Chapter 579: The German-Soviet War(2)
Chapter 579: The German-Soviet War(2)
The German-Soviet War is regarded as the worst conflict in history. Compared to other wars, it stands out in several striking ways.
First, while the historical causes of war are many and varied, they all share one thing in common: they are an extension of politics. And through war, there is much to be gained—territory, labor, capital, prestige, and more. The list is endless.
However, World War II, and specifically the German-Soviet War, differed significantly in its nature.
As the description "a clash between monsters" suggests, it featured an unprecedented mobilization of troops, massive maneuver warfare, and insane firepower. Finally, it was a "Total War," where every ounce of a nation's strength was poured into the effort. It possessed every extreme characteristic imaginable.
It was, quite literally, a war where everything a nation owned was sacrificed for the sake of a single dictator. It vividly demonstrated just how far human madness could reach.
In particular, it was a war that laid bare the insanity of Nazi Germany. It was a conflict where any act was permitted to fulfill Hitler’s dream of Lebensraum.
Normally, labor is a precious resource and asset in war. Putting captured labor to work makes the war effort easier. But Nazi Germany did not do that. Just as they had in Poland, they ruthlessly slaughtered the Soviet people.
Under the pretext of securing land for the Germanic people to inhabit, they committed massacres without end or reason.
[The sheer scale of troop mobilization is jaw-dropping. Is this even possible?]
[Training regular soldiers takes months, but in Blood and Iron, a month is enough.]
[They are merely 'educated' soldiers, not trained like knights. That’s why such massive mobilization is possible.]
People were aghast as they watched the Soviet Union being helplessly suppressed by Operation Barbarossa and saw troop numbers easily exceeding two million.
In this world, where the era of knights has not yet ended, scraping together a million soldiers is a monumental task. Even then, only the Minerva Empire is capable of it. And even if it were possible, there is no guarantee such a force could be managed properly. Mobilizing that many people usually means the very survival of the nation is at stake.
[The Soviet Union is collapsing helplessly. There are no competent commanders left because of the Great Purge.]
[Stalin’s 'No Retreat' order has turned into a tragedy.]
[Is even the Soviet Union going to fall to the evil that is Nazi Germany?]
Operation Barbarossa, combined with the Soviet Union’s abysmal internal state, produced staggering results. Thanks to Stalin’s "brilliant assists," the campaign ended in a crushing victory for the Axis Powers.
However, this was merely a tactical victory, not a strategic one. It was from this point that Hitler’s "trolling" began in earnest.
This would be revealed as the story progressed; for now, it was still the early stages of the German-Soviet War—the period when Nazi Germany was pushing forward with terrifying momentum.
[Nazi Germany is exterminating other races to secure Lebensraum. Can this path ever be called right? Absolutely not.]
[Nazi Germany is clear evil. An evil that no one can deny.]
[The signs were there since the invasion of Poland, but it reached its peak with the invasion of the Soviet Union.]
[Common sense dictates you keep prisoners alive, if only for labor. Yet Nazi Germany commits massacre simply for the sake of their race.]
It was also a time when massacres were committed as casually as eating a meal. Because of these atrocities, people everywhere—without exception—condemned Hitler and Nazi Germany.
Nationalism and extremism that thoroughly excluded others for the sake of one's own race.
Totalitarianism that demanded everything be sacrificed for the state.
And yet, a patriot whose love for his fatherland remained unchanged.
As all these elements merged, Hitler was "promoted"—if you could call it that—to the status of a "total piece of shit."
[I’m rooting for the Soviet Union. I’d rather choose to be a monster than become a devil.]
[How did Hitler become such a devil? Or was the potential always there?]
[The process of a patriot’s corruption was so natural. He gained immense power through his own ability and raised his collapsing fatherland.]
Naturally, a flood of people began cursing Hitler. Even those who had cheered for him turned away instantly.
His fans had all become anti-fans, but that was actually a good thing. A villain, by nature, is a creature that thrives on condemnation, vitriol, and boos.
Blood and Iron, which had started as a standard heroic tale(?), had naturally shifted genres into a picaresque.
If the corruption had been sudden, the work itself would have been criticized. But because the process was so meticulously constructed, the readers directed all their hatred toward Hitler alone.
[The scary part is that he’s a normal human being in his private life.]
[A man who ruthlessly slaughters people but dearly loves animals, especially dogs.]
[In this situation, isn't his sincere love for his country the true madness?]
In reality, Hitler was a fairly flexible and soft-spoken individual in private. The problem was the string of insane acts he committed. Even his speeches, with their distinctive accents, were a form of performance. His actual voice was quite deep.
Regardless, these factors combined to make Hitler a "bastard you can't help but hate-watch."
He was a villain, yes, but he was also a specimen of human triumph who had risen from the bottom, and his love for his country was undeniably sincere.
[I’m going to keep watching Hitler until the end. I don’t intend to defend his wrongs, but I want to see how he ends.]
[I’m curious about Hitler’s end. Will he admit to all his sins, or will he remain a villain to the very last?]
[The world of Blood and Iron will only know peace once Hitler is dead.]
With the start of the German-Soviet War, Hitler firmly established himself as an unequivocal villain. Consequently, more people began to look forward to his exploits—not as a protagonist, but as an antagonist.
While criticism and condemnation poured in, few people actually hated the character itself.
Just as I had feared, Hitler was turning into a Darth Vader—a character who, despite being a villain, commanded recognition through a unique charm.
[I’d rather Hitler become a complete villain. If he stops halfway, it’ll ruin the character.]
[To Nazi Germany, Hitler is a hero, but to the world, he is a clear villain.]
[Who will be the hero of justice to stop his madness? Britain? The Soviet Union? America?]
The atmosphere had shifted. As Hitler’s Nazi Germany became the "Final Boss," people began looking for a nation that could face him.
While the Soviet Union was the obvious rival, they were currently being torn apart. America was too far across the ocean for now, and Britain was still struggling.
There wasn't a single nation in sight that could truly stand against Nazi Germany. At least, not for the moment.
[If Japan, Nazi Germany’s ally, attacks America, wouldn't that make it possible?]
Someone put forward such a prediction, but...
[Is Japan crazy enough to launch a preemptive strike on America? They have their hands full with China as it is.]
[Not just China—as long as they're allied with Nazi Germany, they have to worry about the Soviet Union too.]
[Japan attacking America would be nothing short of suicide.]
The idea was dismissed as nonsense. From a "common sense" perspective, Japan attacking America was an act of insanity.
The people of this world had already grasped a glimpse of America’s power through the Lend-Lease Act. Furthermore, the Great Depression in America had shaken the entire world's economy. This was equivalent to saying that America held the global economy in its palm.
In such a situation, Japan attacking America? It was logically absurd.
[The problem with Nazi Germany is madness. Madness has a way of creating enemies.]
[Supply lines and weather will also be variables. Nothing in this world is invincible.]
For these reasons, people worked hard to find Nazi Germany’s weaknesses. They wondered how this monster could be taken down.
At this point, Nazi Germany was still regarded as an unstoppable "monster." Not quite a "devil" yet. Although they had committed many massacres, the nature of war provided a certain degree of cover.
But even that wouldn't last long. Soon, a true devil would be lurking.
To make that happen...
"So, you want me to draw this?"
"Yes."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. Draw it."
My wonderful sla—no, my illustrator, Calz.
He looked tormented as he stared at "some" of the sketches I had made. It wasn't just the sketches; the descriptions accompanying them were even more shocking.
"Lord Isaac."
"Yes?"
"Wouldn't it be better to just push people into a pit and bury them alive?"
Calz offered sincere advice while looking at my sketches. But I shook my head and replied.
"Those bastards would have done something that barbaric long ago. That's the kind of people I imagine Nazi Germany to be."
"No... but still... at least this is just... No. Never mind."
Calz eventually gave up on trying to understand. He stared at the sketches for a long time before asking in a hollow voice.
"...So, what's the title of this drawing? I feel like this needs its own title."
"I've already decided on one. It's the title of the episode as well."
It was perhaps the most famous name of all.
"Barbarism committed in the name of civilization."
The alpha and omega of the Holocaust.
"The Death Camps."
The death camps were about to slowly reveal themselves.
*
As the German-Soviet War arc began in earnest, people were once again completely immersed in Blood and Iron.
The evaluation of the work soared, especially as Hitler and Nazi Germany—whom many had firmly believed to be the protagonists—transformed into villains.
Even his previous work, Xenon Biography, had delivered a huge shock, but now he had established an entirely new genre: the picaresque. He was truly making history in the literary world.
Of course, there were many who did not view this trajectory favorably. North, who had been a master of the literary world before Xenon Biography, was one of them.
North had attracted a lot of attention by disparaging Blood and Iron while putting forward plot predictions that defied common sense. He figured that if he drew enough attention with absurd claims, Isaac would eventually take notice, and he could lure him out.
The problem, however, was that those "absurd" predictions were all coming true. It was a bewildering turn of events for North and the organization backing him.
Thanks to this, he had managed to recover a bit of his past reputation, but since it was far from his original goal, North couldn't help but feel anxious.
So, now that the German-Soviet War had broken out, he was working hard to draw attention somehow, but...
"What on earth is inside this guy's head?"
He had reached the limits of his imagination. North was now reading Blood and Iron with a sense of half-resignation.
He clicked his tongue at the atrocities of Nazi Germany, who committed massacres whenever they felt like it, yet he couldn't help but marvel at Isaac's imagination.
He was starting to admit it: he could never have come up with such things himself. He could feel that they were simply on different levels.
'Creating a whole world is one thing, but this is excessively vivid...'
Hitler and Nazi Germany were meticulously crafted settings. This applied not just to Germany, but to every country and leader involved. Even the "insane" things he had said to draw attention were proceeding with such "probability" that he had no choice but to accept them now.
He had disparaged Xenon Biography at first simply because he didn't like it. But now, it felt like his eyes were being opened.
'No. Not yet.'
That didn't mean he had completely surrendered. North shook his head vigorously just as his remaining pride was about to buckle.
He then prepared paper and a pen to send a statement to the press.
Since the serialization of Blood and Iron had begun, he had to resume his activities. This was one of the terms of the contract he had made with his backers.
He had to drag Isaac out into the open somehow. During the Xenon Festival, Isaac had been holed up in the Maishal Territory, making it difficult even to meet him.
'I have to use my imagination to the fullest. Not with nonsense, but with a direct approach.'
Nazi Germany’s goal was already out in the open. They would thoroughly trample other races to secure Lebensraum.
And North thought: What if I predict their methods in the most cruel way possible?
Since Nazi Germany had already turned into perfect villains, everyone would nod their heads no matter what he said.
But North wasn't satisfied with just that. He wanted people to do more than just nod; he wanted them to be horrified and scream, "It's a devil! A devil has appeared!"
'Should I have them dig pits and push everyone inside? No, that’s too weak. Or maybe a decapitation contest? No, that’s actually happened before.'
Decapitation contests were among the massacres of the past. It was a historical fact that was very "medieval," if one could call it that.
'I have to think of the most cruel thing possible. While still allowing the massacre to proceed...'
Perhaps it was because he was getting older and his mind was stiffening. He tried his best to be "creative," but it wasn't easy. Ironically, this effort was actually improving North’s creative powers, though he himself didn't realize it.
'They have to massacre races other than their own. The easiest way is... right! Slaves! I can borrow from the slave trade of the past.'
North’s imagination was impressive enough that even Isaac might have been moved. The actual Holocaust had indeed proceeded in a manner somewhat similar to the slave trade.
But that was as far as it went. North’s imagination was excellent, but he was ultimately nothing more than a "normal person."
'They’ll use these slaves as labor, and based on that, Nazi Germany will become even more powerful.'
It was a perfectly logical, common-sense thought.
'If that happens, can the Soviet Union even beat Nazi Germany? It should be impossible.'
And it was World War II and the German-Soviet War where all such common sense was utterly shattered.
"Whew... even to me, this seems too cruel. This should give even that guy the chills."
Underestimating the depths of human madness, North smiled broadly as he neatly folded his letter.