197

Episode 197: Toward Victory (10)

"Whoa..."

"Don't worry too much, honey."

Mountbatten quietly nodded in response to his wife Edwina's consolation.

After the disastrous failure of the Dieppe landing operation, voices of resentment against him, who insisted on carrying out the operation, have not ceased even after more than a month.

"Bring back my dead son! Bring it back!"

"End the war!"

"Churchill, step down!"

Anti-war and fascist protesters marched through the streets holding placards and signs every day.

Although support for the government still outweighed criticism, it was undeniable that the Dieppe landings took a heavy toll on British morale.

Mountbatten was exempt from responsibility thanks to the royal blood flowing through his body, but that did not absolve him of his wrongdoings.

Bereaved families who lost children and parents on Dieppe Beach expressed their anger by tearing up pictures of Mountbatten and setting them on fire, and on one occasion, Molotov cocktails were even thrown at his house.

The culprit is a housewife approaching 50. Having lost her husband in an accident in the past, she worked at a factory to support her four children.

When the war broke out, her sons, who had enlisted, died at the same time. On Dieppe Beach.

The woman was immediately arrested by the police, but when her miserable life story was made public through the media, public opinion demanded her immediate release.

Even citizens who still supported the war against Germany and Churchill unanimously said that detaining her was too harsh.

Due to public opinion, the government had no choice but to release the housewives.

Mountbatten could not shut his mouth about this decision.

Although he did not kill her sons directly, it is clear that he was the one who caused their deaths.

Of course, Mountbatten had the same spirit as Churchill, so he did not admit that the failure of Operation Luthor was due to lack of preparation and his own complacency.

He claimed that the operation would have been successful if there had been more troops, and at the same time, he said that if he prepared for a possible landing on mainland Europe someday based on the lessons learned at Dieppe, he would definitely win.

People admired his steely mentality, but at the same time, they gave him a look telling him to keep his mouth shut.

Even Churchill recommended that Mountbatten take a quiet vacation for a while.

Words were useless, and in effect, they were telling people to keep their mouths shut until public opinion calmed down, but since the public opinion was so negative, Mountbatten had no choice but to follow what he was told.

Even though people have endured it so far because they are royals, there is bound to be a limit to people's patience.

"There is a saying, "Don't worry about life." "There are things like this and things like that."

"You're right, honey."

Edwina was not a very good wife.

This is because while she was away from Mountbatten, she changed men several times and cheated on him.

Upon learning of his wife's affair, Mountbatten considered divorce, but because Edwina, who had enormous wealth, supported not only Mountbatten himself but also his relatives, he ultimately decided to stay married.

However, on the condition that he also has multiple lovers.

Even by 21st century standards, the two were far from normal in many ways, but Edwina faithfully stayed by Mountbatten's side whenever he was having a hard time.

"It's a long-awaited vacation, so I get to play with the kids for the first time in a while. Even though we are at war, is it still a problem for a father to not spend too much time with his daughters?"

"okay okay."

Edwina's words reminded Mountbatten of his two daughters, Patricia and Pamela.

Patricia was scheduled to enlist in the military next year, and Pamela was acting proudly like her older sister, despite being only 13 years old. Just thinking about the smiling faces of her two daughters made her smile.

"For the first time in a while, I'm with Patricia and Pamela-"

-Quaaaaaang!!!

The ear-piercing explosion broke the windows of the commercial building, and the vehicle in which the Mountbatten couple soared into the air.

Citizens walking on the streets were startled by the sound of an explosion and ran to shelters and subway stations in a panic.

People suffered so much from V2 that they now reflexively look for air-raid shelters whenever they hear the sound of an explosion.

"done! "It's a success!"

"It's revenge for your compatriots, you British pigs."

***

September 29, 1942

War Office, London, England

The criminals who took the lives of the Mountbatten couple and their driver were IRA terrorists.

The IRA issued an official statement announcing to the world that they had killed the Mountbatten couple.

'The IRA takes full responsibility for the orders of the Mountbatten couple. This operation was carried out to avenge the atrocities inflicted on our compatriots by the British authorities who occupied our homeland, to express the desire for independence in the hearts of the people of Northern Ireland, and to focus the world's attention.

In return for the atrocities Britain has committed against our country, we will tear apart their peace and daily life. I hope that through this incident, the British people will realize this one thing. Now your world is nowhere else and it never will be.'

Considering that it was a wartime event, the Mountbatten couple's funeral was held quietly, with only high-ranking members of the royal family and government, and a very small number of reporters selected after a rigorous screening, attending.

Of the two daughters that the Mountbatten couple left behind, Patricia and Pamela, only the eldest daughter, Patricia, appeared at the funeral.

In two days, her face became noticeably thinner.

Pamela, the youngest daughter and whom the Mountbatten couple had loved and cherished so much during their lifetime, was still in bed after collapsing from shock.

The funeral was attended by King George VI, Queen Mary, Princess Elizabeth, and many older members of the royal family.

Among the mourners was Edward VIII, the Duke of Windsor, former King of England and current Governor of the Bahamas.

Edward VIII, who gave up the throne to marry an American divorcee, Wallis Simpson, was a close friend of Mountbatten during his lifetime.

Despite the six-year age difference, the two hung out together like friends, and it was he who broke the news of Edwina's affair to Mountbatten.

However, as Edward VIII began to show pro-German and pro-Nazi actions, the relationship between the two gradually grew apart.

Mountbatten was not alone in his estrangement from Edward VIII, but since he was also a member of the royal family, he returned to his home country and attended the funeral.

After the eulogy, it was time to cover the coffin in the ground with dirt.

As King George VI scooped up dirt and threw it on Mountbatten's coffin, Patricia lost strength in her legs and collapsed.

There was a brief commotion when Patricia fell. Her royal bodyguards helped Patricia, who had fainted, to her waiting medical staff.

Churchill thought that there would be no other funeral as depressing as this one.

After the funeral, Churchill returned to the War Office and held a meeting as soon as he returned to discuss additional measures.

"The IRA pigs made a statement saying they were the culprits. Were the Germans also involved in this incident?"

"There is no evidence yet, but it is quite possible."

Germany made no comment on the incident, but Churchill clearly believed that Germany had some involvement as well.

The fact that the IRA carries out terrorism armed with funds and weapons provided by Germany is already widely known throughout the UK.

Considering that the explosives used to kill Mountbatten this time were either provided by Germany or made with funds provided by Germany, it was safe to say that Mountbatten's death was the work of Germany.

After coming to such a tentative conclusion, Churchill gave a speech to the nation.

The only benefit that the incident brought to Churchill was that the criticism directed at him was slightly reduced.

Those who lost family and loved ones in Dieppe still raised their voices calling for the war to stop, but many citizens were either shocked by the terror committed by the IRA in broad daylight or refrained from criticizing them out of minimal respect for the deceased.

Although he had no intention of taking advantage of Mountbatten's death, Churchill did not miss the unexpected opportunity.

"Dear citizens of the British Empire! Those wicked German fascist militarists joined hands with IRA terrorists to commit the worst act of terrorism that has ever occurred! But we will never give in! We will fight until the end and make them pay what they deserve!"

He then significantly increased the size of the troops stationed in Northern Ireland. He also instructed that there should be no tolerance for the IRA and its supporters.

A tooth for a tooth, an eye for an eye.

Churchill pledged that he would use this opportunity to completely eradicate the IRA that was attached to Germany.

"Arrest all those associated with the IRA! All of their families, relatives, and friends! "We must show the terrorists who dared to mess with the British Empire what hell really is!"

Cabinet ministers and generals who were dissatisfied with Churchill's actions also actively expressed their support for the hard-line policy toward Northern Ireland.

Regardless of one's likes or dislikes about Churchill, the idea that the traitors in Northern Ireland should be dealt with properly was a common thought among all British people, and since they had taken the lead, there was no hesitation anymore.

The public was also crying out for revenge.

Revenge, bloody revenge.

The IRA had also expected that Britain would retaliate.

Rather, the IRA hoped that Britain would come out more harshly. Only then will those who have turned their backs on the truth and adapted to reality realize reality.

***

"The IRA guys did it right, right?"

When I heard that the IRA had roasted the Mountbatten couple, I clicked my tongue. Come to think of it, in real history, Louis Mountbatten died in an IRA terrorist attack.

It was too strange to be called a coincidence of history. Who would have thought that a man who died in an IRA terrorist attack in history would also die in an IRA terrorist attack here?

In any case, Churchill, who was enraged by this incident, pledged severe revenge.

They also claimed that Germany was involved in terrorism, but it may be hard to believe, but I knew nothing about this terrorism.

It's true that they provide weapons and funding to the IRA, but you had no idea they would do something like this?

"······No. If you think about it, what Churchill said was not wrong. "First of all, it is true that we joined hands with the IRA."

"That's right."

"Germany and England are at war anyway, so what does it matter? "It's a good thing that the IRA killed the guy we couldn't kill instead."

"That's right. Still, Churchill's eyes have been turned around by this incident, so he will retaliate in some way sooner or later. Probably an air raid. "Realistically, there is no other option than air strikes."

"Don't worry, Mr. Fuhrer. "I will shoot down every bomber that comes over Germany."

Goering assured, beating his chest with his hand.

"Isn't that right, Gallant?"

"of course. As long as we have an air force, the Tommys will never be able to look down on you, Mr. Fuhrer."

I felt a bit sorry for Göring, but I felt relieved after Gallant said that too.

Göring is still the same Göring as he was as an ace in World War I, not the Hermann Mayer we often think of, but perhaps because his previous experience was so great, he still finds it difficult to talk about it.

The work of replacing the old Bf109 and Bf110 - the fighter version, not the interceptor version - deployed on the Western Front and mainland Germany with the Me262, Ta152, and Do335 and deploying the old fighters to the Eastern Front is almost finished, and the development of the next jet fighter is also going on without a hitch. Is in progress.

The Me262 and Ta152 were luxury fighters that had no shortage of performance even at the end of the war in 1945, so you may ask whether it is too early to design their successors. However, since we need to prepare for the future after the war, it is better to develop them in advance when we can afford it. It was better.

We never knew when the war situation might change, and we had to keep in mind whether the United States would participate in the war.

Britain, fully aware of the IRA's terrorism, began a large-scale reinforcement of its troops stationed in Northern Ireland.

At the same time, as Churchill himself stated that no mercy would be shown to those associated with the IRA, there seemed to be no way to avoid widespread bloodshed in the chaotic Northern Ireland.

Ireland, which borders Northern Ireland, will also not be able to prevent sparks from flying.

Maybe England will invade Ireland. Arms and money flowed through Ireland to the IRA in Northern Ireland, and German military instructors are now in charge of training the Irish army. It would have been no surprise at all for Churchill to call for an invasion of Ireland, claiming that Ireland was also a ally of Germany.

If Britain really invaded Ireland, Ireland wouldn't be able to last even two weeks, but an invasion of Ireland would be a huge handshake to Britain.

We have not yet been able to suppress the uproar in the colony, but if we force ourselves to invade Ireland, we will not only be adding one more front, but we will also have to continue to invest manpower and materials into Ireland.

There is no way that the Irish, who only became independent 20 years ago, would quietly accede to the British invasion.

In addition, Irish Americans living in the United States will hold protests condemning the British invasion and demanding that the White House take necessary measures, and Roosevelt will have no choice but to impose sanctions on Britain in consideration of the votes of his people.

Even now, the United States is providing Britain with the supplies it needs for free, and Britain is also dependent on American support. What if the United States stops providing support?

Of course Britain cannot go to war.

······Of course, this is only if things flow in as positive a direction as possible for Germany, and it is impossible to predict what will actually happen.

Just as we could not have predicted that the Soviet Union would stab us in the back and that Churchill, who we thought was out of business, would become Prime Minister.

Rather than being optimistic about the future based on possibilities that may or may not happen, it would be much more helpful in reality to solve the problems in front of us right away.

For now, let's focus on occupying Moscow.

The Central Army Group is currently launching an onslaught on the Mozhaisk defense line, the Northern Army Group is currently on standby at the front, and the Southern Army Group is attacking Kharkov.

The combined forces of Germany, Norway, and Sweden in the northernmost part of Europe are advancing toward Murmansk. Although some Finnish troops also participated in the capture of Murmansk, Finland sent only symbolic troops as it was focusing more on regaining the southern territory lost in the Winter War than on capturing Murmansk.

I couldn't help but be annoyed by Finland's obedient behavior, but since there was no need to cause trouble, I just ignored it.

However, I plan to hold this responsibility properly someday. Probably after the war is over.

"Oh, and. I am thinking of going to the Eastern Front soon. Shouldn't it be a little bit of strength to the soldiers who are already fighting a difficult fight on the front lines? "This time, rather than just staying at the rear command post, I plan to go to the front line and inspect it."

Astonishment spread across the generals' faces when they heard that they would go to the front line and personally inspect it.

"I understand His Excellency the President's deep intention, but wouldn't it be too dangerous? "If something happens to your Excellency the Führer, he cannot guarantee the future of Germany."

"Wouldn't it be okay if Marshal Göring took over as Fuhrer and led Germany well?"

"W-what are you saying! I am still too inadequate to be the leader of this country! "Wouldn't the people be happier if His Excellency the Fuhrer leads Germany for at least 10, or even 20 more years?!"

Göring shook his head in astonishment, as if he had heard something he couldn't hear.

Other people's reactions are the same. In particular, the expressions on the faces of Goebbels and Ribbentrop, who were not on good terms with Goering, were truly spectacular.

They must already be worried about Göring becoming Fuhrer. It's obvious even if you don't look at it.

"Just kidding, kidding. Well, even if I don't go to the battlefield, I plan to at least go to the artillery position. "Wouldn't that save the President's face?"

If possible, I would like to see a bomb falling on Moscow.