September 27, 1939
Southern British Isles, London, the capital of Britain – Winston Churchill’s ho Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, a.k.
a. the ‘British Bulldog,’ Winston Churchill.
Half the opinions at the Embassy were that I didn't really need to et him.
Right now, Winston Churchill is not the Pri Minister or anything of the sort.
Just an ordinary mber of Parliant for the Conservative Party, and treated as a has-been politician who spectacularly ssed up with the British forces at Gallipoli.
On the other hand, I'm only in my twenties, but I'm here for diplomatic negotiations as the nominal second-in-command of the new German governnt, so I don't have to go just because a re mber of Parliant summons .
But I accepted the invitation nonetheless.
Half of it was my interest in a man who was an icon of an era, and the other half was my intention to make a good impression in case he beca Pri Minister as in the original history.
In the current situation, it seems unlikely that anything would cause the rapid downfall of his political enemy Chamberlain's faction within the Conservative Party, but you never know with history.
Just this ti, I had made so preparations, like recruiting the Pope out of concern that Mussolini might attack during the civil war, but I didn't expect him to suddenly attack while I was in the middle of negotiations with Britain-France.
“Welco, Vice Minister Schacht. Thank you for accepting my invitation.”
Churchill, with a physique that seed more suited for a mafia boss than a politician, greeted
with a cigar in his mouth.
Despite being in his mid-60s, he gave the complete opposite impression of the feeble old man Chamberlain.
“Thank you for inviting , mber of Parliant Churchill.”
Churchill seed quite satisfied as I showed him due courtesy.
He smiled benevolently, belying his intimidating appearance, and offered
a seat.
“Please, sit.
I told the kitchen to put in so effort for our distinguished guest.”
“Then, with pleasure.”
British cuisine, huh? For so reason, my expectations aren't high. Still, compared to the Schacht family, who are rely rich, Churchill is from a truly proper, historic British noble family.
Of course, there were servants in the house, and a proper chef must have done the cooking, so I guess it will be fine.
Having invited
for lunch, Churchill had, as if it were the most natural thing, prepared whiskey and brandy.
“Care for a drink?”
“Mm, I’ll gratefully accept the goodwill only.”
If this were the original history, Churchill should have been the First Lord of the Admiralty by now.
Chamberlain appointed him to that post when World War II broke out, just as Churchill had predicted.
But World War II hasn't broken out yet, so Churchill hasn't beco First Lord of the Admiralty.
He’s just a mber of Parliant.
“Oh, oh.
A pity.”
Churchill spoke like an old man—no, he is an old man.
Anyway, he filled his own glass and started the al, drinking as he ate.
After inviting , he focused on his al without saying much.
With nothing else to do, I also started eating—
Huh? It's delicious?
The vegetables had that mushy texture typical of British cooking, which wasn't great, but the grilled bacon, sausage, and baked beans with sauce served alongside them were flawless.
I never expected to have a delicious al in Britain, so after eating heartily for a while, I looked up to find Churchill watching
while drinking his whiskey.
Damn it, you scared .
Churchill watched
silently for a mont, then opened his mouth.
“The food seems to suit your palate?”
“Yes, it's excellent. The best I’ve had since coming to Britain.”
Honestly, it makes
wonder why they have such a bad reputation when they can cook this well. Of course, since he's a wealthy nobleman, it's a different story from the common folk.
“Haha, I will be sure to pass on that our Vice Minister praised it.”
Churchill replied as such and put down his glass, replacing it with a cigar that he drew on deeply.
The man never rests his mouth.
In the end, losing to the old man's unhurried pace, I spoke first.
“May I hear the reason why you requested to et with , mber of Parliant?”
Churchill took another puff of his cigar and smiled faintly.
“And why, Vice Minister, did you accept the invitation?”
What is he on about after inviting
himself? But from Churchill's perspective, would he have been certain that the second-in-command of the new governnt would co when he invited him?
For a man as skilled at politicking as Churchill, I thought he might have just been trying his luck.
For him, the re fact that I, a high-ranking official of the new governnt, accepted an invitation from a re mber of Parliant could be useful.
“You, mber of Parliant, are soone who recognized the danger of Hitler from quite early on.”
His famous quote about the Munich Agreent is well-known: ‘Britain and France had to choose between dishonor and war. They chose dishonor and they will have war.
’
At the ti, the British political world fiercely criticized Churchill, but now, with Hitler breaking the Munich Agreent and his war plans for Poland revealed, it must be proven that Churchill was right.
Nevertheless, because my intervention caused a civil war in Germany, Churchill is being treated far worse than he was in the original history.
“As a mber of the new governnt that rose up within Germany, directly facing Hitler's danger and madness, it is only natural to take an interest in you, mber of Parliant.”
From the perspective of soone with mories of Korea suffering as a colony of Imperial Japan, I personally don't much like him, a staunch imperialist.
But at the sa ti, it feels strange to see a man who would have beco a hero of his ti in the original history now facing a different fate because of my intervention.
Scoffing at the foolish actions of a militarily incompetent Churchill when I studied WWII history back in Korea is starkly different from the presence I feel from him now, having been dropped into this era.
I wonder, if I were in his shoes without my future knowledge, could I have called for resistance against a Nazi Germany that had made all of Europe tremble and cornered the entire British Army at Dunkirk.
In response to my words, Churchill stared at , then put down his cigar, took another sip of whiskey, and opened his mouth.
“I must say, Vice Minister, I was very impressed by your dia war.”
Co to think of it, though overshadowed by Goebbels, Churchill was also an orator who delivered all sorts of famous speeches to inspire the people's will to resist.
“Your thod of capturing the hearts of the public is similar to that of the Nazis, yet different.”
I guess this is how it looked to the people of this era.
The ans I used may have been partially similar to those of the Nazis.
“Is that so.”
At my words, Churchill smoked his cigar and then spoke.
“I was a little worried that another dictator might erge from a Germany in crisis.”
“As I have already stated at the conference hall, the current war cabinet is rely transitional, mber of Parliant. We are aiming for a democratic governnt.”
He smiled faintly at my words.
“Hitler also seized the regi by calling for a choice of peace, not war.
I believe what I see with my own eyes, not the words that co out of a mouth.”
“Then, in your eyes, mber of Parliant, how is our new governnt?”
Churchill leisurely took another sip of whiskey and opened his mouth.
“Looking at you, Vice Minister, reminds
of my younger days.”
Instead of answering about the new governnt, he gave a different response.
Winston Churchill was Britain's First Lord of the Admiralty during World War I, back in his 30s.
I, too, make active use of propaganda for the public, just like him.
To think that of all people, Winston Churchill would see , who has risen to a high-ranking position at a young age, and be reminded of his youth.
It felt sowhat bitter.
A man who would have been Britain's greatest Pri Minister in the original history was now indulging in the sentintality of a has-been, reminiscing about his youth while looking at soone else.
“Is that so.
Then, since I have accepted your invitation, resolved your curiosity, and enhanced your presence in the British political world, may I consider that I have done you a favor?”
“Pahahahaha!”
Winston Churchill roared with laughter, wiping tears from his eyes as he asked.
“So, is there a reward you desire?”
“I’m not that much of a thief.
This will be a good story for you as well, by the by.”
It wasn't sothing I had planned from the beginning, but for Winston Churchill, the symbol of anti-Nazism in Britain, there is a perfect role.
-
September 28, 1939
Southern British Isles, London, the capital of Britain – The ho of Dietrich’s older sister, Cordula
“Welco, Dietrich. It’s been a while.”
“It has been a while, Sister.”
My sister, Cordula, who is eight years my senior, accepted my rather polite greeting and looked at
with a strange expression before speaking.
“When I heard you were the spokesperson for the new German governnt, or the Vice Minister of the Chancellery, I thought it was the end of the world, but I guess the day does co when even a scoundrel like you matures?”
“Hahaha…”
Dietrich Schacht was quite the loafer. Born as the late-born youngest son into a successful family with a silver spoon, the world must have seed easy to him.
My sister, who married and moved to Britain before Dietrich Schacht even volunteered for the Condor Legion and went to Spain, still rembered
as the loafer Dietrich Schacht.
“It’s a gift.”
I handed her a bottle of Moselland Eiswein (a specialty wine from Western Germany made from frozen grapes) that I had brought from Germany.
“My goodness, you really have matured.
Well, thank you.”
Thanks to that bastard Dietrich for at least rembering that my sister likes alcohol, especially wine.
It’s one of the few things I’ve been thankful for since entering this body.
My sister, who had been prickly after receiving a sudden request to et her godfather, despite having had no contact since Spain, beca drastically kinder after receiving the gift.
“Godfather is already here. This way.”
“Thank you, Sister.”
Following my sister’s lead, I entered to find an old gentleman nearing 70, with a stylishly grown white beard and a fedora, welcoming .
“Oh, Dietrich. It’s been a very long ti.
Is your father well?”
The Governor of the Bank of England, Montagu Norman. He has a close relationship with my father and is his nephew’s godfather; I have mories of eting him as a child.
“It’s been a while. My father is the sa as always.
He’s quite busy at the mont.”
Still a workaholic who looks like he wouldn’t bleed a drop even if pricked with a needle.
I answered while giving him a light hug, and he replied with the kind smile of an old man.
“Haha, that’s a good thing.
I was very sorry to hear he was dismissed as Minister of Finance, but now he’s the Chancellor of the new governnt…”
Norman, who smiled and looked at
for a mont, soon wiped the friendly expression from his face and asked a question.
“So, am I now welcoming the Vice Minister of the Chancellery of the new governnt, rather than the son of a close friend?”
“That is correct, Governor of the Bank of England.”
Norman smiled faintly at my words, then stepped back to sit down and changed his tone.
“Well, then, I shall have to hear if it was worth this old man taking ti out of his busy schedule to co here, Vice Minister.”
“Yes, Governor. As you might expect, the new German governnt wishes for Britain to formally recognize the enthronent of Emperor Wilhelm III and revoke its ultimatum.
And for that, we want you and the mbers of the Anglo-German cooperation organizations to exert your influence on Parliant.”
Montagu Norman doesn't give off the sa emotionless and strict impression as my father, Hjalmar Schacht, but he is a mber of the BIS (Bank for International Settlents), a big shot in international finance and a representative of the British business world.
I can't help but feel a little nervous as I speak.
“Hmm, I did think you'd want to see
for such business.
But as you know, this conference is a stage set by France. Since Britain has no major ill feelings toward the new German governnt, wouldn't it be better to silence France?”
“Of course, persuading France would be a direct solution to the problem, if that were possible, but given the new governnt’s position, it is next to impossible.”
In the end, what France wants is to prove once again its superiority over Germany in these negotiations. It's ridiculous how they were dragged around by the reckless Hitler, yet now they co on strong against the new governnt, weakened by the civil war.
With an opponent who has no consideration for Germany's position—who still longs for the glory of the days they shook Germany with the Treaty of Versailles and ruined its economy by occupying the Ruhr—no compromise is possible, only surrender.
“Hmm, but France has been Britain’s ally since the last great war.
Though I am personally close to the new governnt's Chancellor, as a patriot and a businessman, I cannot blindly support Germany without so gain.”
Despite what he says, British public opinion towards Germany was decent enough until Hitler broke the Munich Agreent.
Montagu Norman, in particular, was friendly to Germany, being a key British figure in the post-Treaty of Versailles settlent and pressuring France over matters like the occupation of the Ruhr.
He even helped transfer gold from the Czechoslovakian central bank to the German central bank after Hitler annexed Czechoslovakia, so it's highly likely this is just lip service, considering his position.
“Of course, I presud as much. I haven't co empty-handed either.
Would you take a look at this?”
aning, if it's a story that benefits him and Britain, he should be sufficiently moved to act.
Montagu Norman took the evidence I handed him, looked it over for a mont, and chuckled.
“My, my. There's quite a lot here.”
What we had prepared was a portion of the compiled evidence detailing all the corruption committed by the Nazis and companies under Nazi Germany.
This is evidence I had the Abwehr investigate since before the Munich Agreent.
It was originally gathered as insurance, to be used for the dia war if we failed to secure evidence on the true state of the Buchenwald Concentration Camp during the coup, but it ended up being used like this instead.
Nazi Germany's defeat by the Soviet Union was due to the difference in weight class and Arican support, but the incredibly corrupt and inefficient Nazi administration also played a significant part.
On top of that, those Nazi bastards had their hands in all sorts of businesses, and companies committed every cri imaginable to curry favor with them.
There was no problem when the ones managing the law were the insane Nazis, but the story changes if the new governnt wins the civil war.
We planned to completely seize the assets of companies that were either excessively corrupt or run by Nazi figures.
It was partly to recover even a little of the FO bills debt, but in any case, we have no intention of letting companies that actively served the Nazis, even committing illegal acts, go unpunished.
“As you can see, once the civil war is over, a massive corporate shake-up will occur across all sectors. But we can’t nationalize all the companies, so so will be sold off.”
“Hoh…”
While the nationalization of companies has its advantages for the state, that only applies to core enterprises that greatly affect the nation, such as munitions, or public goods.
Other companies would just be a waste of administrative power, and distributing them all to dostic companies is not an option, as they too have a limit to what they can handle.
“We intend to revitalize the German-British economic cooperation that has been neglected due to Hitler, and as a start, we would like to sell so of the companies that will be sorted out in Germany at a reasonable price. If we are to pursue liberal democracy, shouldn't we do so in economic exchange as well?”
“Well now, that’s quite mouth-watering.”
This is not only a boon for British businessn, but at the sa ti, it draws their capital into Germany.
This was a proposal inspired by the fact that the long peace enjoyed by 21st-century developed countries is largely due to their mutual economic dependence.
Because when a governnt declares war on a country where they have business, it is the businessn who will most enthusiastically try to stop it with their practical influence.
“Of course, to enjoy such benefits offered by the new governnt, the German Civil War must end as quickly and smoothly as possible.”
Because if the civil war escalates and drags on, turning the country into a wasteland with not even scraps left for Britain, it would all be for naught.
Norman gave a broad smile.
“The ulterior motive is obvious, but it’s too sweet a bait to refuse.”
“Isn't it only natural to choose a mutually beneficial course of action over a mutually detrintal one?”
During the Munich Agreent, if Germany were to invade Czechoslovakia, France had an obligation to enter the war, but Britain did not.
As a result, France, which had been dragged along by Britain, made Britain provide a guarantee during the Munich Agreent that it too would have an obligation to enter the war.
It was a natural asure for France, which would be directly hit by Germany if Britain didn't enter the war, but for Britain, which didn't want war, it must have been a very unwelco asure.
Even in this case of the Emperor’s enthronent, France is the desperate one, yet didn't they drag Britain into it as if it were a matter of common interest?
In the first place, Britain and France are not so blood alliance that has lasted for hundreds of years. If anything, they are closer to historical rivals.
The reason Britain has tried to keep France as an ally from World War I until now is solely because of the powerful common enemy that is Germany.
“Haha, you are right.
Hjalmar must be reassured.”
“Thank you.”
We shook hands with smiling faces.
When an ally that was once in a honeymoon phase becos nothing but an annoying and troubleso burden, and if the common interest also fades, there's no rule saying you can't switch to the side offering a sweeter fruit.
Desperate and thus short-sighted, France will have to pay a heavy price for it.
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