Chapter 69
Chapter 69
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Declaration of War Against Greater Germany (3)
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Lately, the Führer had shown absolutely no signs of his brilliance as a strategist.
In the invasion of Western Europe, the sparkling genius displayed at Dunkirk was nowhere to be found. All that remained was the stubbornness of an old man blinded by his own obstinacy.
“How can these yellow mongrels, the lowest of the inferior races, act so arrogantly?”
The Führer, as if gripped by bipolar disorder, repeatedly ordered his staff to devise plans to attack Korea several times a day, only to cancel them just as often.
Common sense dictated that Germany simply lacked the strength to march to the opposite side of the globe and punish Korea.
The army generals felt no small measure of bewilderment at this.
The Soviet situation was much the same.
The Army had reached its limits after the prolonged, brutal war of attrition from late spring through early autumn.
The commanders and chiefs of staff of each army group, well aware of this, submitted reports arguing that they could not continue the war of attrition any longer.
Army Chief of Staff Franz Halder, backed by these opinions, advised Hitler that they needed to focus on defense until 1944 to rebuild their military strength.
But the Führer refused to even listen.
“The Soviet Union is a rotten state that will collapse on its own once Moscow falls. Do you expect me to waste time on defense against such a pathetic foe until '44? If you're going to spout such nonsense, take off that uniform.”
This behavior from the Führer made one thing clear to the German Junkers.
The magician of gambles who had grasped the movements of the great powers at a glance and achieved consecutive victories was no god.
The Führer was merely a lucky mortal.
Through this series of events, the Junkers realized that Hitler was not some untouchable superman.
If he was just an ordinary human rather than an invincible superman, perhaps they could pull him down.
They gathered in a secret hideout and railed against Hitler.
“At this rate, that Bohemian corporal will ruin the country. With Britain and America watching for an opening, turning Korea into an enemy too? Is this the judgment of a sane man?”
“If Korea sends a massive army to the Eastern Front by some chance, all our hard-earned gains will go to waste. The Führer is a man who can't even do that much math.”
“So, what do you propose we do?”
“We need to bring down Hitler. And withdraw from the Western European occupied territories.”
At the very least, they had to end the hostile standoff with the Western powers.
Only then could they turn the war against the Soviets into a victory and secure Germany's current position.
That was the Junkers' calculus.
But as always, the Junkers had a problem.
How would they dispose of Hitler?
How would they neutralize his subordinates?
What would their policy be toward Britain, America, and the Soviets right after the coup?
Shouldn't they negotiate with the great powers beforehand?
Wasn't there a risk that the coup could cause the front lines to collapse?
They hesitated to act because they were overthinking too many things.
Hans Oster thought to himself.
Those who only think can accomplish nothing.
To change anything, they needed action.
“Gentlemen.”
The generals' eyes turned to Hans Oster's quiet words.
“Let's take action first.”
“General Oster. What do you mean, with no plan or preparation?”
“You say you want to bring down Hitler? Then start by planning to kill him. Why worry about endless what-ifs?”
“General Oster. We're not terrorists. Our undertaking comes with responsibility—we must consider that as we move.”
“Calculations, calculations, calculations! How long will you just think? Will you wait until the tide has turned and Germany is on the brink of ruin?”
“Your words are too harsh, Oster.”
“Gentlemen. How did Yi Seong-jun succeed in his coup?”
The mention of Yi Seong-jun's name silenced the generals.
“We need that kind of bold action too.”
At that moment, as the tense standoff continued, Communications Director Fellgiebel mediated between the two sides.
“General Oster. That's enough. Everyone understands what you're getting at.”
“My apologies.”
As Oster sat down, silence fell over the room.
After a long pause, Army Chief of Staff Franz Halder broke the silence.
“We need action. Talking here alone won't achieve anything. General Oster, do you have something in mind?”
“What if we eliminate Hitler and mobilize the reserves to launch a coup?”
“Eliminate Hitler and stage a coup?”
“If we pin the assassination on the SS, we'll easily gain the legitimacy to seize power.”
“Then we need to get the reserve mobilization plan approved first. General Olbricht, can you get Hitler's approval for it?”
“It'll take time, but it's possible. It's a concept Oster and I prepared assuming it would be.”
Germany was teeming with foreign laborers dragged in from Western and Eastern Europe alike.
If they claimed it was to prepare for riots by these workers in an emergency, there would be no issue.
“Let's push that forward first. We'll consider the Hitler assassination once the conditions are in place.”
It was unsatisfactory, but the fact that the Junkers had lifted their heavy rears meant something.
The clandestine meeting ended there.
Unfortunately for Hitler, the Reich Security Main Office knew almost nothing of this plot.
In truth, the RSHA was already overwhelmed fighting Anglo-American intelligence agencies, guerrillas scattered across the occupied territories, and domestic anti-Nazi elements.
Still, the RSHA hadn't let its surveillance slip on certain key figures.
Admiral Wilhelm Canaris, head of the Abwehr, was one of them.
Heydrich pondered as he read the report on Canaris's movements.
Even before the war, Canaris had occupied an ambiguous position.
Setting aside the uncertainty of whose side he was on, he had suspiciously deep ties to Britain.
If not for his rank, Heydrich would have dragged him into an interrogation room long ago.
‘Canaris. If I could just eliminate this old fox, the Reich's intelligence would be mine.’
Information was power.
Monopolizing its source would make even Himmler or Göring no match for him.
He might even dream of becoming the Führer's successor.
But that was talk for the distant future.
For now, he couldn't touch Canaris, let alone eliminate him.
Not without solid evidence.
Tap tap.
As Heydrich was lost in thought, his secretary brought in a report.
“Your Excellency. A report from the Foreign Intelligence Service.”
“Bring it here.”
Heydrich set aside the activity report and read the intelligence report.
Its contents exceeded his expectations.
‘The Koreans are preparing an expedition to Indochina?’
This was undoubtedly good news.
No matter how tolerant Britain and America were toward Korea, they wouldn't tolerate its forces pushing right up to their colonies.
Heydrich had calculated as much and fed supplies to China via the Hanoi route, and the Koreans had obligingly taken the bait like fools.
Was Yi Seong-jun really the type who couldn't see that coming?
Or had he eagerly bitten for the sake of his own position?
‘Yi Seong-jun isn't all that impressive after all.’
Just like our Führer Hitler.
In truth, Heydrich didn't hold Hitler in particularly high regard.
The Führer was undoubtedly brilliant when his genius shone, but in everyday matters, he showed none of the judgment expected of a leader guiding the German people.
Perhaps he was simply senile from old age.
Heydrich paused in thought, then picked up the receiver.
“Foreign Intelligence Service.”
“Connected, sir.”
“From now on, shift the focus of our operations against America and Britain. The goal is to drive a wedge between Korea and the Anglo-Americans.”
If it was impossible to prevent Anglo-American intervention anyway, the best move was to redirect their aggression toward Korea.
Britain and America, not currently at war with Germany, would naturally pay close attention to Korea threatening their colonies.
For Germany, this was the ideal scenario.
If possible, they needed a situation where the enemies bled each other dry.
What better return could there be for such minimal investment?
Regrettably, the Reich government understood nothing of intelligence warfare's value.
If they did, they would have empowered the RSHA and Foreign Intelligence Service long ago.
‘Idiots.’
Thinking of morons like Rudolf Hess and blockheads like Himmler dominating the Party's upper echelons made his blood boil.
“Your Excellency. Shifting the operation's direction is no problem. However, to do so, we'll have to cut support for the isolationists and approach the interventionists.”
Heydrich knew what that meant.
It would shatter their alliance with the isolationists.
But did they have any better options?
The isolationists were already being overwhelmed by Roosevelt's political maneuvering.
The passage of Lend-Lease alone proved their limits.
If they were allies doomed to lose anyway, cutting losses now was the rational choice.
“I'm prepared to accept that. Carry out the orders.”
Heydrich resolved to overturn the board in the Koreans' favor, sacrificing flesh to cut bone.
That was the only way Greater Germany could survive.