I didn't have to wait long before Richard and Caldwell - Milicent, I mean; she insisted on a first-name basis - arrived at Addie's doorstep. We had just barely finished our breakfast before we heard a massive pounding on the door. The ferocity initially sparked worry in Ruth and her husband before the sound of Richard's ecstatic voice launched the baker into a hurried step.
"What if he was forced to turn against us?" she spoke in a fearful shudder.
"Richard would be in cold, soft dirt before that happens," he assured her, swinging open the door to reveal his friend and our American reporter.
I gave a polite sigh of resignation as I moved my body to greet Richard with a handshake. Instead, he immediately grabbed my hand and pulled me in for a massive bear hug. At that moment, I wished he kissed my hand like Goering had. He had at least given me some breath of space, even if I was treated like royalty. But, at least he didn't take a picture - oh, nevermind, Milicent used Richard's camera to capture the shot.
Perhaps I should embrace the madness instead. I heard there is bliss in being part of the mob…
I began the first hour of our session by answering questions that Richard and Milicent had thought of overnight, all of them relating to economics and finances. I had to hide my shock when he revealed to me his background in business studies and that he had previously held a role similar to my past life in his family's company in Aegyptus. Unlike the reporter, his questions were a lot more damning.
If this were modern Japan, I could have explained away his confusion with terrific ease, but since this is 1934, my answers could be taken as words from a con artist or mental patient. It's not a fault of Richard; he just cannot comprehend the historical context that occurred in the 1950s, 60s, 70s, and 80s in my previous life. It was certainly a unique challenge, trying to mold my answers to fit the societal progression of this timeline, but I could only feel a hint of shame for not giving the full picture. The last thing I want is for him to learn the wrong lessons from my responses.
Without modern technology, there are some techniques and ideas that we just can't implement to resolve the economic crisis. No matter how useful they are right now.
But Richard was satisfied enough, allowing me to shift attention away from economics and onto the Treaty of Triano. Now, if I were in the position of a far-right nationalist political party seeking a seat in the Reichstag or even the office of Chancellor, railing against the treaty would be an easy ticket toward an electoral victory. It is terrifyingly easy for politicians and demagogues to tap into the growing frustration and resentment among the Germanian people. A few campaign slogans here, some rallies there, and the voter base will come flocking towards their banner in search of a quick and easy solution out of this depression.
I applaud the Progressives for sticking to their principles and choosing to reconcile with reality rather than mislead their constituents. This is why, to Richard's and Milicent's sudden bewilderment, I took the position that the Treaty of Triano was too lenient. Radical, I know. Treacherous, perhaps. But that is the truth as I see it. The death of the Empire softened the ire of the Allied Powers toward Germania now that the massive state had been fragmented.
Without a doubt, the war reparations are indeed massive and burdensome for the republic, but not impossible to pay off. Every cent can be repaid with time, but the problem lies in both the attitudes of Germania and the Allied Powers. Again, given enough time, the war debts can be repaid, but the Francois Republic and the Commonwealth of Albion are stubborn, prideful, and impatient: they want their payments now and in full since they, too, are in debt to their American backers. It is more pragmatic to consider debt forgiveness as an alternative and compensate with the desire for financial restitution with mutually beneficial trade agreements.
In the grand scheme of things, Germania got off lightly. Compared to how Japan was thoroughly demilitarized and under American occupation by the Gaijun Shogun, the Treaty of Triano at least allowed the republic to have an army. If Francois wanted to destroy the very concept of Germania, they could have done more than just make a few regions of the Empire independent - they could have forced the total abolition of the entire Germanian Armed Forces, separate and de-industrialize the Rhineland, and interfered with the crafting of the new republican constitution to make it more Francois-inclusive. The Allied Powers had the opportunity to march directly to Berun and enforce their punitive treaties by force. If the Allied armies brought food and medicine to give to the locals, then the Germanian people would surely welcome this dissolution of the Germanic state.
Germanians haven't realized it yet, but the Allied Powers do want to reintegrate the country back into the European continent. It is easy to say and believe that the Treaty of Triano was extremely cruel, but it is a perspective of scale; before the Great War, the Empire had quadrupled the economic output compared to the Francois Republic, given its greater size, population, resources, and labor pool. By reducing Germania to the core regions, Francia has made it a more equitable partner for trade without fear of economic domination. The Francois would be extremely foolish to not take the chance to engage in this opportunity to establish a friendly neighbor that chooses diplomacy over aggression, peace over war, and friendship over grudges.
Yet, I would be lying if I said that opportunity has long since sailed thanks to their own arrogance. If the Francois owned up to their war atrocities in Brussels and created a precedent of accountability in this new European order, they could have garnered goodwill from the post-Imperial state of Lothiern, which would then translate to further optimism from the new nations in Central Europe. Optimism and trust that will form the bedrock of the Little Entente. But, alas, Parisee will have to live with the consequences of their failed calculations, and I will not shed any tears for them. They chose their nation above the continent, and now the Soviet Federation will look at these small, independent nations as future conquests for its violent revolution.
This leaves Albion to pick up where Francia failed, but unfortunately, they too will falter in this responsibility to secure and maintain the new status quo. The largest empire in the world is too big for Europe. Either Londonium prioritizes the defense of the Home Islands or its colonies, but not both. The Great War was already expensive for Albion, but the cost of maintaining military occupation in foreign lands across multiple oceans will only continue to rise. The vastness of the Albish Empire will implode on itself, starting with its treasury, as the consciousness of independence and self-determination across Africa, Asia, and the Americas will only continue to grow and be shared. By choosing splendid isolationism and retreating to their island, the Albish have forfeited their role in continental peace.
Unless they can build their warships to sail across land, the Red Army will march west and plant their flag in Berun, if not on the Rhine.
As for the Americans, well…given how Japan prospered under the nuclear umbrella, Europe being under the American sphere would be a blessing and a curse. A blessing in a future superpower would protect the continent from Soviet aggression but a curse if there is ever a situation of American imperialism, or worse, American neglect. Given the America First movement that has been growing in popularity daily, I don't have high hopes when it comes to their foreign policy. In the end, all that they care about is their money and their self-righteousness. Not necessarily in that order.
So where does that leave Germania and its sister republics, Magyarozag included, in the future? From what I have seen and inferred, there are only two outcomes: we either unite as European brothers and sisters or become conquered individually. Becoming nothing more but mere satellite states for the Bolshevik menace.
Once again, was Triano harsh? It was no harsher than the treaty enforced on Francia after the Franco-Preussian War. Was Triano unjust? Absolutely. And the Allied Powers will reap the consequences as the result.
Needless to say, this whole situation could have been avoided if the Kaiser and the Brass had listened to me for a change. And yes, I don't miss him at all one bit. Sure, he gave me a fancy sword for my services, but how does that compensate for the opportunities he willingly let slip away in favor of more immediate short-term gains? Advantages that I risked every inch of my life, blood, sweat, and tears?! And bone and skin to deliver?!! One after fucking another?!!!
It was extremely telling when a conservative military brat like Weiss considers me a worthy inheritor of that empty throne, damning centuries of rituals, tradition, and old rites by making me a usurper. All in all, reality always triumphs over opinion.
Speaking of, it's high time I exposed the cheap but effective, manipulative tactics the far-right uses in distorting the news. Compared to the refined techniques of modern advertisement strategies and corporate jargon, the rhetoric these fascists implemented is seemingly basic. For Viktoriya's sake, I sincerely hope she will read this section.
Dictating my thoughts to Richard, I want her to understand that Fascism does not appeal to the mind but to her base emotions. It is not logic that the vile ideology appeals to, not unlike communism, but euphoria - the overwhelming sensation of feeling good about oneself. Like a commercial advertisement, fascist demagogues rely on bright, contrasting colors and stark symbology to captivate the audience on a deeper psychological level. The ring of a doorbell, the chimes of a cash register, the drums of war, and the trumpets of victory mixed with campaign slogans and tasteful imagery are used to invoke the sensation of raw desire and conformity. Instead of selling toothpaste and bandages, the ideologues sell addictive candy as their vision of a fascist utopia.
Like the doctor with his patient, the candyman appeals to the collective identity of his consumers, fans the flames of alienation and sense of loss, and altogether promises a bright future that could only be secured through the consumption of his products; all while he dilutes, distills, and disseminate reality in neatly cultivated and digestible narratives. I presented a rhetorical question to Richard and Milicent to imagine a future where technology has advanced so much that the techniques of persuasion that a single advertisement could not just suggest what a customer should buy but also reprogram how they should think and feel about the product.
Of course, I didn't need to imagine that reality. I already lived in it. Hell, I even worked to perfect it. The common citizen with little experience or knowledge of technology or mass marketing techniques will find himself trapped very quickly in a world where reality and fiction converge with surgical precision. By the time he is remotely aware of how his life has been carefully cultivated by advertisers, he would not care as he was already conditioned to accept these products and these services without a second thought. He would conform out of fear of losing the familiar. To truly escape, he would have to burn everything down.
But why would he? He will have anime waifus annually and video games to compensate for his boring and directionless life while I will get to live at the top surrounded by comfort and luxury. That was the original plan, at least.
Unlike the items in corporate ads, Fascism is a deeply negative product; instead of offering relief or joy, it encourages the consumer to be hateful, distrustful, extraordinarily violent, and willfully blind to the consequences of their ignorance. In a way, Fascism is one giant scam, a Ponzi Scheme, that will or has consumed entire political movements or potentially, an entire nation. The people will not just be conned out of their wages but also their future, their home, and their very lives. They will be forced to confront reality by methods deemed unassailable and immediate, like the sun exploding over Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
But how could someone as intelligent and kind as Viktoriya be consumed whole by this con - fascist and communist alike? By manipulating language. Ask any lawyer or businessman, and he will all tell you the same answer: in the field of politics and economics, be very distrustful of words. A Gun is a Gun. Death is Death. Business is Business.
Richard laughed out loud. "You learned the trade well! Are you sure you weren't a professional propagandist during the Great War?"
I rolled my eyes. "It was a part-time endeavor."
Regardless, language, when wielded with malicious intent, is a greater weapon than any form of artillery or warship. The pen IS mightier than the sword - the greatest military victory is achieved when one side surrenders without a fight. Fascist, communist, liberal, or conservative, no self-respecting regime could risk being too transparent with the public and thus must master the art of euphemisms and constructed speech; they lie to the masses by telling the truth. Ideally.
But to focus on Fascism specifically, since Viktoriya would no doubt be very familiar with it considering her past actions, let's dismantle a generic talking point as an example.
"National Renewal" is a common, practically generic, expression of fascist movements, whether in Germania, Osterry, Pullska, or Magyarozag. It is also extremely vague, intentionally so, and by broadening the definition, it allows all sorts of people to interpret and cast their own biases onto the phrase. This fluidity dilutes the phrase into nothing while simultaneously obscuring the awful reality of what "national renewal" would entail. If you have any doubts, consider speaking to a Francois about his opinion on the current state of his republic; a utopia in Francia is going to look very different from a utopia in Germania.
"Revolutionary Justice" is a generic catchphrase by the Bolsheviks and their communist associates, but consider for a moment what that means. What is "justice" and how does their movement make it "revolutionary?" The very concept of Justice is one of the oldest ideas in human history - as old as money and prostitution - the word, when simplified to its most basic roots, simply means righting a wrong. So what does it mean to make it "revolutionary?" Personally, I considered it to be a catchy tagline to appeal to the grievances of the middle and lower class, both real and imaginary, against the upper class, nothing more. After all, look who is the current head of state for the Russy Federation. How is his brand of justice any different from the Tzars before him?
"Unity and Strength."
"Strategic Realignment."
"Equality and Liberation."
"Streamlining Operations."
"Permanent Revolution."
"Downsizing."
"Restructuring."
"Collateral Damage."
What do all these words have in common? They are all tools of psychological manipulation designed to circumvent critical thinking and elicit emotional conformity. One could foresee the future where media technology will be advanced to the point that messages can be written, sent, and received within a matter of seconds, and thus, linguistic manipulation could be used to centralize and spread propaganda ad infinitum. Institutions - political, corporate, or otherwise - will continue and perfect their use of manipulated language to shape public reception and regulate their behavior.
The sure way to penetrate this jargon is to interrogate the language, demand clarity and specificity, and recognize the context in which these words are said, why it is said, and to what ends these words attempt to achieve.
"You're too smart for your own good. Has anyone told you that?" Ruth suddenly appeared in the doorway of the guest room to hand each of us a cup of coffee. Her voice was unusually melancholic.
"You're the first." I laughed lightly.
"I scarcely could imagine what your friends and allies would make of this," Richard grunted, blowing on his cup.
"If they respect me, then they will respect my thoughts and my words."
"And if they don't?" Milicent asked innocently.
"Then everything I had done would have been for nothing," I replied, causing her to shrink under my gaze.
You're playing a dangerous game." Richard scoffed.
"I'm a dangerous woman."
"Would your…benefactors appreciate your work?" Ruth inquired softly.
"Of course they will, once I make it clear how wrong they are." I huffed. "Besides, I'm a free woman. Like you."
"Then you are not really free." She shook her head solemnly before leaving with the tray underneath her arm.
"How ominous." Richard bemoaned sarcastically. "Don't tell Heidler I said that. But, shall we continue?"
I underestimated how long it took for us to write a draft. It took us a couple of weeks to explore a wide variety of topics ranging from the monarchy, economics, capitalism, individualism, pacifism, the Imperial Army, the men of the 203rd, organized labor, wages, office life, war, imperialism, diplomacy, the various machinations of the Junkers, my interests, my former classmate in Osby, and my "unique" relationship with God. Richard found it funny that I worship "like a Protestant in denial" for a Papist, whatever that means.
I have devoted another chapter to breaking down the euphemisms that these idiots have said and will say regarding the Stab-in-the-Back Theory. If I encounter one more person who still regurgitates this nonsense, I shall direct them to this section and then beat them on the head with it.
Philosophy, career paths, feminism, my initial aspirations, Progressive politics, my time under Schlage, the legacy of the Empire, the orphanage I grew up in, the concept of clean energy as an alternative, and by the time I got to explaining the oil, coal, and natural gas industry and the pollutants it brings to the atmosphere, I was growing rather tiresome at the end. I just wanted this project done so I could move on to Yugoslavia. We haven't even arrived at the stage of editing and reviewing.
"Finding a publisher should be of no issue." Richard mumbled as he leaned back into his seat, "It's what they would make of this book."
"Richard," I gently placed my hands on his shoulders to stir him awake, "If there are any revisions to be made, I must be notified first to give my approval. Nothing should change without my knowledge, understand?"
"I-I understand. Of course." He nodded quite fiercely. "Just know we may find our correspondence will be difficult with you in the southern kingdom."
"Trust me, Richard. I will find out if you do."
Of course, we just weren't sitting at the Heidler House the entire time. The Ostprogressive Bloc made tremendous gains in dismantling the fascist apparatus that took hold of the national government and moved to ban Dollfuss's party as well as imprisoning his allies and supporters.
Unsurprisingly, the Pan-Germanian fascists did not take it well when the ban also encompassed their political movement. They cited that since they were allied with the Silver Revolution - not my first pick for the name - they should be exempt from the ban. The Bloc nearly gave into their reason until I gently reminded everyone about the November Boycott and how the Pan-Germanian fascists were just as bloody and eager as the Ostnationalists.
Needless to say, they either moderate their platform under the direction of the Progressives or I will moderate them under the direction of my rifle.
It was good that I could still bring people to a mutual understanding.
But this eventually led to the much bigger question: what to do with the fallout of the boycott? It's one thing to hang the politicians and imprison their enablers, but how can you physically hold the entire populace of a nation-state accountable? Everyone was either a victim or a perpetrator.
Issuing heavy fines would have achieved nothing, not in this wretch of an economy, and imprisoning guilty civilians would only take skilled human labor out of the workforce that industries and businesses need. We could give everyone who participated in the atrocity a black mark on their public record, but it would just be ink on a piece of paper; its negative association would no longer be seen as severe if everyone has it.
I don't like resorting to half-measures but what the Ostprogressives could do is offer compensation to the victims in addition to paying for the repair costs. Addie and Ruth will have their restaurant back. The Ostjudenvolk that fled abroad, if they could prove that their property was desecrated and their lives at risk, would be given the same treatment as well. The program would be prohibitively expensive for the small nation but it was important to stress that this will be a step in the right direction to eventually rectify all grievances inflicted on the injured party.
There's also to protect the Progressive government from a military coup. The easy part was disbanding the militias and integrating their members as national policemen or returning them to civilian life. As for the Junkers, there was an opportunity when Warschau presented Wien membership into the Intermarium; even though I disliked and distrusted Pilsud for his manipulations, sending Theoneau to Pullska as part of an Osterrian attache would keep Zettour's associate away from influencing the Reichstrat or the Chancellery.
Given the immense prestige of the position, Theoneau would have to accept, especially if he is as much a careerist as me.
Hell, it wouldn't just be him: keep the politicized Osterrian Junker generals separate and away from each other by sending them to Lothiern, Magyarozag, the Czech-Slovak State, and Daneland. Even though their expertise would be badly needed in Osterry in case of a foreign invasion, either from Yugoslavia or Illdoa, the chances of it happening are slim. From what I've read in the newspapers, Roma was more interested in the Adriatic coastline of Yugoslavia than the mountains of Osterry. Such is the failure of Triano.
"Well, Addie." Richard yawned with his mouth as wide as a cavern, He leaned back into his chair to stretch. The two men were sharing a table outside a cafe, taking a moment to exist outside of the life of their golden-hair child. "We are finally done with the draft."
"Amazing work, brother. What is she going to do now?"
"Talking with Milicent, I suspect. That reporter has the patience of a saint to have waited this long for an interview."
"Hmph. Did Tanya already name her book?" Addie asked as he bit into a chocolate muffin.
"She wanted it simple: 'My Political Record' she told me."
"How…perfectly mundane and humble."
"My thoughts exactly! I figured that someone like her would have a more…more…"
"Grander title?"
"Yes, exactly that!"
"Do you have a suggestion?" Addie inquired from his friend.
"Glad you asked. I did tell her." Richard sat up straighter in his seat. "I proposed the title to be 'The Leviathan of Berun. '"
"Hmmm, that's a great idea! You're a genius."
"I know!"
"Did she agree?"
"She told me she didn't care about the title as greatly as the contents of her book."
"That was a yes, I assume?"
"It was a yes; she agreed."