YM778.TV Chapter 69: Declaration of War against Germany (3)
As if suffering from bipolar disorder, the Führer repeatedly ordered to find ways to attack Korea several times a day, then canceled them.
Common sense dictated that Germany’s power was insufficient to go to the other side of the globe and punish Korea.
The military generals had to taste a considerable amount of perplexity at this.
It was the same with the Soviet problem.
The Army had reached its limit due to the fierce war of attrition that continued from late spring to early autumn.
The commanders and chiefs of staff of each army group, well aware of this situation, submitted opinions to the effect that the war of attrition should not be continued like this.
Franz Halder1, the Chief of the Army General Staff, backed up these opinions and advised Hitler that there was a need to have an opportunity to rebuild military power by only defending until 1944.
But the Führer didn’t even pretend to listen.“The Soviet Union is a rotten country that will collapse on its own once Moscow collapses. Are you telling me to give time by defending until ‘44 against such a trivial opponent? If you’re going to say such nonsense, take off your uniform.”
This appearance of the Führer made the German Junkers realize one fact.
The magician of gambling who saw through the movements of the world powers at a glance and succeeded in retaliation one after another never existed…
Hitler was not a god.
The Führer was just a lucky thug.
Through a series of events, the Junkers realized that Hitler was not an invincible superhuman.
If the opponent is not an invincible superhuman but an ordinary human, couldn’t they pull him down?
They gathered in a secret hideout and denounced Hitler.
“If this continues, that corporal from Bohemia will ruin the country. At a time when Britain and the US are looking for opportunities, he’s even turning Korea into an enemy, is this the judgment of a normal person?”
“If by any chance Korea sends a large army to the Eastern Front, the hard-earned military gains will be in vain. The Führer is a person who can’t even calculate that much.”
“So, what are you going to do about it?”
“We have to pull Hitler down. And withdraw from the occupied territories in Western Europe.”
At the very least, the structure of the Western world being hostile to Germany must end.
Only then could they lead the German-Soviet War to victory and settle Germany in its current position.
This was the Junkers’ calculation.
But as always, there were problems for the Junkers.
How will they get rid of Hitler?
How do they subdue Hitler’s subordinates?
Could they fix the policy toward the US, UK, and Soviet Union immediately after the national overthrow?
Don’t they have to finish negotiations with the great powers before taking action?
And what about the risk of the coup causing a collapse of the front lines?
Because they thought about too many things, the Junkers hesitated to act.
Hans Oster2 thought,
Those who only think cannot achieve anything.
To change something, action was needed.
“Everyone.”
The generals’ gazes gathered at Hans Oster’s quiet words.
“For now, let’s act first.”
“General Oster. What do you mean by that?”
“Did you say you want to bring down Hitler? Then you should start thinking about killing him. Why are you having endless afterthoughts?”
“General Oster. We are not terrorists. We need to move while keeping in mind that our great cause comes with responsibility.”
“Calculation, calculation, calculation! How long will you keep thinking like that? Will you only move when the tide turns and Germany is about to be ruined?” Ř
“Your words are harsh, Oster.”
“Generals. How did Lee Sung Joon succeed in his coup?”
When the name Lee Sung Joon came up, the generals shut their mouths.
“We also need the same level of action as Lee Sung Joon.”
At that moment when a tense confrontation continued, Fellgiebel3, the chief of communications, mediated between the two sides.
“General Oster. That’s enough. Everyone understood what you wanted to say.”
“I apologize for my rudeness.”
As Oster sat down, silence filled the room.
After a long time, Franz Halder4, the Chief of the Army General Staff, broke the silence.
“We need action. Certainly, just talking here won’t do anything. General Oster, do you have any ideas?”
“How about eliminating Hitler and mobilizing the reserve forces to stage a coup?”
“Eliminate Hitler and stage a coup?”
“If we put the responsibility of Hitler’s assassination on the SS, we’ll easily gain the legitimacy to seize power.”
“Then we’ll have to deal with the plan to mobilize the reserve forces first. General Olbricht, can you get the plan approved by Hitler?”
“It will take time, but it’s possible. It’s a plan Oster and I prepared in advance, thinking it would be possible in the first place.”
Germany was full of foreign workers brought from all over Western and Eastern Europe.
If they used the excuse of preparing for when these people might cause trouble in an emergency, there would be no problem.
“For now, let’s push that first. As for Hitler’s assassination, let’s think about it after the necessary conditions are met.”
It was unsatisfactory, but it wasn’t meaningless that the Junkers at least lifted their heavy buttocks.
The meeting held under the surface ended with that.
Unfortunately for Hitler, the Reich Main Security Office (RSHA) knew little about such a conspiracy.
In fact, the RSHA was in a position where it was difficult to fight against the intelligence agencies of the US, UK, and Soviet Union, and the guerrillas scattered in the occupied territories of each country, as well as the domestic anti-Nazi forces.
Still, the RSHA did not miss the surveillance of some important figures.
Admiral Wilhelm Canaris, the head of the Abwehr, was one of those figures.
Heydrich was lost in thought as he read the report on Canaris’ movements.
Since before the war, Canaris had shown a somewhat ambiguous position.
Putting aside the ambiguity of not being able to be sure whether he was on this side or that side, he had suspiciously many ties to Britain.
If it weren’t for his rank, he would have been caught and put in the interrogation room.
Canaris. If only I could get rid of this old fart, the Empire’s intelligence would fall into my hands.
Information is power.
If he monopolized the source of that power, neither Himmler nor Göring would be a match for him.
Perhaps he could even dream of becoming the Führer’s successor.
However, that was a story for the distant future.
For now, he could neither touch nor eliminate Canaris.
At least not without a special pretext.
Knock knock.
At that moment when Heydrich was lost in thought, his secretary brought a report.
“Your Excellency. A report from the Foreign Intelligence Office.”
“Bring it here.”
Heydrich put aside the surveillance report and read the intelligence report.
The contents were better than he had expected.
The Koreans are preparing for an expedition to Indochina?
This was clearly good news.
No matter how lenient the US and UK were towards Korea, they couldn’t possibly tolerate them extending their influence down to their colonies.
Heydrich had also calculated this and had supplies sent to China through the Hanoi route, but Korea had foolishly taken the bait.
Was Lee Sung Joon someone who couldn’t even make that calculation?
Or did he willingly take the bait for his own position?
Lee Sung Joon isn’t that great of a person either.
Just like our Führer Hitler.
In fact, Heydrich did not hold Hitler in high regard.
When the Führer showed his genius, he was certainly an extraordinary person, but in everyday life, he did not show the judgment befitting a leader to guide the German people.
Perhaps he had gone senile with age.
Heydrich was lost in thought for a moment before picking up the receiver.
“Get me the Foreign Intelligence Office.”
“Connected.”
“From now on, change the focus of our operations against the US and UK. The goal is to create conflict between Korea and the US/UK.”
If it was difficult to prevent the intervention of the US and UK anyway, it was best to direct their aggro towards Korea.
For the US and UK, who were not currently at war with Germany, they would pay more attention to Korea threatening their colonies.
For Germany, this was the most ideal scenario.
If possible, a situation should be created where the enemies bleed and die fighting each other.
Where else could they achieve such results with little investment?
Unfortunately, the Imperial government had no understanding of the value of information warfare.
If they had understood their true worth, they would have empowered the RSHA and Foreign Intelligence Office long ago.
Stupid fools.
Thinking of morons like Rudolf Hess and blockheads like Himmler occupying the upper echelons of the Party made his blood boil.
“Your Excellency. Changing the direction of the operation is not a problem. However, to do so, we need to cut off support for the isolationists and approach the interventionists.”
Heydrich also knew what that meant.
It meant the alliance with the isolationists would crumble.
But was there any other choice?
The isolationists were already being overwhelmed by Roosevelt’s political power.
The fact that the Lend-Lease Act had passed showed the limits of their capabilities.
If they were allies destined to lose anyway, it was rational to cut losses at this point.
“I’m prepared to accept that. Do as ordered.”
Heydrich was determined to flip the favorable board for the Koreans by sacrificing flesh to gain bone.
That was the only way for the Greater German Reich to survive.
- 1. Franz Halder was a German general and the chief of staff of the Army High Command in Nazi Germany from 1938 until September 1942. During World War II, he directed the planning and implementation of Operation Barbarossa, the 1941 invasion of the Soviet Union.2. Hans Paul Oster was a general in the Wehrmacht and a leading figure of the anti-Nazi German resistance from 1938 to 1943. As deputy head of the counter-espionage bureau in the Abwehr, Oster was in a good position to conduct resistance operations under the guise of intelligence work.3. Fritz Erich Fellgiebel was a German Army general of signals and a resistance fighter, participating in both the 1938 September Conspiracy to topple dictator Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party, and the 1944 20 July plot to assassinate the Fuhrer.4. Franz Halder was a German general and the chief of staff of the Army High Command in Nazi Germany from 1938 until September 1942. During World War II, he directed the planning and implementation of Operation Barbarossa, the 1941 invasion of the Soviet Union.