I Will Stage A Coup D’état - Chapter 154



Only Noblemtl

EP.154 The emergence of NATO (2)

Unlike the arrogant Soviet Union, the leader of the free world, Harry Truman, had many concerns.

Something had to be done about the public opinion created by the rampaging McCarthy, but such actions only increased the risk of a Cold War.

Something new was needed, something that fit the United States’ agenda of keeping the peace while containing the Soviet Union.

“Your Majesty, this is the Department of Defense.”

It was General Bradley, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

“I am listening. Go ahead.”

“A large quantity of supplies has begun to flow into northern Italy. The Italian People’s Republic has also begun to conscript troops. In light of all these circumstances, it can be said that the Italian People’s Republic has in fact begun preparations for war.”

There’s war in Italy.

War in Europe was dangerous in any form.

“How are the Southern Kingdoms prepared?”

“We have started to prepare our armaments, but we are not ready to deal with the Northern Republic right away. We may have to retreat to Sicily in four weeks after the war begins.”

Without Allied intervention, defeat is certain.

That was the Department of Defense’s diagnosis.

But, if the Allies intervene in this war, will the Soviet Union remain silent?

On January 5, 1950, the Soviet Union successfully conducted a nuclear test in Semipalatinsk, Kazakh Soviet Republic.

Truman knew this too.

If this side takes out a nuke, the other side can use a nuke too.

That was definitely a burdensome situation.

While Truman was lost in thought, Secretary of State Acheson arrived with a hasty document.

“Your Majesty! I have come to you with a solution to the Italian problem.”

“What does that mean?”

The President accepted the documents brought by Acheson with a look of bewilderment.

“NATO? North Atlantic Treaty Organization?”

“Yes. This is a work that had been planned for a long time, but was postponed due to circumstances. If we push this forward even now, the Soviet communists will change their minds.”

Collective security mechanism.

There was no better means to check the ambitions of the communists.

“Does pushing this forward now have any chance of success?”

“It is possible, Your Majesty.”

It was exposed to the world that both Britain and France had lost all their teeth.

What choice do they have in this situation?

Truman made up his mind.

“Push NATO forward. Make the reds freak out.”

The United States pushed NATO forward at a rapid pace.

Even Britain and France, which had been uncooperative with the United States due to resentment over the colonial wars, agreed to its creation.

Smaller countries are feeling the power of the communist bloc even more.

Canada, the Netherlands, Belgium, Portugal, Denmark and Norway have applied for membership one after another.

Meanwhile, one country quietly submitted an application.

“No, that fascist bastard?”

“Leotard can do it, so why can’t I?”

Franco shamelessly applied for membership in NATO.

However, Spain’s geographical importance was too great to be kicked away.

Since Leotard of France, a fascist, had already joined the alliance, there was no good reason to reject Franco.

“I’ll accept it for now, but you are a special management target. Keep that in mind.”

“I won’t complain if you just accept it, so just accept it.”

Franco succeeded in becoming fully integrated into the free world.

“Finally, if we can get the Southern Kingdom to join, everything will be over.”

When the President said this, Acheson expressed a negative opinion.

“There is concern that the Southern Kingdom’s accession to NATO would unduly provoke the Soviet Union.”

Truman was momentarily lost in thought after hearing Acheson’s story.

“Then what should we do?”

“For now, we will only provide military advisory groups and financial aid, and postpone the alliance until later. Even West Germany is not accepting it as a member country so as not to provoke the Soviet Union.”

That’s what it was.

However, it was even more absurd to take a position that would cut off Italy.

‘You can’t ally with them, and you can’t abandon them either. They’re a mess.’

In the end, it was best for the United States to maintain the status quo while providing moderate support to Italy.

“Let’s do as the minister says.”

When NATO was created, the Soviet Union reacted angrily to the emergence of this hostile military alliance.

“Are these guys going to fight us openly? Anyone can see that we’re the target!”

Stalin felt strong pressure to create NATO.

At the same time, the momentum was slightly dampened.

What if by some chance the Westerners intervene en masse in Italy?

Stalin could not have imagined that the West would be so united and speak with one voice against the Soviet Union.

NATO posed that much of a threat to Moscow.

This new opponent was too large for the Soviet Union to deal with alone.

Korea was needed to counter this.

Only their own weight could restore the balance.

Stalin urgently sent Molotov to Pyongyang.

“Your Excellency Prime Minister Lee Seong-jun. The creation of NATO is clearly a security alliance targeting our Soviet Union and Korea. If by any chance our federation collapses, will NATO be disbanded? Won’t they aim for a new target, Korea?”

Molotov’s words contained a cunning trick, but in fact the logic itself was not wrong.

Even in the case of NATO in the Far East, didn’t it expand eastward rather than disband after the collapse of the giant Soviet Union?

It was no different from NATO here.

However, Lee Seong-jun was ‘confident’ about the Soviet Union.

‘You commies won’t go down that easily.’

Because of such belief, Lee Seong-jun was able to deal flexibly with Molotov, who was joking about the creation of NATO.

“The minister is taking the situation too far. NATO is a defensive alliance.”

Of course, both Lee Seong-jun and Molotov knew that this was not the case.

“Your Majesty, this is not an issue that you can afford to be so lax about. NATO will also be a threat to Korea in the future.”

“We don’t think so. The Secretary General is overly concerned about the situation.”

Lee Seong-jun continued to act like a broken recorder until the end.

Finally, Molotov gave up on trying to persuade Lee Seong-jun.

‘Korea has no intention of getting involved in this issue.’

It was a position that Lee Sung-jun had always maintained, but it had never been more frustrating than now.

Stalin frowned after receiving Molotov’s report.

When the secretary, who had hardly any change in expression, showed emotion, Molotov felt fear.

On days like this, the purge list tends to get a little thicker.

“Comrade Secretary. Now that it has come to this, how about we also establish a collective security organization?”

“If you do that, you’ll only create a clearer confrontation with those guys. Just stop talking nonsense.”

Stalin was annoyed.

Only Zhukov, who had made the suggestion, looked embarrassed.

While the secretary paced around the desk for a while, people stood on one side of the office, licking their lips.

The secretary walked around making such a noise and then stopped in front of the desk.

“Comrade Molotov.”

“Yes, Comrade Secretary.”

“Wouldn’t it be dangerous to wage war like this?”

Of course, it was dangerous.

Without a physical entity, NATO was born as a security alliance.

They could not stand by and watch a war break out right next door.

Stalin wasn’t unaware of that either.

It wasn’t a story that was brought up without knowing.

The secretary briefly stroked the desk with his hand and then told a shocking story.

“Comrade Zhukov.”

“Yes, Comrade Secretary.”

“I think we should detonate a nuke in the Adriatic Sea. What do you think, comrade?”

It was an open statement that they were going to use nuclear blackmail.

Interfering with Italy could lead to a nuclear strike.

Even the tight-knit NATO would have to change its mind if it felt that way.

The non-nuclear Britain and France, as well as the other small countries, had no choice but to hesitate to take action.

“If you suppress NATO with nukes, the US will also take out nukes.”

“You have to accept that much.”

Stalin thought of the nuclear bomb as a very powerful bomb.

So I didn’t think getting hit a few times would be painful enough to kill me.

“If you’re willing to take a risk, it’s worth a try.”

Zhukov was originally a hardliner representing the military.

For Zhukov, who already held the view that now, with the Western powers shaking, was a good time to wage war, the Secretary General’s words were just right for him.

“As expected. The stories coming out of the mouths of Soviet heroes are different from those of ordinary people. They always give off a sense of power.”

“Thank you, Comrade Secretary.”

“I guess I’ve come to a conclusion. Let’s scare the cowards in the West and let them destroy the Southern Kingdom. After all, they’re the scum that the West didn’t even let into NATO. They won’t defend Italy if they’re prepared to get nuked.”

Even if that wasn’t the case, it didn’t matter.

The Italian War could have been used usefully by Stalin himself as an opportunity to diminish the power of the insubordinate Yugoslavia and other Eastern European allies.

Win or lose, as long as it wasn’t World War III, it was a game that Stalin himself would definitely win.

‘No, it’s not just me who wins.’

Stalin thought of those far to the east who had consistently maintained neutrality.

The Great East Asian Power, Daehan, led by the iron-blooded dictator Lee Seong-jun.

They were the exception.

However, Lee Seong-jun’s victory will not last forever.

In his empire there is neither a clear-cut ideology like communism nor a successor to his own outstanding talents.

If the absolute ruler Lee Seong-jun, who reigned with charisma alone, disappeared, the empire was destined to collapse on its own.

So, there was no need to be overly conscious of Korea’s growth.

‘In the end, it is our Federation that will win.’

The times will make it so.

Because the victory of communism is a historical inevitability.

The secretary took out a bottle of brandy to erase the existence of Korea from his mind.