Chapter 86
Chapter 86
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: The Road to Stalingrad (2)
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As Germany temporarily gained momentum, Britain, the Soviet Union, and Korea concentrated their diplomatic efforts on bringing the United States into the war.
‘If America joins, the game gets easier. Let’s make this a bit simpler for ourselves.’
Just like in World War I, they expected America’s immense weight to end the war in an instant.
The three nations closely coordinated on this front to support Roosevelt’s efforts toward intervention.
Of course, there was no such thing as a free lunch in the world.
Roosevelt demanded substantial interests and rights in exchange for joining the war.
From Britain:
“I want the Arabian oil interests held by the British Empire.”
From the Soviet Union:
“America’s share in the postwar Axis powers must be clearly guaranteed.”
From Korea:
“You must keep your promise to withdraw from Indochina and secure our interests in China.”
The three nations accepted Roosevelt’s demands.
It was cheaper than shedding their own citizens’ blood.
Once the agreement was reached, Roosevelt moved quickly.
Roosevelt swiftly ran the numbers.
‘If we’re going to join the war against Germany, we need public opinion on board. In that regard, using German-style propaganda isn’t a bad idea.’
The answer was simple.
The U.S. government created a propaganda department and began a campaign of agitation and indoctrination targeting the public.
The obvious target was Germany.
“Hitler and his Germany are madmen dreaming of world conquest. They’re in Europe now, but soon their armies will cross the Atlantic. Don’t underestimate these lunatics’ greed. Their claws could reach your own backyard tomorrow.”
America’s propaganda experts portrayed Hitler and his empire as absolute evil.
Personal attacks on Hitler were not spared.
“Hitler is a homosexual pervert who commits incest, a dangerous man whose very existence threatens to destroy our Christian civilization.”
Of course, the Führer was a man who deserved the label of absolute evil, but they piled on him misdeeds he hadn’t even committed.
In the process, Bismarck and the Kaiser, who were comfortably resting in their coffins, took stray bullets.
“What? Why are His Majesty, who’s sleeping soundly, and I getting dragged into this?”
“I-I have no sins even as much as that one-eyed bastard.”
As former rulers of Germany, they were paraded before Americans as exemplars of the “Germanic” nature.
“Iron and blood! Chancellor Bismarck built his empire on a cry thirsting for blood.”
“The Kaiser who inherited that legacy set the world ablaze once to fuel his ambitions.”
“Now the third German leader has emerged to set the world ablaze again. How long must we tolerate their atrocities? How long must we indulge them?”
Public animosity toward Germany had already surpassed 60% thanks to Roosevelt’s priming.
“They’ve wrecked European trade, and now they’re blocking trade with Britain too. Should we just let these bastards get away with it?”
“I heard Hitler doesn’t even treat Jews like people. My grandfather was Jewish, so by that bastard’s standards, I’m not even human. Fuck that guy. If war breaks out, I’ll enlist first thing.”
“Let’s take that guy out quick and restore the free world. Isn’t it about time we stepped up?”
Even the reds were fighting the Nazis for “freedom and justice,” so what was this country doing? Complaints like that flooded the White House.
The mood was now shifting toward intervention.
A few more months of work, and public opinion would surely tilt decisively toward war.
Isolationists jumped up and down at this, but they couldn’t ruin the blueprint Roosevelt had drawn.
Isolationists failed to block Roosevelt’s moves in either the Senate or the House.
The destroyer-for-bases deal—trading fifty destroyers to Britain for Caribbean bases—passed easily, 280 to 109.
“With this, the United States has completely rooted out European influence from our backyard.”
Roosevelt touted such achievements as he steadily marched toward war.
Next came the America Safety Zone Act, expanding safe zones in the Atlantic to protect trade convoys to the Soviets and Britain.
“We’ll defend the North Atlantic.”
It wasn’t a formal declaration of war on Germany yet, but expanding the U.S. Navy’s range was a threat in itself.
This indirectly amounted to intervention, shrinking the operational radius of German U-boats while easing the burden on the Royal Navy.
Soon enough, German U-boats on operations began encountering hostile actions from American destroyers.
The German ambassador lodged a strong protest against U.S. actions, but it was futile.
They couldn’t fire torpedoes in response either.
The moment they touched the U.S. Navy, Roosevelt would use it as a pretext for war.
Berlin had no choice but to sweat bullets.
This situation made the German government extremely uneasy.
‘Not only Britain, but now America too is turning against us.’
In truth, with three of the five great powers—Britain, the Soviet Union, and Korea—as enemies, Germany was already in a precarious position.
Now, the world’s largest economic powerhouse was poised to join the hostile camp, so it was no wonder Berlin was on edge.
America’s entry was that much of a threat.
“We have no choice but to finish off the Soviets before the Anglo-Americans set foot in Europe. If we push the reds back and pack the Atlantic coast with divisions, what can the Anglo-Saxon bastards do?”
Seeing the possibility of U.S. intervention, Hitler became convinced he needed to pour even more effort into the Caucasus offensive.
Cut off the Caucasus oil, and Soviet armor becomes scrap metal.
If Soviet tanks lose their power?
He’d get a shot at Moscow.
That was Hitler’s logic.
The German military didn’t agree.
‘Even factoring in oil from America or Britain, the reds’ tanks won’t be sitting idle for lack of fuel.’
Of course, they couldn’t say that to Hitler’s face.
The Wehrmacht had no choice but to commit more supplies and troops to the offensive.
As forces swelled to the point where one army group couldn’t manage, the Southern Army Group split into two for operations.
Army Group B for the Volga sector and Army Group A for central Caucasus—that was it.
With the Southern Army thus divided, the strategic objectives of the German forces in Operation Blue grew vague.
Initially, Baku was the main target, but as the operation unfolded, an unexpected place rose to prominence.
‘Stalingrad.’
Stalingrad was an industrial city on the Volga, serving as a vital transport hub linking the Caucasus to the Soviet heartland.
If they didn’t seize it, Army Group B’s burden of maintaining a front along the river would become excessive.
Naturally, German attention turned to Stalingrad.
“We can’t reach Baku without taking Stalingrad in the first place, right?”
This drew Hitler’s interest to Stalingrad as well.
‘The name alone screams Stalin’s city. Taking it should sufficiently crush Soviet morale.’
Strategically and politically, Stalingrad’s value was enough to captivate the Führer.
The Führer changed his mind again.
“So, you’re concentrating supplies on Army Group B? Are you trying to mess with me right now!”
Army Group A commander Field Marshal Wilhelm List lodged a strong protest with the Army High Command.
Of course, this wasn’t because Germany lacked supplies overall.
It was simply that supply lines to the Caucasus limited what could reach frontline units.
“That’s how it’s turned out, sir.”
When fuel was cut off mid-march, Army Group A found itself unable to advance or retreat.
“And you call this handling things? You think you can reach Baku like this?”
But perhaps this was a blessing in disguise.
Army Group A halted its advance at Stavropol, far short of the farthest point they’d reached in their original timeline.
Instead, Army Group B reached the outskirts of Stalingrad much earlier than planned.
It was November 20, 1942.
At this point, the Germans should have dug winter positions and prepared defenses.
When winter hit the Russian front, the ground froze solid, making it impossible to dig trenches.
The German generals knew this.
But with the Führer insisting on capturing Stalingrad by year’s end, they couldn’t even consider hunkering down for defense.
“We pushed this far with the Luftwaffe’s help, but will air power help in street fighting?”
Even the mighty Luftwaffe struggled to make an impact in urban combat dominated by close-quarters battles.
On this point, Army Group B commander Field Marshal Maximilian von Weichs and Sixth Army commander General Friedrich Paulus saw eye to eye.
“Even if we can’t prepare for defense, entering the city doesn’t look wise. Better to encircle the enemy and slowly strangle them.”
“I agree.”
The field commanders reached a reasonable conclusion, but the problem was the Führer.
“Enter Stalingrad immediately.”
The Führer, doubling as Army Commander-in-Chief, issued an order the commanders couldn’t defy.
“No helping it. Let’s go into Stalingrad.”
The German command had no choice but to begin the unwanted advance.
The name of the hell they marched toward was Stalingrad.