225

Episode 225: How to die to live (5)

"Tell me about Germany's requirements."

Litvinov waited for Germany's sentence with the feeling of a prisoner awaiting sentencing, speaking from his own mouth.

Unlike the Soviet delegation, which had a rigid attitude throughout, the German delegation was extremely relaxed.

Germany's first demand was territorial cession.

"First of all, we demand that the Soviet Union refrain from making any demands for the return of all territories currently occupied by Germany."

Ribbentrop continued speaking calmly.

"In addition, we demand the cession of the Kola Peninsula, Karelia, southern Russia and the Caucasus."

It's coming.

After hearing Ribbentrop's words, Litvinov closed his eyes tightly without realizing it.

The Secretary General had also said that Germany would definitely demand southern Russia and the Caucasus, something he himself had predicted.

But hearing it in person like this was quite a shock. This is what it feels like to be a patient who is already seriously ill and cannot even move freely, but has been given a life-limiting sentence by a doctor.

"… … "You said southern Russia. Please tell me specifically where you are referring."

"That means the area west of the Volga River, from Stalingrad to Astrakhan."

Under the conditions stated by Ribbentrop, the Soviet Union would lose an additional territory roughly the size of Ukraine and Belarus combined.

It is not just a piece of land, but a valuable land that includes the Caucasus Mountains, a treasure trove of resources.

After the loss of Ukraine, these regions were the most important territories of the Soviet Union. I can't believe this place was taken away. Litvinov's hands were shaking.

"Don't misunderstand. The Third Reich has no intention of annexing all of these regions. "According to the will of His Excellency the Fuhrer, all occupied territories currently occupied by the Wehrmacht will be handed over to the new Russia, Free Russia."

From the perspective of Nazi Germany, Free Russia, a puppet state of Nazi Germany, and the Soviet Union, it was there anyway.

Ribbentrop also knew about this and deliberately added this remark to get on the nerves of the Soviet Union.

Litvinov lit a cigarette to calm his frustrated mind. But even smoking a cigarette did not calm his confused mind.

In addition to territory, there were other conditions that Germany would demand from the Soviet Union.

As an apology for causing the war, the Soviet Union will compensate Germany with 100 billion marks in gold within 20 years, and will provide the same amount of raw materials such as food, minerals, and oil that were provided to Germany before the war free of charge for the next 15 years. To do.

Immediately release dissidents imprisoned in the Gulag and recognize Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and the Free Russian Republic as formal states.

In addition, we will recognize the independent states that will be established in the Caucasus - Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan - as formal states, and we will approve and support the free emigration of released dissidents to Russia.

The Soviet Union will establish a 150 km section from the newly formed border area toward Soviet territory as a demilitarized zone and strictly prohibit the stationing of armed troops.

Germany agrees to send surveillance troops to ensure that the Soviet Union is complying with the agreement.

Grant Germany the right to freely use Soviet railways and ports as before the war, and cooperate as much as possible.

After Ribbentrop finished speaking, Litvinov raised his hand and asked to speak.

"Please tell me."

"This is... … These conditions are too harsh. It is not normal to cede the entire southern part of Russia to Germany, but to provide free materials in addition to compensation? "This is no different from telling us to die."

"You may have forgotten an important fact: Germany never wanted war with the Soviet Union and did not attack it first. "It was the Soviet Union's will to want war and to start the war."

"… … ."

Ribbentrop sneered inwardly as he watched Litvinov trembling, unable to think of anything to retort.

So, did someone threaten to go to war with a sword?

Ribbentrop, the originator of the German-German Non-aggression Pact and an ardent supporter of the German-German Alliance, felt like the sky was falling when he heard that the Soviet Union had invaded Germany.

The sense of betrayal was indescribable as the non-aggression pact between Germany and Germany, which he had been proud of his entire life, ended in vain due to the Soviet Union's betrayal.

Fortunately, the Fuhrer gave unwavering trust to Ribbentrop, saying that it was Stalin's fault for starting the war, but there was nothing wrong with Ribbentrop, and thanks to the Fuhrer's infinite trust, Ribbentrop was able to maintain his position despite the endless gossip and envy of Goering, Goebbels, and Himmler.

In fact, when Ribbentrop heard the conditions from the Fuhrer, he was concerned that the Soviet Union would protest.

He also warned that if the conditions were too harsh, the Soviet Union might choose war instead of negotiations. Then the Fuhrer said to him:

'What can those who beg for negotiations because they cannot afford to go to war do? Of course, there is nothing good for us if the war prolongs, but if we go ahead and say that if negotiations fail, we can take it by force, they will bow their heads. And all you have to do is go strong from the beginning and pretend you can't win later and reduce the conditions.'

"Of course, I also do not believe that the Soviet Union can fulfill all of the conditions. "This is only Germany's maximum request, and it is a matter that will be negotiated gradually."

At Ribbentrop's words, Litvinov's face, which had been as hard as a rock, softened slightly. Although his complexion still hasn't returned.

"However, His Excellency the President said that the first demand can never be modified. "I hope you keep this fact in mind."

"… … All right."

Litvinov nodded, chewing his tongue. As for the territorial issue, there was no room for him to negotiate as Germany had declared that it would not take a single step back.

In that case, we have no choice but to meet other conditions as best as possible.

***

While negotiations were taking place between German and Soviet delegations in Brest, fighting was raging on the front lines.

And in the rear, German counteroffensive preparations to drive out the Soviet troops were steadily underway.

"Report from Senior General Eberhard von Mackensen. "2nd Armored Group is ready."

"The 11th Army is also ready."

"The Hungarian 3rd Corps and the Romanian Mountain Corps also arrived."

Kleist received reports of the readiness of the rear echelons arriving one after another and inspected the operation once again.

He also heard from the Fuhrer that peace negotiations between Germany and the Soviet Union were currently taking place in Brest.

However, the Fuhrer instructed him to continue the fight regardless of the news of the negotiations.

This was because it was unclear whether the negotiations would be concluded, and it was unknown what tactics the Soviet military might be using the negotiations as bait.

Kleist also had no intention of sending back the Soviet troops who had fearlessly attacked.

It is common knowledge that if you take a hit, you will get it back.

The Soviet army has already reached the end point of its offensive. They were low on fuel and on the verge of running out of ammunition, so there was no way they could stop the invincible German army.

The moment the Soviet army was completely exhausted and stopped moving, they immediately counterattacked and pushed all the way to the Don River.

Thorough preparation was essential to not give the enemy even a chance to fight back.

Kleist, who had a cautious personality, tenaciously pushed ahead with his opinion despite his advisors' pleas that it was okay to attack immediately.

"Gentlemen, let's begin."

Kleist finally decided that all preparations were complete and ordered the attack. The code name is Return.

***

"Enemy tank at 2 o'clock! Turn the turret, quickly!"

Kolobanov urgently shouted as he saw the Panther running towards him with its main gun firing.

Kolobanov's regiment suffered heavy losses while blocking the German counterattack from the front line.

They had been fighting non-stop for an hour. But the Germans continued to pour in.

Like a hydra that comes back to life no matter how many times its head is cut off, the Soviet army was rapidly losing each base to the endless attacks of the German army.

In many cases, it took less than an hour for villages that had been barely taken at the cost of the blood of thousands of people to be taken back.

"Load armor-piercing rounds!"

"Load armor-piercing rounds!"

-Rock!

"Loaded!"

"Aim complete! Shoot!"

"Okay, shoot!"

-bang!

The 122mm main gun spit out orange flames and the Panther's right track flew off.

It was a hit, but Kolobanov couldn't help but laugh. Although his tracks were destroyed, his turret was still alive.

"Hey you idiot! What if we aim for orbit?"

"sorry!"

I wanted to tell him that he was sorry and that his military service was over, but Kolobanov wouldn't say anything.

Because his military career - and his life - is truly coming to an end.

Fortunately, another IS-2 opened fire and finished off the decapitated leopard.

When the 122mm shell hit the front, the Panther fell silent, spitting out a stream of yellow fire.

Even if it was a Panther, survival was not guaranteed if it was hit squarely by a 122mm armor-piercing round.

Because of the amount of explosives inside the 122mm shell, if it penetrated, the inside of the tank would be completely destroyed and the crew would often be killed.

The IS-2's 122mm main gun, which has the second-highest power after the KV-2's 152mm main gun, has great advantages, but its drawbacks are just as great.

This is because the shells are large and heavy, so it takes a long time to reload, and the recoil of the main gun is large, which reduces the accuracy.

To make matters worse, quality issues that had been postponed to meet the quantity hindered the IS-2.

"Stalin's tank at 11 o'clock! "Load armor-piercing bullets!"

"Shoot!"

While the Panther Company drew the enemy's attention from the front, the 4th Tank Company, which had bypassed it, opened fire at a distance of 1,200 meters.

In theory, the IS-2's 90mm side armor provides stable protection against close-range attacks from the PaK 40, the 4th tank equipped with the corresponding gun, and the Hatcher, but in practice it was different.

Even at a distance that could theoretically protect against a 75mm shell, the IS-2's side armor was penetrated without help, turning the tank into a ball of fire.

As the quality of the armor deteriorated and its durability weakened, even shells that could theoretically be blocked could not be blocked and often broke or cracked.

"Kyaaaaa-!"

The tank crews, whose entire bodies were engulfed in fire due to the explosion of internal ammunition, struggled and attempted to escape.

However, most of the time, they were unable to get out of the tank and either died instantly or their ammunition completely exploded and they disappeared without a trace.

The main gun of the IS-2, which was continuously firing shells at the approaching enemy tanks, exploded, and the long gun barrel twisted and opened like a morning glory.

This was also a disaster that occurred due to poor quality control.

"It's a red flag in the sky!"

As if tanks on the ground alone were not enough, attacks were also launched from the sky.

As Me 410 Hornise fighter planes flew in and fired R5M rockets, the Soviet forces, who were barely holding on, fell into chaos.

The IS-2, whose thin armored upper part was hit squarely by a rocket, exploded and spewed out a plume of fire.

"Great, Comrade Captain!"

"What else?"

"This is the last armor-piercing bullet!"

Kolobanov felt like he had been hit squarely in the head by the ammunition prisoner's words.

The enemies are constantly coming, but there is only one armor-piercing bullet left. There are grenades, but even these only have two bullets.

There are spare bullets, but since they are built into the car body, it takes quite a long time to take them out and reload them.

In exchange for its weight of 46 tons and protection greater than that of the Tiger, the interior of the IS-2 was quite narrow and naturally it could not load a lot of ammunition, so only 28 rounds were available.

Even these had to be distributed and stowed throughout the turret and hull, so the number of improvised ammunition that could be immediately taken out and used during battle could be counted on one hand.

Immediately after firing the last armor-piercing shell, the grenade was loaded and the shell hit near the driver's observation window.

The impact caused the armor to break and the resulting fragments penetrated straight into the driver's forehead.

"Hey, hey!"

Kolobanov shouted, but there was no way the driver, who was out of breath, would respond. Subsequently, the Panther's 75mm armor-piercing round penetrated the IS-2's gun mantlet.

The gunner was killed instantly and the gunner was hit in the neck by shrapnel. Kolobanov was miraculously unharmed, but there was nothing he could do as his entire crew was killed.

Kolobanov immediately opened the hatch and got out. Although his retreat order was not given, his soldiers, who had lost their fighting spirit, were busy running away. Kolobanov also joined the ranks.

"Comrade Commander, the fascists are-"

"I know! Damn it... … ."

When the German offensive began, the Soviet army quickly went on the defensive, but it was difficult to withstand the onslaught of the well-prepared German army.

Voroshilov tried to fill the holes in the front line by immediately deploying reserve units, but if the hole in the south was closed, a hole would open in the north, and if the north was blocked, a hole would open in the south again.

It's truly a total mess.

"Comrade Commander. We must retreat. "It's hard to hold on any longer."

When there was no answer, the staff suggested Voroshilov retreat.

Voroshilov said, sweating profusely, as his staff insisted that we give up Taganrog and Voroshilovgrad to the enemy and withdraw and form a new defense line.

"no. "You have to endure it no matter what."

"but-"

"You have to endure unconditionally, unconditionally, at least until the reinforcement is over! Do you think Comrade Secretary General will spare us if we step back from here? "If you're lucky, you'll be demoted, and at worst, you'll be executed by firing squad."

"… … ."

Stalin instructed Voroshilov to hold the front line unconditionally until the peace negotiations were completed.

It was obvious that if the peace negotiations were concluded anyway, it would fall into the hands of the German army, but it had to hold out as long as possible to at least preserve its status among the people.

Voroshilov also did not know Stalin's true intentions. Damn it.

In any case, the war was lost, and the people will only remember that the Soviet Union lost the war, rather than the fact that the Red Army won the final battle.

However, he still thought that the situation would go in his favor.

Even Voroshilov, one of Stalin's few close friends, now found it difficult to understand Stalin.

***

"… … great. Then let's make it 75 billion marks and 30 years. "No more than that."

Phew. Litvinov sighed in relief and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

After two hours of negotiations, they succeeded in changing the compensation amount from 100 billion marks within 20 years to 75 billion marks within 30 years.

It was also permitted to pay compensation in kind, such as minerals or lumber, rather than gold.

But there were still many mountains to overcome. Right now, I'm just barely able to breathe.

"You said that for the next 15 years, we should provide the same amount of food, minerals, and raw materials that were provided to Germany before the war, free of charge, but this is an impossible demand since Ukraine and the Caucasus have already been ceded to Germany."

"That too. "Then, roughly, what did you think?"

Another long and boring discussion of words and words followed. Ribbentrop pretended not to win and accepted Litvinov's demands.

As a result, food and oil could be excluded from the items that the Soviet Union had to pay to Germany. However, the deadline was extended to 20 years.

"and… … "You requested that Free Russia be recognized as an official state."

"That's right. Free Russia is a clear ally of Germany and a member of the Axis Alliance. Is there any problem?"

Ribbentrop, sensing what Litvinov was trying to say, smirked.

Litvinov was seething, but like a seasoned diplomat, he knew how to control his emotions.

"Recognition of Free Russia is tantamount to denial of the identity of the Soviet Union. Comrade Secretary General will never accept this part."