Chapter 400131Chapter NaN

September 14, 1940

Schleswig-Holstein, Northern Germany – Kiel Naval Port

Alongside the Emperor, I watched the fleet, led by the battleships Bismarck, Scharnhorst, and Gneisenau, preparing to set out.

"Magnificent."

"Indeed, Your Majesty."

For once, the Emperor and I were in agreement.

I already knew the lessons of modern naval warfare and believed that battleships, which did nothing but devour money and oil, had little value beyond their strategic use.

But even I had to admit that the sight of the Reichsmarine's three great battleships, about to set out with their black, red, and gold tricolors fluttering, looked rather cool.

"When the Kaiserliche Marine all scuttled themselves at Scapa Flow, I thought I would never again see a German fleet sortie. It's become a bit shabby, but I'm glad to see it again."

Does this Emperor really have to say it's become shabby right now… The admirals were all looking so proud, and he just had to spoil the mood.

Admiral Erich Raeder cleared his throat and spoke, sounding somewhat embarrassed.

"Though its scale is small, it is the rebuilt German fleet. We will lead this battle to victory, without fail."

I let out a bitter smile watching Admiral Raeder's bravado.

I hope things go as he wishes, but frankly, I'm worried to death about how many of the ships setting out now will actually survive.

In this operation, we are committing the battleships Bismarck, Scharnhorst, and Gneisenau, and the heavy cruisers Admiral Hipper, Blücher, and Prinz Eugen.

The two obsolete pre-dreadnought battleships, the pocket battleships, and the just-completed heavy cruiser Seidlitz that hadn't even finished training would be of little help, so we decided to leave them in the Baltic Sea to prepare for the Soviet Union.

Come to think of it, I have no memory of a heavy cruiser named Seidlitz in the German Navy.

Did Hitler cancel it in the original history?

The Reichsmarine was accompanied by 25 destroyers and 5 light cruisers to escort the battleships. Excluding the ancient ships built before the 1930s, almost all available forces were being committed to this battle.

And yet, the entire force the Reichsmarine had scraped from the bottom of the barrel was inferior to what was left of the Home Fleet after it lost the Channel Fleet and sent the H Task Force to the Mediterranean.

Realizing anew the German Navy's predicament, I was sighing when Admiral Dönitz approached me.

"Vice-Chancellor, I apologize for being unable to grant your request this time."

I had asked if he could send a few U-boats as a hidden card for this decisive fleet battle, but Admiral Dönitz replied that it wouldn't be very effective.

The English Channel, where the battle would take place, is a rough and shallow sea, making it impossible for submarines to conceal themselves properly. And while it might be a different story for large, slow ships like transports, it was difficult to expect torpedoes to score a direct hit against warships engaged in a fleet action.

"Ah, no, not at all, Admiral Dönitz. It is right to respect an expert's opinion. The submarine fleet is diligently carrying out its original mission, after all."

As Admiral Dönitz's unrestricted submarine warfare began, France, unable to endure it, pulled a large number of destroyers to begin escort duties in the west.

U-boat losses so far were only two.

I couldn't tell if it was an accident due to a defect in the U-boat itself or if the French got them, but in the original history, it took even Britain several years to be able to properly counter the U-boats.

France will wither and die from fuel shortages before that. How long could France last after losing so many transport ships in the English Channel?

"Thank you for your understanding, Vice-Chancellor."

Unlike when he first saw me, when he was impassive, Admiral Dönitz was now quite mindful of my gaze.

I suppose it's because I allocated naval budget to the submarine fleet and secured approval for his unrestricted submarine warfare this time.

I had a strange feeling.

It was… the familiar scent of Manstein…

Seeing my stare, Dönitz seemed to think I was displeased and looked slightly dejected.

Well, it hasn't reached Manstein's level of unpleasantness, but is there something that connects those who actively engaged in flattery to the Nazi regime…

I decided not to correct his misunderstanding and turned my head away.

Even if our diplomatic interests aligned this time, Dönitz is the kind of great person who would conduct unrestricted submarine warfare anywhere if given a little leeway. It's better for him to be in a state where he's conscious of the government's watchful eye.

"We will surely achieve the Reichsmarine's first victory!"

Meanwhile, Admiral Günther Lütjens, the commander of this sortie, was talking with the Emperor.

"Yes, as you know, the flagship bears the name of a renowned chancellor in German history. I expect a great performance worthy of that name."

Why is that Emperor looking at me while talking about a renowned chancellor? Has he still not given up on that foolish notion?

"I will keep that in mind, Your Majesty!"

After speaking with the Emperor, Admiral Lütjens looked at me, the government's representative.

The only German admirals Sung-il Yoon remembered were Erich Raeder and Karl Dönitz.

I was a political science student, not a military maniac, so I don't know much about Admiral Lütjens's deeds in the original history either-

…But I know about the Bismarck.

It's too famous. The ill-fated ship that hit the jackpot by sinking the Hood on its first sortie, only to be sunk itself.

"Admiral, as you are well aware, we have bet everything the Reichsmarine has on this operation. I will not say that you must win. Whatever the situation, please act according to your judgment, but do not push yourselves too hard."

We are initiating a naval battle to save London, but even if we fail to secure control of the sea, France will eventually collapse from fuel exhaustion.

It will take time if General Rommel takes the long way around the North Sea and lands in Scotland, but France won't be able to stop that due to their ships' range limitations.

Of course, such a delay could endanger London, which is why we're taking this gamble.

But if the situation becomes too dire, we can at least evacuate Britain's key figures by transport aircraft.

As long as we're alive, we can seize an opportunity.

"Understood, Vice-Chancellor."

Lütjens answered simply.

I doubt he understood my intention, though…

The Emperor and I watched as the Reichsmarine busily prepared and boarded, and a short while later, we witnessed the majestic scene of the steel behemoths setting sail one by one.

On the European front of the original history, there were almost no proper decisive fleet battles.

Britain boasted such overwhelming power that the Axis Powers were too busy trying to avoid them.

But in this changed history, fleets were clashing head-on in succession, either because the forces were evenly matched, ironically, or because the situation forced them to.

Perhaps in this world, the battleship will be remembered as a thing that properly enjoyed its last golden age.

According to the Abwehr's report, a French auxiliary fleet and one battleship have moved into the Mediterranean.

I don't know which battleship it was, but it must have been unavoidable for them to maintain their sea routes to their Mediterranean ports and colonies.

Considering the enemies lured in by Admiral Dönitz's submarine fleet, we may have dispersed the French fleet as much as possible, but it's undeniable that we are still at a disadvantage.

All I can do is wish them good luck.

-

Wilhelm III watched the Reichsmarine's departure for a while before dismissing the admirals to their duties and turning his gaze to me.

"Your adjutant is nowhere to be seen? You used to take her everywhere for a while."

"She has been working as a communications specialist in Berlin for some time now."

Wilhelm III stroked his mustache slightly and put on an expression of complete understanding.

What is this Emperor about to say now?

"No matter how beautiful, one gets tired of being around the same person all the time. She's a strong-willed woman tainted by socialism, isn't she? Isn't living with her tiring?"

"Pardon?"

Regardless of my bewilderment, Wilhelm III nodded as if he knew everything and opened his mouth.

"I've heard there's no news of a pregnancy yet. I don't know what the problem is, but how about it? My offer to give you my daughter is still valid. Divorce isn't a major flaw among the upper class these days."

"I am terribly sorry, but there will never be a day I accept that proposal, Your Majesty.

And the relationship between my wife and I is good enough that you need not worry-"

I added, looking at Wilhelm III, who was subtly arching an eyebrow.

"…With all due respect, I don't think I have anything to learn from Your Majesty about marital relations."

He's not a good husband even by the most generous of standards, and anyone who's anyone knows about his discord with Empress Cecilie.

The Emperor looked as if he'd been struck, then let out a hollow laugh and raised both hands.

"Well now, it seems I have made a misunderstanding. I trust you won't take offense."

I felt like saying,'I'm extremely offended, you bastard of an Emperor,'but I chose to keep my mouth shut as my answer.

The Emperor was silent for a while before speaking again.

"So, what do you think? As a member of the wartime cabinet who has led the nation of Germany this far, do you still wish to hold an election and revive the democratic government?"

"To say I've led it is a bit of an overstatement. But of course, Your Majesty."

Hearing my answer, Wilhelm looked at me with a peculiar gaze and replied.

"I'll give you credit for your conviction, but the Chancellor's and your influence in Germany is something no one can ignore. Well, yes. Considering your support base, the introduction of a democratic government might be inevitable."

Wilhelm deliberately paused for a moment before adding.

"But if your father and the party you belong to are there, and the members of the wartime cabinet join in, how many votes do you think the opposition could possibly get?"

I didn't answer him.

I couldn't deny that if the ruling party won the crucial first election with overwhelming support and didn't make any blunders to shake that support, there was a high probability of things turning out like the modern political state of Japan.

"Strictly speaking, Hitler also came to power through a vote. For now, we've revived the Weimar constitution from before Hitler's rise and are using it almost as is, but if the ruling party becomes bloated, it would be possible to amend it to their liking after the first election."

That would be true.

The first parliament will be a constituent assembly, and if the ruling party is elected with overwhelming support, it wouldn't be strange at all if they created a constitution for a dictatorship.

"When you and your father, who already wield dominant influence within Germany, exist, I am quite looking forward to seeing whether a political system called democracy will have any meaning. I'm curious if there will be any improvement over when he was a Chancellor I personally appointed."

Wilhelm III smiled brightly at me.

"I'm saying this out of excessive concern after seeing your reaction today, but… if you're thinking that as long as you don't have a child, like that Atatürk of Turkey, things will somehow work out, I might be a little disappointed."

"Your Majesty."

"Speak, Chancellor."

"-Vice-Chancellor, Your Majesty. I don't think I will ever come to like you."

Wilhelm III let out a chuckle.

"What a regret. As I've said before, I quite like you."

The Emperor's words are unpleasant, but our situation is certainly abnormal.

Thanks to the economy's dependence on the defense industry that Hitler and the Nazis had bloated, we're staging the irony of running the economy by selling weapons to other countries during a war.

If the war were to end right now, that enormous defense industry would lose its demand, and we'd have to redeem the MEFO bills, causing the German economy to stagger.

We are in a situation where we must continue the war, whether we like it or not, to buy time to clean up the giant pile of crap the Nazis left behind.

And yet, our government, which claims to be rebuilding democracy, ultimately seized power through a coup d'état, and with the outbreak of war, is operating as a wartime cabinet under a Chancellor appointed by the Emperor.

Because of Germany's situation, the economy staggers if we don't fight. But if we are at war, we can't hold an election, and the better we do, the harder it becomes for democracy to take root.

Our government's very situation is a contradiction, and the longer this goes on, the harder it will be to become a normal nation.

I let out a small sigh.

"To have to worry about this in the middle of a war…"

"Aren't you the one who chose the hard path, leaving the easy one behind?"

I gave a bitter smile at the Emperor's jab.

It's a poison that just looks easy.

The military is already on the verge of running wild; I can't even imagine what it would have been like if this were an empire.

-

September 14, 1940

London, Capital of Britain – War Office

"The German Navy has finally set out, Admiral. As you know, if we lose this battle, we may have to abandon London."

To Churchill's words, his face thick with fatigue, the First Sea Lord, Dudley Pound, replied with a grave expression.

"I am well aware that the fate of the nation hangs on this battle, Prime Minister. The Royal Navy has also bet everything on this contest."

The countless citizens of London, the Prime Minister and Parliament, even the King himself, were trapped in London.

Thanks to the RAF's desperate fight and the German Air Force's support, they had secured air superiority, so they could escape by transport aircraft in the worst-case scenario.

But to abandon the citizens of London and escape with their own skins after calling for continued resistance would send the government's approval rating plummeting, so that was an option to be taken only at the very end.

"Yes, I'm counting on you."

Churchill turned his gaze from Admiral Pound to the two men engaged in a heated debate off to the side.

"What's with those two?"

At Churchill's question, General Ismay just shook his head.

The two men, eagerly talking with the help of an interpreter, were Arthur Harris of the British Air Force and the Chief of the General Staff of the German Air Force, Wolfram von Richthofen.

"The most important thing in bombing, above all, is the result of practical destruction. For that, concentrated bombing through low-altitude flight is crucial."

"Concentrated bombing through low-altitude flight? It sounds nice, but isn't that based on the sacrifice of the pilots? Sending your subordinates into a deathtrap just to add a little more military merit to a document?"

Richthofen found Arthur Harris very disagreeable.

"Then what is there to bombing other than the act of inflicting damage?"

"The practical blow of a bombing is limited anyway. Breaking the enemy's will to fight is sufficiently achieved by relentlessly showing them the sight of everything burning with incendiary bombs.

Don't our subordinates have to survive, gain experience, and sortie to keep showing the enemy that magnificent scene?"

And Arthur Harris also found Richthofen very disagreeable.

'Hmph, what a crazed, sadistic warmonger,'Arthur Harris cursed Richthofen in his mind.

'To think I thought a guy blinded by military merit, who grinds up his subordinates, was a comrade who recognized the value of incendiary bombs.'

Richthofen, too, despised Arthur Harris in his mind.

Though to others, they both looked like men who had lost their minds.

Eventually, the Inspector General of Fighters, Werner Mölders, who could watch no longer, stopped Richthofen.

"Chief of the General Staff. It's almost time for the operation to begin."

"Hmph, has it gotten that late already? Then I look forward to the British Air Force carrying out its assigned role well."

'What can I expect from friends who can't even secure air superiority without us?'

At Richthofen's sneering face, Harris flared up.

"We also look forward to the German Air Force's supporting role."

'What can the German Air Force, with barely any decent torpedo bombers, do against a battleship?'

Admiral Dudley Pound could only let out a deep sigh at the sight.

'To think I have to trust the likes of them and head into a battle that will decide the fate of the Royal Navy.'