190

Episode 190: Toward Victory (3)

September 2, 1942

Soviet Leningrad

After taking control of Kotlin Island, the Kryxmarine poured naval artillery fire into the Leningrad area.

The dockside defensive positions were destroyed first, followed by the Soviet defenses on the outskirts of Leningrad, destroyed by naval gunfire.

The German soldiers watched with joy, like moviegoers, as the once-iron-fortified defense line was pulverized by 38cm naval artillery shells.

The Soviets were accustomed to attacks from the Germans on the front, but the naval gunfire from the seaside on the side was beyond their expectations.

"Tank, advance!"

"Forwards the company!"

"Let's go, bastards!"

As the defense line collapsed, the German army began to advance.

The 4th Armored Group, led by the 501st and 502nd Heavy Tank Battalions, fiercely attacked the southern defense line of Leningrad and eventually succeeded in breaking through.

The surviving Soviet soldiers who survived the bombardment resisted tenaciously, but it was impossible to defend the defense line, which had been devastated by the naval gunfire, with only a small number of troops.

The Tiger deflected a series of 76mm shells and drove 88 into the anti-tank gun position, and the Salamander accompanying the Tiger poured out a stream of flames, suffocating the Soviet troops trapped in the trench.

Soviet naval sailors and ground soldiers in the trenches suffocated to death in the heat hotter than the ocean.

While the 4th Panzer Group broke through the southern defense line of Leningrad, transport ships and barges carrying German naval ground forces and army soldiers began to dock one by one at the dockside.

The buildings and defense facilities around the dock were all destroyed by naval gunfire, so the German military was able to easily take control of the dock.

***

September 3, 1942

St. Isaac's Cathedral, Leningrad, USSR

"Comrade Commander, the Germans have landed on the dockside!"

"Contact with the 9th Anti-Tank Artillery Brigade has been lost."

"The last communication has arrived from the 2nd Tank Division. Since we are surrounded by German troops and escape is impossible, all personnel under the division commander will fight with the readiness to die..."

Among the Leningrad defense lines, the only part that is intact is the northern defense line adjacent to Finland.

It was a precarious situation because a large number of troops had to be drawn from the northern defense line to fill the holes in the south and dockside.

"How about having the 11th Army, which was taken out of reserve, be deployed to the southern defense line?"

Tymoshenko shook his head in response to Vasilevsky's question.

"no. It is too early to deploy the 11th Army now. "It would be better to deploy the Naval Land Forces."

"But comrade, if we don't stop the Germans now, Leningrad is over. This means that we may not even get the opportunity to deploy the 11th Army. "It would be better to invest now-"

Vasilevsky fell silent as a loud roar sounded outside the cathedral. Dust poured from the ceiling and covered the operational map.

"Fasho bastards. "They pour it out all the time."

Govorov cursed and shook the dust off his uniform.

I felt sick, probably because I had inhaled so much dust.

Several times a day, the German army bombarded the city of Leningrad, and the frequency became more frequent after Kotlin Island fell and the docks were taken over by the German army.

Yesterday, the Badaev Warehouse, one of Leningrad's food storage facilities, was destroyed by German bombing, resulting in the loss of 3,000 tons of wheat and 2,500 tons of sugar stored in the warehouse.

After the air raid, the Soviet army and the Leningrad fire brigade worked hard to extinguish the fire in the warehouse, but not long after they began extinguishing the fire, German naval artillery fire began.

In the end, when the citizens who gave up on firefighting and evacuated to road shelters returned to the warehouse, only black ash remained.

"Comrade Marshal, here is a telegram from Stavka."

A lieutenant with a bandage on his head entered the conference room and delivered a telegram to Tymoshenko.

"What does it say, comrade?"

"······It says to return to Moscow now. "It's an order from Comrade Secretary General."

Tymoshenko said. The telegram was sent by Stalin, ordering Tymoshenko and Vasilevsky to come to Moscow.

Moscow had already accepted the fall of Leningrad as a fait accompli.

Otherwise, there would be no way to send a telegram asking them to leave Leningrad and come to Moscow.

But Govorov's name was not on the telegram. Tymoshenko and Vasilevsky hesitated, not knowing what to say to Govorov.

Rather, it was Goboroff who broke the awkward silence first.

"I have already decided to throw in my lot with Leningrad. Don't worry about me. "I will definitely protect this place from the fascists."

"I understand."

Tymoshenko nodded at Govorov's words, which seemed not only resolute but also calm.

"In return, I have a favor to ask, could you please do it?"

"Say anything. Something?"

"I hope Comrade Marshal will use his strength to ensure that my family is safe."

For him, who decided to share his fortune with Leningrad, death was not that scary.

However, regardless of his feelings about death, he still had compassion and lingering feelings for the family he would leave behind.

If he were captured by the Germans, his family would be punished for being of traitorous blood.

What happened to Vlasov's family who surrendered to the German army?

"Don't worry about that. "I will definitely protect my comrade's family."

"Thank you, comrade. "Please take care of yourself."

***

September 4, 1942

New Fuhrer's Residence in Berlin, Germany

Thanks to the activities of the Waltenflot fleet, our forces finally succeeded in setting foot in the city of Leningrad.

However, according to Lev's report, the resistance of the Leningrad defenders is still fierce, so it will likely take some time for Leningrad to completely fall.

The attacks of the Norwegian and Swedish troops tasked with attacking the northern defense line of Leningrad are not having much effect.

Still, just looking at the criminal record so far, it was encouraging enough.

In history, the German army was able to enter the city of Leningrad in just a few days, having failed to do so even after 871 days of fighting, so what other great achievement can there be like this?

In actual history, the battleship Mara, which contributed greatly to the defense of Leningrad, was sunk early and sank to the bottom of the Baltic Sea, which also had a decisive impact on the friendly forces' entry into Leningrad.

Currently, the Soviet Navy's Baltic Fleet was completely destroyed, and the remaining sailors were fighting as infantry on land.

"Mr. President, what do you plan to do about Finland's request for assistance?"

While we were actively discussing plans after occupying Leningrad, a question from Keitel suddenly struck us.

Yes, there was also the Finnish problem.

"What should I do? "I have to let them do it. Is there any other way?"

In order to teach an important lesson to Finland, which was blatantly sabotaging its efforts to capture Leningrad and Murmansk, I gave an order to redirect all of our forces deployed in the Karelia direction toward Leningrad.

He also requested the Norwegian and Swedish armies to concentrate their forces on the Leningrad front.

As both countries were dissatisfied with the Finnish military's trolling, they readily focused their efforts on the Leningrad offensive.

The Finnish military protested fiercely against this decision, but this time we ignored it.

When the war is over, we will naturally get it back, but we can't stand it anymore and the strategy itself is distorted. How can we just sit by and watch this happen?

And since the Finnish military ignored it first, we just gave it back in the same way.

In the end, the Finnish army went on the offensive alone, but was blocked by the Soviet defense line, suffered heavy losses, and withdrew to the point before the offensive.

The Finnish military, who became anxious, seemed to have forgotten the previous incident and requested support from their allies.

If the German military provides the support needed for the Karelia offensive, they will focus their efforts on the Leningrad and Murmansk offensives.

"Tell Marshal Falkenhorst. Do not grant the Finnish army's request until Leningrad and Murmansk are occupied. Only artillery fire and air support are allowed. "We are fighting to win the war, not just for Finland."

"All right."

Anyway, Finland has no other place to stick to other than Germany, so it has no choice but to stick with us.

Just like a thirsty person digging a well, the one who is disappointed is the one who bows down and goes in first.

Yugoslav partisans along the Croatian-Serbian border area were steadily expanding their scope of activity despite the Ustasha's continued subjugation.

In the end, Pavelic, perhaps thinking that it was too difficult for them to do on their own, officially requested support through the German Ambassador to Croatia.

"Himmler, when will the preparations of the Friedental Special Forces be completed?"

"The Friedental Special Forces are already awaiting instructions from His Excellency the President. If the President gives an order, we can deploy it right away. The Brandenburg Division is also ready."

The Friedental Special Forces of the 500th SS Parachute Regiment under the Waffen-SS are SS special forces established under my instructions.

The Brandenburg Division, which was expanded from the Brandenburg Regiment, was part of the Army and not the SS, but was under the jurisdiction of the Afwehr under the SD, so it actually moved under the instructions of the SS.

In addition, troops drafted from the Air Force Airborne Division were added to complete the partisan suppression unit.

They will be sent to Croatia in the near future to help our Ustasha friends crush the Partisans.

"Finally... Minister Ribbentrop, are your preparations for the meeting going well?"

***

September 6, 1942

Breslau City Hall, Germany

"It's been a while since I've seen you, Minister Ribbentrop."

"That's right, hehe."

Molotov smiled awkwardly and shook Ribbentrop's hand.

Even if you try to smile as hard as you can, your smile seems full of force. In contrast, there was no trace of awkwardness on Ribbentrop's face.

'Is that the freedom of a winner...?'

Unlike Germany, which was continuing to win the war, the Soviet Union was in desperate danger.

The Baltic states, all of Belarus, and half of Ukraine have fallen into German hands, and Leningrad, the 'city of revolution' boasting a long history and tradition, is on the verge of being captured.

The 630,000 troops under Govorov, the commander of the Leningrad Defense Command, and 300,000 Leningrad citizens who chose to remain in the city instead of fleeing remain in Leningrad and continue their desperate fight, but the fate of Leningrad is virtually sealed, with only a difference in time. .

"Since you came from far away, I wanted to show you around the city..."

"ha ha ha. I will just accept your heart. "Rather than tourism, ending this war safely and peacefully is a more urgent priority."

"Oh, it's okay."

After exchanging simple diplomatic greetings, the two got to the point without anyone else taking the lead.

Molotov was relieved that Ribbentrop looked the same as he remembered.

An ardent defender of the German-German non-aggression pact, he heard that he was enraged when the Soviet Union betrayed and attacked Germany.

However, looking at it now, it seemed clear that Ribbentrop still had regrets about the non-aggression pact.

This was a very welcome event for Molotov, who was planning to somehow persuade Germany to reach a direct contact agreement.

If you do this well, negotiation might become easier.

"Comrade Secretary General said that this war, which was caused by a misunderstanding between the two countries, brought only great disaster to both the Soviet Union and Germany."

"okay."

Ribbentrop clicked his tongue inwardly at Molotov's words, but drank his coffee without showing it.

It's shameless. The things that started the war in the first place were the war stories created by misunderstandings.

"Comrade Secretary General expressed deep regret over this and urged me to quickly end this war, which is of no help to both countries."

"Ah, is it possible?"

"Of course, I have no intention of saying let's end the war immediately without any conditions. First, the Minister will tell us about Germany's demands."

Ribbentrop cleared his throat and spoke about Germany's demands that he had memorized.

"Your Excellency the President has requested that you cede Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia and formally recognize the independence of these countries."

"Now, wait a minute. "What did you say?"

Molotov's face was filled with embarrassment after hearing Ribbentrop's words. As if he had heard something he shouldn't have heard.

"Did you just say Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia?"

"yes. Is that so?"

The Baltic countries, Belarus, and Ukraine were within the expected range. I was already prepared to give up these things.

But it wasn't Caucasus. Molotov was seriously embarrassed by the unexpected request.

"Well, just keep talking."

Although he belatedly feigned composure, it was as if he had already shown his true intentions, so there was no use in maintaining his composure now.

Ribbentrop suppressed a sneer and continued speaking.

"Secondly, the Soviet Union will supply the same minerals, oil, lumber, and agricultural products to Germany after the war that it provided to Germany before the war. This includes the right to use the Soviet Union's railway network, waterways, ports, and transit through its territory.

Thirdly, the Soviet Union will pay compensation of 30 billion marks in gold over 20 years as an expression of apology for causing the war."

In addition, Germany demanded that the Soviet Union pay compensation to Finland and return all stolen territory, immediately release all prisoners of war, and release those imprisoned in the Gulag among the members of the countries ceded to Germany.

"-That is all."

"······."

Molotov felt as if he had been hit on the head with a hammer, or rather several times.

Although some of Germany's demands were acceptable, many were difficult for the Soviet Union to accept.

"I'm sorry, but it's a little difficult to accept the conditions you mentioned."

"no. "Why?"

"I don't know about the ceding of the Baltic countries, Belarus, and Ukraine, but there is no way Comrade Secretary General would approve of ceding even the Caucasus to Germany."

It is painful to hand over Ukraine, a breadbasket, to Germany, but if the Caucasus, a treasure trove of resources, is also given to Germany, the Soviet Union will now be reduced to having to rely on oil imports.

There are oil fields in Siberia and Central Asia, but they do not reach the level produced in the Caucasus.

Therefore, for the Soviet Union, the Caucasus was a place that must be protected at all costs.

Ribbentrop did not know that either, so Molotov's reaction was not incomprehensible.

At the same time, he tended to think that the Baltic countries, Belarus, and Ukraine were sufficient, so he also thought that asking for the Caucasus was somewhat excessive.

However, he was now here representing the Third Reich, and the Fuhrer strongly ordered him to make the Soviet Union pay for starting the war.

Therefore, Ribbentrop completely hid his personal thoughts and negotiated solely according to the will of the Fuhrer.

"Instead, we, Germany, also plan to return to the Soviet Union all currently occupied Russian territories such as Smolensk, Belukye Luki, Pskov, and Leningrad. Considering that, it would not be a bad condition for the Soviet Union."

"······No matter how much you think about it, Caucasus is impossible. Comrade Secretary General will not accept it."

The air inside the conference hall instantly froze