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* * *

You never know how things will turn out for people. Just as history has changed, who knows if in World War II Ukraine will be completely absorbed into Russia!

Well, even if we put aside what I’ve just calculated, it would be a bit awkward for Churchill if the Tsarina, who is reaching out to him, tries to take over the British area.

Then, while Britain is digging its own grave, let’s just say they took over our share during World War II in southwestern Ukraine.

“Still, Eastern Ukraine has plenty of resources, so from our perspective, it’s fortunate that we consumed the East first.”

“So, let’s limit it to Eastern Ukraine. Have you heard there’s a newspaper from Communist Germany?”

It seems that a newspaper has come out from Communist Germany this time.

What does it say? Apparently, it mocks the peripheral nations.

I’ve heard that everyone at the Kremlin and Okhrana got quite a laugh from it. But I haven’t seen it yet.

I kind of missed the timing because of radio broadcasts.

“Yes. They’re propagandizing, saying ‘Imperialism has succumbed to Communism!’”

Imperialism succumbing to Communism.

Honestly, that’s the sort of statement that wouldn’t fool any decent intellectual. But it will likely resonate well in Germany.

On the front page of the newspaper, there’s a political cartoon depicting a gentleman in a top hat resembling Britain, bowing his head before a laborer holding a sickle and hammer, symbolizing Communism, accompanied by mocking commentary about Britain.

The great comrade Rosa Luxemburg has brought the British Foreign Secretary Austin Chamberlain to his knees.

Roughly speaking, that’s the gist of it.

If the Russians are receiving this newspaper, it might have also reached Poland, Austria, and East Prussia.

Wow, our Britain is getting thoroughly disgraced.

The great Colonial Empire, the victors of the Great War, now bowing their heads to the newly emerged Communist cockroaches.

The Germans might be thinking, “Is Communism actually right?”

As for Britain, it seems they aren’t responding much; one can’t help but think that’s a bit concerning.

Since they are on an island, they might rationalize this on their end. But is it not?

Or are they really considering joining us in the fight later?

“Our dear Britain must be feeling like they’ve hit rock bottom.”

Just from reading the newspaper, it’s dizzying.

They are outright declaring that Communism is right and imperialism should perish.

It’s laughable that they are bragging like this.

“Yes. Among the anti-air pact countries, the global Colonial Empire of Britain is doing that, so there’s a sense of betrayal.”

“Hmmm. So, will we benefit from this?”

The actions Germany is taking to maintain its Communist regime will only put Britain in a tough spot and help us.

Of course, that means Communist Germany will also seek to stabilize its regime. But how will the allies who’ve trusted Britain respond?

Even though they carry titles like Colonial Empire and victors of the Great War, countries part of the anti-air pact are pleading for the peace of colonies from a Communist nation.

“Yes. Some say the anti-air pact will crumble, but we are still intact, at least for now.”

“First, we must ensure control of Eastern Ukraine. Then we’ll need to revise the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk later.”

Ukraine is something that Russia must secure.

So far, we’ve been confused and couldn’t focus on the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, but to put it bluntly, that treaty was one that could ruin an entire nation.

Over 50 million people live in the European territories of Russia, with 90% of coal industry, over 70% of steel industry, and 54% of other industries handed over, along with a lot of railroads.

In other words, it destroyed the country.

The Bolsheviks deemed that the communist revolution in the great powers would invalidate that treaty.

The reason Britain is actively assisting us in this worldview could very well be that they fear the Communists will start a revolution and invalidate the treaty.

Thus, they sent Churchill to this side to reconfirm the treaty.

Well, Belarus could be reclaimed, but…

The reason it hasn’t been mentioned until now was because of Britain, but if they continue to be submissive like that, then talking about something like this in the Duma isn’t out of the question.

“Your Majesty, then who will be in charge of the intervention in Ukraine?”

“General Anton Denikin is familiar with Ukraine, isn’t he? Let’s leave it to him.”

Such matters should be entrusted to those who are familiar.

We can’t let someone who doesn’t know Ukraine’s situation end up giving the Communist Italy an opening to intervene.

Communist Germany is still in rearmament, so it won’t be like the Spanish Civil War, but we need to be prepared in case Makhno’s military power remains strong unexpectedly.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“And later, Ukraine will be integrated into the Commonwealth as an autonomous republic, and the military district will be combined with the Southern Russia military district.”

“Understood, Your Majesty.”

That should be enough.

At least, my Russia will not forcibly annex it.

It will only be a legitimate entry when the prey they’ve devoured collapses.

Now then, let’s bring up the matter of medals.

“And I plan to award medals to the members of the National Duma, then set a date to bestow medals to the Cheka agents.”

“Your Majesty, even if they didn’t murder the previous Tsar, weren’t they the ones plotting against you as well? That too can be considered a grave sin. Wouldn’t it be a waste to award them medals?”

Well, I don’t mind, but if others see it, they might not take kindly to those who tried to bury me.

“They are those who have repented on their own and have stepped into the Free Territory of Ukraine seeking to rectify their wrongs. Killing them would be like speaking with a forked tongue as Tsar, so it feels a bit inappropriate.”

“But medals…”

“We can create a special medal. At the very least, it will show that even the previous Bolsheviks can serve the Commonwealth.”

“If that is Your Majesty’s will, there’s nothing I can say. But I’m worried that this may be too lenient.”

Most of the named ones are dead, and the few pseudo-named ones who couldn’t even become mid-bosses are in Siberian labor camps.

What’s the problem with that?

“In any case, there are hardly any Bolsheviks left. And the Bolsheviks who stood against us wouldn’t just say, ‘Yes, we’ll follow you’ if we awarded them medals.”

“So, Your Majesty is saying that even the previous Bolsheviks could be eligible for medals. You mean that we should just stick to this level?”

Exactly. Honestly, are the Bolsheviks going to salute and follow us if we award them medals?

It’ll just be that Cheka agents can receive medals too. That’s all.

It’ll be just a model, and the Tsar of the Commonwealth, who harbors hatred towards the Bolsheviks who killed his family, will directly award those medals.

How great would that turn out to be?

It’s the German Communist Party, which snuck the Communist Party into Romania.

If Communist Germany learns of the Free Territory of Ukraine incident, who knows how they’ll incite the masses? If the same Reds stab Makhno in the back, they wouldn’t have a leg to stand on.

When they hear this news, they might just bubble over!

“Yes, it’s true that if we threaten them with swords, it might work, but the Bolsheviks have their pride too. Would they try for the Tsar’s medal?”

I doubt it.

Common sense suggests that the Bolsheviks in concentration camps wouldn’t be asking me, “Tsarina, please give me that medal!”

“It’s a kind of psychological warfare.”

“Yes. Once the situation in Ukraine comes to a close, we cannot predict what will be said in the Communist bloc. Then, perhaps, we can award medals to rehabilitated Communists cooperating with us.”

“Hmmm, then we should select a representative from the remaining main Bolsheviks in the camps to award a medal.”

“Please do that.”

Well, how many main figures could there be? Just pick someone.

We’ve already ensured broad welfare for the workers.

Would awarding medals to Bolsheviks who worked for the country be a problem?

I definitely won’t kill those who work for me.

I’m not going to send black tea to kill like those savages.

The merciful Saint, Tsar of Russia, Emperor of Eastern Rome, and Great Khan of Mongolia looked past the sins of the Cheka.

Of course, if people jealous of the medals kill, that’s beyond our control.

Could there really be such people?

* * *

Ukrainian Free Territory

The Ukrainian Free Territory was recently in flames due to the failure of the collective farm policy.

If you ask whether one policy can cause such a problem, it’s because farmers are dying.

When we think of the Great Famine in historical Ukraine, the answer is straightforward.

Though Ukraine is important to the Soviet Union, in comparison to the entire Soviet territory, it’s only a fraction; still, here, Eastern Ukraine’s agriculture is comparatively lagging behind the pro-British puppet state in the West, basically self-sabotaging itself.

With what little they had being squeezed, the farmers of the Ukrainian Free Territory boldly took to the streets to protest.

“I can’t take this anymore!”

“Makhno, recognize our rights!”

“The Tsarina of the Commonwealth acknowledges the rights of farmers!”

“What’s this nonsense about anarchy when there’s a government?”

“My child is starving! Please give us food!”

The farmers, already being extorted to the limit, were furious at the labor committee, and following their protests, they even burned the grains being extorted.

Moreover, the committee’s misconduct didn’t stop at extortion.

“Don’t even try to stop us from going to Russia!”

“Damn! You reactionaries who defy this committee! To achieve true anarchism, you must follow our orders!”

They blocked farmers trying to emigrate to Russia, instead isolating them in a place called the farmers’ district.

“So, are we better off now than in the Russian Commonwealth?”

“Don’t blabber! Do you think we don’t know that the grains extorted from us are lining your pockets?”

“Y-you scoundrels!”

Tatatatata!

A bloody incident eventually broke out.

The labor committee’s guards (the Black Army) fired on the protesting farmers.

In response, the farmers, filled with dissatisfaction, banded together to form self-defense groups.

Although mining was somewhat better compared to the West, as resources were taken by Russia, the agricultural situation was too harsh.

Of course, this doesn’t mean they could defeat the chief guards, the committee’s army.

If they just sit still, eventually, the farmers will die.

That dreamer Makhno would really kill them all in the end.

Indeed, though the farmers burned grains being extorted by the guards, those grains weren’t going to go into their hands anyway, and in the end, burning that led to their doom.

The situation became serious and difficult to survive, so the Ukrainian farmers began to look around at neighboring countries.

For now, since southwestern Ukraine is a British puppet state, it’s excluded from consideration and they looked at the Russian Commonwealth.

A Tsar who governs differently than the previous one.

Ukrainian farmers found themselves wishing for Russian rule instead.

After all, this free territory of Makhno was nothing but a dream world, and the harder life got, the more discontent they grew with both Russian rule and the Ukrainian Free Territory.

The farmers in the Russian Commonwealth under the Tsarina’s rule directly received government price regulations without extorting the rights of farmers or landowners.

Instead, from factory workers to farmers, they awarded medals and even cheered them on.

But that Makhno fellow was different.

He was busy exporting the grains produced by the farmers, and the bureaucrats of the committee who swiped their grains were pocketing money or embezzling it elsewhere.

This wouldn’t do.

In the end, this was as good as a call for mutual destruction.

“That Makhno is just a dreamer. How long must we endure this?”

“Then we might as well request support from Southwestern Ukraine.”

“But that’s just a washed-up British puppet state, isn’t it? Forget it. We’d rather wish for Russian rule!”

“Then! Let’s ask Russia for help!”

The Ukrainian farmers sent love calls to Russia.

Among them were many former Bolsheviks who incited the farmers, now part of the White Army, and the army of Southern Russian White Army commander Anton Denikin began to mobilize.

“Despite receiving the Tsar’s grace, Makhno who colluded with Germany’s Secretary has become an enemy of Russia, and many farmers are dying under the tyranny of Makhno. Among them are farmers from the Russian Commonwealth who cannot return to Russia because of Makhno, so we are initiating a special military operation to save them!”

Having fought countless battles against the Red Army in Southern Russia, Anton Denikin’s army, who knows the Black Army of Makhno better than anyone on the Ukrainian battlefield, entered the Free Territory.

“How can Russia do this? A war without a declaration of war! Hand over your troops!”

However, the Supreme Labor Committee of Makhno elected a diplomat to send to Moscow, but

“Why do we need to declare war?”

“What?”

“There’s no government and there’s supposed to be no nation, right? Wouldn’t it be natural to occupy that area if the farmers living there wish for Russian rule and make it part of Russia?”

Russia’s reaction was cold.

No, it was too obvious.

If it’s a Free Territory run by anarchism, wouldn’t it not matter if nothing was there to eat?

 

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