48 – Romania’s Participation in the War (3)
Berlin, the capital of the German Empire.
“Now that Romania has agreed to participate, it can be considered that the Eastern Front is resolved. Considering the spring offensive, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Russian Empire collapses by the summer of next year.”
If he considered the plans he had prepared to undermine the foundation of the empire, it didn’t seem like St. Petersburg would easily overcome the crisis of spring. With this, it could be expected that the Eastern Front would maintain a strong advantage until the end of the war.
And in the West, by gradually reinforcing the troops on the French front, it was almost like passing through a crisis if they could withstand the enemy’s offensive once. He looked at the map with a satisfied expression when a court official approached and informed him of the visitor’s arrival.
“Your Majesty, Duke John Albert has arrived.”
“Send him in immediately.”
After handing the command baton to the court official, I followed him to the reception room. Duke John Albert of Mecklenburg was the candidate chosen by the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Finland’s Grand Duke. He had experience managing the country as a regent of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and the Duchy of Brunswick until two years ago, so in terms of his career, he was undeniably a good person.
From the perspective of his nephew, Grand Duke Frederick Francis IV of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, it was natural that Duke John Albert was chosen as a candidate, as he wanted to show consideration for his uncle who had taken care of him as a regent and laid the foundation for governance.
When we arrived at the reception room, Duke John Albert showed his respect to me with a Prussian-style salute. This was partly because the Duke had served in the Prussian army, but more importantly, it was because he was deeply immersed in Pan-Germanism, to the extent of being a member of the organization called Deutsche Kolonialgesellschaft.
I returned his salute with a brief one and congratulated him on becoming a candidate for Grand Duke of Finland. I had heard some stories, but I wanted to make it more certain, so I asked the court official to bring me a map.
As soon as a large map was placed in the reception room, Duke John Albert watched it with an interested gaze.
“That is the exact border of the country that the Duke will govern.”
“Is that so? It seems quite extensive compared to what I’ve heard.”
I brought him closer to the map and showed him the details. Originally, the newly established Grand Duchy of Finland had only obtained a part of Karelia. And even that was taken away by Soviet dictator Stalin right after the Winter War.
To avoid any further disputes, I had planned from the beginning to make the entire Karelia region part of Finland’s territory. There was no reason to leave the Karelian people, who shared racial and cultural similarities with Finland, under Russian control.
I also extended the border to include St. Petersburg, which is close to mainland Finland. It was a way to immediately bombard the entire city if I wanted to, and it was also one of the methods to restrain Russia.
If we do this, the new Finnish nation could secure both the entirety of Finland Proper and Karelia, as well as most of Lake Ladoga and half of Lake Onega, and a territory bordering the White Sea.
By including all of the Russian land in northeastern Finland, including the Kola Peninsula, Finland was able to focus only on its southern border.
Strictly speaking, it was not so much consideration for them as it was a move to eliminate one more potential threat to Russia. In the unlikely event that Russia should recover, it was a measure to slow down its recovery as much as possible.
From Noble mtl dot com
The Duke did not hide his satisfaction as he confirmed the borders of the vast kingdom. With over 600,000 square kilometers of land, it seemed plausible based on size alone.
“So, the border with Russia is just a narrow passage connecting the White Sea, Lake Onega, Lake Ladoga, and the Baltic Sea.”
“That’s right.”
It seemed that he was most pleased with the fact that Finland could reduce the threat from Russia in terms of security.
But even if I combined all the areas I guaranteed, the population would only reach a little over 4 million. Even considering only the original Finnish territory, it was just a little over 3 million. With such a sparse population, there were limits to the growth of national power.
The Duke may have vaguely suspected this fact, but Finland was a country with a relatively high illiteracy rate, making it difficult to make proper use of its small population. This was the decisive reason why Finland found it difficult to develop.
Furthermore, the Grand Duchy itself did not have a high level of industrialization. Throughout the Russian Empire’s rule, the Grand Duchy of Finland served as a supply base for raw materials, food, and some industrial products for St. Petersburg, so there was a shortage of a substantial industrial base.
Still, this country had its possibilities. With vast reserves of minerals, accumulated forestry resources, abundant fisheries resources, and a strategic location, Finland had its merits for the German Empire.
Considering this, I was thinking of providing Finland with about 100 million marks. It was not just a sudden investment, as I had already invested a considerable amount of funds for the separation and independence of Finland.
As we continued our conversation, the topic naturally turned to politics.
“Come to think of it, you didn’t tell me about the civil war.”
When people talk about civil war, they usually think of Russia, but Finland also had to fight a not insignificant civil war. It was just on a smaller scale, but its brutality and ruthlessness were no less than the war in Russia. The war hero Mannerheim, who led the White Army and ended the civil war in victory, was even a candidate for the Finnish presidency.
The Duke didn’t seem particularly surprised by my words.
“Even if the Bolsheviks or other socialists cause trouble, Your Majesty will help suppress them, won’t you?”
“Of course, I will.”
“Then is there a problem?”
Come to think of it, there wasn’t.
It was all just a fight that ultimately took place in the minor leagues, no matter how intense or whatever. In the previous chapter, the fate of the Finnish Civil War was decided by dispatching an expeditionary force of 13,000, including the Baltic Sea Division. Even with only ten thousand German troops, it was a battlefield of a scale that could reverse the tide. It was a pointless show of force.
“Well, that’s how it is.”
I lightly expressed my agreement, hiding my complicated emotions.
“Still, there is one thing to be careful about.”
The Duke replied humbly.
“Of course. What is it, Your Majesty?”
The Duke stepped on the city called Petrograd, known as the jewel of the north, and opened his mouth.
“How about making this city, which holds significant influence in the Baltic Sea, a free city instead of leaving it to Russia?”
“Make Petrograd a free city?”
I crossed my arms and fell into deep thought for a moment.
The Duke’s idea itself was not bad.
If Russia could accept it, it could be used as a buffer to protect Finland, which could be quite useful.
But is that even possible…?
‘If I use numbers when the civil war breaks out, I might be able to create it.’
As I thought about the name of the city that would later be called Leningrad, a method flashed through my mind.
Whether it’s the Reds or the opposition, if I help the side that has been marginalized by the regime to continue dominating Petrograd, and then make it a free city during the ceasefire negotiations, wouldn’t that work?
Of course, this is only if things go as planned.
Well, from my perspective, it doesn’t matter whether it works or not, so I decided to consider it when things go well.
After having lunch with the Duke, I sent him to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The ambassadors of the Finnish Parliament were waiting there to meet their new sovereign.
After dismissing the Duke, I called for the lady from Bayern and had her prepare a dispatch to be sent to the Finnish envoys. In truth, the Finns who had come this time were a kind of pro-German faction, seeking German favor in their struggle against Bergmanism, so it was necessary to treat them kindly. As far as I knew, Finland was not a Germanic nation but rather a Finnic one.
It seemed like I had roughly finished the important matters.
“Oh, I forgot one thing.”
Upon reflection, I realized that I had forgotten to give a speech to encourage the soldiers fighting all over the world.
“There’s something I need to do if I think about it for a moment.”
At this rate, the vacation I had officially taken was becoming useless. I now understood why the heads of modern nations couldn’t properly take holidays.
“I guess I’ll have to go sailing on a royal yacht after the war is over.”
Grumbling to myself, I called for my secretary again.
*
Minsk, Russian Empire, Belarus.
Karl Gustav Emil Mannerheim, the Count, was of noble descent from the Grand Duchy of Finland. His great-grandfather had served as the Prime Minister of the Grand Duchy, and his grandfather and father had both excelled in law and business as Counts, leaving nothing lacking in wealth and honor.
Thanks to this background, Mannerheim was able to spend his youth at the Hamina Cadet School, attended by the Russian Empire’s nobility. Although he was expelled for a disciplinary violation, he was able to complete his education successfully at the Helsinki Private University, studying Russian, French, German, English, and Finnish, which were necessary for future elites.
Afterward, like most Russian nobles, he attended a cavalry school and served in the Imperial Guard Cavalry Regiment in St. Petersburg, developing loyalty to the Empire. He considered his participation in the coronation ceremony of Nicholas II, where he performed security duties nearby, to be the proudest moment of his life.
In fact, for someone who had lived as a member of the privileged class in a multinational empire, talk of building a “Finnish nation-state” or independence was no different from the ravings of a mentally ill person.
Mannerheim believed that the reign of the Tsar would continue indefinitely, and he himself was confident that he would live as part of that regime.
But the increasingly unsettling reality began to shake his faith little by little. The overwhelming superiority of the Allied powers witnessed on the battlefield reminded him that the Empire could also be defeated in war.
If Russia were to lose the war?
Mannerheim, who had served in the Russo-Japanese War, had heard from his friends who remained in Europe about the atmosphere of the eve of revolution in 1905, which felt like the end of the world. He did not want to witness with his own eyes the chaotic world that made his body shudder just by hearing about it.
“Such a thing won’t happen. It can’t happen. The war is only just beginning.”
He turned over the fur coat and lay down horizontally, seeking sleep.
However, sleep did not come easily. Manerheim tossed and turned, trying to chase away his fearful thoughts.
At that moment, the chief of staff entered the tent.
“Commander. We have received orders for redeployment from the 8th Division.”
“Redeployment? Where to?”
Manerheim asked, pacing back and forth.
“To the Romanian border.”
“Romania? Suddenly, without any preparation?”
To be ordered to move to Romania, a place of complete silence, after fighting on the front lines and temporarily retreating as reserves?
It was a perplexing order.
“Let me see it.”
Manerheim stood up and examined the orders that the chief of staff had received.
“As of now, the Elite Guards Division is to be redeployed under the 7th Army. The division is to move to Minsk Station by 6:00 a.m. on December 1st, according to the orders.”
The orders clearly stated that they were to move to the Romanian border.
“I have confirmed it. I’ll go back and gather the division officers.”
“Yes.”
Manerheim held the orders in his hand, lost in thought.
“It’s not like the command would randomly send the elite forces, who still have combat capabilities, to Romania for no reason. It’s because we are lacking even a single soldier right now.”
If that was the case, the reason was simple.
It was because there was a need for it.
“Could it be that Romania is becoming our enemy?”
The Colonel contemplated the dangerous possibilities. If it were true, then the Russian Empire was facing an imminent crisis. Military problems could potentially be resolved by creating space and buying time, but diplomatic issues were different. Even Romania, a neutral country with little time left, would not side with Petrograd’s enemies.
With Romania’s involvement in the war, the scales could tip heavily towards the unfavorable side. Manerheim, who had often met with noble diplomats in Petrograd’s social circles, did not underestimate the danger.
“This is not a good situation,” he thought.
As soon as he had that thought, his uneasiness vanished.
Not that he could sleep anyway.
The Colonel meticulously packed his belongings.
He made sure not to forget the photo album of his precious daughters, always kept close to his heart on the battlefield. Since his separation from his wife in 1902, his two daughters were all he had left.
After roughly packing his things, he arrived at the command tent, where the officers of the division were waiting for the division commander with stern faces. There were faces that had considered a similar thought upon hearing about the move to Romania.
“Take your seats.”
The Chief of Staff ordered, and the standing officers took their seats.
Manerheim took off his tight-fitting military cap and placed it beside him before sitting down in his seat.
He checked the things needed for the division’s move, scheduled until 6 o’clock tomorrow. He instructed the quartermaster to ensure that the wagons carrying essential supplies such as hay for the horses and ammunition for the troops were assigned, and ordered the commander of the division’s ceremonial guard to quickly bring back any personnel who had gone on leave or furlough. It took almost an hour to issue various orders.
Even a small mistake in these details could cause serious losses to the division’s combat power. Fortunately, no significant problems were found. It was a bit concerning that there were 1-2 wagons short for the horses, but they could somehow manage by stuffing the hay into the passenger cars for the soldiers.
Manerheim breathed a sigh of relief that everything seemed to be in order.
In a situation where the Empire’s supply system was deteriorating to the point where everything was not properly maintained, the fact that support was being provided for the division’s move meant that there was considerable interest from higher-ups.
Of course, that was not necessarily a good thing.
If the border with Romania was not in good condition, it meant that they should be concerned from above.
Manerheim forcefully pushed away his gloomy thoughts.
The next day, Manerheim received a report from the Chief of Staff at the train station that the handling of the requested reinforcements had been completed on paper.
He looked at the document and made a slightly bewildered expression.
“Isn’t it uncertain whether these forces have actually been incorporated? If they’re on the Romanian border, are they really going to gather the requested forces and send them?”
“I also tried to investigate, but it was useless. On the documents, it says that the ‘fully equipped unit’ must depart, so we handled it this way.”
“This is insane.”
Until the forces and supplies sent from above are confirmed with one’s own eyes, it is impossible to believe in the physiology of the battlefield. It is because breaking promises and arbitrarily suppressing situations is a characteristic of those in high positions.
“If the division commander wishes, I can go and investigate again.”
“No, there’s no need to go through that trouble. You’ve worked hard since dawn.”
Mannerheim allowed the Chief of Staff to rest on the train first.
He lit a cigarette with a lighter borrowed from the logistics staff.
As the smoke deeply entered his body and circled around, his somewhat stifled heart became relieved.
The hazy white smoke that was exhaled blurred the view in front like fog.
Beyond that, soldiers who were uneasy about the sudden movement could be seen carrying their rifles and heading towards the trains. Just by looking at their expressions, it didn’t seem like their morale was very high. They shared their anxiety by blowing on their cold hands.
“I should gather my courage first. If not, nothing will work out.”
Mannerheim flicked away the half-smoked cigarette, wiped it off with his military boots, and buttoned up his coat. He lightly clenched his fist on the pendant containing the photos of his two daughters, then moved towards the platform to command the soldiers, disguising his expression as if nothing was wrong.