50

De, Poland, our Poland

September 24, 1939.

Warsaw, the capital of Poland, officially declared surrender.

The Warsaw Broadcasting Station, which had been broadcasting the music of Frédéric Chopin to boost citizens' morale, broadcasted the music of the German musician Richard Wagner.

It was a funeral song fitting the end of Warsaw.

On the same day, a bloody battle took place in Schatzk, eastern Poland, between Polish and Soviet troops.

Even though the enemy was on the verge of victory, the Polish army stood against the invaders without retreating an inch.

"Target, T-26 at 11 o'clock! "Range 250, armor-piercing bullet!"

"Loaded!"

The tank commander of the Vickers tank, who had driven a 47mm armor-piercing round into the T-26's turret, clenched his fist when he saw a crack forming in the enemy tank's turret.

Despite its inferiority in performance, the Vickers put up a close fight against the T-26s.

Although the Polish tank crews were highly skilled, the condition of the Soviet army was also unbelievable.

Due to the great purges, many capable officers were executed, and the proficiency of the Soviet military fell to an indescribable degree.

Another T-26 was hit in the side and destroyed.

Only then did the Soviets realize that the enemy had appeared on their flank, so they changed direction and aimed at the Vickers tank. However, this was according to the Polish army's plan.

As the enemy's gaze turned to the side, the TKSs that had been ambushed jumped out and rushed at the Soviet troops.

Unlike the normal TKS equipped with a machine gun, it was a version capable of anti-tank warfare as it was equipped with a 20mm FK-A machine gun.

The T-26s that had been fired upon by 20mm cannons burst into flames one after another. Pieces of the tank crew's internal organs stuck inside the tank were cooked in the heat of the flames.

The Renault FT-17, which was somewhat unsuited to the battlefield of 1939, also performed well against Soviet infantry.

Even if it was an old-fashioned tank made during World War I, it was capable of protecting against rifle bullets enough, so it was like the death of death to an infantryman.

The Battle of Schatzk ended in victory for the Polish army, but it was not enough to turn the tide of the war. Their victory no longer meant anything when the capital fell and the government fled abroad.

"Okay, let's take a picture! Smile, smile!"

"Wahahahahah!"

The German and Soviet armies, who crossed Poland and encountered each other on the front line, celebrated their victory.

German soldiers were photographed sitting on Soviet tanks, and Soviet soldiers held German-made cigarettes in their mouths.

It was a sight that could not have been imagined just two months ago.

Working-level officials from both countries also began discussing a new border line.

Ignacy Mościcki, the president of the Second Republic of Poland, who had escaped to Romania, resigned from the presidency, and Władysław Rackiewicz, president of the Polish Senate in Paris, took over the presidency of the Polish Provisional Government.

Lieutenant General Władysław Sikorski, former prime minister and former enemy of Riczymigwy, was appointed prime minister of the Provisional Government of Poland and commander-in-chief of the Free Polish Army.

"Dear Polish people! Don't despair. Poland will never surrender!"

"Even though you may now succumb to the oppression of the invaders, do not abandon your loyalty to your country and your faith in us."

"We will definitely, definitely return to our country!"

On the 28th, when Rackiewicz and Sikorski were speaking in Paris, the Polish army on the Hel Peninsula surrendered.

They were the last troops fighting the Germans.

September 29, 1939.

Poland was silent.

***

Poland disappeared from the map.

21 years after independence,

Four weeks after the war broke out.

Over the course of four weeks, the Polish army lost 80,000 killed, 170,000 wounded, and 420,000 taken prisoner.

This is strictly a calculation of only the number of military personnel, and if the number of civilians sacrificed in the war is also included, the scale will be larger.

The scale of damage to our troops was also considerable, with 9,000 dead and 20,000 wounded. However, looking at the simple numbers, no one could deny that it was a major victory for Germany.

Due to the success of the invasion of Poland, all of Germany was in a festive mood.

On the day I declared the end of the invasion of Poland, Horst Wessel's songs and the Badenweiler March were played on the radio every day.

People poured out of their workplaces and schools into the streets and shouted hurray.

Even though the police and SS formed several layers of cordon, they were overwhelmed by the large force of people.

So many people gathered in front of the official residence that it seemed like an accident might happen.

I came out to the balcony and answered the cheers of the crowd.

People went crazy just because I took off my hat and said hello.

"Heil Hitler! Heil Hitler!"

"Sieg Heil! Heil Hitler!"

"The Fuhrer saw me! "You saw me!"

"He wasn't looking at you, he was looking at us!"

People returned home one by one only after the sun set. However, a significant number remained at the scene until the curfew time of 9 p.m.

Even when the soldiers guarding the official residence told them to go home, they could hardly move.

"Everyone, it's late. "Please go back now-"

"Kyaaaaaaaah!!!"

"He is the Fuhrer! "The President came out to see us!"

"i love you!"

As a fan service, when he came out of the balcony again, people cheered like crazy.

Even though the number of people was reduced, it was not enough to be overwhelmed by the loudness of the daytime shouts.

How popular is this guy?

Enough bragging, it's time to move on to post-war processing, just as you have to wash the dishes once the meal is over.

Western Poland was incorporated into the Imperial Territory, and eastern Poland became Soviet territory according to the German-Soviet Non-Aggression Treaty.

"What are you going to do with the rest of Poland?"

"Of course, shouldn't the rest be made part of the empire like the Czech Republic? "Protectorate of Poland" would be a good new name for Poland."

Central Poland, including the capital Warsaw, was also annexed to the Third Reich, but remained a protectorate, as was the case with the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia.

"Now we have to decide who will be the governor..."

Hans Frank, who served as governor in actual history, is dismissed.

This may have been due to Hitler's orders, but the overly cruel policy turned millions of Poles into partisans, and the German army had to devote hundreds of thousands of troops to maintaining security in Poland before the front was pushed back to mainland Germany.

I agree with the statement that the existence of Poland should be erased for the sake of a greater Germany, but I have no intention of repeating the cruel rule of the Nazis.

There are moral issues and it is overly inefficient.

Do you think the Polish people will listen to you if you just kill anyone who offends you even a little bit? Make it even more crazy.

Unlike animals, people tend to rebel more harshly the more they are beaten.

Therefore, someone who could govern Poland moderately and at the same time silence the opposition of the Polish people was needed.

Former Foreign Minister Konstantin von Neurath would be a perfect fit, but unfortunately he is currently serving as governor of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia.

Himmler is not much different from Frank, so I pass.

What about Heydrich? This guy is comparable to Frank in terms of cruelty, but unlike Frank, who only ignorantly executed people, he knows how to use whips and carrots appropriately, so he is a perfect candidate for a governor.

Before he was assassinated, he had a record of suppressing large numbers of Czech resistance fighters.

However, appointing Heydrich as Governor-General of Poland may result in opposition from the Wehrmacht.

Although it is a formal position, Neurad is also part of the SS, so how much would they complain if Heydrich was also appointed there? After all, most of this invasion was already carried out by the National Defense Force.

They say they haven't been able to respond to my commands since the second Night of the Long Sword, but it's still not good for them to be complaining for no reason.

Therefore, Heydrich is also dismissed.

What about Maurice? Wouldn't it be okay since he has a good personality, is hard-working, and has some abilities?

······Oh right. This guy was SS too.

Dismissed because Hess also holds the rank of SS captain.

Wilhelm Freak? He was already serving as Minister of the Interior, and his friend Ra, who was equally merciless, was also dismissed.

After much deliberation, the chosen one was Anton Drexler, who held the position of leader of the Nazi Party - although this was in fact an honorary position.

There are many others, so why Drexler?

There is the symbolism of being the founder of the Nazi Party, and there is also the reason that Drexler is one of the few people among the party's high-ranking officials who maintains exact neutrality between the two groups, the Wehrmacht and the SS. It was also meant as an apology for something.

There were voices of opposition from the Wehrmacht asking whether it was necessary to place Drexler, who, although he was the leader of the Nazi Party, was in fact an honorary position, in the important position of Governor-General of Poland, but they immediately quieted down when I took out the next card.

Fritsch, who had been hospitalized and discharged from a car accident, was promoted to marshal and at the same time given him the prestigious title of 'Supreme Commander of the German Forces in the Protectorate of Poland and Acting Governor-General'.

At first, I was planning to go to Blomberg, but his condition was still not good so returning was impossible.

Fritsch, who suffered a more serious injury, recovered faster than Blomberg, so he was chosen.

Fritsch, who was anxious about whether he would retire like this, was very satisfied with my gift, and the Wehrmacht could no longer object.

Even if he doesn't say it, it's the same as declaring that the actual governor is Fritsch.

On the day that Drexler was selected as Governor-General of Poland, I met him for the first time in a long time and had dinner with him. We last met during the Olympics, so it has been almost three years since we last met.

"Adi, I didn't know you would give me a gift like this, did I?"

Drexler, who had been living quietly in Munich for a while but suddenly took on the enormous position of Governor-General of Poland, looked half suspicious and half surprised.

"Jigiri is a comrade who has been with me since I was poor, so I take care of him because I have been too indifferent to him all this time."

"Even so, it would be an honorary position."

Drexler was not unaware of the fact that there could be no real power in a position given for free. At least he had that much sense.

"I know. So what should we do? Can you give it to someone else?"

"I didn't say I didn't like it."

Even though he spoke in a harsh manner, looking at his expression, he didn't seem to be displeased. What if it is an honorary position? He's just a governor!

"You don't know how hard I tried to put you in that position. Fritsch will take care of most of the work, so all you have to do is help. Still, I told you that important matters must be discussed and decided with you, so it won't be an entirely superficial situation."

"Not bad. Okay, I guess I should go hunting and get some rest. "I was really tired of being stuck in the office on a random day and just doing work."

"Let's drink a lot today. "I shoot."

We got very drunk that day.

This was the first time since becoming President that I drank until my nose was crooked.

Drexler was carried on his back by his personal assistants, and I managed to return to the residence with Krause's help.

***

Although the governor-general issue was resolved, there were still a mountain of problems to deal with.

What was discussed after the territorial adjustment of the Imperial Territory and Protectorate was the issue of where to live in West Prussia and Posen, which had been incorporated into the Imperial Territory, and the Polish people living in western Poland.

"Shouldn't we all be deported to a protectorate, of course?"

This was Himmler's opinion.

Göring also agreed with Himmler.

"It makes no sense for Poles to live in what is clearly German territory. "It is right to expel them all."

"Is there really a need for that? Even during the Second Empire, many Poles lived in West Prussia and Posen. So I don't think there's any need to kick them out."

Many Poles who had already lived in West Prussia and Posen fled east when the war broke out, but many Poles still lived in their hometowns.

I did not want to incur unnecessary resentment by driving them out of their hometown in the name of cleansing Germany's territory.

"Mr. Fuhrer, you must not show mercy to Untermensch (inferior races) like the Poles. "They are like a plague that contaminates our territory and corrupts the Aryan genes!"

Aren't you tired of that damn gene rhyme? I get so tired every time I listen to it.

And I'm originally Korean, right? The Asians you hate so much.

Huh, no.

My temperament makes me want to punch that guy in the face, but since these guys don't know that I'm not the real Hitler, I have no choice but to hold back.

"Do it like this. "Why not force them out? Let's give Poles a choice about where to live."

"Then why don't you all try to live in the imperial territory?"

"So we have to discriminate. If you choose to live in the Imperial Territory, it is compulsory to learn German and take periodic exams. I live in Germany, so it doesn't make sense if I don't know German. If you fail a test, you will be penalized with a fine or other means.

Instead, in the Protectorate you learn German but you don't have to take the exam. "If not knowing German doesn't interfere with your life, why not go to the protectorate even though it is difficult for Poles to learn German?"

"Well, that's not a bad idea."

"Mr. President. "It's an ingenious method, but wouldn't it be possible for Poles in the protectorate to move over to the imperial territory?"

The question raised by Goering was something that even I had not thought of.

Yeah, that might be possible. If the Imperial Territories were better to live in than the Protectorates, there would undoubtedly be many Poles who would go to great lengths to come to the Imperial Territories.

"Wouldn't it be okay to strictly restrict the migration of Poles who originally lived in the protectorate to the imperial territory? Only high-quality workers such as doctors and engineers can immigrate to the imperial territory. Of course, the scale of this also needs to be determined. "It would be a problem if all the doctors in Poland came to the imperial territory."

Himmler opposed even this, saying it was too moderate, but everyone except Himmler was generally in favor.

"If we are harsher than necessary, more Poles will join the Partisans. "I think this is enough."

"Yes. If the number of partisans increases, nothing good will happen to us. "France and Britain are already strong, so we cannot devote many troops to Poland."

With supporting fire from Keitel and Brauchitsch, Himmler turned his attention to Göring and Goebbels. He's probably asking you to support him.

but,

"What your Excellency the President said is correct. "I think this is a sufficient measure, Minister Himmler."

"It's not an urgent matter right now, so we'll discuss it later."

"······If both of your opinions are the same, I have no choice but to agree."

When Göring and Goebbels withdrew, Himmler eventually raised the white flag.

Seduce me, this guy.

Krakau (Krakow) was chosen as the new capital of the Polish protectorate.

It is the second largest city in Poland after Warsaw, and unlike Warsaw, which was half destroyed after choosing resistance instead of surrender, its infrastructure remained intact thanks to the fact that it was declared an undefended city from the beginning of the war, allowing the German army to enter without blood.

Stanisław Klimecki, mayor of Krakow, was appointed president of the protectorate.

He was a man who visited the German army on September 6th, early in the war, and asked them not to destroy the city because he would be taken prisoner. He was highly respected among the city's residents, making him a perfect candidate for the protectorate's president.

Anyway, all they have to do is sit quietly, stamp documents, and take a few pictures, so it doesn't matter who they appoint, but wouldn't it be easier to rule if they appoint someone who can at least gain the favor of the Polish people?