175

Episode 175: Time between dogs and wolves (1)

July 30, 1942

10 Downing Street, London, England

"Until now, Hitler, he has run wild as he pleases, but he will not be able to do so anymore."

Deputy Prime Minister Attlee and Foreign Secretary Eden nodded at Churchill's confident answer.

"This is an opportunity given by heaven for the British Empire. It's God's will to destroy that bastard Hitler and his gang of Nazis and keep peace in Europe.

"If this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity is missed, the British Empire and Europe will have no future."

Public opinion, which had been worsening due to the Soviet spy incident, gradually turned around due to the Belfast incident and was now calling for punishment against Germany.

However, the elements of anxiety had not completely disappeared, and anti-war activists were still protesting and raising questions to focus on the war with Japan.

Not only the Conservative Party but also some Labor Party members reacted skeptically about participating in the war, and there was a lot of noise even within the military.

I understand what you are saying about the need to put the brakes on Germany before it becomes stronger.

If Germany really defeats the Soviet Union, there will be no country left in Europe to help Britain and stop Germany.

The problem was that even though Germany was strong, it was still too strong, making it difficult to guarantee victory as before.

Even when France was in good shape, it was broken like a dog, so would it have any chance of winning against Germany, who was much stronger and bigger than before?

These doubts and the fear of the aftermath of defeat made even those who rationally believed that Germany's expansion should be prevented from participating in the war.

Churchill did not simply ignore all worries and concerns. It's not like he doesn't have a point, and even he himself had the same concerns.

But Churchill was different.

He was more afraid of what would happen if he left Germany unchecked rather than wondering whether the war was likely to be won or worried about the aftermath.

When have you ever seen Hitler keep his promises?

Starting with the Rhineland, Hitler had engulfed Austria, the Sudetenland, and the Czech Republic, and eventually invaded Poland, starting the second world war.

What are the chances that Hitler would keep the treaty?

I've broken many promises even before I gained proper strength, but what if I still have the strength?

Churchill's logic was simple.

If we only believe in the treaty and leave Germany alone, Hitler will definitely try to make Britain a vassal state, and by then it will be too late to fight Germany.

There is a better chance of winning if Germany fights when it is a little less strong and its defenses on the Western Front are weak due to fighting the Soviet Union.

When the opportunity comes, you have to push for it right away. If you stay idle any longer, it will be neither porridge nor rice.

"At the moment, Germany's attention is entirely focused on the Russian battlefield. "The German divisions stationed in France are mostly new divisions made up of reservists and new recruits, and their combat power is only second-rate at best."

Churchill was only half right.

It is true that the vast majority of German divisions stationed in France are newly established divisions, but Field Marshal Rundstedt trains them thoroughly and deploys evenly selected, elite units at key points along the French coast where the enemy army is expected to land. Even attention to detail was visible.

Above all, the combat power of the British army was no better than that of the German army.

The British Army, which suffered a broken spine at Dunkirk, dispatched most of its main force to the Indo-Burma front in the subsequent Pacific War, and as a result, most of the troops stationed in the British mainland, except for a small number of elite divisions, were made up of new recruits and reservists. It was.

The situation of the armies of the Commonwealth and Allies was no different. The armies of the Free French, Polish, and Czechoslovak governments in exile had high morale, but were small in size and had little combat experience.

There were many unsettling aspects, but Churchill still thought it was worth giving it a try.

Right now, the main force of the German army is stranded on the Eastern Front, and the only German troops stationed in France are second-tier units.

The British and their allies outnumbered the French garrison.

The story would be different if expanded to include all German forces and all Axis forces, but Churchill's calculations only included German troops stationed in France.

Not only was the British army superior in numbers, but it also made great strides in quality.

After being humiliated by the German Air Force in the skies over France, Britain developed the Spitfire Mk.V with utmost determination and the DH-98 Mosquito, which was a bomber but capable of reaching fighter-level speeds.

The Army worked just as hard as the Air Force and developed the Churchill infantry tank, which was more powerful than the Panzer 4.

Although Tank 4 is still superior in terms of firepower, the Churchill's frontal armor is 100 mm, the same as that of the Tiger, and the sides are 76 mm for both the turret and hull, so it is predicted that it will not be easily defeated as it is far superior to Tank 4.

The US donated 1,800 M4 Sherman tanks, which had equivalent performance to the 4th Panzer, so there was no shortage of tanks.

In the case of the Navy, although it wreaked havoc throughout Norway and a considerable number were called to the Indian and Pacific Oceans, it was still evaluated as being one step above the German Navy.

Although I was very concerned about the number of battleships Germany had, if Britain was above Germany in terms of the size and skill of its navy, it would not be pushed back.

"What is America's reaction?"

As Churchill went on a tirade about why Britain had no choice but to enter the war, Attlee quietly raised his hand.

Like Churchill, he was also a politician who thought it was right to enter the war as quickly as possible to prevent Germany from conquering the world.

However, apart from his ideals, he knew how to view reality at least more calmly than Churchill.

Churchill gave Attlee a disapproving look, as if he had asked a question that was pointless, but he obediently answered his question.

"Unfortunately, it will be difficult for the United States to enter the war right away."

In a phone call with Roosevelt, Churchill secretly asked him whether he would be willing to participate in the war.

However, Roosevelt responded that it would be difficult to participate in the war because of public opinion.

It was said that it was impossible without German troops landing in Britain or Germany directly attacking the United States.

"Don't worry though. President Roosevelt promised to provide all the supplies Britain needed, including food, fuel, and weapons. Therefore, our soldiers will not fight throwing bricks because they are short of bullets."

Churchill told a joke of his own to lighten the tense atmosphere, but it was not easy to lighten the mood.

The mere fact that the United States was not participating in the war made the air inside the conference room even heavier.

"It would be great if the United States participated in the war, but it is already too early to be discouraged. Right now, the UK and the Commonwealth alone have millions of soldiers and allied governments that share our views. On the other hand, Germany's reign of terror led by guns and swords is causing a lot of resentment in the Czech Republic, Poland, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and the Balkans.

General de Gaulle of Free France assured me that when the Allied forces landed in France, the French people who were resisting Nazi oppression would rise up and join the Allied forces. The governments in exile in Belgium and the Netherlands also said their citizens were resisting the German invaders. "What about Czechoslovakia and the Polish government-in-exile?"

According to Churchill, if the Allied forces succeeded in landing, the French would voluntarily revolt and drive them out of French soil, and citizens in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg, stimulated by the French uprising, would all revolt.

If they succeed in recapturing France, Spain, isolated and disconnected from Germany, will compromise with Britain to find its own way, and Portugal, which has historically been an ally of Britain for a long time, and Italy and Greece, which have been holding their breath under pressure from Germany, will immediately be defeated by Britain. We will join hands and form a front against Germany.

There is no need to worry about Germany's allies, such as Denmark, Norway, and Hungary, as they are far away and their military is of little use.

Even if the Allied forces go as far as the Rhine River, it is clear that they will choose compromise for their own survival rather than saving Berlin, which is on the verge of collapse.

It was at the level where the happiness circuit burned and exploded, but it may have been a necessary virtue in order to commit an act that was not usually crazy, such as going to war with Germany.

A normal person would not bet on a gamble where the risk of failure is too high and the probability of success is slim.

"Even when Napoleon was on the verge of swallowing up all of Europe, our ancestors fought steadfastly and maintained peace in this country and Europe. Would the British Empire have been created if our ancestors had submitted to Napoleon and been content with life as French servants?

In the distant future, our descendants will say the same thing. "Thanks to our ancestors' courageous fight against Hitler and the Nazis, the Union Jack can still be flown all over the world."

There was only one bright future that Churchill had in mind. The Union Jack proudly flies in cities across Europe. That was the brilliant and beautiful future that Churchill hoped for.

He was confident that he would endure any hardships in order to create a united Europe under the Union Jack.

And he earnestly hoped that the people would endure hardships as he deserved.

"Although there will be many hardships and sacrifices, in the end, as always, the British Empire will win the war. Hitler and the Nazis will be defeated, and 20, or even 10 years from now, there will be no place in Europe where the Union Jack is not waving."

Churchill spoke with joy as if he had already won the war, but the attendees gave applause and support while giving anxious looks. In the end, they too were people who thought that a Europe without the British Empire was not Europe.

***

Despite being asked if it was too early, de Gaulle steadfastly popped the champagne.

We've been through enough gloomy days so far, so shouldn't we at least hear a toast today?

"From today, France will come back to life. "Because we will breathe life back into it."

De Gaulle, holding a glass of champagne, gave a speech in front of his subordinates.

De Gaulle's words were like a revelation from God to them, who had turned their backs on their hometown and continued to live a miserable life as exiles in London.

"Prime Minister Churchill confirmed that British and French troops would land in France before the end of August."

"Oooh!"

"at las!"

As the time to retake the mainland they had dreamed of approached, the officers of the Free French Army could not contain their excitement.

The battle to recapture the mainland, which we have been waiting for for the past two years, is finally one step closer.

How long I have waited for this day to come!

De Gaulle often paused while speaking because he could not control his emotions. When the long-awaited time for revenge arrived, his emotions were overflowing.

"There were many hardships to get to this day. We had no choice but to watch our compatriots suffer from Nazi oppression, and each time we had to blame ourselves for our helplessness. But not anymore. "When the war starts, we will return to France."

80% of the resistance organizations fighting against the German army in France were communists under Moscow's instructions.

They faithfully followed Moscow's instructions to comply with the German occupation forces and not resist them until the outbreak of the German-German War, but with the outbreak of the war, they took up arms and began fighting against the German army.

Not for the sake of their country, France, but to follow the orders given by the one god they follow.

Therefore, the Communist-affiliated Resistance and the right-wing Resistance did not get along well even though they were all French.

However, even these communist parties agreed that for the liberation of France, ideological differences must be put aside and cooperation must be done.

The Soviet Union, which they believed in, is in a hurry to take care of itself, and Germany is on the rise.

Even the vast majority of the French people did not pay attention to resistance activities, and in a situation where they gave absolute loyalty and support to the Pétain regime, the only place they could rely on was the exile government in London.

The atmosphere became even more heated when it was said that even the Communist Resistance expressed its intention to fully cooperate with the Free French Army's operations.

The energetic young officers were chanting his name and shaking their clenched hands up and down even before De Gaulle's speech was over.

"De Gaulle! De Gaulle! De Gaulle!"

"Long live De Gaulle! Long live France!"

De Gaulle raised the glass in his hand. As he raised his glass, his subordinates also raised their hands in unison.

"Then let's toast. Vive la France (Long live France)."

"Viva France!"

It was not only the Free French government that shouted hurray.

The exile governments of countries that lost their homelands to Germany and had to move to London - Czechoslovakia, Poland, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg - also toasted, albeit in a small way.

The coming war,

Looking forward to the liberation of our country that will come soon.

***

July 31, 1942

Palace of Versailles, Paris, France

"It looks like England has really decided on war."

"But my Gestapo friends say I heard that the British ambassador has been nervous recently. "I sent my family back to England a long time ago."

"Whoa… .."

The old enemy sighed and sank into the leather chair.

"You damn bastards. After what happened two years ago, they are trying to start a war again. I don't understand. Don't they see what the Soviets are like now?"

Rundstedt was genuinely doubtful.

What exactly is the intention of starting a war when you clearly know what kind of situation the Soviet Union is in? Is this a new type of suicide law?

"Maybe it's because you miss the taste of my sticky hands."

Rommel, wearing a senior commander's epaulettes on both shoulders, joked. He stirred the cream and sugar cubes into the coffee, creating a small swirl.

When the German-German War broke out, Rommel thought that he would soon be fighting against the Russians on the Eastern Front, but the order Hitler gave him was to transfer to the Western Front.

Deputy Commander of the Western Front. That was Rommel's new title, and he left for France not knowing whether to cry or laugh.

Rommel thought that the Führer had given him this important position because he trusted him, but he was very disappointed that he was not given the opportunity to play an active role in the battlefield.

Rommel's wife, Lucie, was happy that her husband would not have to go to a dangerous battlefield.

Anyway, the mission given to him upon arriving in France was simple and clear.

Strengthen the coastal defenses of Northern France in preparation for the Allied landings and develop new divisions.

Rommel, who was an expert in infantry tactics, followed the orders of the Fuhrer and transformed young chicks in military uniforms into men who could be put into combat immediately.

In his spare time, he also studied armored tactics, and at constant requests to Berlin, deployed a small number of Panthers and Tigers.

And together with Rundstedt, he personally toured the area where the Allied forces were expected to land, supervised the construction of defensive lines, and engaged in a war of words over the deployment of armored units.

Rommel insisted that the armored forces be deployed close to the coast so that they could counterattack as soon as the enemy landed on the coast, while Rundstedt, on the other hand, argued that they should be deployed in the rear, far from the coast.

They say that if armored units are deployed close to the coast, there is a risk of great damage from the firepower of the Allied Navy and Air Force.

The conflict between the two, which ran parallel paths, ended with Rommel's victory when Hitler sided with Rommel.

In this way, Rommel concentrated his armored units near the coast to prepare for the Allied landings in case of emergency.

"The French will not be of much help. "The equipment is poor, the numbers are small, and morale cannot be expected."

"I agree."

Among the French army, the elite units had long since left for the Eastern Front, and the units remaining in mainland France were all second- and third-class units with one or two screws missing.

Of course, it was unreasonable to expect proper combat power from them.

No, it was fortunate if I went beyond fighting properly and did not join the enemy Allied Forces.

The two agreed on this point and agreed to deploy French troops to the Spanish border and southern France.

"Today's meeting ends here. "What is your schedule for tomorrow?"

"I plan to enjoy a picnic in Normandy with my staff. "What about Your Excellency?"

"I have decided to have lunch with Prime Minister Laval tomorrow."

······however

Their schedule never went as planned.

Because the war broke out the very next day.