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January 26, 1949
Washington DC White House, USA
"Thank you for your hard work, Minister."
Dewey greeted Marshall with a smile when he returned from China. After learning of Marshall's flirtatious and stubborn personality, he always called him Minister.
"So, have you had any success in China?"
"Unfortunately, Chiang Kai-shek had no intention of listening to us."
Marshall shook his head, and Dewey stopped bringing the coffee to his mouth.
"So you're saying that you are absolutely trying to attack Mongolia?"
"yes. That's how it looked to me."
Marshall stirred the coffee with a spoon to help the sugar cubes dissolve, creating small swirls on the surface. The coffee was bitter and sweet. The first sip was so hot it almost burned my tongue.
Dewey had a worried face. I thought he would understand if I sent Marshall directly to warn him.
"Maybe this would be good?"
"I am offended, but there is currently no clear solution."
Marshall shook his head excitedly.
We considered notifying the Soviet Union of this fact in advance, but this could have caused an unexpected situation.
If China, which has judged that the United States only sides with the Soviet Union, joins Germany, it will be very difficult.
If China, with a population of over 500 million people, becomes a stepping stone for Germany's advance into Asia or if it confronts the United States in earnest with Germany's back, the United States will have to deal with formidable countries such as Germany and China on both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
Marshall's worst-case scenario is that Germany and China join hands and enter a state of war with the United States.
China's military power cannot be overestimated, but through the war, it has made great progress compared to before, and its population of over 500 million cannot be ignored. In addition, India is also on Germany's side.
If Germany's technological prowess, the national power of all of Europe, and the populations of China and India are added to this, the United States will face the worst crisis since the US-British War.
'I won't go there, but... … .'
Still, Hitler did not seem to have any intention of going to war with the United States, and Chiang Kai-shek was also in a position to depend on American aid for a while, so he would not make the worst move of war with the United States.
Although Chiang Kai-shek is a reckless and greedy person, he is not so stupid that he cannot even discern the slightest sense of self-interest.
If that had been the case, I wouldn't have been able to get to where I am now. Or, they would have signed a peace treaty with Japan long ago and stayed out of the war.
I have nothing to hope for as long as I don't show that damn greed for territory, so why can't I do that?
The fact that Chiang Kai-shek, like other Chinese people, was a Sinocentrist caused great trouble in the United States.
***
January 27, 1949
Presidential Office, Nanjing, China
"I heard you called me, Mr. President."
"Please sit down."
Falkenhausen felt that the air was different from usual.
After Marshall came and went, Chiang Kai-shek was always in a low mood. Whether he was working, eating, or taking a walk, he always had a worried look on his face.
It's probably about Mongolia. Falkenhausen guessed about Chiang Kai-shek's concerns. In common sense, no other concerns other than Mongolia came to mind.
The United States would most likely have opposed Chiang Kai-shek's plan to conquer Mongolia, and Chiang Kai-shek must be in a lot of trouble by now. Since the United States, the largest supplier, opposed it, it would be difficult to ignore his words.
Now, China is barely feeding its starving people with flour and corn brought in by Americans, and is building factories with loans lent by the United States.
Falkenhausen was hopeful that Chiang Kai-shek might give up the Mongol conquest. With the United States so vehemently opposed, could even he, the ruler of the Central Plains, have any choice?
However, the words that came out of Chiang Kai-shek's mouth were 180 degrees different from Falkenhausen's expectations.
"Marshal, I think we need to hurry up the war."
"yes?"
I asked back without realizing it, but Falkenhausen knew what Chiang Kai-shek wanted to say.
In the end, he had no intention of giving up the war.
Chiang Kai-shek was determined to take control of Mongolia.
"The Americans may have informed the Russian communists about our plans. I think you'll have a better chance of winning if you raise an army as quickly as possible before they do anything. "Aren't our military's preparations already in the final stages?"
"Yes, that's right."
"Then, it won't be a problem. If we occupy Mongolia before they decide what to do, the United States will eventually have no choice but to recognize us. The communists will go crazy, but as long as Germany is in front of them, they won't be able to do anything. "We won't be able to aid Germany's invasion just because of Mongolia."
"That's true, but… … ."
Falkenhausen hesitated. Should I ask him to consider it one more time now?
However, Falkenhausen quickly shook his head. The United States also failed to persuade, and even if he was against it, there was no way Chiang Kai-shek would reconsider his decision now.
He truly believed that China could win the war.
"Maybe there's no need to even use the word war. "Can a Mongolian army that barely rides horses be a match for the National Revolutionary Army, which developed its strength and spirit by fighting the Japanese army?"
For this conquest of Mongolia, a large number of elite divisions with combat experience and armed with American and German equipment were scheduled to be deployed.
All of the best soldiers gathered from all over China were sent to the Mongolian front. Because of this, Chiang Kai-shek had more confidence in victory than ever before.
All he cares about is the nagging from the White House.
But the United States will never be able to give up on China. Who could give up on this huge market with the world's largest population?
No matter what they say right now, they will eventually admit that Mongolia is Chinese territory.
"And we have an enemy in China, and we have equipment made by the Americans and Germans that boasts the world's best quality and performance, so how can we lose?"
"… … "I do my best."
"Thank you, Marshal. "I will trust only my enemies."
It was as if the die had already been cast.
Falkenhausen's next task was not to persuade Chiang Kai-shek to prevent war, but to desperately lead the army and end the war with China's victory as quickly as possible.
It won't be easy, but it had to be done. To prevent a second tribulation from occurring in this country.
"For the great victory of China."
"Sieg Heil."
***
January 30, 1949
New Fuhrer's Residence in Berlin, Germany
"Mr. President! "Mr. President!"
"What a fuss from Sunday morning-"
"China."
At Ribbentrop's first words, I put down my spoon. In front of me, Biersuppe (beer soup) was spewing out warm steam into the air.
"China attacked Mongolia."
Chiang Kai-shek desperately started a war.
"America."
"yes?"
"What about America? And the Soviet Union? How did the two countries react?"
"The United States is not moving. The Soviet Union immediately issued a condemnation statement to the Chinese government and demanded the withdrawal of troops from Mongolia."
"And Chiang Kai-shek ignored it?"
Ribbentrop nodded.
"yes. It seems that President Chiang Kai-shek has decided to ignore the Soviet Union's protests."
"Falkenhausen must have a lot to worry about."
As expected, the Soviet Union was upset, and the United States was still silent.
"Let us remain silent until the United States reacts first. "If we move hastily and the United States misunderstands that we instigated China to attack Mongolia, it will be a headache."
"I understand, Mr. President."
I turned my head and ate the beer soup. It tasted warm and soft.
After a simple breakfast of bierjuppe and boiled potatoes, I opened the window and took in the view of Berlin.
The streets are full of people going out, police directing traffic, and elderly people dozing off on benches.
Sunday morning in Berlin was as peaceful as usual, so it was difficult to realize that war was raging in the Far East.
***
China did not separately declare war on Mongolia.
There were reasons for the surprise attack, but the biggest reason was that China did not acknowledge the existence of the Mongolian People's Republic.
To the Kuomintang's China, the Mongolian government was nothing more than a puppet government established on land stolen from China by the Soviet Union. Therefore, China declared war on Mongolia without declaring war on the grounds that a declaration of war, which is only effective between countries, is not necessary against Mongolia, which is a puppet government. Attacked.
"Forward forward!"
"Sons of Jungwon! Victory is calling us!"
The National Revolutionary Army, riding on Sherman tanks provided by the United States to fight the Japanese army, crossed the border with great vigor.
The Mongolian People's Army deployed on the Sino-Mongolian border resisted with machine guns. Just as the National Revolutionary Army once fought against the Japanese army advancing south.
-Quaang!
"Suppress the enemy machine gun position!"
"Okay, keep moving forward!"
And the National Revolutionary Army, like the Japanese army, laughed at the enemy's resistance and returned fire with tank guns.
The Mongolian cavalry, which attempted a counterattack with drawn swords, was instantly destroyed by a barrage of shells and bullets fired from the chariots.
Occasionally, surprise attacks were made on infantry units without tanks or armored vehicles or supply units in the rear, which resulted in some success, but it was not enough to affect the outcome of the war.
Ten years ago, in the Battle of Khalkhin Gol, the Mongolian cavalry was active against the Kwantung Army, but 10 years later, today's battlefield has changed too much for cavalry to be active.
The National Revolutionary Army accelerated its advance past the dead bodies of the Mongolian soldiers scattered across the field.
"The war is going very smoothly!"
"I'll get to Ulaanbaatar in no time!"
The leadership of the National Revolutionary Army burst into laughter upon hearing the news that the Mongolian army had failed to put up any resistance and had retreated, and that our army was continuing to advance.
"As the Chairman said, the war may end soon."
Sun Liren was one of the few great generals of the National Revolutionary Army recognized by Falkenhausen.
Sun Liren, who led the National Revolutionary Army and fought against the Japanese army in various parts of China and Burma, was praised by newspapers as the Rommel of the Far East, and living up to his nickname, Sun Liren fought like a lion.
He, too, began to look at the war situation optimistically as reports of victory began to come in.
Only Falkenhausen assessed the war situation calmly.
"The war began today. Please keep that in mind. And behind Mongolia is the Soviet Union."
"Uhm… … ."
Sun Liren, embarrassed by Falkenhausen's criticism, took off his military cap and scratched the top of his head. Nevertheless, he still maintained an optimistic outlook.
"But what… … Won't it be over soon? Even the Soviet Union would not be able to move its troops carelessly with Germany in front of it."
"I hope so."
It was not incomprehensible that the generals were so optimistic about the war situation.
The National Revolutionary Army inflicted greater damage on the enemy with much less damage than originally expected, and the Air Force also achieved results that exceeded expectations.
The fact that most of Mongolia's territory was flat without any obstacles was a great help to the National Revolutionary Army's advance. In addition, Mongolia's total population was less than 1 million people, and its army was much smaller than that.
The Mongolian army, which was small in number and lacking in equipment, was as different from the National Revolutionary Army as adults and children.
Falkenhausen also wasn't worried about the Mongolian army. What he was worried about was the Soviet army, not the Mongolian army.
Although it is undervalued due to the memory of being defeated by Germany and fleeing to the Ural Mountains, in Falkenhausen's view, the Soviet army was still one of the strongest forces in the world.
If the Soviet army had really been a ragtag mess, the Soviet Union would have been pushed beyond the Ural Mountains in 1942 or 1943 without even having to wait until 1944.
And the various equipment developed by the Soviet Union during the war surprised even the German military.
As Sun Liren said, there was nothing to hope for if they failed to intervene and only made threats to keep Germany in check, but the possibility of that happening was small.
For the Soviet Union, which had lost Europe and Central Asia and was left with only Siberia, Mongolia was the last hand it could never give up.
***
"Has there been no response from Chiang Kai-shek yet?"
"Yeah, that's right…" … ."
Hearing Litvinov's words, Voroshilov brushed his hair.
Even in the Soviet Union, which remained a shell after Stalin's death, someone was needed to serve as secretary-general.
Voroshilov, who was close to Stalin during his lifetime, succeeded Stalin and became general secretary.
Although I unexpectedly became the highest authority in the Soviet Union, I did not feel particularly happy or thrilled.
After being kicked out of Europe and the country being torn apart, with only Siberia remaining, the Soviet Union was all that remained.
In any case, Voroshilov, who became General Secretary, did everything he could to maintain the shell of the Soviet Union.
First, they released a large number of prisoners imprisoned in the Gulag to appease public sentiment and ease the reign of terror, and requested food, medicine, and machinery from the United States.
Regardless of Americans' anti-communist tendencies, Dewey, like Roosevelt and Wallace, acknowledged that the existence of the Soviet Union was essential to stop Germany and provided the necessary support to the Soviet Union.
However, unlike Roosevelt, Dewey never provided free aid to the Soviet Union.
The Soviet Union sent as much of its own lumber, minerals, and gold bars to the U.S. as aid from the U.S., and leased ports and bases in the Far East indefinitely for U.S. military use.
From the Soviet Union's point of view, it was truly a blow to their pride, but in the face of survival, their humble pride had to be put aside for a moment.
If Hitler had changed his mind right away and started the tanks, the Soviet Union would have been pushed all the way to Lake Baikal.
For this reason, the capital of the Soviet Union was decided to be Irkutsk. Now that Europe had passed over and Central Asia had become independent, it was too dangerous to make Omsk the capital of the Soviet Union.
It was within the range of German bombers, and if Germany came straight to Omsk via Kazakhstan, there was no way for the Soviet Union to stop it.
Although Kazakhstan is nominally a neutral country, considering that it gained independence with the support of Germany, Kazakhstan's participation in the war in the event of a recurrence of the German-Soviet war had to be accepted as a fait accompli.
Therefore, Voroshilov recommended Irkutsk as the new capital, and all unanimously agreed that Irkutsk, located in the middle of Siberia, became the capital of the Soviet Union.
The Soviet Union reacted sensitively to China's invasion of Mongolia partly because Mongolia was the Soviet Union's homeland, but also because the Mongolian border was not far from Irkutsk.
If China, which swallowed up Mongolia, decides to change its mind, or if Hitler persuades Chiang Kai-shek to share the Soviet Union, the Soviet Union will not be able to avoid destruction that day.
That is why Voroshilov could never back down. Just as teeth become cold without lips, if Mongolia, which served as a shield for the Soviet Union, disappeared, the next thing to fall would be the Soviet Union.
"Comrade Litvinov. Please tell this to Chiang Kai-shek. "If the Chinese military does not withdraw from the Mongolian border within three hours, the Soviet Union government will have no choice but to take legal action."
"I understand, comrade."