I Will Stage A Coup D’état - Chapter 31



Only Noblemtl

EP.31 Munich Conference (1)

After wasting my energy worrying about the counter-coup issue in April, another crazy event awaited me.

‘You crazy mustache kid.’

“Sudetenland? War? Answer me!”

In May, Germans caused unrest in the Sudetenland region of Czechoslovakia.

When this issue first arose, I thought it would pass like the annexation of Austria.

‘This time, we can just link arms.’

Since this is a fight that Hitler will win anyway, Germany won’t be that upset if you don’t take their side.

I judged the situation so naively.

It was my misjudgment.

I should have thought deeply about why Park Han-jin in the webtoon took Germany’s side in the Sudetenland issue.

On May 20, Czechoslovakia, angered by German pressure, called up its army.

Then he immediately asked for support from his allies, France and the Soviet Union.

International referee France, who had promised support in March, betrayed expectations and prepared to intervene early.

“Let’s take this opportunity to correct those German bastards’ bad habits.”

Even the Soviet Union, which was expected to hesitate, issued an order to mobilize the Red Army.

“That’s good. We should join hands with the West and use this opportunity to trample on Germany.”

International referee England also received a request for assistance from France.

Of course, the British Empire was also reluctant and hesitant on this issue, but it didn’t matter.

No less than two great powers stood on opposite sides of Germany, making it clear that they would fight.

As things turned out this way, Moustache also asked for support.

where?

In Pyongyang.

“Mr. President. The cabinet wants to know your intentions. Considering the relationship established during the previous Park Han-jin administration, will you promise support to Berlin?”

No, are these guys crazy?

If you support that and then move on, you’ll be locked into the Axis powers of World War II!

What have I done to save this country, and now you’re trying to put it on a hell-bound express train that’ll kill it?

I immediately expressed my opposition.

“We promised Britain and France that we would not interfere in European affairs. How can you go back on your word when a country has good faith?”

“Ha, but if we dawdle here, Berlin will be offended.”

Well, that must be it.

The mustache shamelessly asked for help, but he flatly refused.

But there was no choice.

I can’t die for our country, for the Nazis, can I?

The cabinet made clear to Germany its intention to reject it.

And then, just one day later, the German ambassador, Eugen Ott, came running.

‘This kid looks exactly like Goering’s fish-shaped bread.’

I was startled by the sight of a warm, pig-like figure that resembled Nazi number two Hermann Goering.

While I was having such rude thoughts, the German ambassador tried to persuade me.

Eugen Ott was not a formal ambassador but a deputy ambassador, so his tone and intonation were extremely polite.

“Your Excellency, thank you for allowing me to meet with you.”

“Don’t mention it. Just sit over there.”

I gave up my seat and asked the reason for meeting the German ambassador.

As expected, that was the point.

“Please reconsider the South Korean government’s decision. Berlin needs the support of its friend Pyongyang more than ever.”

hmm.

It’s true that friends are good in difficult times.

If I only knew that the future would be one where the moustache wins, I would gladly have bet on Hitler.

But, did that kid stop at just this level of gambling?

No, he was just some kid who kept yelling “choose” while raising the stakes until he went broke.

Sitting next to such a tough guy, it was only a matter of time before my wallet was emptied.

“Ambassador, I will think carefully about that matter.”

Just thinking about it.

I persuaded the ambassador with such nice words and made him go back.

Even though I wanted to hold on stiffly, I had no choice.

If you have a negative impact on my ‘thoughts’ for no reason, it will be your own country that will suffer.

The Czech crisis escalated over time.

I was very worried that World War II might really break out.

What if a world war breaks out and our country gets swept up in it?

‘If you want peace, prepare for war.’

I had a feeling that it was time to prepare for war, if only to protect Korea.

‘Something like X.’

It brought tears to my eyes to think that we had to waste our resources on unproductive military equipment at a time when it was a waste to pour all our resources into modernizing our country.

But, there was nothing I could do.

Even if I wasn’t interested in war, war could be of interest to me.

“Instead of the Army, to the office. Sir? I need you to call a meeting of the entire military.”

I requested a meeting of the entire military from the Army Minister.

And a week later, senior military figures gathered at the Imperial War Office building.

Army Minister Noh Sung-guk, Navy Minister Shim Gi-su, Marine Corps Commander-in-Chief Shin Hee-beom, Navy Chief of Staff Admiral Won Young-guk, me, and other notable figures sat together.

Although the name of the meeting was ‘Discussion on the European Security Crisis’, chaired by Marshal Noh Sung-kook instead of the Army, in reality it was a meeting to coordinate the military’s opinions prior to armament build-up.

Shortly after the story began, a heated argument broke out between the Army and Navy.

The reason was simple.

It was a budget fight.

As military spending increased in the future, there was a debate over where more should be allocated.

“Korea is a peninsula surrounded by the sea on three sides. In addition, it has to protect Taiwan and the South Seas Islands, which are overseas territories of Japan, which is a protectorate. A country like this needs to build a navy, but what kind of navy is it?”

“Oh, well. We have potential enemies like China and the Soviet Union. Don’t you know how big their armies are? The Soviet Reds alone have an army more than twice as big as ours. In wartime, the gap will be doubled. With those guys over our heads, you’re going to give the army this much equipment? Make sense.”

While the generals debated, I watched the debate with my arms folded.

Actually, neither statement was wrong.

Korea needed both a navy and an army.

But since the arms are bent inward, my thoughts are leaning towards the Army.

The reason was simple.

‘Oh, if we increase our naval power, it will upset the British and American sentiments.’

If we can increase our naval power to surpass the UK and the US, then that’s fine.

But that’s not the case.

If Britain and the United States start to pour real power into their naval forces, the money we put into the navy will be ‘for nothing’.

It’s the sound of a cripple’s arm during World War I.

After a long while, I raised my hand and asked to speak.

When I, the de facto top military official, asked to speak, everyone fell silent.

Marshal Noh Sung-guk said.

“Mr. President, please speak comfortably.”

“Yes, thank you. Then, I would like to ask you one thing. Who is the main enemy of this country, Korea?”

Some said that when it comes to advancing into the ocean in the future, the main enemy would be the United States and Britain, others said the Soviet Union, and still others said China.

Uh, um.

These are the words coming out of the heads of the highest officials in this country.

First of all, I knew what the bums were thinking.

Those kids are the ones who should never be given a budget.

We gave them naval power to protect the country, but they got so angry that they started calling the US the enemy and doing all this crap.

‘Anyway, I don’t know how these pseudo-Prussian bastards resemble Germany so much.’

Even when suppressing the counter-coup, it is true that Lee Seong-jun did not feel a little uneasy in his heart.

But not anymore.

I gained confidence.

This militaristic Korea needs the absolute leadership of His Excellency Lee Seong-jun.

If we leave it in the hands of these idiots, Korea is finished.

“Well then, seniors. Do you know how powerful this country is?”

“Well, it’s not as good as the US, UK, Soviet Union, or Germany, but it’s stronger than France, so wouldn’t it be around 5th place?”

“That’s right. Does it make sense that such a country would make the most powerful countries in the world its main enemies?”

“Chief Lee. National power isn’t everything in war. Especially in the case of the Navy, once it falls, it doesn’t recover quickly.”

“Did we have more shipyards than the US?”

“Ahem.”

Frankly, that’s nonsense.

In terms of steel production capacity alone, Korea’s production capacity is just over 1/5 of that of the United States.

Wouldn’t it be crazy to want to go up against the US at this weight class?

“Chief Lee. But isn’t this a plan for emergencies? Even if we don’t go to war, we need to increase our weight to have negotiating power.”

That’s not wrong.

As our naval power expands, our negotiating power when negotiating over interests will also increase proportionally.

However, the wariness of the UK and the US also increases proportionally.

What we have now is enough to make the UK and the US very alert, so do you want to increase it even further?

It’s not even worth half a penny.

I said it bluntly.

“This country must never be hostile to the United States.”

As I hammered nails like this, the naval officers coughed in discomfort.

Of course, the Navy’s high-ranking officials aren’t doing this because they genuinely want to fight the United States.

That’s some kind of budget-seeking logic.

However, the logic put forth in that way becomes a direction that holds one back and prevents one from moving in a different direction.

That’s why the Navy guys can’t do it.

“China is enough of our main enemy.”

This is also just a nominal claim.

Although the expression said that China was the main enemy, the opponent I was trying to prepare for was the Soviet Union.

I have no intention of invading, but shouldn’t we be prepared in case Stalin breaks the non-aggression pact?

The argument was quickly settled with my intervention.

“Then, I will decide on the military expenditure ratio to be reflected in the supplementary budget for 1938 as 8 for the Army and 2 for the Navy.”

Marshal Noh Sung-guk announced the end of the meeting with a slightly pleased expression.

The naval officers left the conference room with cold expressions, perhaps in anger.

Wow, people.

This is all for the good of Korea.

I clicked my tongue.