Chapter 37: The Doom of Poland (1)

On September 1, 1939, the German Wehrmacht mobilized an army of 1.5 million to invade Poland like a horde of ravenous beasts.Poland, which had to face this onslaught, had a force of 1.75 million, including active and reserve troops, but it was not at a level to withstand the offensive of the modernized German army and their merciless tactics.

"Too slow. Too slow. What you're seeing is the afterimage of our army as we blaze past you!"

Of course, it wasn't true that the German army was an invincible mobile unit consisting of fully motorized troops despite their boastful propaganda.

Most of the German army had to rely on horse-drawn carriages or walk on their own feet, not vehicles like primitive savages.

The real driving force behind the German army's blitzkrieg1 was not the tanks or planes featured in propaganda, but stimulants like methamphetamine that allowed them to walk for 48 hours without sleep like drug-crazed zombies.

There was a high risk of turning soldiers into drug addicts after the war, but in fact, no one cared about such problems in their pursuit of victory.

"What? Does it make them walk for 48 hours without sleep? Make sure to feed it to the soldiers and keep them hooked. Feed them twice the usual dose."

Rather, they were eager to use more stimulants if they knew of their existence to push their troops beyond human limits.

While the German army waged a blitzkrieg with the help of drugs coursing through their veins, the Polish army was busy struggling in a swamp of despair and hopelessness.

"With what can we stop German tanks and planes raining death upon us?"

Of course, Poland had excellent tanks like the 7TP2 and fighters like the PZL P243 that could rival the enemy's.

But the quantity was far too insufficient to stem the tide of German steel.

No matter how excellent the weapons were, if they couldn't be mass-produced, they might as well not exist in the face of overwhelming numbers.

Unfortunately, the construction of Poland's military industry was sluggish due to the aftermath of the long-lasting trade war during the Weimar Republic era, and the military modernization plan was pushed back to after 1942 when it would be too late.

To begin with, the timing of the outbreak of war was the worst for Poland as if fate itself had conspired against them.

It wasn't like they had any advantages over the German army besides equipment either to even the odds.

The quality of the officer corps was inferior and plagued by nepotism and incompetence, and the Polish military leadership's perception of reality in the face of war also failed to face the situation head-on with clear eyes.

"How can we just give away the sacred territory we recovered after 150 years of foreign occupation? We can't give up even an inch of our motherland."

Instead of utilizing natural obstacles like the Vistula River4 to slow the German advance, the Polish military devised a strategy of stopping the enemy at the border and gradually retreating in a fighting withdrawal.

The policy of defending the border with inferior forces was no different from handing victory to Germany for free on a silver platter.

"Look at those ignorant Poles marching to their doom."

The German army pushed back the Polish army, marching triumphantly according to the operational plan they had originally established with clockwork precision.

However, that didn't mean this war went completely according to Germany's will or desires.

On September 3, Britain and France each declared war on Germany in support of their beleaguered ally.

"Führer I bring terrible news. Britain has also declared war against the Reich."

"Unbelievable that they would dare defy me!"

It was an escalation into World War II that Hitler had never anticipated in his wildest dreams.

In fact, Germany was not at all prepared for a prolonged war against the major powers.

Oil reserves were insufficient to fuel the war machine, and ammunition was only enough to sustain a few weeks of operations before the cupboard ran bare.

In such a situation, facing a naval blockade and all-out war with the great powers, it was not unreasonable for Hitler to be as shocked as if he would faint at the prospect of his plans unraveling.

Moreover, Poland's resistance was formidable beyond expectations.

The Polish army, which was initially thought to collapse easily, showed stubborn resistance and clung to the German army like a thorn in their side.

"If Britain and France come to our aid, we can win and send the Germans running."

The Poles pinned all their hopes on the attacks of Britain and France to relieve them in their darkest hour.

If they could hold out until they turned the tide of the war with the might of the Allies, the Polish nation could survive and endure.

They would be victorious against the Nazi invaders.

*

"The defeat of Poland is a foregone conclusion as their fate is sealed."

I coldly prophesied the destruction of Poland with grim certainty.

Those British and French bastards were only good for sending thoughts and prayers, providing little help to Poland, which was being pummeled by the main German forces like a helpless punching bag.

What substantial assistance could they provide by briefly engaging in events with grandiose names like the Saar Offensive that amounted to nothing?

"It is as you say, Your Excellency."

I looked around at the generals of the National Salvation Military Committee gauging their reactions.

"Gentlemen, let me ask you one thing a question of utmost importance."

"Please speak, Your Excellency."

"After Poland falls to the German onslaught, how far will this war expand and consume Europe?"

The generals sank into deep thought at my question pondering the grim possibilities.

"Won't it become a great war with even the United States participating once more, like the last world war that engulfed the globe?"

"The Soviet Union may also enter the war seizing the opportunity to carve up Germany and expand their influence."

The generals expressed their respective thoughts and concerns for the future.

"Then, which side should our Korean Empire stand on in this brewing storm?"

This was a test of their loyalty and judgment.

I intended to block the promotion of any fellows who answered Axis powers here and sided with fascist tyranny.

Behave properly and choose wisely, for your future depends on it, you crazy nutjobs.

The generals pondered for a while weighing the options and came up with answers to the loaded question.

"We should side with the Soviet Union and the communist bloc."

Colonel Baek Dong-seok said with surprising conviction.

Suddenly siding with the Reds our ideological opposites?

It was an unexpected answer that caught me off guard.

"Colonel Baek, what's your reason for this shocking proposal?"

"Balance of power, Your Excellency."

"Balance you say?"

"If the Western powers defeat Germany in the future as seems likely, we may become the next target in their imperialist sights. To confront them and safeguard our sovereignty, the most powerful ally is none other than the Soviet Union and their mighty Red Army."

"The Reds' credibility is rock bottom and their word means nothing."

"Necessity will create mutual trust and forge bonds of cooperation. The Reds also need friends to counter the capitalist threat, don't they?"

It wasn't wrong his argument had merit.

"We have already signed a non-aggression pact with the Soviet Union as a first step. I see no reason why we can't move towards an alliance and deepen our ties."

"I understand what you mean Colonel, your point is well taken."

The generals each mentioned the names of countries like the United States, Britain, and France as potential allies in court.

The reason was simple and painfully obvious.

Germany cannot win against such odds, so let's ride on the coattails of the Western powers to victory and spoils.

It was the logic I had also considered and found tempting.

However, there was one sticking point that prevented me from readily siding with the Allies and throwing in our lot with them.

When this war ended in an Allied victory as seemed inevitable, would they recognize the Empire's power and standing in the East or seek to curtail it?

If by chance the Allies did not recognize our interests and sought to impose their will, my position would be difficult and untenable.

As a dictator, deciding to retreat would make my position unstable and show weakness, and confronting them head-on would mean nothing but fighting the Allies in a futile war.

I didn't want to be driven into such an uncomfortable choice between two options that both spelled disaster.

So, I was thinking of adjusting the situation so that the West and Germany could annihilate each other in a protracted bloodbath, but Colonel Baek Dong-seok gave me a new perspective to consider.

The Reds

The communist menace.

Indeed, if I changed my thinking and looked at things differently, there was no better ally than the Soviet Union in this dangerous new world.

If we allied with the Soviet Union, which had an army as massive as the entire West combined and vast resources to draw upon, there would be no risk of being blackmailed by the West under any circumstances or pushed around.

The problem was that the Reds were a bunch that couldn't be trusted as allies with their track record of betrayal.

How did the United States treat the Soviet Union during World War II when they were supposed allies?

They fed them, clothed them, put them to bed, and even changed their diapers providing endless aid and supplies, only to be rewarded with the Cold War and decades of hostility.

Those fucking bastards stabbed them in the back.

As a victim of that Cold War caught in the crossfire, I couldn't help but shudder more at the Soviet Union and its treacherous nature.

Nevertheless, personal feelings were personal feelings that had to be set aside, and public affairs were public affairs that required cold calculation.

I seriously considered whether to make the Soviet Union an ally weighing the pros and cons.

No, there was no need to worry already and get ahead of myself.

Was there a need to firmly establish a policy now when the situation was still fluid?

Anyway, it seemed necessary to test the waters with the Soviet Union and gauge their receptiveness.

If the Soviet Union showed a positive response to our overtures, we would gradually push for it and deepen ties, and if not, we would discard it and explore other options.

As I was organizing my thoughts and formulating a plan, Colonel Lee Jeong-yun spoke up.

"Your Excellency I have a suggestion."

"Yes, you Colonel Lee. Speak your mind."

"What about Germany as a potential ally?"

No, this bastard dares to suggest siding with Germany, which we had cut ties with and denounced? seaʀᴄh thё nôvel_Fire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

"You're saying we should side with Berlin and Hitler? Why on earth would we do that?"

"Germany has thoroughly prepared for war and built up its military might. In contrast, the West has plunged into war without any preparation or readiness. If it's a fight between the prepared and the unprepared combatants, Germany's victory is self-evident and assured. Moreover, isn't Germany's national power as great as Britain and France combined making them a formidable force?"

That's an exaggeration and wishful thinking.

Germany's national power is greater than France's that much is true, but it barely compares to the entire British Empire, including the dominions and far-flung colonies.

There's no way it can match the two combined and emerge victorious.

This illusion arose because the German Empire during World War I displayed monstrous power and nearly prevailed.

At that time, Germany faced six great powers5 as enemies and still demonstrated the ability to collapse one side of the two-front war through sheer tenacity and skill.

But Hitler's Germany, compared to the German Empire that had prepared for war for decades and honed its military to a fine edge, was nothing more than balloon muscles a paper tiger puffed up with hot air.

"Germany has only started rearming a few years ago and is not yet ready for a prolonged conflict."

Officially, Germany's rearmament began in 1935 with Hitler's repudiation of the Versailles treaty.

Of course, the rearmament project under the surface had been going on since the days of the Weimar Republic in secret, but the reality was that the large-scale rearmament above the surface had not even lasted four years leaving them woefully unprepared.

"But they are thoroughly prepared compared to Britain and France who have neglected their armed forces. Just wait and see. Germany will definitely defeat France and knock them out of the war."

Several generals also nodded their heads in agreement with this assessment.

I wanted to criticize their unreasonable conclusion and point out the flaws in their logic, but knowing that France would actually fall in six weeks to the German blitzkrieg, it was ambiguous to say anything definitive.

"I understand your story and the reasoning behind it."

To be able to predict Germany's victory even in this situation with limited information at hand.

Was the halo left by that crippled bastard Hitler this big that it blinded them to reality?

"But let me make it clear here and now, gentlemen."

The generals straightened their backs with tense expressions as I spoke with authority.

"Our Korean Empire will never side with Germany under any circumstances. Do you understand what I'm saying and the gravity of my words?"

"Yes! Chancellor, we hear and obey!"

"It's enough that you understand and will follow my lead. Since the war has broken out and the world is in turmoil, those who will work in the situation room monitoring developments stay, and the rest go have a dinner party and unwind. I'll pay today as a gesture of goodwill, so let's go to a fancy club and let loose a little."

"We will obey your command, Your Excellency."

Just because a war broke out didn't mean we could spend every day thinking only about the war and neglect our own well-being.

We needed to refresh our mood like this from time to time and keep morale high for the battles ahead.

1. blitzkrieg, military tactic calculated to create psychological shock and resultant disorganization in enemy forces through the employment of surprise, speed, and superiority in matériel or firepower.2. The 7TP was a Polish light tank of the Second World War. It was developed from the British Vickers 6-ton. A standard tank of the Polish Army during the 1939 Invasion of Poland, its production did not exceed 150 vehicles. Its chassis was used as the base for the C7P artillery tractor.3. The PZL P.24 is a Polish fighter aircraft, built in the late 1930s by Państwowe Zakłady Lotnicze. It was a much more advanced development of the PZL P.11, a Polish wing all-metal fighter designed by Zygmunt Puławski.4. The Vistula is the longest river in Poland and the ninth-longest in Europe, at 1,047 kilometres in length. Its drainage basin, extending into three other countries apart from Poland, covers 193,960 km², of which 168,868 km² is in Poland.5. the United States, Britain, Russia, France, Korea, and Italy