38

Road to (2)

As I said before, Czechoslovakia, which lost the Sudetenland, was like a turtle without a shell.

Although Britain and France guaranteed the safety of Czechoslovakia, isn't there a saying that the law is far and the fist is close?

If war breaks out, even if the entire Czechoslovakia becomes a sea of ​​fire, there will be nothing Youngf can do.

Czechoslovakia's President Emil Haha, well aware of this fact, did his best not to provoke Germany.

The moment anything goes wrong, Czechoslovakia will disappear from the map.

Haha knew that even if Germany could turn Prague into a sea of ​​fire, Czechoslovakia could not turn Berlin into a sea of ​​fire, so he threw away all his pride and accepted whatever Germany demanded.

However, the world was a cruel place that did not consider the circumstances of the weak at all.

***

March 15, 1939

New Fuhrer's Residence in Berlin, Germany

"Mr. President, the President of Czechoslovakia has arrived."

"Please take us inside."

Haha, who entered the office after being guided by Ribbentrop, was already not looking good.

He, who had always had a weak heart, looked pale as if he was daunted by the grandeur of the new Presidential Residence designed by Speer.

The way his eyes roll back and forth is like looking at a frightened abandoned dog. What a pitiful nobleman.

"Welcome, President. Thank you very much for coming."

"Thank you for the invitation, President."

When I held out my hand, Haha hesitated, but took the hand I held out and shook it.

Light and weak hands. It was a small, fragile hand that looked like it would break if the slightest force was applied.

Haha let go and took out a handkerchief from his jacket pocket and wiped the sweat from his forehead. You seem quite nervous.

Well, even if you're like me, you can't help but be nervous.

Especially in a situation like now where the fate of the country is at stake.

As the head of a country, he came with dozens of people when he came to Germany, but when he entered the new Presidential Residence, only Haha was allowed to enter.

Although this was a clear diplomatic discourtesy, Haha, who had already been at odds with Germany, was unable to make any protest and had no choice but to enter the official residence alone.

Haha, who was thrown into enemy territory alone without a single attendant, sweated like rain as if he sensed the coming future.

Anyone who sees it will think that summer has already arrived.

"Minister Ribbentrop, please leave for a moment. "I have something to discuss privately with the President."

"All right."

After Ribbentrop left, there were only two people left in the office, Haha and me.

Haha barely opened his mouth with a paler face than before.

"President, may I ask why you invited me all the way to this far away place?"

"Let me be blunt, Mr. President. Please listen carefully."

I deliberately ignored Haha's question and got straight to the point.

"President, let me be honest with you. "I intend to split Czechoslovakia into the Czech Republic and Slovakia."

"······yes?"

Haha blinked as if he didn't understand what I was saying.

After a while, astonishment bloomed on his face.

"W-What is that...!"

"I also feel very sorry to say this, but it is unavoidable for the future of Greater Germany."

Like I said, it's bullshit.

However, even if it is the same bullshit, the words spoken by the unemployed person in the corner and the words spoken by the German Fuhrer have different weights.

"Yesterday I met with Prime Minister Josef Tiso and approved the independence of Slovakia. Even though you are not in favor of Slovakian independence, it will happen soon. "Because I will make it so."

While I was talking, Haha sat blankly and just looked at my mouth.

Like a corpse whose soul has left and only an empty shell remains.

"Don't be too sad. Until 1918, Czechoslovakia did not exist on maps. The only difference is that this time it will be part of the Third Reich rather than the Austro-Hungarian Empire."

"Huh, huh..."

"The new name for the Czech Republic, which has become part of the Third Reich, is the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia. You will remain President of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia. Even though it is a protectorate, there will be no harm to your presidency. "I guarantee it."

"for a moment···."

"The lives of the Czech people will also remain the same. Except that German must be taught in schools. Soldiers will not have to continue their difficult and arduous military life. Only those who are willing to serve in the German army will remain in the army, and the rest of the young people will be sent back. To the home and hometown I miss.

We will also leave Czech civil servants and police officers alone. The civil servants we dispatched will be their superiors, but we will try to get along with them. Czechs are protected by German law and will be subject to the same punishment as German law. Of course, the same goes for Germans, so you don't have to worry about discrimination.

We have also prepared a new flag in advance. how is it? Isn't it okay? "I made it myself."

I showed Haha the white, red and blue tricolor flag. This was to become the flag of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia.

"If you have any questions, ask. "I will answer sincerely."

"······Wow, do you think our people will quietly watch this?"

Haha's voice was thinner than the flapping of a butterfly's wings, so you couldn't hear it unless you listened carefully.

He didn't avoid my gaze, but his hands were already shaking.

"I simply cannot accept such a humiliating treaty-"

"That can't be possible."

Haha, who was speechless, stared at me with bewildered eyes.

I looked into the eyes of the aging president. It looked exactly like the wounded soldier I saw on the Western Front waiting for the moment of death.

A state where one can breathe, but cannot be said to be alive.

That was the state of Czechoslovakia.

"President, I know you well. You have worked hard for your country all your life. I know you love your country, Czechoslovakia, more than anything else. "You also don't want to see Prague burn into a sea of ​​fire."

"S-No way...?!"

"I am also a person who loves culture and history, so I would like to avoid Prague, with its long history, being reduced to nothing more than a heap of ashes. Shouldn't future generations also be able to appreciate the beautiful night view of Prague? "Of course, it's up to you."

Haha just passed out.

***

As soon as poor Haha woke up after receiving first aid, he had to face the heavy reality that faced him.

Haha, who had hoped this was all a nightmare, realized that where he was was real and almost fainted again.

When he finally came to his senses, I offered him a glass of water. He suspected that the water I gave him might be poisonous, so he did not drink it.

I had no choice but to drink the water in the glass, fill a new glass with water, and hand it to him. Only then did he finally take the glass and drink it, even though he felt uncomfortable.

"It's very simple, President. All you have to do is sign this document. Then everything will be over."

I handed him the document.

It was a document expressing support for the unification of Germany and the Czech Republic.

"Do not worry. Because I am a person who strictly keeps promises. The Czech people will live forever in the arms of Greater Germany, and you will remain the keeper of peace.

"Although those who hate you will accuse you of being a traitor, history will later prove your innocence."

"······."

Haha was silent for a long time after picking up the document.

Finally, he picked up the pen with trembling hands and put it on the document.

"God, forgive me."

After finishing signing, Haha fainted again.

***

The day the Czech Republic disappeared into history.

Hungarian troops crossed the border into Slovakia.

There was minor fighting between the Hungarian and Slovakian forces, but it quickly calmed down.

According to the treaty signed with Germany by Josef Tiso, the first president of the First Republic of Slovakia, Slovakia ceded part of its territory to Hungary.

Hungary, which had been pursuing rearmament by secretly burying itself in Germany, which had attracted a lot of international aggression with its declaration of rearmament and reoccupation of the Rhineland, succeeded in recovering some of the territory it had lost through the Treaty of Trianon.

March 20th.

Horthy Miklós, Regent of the Kingdom of Hungary, officially declared the rearmament of Hungary.

Romania and Yugoslavia immediately issued statements of condemnation, but Miklósi paid no heed.

A military alliance was signed with Germany the day after the rearmament declaration. In return for our alliance, we were able to import Hungarian coal and oil at low prices.

Although oil was being imported from Romania, there was a problem that a direct route from Ploiesti, where the oil fields were located, to Germany had not yet been developed.

Oil was unloaded in Greece via sea route and then brought back to Germany via land route, but this took too long.

Although the amount of oil that can be imported from Hungary is less than that of Romania, it is not a bad choice as the price is cheaper and import time will be saved.

Yugoslavia and Romania already did not have the strength to wage war against Hungary, but to make matters worse, when Germany followed suit, they only criticized Hungary with their mouths and retreated.

Hungary will take care of Hungary's affairs, so for now we should focus on our own.

Among the tanks owned by the Czechoslovak Army, the disposal of the AH-IV, LT-34, and LT-35 light tanks was decided upon at a meeting with Guderian.

As the AH-IV and LT-34 were too outdated for Wehrmacht use, it was decided to transfer and sell all but a few to Slovakia and Romania as souvenirs of the Czech annexation.

LT-35 was renamed 35(t) and deployed to the Army's 1st Armored Division.

It is much better than the tanket-level Tank No. 1 and the No. 2 Tank, which is equipped with a 20mm cannon instead of a tank gun, but its performance is not excellent enough to continue production, so the production line was decided to be discarded.

Unlike the previous ones, the LT-38 handled well.

It was given a new name, 38(t), and deployed to the Wehrmacht and the Waffen-SS. Although it was weaker than the 4th Panzer, it had better performance than the 35(t), so a decision was made to continue production for the time being.

With the deployment of the 35(t) and 38(t), all tank 1s that had remained in service so far were retired except for training purposes.

and,

"Take a look, General. "These are things I have planned, and I would like to hear the general's evaluation."

"This······."

An exclamation immediately came out of Guderian's mouth as he calmly examined the blueprint I gave him.

"It's pretty good."

Like a fool who only knew about tanks, Guderian immediately grasped the true value of the blueprints I gave him.

I planned to use the 38(t) to build assault guns - tank destroyers - self-propelled guns, and APCs (Armored Personnel Carriers).

Of course, these were not my creations; they all existed in history. Of these, the first one to be made was definitely the assault cannon.

"60mm 60-degree sloped armor on the front of the vehicle body will have an effect comparable to 120mm vertical armor. "It's a number that can repel attacks from all existing tanks."

The 38(t) tank destroyer Hetzer is a luxury weapon that appeared in 1944 at the end of World War II and was used until Germany was defeated.

It weighs 16 tons, which is 9 tons lighter than the Panzer 4, but its protection is better than that of the Tiger (although it is limited to the front).

Because the price was reasonable and production was easy, Czechoslovakia continued the production of the Hatcher using the factories that remained in the country after the war, and Switzerland also imported the Hatcher and operated it under the name 'G13 anti-tank self-propelled gun' until 1972.

Even Israel paid attention to the performance of the hatcher and considered introducing it. It was eventually canceled.

If development begins now, Hatcher will be able to be put into service by 1940 at the latest.

PaK 38 is in mass production, and PaK 40 is scheduled to be released before the leaves fall.

By the time the Hatcher comes out, it will have gone into mass production, so there should be no problem mounting the main gun.

If the quantity is insufficient, you can add at least PaK 38. The performance of the PaK 38 was decent until it encountered the T-34 and KV-1 on the Eastern Front.

I lay in bed with a happy heart today, imagining how I would show the fear of the German tank corps to the enemies who were using tanks like tankettes.

I hope tomorrow comes quickly.