250

Episode 250: Tug of war (3)

Himmler's secret plan was to appoint doubles who resembled King George VI and Queen Elizabeth.

"So… … "Shall we use a double and pretend that we have taken the king and his wife prisoner?"

"Yes, Mr. President."

Brauchitsch glanced at Himmler, who had an energetic expression on his face as if he was proud of himself, with an expression that showed he was looking at all the crazy people.

Göring was calm and Keitel sipped his wine in silence. Ribbentrop looked as if he was desperately trying to hold back laughter.

"Ever since the news came from Buckingham Palace that the King and Queen were missing, I searched all over Germany to find a double, just in case. And coincidentally, I found those bands yesterday.

If we let them know that we are holding the king and queen captive and demand their surrender, the British will immediately raise the white flag. "How can they continue the war when the king and his wife, who are more precious than their own lives, have been taken prisoner?"

"… … "

If the king and queen were captured as Himmler said, the war would have ended that day.

If they said they would kill them both if they didn't surrender immediately, even the Churchill of the world would have no choice but to raise the white flag.

The guy who said he was going to die in London is still alive and well in Glasgow, so it's a shame to lose face, but you insist on continuing the war in which the king and queen live or die?

On that day, everything may go beyond impeachment.

However, there were several loopholes in Himmler's plan.

"If they find out that the king and queen we captured were traitors, what will they do then? And what if, just in case, they show their will to fight without heeding the safety of the king and his wife?"

"If the British had any sense of common sense, it wouldn't be like that."

So what do you do if common sense doesn't work?

"Minister Himmler's words also make sense."

Hess. Are you doing this too, really? Originally, I thought you were a bit better, even though you two were from similar backgrounds.

"What makes you think that?"

"We cannot continue to hide the fact that the King and Queen have died. If we keep hiding the facts like this, the British people will be convinced that the King and Queen are dead. However, if we openly reveal the existence of these fakes, our numbers may be read by them, so we revealed the identity of the fake person and said that he was receiving treatment for a serious injury.

"If we do this, won't we be able to tell the British people and the world about Germany's generosity while at the same time telling them that we are holding the king and queen prisoner?"

"hmm… … "After listening to it, it doesn't seem like a bad idea."

Reichenau also expressed his approval.

"If you show it too openly, it can be noticeable, so if you show a scene of someone lying in a hospital bed receiving treatment… … You could really fool the British."

Keitel also added one vote.

"Hmm."

After listening to Hess and Keitel, Himmler's plan, which seemed like a rumor, began to sound like a plan that would somehow work.

If it is discovered that the king and queen we put forward are counterfeits, and that the real king and queen have been made jerky for a long time, the problem will increase, but assuming that they are not discovered, there is no more powerful negotiating card than this.

There will certainly be arguments among the British that they must agree to negotiations for the sake of His Majesty's safety.

Even if Britain does not surrender, there is nothing to lose from our perspective just by causing division.

"First, look at the doubles you mentioned and think about it."

"You will be surprised when you see it. "Even twins wouldn't look this much alike."

Himmler said, regaining his confidence. Seeing that they say it this way, it seems like they really do resemble each other.

There was another noteworthy news.

They secured the recruitment of Oswald Mosley, the representative pro-German figure in Britain and the leader of the BUF party.

I met Mosley at his second wedding, held at Goebbels' home, when relations with England were still good.

After Churchill came to power and declared war on Germany again, the BUF was forcibly disbanded and Mosley was imprisoned on the grounds that there was a possibility of colluding with Germany.

However, when Operation Sea Lion was implemented and the prisoners in the prison were transferred to another place, no matter what methods were used, he succeeded in escaping, hiding in the homes of supporters, and is said to have crossed over to the friendly camp immediately after the Battle of London ended.

"Where is Mosley?"

"They say they are temporarily staying at the 7th Army Headquarters."

"That's a good thing. Even so, they were about to establish a new government in England."

It may take a little more time to complete the conquest of England, but it wouldn't be a bad idea to make some preparations.

Mosley must have thought of that too and crossed over to the friendly camp.

"Shall we call Mosley to Berlin?"

"No. I was planning to go to England soon. "We can meet there, but is there any need to bring him to Germany?"

***

July 2, 1943

brentwood, england

Graham wished that this whole moment had been a dream.

If he was having a very, very terrible nightmare, it was never too late, but if he could wake up from that nightmare even now, he would be able to accept it without complaint even if 10 years were removed from his lifespan.

But the reality was terrible. Far better than any nightmare.

Germany reluctantly crossed the English Channel and landed on the island of Britain.

They took London just as they had taken Warsaw, Paris, and Moscow. Even now, the liberation of His Majesty the King and Queen remains uncertain.

Churchill, who had sworn to his people that he would die in London, is now in Glasgow.

Despite public criticism and sarcasm directed at him, he steadfastly appeared on television and appealed to fight against the German army.

Take revenge on the invaders who harmed His Majesty the King and Queen! A bloody mace against the barbaric Huns!

"Fuck. What a fucking bastard. "That bastard is worse than Hitler."

"The guy who shamelessly ran away is talking nonsense."

Every time Churchill's voice came on the radio, the soldiers swore.

Graham could hear a soldier in the trench next to him talking to his comrade.

I could feel the boiling anger in the voice, which clearly belonged to a member of the Home Guard, and the fatigue that matched that anger.

"So I wish Halifax would remain prime minister. "What does this look like?"

"Do you think it would have been different in Halifax?"

"Well, of course. You're saying something strange. "He wouldn't have blindly entered the war to help the communists."

The owner of the voice told his colleague that if Halifax had continued to serve as Prime Minister, Britain would not have intervened in the war with Germany like the Soviet Union, and Japan would have been cornered by now through joint operations with the United States.

"At least Jerry wasn't splashing around in the Thames. "What is this?"

"That's right."

"When the Germans entered Paris, they acted as if the country was ruined, but now that I think about it, it was heaven back then. "What does it matter whether the frogs become Jerry's foot scrubbers or not?"

"Even those frogs are working under Jerry and others as their loyal dogs. "They seem like ungrateful people."

Just three years earlier, British troops had been fighting the Germans on French soil for France.

But now the French army had become Germany's henchman and was fighting the British on British soil.

The British were mad at the French for being ungrateful and ungrateful.

Although there were French people fighting for Britain as part of the Free French army, the number of French troops who landed on the island of Britain on the side of the German army was hundreds of times greater than that of the Free French army.

"You fucking frogs. "They're worse than Jerry."

"I know yeah. "They seem like people I wouldn't mind tearing to death."

Perhaps by coincidence, a fighter plane passed over the heads of the British soldiers hiding in the trenches. It was a VG.33 of the French Air Force.

Of course, it was a member of the French Army, not the Free French Army.

"That damn bastard! "Fly and fall!"

The soldiers hurled countless curses and insults at the French fighter plane, which was smaller than the fingernail of the little finger.

***

July 3, 1943

Washington DC White House, USA

Marshall's head has been a mess lately.

The work of sending supplies and equipment for use by the US military and the British people to the UK is progressing at some level.

The problem was the damn U-boats, but there were no major problems until the process of loading them onto the ship and sending them off. Except for the schedule being slightly adjusted due to protests and riots.

Because of his belief that soldiers must remain politically neutral under all circumstances, he did not say anything about politics, but the current situation was extremely unstable.

In an already chaotic political situation, secrets were even leaked that the government was secretly continuing to provide large and small support.

After Stalin signed the peace treaty with Hitler, major and small aid was cut off, but before then, American supplies were gradually flowing into the Soviet Union, and Roosevelt knew this, but pretended not to know, which turned the public's eyes.

Even public opinion that was favorable to the government increased the intensity of its criticism with each passing day.

Some media outlets went one step further and published explicit articles on the front page of newspapers.

-The owner of the White House is a communist?

-I like the Communist Party?

-Shocking news! Roosevelt was Stalin's agent?!

-The President of the United States' unabashed love for the Soviet Union

Roosevelt used to frame caricatures from newspapers criticizing him and hang them in his villa, but the recent revelations seemed to be something he could not frame, and his face became increasingly haggard.

Some Democratic lawmakers had already switched to the Republican Party, and impeachment was being seriously discussed in Congress.

Even among the civilian population, there were people who would gladly pick up guns to fight Japan, but would not fight Germany.

Several soldiers have already refused to go to Europe and have been sent to military trials.

Naturally, they received enthusiastic support from the private sector, and lawyers poured in offering to represent them for free.

"There is no justification for the war in Europe! "The government should get out of Europe immediately!"

"Our enemy is Japan, not Germany!"

"I will not send my child to a battlefield without a cause!"

German-Americans and Irish-Americans raised their voices day after day, saying that if the government had not declared war on Germany, not a single American would have died in the Atlantic.

Last night, Marshall had dinner with Leahy.

In the middle of the meal, when both of them had gotten a little more relaxed due to the alcohol in their bodies, Leahy suddenly spoke up (he did not vote due to his belief in maintaining political neutrality and did not respond to any invitations from politicians, but the same soldiers They would eat together or attend parties).

"Marshall, how do you think this war is going?"

Marshall asked what Leahy meant by this war.

"Are you talking about the Pacific Ocean or the Atlantic Ocean?"

"Atlantic Ocean."

"As a soldier, I just do my best to follow orders."

"I know. So what do you think?"

"I think I just told you."

Richie sighed with a look on his face that said, 'That's right.' He then called the waiter and added two glasses of wine.

"Change the question. Please evaluate me as a soldier. Do you think we can win against the Germans in England?"

"I don't think there is even the slightest possibility."

"Now tell me what you think. "I think the odds of Britain winning a fight against Germany are the same as the odds of the bastards landing in San Francisco or Los Angeles."

"okay."

The waiter brought the wine they had ordered and Leahy and Marshall drank it. The wine was moderately sweet and moderately sour.

"The wine tastes good."

"Didn't you hear what the waiter said earlier? It's from France. It's extremely valuable in times like these. "It will become more valuable in the future."

Leahy deliberately put emphasis on 'forward'.

"I'm not interested in politics or anything."

"okay."

"I mean it."

"of course."

"From now on… … No. What I said a little while ago was also something I said purely as a soldier, regardless of politics.

I'll be honest. I think the war in Europe is pointless. "I feel somewhat sorry for Patton and his friends in England, but even if we send more troops than this, it is doubtful whether we will be able to defend the current front, let alone achieve victory over the German army."

Instead of answering, Marshall drank wine, spread mashed potatoes on a tenderloin steak, and brought it to his mouth.

Richie's story continued.

"I won't talk about the chaos throughout the country. But because of that, the Pacific front is also at a standstill right now. "King complained that the pigtails were very skinny."

"King always complains. "I have never seen him satisfied."

Marshall, who was in the Army and, according to American tradition, valued the Atlantic Ocean more, and King, who was in the Navy and valued the Pacific Ocean more, often clashed.

Although it never resulted in an argument, Marshall and King disapproved of each other.

That's why Marshall opened his mouth without realizing it as soon as King's name came out.

Richie smiled bitterly.

"That's right. "But that doesn't mean that my friend's complaints are unreasonable."

"I know."

"We also have to face reality. "If there is no hope, you must know how to boldly give up."

Marshall didn't answer.

But he also instinctively knew.

Even if we continue to send troops to England now, no matter how lucky we are, maintaining the status quo is the limit.

Even if God truly protects the United States and demonstrates omnipotent power, the recapture of Britain will be the end.

Landing in France? Crossing the Rhine? Attack on Berlin?

Unless German bombers launched from Europe tomorrow or the day after tomorrow and carpet-bombed New York, there was no more hope than the Japanese landing on the west coast of the United States that Leahy had mentioned.

Marshall opened the door and was quite surprised to see Roosevelt, who looked like a living corpse.

There was no life in Roosevelt's face, and his eyes were suddenly sunken inward, as if he was looking at a withered mummy.

"You came. General."

"dismissal."

Roosevelt silently read the document Marshall presented. Eventually, he took out his fountain pen and drew his signature in the signature line.

"It was difficult to get here, but it is also difficult to sit down."

Roosevelt said as if complaining. Marshall, as usual, made no reply. Either way, Roosevelt continued his words.

"If Britain falls, Hitler's next target will be the United States. I don't want Washington and New York to become like Warsaw or Paris. But unfortunately, our people seem to think differently."

"… … ."

"The Soviet Union was also essential to prevent Germany's expansion. If their blood could prevent Germany's evil from spreading beyond Europe and into the world, I thought it was a very cheap price... … Is… … ."

"dismissal? dismissal?"

Slurp.

It didn't take much time for the White House, which had a dead-like atmosphere, to become noisy.