Roughly two weeks after Nazi Germany's declaration of surrender.
Nazi Germany's administration had been run with a level of chaos that bordered on insanity, and as a result, we had to spend our ti swamped by a dizzying amount of work.
Ludwig Beck and General Wilhelm Ritter von Lepp, who were already elders of the military and had made significant contributions in the Civil War, were promoted to Field Marshal, and other key military figures were also promoted en masse.
For my military rit during the Civil War, I received the Pour le Mérite dal from the Emperor and was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel.
Though I wondered what the point of a military rank was at this stage…
-
December 18, 1939
Berlin, Northern Germany, National Defense Force Headquarters On the Italian Front, Army Group South, under the command of Field Marshal Wilhelm Ritter von Lepp, was driving out the Italians with an irresistible force, having already occupied Südtirol (Southern Tyrol) and was now entering the Veneto province of Northern Italy.
Finland, sohow, was grinding the Soviet Army to dust in every battle, and both Arica and Britain praised Finland's brave fight and decided to provide support.
The Soviet Union and Stalin are being ridiculed by almost the entire world. Commander-in-Chief Voroshilov has also been dismissed, and Timoshenko has reportedly been appointed as his successor.
…So far, so good.
"…How many divisions did you say?"
"Estimates put it at a minimum of over 40 divisions."
At the report from Abwehr Deputy Director Major General Oster, I couldn't hide my flustered feelings.
At least 40 divisions of the Polish Army deployed in the German-Polish Border Area. To say 40 divisions ans there could be more, right?
Our army, currently striking down Italy with irresistible force, is just under 40 divisions.
We have 14 divisions left in Germany, and 5 divisions that were disbanded from the Nazi Army and are now being reorganized.
"D-Does that even make sense?"
Even if you count the equipnt by sending out even obsolete gear, if that's true, it ans they've scraped together every single soldier in Poland, right?
Are they not defending their borders? Let's say their relations with Romania and Hungary are fine, but they can't possibly leave the border with the Soviet Union empty, can they?
"At least, according to the agents' reports, it's true."
As Oster said this, he spread out the photographs brought by the agents on the desk.
Large-scale Polish military forces and tanks garrisoned near the border area, and even a forward-deployed air force.
Anyone could see they were on a total war footing.
Poland wasn't accepting a non-aggression pact, nor were they lifting their mobilization order, so I had requested an investigation from the Abwehr.
What on earth is this situation?
"It's a fait accompli that those Polish bastards intend to strike us."
The one who said that was Manstein.
No, no matter how crazy those madn in Poland are, they're going to attack us now?
"If they were going to do this, why did they just watch from the sidelines during the Civil War?"
Manstein shrugged his shoulders.
"I wouldn't know about that, Vice Minister. Isn't that sothing for people with foresight like you to judge? Haha."
Ah, this mister really can't read the room, making jokes at a ti like this…
A few things do co to mind.
Either our Civil War ended too quickly before their division organization was complete, so they couldn't attack, or they were relieved seeing the Soviet Union struggle in Finland.
The possibility of the forr is quite high.
If we had fought the Nazis by the book, the war might have lasted not just three months, but half a year, or even years.
But the latter raises so doubt.
Just because the Soviet Union is getting its ass kicked by Finland, they'd leave the Soviet border empty?
"I can't understand it…"
"The problem is the counterasure, Vice Minister."
Manstein is right.
With Field Marshal Wilhelm Ritter von Lepp, the Commander-in-chief of the Army and commander of Army Group South, having taken most of the military force down to Italy, if Poland invades with those divisions, we have no way to stop them.
The Polish Army isn't a pushover like the Italian Army, and crucially, the German-Polish border is far too wide.
Even if we deploy all the divisions currently in Germany, it's simply impossible to cover the entire border.
Regardless of whether the Polish Army is stronger or weaker than us, we need to have the military force to stop them from entering in the first place before we can even think about fighting back.
"How many divisions would be needed to cover the entire Polish border and launch a counterattack?"
"Hmm. I'd say 60 divisions would be comfortable."
…No, we don't even have 60 divisions right now, even if we combine all of ours.
What is he talking about? Are we just going to abandon the Italian Front that we've pushed all the way to Veneto?
Perhaps my facial expression was too obvious, as Manstein cleared his throat with an ahem and spoke again.
"I request you consider a General Mobilization Order."
A General Mobilization Order right when we've just ended the Civil War and need to start rebuilding the economy?
Military personnel may not need to consider politics, but the situation was so bleak that all I could do was sigh.
"…That's not sothing I can give a definite answer on, but I will request it from the Cabinet for now."
"If the Abwehr agents' reports are correct, they are already showing signs of an imminent invasion. Hurry."
This is driving
crazy.
Should I have monitored Poland more closely during the Civil War? But in the first place, isn't this a bit of an unforeseen situation?
No matter how recklessly those Polish bastards act, they'd leave the Soviet border empty to attack us? Forming an alliance with Italy won't help them stop the Soviet Union, so what the hell is this.
-
December 19, 1939
Berlin, Northern Germany, Parliant Building The question that had plagued
yesterday was resolved all too simply the next day.
In the worst possible way for us.
[Polish-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact Signed!]
[An Unbelievable Treaty is Signed]
A massive photograph of Soviet People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs Molotov and Polish Pri Minister Sk??adkowski shaking hands with smiles was printed in the newspaper.
"…What is the aning of this?"
The expression on the face of the Chancellor and my father, Hjalmar Schacht, was very grim, as was everyone else's in the War Cabinet.
This is a mistake by myself and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that I have no choice but to acknowledge.
The problem was that we had coveted the diplomatic reputation Germany would gain and the return of talented individuals who had fled the dictatorial regi, and in doing so, had gotten on the Soviet Union's nerves too much.
Stalin must be itching to get back at us for screwing him over with the Finland situation.
To the point of pushing Poland's back, telling them to attack imdiately while he guarantees the safety of their rear.
"My apologies. I never thought Poland could enter into a relationship where they would sign a treaty with the Soviet Union."
Co to think of it, if a German-Soviet Non-Aggression pact is possible, there's no law saying a Soviet-Polish one isn't.
It's the sa form of mortal enemies temporarily calling an armistice due to shared interests.
After all, the reason Poland rejected an alliance with Britain, France, and the Soviet Union was the issue of allowing Soviet troops onto its own territory, but a simple non-aggression pact wouldn't have that problem.
And Stalin, who is already having a hard ti in the Winter War, wouldn't want a situation where Poland decides to poke him.
"Indeed, I did warn you against conducting goodwill diplomacy…"
I had nothing to say, not even if I had ten mouths, to Ludwig Beck, who spoke with a furrowed brow.
Damn it, supporting Finland was fine, but Finland did too well, drawing too much of the Soviet Union's attention.
"Ahem, it is also a mistake on the part of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for strongly agreeing with the Vice Minister's idea.
Regarding this part, we should co up with a counterasure starting now…"
Just as Minister of Foreign Affairs Weizs??cker was about to speak, a knock was heard, and the door to the eting room opened, and Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Erich Kordt entered.
"This news just ca in. Hungary has announced the annulnt of the Treaty of Trianon."
The Treaty of Trianon was a treaty that forced Hungary to cede a significant portion of its territory to other countries and severely restricted Hungary's possession of an army after its defeat in World War I.
"They annulled it?"
No, what is Hungary suddenly relying on after being quiet all this ti? Has Regent Horthy gone mad?
"Poland approved it…"
Poland and Hungary call each other Brother Nations, so that's understandable. But the important ones would be the Great Powers.
"…France and Italy have approved it. They said it's an unreasonable act to maintain an unequal treaty only for Hungary when the 'Major War Criminal Nations' Germany and Austria have unilaterally annulled the Treaty of Versailles…"
A hollow laugh escaped .
If they put it that way, we can't really object, can we? It's true that we haven't resud implentation of the Treaty of Versailles that Hitler annulled.
To think that humiliating France in a diplomatic war would co back to bite us like this.
We had no other choice back then, but Paul Reynaud, who succeeded Daladier, was always famous for being a hardliner against Germany.
This way, Britain can't step in either.
There's nothing Britain can do against the landlocked country of Hungary, and they'd just lose face.
Honestly, even without sothing like this, I wouldn't expect Halifax, of all people, not Churchill, to take an active role.
"As soon as Hungary annulled the Treaty of Trianon, they issued a large-scale mobilization order and declared rearmant."
If this is the case, doesn't it an we're effectively in a state of isolation?
"…At this point, the observation that Hungary won't join them would be overly optimistic."
Hungary has always been a pro-Fascist nation that first provided the idea of the Axis powers, and as it happens, we currently hold Slovakia, which could be called Hungary's forr territory.
We had just deposed Jozef Tiso, whom the Nazis had made the head of a puppet state, and secured the area with the intention of using it as a bargaining chip for the liberation of Czechia…
So those damn French bastards, even if they won't interfere directly, are going to enjoy watching Germany bleed, is that it.
My father, Hjalmar Schacht, showed his annoyance with a very displeased face and then spoke.
"General Mobilization Order, declare it."
-
December 20, 1939
German Exclave of East Prussia – 3rd Army Garrison The commander of the 3rd Army stationed in East Prussia, Georg von Küchler, had given speeches reaffirming his loyalty to the Führer and preached obedience to the Nazis to his soldiers at the beginning of the Civil War, but it all beca aningless when the Navy refused to provide transport.
Having spent their ti almost completely neglected while the regi in their ho country was overturned in three months, they had grown quite bored, and their military discipline had beco rather lax.
The ho country was urging them to defend the Polish border area, but…
It was only natural, as they had wasted months stationed in East Prussia, being told they were the elite unit that would be the tip of the spear, since the days of Nazi Germany when they would argue back and forth about whether or not to go to war with Poland.
In the still-dark dawn, the 3rd Army was in a deep, relaxed sleep.
"Hyaaawn, I'm sleepy."
Lieutenant General Walter Petzel, leader of the 3rd Army's 1st Army Corps, let out a long yawn and was drinking water.
His corps led the armored division 'Kempf,' an important force within the 3rd Army, but what was the point of being an important force or whatever when there was nothing to do?
But a familiar sound reached the Lieutenant General's ears.
It didn't take long for him to realize that it was the sound of cannon fire.
"What the, what is this so early in the morning."
Opening the door of the barracks, he soon heard the roar of incoming artillery shells, a sound he had only heard in the last Great War.
His nerves, which had been relaxed for so long, tightened again as he quickly recalled his battlefield senses, and in horror, he shouted.
"Wake up, wake up! We're under attack!"
"W-Wha?!"
At the general's shout, artillery bombardnt began to fall on the garrison of soldiers who were struggling to open their eyes, wondering what was happening so suddenly at dawn.
The defenselessly sleeping soldiers had to suffer enormous sacrifices from the bombardnt that fell on their garrison, and the sa situation was unfolding in Silesia.
The surprise attack that began at dawn resembled the start of the war between Germany and Poland in the original history.
Except that the side launching the surprise attack and the side receiving it were reversed.
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