60 – Collapse of the Russian Empire (3)
The already gloomy public sentiment, plagued by repeated defeats, exploded with the news that the German army was sweeping through the Baltic and approaching Pskov.
“Take responsibility for starting a war that we cannot win!”
“Immediately bring out the treasonous Empress who sold military secrets to Germany!”
“Let’s end this war that only brings suffering! Let’s drive out the incompetent Tsar!”
“Lower the price of bread!”
In truth, the grievances of the protesters had reached a boiling point even before this news had spread. The exorbitant price of bread, the scarcity of supplies, the ever-increasing taxes, and wages that could not keep up.
Germany’s victory had merely become the catalyst for their anger.
As thousands of protesters rose up, even the government trembled.
“Nikky, there’s a riot in Petrograd. What should we do?”
“Wait and see.”
Chancellor Nikolai Aleksyevich Maklakov picked up the phone and ordered a harsh crackdown. But at this point, Maklakov felt the need to offer some frank advice.
“Your Majesty, the situation is so grave that it cannot be resolved by force alone. Without fundamental measures, we will only repeat the events of 1905.”
“What?”
For Tsar, 1905 was an open wound. He felt anger welling up, but he suppressed it, considering his limited authority.
“Now is the time to consider negotiating a strengthening alliance with Germany, Your Majesty. Unfortunately, the Empire no longer has the strength to endure another war.”
“Dismiss such weak talk! You were ordered to suppress the riot, so either follow the orders or resign. It’s up to you.”
Tsar hung up the phone and seethed with anger for a long time.
But even in his innermost thoughts, a weak voice emerged.
“Is it really true that we must not compromise? That I must beg Billy for mercy?”
It was an affront to Tsar’s pride.
How could he, who considered himself equal, kneel like a servant before a cousin?
But the truth remained that the fate of the Empire was precarious.
Pride or the Empire.
Whenever Tsar considered an alliance, the German “peace plan” relayed by the British would reset his train of thought.
“Jim cannot surrender to Billy.”
While Charga hesitated to make a decision, the protests in Petrograd were escalating on an unimaginable scale for Charga.
“If Your Majesty commands, we have no choice but to obey.”
Maklakov carried out a large-scale suppression operation, mobilizing Gendarmerie, Marines, Police, and the Army, as ordered by Charga. There were instructions to refrain from using firearms, but it was impossible to enforce them on the ground.
The scene was a complete chaos, from the crowds trying to snatch the guns after a physical confrontation to the police officers firing their guns in excitement.
The revolutionaries set fire to this place.
“Guns! They are shooting!”
Whether they shot or not, it didn’t matter. The atmosphere of unrest and slogans spread throughout the streets. As the angry crowd gathered, the incidents increased, and the bloodshed became more frequent.
When the situation reached this point, Maria, the Duchess, who had been shaken by the company she kept, started to move.
Through her acquaintances, she spread the word that it was necessary to appease the public dissatisfaction at this point and establish a regime that could compromise with Germany.
She didn’t explicitly ask for support, but her intentions were clear.
“Enthrone Grand Duke Kirill to pursue strengthened negotiations?”
“If Grand Duke Kirill takes the throne, doesn’t that mean the autocratic rule will be maintained? If the situation continues, those hasty revolutionaries will take everything away. But Kirill seems like a decent alternative.”
“Indeed, the current Charga is inappropriate for reconciling with Germany and rebuilding post-war Russia. Neither the Crown Prince nor Grand Duke Mikhail is suitable. If we widen the pool of candidates, Ksenia and Olga are not qualified to be the successor.”
In that case, there was no alternative but Kirill.
But endorsing Kirill here would be a clear act of treason.
Supporters or followers of Kirill waited for the atmosphere to become more favorable.
And soon, the opportunity came.
“We refuse to carry out any further suppression of the protests!”
“No more bloodshed!”
The soldiers in the Petrograd garrison began to turn their rifle butts upside down.
They announced that they could not follow Tsar’s orders and would act according to the decision of the self-organized “Soldier Soviet”.
“What are they? Are they Reds?”
“Let’s beat them up first.”
The army was astonished and tried to suppress them, but it was in vain.
“Do you want us to shoot our comrades with our own hands?”
“You damn fools. Do it with your own hands.”
As the disillusionment with the war spread among the lower-ranking officers and soldiers, the government’s control collapsed in an instant.
“Are there so many traitors?”
“Your Highness! You must escape.”
While the top government officials, including the Minister of the Interior, hurriedly fled Petrograd, the rebels steadily expanded their influence.
“I, I want to get on too.”
Rasputin also tried to board the train, but no one gave up their seat.
Rasputin hurriedly looked for a hiding place and ended up hiding in a luxurious wardrobe in the Winter Palace.
But it wasn’t a wise move.
From Noble mtl dot com
“Kill the monster!”
Trembling in the wardrobe, Rasputin was soon dragged out like a dog and murdered by the hands of the crowd. He was known as a miraculous holy man, but in front of the enraged mob, no miracle was seen.
Palaces and opulent mansions were set on fire everywhere, and the remaining upper-class people were killed.
Everyone was trembling with anxiety and consumed by anger.
This chaos was the opportunity.
The ambitious Kirill Grand Duke, who had been waiting for an opportunity, appeared in Kronstadt, holding a flag.
“Brothers and sisters, I have arrived.”
By gesturing that he had come to join as a member of the “ordinary civilian public” rather than as a high-ranking noble, Kirill Grand Duke was welcomed by the Kronstadt Marines.
The nobles who joined the public were not only Kirill. His siblings also ordered the Imperial Guards to stop the bloody clashes, embraced the representatives of the masses, and pledged to stand by their side.
The actions of the Kirill brothers made their influence rise as potential successors to the throne.
Charr, upon hearing this news, was shocked.
“This despicable person. How did I take care of him, only to have him repay me like this? I will return to Petrograd immediately.”
Charr turned the train carrying the Supreme Command Headquarters from Pskov back to Petrograd. When his train reached the midpoint at Luga, a significant declaration was made from the State Duma in Petrograd.
“We, with the authority delegated by the state, judge that Tsar Nicholas II has lost his ruling ability and declare his abdication. The future succession to the throne is…”
The person who read the abdication announcement was surprisingly Nikolai Borisovich Shcherbatov, a relative of Charr.
This meant that discussions about Charr’s abdication had made significant progress even within the nobility.
“I, Jim, will definitely not abdicate. I will suppress the rebels, retake the capital, and restore order.”
“But, Your Majesty, the enemies are not only in the capital.”
Charr felt his enthusiasm wane at those words.
That’s right.
Even now, millions of allied troops were trampling over his empire.
“Your Majesty, the empire is in a situation where it cannot withstand civil war. Please make a decision.”
“Your Majesty.”
The generals did not say that they would march on Petrograd for Charr. If Charr had shown above-average ruling ability, of course, they would have done so.
But what had Charr’s appearance been like in the past few years?
The governance was a series of failures, and the war was recklessly relentless. It would have been nice to win, but we lost the Russo-Japanese War, and the imminent defeat of the Civil War was looming.
Ever since the dismissal of Grand Duke Nikolai, the generals had felt disillusioned with Tsar Nicholas II, secretly supporting the abdication of the two-headed ruler.
Whoever succeeded Tsar Nicholas would surely be better than him.
That’s what they thought.
“Jim.”
Tsar was speechless, unable to imagine the generals coming out like this.
“I’ll think about it for a moment.”
Tsar declared a temporary retreat, but if the generals didn’t support him, he couldn’t do anything.
An hour later, Tsar Nicholas accepted the abdication.
*
“Prince Alexei has given up the throne, and Grand Duke Mikhail has refused it, so the turn will soon come to Kirill.”
“Kirill is next after Tsar.”
Well, it’ll probably last for a month.
As soon as I saw the situation turning around, I loaded the decisive weapon Lenin onto the train. It’s not like I sealed the train so that the Bolsheviks inside couldn’t escape.
Lenin wasn’t a bacterium, and it was impossible to handle it like that in the first place.
Of course, it’s right to seal hazardous materials like the leader of the Bolsheviks with radiation shielding, but it’s not our business.
“Your Majesty, there’s a telegram.”
It was a telegram that came from Sweden.
Is there something special about it?
“From Kerensky.”
When Russia was on the verge of collapse, all sorts of people emerged and attempted to make contact with Berlin.
“Kerensky, aren’t you one of the people who holds real power in Petrograd?”
“That’s right.”
Kerensky is the Minister of Justice of the current Provisional Government of Petrograd.
Although his actual authority does not extend beyond Petrograd, which represents Russia, as long as he holds Petrograd, Kerensky is a significant figure in Russia.
“It seems like he wants something from Your Majesty.”
“Most of the people who write letters these days are like that.”
But Kerensky didn’t think for a moment that he would side with them. Even in 1917, when Russia was suffocating, there was a friend who wanted to see Germany’s downfall, and that friend was Kerensky.
Perhaps Kerensky’s purpose in making contact was to confirm the conditions on this side and then use them to fuel the unrest in Petrograd.
“Well, then it’s a good opportunity.”
In reality, whether Germany sets harsh conditions or not, the Russian army of the present is crumbling.
No matter how much they resist and shout for resistance, the daily lives of the Russians are only getting harder.
Their discontent will aid the Bolsheviks in taking power.
“That’s the only way negotiations can become possible.”
The Bolsheviks also feel the need to compromise with our side in order to seize power.
Looking at it this way, the withdrawal of Russia’s front line was progressing steadily and smoothly.
From the perspective of the Western powers, this was an opportunity to establish some kind of reconciliation, and Galipoli’s head was being hit, so it was fortunate for Germany.
As always, Turkey was a good friend of Germany.
What would have happened in this war if they hadn’t been there?
Tears clouded my vision with gratitude towards Cheosil.
Whether it was twisting my career and now tumbling from minister to commander.
Even the German Junkers don’t dedicate themselves to their bodies and honor like that. I thought I should at least give him the Order of the Iron Cross.
“Director.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Pretend to push and pull Kirensky appropriately. Our negotiating counterpart will be the Bolsheviks.”
“I understand.”
“Oh, one more thing.”
I summoned Professor Offenheimer.
“It wouldn’t be bad to make Grand Duke Kirill dream. Let him know that Germany’s Foreign Ministry is ready to approve his regime.”
“Yes.”
I tasted the sweet taste of victory from the cola brought to me.
Russia’s downfall felt as vivid as boiling carbon dioxide.