An emergency meeting of the Governing Council was debating the Japanese-Soviet conflict. Unbeknown to them, it was the subject of similar debates in Britain and the United States.
Since German involvement in the Sino-Japanese war in 1941, the German Foreign Ministry and intelligence services, had maintained large Far East Sections. Their Soviet Sections had been always been large, and for a lot longer. There was considerable in-depth knowledge and expertise within these sections. It was the head of the Foreign Ministry Far East Section, Horst Steiner, who swiftly, and correctly, identified the Chinese response for what it really was. Procrastination. This caused some short-term relief about the situation. The British and Americans were accordingly informed of the German interpretation.
The Japanese claim was that that a Soviet soldier had entered their territory and fired on one of their patrols. In the return of fire the soldier had been shot dead. The Japanese still had his body. Steiner now asked if this could possibly be a starting point for negotiation?
It took five hours before the German ambassadors to Japan and the Soviet Union had some clarification. Two Japanese soldiers on patrol in the early hours of the morning, had come across a young Russian soldier sleepily plodding along, about ten metres inside the Japanese frontier line. As they approached him, he seemed to come awake and in what appeared to be a panic reaction, shot at them. The Japanese returned the fire and killed him. This simple accident had resulted in the current altercation.
The Soviet Section confirmed that the stories put out by the Soviets could all easily fit in with the Japanese story, if only they would stop spewing out propaganda. Was the ever obtuse Stalin spoiling for a fight for reasons of his own?
“That is our angle”, von Brauchitsch told the Council. “I propose a strong note from ourselves to the Japanese and the Soviets telling them that we believe it is all a big mistake, brought about by the needless build-up of troops by both sides in the area. We can also let the British and Americans know what our conclusions are.
Simultaneously, we can help defuse the situation and give the Chinese a way out of their own dilemma by telling them that the aggressor nation cannot be determined at this stage. The first trespass appears to be by a young Russian soldier on Korean soil in error, but the first casualty was the same Russian. The unclear situation should be enough of an excuse for Generalissimo Chiang to keep China out of the conflict for the time being. He should accordingly convey that message immediately to the Japanese.
With no early prospect of Chinese support, perhaps the Japanese will be more amenable to a ceasefire while the politicians carry on the battle with words. I propose that we advise the Japanese and the Soviets simultaneously, that they should stop fighting, reduce troop levels in the vicinity, and act a little more maturely in the future. That last bit could be put more diplomatically, of course,” he said with a wry smile.
“If they are reluctant to stop squabbling, we could remind them we have a large volume of trade with both countries. We would not like to see it jeopardised or disrupted. Again, I am sure the Foreign Minister could word things much more diplomatically than I.”
There were a few chuckles around the table.
The German iron fist in the velvet glove approach worked. The Government of Japan despatched a new army commander to Korea and he quickly brought the army there, into line. The politicians agreed on a ceasefire. Casualties had been heavier on the Japanese side than on the Soviet side. The Japanese had also been pushed back nearly a kilometre into their own territory before they were able to stabilise the line.
The Japanese army delivered Ivan’s body back to his unit showing great respect. They also handed over a letter of regret from the Japanese Field Commander. The Soviets withdrew back to the pre-conflict line, and also, very reluctantly, issued a similar letter of regret. It had all been unnecessary, but it was the Russians who had put up the best performance on the battlefield.
Stalin had enjoyed his little game of toy soldiers! His only regret was that it was over before his soldiers could battle test the new T34 tank!
Winston Churchill was having a short respite from affairs of state. He was relaxing at his country home for the weekend. His slippered feet were resting on a padded stool in front of him. There was a whisky on a small table next to him, and he was enjoying one of his favourite cigars. It was late afternoon and his thoughts drifted.
The turnaround in the economies and security of Europe in the last four years continued to amaze him. To think that one man, his old enemy Adolf Hitler, had brought the continent of Europe, and indeed, the whole world, to the brink of the abyss! Thank God that wiser heads prevailed! He silently saluted those few Germans who had foreseen the impending cataclysm and had the courage to act. The world owes them a great deal!
The slick way the German government defused the Japanese-Soviet border earlier this month had Churchill’s admiration. He was certainly gratified that they were so very keen on co-operating with Britain.
The joint aircraft project, the Flightstar, had gone smoothly and was an unqualified success. The next project, the jet airliner, promised to be even bigger and better.
The Anglo-German atomic power project was a reality.
Churchill was content. It was time for another whisky!
Coincidently, Franklin Roosevelt was having similar thoughts to his opposite number in Britain. He had just finished breakfast and was having a quiet cigarette before starting his working day.
One of his greatest fears as President, was the prospect of taking America into a foreign war. The exceptional group of men now governing Germany had saved him from this. In early 1940 he had seen no way of avoiding it. The militaristic and totalitarian regimes in Germany, Italy and Japan were hell bent on a collision course with the great democracies.
Roosevelt lit another cigarette. He made up his mind that in his speeches during the forthcoming re-election campaign for the Presidency, he would make specific references to the ‘special relationship’ that America now had with the greatest economic power in Europe, Germany.
Jamie and Katherine were in England. After Jamie had left the navy in January, they had taken a sabbatical and gone sailing. Katherine had a twelve metre sailing yacht which she had purchased and restored after leaving the Royal Navy at the end of the war.
They had sailed from Falmouth in South West England on a blustery winter day in mid-January. They made their way across the channel and down the coast of France to an enclosed anchorage at the village of Camaret, near Brest. They remained at anchor there for a few days to allow the weather to settle. They also found some really excellent French wines at incredibly cheap prices. When they eventually left, every bit of spare space in the boat was filled with bottles of wine!
They were lucky. In January the weather could be extremely unpleasant for sailing in the Bay of Biscay. By the time they left Camaret, conditions had improved considerably. They followed the planned route that took them into Biscay and to an anchorage at Royan, in the Garonne river estuary near Bordeaux, for a one night stay. The next day the second part of their course was to the port of Coruna in northern Spain. After two nights in Coruna they had a brisk run down to Figuera de Foz, a small port on the Portuguese Atlantic coast. Here they rested for a couple of days, during which time they had a truly memorable barbecue of all the freshly caught sardines they could eat, for the cost of a few pennies.