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Page 285
Peace is precious at all times, especially today.
Today, in a factory in Moscow, workers stepped down from their posts to enjoy their midday break. Holding black bread, they chatted happily, letting the year-end snowflakes fall on the cold ground outside.
Living well and building a strong motherland is an inescapable yet noble responsibility for everyone, isn't it?
……
However, at that moment, a loudspeaker hanging in a corner of the factory workshop emitted an ominous and piercing radio wave, like the sudden shriek of a vulture tearing through the warm current in the workshop. Amid everyone's confusion, it slowly calmed down.
"Attention! Moscow is broadcasting! Now, we are broadcasting an important government announcement!"
"What...what happened?!" The workers dropped their food and rushed to the loudspeaker, gathering in a circle to listen quietly to what unknown news Comrade Yuri Levitan's steady and deep voice would bring them.
All of Moscow fell silent...
……
"At 9:00 a.m. yesterday, amidst provocative and hostile shouts, a fascist force from another world set foot on the land thousands of kilometers to the west, on land formerly belonging to Nazi Germany, and issued a declaration of war against the great Soviet Union!"
"What, another war?" The comrades were stunned, their minds racing with unease. "An enemy from another world? Who is it?"
"This time, Motherland's enemy is special and peculiar, but also utterly ignorant." The broadcast continued, "Our enemies claim to come from another world, they call themselves the Holy Britannian Empire, and they are even more eager to distinguish themselves from the British on the islands across the European continent. These seemingly invincible but ridiculous bandits claim to want to take the whole world into their own hands, and our great motherland has become one of those they have provoked."
"The great Soviet Union is not afraid of the unprovoked aggression of robbers, nor will it be defeated by their conspiracies and tricks! Two months ago, on October 28, the Holy Britannian Empire launched a wanton attack on our troops stationed on German soil by occupying Berlin, and attempted to pin the crimes on the Western countries in order to sow discord between us and the United States and Britain and to destroy this peaceful world."
"The soldiers of the Soviet Red Army will never be deceived by such despicable means. Two months have passed, and our comrades are still fighting on German soil against this fascist who only knows how to insult our great motherland with vile language! In the name of Comrade Stalin, the great Soviet Union will, from this moment on, devote itself to this war! This great war to completely crush the Holy Britannian Empire!"
"We will punish those demons and monsters who dare to step into our country again with the wrath of our motherland! We will march into their cities in perfect formation, just as we march in Red Square! We will stand tall on this sacred land, upholding and forever upholding the spirit of Comrade Lenin! Our cause will always stand with justice! Anyone who opposes our motherland will ultimately be wiped out under the invincible red flag!"
"Victory will surely be with the great Union of Soviet Socialist Republics!"
……
"Well, the motherland is about to face a new enemy."
Now, in the Kremlin, a Soviet marshal and a Soviet general who had just come down from a meeting met.
"Hello, Comrade Vasilevsky, you must be tired from coming all the way from the Pacific Ocean."
"It doesn't matter, General Antonov, thank you for your trouble as Chief of the General Staff."
Before anyone else arrived in the meeting room, the two comrades started chatting at the door.
"This time, our enemy..."
"I've heard about an opponent who, though outwardly strong, is inwardly weak, yet still exhausts the soldiers on the battlefield?"
"It has been a month since the Soviet troops stationed in Germany could no longer see the Brandenburg Gate. Marshal Zhukov's difficulties are not trivial."
"No wonder Marshal Rokossovsky asked me to write a letter to persuade Comrade Stalin to stay. I estimate that even with the help of the British and Americans, it is only a matter of time before we lose all the occupied territories in Germany."
"So one of the things we need to decide at this meeting today is whether we can allow U.S. ground troops to enter the areas we won in the Yalta Agreement but now have to give up."
"Yes, but surely the hammer and sickle flag will eventually fly over the Reichstag building in Berlin, right? And to achieve that, we must rely on ourselves."
"Comrade Stalin will soon be delivering a nationwide mobilization speech. I think, before that, the thing we need to be concerned about is..."
“Our new weapon, is it? I’ve been thinking about it too.” Vasilevsky smiled. “I might guess what you’ve got in your briefcase.”
“Ah, ha.” Antonov replied with a smirk, opened his bag, and handed the marshal a stack of photos.
"Hmm... I heard that the IS-3 tanks performed quite well in Germany?"
"At least our tanks' power systems malfunction far less often than the D-25T tank gun shattering mannequins. But the IS-4, it might just..."
"It's obvious that the sheer weight of those fifty or sixty tons is a bit too cumbersome to handle, isn't it? I guess mass production will be cancelled to make room for the new T-44 tank. Speaking of which, what about those things that wanted to take over from the T-34..."
"They're still in Czechoslovakia, making way for the railway to Germany. They don't have the opportunity to use the IS-3 yet. It will take some time before they realize how useful it is in actual combat."
"That's a pity, but will the new tests of its prototype still be unaffected?"
"To equip it with the D-10T, that 100mm big barrel? I'm afraid the comrades at the design bureau will have to polish every nook and cranny. It doesn't matter, the tactical situation is still very optimistic. The 85mm gun is more than enough, there's plenty of time. Besides, unlike a few years ago, this time the enemy is far away from every city in the Soviet Union, isn't that right?"
"Of course, they'll have to think twice before crossing the 100-meter-wide Oder River." As he spoke, Vasilevsky glanced at the last photo of the tank, but what he held in his hand were the shadows of two small arms.
"Ah, isn't this the SKS of Comrade Simonov and his men, and the RPD, the newly designed light machine gun of Comrade Degtyarev and his men?"
"Yes, besides the tanks, we still need to think twice about the equipment our infantry comrades have." Antonov paused. "The RPD has been used very sparingly by the Soviet troops stationed in Germany, and they seem to be more comfortable with it than the rotary tanks. Mass production might be a matter of time, but the problem is..."
"The bullets. Mosin-Nagant's bullets are longer than those of the RPD and SKS. We still need to solve the bullet problem before we can get to that."
"That's right, when these two things can be put into production depends on how this is handled. If it can be approved soon, then there will probably be even better news."
"Even better?" Vasilevsky looked on in surprise as the general opened his briefcase again and took out a piece of paper with a photograph on it—the automatic weapon that looked like a submachine gun appeared so unusual.
"I think we can test the work of this Comrade Kalashnikov before the spring of 46."
System notification: Player Holy Britannian Empire has obtained the achievement: The Unreachable Barbarossa.
Chapter 243 Special Volume: England - A Grand Banquet for Guests Outside Buckingham Palace
As London's Big Ben chimed the first note of 1946, the Thames River, nestled in the tranquil capital, was filled with the scent of fire—the Battle of Britain in 1940, the German Luftwaffe planes submerged at the riverbed, perhaps forgotten and indistinguishable from the silt; and just days before, just a few days before last year, the ridiculous invaders who had made such outrageous pronouncements in Berlin had already frightened many fish from the North Sea into fleeing in panic, stirring up quite a turbulent river.
This is the advantage of higher life forms—not to mention the more than five years of Anglo-German naval clashes, the Atlantic has been churned up countless times by exploded and sunken ships since the rise of the British Empire, yet the fish are still terrified of the commotion of entering the sea; but the glorious nation on the island of Britain has been visited by German airships and bombed since World War I more than 30 years ago, yet who on the island of Britain can't smile at their enemy at all times?
The fish came and went in the water beneath the boat, but the Union Jack still flew over Buckingham Palace.
As the sky was filled with Iron Cross-shaped aircraft wings, King George VI watched as his family's palace became a target of bombs. Windows, churches, and everything on the ground, whether ornate or simple, were all equal before the power of TNT.
War is such a terrible thing; it doesn't care whether you're in Buckingham Palace or an ordinary apartment building, nor does it care about the background of those who die in the flames.
But ironically, even in those dark days, London had no shortage of concerts and shops that were operating more normally. "I'm glad this wall of ours has been blown down so we can see what East London looks like from our homes," King George VI quipped humorously, a glimmer of optimism that resonates with every Briton's optimistic attitude towards the war.
……
Yes, it is precisely because of the bloody fairness in war that people will naturally come to recognize the fairness of war—dealing with this newly emerged, unjust monster from another world is the inescapable responsibility of every citizen.
It's nighttime, and there are still lights on in a building near the military camp. A girl with short curly hair is writing something at a table.
On the table lay a color photograph of her from a few months ago, and her current clothes were exactly the same as back then—not because she particularly liked them, but because they were a standard military uniform.
Yes, in the photo she is wearing a military uniform, standing in front of an ambulance belonging to the military. On the top of her forehead and on the table next to the photo frame, she is wearing the same military cap with a special insignia: ATS.
The Auxiliary Territorial Service was a special force established a month before the German invasion of Poland. It served the Royal Navy, the Royal Air Force, and countless civilians on the British Isles throughout World War II, and even disappeared two months before the formation of NATO.
In February 1945, the unit welcomed a special new recruit: Queen Elizabeth II, daughter of King George VI. After five months as a driver and mechanic, she was now donning her uniform once more, sitting at this table writing a letter to Mr. Churchill.
……
"A new war has begun, Mr. Churchill. Perhaps, as you have said, the English Channel will always be a place of great suffering, but also a place of great heroes."
"I have never believed that war is something that a member of a nation or people can escape, nor does it need to be considered special. My father and mother were able to refuse the request to evacuate to Canada after the fall of France, so as their descendants, we should certainly do something more."
"I think my military service, which began last February, was a very good lesson, no worse than any teacher's instruction, and no less enriching than any book. Only when you put yourself in the shoes of those who fight for the security of the country and the safety of the people can you truly appreciate how great they are. On Victory Day, I imagine you and my family were standing on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, and while people were cheering and celebrating, they couldn't help but feel grateful for the British warriors still on the European continent. Aren't they the people we should be most grateful to?"
"A new war has begun, and Britain will certainly not be complacent with its adversary, and a rather interesting one at that. To be honest, when the speeches that were entrenched in Berlin reached our radios, and when my father and I learned that the Royal Navy heading to the Baltic Sea had sent word about this country called the Holy Britannian Empire, we were more delighted than shocked."
"I know that the Soviet Union and then the United States have not had an pleasant time blaming us for the past two months, but what if this misunderstanding ends? What if the truth comes out? Of course, I also know that the Russians are about to lose all their territory in Germany, and the troops in the British-occupied zone have been attacked, but what could be more gratifying than resolving misunderstandings and uniting allies? It is not terrible for an opponent to be strong, but it is terrible for comrades standing together to be unable to trust each other."
"What does it matter that the wounds on the island of Great Britain have not yet healed? Does that prevent us from welcoming this special guest? Certainly not. We still want to chat and laugh with these young people from another world who not only call themselves Britain but also deny our existence. It may take some time to learn more about them, but I've heard that the girl who brought so many people to lead the charge in turning against us is also named Elizabeth?"
“Well, this is very interesting. The Britannian pilots captured by the Royal Navy claim that this girl named Elizabeth Britannia is also one of their emperor's daughters, the supreme commander of the expeditionary force they sent to invade us, and her father actually wants her to attack another ‘Britannia’?”
"Haha, perhaps I don't know how I felt when I read the declaration of war speech, but I can say with certainty: what's happening now is that Elizabeth, with some unknown Britain, is going to cross the European continent and the English Channel to take the lives of Britain and Elizabeth and her daughter on the island of Great Britain? If Buckingham Palace were a living creature, it would probably grab the flagpole and Union Jack on its forehead as soon as this girl set foot on the British Isles, before she even had a chance to shake its hand, and skillfully, like a golfer at the Open Championship, send this ungrateful girl back to Berlin, back to the door they opened there, hole-in-one, and then proudly write a big '1' on its scorecard."
"I'm afraid this '1' will become the most successful joke on the British Isles after we win the war, just like Victory Day: Want to know what use fear is to the British? Look at Nazi Germany, which showered us with flower petals five years ago. Want to know what the funniest thing in British history is? Think of Elizabeth and her 'Britain' who swore at us 45 years ago."
"I'll stop here for now. If one day I ever meet this girl named Elizabeth face to face in the ATS camp, perhaps we can compare whether she has more stories to tell or I have transported more medicine and tinkered with more vehicle parts."
"Just like Prime Minister Attlee's declaration of war speech a few days ago: We will not let the Union Jack become the enemy's spoils of war."
Chapter 245 Special Volume: America Chapter - Once Again, the White Eagle Soars
What is the most beautiful scenery in the world? One definition is that it has never experienced war.
Petersburg, located on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, just over ten kilometers south of Richmond, the capital of Virginia, has never seen a fleet of aircraft with the Iron Cross and the Red Sun, nor has it ever seen a Nazi swastika flag cross the sea to set foot on the American continent.
Whether it was the world war of the past or the peace of today, the city streets remain as peaceful and stable as ever. But now there are some things that bring joy: as the new year arrives, in those homes where the Stars and Stripes hang at the door, the men of the house have long since laid down their uniforms and luggage and returned to the harbor of their hearts.
"Oh, darling, this is yesterday's newspaper, this is the one."
“I know, that’s why I’m going back to look it up.”
Early in the morning, the lady of the house shook her head and took a basket of clothes out to air them, while her husband sat at the table looking at a pile of newspapers. The only things keeping him company were a pair of wooden canes leaning against the table.
"Sigh..." He clearly hadn't slept well last night and hadn't been able to concentrate on reading many newspapers. He took a breath, looked down at his broken left leg, and gazed at the waist-high cabinet standing against the wall.
……
What kind of disaster could cause a person to lose one of their limbs? One answer is war.
On the cabinet sat a U.S. military uniform, with a Purple Heart and a paratrooper badge resting quietly beside it. The sunlight reflecting off these two precious metal objects jumped to the other side, hitting the mirrored surface of a picture frame.
In the photo, a group of paratroopers wearing helmets and boots, with grenades and rifles hanging from their bodies, are gathered together. The guy in the middle is holding up a tattered swastika flag with a cheerful and carefree expression, which is quite interesting in contrast to the white eagle heads on the paratroopers' shoulders.
A German soldier's helmet was placed upside down in front of a swastika, looking rather comical like a football about to be kicked. The inscription read "For the 'Helmsman'," and a signature on it inadvertently revealed the man's nickname.
……
What kind of names are memorable and cherished? One answer is names that carry glory and legend.
As the parachutes burst into bloom in the Normandy night, the name of the 101st Airborne Division, along with the Allied advance, was etched into every city of Western Europe with its striking designation. From Utah Beach to the Rhine, from Bastogne to Coughlin, the howling eagle on the paratroopers' armbands became nothing short of a source of unease for the enemy.
However, no matter how many treasures it holds, sometimes a single sentence can be crushed to pieces by reality.
In order to save on military spending after the war and because it lost out to the 82nd Airborne Division in a seniority contest, the 101st Airborne Division, which General Patton called "a fucking linguistic genius," was temporarily removed from the U.S. military order with an order from Washington, D.C.
The "helmsman" was one of them, but the cruelty of war forced him to nearly die from the last bullet in the final battle, giving him an early ticket home before the airborne division was disbanded. As for the able-bodied veterans who were holding their breath and heading home? They could only hope to catch a glimpse of the Berlin Victory Parade before boarding their ships home.
"Sigh, it's been more than two months..." This is not only the time since the 101st Airborne Division disappeared, but also the time since the flames of war reignited in Berlin.
……
"I'm home, Dad." With that, his son, wearing a baseball cap and carrying a baseball bat, barged into the house and coldly tossed out the words.
"You should read the newspapers more often instead of going to play baseball with people first thing in the morning. People won't have time to hang out with you every day, and today is one of them."
"That's enough, Dad. If your legs weren't crippled, would you be planning to use newspapers as a blanket to make your bed?"
"Hey, hey, hey..." Mom rushed into the room when she heard the two of them arguing. "Tony, what's wrong with you..."
"What's wrong with me? I know the news in the newspaper, Dad. It's just that something seems to have happened in Europe, and some country is giving a radio speech in Germany that people in Maine and Massachusetts are listening to, right?"
So, child, do you know who these people are?
"What does this have to do with me? The Japanese and Hitler have been wiped out, and they're still not quiet? I really don't know if those editors and reporters who wield their pens and take random photos are just bored. They're making a huge fuss about it in the city. My classmate was still talking about it endlessly when I was playing basketball the day before yesterday. Damn it!"
"That's why you haven't grown up yet, Tony." The helmsman smiled calmly, looking at the quiet radio beside him, from which a steady male voice echoed uneasily.
"what happened?"
“Oh, it’s time.” He glanced at the newspaper. “Honey, quick, turn the volume up! The newspaper says the president has an important speech at this time today.”
……
“Mr. President Pro Tempore, and members of the Senate and the House of Representatives,” President Harry Truman’s voice came over the radio from the Capitol to his family, “Four days ago, on December 28, 1945, a day that all freedom-loving people around the world should remember—a force from another world, calling itself the Holy Britannian Empire, issued a declaration of war against several countries, including the United States.”