Bab 100: 100
Prince Pavle.
His name is Pavle Karadjordjevic.
He ruled Yugoslavia as regent on behalf of his young nephew, who was only 17 years old, and had no doubt that only he could lead Yugoslavia in the right direction.
His self-righteousness naturally led to the formation of opposition,
His nephew, King Petar II of Yugoslavia, was also tired of his uncle's dogmatism and began plotting to overthrow him.
Coincidentally, the damage suffered in the war with Italy served as a good excuse to oust Pavle.
Prince Pavle eagerly advertised that he had achieved victory over the great powers of Italy, but the damage suffered by the Yugoslav army was far greater than what was gained.
The damage, which included 2,600 killed and missing and 4,400 wounded, totaling 7,000, was not something that could be easily overlooked just by acquiring Zadar.
Even though the war was clearly won, the view toward Prince Pavle only got worse than before and never got better.
Petar II and his associates decided now was the time.
"Uncle."
"… ."
"I am the king of this country. "You know that, right?"
"… "How could you not know?"
"I'm glad you know. "I thought you had forgotten that I was the king."
"… ."
"Hitler, whom you looked up to so much, didn't even pay attention to us. Just as our people hate the Germans, they also hate us. Why don't you know that obvious fact? Or are you pretending not to know even though you know?"
"So what do you want to say?"
"As the king, should I just sit back and watch the country run into chaos? As a king, you have to set an example for your people. So I had no choice but to make a decision. "Someday, uncle, you will understand me."
"Just try your best, Your Majesty."
Prince Pavle, who was arrested by the coup forces, was confined to his home.
Petar II, who had defeated his uncle who had been a thorn in his eyes, declared his own rule.
***
December 25, 1940
New Fuhrer's Residence in Berlin, Germany
"What impact do you think the coup in Yugoslavia will have on Germany?"
"I can't say for sure, but I don't think it will have much of an impact on Germany right now."
"I think the same thing."
Göring, Keitel, Brauchitsch, and Leder responded that there was no major problem.
"I don't think it will have much of an impact right now, but Prince Pavle was one of the few pro-German figures in Yugoslavia. Petar II's close associates, who declared pro-government rule, are filled with anti-German figures.
"Relations between Germany and Yugoslavia were not always good when Prince Pavlé was regent, but they are likely to become more difficult in the future."
"Serbia was originally a pro-British country. "It will not be overtly hostile to Germany, but it is certain that it will approach Britain in the near future."
Reichenau and Ribbentrop's response is that there is a problem.
Should you have taken Prince Pavle's hand when he extended it first?
… .No. If that had been the case, the coup would have occurred sooner. Hitler, who was greatly impressed by Serbia's struggle in World War I, gave Yugoslavia preferential treatment even though it was a Slavic country and sought to make it an ally or a pro-German neutral country.
Prince Pavle also judged that Germany's help was essential to protect the country from invasion by Yugoslavia and its enemy neighbors, such as Italy, Hungary, and Bulgaria, and entered the Axis Alliance despite opposition from those around him.
This stimulated the Serbs, whose anti-German sentiment was at its peak, and eventually a coup took place and Prince Pavle was overthrown.
When Prince Pavle, who was pro-German, fell from power and the pro-British coup faction gained power, it became an opportunity for Germany to invade Yugoslavia.
Knowing that, I deliberately kept my distance even when Prince Pavle sent me a love call. In the end, what happens happens?
Still, Yugoslavia did not seem to have any intention of being hostile toward us right now.
I am a little concerned about Yugoslavia approaching Britain, but Yugoslavia is originally a pro-British country recognized in the Balkan Peninsula, and it has only been 7 months since the signing of the armistice, so I don't think Britain will move Yugoslavia to challenge us. It doesn't even seem like it.
"Unless Yugoslavia first launches a provocation or becomes overtly hostile towards us, I think it would be best to leave them alone for now. Even if we don't step forward, we have Hungary and Bulgaria. If the situation arises, wouldn't it be okay to move these two countries to put pressure on Yugoslavia?"
"It's a wise decision."
The issue of Yugo was concluded to be put on hold for the time being.
The Belgian and Dutch governments-in-exile in London have been behaving like a rat recently.
Immediately after receiving Italy's surrender, I offered to the two governments in exile that I would allow them to return home if they acknowledged the presence of German troops and remained a permanently neutral country, but both consistently failed to respond.
They may have done it out of pride or thought it was a fishing attempt to lure them in, but it was clear that the two governments had no intention of returning to the country.
The day after the Belgian and Dutch governments-in-exile rejected my proposal, I established a puppet government in Belgium headed by Leon de Grell, leader of the Belgian fascist Rex party, and in the Netherlands headed by Anton Mussert, founder and leader of the Dutch National Socialist Movement. .
Naturally, the two governments-in-exile in London reacted angrily, saying that they were nothing more than German minions and not legitimate governments, but they neatly ignored them.
Even when we first asked them to go together in a good way, the people who refused now come and say, 'They're fake! We are real! 'Bwaaeak!!!' No matter how loud they are, they say that they can't do anything without Britain's help.
The reason I encouraged the two governments to return home was because I judged that it would be better for the previous government to rule the two countries rather than for Germany to rule them directly, not because I absolutely needed their help.
Not to mention Queen Wilhelmina in London, and even King Leopold III, who was imprisoned in Austria, refused to recognize Leon de Grell's cabinet as the legitimate government of Belgium.
At this point, I was considering officially abolishing the monarchies in both countries and converting them to republics, but Degrel and Mussert begged me to put up with that.
"It would be beneficial for them if the country were converted to a republic, so why are they opposing it?"
"Isn't it because you are concerned about public backlash? According to a survey by SD, 58% of Belgians support the monarchy, and 83% of Dutch people support the Queen.
"It is obvious that if the monarchy is abolished hastily, the people will strongly protest, so they pretend to support the monarchy on the outside."
From the perspective of the Belgian and Dutch royal families, Degrell and Mussert are already traitors who collaborated with Germany, so they are confirmed to be executed.
However, these two were showing a passive stance on abolishing the monarchy for fear of public backlash.
The royal family is preparing to kill the puppet government, but the puppet government is actually opposing the abolition of the royal family due to the public's concerns. This was the current state of Belgium and the Netherlands.
"Well, in that case, let them figure it out on their own. Unless they bow down to us, the bastards of London will never be able to set foot on the mainland."
Although they secretly supported the government-in-exile in London, the Belgians and Dutch kept quiet on the outside.
In order to appease the public sentiment of the people of both countries, I also released all prisoners, severely punished German soldiers who harmed civilians in the area in accordance with military law, and at the same time properly compensated the victims.
As the German army, the aggressor, showed a surprisingly fair attitude and minimized friction, the people of Belgium and the Netherlands also chose to accept and adapt to the reality.
In accordance with the agreement signed with us, the UK placed restrictions on the activities of the exile government, and to make matters worse, even the people on the mainland conformed to reality instead of resisting, and the exile government became the duck egg of the Nakdong River.
Instead of guns and bombs, the people picked up pencils and tools. There was nothing they could do in London, but it was too late to go back to the mainland. It would be so frustrating that I would die.
***
"Sieg Heil! Sieg Heil!"
"Heil Hitler!"
As I entered, the attendees filling the banquet hall cheered in unison, raising one arm. I reciprocated their cheers by raising my hand.
The Hakenkreuz flag and colorful Christmas decorations embroidered throughout the banquet hall gave the illusion that the whole world was dyed in red ink.
The party was attended by high-ranking Wehrmacht and SS generals, SA and Nazi party officials, and ambassadors from Germany's friendly countries, including Denmark, Norway, and Hungary.
As I entered the banquet hall, people's applause and cheers did not stop until I stood in front of the microphone and began my speech.
"I can't believe you're so crazy about an old man like me. "My wife at home will be very disappointed."
"Ha ha ha ha ha!!!"
"Anyway, thank you all for coming. A year ago at Christmas, I prayed that the war would end next year and that Germany's sons would be able to return home safely. And now, a year later, my wish has come true. The war was over, Germany was victorious, and Europe was at peace again.
It was not I who created this miracle. The miracle became a reality thanks to the hard work of the people and all of you, the true pride of our country, who made Germany what it is today. Let us be proud of having created a miracle with our own strength. Sieg Heil!"
"Sieg Heil!"
"Heil Hitler!"
"There's a lot I want to say, but I think Christmas will be over if I say it all, so I'll stop here. Now, let's all toast to victory!"
"Yaaaa!!!"
"Long live the Fuhrer! Long live Germany!"
Everyone was excited because it was the first Christmas after the war. Attendees dressed in colorful uniforms enjoyed the party, eating and drinking to their heart's content while the SS band played Christmas carols. As the party atmosphere grew, people's laughter grew louder.
"We overcame fear and achieved a great victory.
We will advance until everything in the world is destroyed.
Just as we took Germany today
Tomorrow we will take over the whole world... "
***
December 28, 1940
Tokyo, Japan
"I don't understand."
Japanese Prime Minister Fumimaro Konoe put down his teacup and tilted his head.
"I never understand why Germany is so close to the inferior Zina and not to the Empire."
Konoe did not know why a powerful country like Germany was friendly with the inferior China rather than Japan, which was the most developed of Asian countries and was on par with world powers such as Britain, the United States, and the Soviet Union.
There was certainly a time when China was ahead of Japan. However, as the 19th century passed into the 20th century, the positions of China and Japan completely changed.
China, which once prided itself on being the center of the world, has been reduced to an underdeveloped country where all it has are barren fields and more than 80% of its people are illiterate.
Through the Meiji Restoration, Japan succeeded in transforming into one of the leading industrial countries not only in Asia but also in the world.
Even Britain, the United States, and the Soviet Union, which prided themselves on being the country where the sun never sets, no longer dare to ignore Japan.
China, which has only a large land mass and nothing of substance, has suffered consecutive defeats against the imperial army and is now on the verge of destruction.
Anyone with a proper mind would not know whether it would be more beneficial to join hands with the Empire or with China.
However, Germany defied expectations and joined China's hand.
Although it did not form a formal alliance with China, it was clear that Germany was trying to distance itself from the Empire by selling weapons to China and issuing an evacuation order for its citizens staying in Japan.
Moreover, some of the weapons acquired during the war with France were even returned to France.
The reason is said to have been Pétain's request that the armament of the French army guarding Indochina was inferior and that weapons were needed to supplement it.
There is no way Germany does not know that the Empire is currently targeting Indochina. Knowing this, isn't returning the weapons taken from France an intention to keep the Empire in check with France at the forefront?
"It's the same as the fact that I personally invited and met Jo Senjing at the previous Berlin Olympics, and it's truly outrageous that a man who conquered Europe would show favoritism toward inferior Gina and Josenjing."
Foreign Minister Yosuke Matsuoka, who strongly advocated for a military alliance with Germany, quietly drank tea while Konoe spoke.
Like Konoe, he could not understand why Germany was closer to China rather than the Empire, but he still could not let go of his lingering attachment to the Japan-Germany alliance.
If Germany and the Empire, which conquered Europe, join hands, it would not be impossible to unite the Asia-Pacific region under the values of the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere. Germany would certainly be able to gain an upper hand over the United States, Britain, and the Soviet Union if it had an ally as outstanding and powerful as the Empire, but why does Fuhrer Hitler not know that obvious fact? Matsuoka was truly pitiful.
"Foreign Minister Matsuoka, considering all the circumstances so far, it seems that Germany has no intention of forming an alliance with the Empire."
"… "Then, does the Prime Minister have any other plans in mind?"
"Now that the possibility of a Japan-German alliance has disappeared, there is a strong opinion emerging in the Navy that we must negotiate with Britain and the United States. "If we join hands with Britain and the United States instead of Germany, we might be able to put even more pressure on Gina."
"That's not possible! Joining hands with Yeongmi would shake the very foundation of the empire. In particular, the Americans are wicked people who despise the empire and are waiting for it to fall. How dare we negotiate with such ruthless people! "This should never happen!"
Matsuoka immediately expressed his opposition to Konoe's words. Konoe asked, surprised by Matsuoka's strong opposition.
"I heard that you lived in the United States for quite some time, but I don't know why you have such animosity towards the United States."
Matsuoka moved to the United States at the age of 13 and boarded with an American family in Portland, Oregon.
Matsuoka, who attended elementary, middle, high school, and college in the United States, even had an American name, Frank, and lived as a de facto American for nine years.
Konoe, who had no idea that he would show such strong hostility toward the United States, could not help but be surprised.
"Prime Minister, if we start negotiations with Britain and the United States, they will definitely demand that the Empire withdraw from China. They are not interested in the emperor's position and do not even try to understand it. "What do you expect from those who are hell-bent on helping Jina and putting the empire in danger?"
"Then which country do you think the Empire should join hands with?"
Germany refuses even if Japan tries to approach first, and Britain and the United States are virtually hostile to Japan over the China issue.
France was occupied by Germany and was competing with the Empire over Indochina, so it was not a subject of negotiations.
Now there was only one country left.
"How about joining hands with the Soviet Union?"
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone