Chapter 325: 325
325
The bloodshed that occurred in Rome's Piazza del Campidoglio originated from an accidental clash between protesters and the Black Shirts.
When excited protesters beat the Black Shirts, the Black Shirts opened fire, resulting in a catastrophe.
There were 33 dead and 126 injured.
This incident, later named 'Bloody Saturday', exploded the Italian people's feelings against the fascist government that had been suppressed for so long.
"You're shooting indiscriminately at unarmed protesters!"
"You damn bastards!"
"Everyone, can we just stay still?"
"We must stand up!"
"They refused to talk, so now let's show them with action!"
"Come on, let's fight! "Our ideal, the International, will ultimately become the future of humanity!"
The Italian National Liberation Committee, formed by democrats, socialists, communists, and anarchists, began a struggle to abolish the monarchy and disband the National Fascist Party.
The Italian people, who were sick and tired of the fascist party's dictatorship, especially the citizens of Rome who witnessed Bloody Saturday, reacted immediately.
"Kill!"
"Kill all fascists!"
"Find the king too! "He must be killed too!"
"Wow!!!"
The National Liberation Committee, armed with weapons stolen from corrupt figures within the military and police, immediately took action.
Rome was back to the way it was eight years ago, during the war. The military, police, and branches of the Caribinieri and Black Shirts in Rome were attacked by angry citizens, and fascists captured by the citizens begged for mercy. Before he could do anything, he was beaten to death by citizens.
"your majesty!"
"There is no time!"
"You must avoid it now! hurry!"
"Oh, I understand."
As the situation reached its worst, Vittorio, feeling a sense of crisis, hurriedly fled Rome with members of the royal family. High-ranking officials of the National Fascist Party also quickly fled.
A time of chaos has come again to Italy.
***
June 24, 1948
New Fuhrer's Residence in Berlin, Germany
'Italian civil war breaks out!'
'The king escaped... … 'Rome became a crucible of chaos'
'Italian National Liberation Committee takes control of Rome!'
Newspapers were busy reporting news of the civil war in Italy every day.
The Wehrmacht also kept a close eye on what was happening in Italy, and the SD was busy collecting information pouring in in real time and sending it to Germany.
"This is it. If I try to rest, something happens, so I can't even go somewhere to have fun."
"ha ha ha. It's still boring, but isn't it nice to have something to do for the first time in a while and get your body moving?"
Manstein was already bored to death, but his face became lively, perhaps because he was happy to have something to do for the first time in a while.
"I didn't think the enemy was particularly a pacifist, but I didn't know he was also a warmonger."
"You're a warmonger. "I'm just being faithful to my duties, right?"
Yes, yes. You must be so clumsy, I guess.
"Stop saying things that even a four-year-old wouldn't believe. What are the trends in Italy?"
"The Italian army is also in a state of chaos. Units near Rome refused the king's orders to enter the city and suppress the rioters, probably because they had already finished talking with the National Liberation Committee or something. "
The King and the Fascist Party, who fled to Naples, ordered divisions near Rome to suppress the rioters rampaging in Rome, but they refused the instructions.
Officers who insisted on going to Rome to suppress the riots were detained or killed.
"The interesting thing is that even within the National Liberation Committee, opinions are divided."
As Schellenberg spoke, Manstein looked puzzled.
"SS Lieutenant General Schellenberg, what do you mean?"
"The people who make up the National Liberation Committee are all different. There are communists, there are anarchists, and there are republicans who pursue American-style democracy. Reds and anarchists generally call for the immediate abolition of the monarchy and the establishment of a republic, but some are opposed to the abolition of the monarchy."
According to information collected by SD, some members of the National Liberation Committee are only advocating for the disbandment and punishment of the National Fascist Party, fearing that if they advocate for the abolition of the monarchy, they will incur a backlash from the south, which supports the monarchy, while the Communist Party and anarchists are opposing each other, advocating for the abolition of the monarchy. It is said that it is being done.
However, it is not to the point where they are frustrated and cannot eat each other like the Republicans during the Spanish Civil War. There are internal differences of opinion, but the committee itself is running okay.
"There is a movement to support the National Liberation Committee in the South, but the general mood is to support the current royal family. On the other hand, in the North, it was found that there are more people who support the National Liberation Committee than the royal family." "
If the proportion of all Italian citizens supporting the royal family is 6, the proportion supporting the National Liberation Committee is about 4.
Although support for the royal family is higher by a narrow margin, there are quite a few Italians who support the abolition of the monarchy and the establishment of a republic.
"It will be a difficult fight for both sides. "It is difficult for a royal family to turn 40% of their people into enemies."
Since neither side can completely overwhelm the other, the civil war may take longer than expected.
Assuming there is no 'interruptor' in the middle.
"What are the examples of our people being attacked in Italy?"
"As of now, none. We issued an evacuation order from the time the first protest broke out, so there was no damage, and the embassy was not attacked. Surprisingly, the militia belonging to the National Liberation Committee is said to be protecting the embassy area."
Just looking at the organizations that formed the National Liberation Committee, you can see that they are far from Germany, but surprisingly, the National Liberation Committee took the lead in protecting the German embassy in Rome.
Actually, this is not an unusual thing. Amman They probably knew that if they attacked the embassy even if we didn't like it, we would intervene, so they had no choice but to protect it. In order to reduce even one possibility of being criticized by us.
"Unlike the Serbian guys, they know how to discern between interests and interests. "Are you saying they are descendants of the Romans?"
"What do you plan to do, President?"
Manstein's question included the meaning, 'If you give me the order, I will push into Rome right away.' Look at those bright eyes. Still, you're not a warmonger?
"For now, let's watch the situation for a while. Still, just in case, please keep the alert issued around the border in place so that we can dispatch at any time."
"I understand, Mr. President."
Although the possibility is small, if the National Liberation Committee wins the civil war, it will not be pleasing to Germany. Therefore, if it seems that the National Liberation Committee will win, I plan to intervene by creating a play of my own.
If it looks like the government forces will win before we intervene, we'll just eat popcorn and look around for a while, and at the last minute, send some reinforcements under the pretext of helping the Italian government.
Unfortunately for the Italian National Liberation Committee and its supporters, they have no choice but to intervene as the civil war breaks out in Italy, right around the corner from Germany.
If they do not intervene and just sit back and an anti-German regime is established, it will cause more trouble and there is a risk of sending the wrong signal to the world that 'Germany stayed silent even when something happened in its own backyard.'
It is not the United States that will miss this golden opportunity, and Germany's position in the international community will naturally decline.
"How is Greece these days?"
"Christ, sooner or later, something will happen. Sooner or later-"
At that time, Schellenberg's adjutant came in and handed him a telegram. After checking the contents of the telegram, he smiled meaningfully and showed the telegram to me and Manstein.
"Isn't it true that in cases like this, even tigers will come if you tell them what to do?"
The telegram stated that a large-scale gunfight had occurred in Athens, Greece.
***
Greece's ambition to expand its territory by joining hands with Yugoslavia ended in vain with only the disastrous results of land devastation and territory reduction.
It was nothing short of a disaster for the Greek people, but it was a heaven-sent opportunity for the Greek Communist Party, which had been holding its breath under the military dictatorship.
"The incompetent king and the corrupt military are the cancer and tumor of Greece. Just as you cannot survive without removing the cancer, Greece needs reform! Without reform, Greece will die!"
"People of Greece! How long will we live like slaves under an incompetent dictator?"
"Let us all stand up! Let's stand up and show the great power of the people!"
The large-scale protests that occurred in Italy, the resulting civil war, and the National Liberation Committee's takeover of the capital served as a good stimulus to the Greek Communist Party, which was worried about when to take action.
"Did you see it?"
"The comrades in Italy have also taken action."
"It's now or it's too late. When the revolutionary spirit begins to spread in Europe, we too must act!"
"I agree!"
The Greek Communist Party also took action.
The Communist Party knew well that the military would not simply step down, and it also knew that in order to oust the military, it would need the support of the entire nation.
But how? By what means?
The majority of Greek citizens thought that while they hated the dictatorial military and the royal family that did nothing but play, they hated communists even more.
The current support base was not enough to oust the royal family and military and take control of Greece.
"I can't. In the end, I had no choice but to use that method... … ."
"If that's the way-"
The Communist Party incited people to hold a large-scale protest in the capital Athens.
The protesters' demands are to control price increases and end the military dictatorship.
Of course, it was a bait that the military had no choice but to step forward.
"Disband. I repeat. Disband immediately. "Your actions now are-"
"Shut up you pig!"
"The military's henchmen, go away!"
"Uuuuuu!!!"
Without blood, the people cannot move, and without the people, there can be no revolution.
It takes blood to make a revolution.
Following this logic, the Communist Party used the citizens of Athens as a shield.
When the demonstration reached maturity, some Communist Party members hiding among the protesters took out their prepared guns and fired at the police.
The protest scene immediately became chaos.
"It's a shooting!"
"I want support! "The protesters are armed!"
"What do we do now?!"
"Why are you procrastinating when you should respond?"
The police officers under his command hesitated at the chief's order to respond.
"B-but are they civilians?"
"Do civilians carry guns? Those guys are not civilians! They're a mob! "Fire back immediately!"
The police also returned fire at the protesters, resulting in many casualties.
The communist windbreakers who shot first fled the scene immediately after shooting, and those who ended up dying were innocent citizens.
Newspapers mainly published photos of citizens killed by police shooting, and Greeks became angry.
Shooting at unarmed protesters! Does this mean that he is still the same person?
In a corner of the newspaper, there was also a counter-argument by the police that they had no choice but to return fire because the protesters had fired first, but the imprint that had already been made in people's minds could not be erased.
Soon, large-scale protests broke out throughout Greece, and naturally bloodshed broke out in many places. The Communist Party, deciding that the time had come, staged an uprising.
Greece was engulfed in the flames of civil war following Italy.
***
July 8, 1948
Ostmark Vienna, Germany
"Civil war during this peaceful time. The world is going really well."
Brunegger clicked his tongue and turned to the next chapter of Förkisher Beobachter.
It was six months after the war ended that Brunegger was able to return from soldier to civilian.
Brunegger, who was promoted to SS sergeant during the war, considered remaining in the army, but ultimately chose to discharge.
It is not because the salary is low or the treatment is harsh. He was a member of the Totenkopf Division, one of the elite units in the Waffen SS, which was famous for its elite, so he was welcomed and revered by people wherever he went.
Sometimes, when eating at a restaurant, a customer who stopped by the restaurant or the restaurant owner would pay for the meal.
The salary was good. Nevertheless, the reason he chose to be discharged was because he wanted to escape from the stuffy space of the military and breathe the free and clean air of society.
"Anyway, if you think you've made the newbies who don't know anything useful, they leave, and the newbies who don't know anything come back in... … ."
"Thank you so much, SS Headquarters Sergeant Fet."
"That won't work. Don't be discharged, just drive the stake in."
"I refuse."
Anyway, the war was over and there was a trend of troop reductions around the world, so even if I tried to stay in the military, I didn't know that I would have to take off my clothes right away.
Of course, Brunegger was a talented person who had joined the Waffen-SS in 1938 and was even awarded the Iron Cross, 1st Class, so there was a high possibility that he would remain in the military, but he chose to be discharged cleanly.
As the war ended and the economy stabilized, the number of guests visiting hotels increased.
Brunegger, who was an ordinary hotel employee before being ordered to re-enlist, was able to return to the hotel and work as a room manager thanks to his discharge as an SS sergeant and his history of being awarded the Iron Cross.
80% of the hotel's guests were Germans from all over the Third Reich, and 20% were foreigners who stopped by Vienna for business or tourism purposes.
The way to distinguish them was simple. If a family came in the national car Volkswagen Käfer (Beetle), they were Germans, and if they came in a taxi or bus, they were foreigners.
The Führer declared that each German citizen would be able to have a private car and promised to give a Volkswagen to anyone who buys 900 marks worth of commemorative Volkswagen stamps.
Although the war broke out on the way and the timing was a little delayed, the President kept his promise in the end.
True to his promise, the German people were able to have the private car they had dreamed of.
Even now, Volkswagen factories all over Germany produce private cars, and the produced Volkswagen cars are sent to homes throughout Germany, making people's daily lives more enriched.
When Germans visit the hotel in their Volkswagen, foreigners most likely take a taxi or get off the bus at the bus stop in front of the hotel and come to the hotel.
Most foreigners were white, but there were rare yellow or black people.
One time, a black visitor very cautiously asked Brunegger if black people could stay. When Brunegger answered yes, the guest was surprised.
He came from the United States, and there were very few hotels in the United States that black people could use.
When a guest told him that he could be arrested by the police if he entered a white-only hotel without knowing what to do, Brunegger could not believe his ears.
No, even if you don't like black people, you're arrested by the police? This ridiculous thing was established by law in the United States.
Former U.S. President Wallace and current President Dewey made many efforts to abolish black-white discrimination, but blacks were still only the third class of citizens in the United States. 1st place were white people who had lived in the United States since their ancestors, 2 These were white immigrants who came to the United States from Europe.
Of course, racism is as severe in Europe as in the United States, but Germany was almost the only European country that could boast that it was far from racism.
After the Fuhrer ordered the abolition of racial discrimination and implemented it, racial discrimination became difficult to find in Germany.
Although each person's emotions themselves cannot be controlled, if they are openly revealed, huge fines and terrible legal punishment await them.
So who would dare discriminate against people based on their skin color or origin?
Anyone can become a German if they think of themselves as German and are loyal to Germany. This is what the Fuhrer said.
Brunegger firmly believed that Germany would appear to be a much more moral country than the United States to colored people, even if white people did not know it.
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