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**White House**

Douglas MacArthur, who occupied the White House, was watching the situation in Europe.

Since he had established a military government, external support was crucial.

To quickly stabilize the Great Depression and implement reforms, at the very least, the military government needed to be treated as a legitimate government.

“Russia, Japan, and the Balkan littoral states support us, while Britain and France are ready to recognize that Huey Long’s honorably communist regime? Ha!”

MacArthur was outraged by the actions of Britain and France.

Absolutely ridiculous.

That communist regime led by Huey Long and KFC might just unify and red-bait America at any moment, and anti-communist countries are choosing Huey Long?

It was enough to raise his blood pressure.

There was only one way out.

“Right away, we must send troops to crush that Huey Long and his Dixie gang!”

MacArthur shouted that he had to take down the Confederate States of America in the south immediately!

After all, if they didn’t act now, those Britons and froggy French might support the south in some way.

Time was of the essence—they needed to strike.

“Not yet. Not yet. We risk losing our justification here.”

Eisenhower, who had begun assisting MacArthur as part of the military council, opposed him.

“So we just let things be?”

“Our forces lack the strength to decisively suppress them. KFC is also expanding westward.”

Not just Eisenhower, but everyone stationed in the military council in the White House concluded that they were not strong enough to take down both the south and KFC.

The White House was first occupied by the military. Now was the time to seek stability.

Moreover, following the Great War, Russia’s civil war had ended, and the United States was in disarmament, meaning that MacArthur’s regime didn’t even have a properly equipped military.

It was still too tough to resolve matters through force.

Thus, it was time to pursue stabilization.

The same was true for Huey Long, who was entrenched in Louisiana.

“We must drive out MacArthur and restore the glory of the United States!”

With the support of southern entrepreneurs, Huey Long had to overthrow the northern military government at all costs.

He could not afford to let this national division with KFC linger.

At least the entrepreneurs said they would help if they were excluded from the wealth redistribution, so they needed to move swiftly to crush the military government.

“All we’ve got is the militia. KFC’s movements seem suspicious too. We need a few years to build strength here.”

The southern entrepreneurs forming the government of the Confederacy also judged that it would be tough to completely suppress the north.

If they forced a civil war now, more people would run to KFC than stay.

Fortunately, the good news was that Britain and France, former allies in the Great War, supported the Confederate States of America.

Ironically, the division sparked by KFC had merely led to ongoing tension without spiraling into a civil war.

And.

Russia did not miss this opportunity, selling a lot of weapons to the north, while Duke Yusupov and entrepreneurs spread their influence in both the north and south of America.

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Today’s Duma was buzzing about international rather than domestic issues.

Why? Because Britain and France were supporting the Confederate States of America.

Britain and France supporting the southern Confederacy was somewhat unexpected.

While I anticipated Britain to behave with animosity, I never thought France would join them.

Honestly, had France not sided with Britain, the latter probably wouldn’t have supported Huey Long so vigorously.

“Why is France on the side of the south?”

“It seems there is considerable political chaos within France. If they recognize the military regime during this turmoil, it could endanger them internally, right?”

Yeah. That makes sense.

Support for the military regime now could definitely affect France’s political situation.

“Keep a close watch on France. They’re uneasy over there. When do you think the civil war will become serious?”

“America has been disarming, reducing military strength. The local Okhrana estimates that both the north and south would need 2-3 years to rebuild their military capabilities.”

So, 35 or 36?

That’s troublesome; if France is that anxious, it might be better if it blows up quickly.

Hmm. Things are not going as I thought.

I didn’t expect the current state of America at all.

At least I had the good fortune of not explicitly predicting that a civil war wouldn’t occur in America.

There wouldn’t be any claims that the Tsar’s predictions were wrong.

But this means that ultimately, it’s about who strikes first.

“Then, who strikes first will be crucial. What’s the situation in the west right now?”

“In the American west, KFC is either expanding its influence or remaining neutral.”

There certainly is a split between north and south, and if they expand westward centered around Kentucky.

Kentucky may become a significant force.

“Hmm.”

Given how this stands, we must help America.

Honestly speaking, if America completely collapses here, it would become a hassle.

For now, even if we can catch Japan with the help of Britain… in the future, maybe Russia as a hegemonic power could threaten neighboring countries or be treated as a pariah because of that.

In other words, we must leave competitors alive.

I could just say, “Let’s just go for it! Who cares!”

But no matter how I look at it, that’s a bit much.

From that perspective, it’s crucial for America to survive.

Keeping America alive would serve as a safety net for Russia.

The situation in America must continue to be monitored. Even if MacArthur or Huey Long doesn’t want help, we have to instigate a crisis.

“Your Majesty, what if they refuse to accept help?”

“Leon should expose them as Trotskyist to the world.”

“Then we can intervene under the pretext of suppressing communists.”

“Indeed. In any case, from America’s perspective, they won’t refuse something like that.”

Afterwards, we should intervene in America and at least claim Alaska.

Perhaps, with a civil-war-trained America, they could be potent against Japan?

I’m not sure how Japan may exhibit their levels of incompetence compared to original history.

“Then the military will always be ready to intervene.”

“Oh, by the way, I have another question. Interior Minister.”

“Please, Your Majesty.”

“What are the reactions like in the communist world right now?”

We should check the reactions from the communist world too.

We must hear where the communists stand.

If they support KFC, they might try to lend assistance no matter what.

America could become a communist state?

Unless Karl Liebknecht is a fool, he must know about America’s potential.

It was proven when they supported the Great War and Russia’s civil war.

Moreover, since KFC’s leader is known to be Leon, Karl Liebknecht might want to offer assistance through some channel, even if not with a full military delegation.

I’m not certain if they can cross the Atlantic.

But for now, there are many things to be cautious about.

“In the communist world, they seem to be propagating that capitalism must inevitably be overshadowed by communism as an example.”

As expected, they’re quite excited.

Indeed, they probably want to slander America and spread communism at all costs.

If Trotsky had taken the north instead of MacArthur, it would surely have been like that.

“Do they support KFC?”

“Yes. It seems they support KFC and even consider providing assistance.”

“Quite alarming.”

They don’t seem to realize we’ve already set the stage.

“Are you worried about their support, Your Majesty?”

“Of course.”

“They won’t be able to cross the Atlantic, though?”

Right. They likely can’t cross the Atlantic.

But how about across the Pacific? What if they provide support not because they can, but because of their characteristic tenacity?

“I’ve heard the western United States is neutral. Which means they can claim neutrality toward either side.”

This neutrality is a peculiar situation.

If they declare neutrality toward either side, they could very well take money and provide weapons to KFC.

Moreover, now during the Great Depression.

As KFC takes steps to cope with the Great Depression, they have to churn out something in return.

“That means they can receive weapons through the Pacific.”

“But will they really choose that long route?”

“Whatever tricks they pull, they’re communists. That’s unpredictable.”

They are folks who are desperate enough to try to turn everyone into cockroaches.

If we’re not careful, it could cost us severely.

What if we underestimate them only to have weapons flooding into KFC through the west?

What if the German communists enter the west, assisting KFC’s communist propaganda efforts?

Then that would be problematic.

“We must not underestimate the capabilities of the communists. Moreover, declaring neutrality means they’d prefer to follow the tide. If KFC comes up with the first viable solution to America’s Great Depression, and its power increases due to the civil war, the west could fall.”

If the west falls, it creates a mess.

“Before that, the chance for military support becomes apparent,”

“Exactly.”

Neutrality is perplexing. It means they can switch sides whenever.

Nothing is as annoying as neutrality.

Maybe Switzerland can maintain neutrality thanks to its prime location, but in a civil war, remaining neutral could mean switching sides at any time.

It’s unlikely that the west would choose to become independent.

“Why don’t we seize the west ourselves?”

Roman nationalist von Ungern was suggesting something ridiculous again.

“The west?”

If a civil war ensued, even if temporarily, they could expand into America.

From the Pacific side into the west.

Since the government has been divided by the civil war, there’s no need to formally declare war, citing lack of recognition of a legitimate government.

MacArthur could be trampled over as they simply push into the west, capturing it along with KFC.

“Long ago, Russia had land in America. If we aim for the civil war, couldn’t we even advance to California, which we once ruled?”

Hmm, hmm.

Honestly, I’m incredibly tempted to conquer America. Just capturing America, or even parts of it, would be monumental.

In the original history, Russian leaders were the problem. There’s enough potential in the land, especially now, adding American territory.

However, after taking California, establishing puppet states in the other occupied areas? What would foreigners say about that?

Unless I ruled Russia for my whole life. This isn’t a time for that.

Conquering North America, where America will become the police of the earth, is absolutely alluring.

“What are you waiting for? Imagine our Cossack cavalry charging through the vast North American continent! Our armored divisions wiping out the Yankees!”

“No, I can’t repay America’s goodwill for Lend-Lease with treachery. Many countries will point fingers at us.”

“Forget what they say and trust your instincts, Your Majesty! The glory of Russia! Ask the blood of your ancestors, the great empire that conquered from Alaska to California!”

In a moment, something that had previously boiled within me suddenly chilled.

The blood of a great empire.

Hmm, but I’m technically a K-possessor.

Even if my body carries the blood of the Romanov family, my mind is still the mentality of someone coming from a kimchi country.

Thinking about that makes my head spin rationally and coolly.

While Ungern’s words had merit, he was being a bit too blind to reality.

“No matter how you slice it, that’s a bit much.”

“Hmmm, but it’s a good opportunity.”

Ungern looked at me with the lost puppy expression one would expect after being rejected.

Honestly, no matter how I think about it, it’s unrealistic.

“We conquer the west. This is not only uncertain but also think about the future. Let’s say we get lucky and conquer California. Then what? We’ll have to suppress the resistance, right? The distance from Moscow to the continental U.S. is too far. Even if we account for the Far East, maintaining an occupying army capable of handling North American resistance and logistics would take a long time.”

That certainly feels plausible.

To ensure smooth logistics, we’d need the Pacific to be a Russian sea.

{ . . . Foreign production is likely to be tough. }

Staging from the Far East throughout Alaska. Expanding supply routes southwards from that ice block seems impossible.

Though Russia has been building up its industrial capabilities, that’s simply too extreme.

What would a country like England have to say about it?

Though the Japanese are likely to support us in exchange for southern islands like the Philippines,

that’s a different matter altogether.

“Isn’t that possible?”

“Unfortunately, we must keep in mind the existence of Communist Germany.”

Were it not for Communist Germany, honestly speaking, I might have considered it just a tad.

Instead, it could lead to a discussion of dividing a war-torn America with England.

England gets back its former American colonies in a way, and we reclaim the west.

That would definitely be an exhilarating boost to nationalism, but clearly, it isn’t feasible.

Let’s look at the reality.

“As much as there’s a good opportunity, for the future’s sake, the existence of America is necessary for us.”

“Right. Instead, it’s best to gain from this through assistance. Occupation might bring temporary happiness but will deplete our treasury.”

Mikhail Drozdovsky echoed my sentiments.

And if handled correctly, this could become a tremendous opportunity for us.

I spun the pen with my fingers as I sketched out the blueprint.

Britain and France, the victors of the Great War. The world’s top two colonial empires.

Of course, they may currently all be big eggs, but considering their history, their international status is still significant.

Let’s set aside Communist Germany in the communist realm.

As these two nations currently support Huey Long’s government, MacArthur must be feeling parched right now.

Though we’re providing support, it may not be of much real help.

But wait. What if in a crisis, we crown MacArthur as a victor?

At the very least, in the next war, wouldn’t he lean toward our side?

 

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