Chapter 252

< World War II - End-of-war Agreement (3) >

April 20, 1942

Central Belarus, Minsk – Allied Forces Airbase

The very first standardized jet fighters cut through the sky and spun at speeds unimaginable for conventional propeller aircraft.

Molotov and the Soviet delegation were watching the sight with great impression.

They must be completely horrified.

Even if they aren't military experts, watching the very first jet aircraft airshow should make it obvious that it's on a completely different level from their own aircraft, right?

And as for my feelings watching it…

…my heart was pounding.

No matter how much the Air Force is a bunch of daredevils living on the edge, if they're going to do aerobatics like that, couldn't they just use the safe and verified Bf109 or Fw190?!

I was the one who ordered a 'performance' to put pressure on the Soviet Union, but it was the Luftwaffe that strongly insisted on strictly using jet fighters for it.

If an accident were to happen during that…

Of course, regardless of whether I was worrying with impatience or not, Molotov and the Soviet delegation seemed to fully understand the intention behind us putting on an airshow for them to see.

To my immense relief, the Luftwaffe's top pilots, including Adolf Galland and Werner Mölders, flawlessly and spectacularly concluded the performance—written as an airshow for the Allied Forces, but read as a threat to the Soviet Union.

"That is… impressive."

At Molotov's sour review, a laugh naturally escaped me.

"The men of the Luftwaffe will be pleased to hear the People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs' review."

I'll be sure to convey it to them.

From the airbase to the negotiation venue, Tigers and Panthers were lined up in rows, and Molotov and the Soviet delegation seemed severely burdened by this as well.

…From the Air Force to the Army, they were surprisingly cooperative with the idea of applying a little pressure.

In any case, the military is a macho group by nature, so they wouldn't miss an opportunity like this.

Germany, Poland, Finland, Ukraine, Free Russia.

Every single attendee from each nation cast a hostile gaze toward Molotov and the Soviet delegation.

Faced with a clear hostility devoid of common 'diplomatic rhetoric' or even the procedure of exchanging formal greetings, Molotov and the Soviet delegation had remarkably stiff expressions.

Where did the brazen man go who called it a bread basket delivery when the international community criticized the bombing of civilians?

Having guided them this far, I smiled and spoke.

"Then, I hope we can achieve peace in this negotiation. We do not want to shed any more blood, after all. Even if it's mostly the Soviet Union doing the shedding."

Molotov couldn't even properly reply.

-

The negotiations proceeded with the Soviet Union's delegation backed into a one-sided corner.

"Reparations, the entirety of Ukraine and Belarus, plus territory right up to the doorsteps of Moscow and Leningrad including Smolensk, and even the Kola Peninsula? This, this is far too harsh a measure!"

Molotov and the delegation protested like that, but the answer spat out by the Inspector General of the Polish Armed Forces, Sikorski, was nothing short of frigid.

"I think it's a whole lot better than what you people demanded of Poland."

"The Kola Peninsula and Karelia are truly absurd demands! Including Murmansk, these are lands that have been completely Russian territory for hundreds of years—"

Dietrich Schacht scoffed.

"Did you demand the land the Soviet Union tried to plunder from Finland because it was traditional Russian territory? There is no guarantee you won't do it a second time since you already did it once. Considering the sacrifices of the Finnish people who had to defend a vast border with your nation with a small population, for the sake of security, we must shrink the border with your nation."

"If you want to fight more, I won't stop you.

If the war continues because the Soviet Union refuses to surrender, there are plenty of Finns who want to see it to the end. The Soviet Union brought overflowing bread to Helsinki, so wouldn't it be nice for us to at least watch bread fall on Moscow too?"

Even Field Marshal of the Finnish Army Mannerheim joined in, his spirit matching that of Poland.

Vlasov was watching the scene with cold eyes.

To think that Free Russia's right to speak was not even on par with that small nation of Finland.

"We spared Leningrad, your nation's core city and Baltic Sea port. It is unpleasant from our stance as the 'birthplace of the revolution,' but it means we have shown acknowledgment for the values your nation considers important."

"…You're tearing away territory right under the chins of Moscow and Leningrad, so what meaning is there in…"

Molotov tried to make a pathetic plea to the German Prime Minister Theodor Heuss, who was at least showing some courtesy, but the answer that came back was even more devastating.

"Then, since it's meaningless, are you going to hand over Moscow and Leningrad as well? If you say you will halt negotiations here, we don't want to shed any more blood, so we can just turn those cities your nation cherishes so much into ruins. You'll surrender easily once we make it so you don't have to worry about them any more."

"…I-I will exchange opinions with my home country for a moment."

"Hah, the people gathered here are the high command of each nation.

Do you think we are doing this because we have too much free time? If this is a trick to stall for time like during the last prisoner exchange negotiations…"

"N-No! It really is not! At that time, it was the previous Comrade General Secretary's…"

"Then what is your Comrade General Secretary doing right now? Sending just the Commissar for Foreign Affairs to such an important meeting? We must have appeared far too lenient; among the Allied Powers gathered here, there isn't a single person who wouldn't want to see Moscow reduced to ashes."

"I-I will convey it to my home country, and…"

Facing threats flying in from all sides, Molotov sweat profusely and begged miserably.

"Please, please just give me some time. The Soviet Union truly has no intention to continue the war any longer."

The first negotiation ended with no real gain.

-

April 21, 1942

Central Belarus, Minsk – Quarters of the Committee for the Liberation of the Peoples of Russia

"The peace negotiations will be signed in the end."

Andrey Vlasov let out a deep sigh.

Seeing it directly on site, Vlasov gained conviction. It was called end-of-war negotiations in name only; it was effectively a notification.

Looking at the Soviet Union's reaction, they had no will to fight the war any longer.

As long as the demands weren't aiming to bring about the complete downfall of the Soviet Union, didn't they have no choice but to hand over whatever the Allied Forces demanded?

If it was going to be like this, they could have indulged a bit more greed for the sake of Free Russia.

"…What if we camouflage it as a Soviet act and carry out terrorism against the German key figures…"

At Kaminski's words, Vlasov shook his head.

"Don't say such absurd things.

They are focusing all their capabilities to escort their key personnel. Besides, both Theodor Heuss and Dietrich Schacht are figures second to none when it comes to popularity within Germany.

A complete cover-up would be difficult, and if the cover-up fails, a war with the Soviet Union won't be the issue."

Vlasov was not at all pleased with this situation either.

"This is the land of the Poland-Belarus Federation Republic, and if we act rashly here, it will be the end for us instead. Even the security for Molotov and the Soviet delegation is at a considerable level, let alone the Allied Powers' personnel."

It was certain that Germany truly wanted the war to end, not just as empty words, and they were paying special attention to prevent any potential mishaps.

Poland, which had a deep acquaintance with Germany, was actively cooperating, not to mention.

Vlasov possessed enough sense to know that making a rash and extreme move in this situation would rather inflict greater harm upon himself and his comrades of Free Russia.

The variable emerged at that moment.

"They say Zhdanov is coming. I suppose the terms were unacceptable at Molotov's level after all."

As Kerensky entered and announced this, Vlasov subtly furrowed his brow.

"Their General Secretary is coming here?"

"So I heard. If he was going to do that, he should have come from the beginning.

Why now…"

Unlike Kerensky, who had been away from Russian land for a long time, Vlasov, who knew the internal structure of the Soviet Union to some extent, could roughly guess the reason why Zhdanov couldn't come right away.

It wasn't because he ignored the Allied Powers, but because he had to keep the unsettled internal affairs in check after Stalin's death, so he likely wanted to proceed through Molotov as much as possible.

He was only coming now because it seemed impossible to do so, or because there was a clash of opinions.

In any case, this made it clear how desperately the Soviet Union was clinging to this negotiation.

They must have completely lost the spare capacity to continue the war.

"Then the peace negotiations will definitely be signed…"

As Vlasov muttered lamentably, Kaminski opened his mouth.

"…What happens if the General Secretary dies here?"

"What did you say?"

"If the General Secretary were to die in an accident here, the Soviet Union, whose solidarity has weakened since Stalin's death, would be flustered or fall into division. What if in that situation, we immediately march our army and occupy Moscow?"

At Kaminski's words, Vlasov, who had been lost in thought for a moment, spoke up.

"There's a high possibility that Germany and the Allied Forces won't give us a positive response, but since the Soviet Army doesn't know our internal situation well, there's a high possibility that they won't be able to move hastily just from their presence, unless the war is ended."

Everyone swallowed dryly.

"It's certain that the Soviet Union has lost the spare capacity to continue the war. That's why they're keeping such a low profile in this negotiation.

Moscow is just a stone's throw away from Smolensk, where our main force is located, so if we can just occupy Moscow before the Soviet Union, thrown into chaos by the General Secretary's death, comes to its senses…"

Moscow is the railroad hub and heart of the Soviet Union.

Vlasov judged that if Moscow fell to a surprise attack, there was a high possibility that the Soviet Union, already suffering from weak solidarity after Stalin's death, would be torn to shreds.

Kerensky also replied with hope.

"If the peace negotiation itself results in a breakdown, General Patton will help us. If we show signs of victory, America might support us independently of the Allied Powers."

To the high command of Free Russia, their only hope began to show.

"…Even without Germany and the Allied Powers, we could be victorious against the Soviet Union."

-

April 22, 1942

Free Russian Army occupied territory, skies above Smolensk

Inside a transport aircraft flying from Moscow towards Minsk.

Andrei Zhdanov, who became the new General Secretary succeeding Stalin, was reviewing a document with his face severely contorted.

"Molotov, that damn bastard…"

After that damn Stalin took Khrushchev with him as a companion to the grave, Zhdanov was dying from the sheer stress of keeping the unsettled internal affairs in check and filling Stalin's empty seat.

Setting aside Stalin's twisted nature or whims, his overwhelming administrative ability was not something that could be easily replaced. Zhdanov realized that for a fact only after Stalin was gone.

But amidst all this, Molotov was anxious that they might be trying to pin all the blame on him, and persistently sent telegrams urging him that, judging by the Allied Powers' attitude, the General Secretary absolutely had to attend.

It was true that Stalin had tried to pin the blame for the defeat on Molotov and use him as a scapegoat, but he had emerged unscathed because Vasilevsky took the fall instead.

Since Molotov suffered from extreme fear and stress back then, he must have harbored doubts about a situation where he had to face them alone in a negotiation venue where he was receiving all of the Allied Powers' hostility.

"Idiot, does he think I'm in a situation where I can cut him off right now?"

But in the midst of a serious power vacuum caused by Stalin and Khrushchev dying at the same time, for what reason would Zhdanov purge Molotov?

Even if he did cut him off, it wouldn't be now.

At the very least, political strife should only be waged after stabilizing the Soviet Union to some extent; Stalin was dead, but the scars he left on the Soviet Union remained like ghosts.

What with the military throwing a fit that the war with the Allied Powers could never be continued, the road to consolidating Soviet power once again and overhauling the federation seemed long.

Zhdanov smiled nevertheless.

After years of endurance spent humoring the eccentric Stalin, he had finally become the Supreme Leader of the Soviet Union.

Even though they lost the war, if he wrapped this matter up well, all that was left for him was to enjoy power and glory as the absolute ruler of the Soviet Union-

Right then, the roar of artillery rang out.

"What?"

While Zhdanov was flustered, the roar of artillery rang out again in succession.

"W-What's going on!"

"U-Uwaaah!"

Along with a roar, the airplane he was riding shook mercilessly.

"Gah!"

Zhdanov also slammed his head into a corner of the airplane and fell over, then shouted while clutching his head.

"What the hell is going on!"

"I-It's anti-aircraft gun fire!"

"Isn't this the airspace of the Allied Forces' occupied territory, damn it! We are in the middle of negotiations right now! Tell them to halt firing immediately, it's friendly fire!"

"W-We've been attempting to since earlier, Comrade General Secretary! They're on radio silence-"

Right then, another roar rang out, and the fuselage shook from a shock incomparably stronger than before.

"M-Main wing is hit! We can't maintain altitude! We're going down!"

"N-No!"

"S-Save meee!"

Amidst screams and despair, the transport aircraft began to plummet towards the ground.

The papers Zhdanov had been looking at just moments ago to consolidate the power of the Soviet Union slipped from his hands, swept away and scattered by the strong wind.

Zhdanov muttered, shedding tears.

"I am the General Secretary of the Soviet Union."

The ground was getting closer.

"L-Like this, in vain."

The transport aircraft slammed straight into the ground and caused an explosion.