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January 1, 1945
Allied Supreme Headquarters in Tokyo, Japan
The eventful year of 1944 ended and a new year began.
A year ago, the war had not yet ended, so the New Year was less exciting. But this year was different.
The faces of the soldiers welcoming the new year were overflowing with joy and excitement.
Although they could not spend quality time with their families and lovers in their hometowns and celebrated the New Year by gathering with sweaty men, the soldiers were very happy just because they no longer had to worry about dying.
Most of the soldiers who had previously enlisted and fought in the battlefield, rather than those who had just enlisted, would be discharged within this year and return to their hometowns.
The difficult war is over, so what's the big deal about spending the New Year in Japan? If you survive, that's fine!
MacArthur, who saw a large sign that said Happy New Year, smiled faintly and walked toward his office.
"aide. Bring me some coffee. Very hot."
"Yes, Your Excellency."
The United States, which toppled Hirohito from his position as emperor and put him on trial, deployed as many as 400,000 U.S. troops throughout Japan out of concern for strong opposition from the Japanese people.
If you include the Commonwealth Army, National Revolutionary Army, French Army, and Dutch Army in addition to the U.S. Army, the number was close to 500,000.
However, when there were no signs of protests, let alone rebellions, the United States was embarrassed.
Is this Japan? How could Japan, who shocked the Allied Forces by refusing to surrender, committing seppuku when they were taken prisoner, or using unheard-of tactics called kamikaze, actually be so calm?
Of course, there were no protests against dethroning Hirohito and putting him on trial.
Tens of thousands of letters poured in from lower-ranking officers and officials who were excluded from arrest, denouncing themselves for failing to protect His Majesty the Emperor, and appealing to MacArthur for the unfairness of the trial and for leniency toward the Emperor.
MacArthur himself did not like the government's policy because he preferred to keep the Emperor alive and use him as a puppet rather than to execute him, but he did not think it was a completely wrong decision.
If you start a war, you must take responsibility for it.
The conditions that Japan initially set were the maintenance of the emperor system, so it was not a violation of the promise.
No provision for exemption from punishment for Emperor Hirohito was found anywhere in Japan's terms of surrender.
Therefore, whether it sentenced Hirohito to death or sentenced him to life imprisonment and imprisoned him for the rest of his life, the United States kept its promise as long as the emperor system was maintained in Japan.
Japan also knows this, so instead of active resistance such as rebellion, it uses passive methods such as seppuku or suicide.
Of course, the United States would not withdraw its punishment of Hirohito just because a few Japanese people died.
220,000 young Americans lost their lives to force Japan's surrender. If you include the injured and missing, the number increases.
But after coming all the way here, Hirohito is released in a show of mass suicide by the Japanese? Not only would it be impossible based on common sense, but if such a thing were to be done, the White House would be set on fire by angry citizens.
When MacArthur learned what percentage of all U.S. citizens supported the question of whether the indictment of Hirohito was right, he no longer kept his mouth shut about Hirohito.
Aiming to become the owner of the White House as his ultimate goal in life, he was careful in his every word.
If you say that Hirohito should be saved and then incur public opposition, you will only lose yourself.
What kind of people would vote for someone who made remarks that went against their sentiments?
Although there was still a long way to go before running for president, it was necessary to pay attention to image management from now on.
MacArthur, who led the Pacific War to victory, was currently receiving widespread support from Americans.
The Navy was very angry with MacArthur, who took the credit for them and virtually monopolized the attention of the media and the public, and chewed hard whenever they had the chance, but MacArthur did not care.
He was already used to the Navy seals being jealous of him as a soldier. If you want to be jealous, feel free to be jealous.
In terms of ability, Leahy and Nimitz were no match for MacArthur, but the two lacked impact.
On the other hand, MacArthur, who was good at media play, actively promoted his struggles in the Philippines, holding the New Guinea defense line, recapturing the Philippines, and ultimately accepting Japan's surrender using the media, and imprinted the name MacArthur on the public. I succeeded in doing it.
On the other hand, Eisenhower, who had political ambitions like MacArthur, was virtually forgotten by Americans.
The European front, which he commanded, ended with an unfavorable result for the United States: a complete victory over Germany despite the struggles of the U.S. military.
Naturally, Eisenhower, who was the best commander on the European front, was stigmatized by the public as a loser. The public did not know how much effort he had made and what kind of mental suffering he had gone through.
Anyway, people don't know about things that don't interest them, and they don't want to know.
"Ike. "You seem like a poor friend."
MacArthur thought quietly as he lit a cigar with a Zippo lighter.
MacArthur was not pleased that Eisenhower was less popular among the public compared to his abilities and that he was even perceived as an incompetent soldier.
MacArthur, who had watched Eisenhower as his adjutant for a long time, knew that Eisenhower was a very capable soldier, contrary to the public perception (although Eisenhower was fed up with having to continue to be MacArthur's adjutant).
It's just that the opponent was too strong.
Rather, it was Eisenhower that made it last so long. If a general other than Eisenhower had been in charge of Europe, Britain would have collapsed more quickly.
If it were me, I would never have given England to the Nazis.
MacArthur, a man who loved himself, was sure of that.
Japan was not the only place where there were a lot of problems that needed to be solved. New problems were emerging in various parts of Asia where the war took place.
India first.
India, Britain's most cherished colony and boasting the largest land mass and largest population in Asia after China, was still rampant with guerrillas even after the war ended.
Even as the mainland was occupied and the royal family and government fled to Canada, Britain could not give up India until the end.
Mosley, the prime minister of the puppet government established by the Nazis, allowed India's independence, but the Governor-General of India ignored this, saying that they only listened to instructions from the exile government in Toronto, not the puppet government in London.
In other words, India can never become independent.
Indians, who were already filled with a desire for independence, were enraged when they were told not to even dream of independence, and the number of Indians cooperating with the guerrillas increased exponentially.
To combat the growing number of guerrillas in India, Britain was sending young men from Canada, Australia, and New Zealand to India even after the war was over.
MacArthur had just finished a meeting with the British military command.
"They have to go to India, so they want us to take care of their share as well? what the."
Even though they were allied forces that fought together, MacArthur did not like these actions of the British army at all. In fact, he was even disgusted. What era was it, and they were still obsessed with the colonies?
It was not that they did not completely understand Britain's position. It was clear that as soon as it gained independence, India would join the Axis powers and enter a hostile position against the United States.
Therefore, the United States did not necessarily block Britain's actions.
If India, the largest country in Asia after China, becomes an Axis power, Germany will gain a solid foothold from which to advance into the Indian Ocean and Asia.
India is absolutely necessary to prevent the German Navy's submarines from flooding across the Atlantic Ocean, into the Indian Ocean, and from the Indian Ocean into the Pacific.
'It's also for their own pride.'
In response to Britain's logic, the White House simply ignored what was happening in India. MacArthur was dissatisfied with it.
No matter how hard we fight with guns and swords, it is impossible to prevent India's independence.
Unless they wanted to kill all 255 million Indians and leave behind only empty land, they should have stopped fighting and withdrawn from India right now.
However, if left alone, India would definitely join hands with Germany, so the United States had to either form an alliance using various types of support as bait, or at least intervene so that it could remain a friendly country to the United States like China.
However, the foolish president keeps repeating, 'We, Britain, do whatever we want!'
MacArthur was shocked. How could he not know that the more Britain was left alone, the more it would reflect on India and the anti-American sentiment would only increase!
Dewey, who is scheduled to become president starting in March, must think differently from Wallace. Only then will the United States be able to gain the upper hand in the Cold War with Germany.
"It's coffee."
"Thank you."
***
Just because it was a colony did not mean that everyone was in the same situation as India.
"Fellow citizens! "We finally did it!"
"Wow!!!"
"Aung San! Aung San!"
Aung San waved his hand enthusiastically at the crowd cheering for him.
Behind him, the proud flag of Burma was waving powerfully.
Burma, which was a British colony like India, was able to achieve independence thanks to Britain, which valued India. This is because Britain could not afford to even touch Burma, as the troops needed to maintain India were limited.
As a condition of independence, he signed a contract not to complain at all about the British military using ports and bases in Burma, but Aung San was satisfied because he had achieved the independence he dreamed of.
Besides Burma, there were several countries that enjoyed the good fortune of independence.
A representative example is Indonesia.
In actual history, Indonesia had to fight against the Dutch who tried to rule them for four years even after the end of World War II.
However, thanks to the Dutch mainland being occupied by Germany and the Dutch government living comfortably in Canada, Indonesia was able to enjoy the joy of independence five years early.
"Fellow citizens, first we will conduct a national ceremony."
"Long live independence!"
"Sukarno! Soekarno!"
The Dutch government-in-exile did not allow Indonesia to become independent, but there was nothing they could do.
The troops that followed when fleeing from the mainland to England and from England to Canada and the Dutch East India Army that was liberated from captivity alone were unable to reconquer and maintain the vast expanse of Indonesia. The United States did not allow this in the first place.
"So, do you want us to help you reconquer your colony?"
"I'm already having a headache over the Indian issue, so are you guys going to do this too?"
"But Indonesia is the Netherlands' right-"
"I don't want to hear it. "If you're going to say things like that, get out."
The United States, which was troubled by the extradition issue, responded coldly to the Netherlands' request.
Please be satisfied with Dutch Guiana and Western New Guinea before reconsidering the support you are providing.
Free France's situation was no different from that of the Netherlands. All African colonies were under control from the mainland, and Indochina, the only area within reach of Free France, had already been torn apart by Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia.
"You rotten Yankees."
Following England, De Gaulle, who was living a miserable life in Canada, was heartbroken.
Unlike Laos and Cambodia, which became independent kingdoms, communists took power in Vietnam.
While watching the film of communist Ho Chi Minh declaring Vietnam's independence, de Gaulle roughly extinguished a little-smoked candle in an ashtray.
Indochina was the stepping stone for France's expansion into the Pacific and Asia and the most important colony after Algeria.
However, the foolish Yankees, without any consideration of France's position, not only allowed the barbarian colonists to escape from the embrace of great France and establish themselves as they pleased, but even sponsored the communists to establish a government!
Ho Chi Minh and the United States surprisingly got along well despite their oil-and-water relationship between communism and capitalism.
During the Pacific War, the U.S. OSS (Office of Strategic Service) supported the Vietnamese communists under the pretext of countering Japan, and the weapons and medicine provided by the U.S. greatly helped the Vietnamese communists wage a guerrilla war against the Japanese army.
When Japan surrendered, the communists overthrew the puppet government established by Japan and established a new government of their own. Of course, France's will was not reflected at all here.
"How can this be? "It's not enough to just let communists establish themselves in French territory, you're joining hands with them!"
De Gaulle, who met Wallace, protested fiercely. Wallace, who was staring with sullen eyes at De Gaulle, who was constantly firing words like a machine gun, finally opened his mouth.
"Scream."
"… … yes?"
"Do not raise your voice, General de Gaulle."
Wallace spoke deliberately to force the general.
"France is an ally of the United States, but France is not the only ally of the United States."
"No what… … ."
"The Vietnamese are also allies of the United States. So how could an ally help an ally attack an ally?"
De Gaulle had to try to keep his expression from distorting after hearing Wallace's words.
It was not easy for De Gaulle, an arrogant Frenchman, to listen to Wallace's words and endure them.
"So you're saying we're going to let the communists take over Vietnam?"
"Why not? America sacrificed too much fighting Germany and Japan. "If we want to focus on the upcoming confrontation with Germany, we cannot afford to waste time in remote corners of the Far East."
"You're making a mistake, President! Do you think those vile commies only exist in Vietnam? Soon, secret communists will rise up all over the world and dye the whole world red. If that happens, America too-"
"stop. I think I heard everything the general had to say. "Please leave now."
Recalling the humiliation of that time, de Gaulle hit the table so hard that his fist bled. Damn, damn, damn!
I feel it again, but there are no permanent allies in the international community. An alliance was only an alliance when both parties needed each other and were able to pay for each other sufficiently.
Otherwise, they were treated like mere allies and insectivores.
Even though the mainland was occupied by Germany, Britain, which had satellite countries around the world such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, was in a better situation. But Free France was no different.
The only stakes left in hand were Guiana and small islands here and there in the South Pacific.
The United States blatantly disparaged Free France and recognized Pétain's France, which was controlled by Hitler, as France's only legitimate government.
The only countries that care about Free France are the exile governments in the same situation.
"France that is not great is not France… … ."