the UK to explode.

Nothing is easy.

***

November 18, 1942

War Office, London, England

The Cambridge Spy Affair sharply cooled relations between Britain and the Soviet Union.

However, although their relationship is strained, they are now fighting over a common enemy, Germany.

The fall of Moscow was a shock to the Soviets, but it also came as a formidable shock to the British.

When all German newspapers and radios reported the fall of Moscow, British newspapers and radio news also reported the news of the fall of Moscow.

-Shock! Moscow falls to the Germans!

-Hitler declares virtual victory! Stalin escaped...

-Is the end of the German-Soviet war imminent?

On the day Moscow fell, Churchill could not sleep all night.

If the Soviet Union strengthens with Germany, Britain will now be the only country left standing against Germany.

It is nearly impossible to stop Germany's powerful army and air force, and its navy, which has grown to a level comparable to that of the Royal Navy.

In other words, the existence of the Soviet Union was essential for Britain's survival.

Therefore, Churchill secretly resumed support for the Soviet Union to prevent its departure.

Although the root of the spy incident has not yet been resolved, it was an inevitable choice because Britain could stand up to Germany only if the Soviet Union held out.

Roosevelt also had the same thoughts as Churchill, so he continued to support the Soviet Union under the pretext of increasing aid to China.

Chiang Kai-shek also noticed that the Soviet Union was stealing supplies that the U.S. was sending to China, but even he was unable to complain openly because he was dependent on U.S. support and also knew that the Soviet Union's embezzlement was an American intention. .

In order to ask for reconciliation from Britain, the Soviet Union sent a gift of apology to Britain. Blueprints of tanks and aircraft operated by the Soviet Army. And some minerals.

Soviet fighter jets were useless as they were inferior to British ones in performance and unsuitable for the environment. But the tank was different.

The blueprints for the T-34/85 and KV-1 sent by the Soviet Union were enough to attract the attention of British army generals and engineers.

Churchill immediately approved plans to produce replicas of both tanks. However, it was concluded that the KV-1 would be equipped with a British-made 6-inch howitzer instead of a 76mm main gun and used as an assault tank like the German Broombear.

At the Dieppe landings, the British army was shocked to find that its own tanks and tanks donated by the United States were struggling even against the German Army's Panzer IV.

Soviet-made tanks were expected to show equal performance against the Panzer IV, but the Panther and Tiger were exceptions.

I don't know when it will happen, but if we are to land in Europe and advance to Germany in the future, we will need tanks that are at least on par with the Panther and Tiger.

Strong firepower, and armor that can protect Tiger's 88 from the front.

In response to Churchill's requirements, developers released an armor-reinforced version of Churchill.

The Churchill Mk.VII had a frontal armor thickness of a whopping 152mm, and was expected to provide some protection against attacks from 88mm main guns.

"But the main gun is the same as the 6-pounder. "Only in this way will we be able to destroy Jerry's tanks?"

"Then how about this?"

If the Churchill Mk.VII focused only on strengthening armor, the A30 Challenger tank was a tank that focused on strengthening firepower.

The hull of the Cromwell cruiser tank, which had just been developed, was slightly modified, and a new turret equipped with a 17-pounder was installed.

The 17-pounder had a slightly lower accuracy rate, but its penetration power was considered to be equivalent to the Panther's 75mm main gun.

Therefore, the military and developers thought that it would be able to compete to some extent with German heavy tanks. If we only look at firepower.

But Churchill did not like this either.

"With the armor intact, can you withstand the enemy's attack? "Like Jerry's tank, we need someone who is satisfied with both firepower and defense!"

However, since tanks were still needed, the proposed design was adopted and produced, but the instructions to build a new tank were maintained.

"But isn't fraud the most important thing in the current situation?"

"Of course."

"The morale of our people is at its lowest right now. The war cannot be continued if morale is like this. That's why we need a groundbreaking criminal record that will immediately boost the morale of the people."

Watching Churchill continue speaking in a calm tone, the military officials screamed with all their might.

What are you trying to do again?

"Your Excellency, do you have any other plans in mind?"

Churchill nodded.

"I also thought of a name for the operation. It's called 'Operation Gomorrah.'"