168 168

Episode 168: Operation Barbarossa (4)

July 6, 1942

New Fuhrer's Residence in Berlin, Germany

"Are you serious, Mr. President?"

"okay. "How many times do I have to tell you for them to understand?"

Himmler was so dumbfounded that he looked as if he had been hit with a hammer.

Like the main characters in K-dramas who discover the secret of their birth on a fictional day.

Just by looking at your face, you'll think I said something bad to you, dear.

"I said it clearly before. The Czech Republic and Poland alone are sufficient for Lebensraum, the living space for the German people. "Are the German people currently experiencing difficulties due to a lack of land to live on?"

"no."

"okay. In fact, there is so much land that there is left over. Even though it was limited to imperial territories, excluding the Czech Republic and Poland. And Himmler, do you know what kind of Russian land you are so greedy for?"

"Isn't this land fertile and where crops grow well?"

If we limit the scope to Ukraine and southern Russia, Himmler is right.

These areas, made up of black soil called Chernozem, are full of organic matter essential for the growth of crops, so that crops can grow on their own if you just sow seeds and stand still.

"It's not wrong if you limit it to Ukraine and southern Russia. However, if you expand the scope to the entire territory of Russia, the story is different. Do you know how cold it is in Russia? Winter in Russia is completely different from winter in Europe. It's not just cold, it's cold enough to tear flesh and burst trees.

Who would want to go and live in such a harsh land? You probably want to continue living in Germany, where it is warm and has proper infrastructure. "Do you want to live in a place like that for the rest of your life?"

"Then how about leaving Russia behind and annexing just the Baltic countries, Belarus, and Ukraine?"

"Then what are the people who originally live there going to do? "You're not planning on killing them all, are you?"

"Sir, do you really want me to tell you to do such a heinous thing?"

Oh, you bastard. There has to be a level of shamelessness.

"It may seem like there is enough land now, but if the population continues to grow like it is now, there will be a lot of confusion in the future due to the lack of land for the Germanic peoples to live on. Therefore, we need to become pioneers and secure the eastern territory for future generations. "If the Ukrainians are relocated to Russian territory and the Aryans are relocated in their place-"

"Stop, stop. So that means the plan is impossible! If you were Ukrainian, would you simply abandon your hometown and go to a wasteland you have never been to before? Of course, there will be a fierce backlash, and bloodshed is bound to occur.

No, we don't have to go far; we should first expel the Czechs and Poles near Germany. Even if 9 out of 10 people obey and only 1 person resists when we tell them to pack their bags and get out, that number is in the millions. Millions of people. Do you think it would take tens of thousands of soldiers and how many more years to fight and eradicate those millions of partisans?"

As a result of forgetting even this simple fact and recklessly committing massacres to build a paradise for the Aryans, the Nazis had to tie up hundreds of thousands of troops to the rear to suppress the partisans.

What kind of nonsense is this while people on the front line are making a fuss about not having even one soldier or bullet?

However, even within Himmler, who was enthusiastic about the construction of Lebensraum, there was a majority opinion within the Wehrmacht that there should be at least some territorial confirmation after the end of the war.

"Of course, as you said, it is somewhat impossible to annex all of that vast Russian territory into German territory… ."

"But won't the people be disappointed if there is no change in the territory?"

"There must be some level of compensation for Germany's sons who fell on the battlefield so that the people will not be dissatisfied."

Keitel, Göring, and Brauchitsch also came forward and urged me that there should be at least a minimum of territorial expansion, and in fact, this was not entirely without basis.

Starting from Poland, the territory was expanded without difficulty to Yugoslavia, but if no territory was actually gained against the Soviet Union, that would be said.

"I understand. Then, part of Belarus and Galicia should be annexed to Germany. Western Belarus was annexed to East Prussia, and Galicia was placed under the jurisdiction of a Polish protectorate. "I think this is enough."

Discussions on how to reorganize the postwar eastern occupied territories were as important as drawing new German borders.

The war had not yet ended or negotiations with the Soviet Union had begun, but in general, the position was that even if negotiations were to take place, the Baltic countries, Belarus, and Ukraine should be brought in unconditionally, unconditionally, and I agreed with that.

There was even talk of taking over Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan like the Brest-Litovsk Treaty, but it seemed unlikely that Stalin would even allow that.

How many mines and oil fields are located in the Caucasus, and would they be handed over without Stalin going crazy?

Of course, it would be a different story if Leningrad had fallen and the National Defense Forces were right in front of the Kremlin.

"The Baltic countries, Belarus, and Ukraine will become independent like Slovakia and become allies of Germany. It is a shield that can defend Germany from Soviet attacks in case of emergency, and also serves as a resource warehouse for Germany. Since we liberated them from the Bolsheviks, they will accept that much.

I plan to turn the Russian-occupied territories, excluding the Baltic States, Belarus, and Ukraine, into a Free Russian Republic and hand it over to the Russian People's Liberation Committee. "What do you think?"

"I agree."

"There I am."

There were no opposing opinions, perhaps because it was hammered home that people should not even dream of Lebensraum.

Himmler still seemed to have lingering affection for the 'Eastern Territories' and proposed making the residential areas of German residents living in the puppet states to be established in the eastern occupied territories into autonomous states, but he did not oppose the establishment of puppet states.

With unanimous approval, the eastern occupied territories became independent, not as territory of the Third Reich, but as a puppet state under German instructions.

Hard-core nationalists in the Baltic states and Ukraine might feel a little uncomfortable, but the vast majority of residents in the occupied territories seemed satisfied with just the possibility of having an independent state.

After all, it would be better than under the Bolsheviks.

"It is also an important issue to win the favor of residents of the occupied territories by dismantling collective farms established during the Soviet Union and redistributing land to farmers. I think Dr. Rosenberg is the best person for this agenda... .. What do you think, doctor?"

"Of course, Mr. Fuhrer! "If you just leave it to me, I will reward you with the best results!"

"Then trust and leave it to the doctor. "As for military-related matters, please come to an agreement with Minister Keitel."

"Yes, I understand!"

The plan was entrusted to Rosenberg, who, as in history, was exiled to the 'General Plan Ost' and appointed Minister of the Eastern Occupied Territories as of yesterday.

Unlike other high-ranking members of the Nazi Party who had extreme racial views that all Slavs should be killed or enslaved, he could be trusted with peace of mind because he insisted on treating Slavs favorably, saying they were also a type of Aryan.

If you leave it to writers like Himmler, Inkvart, and Erich Koch, you never know what they might do.

***

July 7, 1942

POW Camp No. 523 on the outskirts of Litzmannstadt, German Polish Protectorate

-Rise, damned ones of the earth!

Wake up, slaves of hunger

The fire of reason burns in the crater

This will be the last cry... .

Mornings in the POW camp always started with the International Song blaring from the loudspeakers.

The Internationale, created in France in 1871 and widely called by socialists, communists, and anarchists around the world, was also the anthem of the current Soviet Union.

The prisoners who arrived at the camp were shocked and dumbfounded when they first heard the International Song.

This is because no one could have imagined that the Soviet Union's national anthem and a song praising socialism would be heard in a German concentration camp, let alone anywhere else.

However, this was a thoroughly planned action by the German military.

The German army played the Polish national anthem when waking up Polish prisoners, La Marseillaise when waking up French prisoners, and the Mameli hymn when waking up Italian prisoners.

Likewise, depending on the nationality of the prisoners, the song they listened to when waking up in the morning was different, but at the end of the day, they all listened to Horst Wessel's song.

By playing the national anthem when waking up, which is the most physically and mentally difficult time of the day, and listening to Horst Wessel's song at the end of the day, the prisoners naturally became averse to their own national anthem and developed an affinity for Horst Wessel's song. make it

This was the German military's plan: to dilute the prisoners' patriotism by making them repulsive to the country, and to make them develop friendly feelings toward Germany.

It was a plan that could be said to be childish, but in reality, the plan was not very effective.

Every time the national anthem was blared through loudspeakers, swear words naturally came out of the prisoners' mouths.

"Oh, fuck."

As soon as the chords of the International Song reached their eardrums, the prisoners reflexively got up, made up their bedding, and put on their shoes.

Three minutes after the Internationale began, guards roamed the prisoner barracks, shouting in Russian, which they had now become fluent in.

"Everyone line up!"

"Move quickly!"

Once the prisoners were lined up, the Internationale ended and the morning roll call began.

The foreman of each barracks came forward and reported the number of people in the barracks and received confirmation.

Today, a special guest came to Camp 523. Some of the visitors wore fedoras and suits, but most were wearing Wehrmacht uniforms, and the words they spoke were Russian, not German.

"Nice to meet you, gentlemen. "I am Andrei Vlasov, Chairman of the Russian People's Liberation Committee and Commander-in-Chief of the Free Russian Army."

Vlasov, who went up to the podium, looked at the prisoners who filled the parade ground and his compatriots and opened his mouth.

"There will be people who know me, and there will be people who don't know me. For those who don't know me, let me give you a brief introduction: I was a soldier in the Red Army just like you guys.

You might be wondering why I'm wearing this military uniform. "I will now explain why."

In a calm tone, Vlasov explained the atrocities committed by Stalin and the Communist Party against the Soviet people, the injustice of the war, and the process by which he converted.

About his confidence that this war would end in German victory.

"The outcome of the war has already been decided. Germany will win, and the Bolsheviks will lose. But if we are together, this war will be recorded not as Russia's defeat but as the defeat of the Bolsheviks and as the noble victory of the Russian people against communist tyranny!

All of Europe is already fighting against communism in solidarity with Germany. I'll ask you guys! Do you want to remain freedom fighters who fought for the liberation of your country? Or do you want to remain a slave to the Bolsheviks? The choice is yours, so I will not force you. But keep this one thing in mind. "The future of Russia and the future of our children will be determined by the choices you make today!"

After finishing his speech, Vlasov stepped down from the podium, and soon a middle-aged SS major walked up to the podium.

The SS major, a Volga German who had taken refuge in Germany during the Red-White Civil War, spoke Russian as fluently as he did German.

"I'll give you three minutes. Think carefully. "We can't predict when today's opportunity will come, so please think carefully."

3 minutes. That was the time of choice given to the prisoners. The prisoners looked at each other's faces. And I was worried.

If you convert, you can escape from captivity. However, he will be remembered by his comrades as a traitor who betrayed his country.

Even if you remain in the camp, nothing will change. But if the war really ends in German victory, they will remain agents of the Bolsheviks. forever.

Under Hitler's strict orders, Soviet prisoners of war were receiving humane treatment that could not even be compared to history.

As part of the policy to save food, prisoners were rationed low-quality bread containing more turnips and sawdust than flour, but it was enough to satisfy their hunger, and sausage and cheese were distributed to all prisoners once a week.

Although the work was hard and tiring, rest periods were strictly observed, and if you were injured while working, you could receive treatment from a military doctor, and you were also allowed to write letters to your family back home.

Additionally, the guards did not subject the prisoners to unreasonable violence.

Before being captured, the political officers assigned to each company had a habit of telling the soldiers that if they were captured, they would be brutally tortured, but since they knew that this was not the case, the prisoners' perception of Germany was much better than before.

The psychology of the prisoners was stimulated by the statement that if they became soldiers of the Free Russian Army, they would be treated the same way as German soldiers, since they would be treated officially as members of the German Wehrmacht rather than as prisoners of war.

"Hey, Maxim."

"why."

"What are you going to do?"

"And you?"

"I'm getting out of here. I want to go out and see the world. "Don't just shovel away on an empty day."

"You probably want to see the hem of women's skirts. "Let us speak clearly."

"Damn. Anyway, what about you? Are you going to stay here like this?"

"I am… .."

"One minute left!"

The SS Major's shout made the prisoners anxious.

Freedom or loyalty?

"Those who wish to convert, please come forward!"

When the appointed time was up, the SS Major spoke.

Eventually, the converts hesitantly came out of the ranks. And then they came forward and lined up.

Of the 637 prisoners, 198 chose to convert. The number was slightly less than one third.

"Are there any more?"

"… .."

"It's your last chance. "It's not too late, so come out quickly."

As the number of converts turned out to be more than expected, the prisoners gained confidence and left the ranks to join the procession of converts. One person, two people, three people, four people… .

A total of 294 prisoners chose to convert. The number was greater than expected by German and Free Russian Army officials.

"Woohyunwoo!" "Go forward!"

Those who chose complacency instead of change remained standing. The converts turned to the right and slowly walked away. Towards new freedom.

***

July 9, 1942

Berghof, Obersalzberg, Germany

"It's amazing that 90,000 people have already gathered. "I thought 50,000 would be the maximum."

"To be exact, the number is 91,158, Mr. President."

The Russian People's Liberation Committee was touring prisoner of war camps throughout Germany to recruit volunteers.

Perhaps because the humane treatment of prisoners in accordance with the Geneva Convention was effective, more prisoners than expected converted and chose to join the Free Russian Army.

Of course, not all members of the Free Russian Army were former Soviet prisoners of war, and in many cases, white Russians who had taken refuge in Germany and Europe joined the army, but 90% were former Soviet prisoners of war.

The vast majority of members of the Free Russian Army were from the Army, but there were also members of the Air Force and, very rarely, sailors from the Navy.

Unlike the Navy, whose numbers were so small that separate distinctions were meaningless, the number of former Air Force converts was quite large.

Inspired by this fact, the Russian People's Liberation Committee formally requested that an air force unit be created within the Free Russian Army and that aircraft be provided for its use.

"What was the opinion within the Air Force?"

I asked Goering, who was sitting across from me. Göring was twirling a glass of whiskey to melt the ice.

"Weber, Kesselring, Greime, Moulders and Gallant were in favor. He said that as long as he is confident in his skills, he has no reason to refuse."

"rest of it?"

"Sperle, Richthofen, Udet and Milch were the opposite. "Even Buch, who was in the Navy."

"The reason is? "I think there will be someone who pretends to convert and then betrays you?"

"yes. "As soon as they gave me the fighter plane, they asked me what I would do if they boarded it and flew into enemy territory."

"After hearing that, I'm worried about that. "Even if we rigorously verify your ideology, if you completely hide your true intentions, there will be no way for us to find out."

However, I can't just make fun of them when I'm missing one pilot.

If we only deploy them to defend the mainland, they will probably complain and say that we don't trust them. Still, it is better to listen to some gossip than to donate valuable fighter planes to the Soviet military.

"Do it like this. For the time being, we plan to keep them on the mainland for training purposes and select only a few to send to the front lines. Mainly reconnaissance planes and bombers. We'll take our time and watch, and if we decide we can trust it, we'll put it into action in earnest. "Not ones like Me262 or Ta152, but mainly ones like Bf109F, Fw190A or Hs123."

"There are not enough new aircraft for our pilots, so there is no need to give them to the Russians. "I will tell you well."

After asking Krause for a refill of the Einschfenner, I was reading the report compiled by Reichenau and a familiar name caught my eye.

With special notes displayed next to it.

"This… .!"