This was dumb of me. The elephant in the room is Manchuria. At this point it's the Japanese rice bowl and source for military supplies, and Japan is not going to give it up without an absolutely desperate fight to the last man and cartridge. Unit 731 is higly likely to play a role in its defense.
Stupid Luck and Happenstance.
- Thread starter Peabody-Martini
- Start date
Part 38, Chapter 465
Chapter Four Hundred Sixty-Five
20th June 1945
Chita, Russia
There had been a lot of changes over the last year but some things never changed. Politics, for example, never seemed to change regardless of who seemed to be atop the bloody pile at the moment. Stalin was gone along with the Bolsheviks. Replacing them was an assortment of political parties across the political spectrum and Russia had a Czar again. The draft constitution was supposed to guarantee freedom of association among other things. Georgy Zhukov would believe that when he saw it in action. The year before he had been the acting General of the Russian troops who had volunteered to serve in the German Pioneer Corps. Zhukov shooting that Commissar in front of Field Marshal von Wolvogle had impressed the old wolf and made him someone who he thought he could trust. The truth was that Zhukov had shot the prick because of a personal beef, not as a political statement. Still it had worked out quite well for him. He had been a part of von Wolvogle’s inner circle for the last year of the war and his liver had somehow survived the experience. Now he was back in Russia leading a large portion of the Russian Army.
That was where he figured politics reentered this situation. The Russian Army was intended to play a major role in the Allied forces kicking the Japanese out of Manchuria but Zhukov knew what the score was. This also sent the bulk of the Russian Army far away from Europe where there would be some bad blood lingering. Marshal Tukhachevsky had said that Zhukov had his full confidence. That was one of the things that also hadn’t changed. Mikhail Tukhachevsky had somehow managed to cozy up to the new Czar, still enjoying the support and loyalty of the entire Russian Army. That happened to be the only reason he wasn’t going to be following Stalin and Molotov up the scaffold steps. Zhukov figured that sliming your way out of nearly anything came easy when you didn’t believe in anything at all.
Zhukov looked at the latest reports crossing his desk. Most of them had to do with the state of readiness of his troops. They were adjusting to the new weapons, many of which were more advanced than they were used to. Word had gone around to not bother touching the adjustable gas systems on the German made rifles, there was absolutely no happiness to be found there. Then there was a voluminous report from the German Army’s Medical Service. The Medical Officers had an authority and ruthlessness that the NKVD would have envied. Unlike the NKVD they didn’t need to inspire terror. Words like typhus, cholera, pox and plague did a more than adequate job for them. Zhukov himself had learned from arguing with some of them that they would fall on something to the effect of “Have it your way but it’s your funeral” every time. There was no comeback for something like that.
Vladivostok
When Emil got the telegram, he ordered Peter to his office immediately. As soon as he saw his brother’s face he knew that Peter must have known what this was about.
“Maria thinks she might be pregnant” Emil said as soon as Peter sat down.
“Are whiskey and cigars in order then?” Peter asked with a smile. If what he’d seen in Moscow was any indication and Doctor Tangeman had ruled out any other likely health concerns then there was no “might” about it.
“Not really” Emil said, “There is also a telegram from Kat Mischner saying that Maria is not taking this well and doesn’t know what to do.”
“Had the two of you ever discussed having more children?” Peter asked.
“We had” Emil said, “But this still is a major surprise.”
A major life altering surprise, Peter thought to himself. Those happen to everyone sooner or later, no exceptions.
“There are a couple different ways you and Maria can handle this” Peter said, “A surprising addition to your family that is either welcome or unwelcome.”
“It’s that simple?” Emil asked.
“Yes” Peter said, “But extremely profound, you would be amazed with how often I see the effects of that very decision, almost constantly.”
“Any other observations?” Emil asked.
Peter just shrugged, “After how you and Maria parted company I personally think that she really will give you the boot if you aren’t there for this” He said.
“It’s not like I can drop everything and go home” Emil replied.
“You’re here mostly as an observer for the Government?” Peter said, “Correct?”
“That is bit of an oversimplification” Emil said, “But, yes, that is my function.”
“Which means that your presence is not absolutely required before things start in a couple weeks” Peter said, “Take a week to be with Maria.”
“There is no way that that von Kluge will agree to that.”
“He doesn’t have to” Peter said, “If the commanding medical officer in this theater of operations says that you have a family or medical crisis at home that needs your personal attention, which you do, you are the next flight home. Luckily for you, I happen to be the commanding medical officer.”
Emil had known that Peter had been promoted from Oberstarzt to Generalarzt, equivalent to a Generalmajor, but the implications of that had never occurred to him until now.
“You would do that?”
“Of course, I would” Peter said, “Not that I’m doing this out of the goodness of my heart. I have a rather lengthy list of things that I need in terms of personnel, equipment and supplies that I want you to personally hand to Chancellor Lang.”
“There’s always an angle with you, Peter” Emil said.
“I learned that from my older brother, a total bastard” Peter replied, “And I believe that he has a plane to catch.”
20th June 1945
Chita, Russia
There had been a lot of changes over the last year but some things never changed. Politics, for example, never seemed to change regardless of who seemed to be atop the bloody pile at the moment. Stalin was gone along with the Bolsheviks. Replacing them was an assortment of political parties across the political spectrum and Russia had a Czar again. The draft constitution was supposed to guarantee freedom of association among other things. Georgy Zhukov would believe that when he saw it in action. The year before he had been the acting General of the Russian troops who had volunteered to serve in the German Pioneer Corps. Zhukov shooting that Commissar in front of Field Marshal von Wolvogle had impressed the old wolf and made him someone who he thought he could trust. The truth was that Zhukov had shot the prick because of a personal beef, not as a political statement. Still it had worked out quite well for him. He had been a part of von Wolvogle’s inner circle for the last year of the war and his liver had somehow survived the experience. Now he was back in Russia leading a large portion of the Russian Army.
That was where he figured politics reentered this situation. The Russian Army was intended to play a major role in the Allied forces kicking the Japanese out of Manchuria but Zhukov knew what the score was. This also sent the bulk of the Russian Army far away from Europe where there would be some bad blood lingering. Marshal Tukhachevsky had said that Zhukov had his full confidence. That was one of the things that also hadn’t changed. Mikhail Tukhachevsky had somehow managed to cozy up to the new Czar, still enjoying the support and loyalty of the entire Russian Army. That happened to be the only reason he wasn’t going to be following Stalin and Molotov up the scaffold steps. Zhukov figured that sliming your way out of nearly anything came easy when you didn’t believe in anything at all.
Zhukov looked at the latest reports crossing his desk. Most of them had to do with the state of readiness of his troops. They were adjusting to the new weapons, many of which were more advanced than they were used to. Word had gone around to not bother touching the adjustable gas systems on the German made rifles, there was absolutely no happiness to be found there. Then there was a voluminous report from the German Army’s Medical Service. The Medical Officers had an authority and ruthlessness that the NKVD would have envied. Unlike the NKVD they didn’t need to inspire terror. Words like typhus, cholera, pox and plague did a more than adequate job for them. Zhukov himself had learned from arguing with some of them that they would fall on something to the effect of “Have it your way but it’s your funeral” every time. There was no comeback for something like that.
Vladivostok
When Emil got the telegram, he ordered Peter to his office immediately. As soon as he saw his brother’s face he knew that Peter must have known what this was about.
“Maria thinks she might be pregnant” Emil said as soon as Peter sat down.
“Are whiskey and cigars in order then?” Peter asked with a smile. If what he’d seen in Moscow was any indication and Doctor Tangeman had ruled out any other likely health concerns then there was no “might” about it.
“Not really” Emil said, “There is also a telegram from Kat Mischner saying that Maria is not taking this well and doesn’t know what to do.”
“Had the two of you ever discussed having more children?” Peter asked.
“We had” Emil said, “But this still is a major surprise.”
A major life altering surprise, Peter thought to himself. Those happen to everyone sooner or later, no exceptions.
“There are a couple different ways you and Maria can handle this” Peter said, “A surprising addition to your family that is either welcome or unwelcome.”
“It’s that simple?” Emil asked.
“Yes” Peter said, “But extremely profound, you would be amazed with how often I see the effects of that very decision, almost constantly.”
“Any other observations?” Emil asked.
Peter just shrugged, “After how you and Maria parted company I personally think that she really will give you the boot if you aren’t there for this” He said.
“It’s not like I can drop everything and go home” Emil replied.
“You’re here mostly as an observer for the Government?” Peter said, “Correct?”
“That is bit of an oversimplification” Emil said, “But, yes, that is my function.”
“Which means that your presence is not absolutely required before things start in a couple weeks” Peter said, “Take a week to be with Maria.”
“There is no way that that von Kluge will agree to that.”
“He doesn’t have to” Peter said, “If the commanding medical officer in this theater of operations says that you have a family or medical crisis at home that needs your personal attention, which you do, you are the next flight home. Luckily for you, I happen to be the commanding medical officer.”
Emil had known that Peter had been promoted from Oberstarzt to Generalarzt, equivalent to a Generalmajor, but the implications of that had never occurred to him until now.
“You would do that?”
“Of course, I would” Peter said, “Not that I’m doing this out of the goodness of my heart. I have a rather lengthy list of things that I need in terms of personnel, equipment and supplies that I want you to personally hand to Chancellor Lang.”
“There’s always an angle with you, Peter” Emil said.
“I learned that from my older brother, a total bastard” Peter replied, “And I believe that he has a plane to catch.”
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And THAT, could be an argument to sell the home visit to Von Kluge : Emil is a personal friend of the Chancellor.
Stupid Luck and Happenstance; or, How Two Brothers From Thuringia Helped Shape The Modern World
IIRC they are not exactly the greatest of friends, right?
SO that statement is more or less, "Get Zhukov far enough away from me, but but to use where I know he cannot hurt me." so to speak?
Part 38, Chapter 466
Chapter Four Hundred Sixty-Six
22nd June 1945
Near Khabarovsk, Russia
For the last week Tilo along with the rest of the 3rd Marine Infantry Division had been encamped on the bank of Amur river. This had been after spending days walking through unpredictable weather and road conditions. Ironically, the longest delay had been the result of a Pioneer Brigade working on grading and paving a stretch of the road. That had caused all progress to grind to a halt as the Obersts argued about to what to do. Finally, they had wearily staggered into Khabarovsk in mid-June only to find that the 13th Corps, who had left Taiwan after them, already in the city. The 13th had come up the river on barges along with their heavy equipment. To say that the Marine Infantry Divisions that had been made the walk down the road was collectively angered by this all too predictable turn of events was an understatement. They had been advised to save that for the Japs, if they ever got to them.
Now, they were back in bivouac, playing cards, swapping lies and telling stale jokes. Except for in being a decidedly cooler temperature and the trees were different, it was exactly the same sort of things that they had been doing weeks earlier to kill time. There was supposed to be orders coming down at any time, something that would probably be a great relief to the Division.
Tilo himself was rereading one of the two books he had brought from Taiwan. When he had asked around if he could swap them for whatever the Heer outfit that had been here before them had on hand, they had looked at Tilo like if he had grown a second head. Higher thinking and self-improvement were obviously not high priorities around here. Reier was dozing the afternoon away, at least it was Summer. Tilo had what the Winters around here were like and was in no hurry to find out what those were like.
Tilo didn’t take note at first when he heard the sound of an airplane getting closer. It was when the gunners opened up with 8mm and 13mm machineguns when it got his attention. From the sound of it the gunners aim hadn’t improved much because the sound of the engine shifted as the airplane commenced an attack run before pulling out and racing for the horizon. Tilo could hear the sound of bombs falling even as the sound of the airplane’s engine faded. From the sounds, Tilo was able to judge that the bombs would land some distance from where he was. Welcome back to the war, he thought to himself. Any second now would come the roar of bombs exploding. Tilo waited, but that never came. Instead there was a loud “Pop!” and the sound of an impact. Both Tilo and Reier had the same thought when they heard that, GAS! It was a sound that they had been trained to recognize. The result was a scramble for equipment that they hadn’t thought about beyond inspections in months.
As it turned out, it wasn’t gas.
Berlin
“For God’s sake it was an accident, I swear” Soren said frantically to Kat who was fixing him with a withering glare as she had cornered him in back of the upstairs hallway.
“That is the only reason you are still breathing” Kat hissed.
Things had been going well enough. Maria had gotten some surprising news and was panicking about it. That was until she had learned that her husband Emil had put aside everything and was rushing home to be with her. Kat and Gianna had stayed with her until Emil had arrived home early that morning. Knowing that Maria and Emil would probably want time to themselves Kat had left, dropping Gianna off at Aunt Marcella’s. Kat had actually been in a fairly good mood as she had driven home, things had worked out well for once. Then Hans’ stupid friend Soren had to mess it up. Kat had been feeling gross after living in her clothes for two days while staying with Maria, she had just stepped out of the shower and was drying her hair with a towel when she heard the door open…
“I opened the wrong door” Soren said, “I’m sorry.”
Soren had come with Hans when he had decided to visit Helene. The three of them had been talking in the parlor when Hans had sent Soren upstairs to get something. Soren couldn’t remember what that was anymore. He had been looking for the linen closet that the three furies used for general storage but all the doors had looked the same. He had opened what had turned out to be the bathroom and had gotten an eyeful before he could close it. It was not like Soren could unsee the shocked look on Kat’s face or the fact that he now knew for sure that she was a natural redhead. She had erupted out of there wearing her robe far faster than he had thought possible. If Kat didn’t kill him then Hans would. If Hans didn’t, Kat was also still going out with Blackwood, he was no slouch either.
“You better be and if you ever breathe a word of this to anyone, I will not only kill you and dispose of your body” Kat hissed, every word seeming to have the weight of a thousand tons, “I will make it look like you were seen in the US Army, so you will be remembered for all time as a deserter and traitor. Am I clear?”
“Very clear” Soren replied.
“Good” Kat said as she backed off slightly.
“One thing though, Kat” Soren said, he never knew what demon possessed him to say what he did next. “No offense, but you do have one of the most incredible bodies that I’ve ever seen.”
A minute later Soren staggered down the stairs as Hans and Helene heard a door slam upstairs so hard it shook the house. Soren never did say what had resulted in him getting a broken nose.
22nd June 1945
Near Khabarovsk, Russia
For the last week Tilo along with the rest of the 3rd Marine Infantry Division had been encamped on the bank of Amur river. This had been after spending days walking through unpredictable weather and road conditions. Ironically, the longest delay had been the result of a Pioneer Brigade working on grading and paving a stretch of the road. That had caused all progress to grind to a halt as the Obersts argued about to what to do. Finally, they had wearily staggered into Khabarovsk in mid-June only to find that the 13th Corps, who had left Taiwan after them, already in the city. The 13th had come up the river on barges along with their heavy equipment. To say that the Marine Infantry Divisions that had been made the walk down the road was collectively angered by this all too predictable turn of events was an understatement. They had been advised to save that for the Japs, if they ever got to them.
Now, they were back in bivouac, playing cards, swapping lies and telling stale jokes. Except for in being a decidedly cooler temperature and the trees were different, it was exactly the same sort of things that they had been doing weeks earlier to kill time. There was supposed to be orders coming down at any time, something that would probably be a great relief to the Division.
Tilo himself was rereading one of the two books he had brought from Taiwan. When he had asked around if he could swap them for whatever the Heer outfit that had been here before them had on hand, they had looked at Tilo like if he had grown a second head. Higher thinking and self-improvement were obviously not high priorities around here. Reier was dozing the afternoon away, at least it was Summer. Tilo had what the Winters around here were like and was in no hurry to find out what those were like.
Tilo didn’t take note at first when he heard the sound of an airplane getting closer. It was when the gunners opened up with 8mm and 13mm machineguns when it got his attention. From the sound of it the gunners aim hadn’t improved much because the sound of the engine shifted as the airplane commenced an attack run before pulling out and racing for the horizon. Tilo could hear the sound of bombs falling even as the sound of the airplane’s engine faded. From the sounds, Tilo was able to judge that the bombs would land some distance from where he was. Welcome back to the war, he thought to himself. Any second now would come the roar of bombs exploding. Tilo waited, but that never came. Instead there was a loud “Pop!” and the sound of an impact. Both Tilo and Reier had the same thought when they heard that, GAS! It was a sound that they had been trained to recognize. The result was a scramble for equipment that they hadn’t thought about beyond inspections in months.
As it turned out, it wasn’t gas.
Berlin
“For God’s sake it was an accident, I swear” Soren said frantically to Kat who was fixing him with a withering glare as she had cornered him in back of the upstairs hallway.
“That is the only reason you are still breathing” Kat hissed.
Things had been going well enough. Maria had gotten some surprising news and was panicking about it. That was until she had learned that her husband Emil had put aside everything and was rushing home to be with her. Kat and Gianna had stayed with her until Emil had arrived home early that morning. Knowing that Maria and Emil would probably want time to themselves Kat had left, dropping Gianna off at Aunt Marcella’s. Kat had actually been in a fairly good mood as she had driven home, things had worked out well for once. Then Hans’ stupid friend Soren had to mess it up. Kat had been feeling gross after living in her clothes for two days while staying with Maria, she had just stepped out of the shower and was drying her hair with a towel when she heard the door open…
“I opened the wrong door” Soren said, “I’m sorry.”
Soren had come with Hans when he had decided to visit Helene. The three of them had been talking in the parlor when Hans had sent Soren upstairs to get something. Soren couldn’t remember what that was anymore. He had been looking for the linen closet that the three furies used for general storage but all the doors had looked the same. He had opened what had turned out to be the bathroom and had gotten an eyeful before he could close it. It was not like Soren could unsee the shocked look on Kat’s face or the fact that he now knew for sure that she was a natural redhead. She had erupted out of there wearing her robe far faster than he had thought possible. If Kat didn’t kill him then Hans would. If Hans didn’t, Kat was also still going out with Blackwood, he was no slouch either.
“You better be and if you ever breathe a word of this to anyone, I will not only kill you and dispose of your body” Kat hissed, every word seeming to have the weight of a thousand tons, “I will make it look like you were seen in the US Army, so you will be remembered for all time as a deserter and traitor. Am I clear?”
“Very clear” Soren replied.
“Good” Kat said as she backed off slightly.
“One thing though, Kat” Soren said, he never knew what demon possessed him to say what he did next. “No offense, but you do have one of the most incredible bodies that I’ve ever seen.”
A minute later Soren staggered down the stairs as Hans and Helene heard a door slam upstairs so hard it shook the house. Soren never did say what had resulted in him getting a broken nose.
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The biggest key to a quiet life is knowing when to keep your mouth shut.
Young Soren here has yet to learn that lesson.
Young Soren here has yet to learn that lesson.
Md139115
Banned
Metropolitan Museum: 2500 AD
Tour Guide: And here we have the Japanese wing, containing artifacts of old Japanese culture.
Student 1: Who are Japanese?
Tour Guide: They were a group of people who lived on the islands west of the Chinese mainland, right here (pointing out the location of what was the Japanese Home Islands on a wall map)
Student 2: Where did they go?
Tour Guide: Well... they got into a fight with a bunch of other countries around 500 years ago. And in this fight, they did something really, really bad. So they... disappeared.
Student 2: Oh... thank you.
I was going write a post about how IOTL the Allies lead by the United States was out for blood and was demanding unconditional surrender, and how ITTL the Allies have achieved most of their goals were willing to negotiate a face saving peace with Japan.
But that is now over and the question is how many other countries will join the Allies against Japan.
Depending on the severity of the attack, how will the Allies respond, will they give Japan a demonstration, to go after purely military targets, will they try to get the United States to deliver an ultimatum that Japan surrender immediately or face immediate destruction?
But that is now over and the question is how many other countries will join the Allies against Japan.
Depending on the severity of the attack, how will the Allies respond, will they give Japan a demonstration, to go after purely military targets, will they try to get the United States to deliver an ultimatum that Japan surrender immediately or face immediate destruction?
If the Russians are starting to worry about their livers when drinking with you, you might want to go to an AA meeting. Like all of them.
I would think so. I would think that he would have ended up with two very black eyes, a broken nose and an assortment of other injuries.
Meaning that her therapy its seemingly working in a level.
Now Soren only has to worry about Hans retaliating as a Brother and superior Officer and sending him into the shittiest duty for a week to the amusement of Jost....
So it begins. What makes this extra bad for the Japanese is that this is done to people with living memory of a cataclysmic flu pandemic (I think I remember it still happening to one degree or another ITTL). So this use of Plague against Allied troops will be correctly seen as an existential threat to the rest of the world in a way neither gas nor nukes nor even Anthrax would be perceived.
Dude, ever hear of knocking? You are visiting a house with three women, some of whom are not downstairs. He's really lucky and his big mouth does show that Kat's therapy has helped in some degree.
I'm slightly surprised that he didn't wind up with a broken nose, a kick to the crotch and getting pitched headfirst down the stairs.
Japan has destroyed itself as a nation with any independence at all. They might be able to keep the Emperor as a figurehead but anyone in a position of authority will get hanged.