Chapitre 271: 271
Episode 271: Dark clouds (3)
Japan's hopes of ending its previous bad relationship with Germany and attacking Britain and the United States together ended up being a delusion.
Hitler had no intention of helping Japan continue the war with the United States, and he was even less interested in the delusion of conquering America.
As Germany strengthened its ties with the United States and the United States concentrated its power on the Pacific, Japan was at a loss.
Britain fell to Germany, but the US offensive in the Pacific became more intense.
The United States, which had suffered a crushing failure in Europe, sought to make up for its failure in the war against Germany with victory in the war against Japan.
As the troops scheduled to be deployed to England, the food to be distributed to them, the fuel, ammunition, weapons, vehicles, and aircraft to be used by the soldiers were deployed intensively to the Pacific, the Japanese military's front line, which was barely holding on, began to collapse in an instant.
The U.S. Army, National Revolutionary Army, and small numbers of British and Indian troops in Burma launched a major offensive and drove the Japanese army out of Burma.
The Japanese army, driven out of Burma, had to retreat to Thailand.
Thailand, which had succumbed to Japan's threats and appeasement and declared war on Britain and the United States, was shocked.
When was the time when we were devouring Asia and the Pacific with the momentum of the Ascension of the Rising Sun, and were blabbering about being 'a country protected by God', now we are being swept away like fallen leaves in a single breath of the Allied Forces!
American B-17s launched from Burma now bombed Thai cities and Japanese military airfields in Thailand without hesitation.
The surprised Thai government secretly contacted the United States and explained its position.
Cooperation with Japan was in no way forced by Japan, and the Thai government has no intention of being hostile to the United States.
And if given the chance, he is willing to join the ranks of the Allied Forces against Japan.
The United States ridiculed the Thai government's actions, but did not hesitate to offer Thailand cooperation.
America's goal was to plant the American flag in Tokyo and obtain Japan's surrender, not Thailand.
Thailand's declaration of war against the United States could be forgiven just by Thailand turning its guns on Japan.
By recapturing Burma, China was able to receive land lease supplies from the United States more quickly and reliably.
The National Revolutionary Army completed unification with more than 70% of its total troops using American-made equipment, and was achieving success against the Japanese army on the front lines.
Following Burma and China, US troops also invaded Saipan and the Philippines.
The Japanese military forced its soldiers to lock themselves in order to protect the absolute defense line essential for defending its territory, and kamikaze, a suicide attack tactic, appeared in the world.
"These crazy people. "It was a suicide attack."
"What on earth is in those guys' heads?"
"What do you know? I don't want to surrender even if I die, I guess this is it. "You fucking bastards."
The American soldiers held out their tongues as they saw Zerocen rushing towards the ship, getting hit by anti-aircraft fire and oxidizing in the air, or colliding with the ship and tearing his body to pieces.
And I had a hunch. The fact that the opponents they are fighting are not ordinary crazy people.
However, the U.S. military was not afraid. Rather, hostility towards the other party only increased.
And one more thing, the U.S. military was convinced that the enemy was concentrated in a dead end to the point where they would resort to such crazy tactics.
Otherwise, would the enemy even pull out a card that no one had thought of: a suicide attack?
This means that the end of the war has arrived.
Victory is not far away. With this one word, the American soldiers fought even more passionately. Only when Japan surrendered could they return home.
Even though the Japanese army stubbornly resisted, the US military's will to fight against them also increased day by day. As the battle got closer, the battle between both sides became more intense and intense.
As the fight in the Pacific approaches its end, signs of new bloodshed have begun to blow in a completely different place.
***
October 24, 1943
Soviet Kuybyshev
Starting with Tymoshenko, Stalin beheaded numerous officers of the army, air force, and navy with his own hands.
Anti-Soviet guerrillas in Central Asia and Siberia are also being actively suppressed by mobilizing the Red Army.
But Stalin was still anxious.
Even now, at this very moment, isn't there a conspiracy going on somewhere to bring him down?
Despite the blood of countless people already on his hands, Stalin's thirst remained.
Even now, he has succeeded in killing enough people and instilling fear in even more people, but he is an object of fear to others, and he is feared by those who fear him.
I needed more blood to forget my fears.
All those who were the targets of suspicion or whose behavior seemed suspicious were either dead or interrogated in the NKVD's underground torture chamber.
Stalin went through the list, looking for new victims.
Even among the generals whose names were rarely known, only those who were deemed truly necessary were kept alive in case war broke out with Germany again.
Stalin's eyes, as he read the names on the list, stopped at a specific name.
Grigory Kulik.
A man who was trusted by Stalin.
In the early days of the German-Soviet War, he was the only one of the many generals to have achieved a military record that could be called a successful war. He was now in Siberia.
Stalin closed his eyes and was lost in thought.
Kulik. Although it is true that he made a contribution, the instructions he gave ultimately caused enormous damage to the Soviet military.
When Kulik despised submachine guns as police weapons that wasted bullets, the German army armed its soldiers with assault rifles, and the T-43, which Kulik pushed wholeheartedly, turned out to be a nuisance with more problems than the T-34 in actual combat. It turns out.
The human butcher did not hate Kulik.
Kulik was loyal to Stalin - the purged Tymoshenko was also loyal to Stalin - but he did not give in to Stalin's instructions.
Like an honest worker, he did whatever Stalin told him to do.
In fact, he contributed to some extent in the war.
However, at the same time, he was the one who made a huge mistake and caused the damage to the entire Soviet military to increase.
Of course, it was Stalin himself who approved Kulik's suggestion and ordered the entire army, but a dictator is not inherently responsible.
It was ultimately the accessories underneath that were responsible.
Stalin picked up the phone.
"Call Kruglov."
Thirty minutes later Kruglov stood motionless before Stalin.
Kruglov did not say anything more, such as did you call me or did something happen?
All I can think about today is that someone poor's life is ending.
"Summon Kulik."
Stalin's next sacrifice was chosen to be Kulik.
***
October 26, 1943
Novosibirsk, USSR
Kulik couldn't tell the extent of the situation he was in right now.
While Red Army officers were dying every day, he was still alive and breathing. This alone may be great luck.
But Kulik wanted to know how long he would have to stay here. As soon as he recovered from his wounds, Stalin sent him to Siberia.
At first, I understood it as meaning to just recuperate in the rear until the war was over. But even after the war ended, Stalin did not look for him.
Kulik suddenly had this thought. Perhaps the Secretary wants him to rot here for the rest of his life?
Of course, it is much better to live in the middle of Siberia and see snow and ice for the rest of your life than to be purged.
However, Kulik was not pleased with the Secretary-General, who ignored him despite his loyalty.
Like a fucking Georgia hillbilly. Kulik drank vodka repeatedly in anger.
"But you never know, comrade."
Kulik's subordinate, Sergeant Gordov, who was drinking with Kulik, said: Like Kulik, he was also sent to Siberia during the war and has been rotting there ever since.
"Are you sure you don't know?"
"Isn't bloodshed blowing all over the Soviet Union right now? "Maybe it would be safer to remain here."
"That's my opinion too."
Major Ryvalchenko, who was as close to Kulik as Gordov, said as he put a thinly sliced piece of salo into his mouth.
"We don't know either, so why don't we prepare in advance?"
"What kind of preparation are you talking about?"
"Well… … "In the worst case scenario, shouldn't we have the power to protect our lives?"
Ryvalchenko's eyes sparkled. Kulik, sensing what kind of preparation he was talking about, lowered his voice and asked:
"Have you ever thought that you might get caught because of that preparation?"
"comrade. If you say it's just military training, the Secretary General won't be suspicious. Is there anything else we need to do here in the first place besides training?"
You must make the necessary preparations just in case. After hearing those words, Kulik began to think more.
As Rybalchenko said, in preparation for an emergency and to avoid being caught by the Secretary General, he pretended to be only interested in military training.
At the same time, he deployed his private plane near the headquarters and selected personal bodyguards to keep them nearby.
And after some time,
Ryvalchenko's advice turned out to be true.
"comrade! comrade!"
"This is the NKVD, comrade!"
Kulik greeted the NKVD agents, pretending that nothing had happened and that he had no idea what was going on.
Stalin's hounds were expressionless, as if they were robots covered only with human skin, and not a single emotion could be detected in their voices and speech patterns.
"Marshal Kulik, Comrade Secretary General has called you Kuybyshef."
"… … "Can you tell me why?"
"Go and hear from Him yourself."
Kulik knew that if Stalin had called Kulik because he had something to give him, the NKVD would not have shown such an arrogant attitude.
This most likely means that he is preparing for his own purge.
Kulik had no intention of meekly walking to the firing squad like Tymoshenko and the other generals.
When Kulik raised his hand to give a signal, the soldiers who had been waiting under his command jumped out and aimed their guns at the NKVD.
Only then did the NKVD's emotionless face reveal emotion.
"What is this... … ."
"Can't you tell by looking?"
The arrogant tone from before was gone and Kulik sneered when he heard a confused tone. But his voice was also trembling slightly.
"Hey, you think you can survive after doing something like this!?"
"This is treason! "You are going against the will of Comrade Secretary General and the people!"
"You can survive like this-"
"Shoot."
As soon as Kulik's instructions were given, the muzzles opened fire.
Stalin's hounds, who were feared by the 'enemies of the people' for running wild without fear of the world, became a beehive and rolled around on the floor.
With this, he has now crossed the line. Now he will never have to deal with Stalin alone again.
Well, even if this hadn't happened, it wouldn't have happened.
Kulik was lost in thought as he watched the blood spread on the floor. What should I do now?
Kulik could never live under Stalin, as Stalin had decided to kill him.
There is only one way left.
***
October 27, 1943
Soviet Kuybyshev
Stalin was being briefed on the development of a new heavy tank submitted by the design bureau.
German war weapons that overwhelm Soviet-made equipment.
As it was one of the reasons why the Soviet Union lost the war, Stalin could not neglect the development of weapons even after the war ended.
In the name of preparing for another invasion by Germany, he urged the developers of the design bureau.
The bloody wind blowing again across the Soviet Union was also a good catalyst. Developers were anxious that they too might be purged if they failed to meet the Secretary General's expectations.
If you want to live even a day longer, you have to show results as quickly as possible.
When the results came out much earlier than he had expected, Stalin was satisfied.
The only thing that came out yet was a blueprint, but considering the pace of progress so far, I thought the actual product would come out before the end of this year.
The atmosphere in the aircraft sector was not much different. If you don't want to be dragged into the Gulag, prove that you are useful with results.
Engineers studied new aircraft day and night, and as a result, new fighter aircraft that were noteworthy for the Soviet Union, such as the Yak-3 and La-7, were completed.
Currently, the two aircraft were in the midst of testing, and plans were made to mass produce them as soon as they received passing scores in the tests.
Seven months had passed since the war ended, but the atmosphere inside the Soviet Union was still like that of wartime.
In order to avoid repeating the same humiliation in the next war, we must work as if war will happen tomorrow.
Work with the mindset that you never know when a war may break out.
Those who are lazy are those who do not care if their country suffers the same humiliation, and such people have no right to live in a country of great people.
Stalin put down the report in a very satisfied mood and while smoking a cigarette, he suddenly remembered the instructions he had given three days earlier.
Just as he was about to reach for the phone to call Kruglov, a familiar voice sounded from beyond the thick oak door.
"Comrade Secretary General? "I have something to urgently report to you."
"Please come in."
They say even tigers will come if you tell them what to do. Stalin thought that Kruglov had come to him to report that Kulik had been captured.
Until I saw his face.
But something was strange. Seeing Kruglov's face harden, Stalin knew something was wrong.
"Comrade Secretary General. "We have been unable to contact the arrest team that went to Novosibirsk."
"You mean you can't contact me?"
"According to schedule, a report should have arrived this morning, but it did not arrive. "We tried to contact them, but we couldn't."
"… … Are you saying they deserted, or rather evaporated?"
"We're still figuring it out. "The plane may have crashed, so we are contacting nearby units."
"When was your last communication?"
"There is no communication during the arrest team's mission. Except when setting off. "It is normal to receive a call from the arrest team when they arrest a target, but there has been no contact so far."
Plane crashes due to bad weather were not uncommon in 1943.
Especially in the Soviet Union, where aircraft-related technology was inferior to that of Germany, Britain, or the United States. Therefore, Stalin was not too worried at first.
All he was worried about was the delay in Kulik's arrest.
Since there was no notification that Kulik had been arrested, the plane carrying the arrest team may have crashed en route.
"I will send a second arrest team immediately."
"Do it that way."
Neither Stalin nor Kruglov knew.
The fact that the die was thrown without them knowing.
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