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Yugoslavia, the main culprit that started the war, was decided to disband.

Slovenia, the most industrially developed and wealthiest region in Yugoslavia, was annexed to the Third Reich, and Slovenians were given a choice.

If you want to move to Croatia or Serbia, we will support you to leave with all your belongings.

If you choose to stay, you will be granted German citizenship, but there are conditions. You must be able to speak German perfectly, and if any member of your family engages in partisan or anti-German activities, you will be deported without delay.

Croatia achieved independence, and Hungary succeeded in recovering some of the territory lost in World War I by occupying Mežimure and Baranja. In response, Pavelic showed signs of discomfort and claimed ownership, but Hungary did not even listen.

Pavelic seemed to want me to come forward and put pressure on Hungary, but I couldn't ask Hungary to give back the territory it had acquired, as it had only taken half of Transylvania in the Vienna arbitration last year.

I explained to Pavelic that Hungary had participated in the invasion of Yugoslavia and, as a result, contributed to Croatia's independence to a certain extent, so I asked Pavelic to move on from this, and asked Horthy to provide support for Croatia.

Fortunately, the Hungarian-Croatian issue was resolved as both accepted my request.

Montenegro became independent as a kingdom with the return of the Petrović Negosi royal family, who had been in exile in France.

Albania, a victim of invasion, expanded its territory by ceding part of its territory from Yugoslavia and Greece, and took over compensation to help recover from war damage.

Among the Yugoslav military prisoners captured by Germany, all prisoners except the wounded who were eligible for release were to be repatriated to Albania and used to rebuild Albania's destroyed cities.

"Thank you so, so much, Fuhrer! How should I repay this great favor? ."

In fact, it was difficult to manage the prisoners and it cost a lot of money, so I handed them over to Albania. King Jogu I was impressed, thinking that I had made that decision because I was extremely worried about Albania.

Hmm, that's embarrassing.

"Isn't Albania a friend of Germany? Let's just say it's a small consideration for a friendly country."

"From now on, Albania and Germany are one. If Germany is in crisis, Albania will definitely help Germany. "I promise with my life!"

The biggest beneficiary of the Fourth Balkan War was Bulgaria. The war ended without major damage, and in return for participating in the war, they took Macedonia from Yugoslavia and western Tricia from Greece. Not only did they recover 90% of the territory lost in World War I, but they also achieved the 'Greater Bulgaria' they so desperately wanted. could be reborn.

In terms of our country, it would be like going beyond the unification of North Korea and recovering all of Goguryeo's strongholds.

Greece lost the war, lost its territory, and was burdened with the issue of compensation, resulting in extreme social chaos.

I asked Greece for a fair price for preventing its destruction by mediating peace talks.

"No less, please allow Germany to freely use Greek ports and to establish bases for the German navy and air force in Greece in case of emergency. "Increasing chrome exports and providing duty-free benefits."

"… ..I will do that."

Surprisingly, Greece's Prime Minister Alexandros Corygis acquiesced to my request.

Was it because he predicted that even if he showed off his pride, he would eventually give in?

"But there are conditions. "Greece has made many concessions for Germany, so I think Greece has the right to make demands on Germany."

"Tell me."

"Please ensure that Germany guarantees the safety of Greece and sell German-made weapons to Greece. "If the President accepts these two conditions, I will also accept all of the President's demands."

Greece, whose army was almost completely destroyed due to defeat in the war, is very vulnerable to invasion by neighboring countries. Not only are there Bulgaria and Albania, but across the sea there is Turkey, which has the worst relationship with Greece.

If these three countries join forces to attack Greece, Greece cannot be guaranteed its survival.

Prime Minister Corygis wanted to guarantee Greece's survival in exchange for acceding to Germany's demands.

"Hmm, good. "Let's do that."

I also did not want another war to break out in the Balkans, so I accepted Prime Minister Corygis' request.

If Greece is tied to Germany at this point, not only will it be easier to advance into the Middle East, but it could also threaten the Suez Canal.

Greece's survival is guaranteed, and Germany's sphere of influence is expanded, so it's a mutually beneficial condition.

"You must keep this promise."

"Did that person just get deceived? Don't worry. "I am a person who always keeps my promises."

Finally, only Serbia remains.

It is one of the worst gangster countries that is not well known to the public, being overshadowed by the communists and the Axis powers of World War II such as Germany, Japan, and Italy.

If you look at World War I, it was caused by the Serbs' pan-Slavism and anti-Serbism, and in order to prevent the dissolution of the Yugoslavia, they invaded Croatia and Bosnia, which had declared independence, by force and massacred hundreds of thousands of people indiscriminately.

Of course, Serbs living in the area were also massacred by Croats and Bosnians, but the Serbian massacre was on a different level, so much so that it was even said that it was more cruel than Hitler's.

Not only did Serbia lose its entire coastline due to defeat in the war, but all that remained in Serbia, whose territory had shrunk compared to before World War I, was nothing but despair and evil.

I told the German residents living in Banat Province, Serbia, that I would accept them unconditionally if they wanted to immigrate to Germany, as there were concerns that Serbia would retaliate and massacre them.

In history, Hitler made Banat an autonomous province and made it a country within a country, but since the number of German residents living in Banat province was 20% and the rest were Serbs or Jews, the justification for establishing an autonomous province was weak and there was no desire to do so. There wasn't.

Therefore, the answer is to only accept applicants who want to move and then quickly withdraw.

There have been no reports of partisan activity in Serbia yet, but it will not be long before they begin their activities.

The Yugoslav Partisans led by Josip Broz Tito were inactive until the outbreak of the German-German War, but the right-wing militias, including the Chetniks, who later defected, would be different.

Prince Pavle, who had been driven out and imprisoned by his nephew, was installed as the new king of the Kingdom of Serbia.

As soon as the war broke out, the public opinion toward Petar II and government officials, who said they would not know anything and fled to Romania, was so negative that there was surprisingly little opposition to Prince Pavle becoming King of Serbia.

Now called 'Pavle I' rather than 'Prince Pavle', he attempted to restore public sentiment by announcing his intention to donate part of the royal property to the people.

At the same time, I requested Germany to repatriate the captured soldiers, and in line with this play, I repatriated the wounded soldiers of the Yugoslav Army to Serbia, and considering Serbia's economic situation devastated by the war, I also requested only a formal amount of compensation.

With the release of prisoners and compensation, Serb support for Pavle I increased slightly, and anti-German sentiment also decreased slightly.

"With this, the problem with Serbia is over. "It was a very busy month."

"Thank you for your hard work, Mr. President."

It would be nice if this was the end... .

… .But why do I keep feeling uncomfortable?

***

May 19, 1941

New Fuhrer's Residence in Berlin, Germany

No matter how long it has been since the Balkan Peninsula issue was resolved, another troublesome issue has arisen.

Russian communist friends had requested a meeting.

"Anyway, these guys always come by when others are trying to rest."

Since I had no reason to refuse, I accepted the visit from the Soviet delegation, but as I was enjoying a long-awaited break, I was not particularly pleased with their visit.

But what can you do? The position of leader in charge of a country is a very important one.

And it is impossible not to pay attention to the fact that, in addition to People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs of the Soviet Union Vyacheslav Molotov, big names known in the Soviet Union are coming to this visit to Germany, including Stalin's close friend Kliment Voroshilov and Soviet Army Chief of Staff Boris Shaposhnikov.

As a result of spending a hectic time preparing to welcome the Soviet delegation, the day of the appointment arrived.

Two and a half hours ago, it was reported that a private plane carrying the Soviet delegation had arrived at Tempelhof Airport. Ribbentrop, who was in charge of welcoming the delegation, said he would have lunch with them at the airport, so...

"Mr. President. The Soviet delegation has arrived."

… They say even tigers will come if I tell them.

Then, shall we go somewhere to meet our communist friends?

***

"Welcome to Berlin. Adolf Hitler."

I smiled and greeted Russian visitors who came into my office.

Now you can smile whenever and wherever you want, regardless of your feelings or thoughts. I guess it's an ability that comes from a long career in politics.

Voroshilov, Shaposhnikov, and Molotov all seemed a little nervous because they were in front of me. I thought they were quite strong-hearted as they were the ones who got along well under Stalin, but wasn't that true?

"Thank you for your hospitality, Mr. President."

Voroshilov, who was closest to Stalin among the three, spoke to me on behalf of the three.

I trembled jokingly as I received the awkward laughter of Shaposhnikov and Molotov, who stood on either side of him.

"What is hospitality? I wasn't able to treat them properly because I was in a hurry to prepare. "Well, how is your Secretary General Stalin?"

"Comrade Secretary General, you are doing well. Even so, the Secretary General asked me to convey this to the President."

What Voroshilov took out was a handwritten letter from Stalin.

The letter was, somewhat surprisingly, written in German. Did Stalin speak German? I haven't heard anything like that?

Perhaps he had someone who spoke German do the writing for him, or he might have copied the text written by an interpreter.

The content of the letter was uneventful.

The content of the letter expressed hope that the friendship between the Soviet Union and Germany would continue, and that the Soviet Union would be helpful to Germany, and that Germany should provide more help to the Soviet Union.

I should have noticed at this time. What will come out of these guys' mouths?

"Comrade Secretary General is very worried due to Germany's recent military actions in the Balkan Peninsula."

Voroshilov must have known that I would be uncomfortable hearing those words, and as soon as he finished speaking, he looked at me.

If you're going to be noticed, you shouldn't have said anything in the first place. What else is there to look at after doing something?

"I have a lot of worries... . "If anyone hears this, they will misunderstand that I deliberately started the war to provoke the Soviet Union."

"Ah, I absolutely did not mean that."

Voroshilov waved his hand as if embarrassed, as the smile on his face disappeared and he looked straight.

"I was just reporting the facts as they are. "Don't misunderstand."

"Isn't this event designed to promote friendly relations between the two countries? "I hope you'll be a little more careful about what you say."

Ribbentrop said: Ribbentrop also seemed quite taken aback, as if he had not expected such a statement to come from the mouth of the Soviet delegation.

But the Soviet delegation's remarks had only just begun. There was still something real left.

"Comrade Secretary General would like to know what Germany thinks about the Soviet Union's plans to advance into Iran, Afghanistan, the Arabian Peninsula, the Indian Ocean, and the Balkan Peninsula."

As soon as Molotov finished speaking, the eyes of Ribbentrop, Göring, Keitel, and Leder all turned to me. Because it was a question that no one but me could hastily answer here.

I thought about Molotov's intention in asking that question. Was this an intentional provocation? Or is it a literal meaning?

There was no way Molotov, let alone anyone else, would have dared to intentionally provoke me.

If I were to become angry and leave the room, as was my opponent, that would be the end of Molotov that day. Stalin killed people by catching them like flies, even for trivial reasons, and it seemed unlikely that he would spare Molotov, who had ruined an important meeting.

Lastly, the sweat running down Molotov's forehead and nape was proof that this was not a planned provocation but a literal one.

Instead of answering the question directly, I told Molotov a 'light' joke.

"The question is very direct. "Did your chief secretary give you instructions?"

"… ..!"

"Well, that is…" ."

Molotov's face turned as white as a sheet of paper, and Voroshilov and Shaposhnikov broke into a cold sweat even though they were not the ones being questioned.

Is it because they hit the nail on the head?

"Hehe, I'm nervous. Just kidding, kidding. "I am also a perceptive person, so I know the difference between what I know and what I can say."

"Is that so… ."

"Didn't we, Germany, already occupy the Balkan Peninsula? To be honest, if your country wants to advance into the Balkan Peninsula, it will not be very welcoming."

My remarks were so blunt that the Soviet delegation immediately froze.

Ribbentrop, Göring, Keitel, and Leder, who were present, also looked embarrassed, as if they had not expected me to speak openly.

"However, unlike in the past, Germany and the Soviet Union have become a relationship that seeks to promote mutual interests. So, if your country wants to advance into the Indian Ocean, there is no reason not to support it. "Under the condition that it does not harm Germany's interests."

"In other words, it can be seen as an opinion that Germany supports the Soviet Union's expansion into the Middle East, right?"

"I think it would be okay to interpret it that way."

"also. Mr. President, you truly regard the Soviet Union as an ally. Comrade Secretary General will also be very happy."

The frozen atmosphere became cheerful as if it had never been so. At least on the outside.

Stalin seemed to have sent these three people to Berlin to gauge my intentions. I thought they were going to talk about clearly demarcating the boundaries between Germany and the Soviet Union, but nothing more was said until the end of the meeting.

From then on, the discussion continued only about what Germany wanted to hand over to the Soviet Union.

So far, Germany has handed over to the Soviet Union various machinery and optical equipment, the hull of the Atmiral Hipper-class heavy cruiser Lutzo, the blueprints of the Bismarck battleship, the Type 4 Panzer A, the PaK 36, the Fi 156 Storch reconnaissance aircraft, and 3 million tons of coal per year. I gave it,

In return, the Soviet Union received the right to use its railway network, waterways, and ports, as well as 2.2 million tons of agricultural products, 1 million tons of oil and timber, 26,000 tons of chrome, 14,000 tons of copper, and 3,000 tons of iron. tons of nickel, 500 tons of molybdenum and tungsten, and defected German Communist Party members and anti-Nazi figures.

Molotov complained that the number of reactionaries trying to sneak into Germany was increasing every day. The reactionaries mentioned by Molotov were mainly Lithuanians and Poles.

Next were Ukrainians, Latvians, Estonians, and anti-communist Russians and Belarusians.

He looked like he wanted to say that we don't catch illegal immigrants on purpose and just ignore them, but he couldn't bring himself to say it because he was in front of me, so he indirectly said that there seemed to be a lot of loopholes in Germany's border security.

Kaitel frowned at those words, and when I saw that, I sent him a signal with my eyes.

'I will take charge of this matter.'

'All right.'

"They are criminals who committed various crimes in the Soviet Union and fled out of fear of punishment. If Germany secures these new soldiers, please repatriate them to the Soviet Union without delay."

"I understand. I will issue instructions to the relevant ministries. "We will also strengthen border patrols."

"thank you. As expected, the President makes decisions very quickly."

When I accepted without any hesitation, Molotov smiled as if he was satisfied.

It's false.

Who am I to do that?

Of course, we are grateful that the Soviet Union regularly repatriates our traitors, but it would be a mistake to think that we owe it to the Soviet Union.

Just as a hunter doesn't catch a bird that flies into his arms, at least I don't betray people who say they like us.

Those of you who are daily life leaders may not understand, but we live by protecting the minimum standards of humanity.

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