The Polish Gambit (2)
***
Gabriel Narutowicz, Poland’s Foreign Minister, assessed the current international situation with cold precision. Russia was both the sworn enemy of communist revolution and a resurgent double-headed eagle. “That is precisely why. You hold territory in Anatolia, and now you share a direct border with China in the east. Moreover, Russia stands in outright hostility toward communist Germany. They have no reason to fight us.”
Gabriel Narutowicz had concluded that the Tsarina had no intention of treating Poland as an adversary. Attacking Poland would mean confronting Britain once again. After leading the Whites to victory in the civil war, reclaiming Constantinople, and establishing authority that now pierced the heavens, would the Tsarina really bother with such a pointless endeavor? If anything, given her conflict with communist Germany, Russia would prefer to maintain friendly relations with Poland.
Józef Piłsudski mulled over Narutowicz’s judgment for a moment. When the opponent was Russia, hasty conclusions were dangerous. “Why do you believe they are hostile?”
“During the civil war, the Tsarina implemented worker welfare policies to win the hearts of her subjects and suppress the Bolsheviks. Her Modified Capitalism struck the communists from behind. Communist Germany must defeat Russia to legitimize their own revolution. Confrontation is inevitable.”
Eventually, Germany would attack Russia. Piłsudski had considered joining them, but Britain and France stood in the way, and he had no desire to be painted as an ally of the Red Germans. So. If the Tsarina understood all this, it was no exaggeration to say she viewed Poland as a genuine independent state.
“I see. Then we may assume the Tsarina is treating us seriously.”
“We gained our independence thanks to Britain as well. In such a situation, we cannot afford to sour relations with Russia.”
That was true. Looking at it that way, the Reds should have won. “A pity. If the Reds had triumphed, we could have set our sights on Russia.”
Without any support for the Whites, a Red victory would have prevented Germany’s own communist revolution. In that case, Poland could have advanced toward Russia under British patronage. That was truly regrettable.
Yes. Russia was close. There was no need to provoke unnecessary hostility and place themselves between communist Germany and Russia. Besides, after witnessing Italy fall to communism because of Germany, Piłsudski himself had grown wary. He had hoped to form a strong alliance with Britain and France, but France remained lukewarm, and although Britain feared communist Germany, he doubted they would offer serious help if war actually broke out. As for aligning with Austria and Hungary— Austria already seemed to be approaching Russia, and Hungary showed no reaction, claiming the threat had not yet reached its borders. In the end, as distasteful as it was, Russia appeared to be the only option.
“Still… the Tsarina coming in person.”
How bold. From what he had heard, the Tsarina had faced life and death countless times during the civil war, so perhaps it made sense. Even so. Wasn’t this a little too lacking in caution? The Saint of All Russia, Tsar, Great Khan of Mongolia, and Emperor of the Eastern Romans. Was this the judgment befitting an empress who had ascended to such heights? Thinking about it again made his head ache. The real question was whether the right-wing factions would welcome the Tsarina’s visit to Poland. If they plotted any assassination attempt, he would have to mobilize the military to prevent it.
“We must prepare a proper welcome. Ensure the right-wing elements do not cause trouble.”
“Yes, Your Excellency.”
Very well. Let’s meet her in person. He would hear what thoughts had brought that young Tsarina all the way to Poland.
***
For the journey to Poland, she was accompanied by several ministers. Among them were former Foreign Minister Sergei Sazonov, now serving as Vice Minister, Lieutenant General Ungern, and her personal physician, Vera Gedroits.
“Are you comfortable continuing in your role as Vice Minister?”
“Yes, it is fine. I am honored to serve Your Majesty.”
Russia was vast, and its diplomatic workload had grown accordingly, so both Sergei Sazonov and Vasily Kharlamov held ministerial positions. Sazonov primarily handled Asian affairs, while Kharlamov managed Turkey and Europe. To be honest, there had been a bit of an administrative mishap. During the reorganization into the United States of Russia, the original Foreign Ministry and her newly created Diplomatic Ministry had later been merged back into a single Foreign Ministry, creating a rather awkward situation. As a result, Sergei Sazonov had been demoted from Minister to Vice Minister during the restructuring.
“Ahem. I never imagined I would visit Poland in this manner.”
“It seems the Lieutenant General is not pleased.”
“How could I be? Instead of forcing these Polish bastards to submit, we must now recognize them.”
Lieutenant General Ungern’s grumbling showed no signs of stopping.
“It cannot be helped. If we allow Poland to survive, it will serve perfectly as a buffer zone. At least for now.”
Above all, going to war with Poland would bring countless headaches. Even if Russia won, communist Germany would run wild. Given Russia’s immense size, the current reforms might grind to a halt once more because of another war.
“Understood.”
“Besides, we have already reclaimed Constantinople. Poland must survive as well. We should turn them into our ally before communist Germany swallows them.”
Even though Poland currently aligned with the British system, they would eventually realize Britain would not help them. The current situation made that clear. Since Austria was already pulling away, Poland would likely do the same. That meant Poland now faced a choice between Germany and Russia. They did not seem inclined to side with Germany and antagonize Britain. And as long as Poland continued to shield East Prussia, there was no other option. Therefore, Russia would make the first move.
“If you feel any discomfort, you must tell me immediately.”
“I told you not to worry. I am fine.”
And Vera Gedroits worried far too much. Honestly, there was little she could do for her now. After all, she was the Tsarina whose body was coated in God’s blessing—like a candied hawthorn on a stick. She would be perfectly all right.
Before long, they arrived in Warsaw.
“Welcome to Warsaw. I am Gabriel Narutowicz, Foreign Minister of the Polish Republic.”
“This is the Tsar of All Russia.”
“It is an honor to meet the Emperor of Rome.”
“A pleasure. There is no need for further introductions on my part. I was never meant to sit on the throne, so claiming the title still feels embarrassing.”
“Yes, Your Majesty. His Excellency the Chief of State awaits you.”
It had not been long since they gained independence, yet they had already built the foundations of a proper state. Britain’s help must have played a part, but at this level, Józef Piłsudski could certainly be considered capable. It was disappointing that he had not come out to greet her personally, however.
“Please, come in. I hope the journey was not too uncomfortable.”
“It could hardly compare to the suffering of the Polish people under our past oppression, could it?”
“Hmm.”
“Ah, I did not mean to mock or ridicule you. I am entirely sincere in my desire to maintain friendly relations with your country.”
Wearing her most diplomatic smile, she displayed the Tsar’s sincerity. Whatever the other party thought of it did not matter. At the very least, the world would know that the Tsar had come to Poland to bury the past and seek reconciliation. If anything happened to her here, the responsibility would fall entirely on Poland.
“Is that so? Then does that mean you would recognize our annexation of Lithuania?”
“Why not? I understand the Chief of State of Poland is originally from Lithuania. If you wish to restore the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, I will gladly support it.”
“How could you possibly…”
“There is nothing the Tsar of Russia, who spans both East and West, does not know.”
“Then… does that mean Your Majesty has no interest in the Baltic states?”
“Russia remains vast even after losing territory. We have recently expanded into Anatolia as well. There is no reason to cling to the Baltic region or Poland. Developing and organizing the lands we currently hold is more than enough for Russia.”
Russia was wide—endlessly wide. Compared to Russia’s territory, Poland was no more than a handful of dust. If she had still been Korean, she might have sought expansion toward the continent or Japan, but Russia had enough. North Manchuria, Mongolia, and Anatolia were already quite a feast. Exerting influence over neighboring states was sufficient.
“Then please state what you desire.”
As expected, the conversation moved quickly. That was good.
“Russia no longer intends to reoccupy Poland. We will guarantee your independence. What I desire is an improvement in relations between Poland and Russia.”
“You wish for us to become a buffer state against communist Germany, correct?”
Yes. He understood his position well. They needed to recognize their own reality.
“That is the justification I used to convince the Duma to allow this personal visit. Apart from that, I believe neighboring countries should live in harmony. Are Poland and Russia not neighbors?”
“And if we instead align with Germany and march on Russia? What then?”
It seemed he wanted to voice at least some protest or defiance from their standpoint. He stared at her sharply, openly asking what she would do if they joined hands with the Reds to strike Russia. Why would someone who clearly knew better ask such a foolish question? In the end, the only outcome would be a Poland painted just as red.
“Are those truly the words of a man who has seasoned his bones on the battlefield?”
“There is nothing stopping us.”
Yes, yes. Of course there was nothing stopping them. If Russia truly treated Poland as an enemy, Poland would ignore distant Britain and side with Germany. Britain was currently failing to maintain even a proper encirclement of communist Germany, so Józef Piłsudski might indeed join hands with the Reds. And behind the scenes, communist Germany would surely stab them in the back and establish a Polish People’s Republic or something of the sort. One should never trust the Reds.
She had come this far because she genuinely wanted friendly relations with Poland, but that did not mean she would grovel in submission.
“You are underestimating the Reds’ ability to incite revolution. They will undoubtedly attack us while simultaneously beginning the communization of Poland from within. And then you would have to march all the way to Yekaterinburg. Do you think that possible? Berlin is much closer.”
She had to speak plainly. Did they truly intend to leap into the fiery pit of hell and gamble everything alongside Germany? Did they want war? Were they capable? Thanks to using Yekaterinburg as the capital during the civil war, she could effectively wage war from there. Could they reach Yekaterinburg? Many factories had already been relocated to South Russia and Central Asia, much like how the Soviets had moved their industry during the German-Soviet war. In that case, they might as well head straight for Berlin. Had only Russia been partitioned? Prussia had been divided as well. Knowing this, she could smile confidently from a position of strength.
“Then what is it you ultimately wish to obtain?”
“It is simple. What we desire is a mutual defense treaty.”
“In other words, you want us to serve as Russia’s shield, caught in the middle.”
“So. Do you have any other choices? You cannot seriously believe Poland can afford the luxury of neutrality. Actually, it does not matter if you choose that path. We have no intention of doing anything to Poland. However, if Germany does anything to you, we will not help.”
If they refused, she would simply have to construct a defensive line centered on Austria, Western Ukraine, Romania, and the remaining Baltic states. That was the only way to stop the Red Germans. As she had said, Poland could not reach Russia. The Red Germans would invade to eliminate their revolutionary enemy, but no matter how strong Poland’s anti-Russian sentiment, they would find it difficult to attack Russia for the sake of their own expansion. It would be enough to redirect their offensive. She knew they wanted to offer at least this small act of defiance.
“You seem certain war will come.”
“It is bound to happen one way or another. To Germany, Poland is nothing more and nothing less than a stepping stone toward Russia.”
And even if it were not Germany, did they really think they could remain idle? In the end, they had only two choices: submit to Germany or become Russia’s ally. Between nations, there are no eternal allies or eternal enemies. Of course, Russia had swallowed all the Polish lands that Prussia had taken during the partitions, but Poland’s current situation was hardly favorable. Sandwiched between two powers, and unable to fully trust the British pirates.
“Hah.”
Even if he disliked Russia, he clearly understood his country’s position. She decided to offer a modest carrot.
“In return, whether you swallow Lithuania or Latvia, as long as you do not target Russia, we will support Poland’s position.”
“……Please give us time. I will discuss this with the cabinet and provide an answer.”
She gave a slight nod. She hoped they would make a wise choice. Józef Piłsudski surely knew who the real enemy was.