Survive as a World War II Soldier - Chapter 98



Only Noblemtl

#098

It started out as a war film set during the Spanish Civil War.

The tragedy behind this sad love story that blossomed in the crater of war is…

“War is something that should never happen.”

“That’s right. How can they bomb civilians so mercilessly…”

People were outraged at the sight of the bombings being mercilessly poured down on the rear cities filled with civilians.

and,

“We were scammed.”

“All the propaganda about trenches in the press during the Great War was a hoax.”

Testimonies about the horrors of war began to pour in, mainly from those who had fought in World War I.

By this point, the idea that we should intervene in the war that was taking place in Europe had completely disappeared.

Even public opinion that derided the confrontation between France and Germany as a “fake war” or a “strange war” has disappeared.

“I understand all French people.”

“Yes. I know how much of a nightmare the last war was for them.”

Rather, there were rumors that war would not happen because both France and Germany knew well the horrors of the previous war.

Naturally, public opinion against the reversal, which was already high, flared up.

“If we bring up the war story in this situation, you and I will probably get stoned.”

“I guess so.”

Roosevelt rolled his eyes at my indifferent response.

Now that the presidential election is just around the corner, the campaign is focusing on the economy.

“Even now, people keep asking me what I think about war.”

Roosevelt expressed his concerns, saying that if he gave the wrong answer, there could be a backlash.

“Can we really turn public opinion around like this?”

Actually, when things got to this point, I was a little worried.

But I can’t show myself as weak.

“Don’t rush me, just wait a bit.”

And shortly after,

“They say the German army is advancing into the Netherlands.”

People who had been shouting for anti-war, hoping that war would never break out, were taken aback by Germany’s sudden actions.

“Hey, there’s a war?”

“Did Germany cross the border?”

The progress of the war that started like that made people even more shocked.

“Even if the German advance is fast, it is too fast.”

“They say the Netherlands has fallen.”

“In Belgium too···.”

“The German army broke through the Meuse River···.”

There was nothing that could stop the German army from advancing at breakneck speed.

The Allied forces collapsed like a sand castle swept away by waves.

“Dismiss Marshal Gamelin and replace Marshal Maxime Weygand…”

France also did its best to somehow turn the situation around.

However, before the Wei River could even reach the front line, the wire had already melted.

Britain also did its best.

It was the British Air Force that took up the skies to fight the Luftwaffe in place of the depleted French air force.

however,

“They say that France eventually surrenders.”

6 weeks.

It took less than two months for France to surrender and enter into armistice negotiations following the German invasion.

Everyone could not help but be surprised by the result.

“No, no matter what, France is surrendering like this.”

That would be the case, because objectively the Allied forces, including France, had far greater military power.

“Germany is this strong?”

“France surrenders?”

Even though I shouted that I was scared of war and that I hated it, the underlying emotion was that it was impossible.

Surely there will be a war, and if there is one, it will be like the Great War a long time ago, or like the Spanish Civil War not long ago, or like the Sino-Japanese War that lasted over three years, with each side fighting amongst themselves for a long time.

Then it will be a long time before our turn comes, or maybe it won’t even come.

But in just six weeks, France fell and bombs began to fall on Britain, and people…

“Hey, if we keep going like this, isn’t it going to be our turn soon?”

“If Britain falls···.”

And those who arrived across the Atlantic with news of the fall of France were none other than Jewish refugees.

And the atrocities they brought about from Nazi Germany were enough to strike fear into people’s hearts.

“If you’re not Germanic, that is, Aryan, you’re a second-class citizen…”

“Push them into a concentration camp…”

“All my property was taken away…”

Although the gas chambers had not yet been built, systematic discrimination against Jews had already been taking place for a long time.

“oh my god.”

“How could that happen?”

“Come to think of it, in the last Spanish War, the Germans also bombed…”

“It was so incredibly vicious.”

“What scary guys.”

“Aren’t they the ones who developed and spread poison gas during the last war?”

As fear and hatred of Germany gradually spread among the people, a new story began to emerge.

“What happened to Poland and France was because they were afraid.”

“When Germany first invaded Czechoslovakia, Britain and France, fearing war, abandoned Czechoslovakia.”

“Poland even profited from selling out its ally, the Czech Republic.”

I also took a quick step.

“As far as I know, the French army was far more numerous than the German army. Of course, there were differences in equipment and operational capabilities, but it was not at the level where it would collapse like it did now. I think it was entirely due to Marshal Gamelin’s poor judgment and complacent response.”

France might jump up and foam at the mouth if they knew, but it’s not a lie.

“What? So you’re saying you got scared for no reason and lost because you gave up?”

“Is that so?”

Another story that added fuel to the fire was the Sino-Japanese War.

Immediately after the first Lugou Bridge incident broke out, stories poured out about how humble Song Zheyuan had been toward Japan and how Japan had acted like a hypocrite.

“China tried everything to avoid war, just like France and Britain did.”

“So you prevented the war?”

“How could that be? China is on the verge of being completely devoured by Japan.”

“And Japan is just as cruel as Germany.”

Additionally, the Nanjing Massacre began to be reexamined.

“Nanjing was hell that day.”

“Yes, the Japanese didn’t care at all about the Geneva Convention that was signed 29 years ago.”

“It was the first time in my life that I had ever seen so many corpses.”

“Even I, a doctor, find it difficult to properly hold the scalpel when I think of the injured people I saw back then.”

Testimonies from Americans living in Nanjing at the time began to pour in.

In this way, an incident that had not received much attention even during the Nanjing Massacre in 1937 has belatedly surfaced.

And the atmosphere slowly began to change.

From the idea that a brutal and inhumane war must be avoided at all costs to the idea that if we avoid it because it is scary and frightening, we will eventually end up bearing the yoke of defeat.

“What guarantee is there that Germany or Japan will leave our country alone?”

“Do you know what kind of terrible situation would occur if we fell under German or Japanese rule?”

Jews fleeing Nazi Germany and Koreans fighting for independence joined forces to raise awareness of the inhumane practices of both countries.

“What I saw in Spain was hell.”

“It wasn’t safe because it was the rear and because there were civilians.”

Those who had fought as volunteers in Spain also raised their voices.

The last thing to be highlighted is,

“Germany and Japan might form an alliance.”

“!”

“The German military advisory group in China has withdrawn.”

“The reason the military advisory group that had been with the Kuomintang government for over 10 years withdrew was because of Japan and···.”

What has America been most afraid of all these years?

It was a simultaneous attack from both the Pacific and Atlantic sides.

“There is intelligence that Germany is in close talks with pro-German countries such as Argentina and Brazil…”

“They are preparing to invade North America using South America as a forward base…”

“In Germany, a new weapon called a rocket that can fly across the Atlantic to the United States···.”

The monsters created by freedom of the press, the rags, began churning out works every day that were difficult to tell whether they were articles or novels.

Naturally, Americans began to fear that the inhumane Japanese and Germans might invade American soil at any moment.

And as a result, in the presidential election in November 1940, Roosevelt began to put forward a platform that was completely different from the original history.

“War is imminent. We know all too well that if we cannot avoid it, we must fight it first.”

“I am not like Chamberlain, Paul Reynaud, or Philippe Patain. I know how courageous and determined our American people are. So trust me and follow me.”

“Our United States is a country that loves peace more than anyone else, but if it cannot avoid it, isn’t it a country that fights more bravely than anyone else and ultimately achieves victory?”

In the original history, Roosevelt had been running for a third term and had placed an emphasis on economic recovery.

“For economic recovery, policy continuity is of the utmost importance. Given the current political unrest in Europe, someone like me with more experience than a new president is the right person for the job.”

Regarding war,

“You will never send your sons or daughters to war in Europe.”

He publicly declared a reversal.

As a result, the United States entered World War II after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

However, in an atmosphere different from the original history, Roosevelt began to shout that he would go to war whenever necessary, rather than oppose the war.

“At this time when war is about to break out, we must not change the leader of the country. Please trust me and leave it to me.”

The Republican Party tried everything it could to arouse anti-war sentiment, but it was no use.

In this way, Roosevelt succeeded in winning a third term.

And I, who handed over the New York governorship to Harry S. Truman that year and remained a savage,

“I hereby appoint Douglas MacArthur as Secretary of War.”

He joined the cabinet as Minister of War.

What awaits me when I go to work as the Minister of War is,

“What is all this?”

“This is an urgent document.”

It was a mountain of paperwork stacked high, ready to snap my neck before Jerry or Jabs could harvest their balls.

“First, we need to look into the Military Service Act.”

“We also need to look at the development of tanks and aircraft.”

“Where and how is the training done···.”

“The number of rifles···.”

It is clear that during his tenure as Army Chief of Staff, he made many preparations for war.

“How did it become this mess?”

“well.”

I couldn’t get any angrier seeing Marshall continue his report while shuffling through documents with a blank expression.

“There is talk that Churchill will visit Europe soon.”

How could I not help when even the Prime Minister of an ally came to ask for help?

Even if it is difficult to immediately dispatch troops, it would not be difficult to pass a Lend-Lease Act like in the original history and provide supplies first···.

“Well, is there anything I can help you with?”

“doesn’t exist?”

“I have to make it.”

“···”

I was heartbroken by the fact that I could only provide immediate support for the food that was being produced but not properly sold at food processing plants established in New York State, including Hormel, where I had some influence.

“Weapons production is also production, but I think you need to come to some conclusion about this part as well.”

The issue Marshall brought up was the Sino-Japanese War Volunteer Corps.

So, as the situation in the United States changed, there were those who moved quickly: China and the Provisional Government of Korea.

Even though they were in the midst of the Sino-Japanese War and were being pushed back by Japan, they continued to strongly request help from the United States.

Of course, the United States, which was swept up in anti-war public opinion, didn’t even give a whimper.

At that time, those who saw public opinion in the United States change from anti-war to anti-Germany and anti-Japan changed their course of action.

“There’s no use hanging on to those American government guys.”

“Let’s gather a volunteer army like the Spaniards did.”

It was a butterfly effect created by Americans who had been Spanish volunteers and joined the provisional government.

“Everyone, please save humanity from the hands of the evil ones.”

“Your friends the Filipinos, the good Asians, are waiting for your help.”

“Let us demonstrate our humanity and show America’s greatness as a developed nation.”

Although most of those who first volunteered were Chinese or Koreans from the United States, a surprisingly large number of Americans also volunteered to join the army.

“There are this many people who volunteered for the army?”

“We’ll have to see how many of them are useful, but judging by the numbers, it looks like there’ll be at least one division.”

“oh my god.”

It was the power of fear that Japan or Germany might invade here across the sea at any moment.

“Mitchell told me to send everything I had, but you know what?”

Sending these untrained people to the battlefield would be nothing more or less than a meat shield.

“But there is no way to unconditionally prevent departure from the country…”

“We need to quickly renovate and open the training center.”

It was a time when I was dealing with urgent matters one by one.

“Minister.”

I too was shocked by the news Marshall delivered as he came running in a daze.

“Is this real?”

“Yes. I checked several times···.”

Mitchell fell down.

Mr Gallipoli