Ch. 20: Reports
7:02 PM, August 26th, 1918, The Dangun, Heijō, Chōsen
Zero was on the Dangun in his office, sitting at his desk. He was currently writing in his journal about the Black Army's daily activities along with other noteworthy events that had occurred.
"Today received devastating news from Moscow. The White Army launched another surprise attack on Chita and they successfully took over the city. The status of the forces within the city are currently not known. Semyonov was supposedly supported by a division of Japanese soldiers, which is how he succeeded. It wouldn't surprise me if that division of Japanese soldiers involved Marshal Tōdō.
It frustrates me deeply that all the work we put into delivering the goods was still not enough to defend the city fully. Still, the loss of Chita is not that much of a threat to the Black Army directly. Rozhkov and his Red Army division have adjusted well to their new environment. Rozhkov in my opinion is a superb commander, able to think of a last minute plan within a second. The inclusion has also increased our numbers, allowing us to do more damage to the Japanese.
I spoke to the council today about the situation with Russia. Some of the members were unhappy with our involvement with them, and they therefore suggested approaching the Chinese. However, me and the other members have stated China is too chaotic to be approached. The current government, the Beiyang Government, has lost control of its generals, who have each carved their own sphere of influence out of the country. The Fengtian, Anhui, and Zhili Cliques along with the Beiyang Government have been fighting amongst one another for legitimacy. It's too difficult at the moment to tell who's on who's side."
11:39 AM, November 12th, 1918, Black Army Regional HQ, Kyŏmip'o, Chōsen
The city of Kyŏmip'o was a city starting to show the signs of growth. The Japanese had recently started developing iron works in the city. The Kyŏmip'o Regional HQ was located within a large cave at the end of an abandoned iron mine located just outside the city.
The large cave was lit up via oil lanterns. As a result, the cave was still somewhat dark, but not dark enough that you couldn't see what you were doing.
The cave also consisted of many rifles, boxes of ammunition, food, and barrels of fresh water. There was also a telegraph key that had a wire leading out the cave. The wire was carefully hidden and was secretly connected to the main telegraph lines nearby.
After reviewing maps and talking to the commander of the headquarters, Zero sat opposite of Kim Gu, who was reading a newspaper at a nearby table. The newspaper had large print on the cover that said "ARMISTICE DECLARED YESTERDAY! WAR OVER? PEACE ACHIEVED?". Below the print was a photo of a bunch of French officers and commanders standing proudly outside of a train car.
Zero then took out his pen along with his journal. He then turned to a new page and proceeded writing in it.
"Just inspected the Kyŏmip'o Regional HQ. Supplies and coordination seem to be in order. The commander has told me he will continue with overseeing the underground movement of arms and supplies. The Japanese have shown no signs of catching on.
It seems the Great War has finally come to a halt today. Armistice was declared yesterday at 11:00 AM.
The Russians have been having difficulties keeping back the White Army, along with the other Allied forces. Recently a Provisional All-Russian Government was declared as the result of the merging of the anti-Bolshevik government based in Samara and the Provisional Siberian Government based in Omsk. This new government encompasses all of Eastern Siberia, effectively beating back the Red Army. The railroads are either under the watchful eye of the Japanese, Czechoslovak Legions, or the other Allied Powers, making it almost impossible to get communications through.
Rumor has it that the government in Moscow has given an order to commanders to do whatever is necessary to halt the advance. Many commanders have supposedly as a result been putting Koreans they have recruited in Russia to be in the front lines, therefore having the Russians not having to die in their place. If the reports are fully correct, this action is one I cannot approve of. However, the war in Russia is currently beyond the capabilities of what the Black Army can do. The most important goal is to maintain our networks and influence over the Korean Peninsula."
8:45 AM, December 5th, 1918, The Dangun, Port of Busan, Chōsen
Black smoke erupted from the The Dangun's smokestack as it was treading through the water. One could hear a repeating "CHUG-CHUG-CHUG-CHUG" sound coming from below the deck of the ship. Some of the lanterns hanging on the ship were swinging back and forth due to the somewhat choppy waters.
While the others were overseeing the ship's boiler or steering wheel, Zero was once again sitting at his desk in his office, writing another entry in his journal.
"Today is December 5th, my birthday. However, I am celebrating it alone. That date is the birthday of Lelouch Lamperouge, not Zero. I cannot let personal needs interfere with the responsibilities I have. It still reminds me of Milly setting up some extravagant party for me at Ashford Academy. It was great hanging out with Milly, Rivalz, Shirley, and Nunnally at those events. And I can never forget how Nunnally would always get a gift for me no matter what. And despite being blind and crippled, she still committed herself to that tradition."
Suddenly a tear fell down Zero's cheek as he finished writing. Wiping the tear away with his hand, Zero regained his serious composure and proceeded updating on the status of the Black Army.
"Recently left Busan after buying some smuggled weapons from a black market dealer. Currently heading to Inchon, or as the Japanese call it Jinsen, where we'll stop and refill the ship's supply of coal.
Nothing significant involving Tōdō. We've made sure our tracks are covered, preventing Tōdō and his men to follow us. All Tōdō has been doing so far is increasing security and making more arrests. Hopefully he doesn't pull a card from his sleeve that could turn the tables on us.
The situation in Russia has now become even more confusing. Just a few weeks ago, Britain supposedly backed a coup within the Provisional All-Russian Government, which resulted in the government to elect Minister of War Alexander Kolchak to become Supreme Ruler. According to recent intelligence, Kolchak is dictatorial and autocratic, making him more challenging for the Bolsheviks. Just two days ago, he issued numerous harsh, tyrannical laws.
However, the Japanese seem to fear Kolchak will ruin their expansionist plans in Eastern Russia. In conclusion, Kolchak's appearance has complicated the playing field big time. The Americans are also been rumored to dislike him.
Meanwhile Europe is experiencing revolution fever. Just recently the Kingdom of Yugoslavia was proclaimed in the Balkans. This, along with the previous declarations of independence by Poland and Czechoslovakia, has changed the European map dramatically. Austria-Hungary has basically been broken up and distributed the land among the ethnic minorities. This seems to be following the history of my world, where the aftermath of the Great War resulted in the self-determination of minorities and the break up of old empires.
But there is one difference I am starting to see. In my world, the war resulted in mass revolutions to occur all over the European continent, including some neutral countries. It was during this chaos that liberal and republican ideas started to spread. These revolutionaries, who were called Neo-Jacobins due to their extreme republican views, overthrew practically every monarch in Europe. The so-called Neo-Jacobins instituted traditions from the French Revolution, and with Britannia threatening them, the European nations banded together to form the EU.
The revolutions in this world aren't that extreme or widespread. This could possibly be due to the USA intervening in the Great War, resulting in America taking the economic burden off of some of the European countries. If that's the case, then those European governments wouldn't be in such a bad shape to result in the revolutions that occurred in my world. Since there's no Britannia, I'm guessing a EU will not form due to the lack of need to unify for common defense. And if there's no unity, then the European intervention that drove the Bolsheviks to China won't occur. I say this because I fear things may get more unpredictable now."
Author's Note: Well this is a short chapter which I mainly wrote to quickly pass some time. It also allows me to describe the impact external events are having on Zero and the Black Army. If you haven't read it, my other fanfic, Classic History of the Holy Britannian Empire, is my take on Code Geass' alternate timeline. It explains all the events Zero is mentioning when he's comparing the timelines of his world and our world.
I called the European revolutionaries in Zero's world Neo-Jacobins because we know the EU capitol is Paris, so it would make sense if radical, liberal republicans that model themselves after the Jacobins would choose Paris, the center of the French Revolution, as their capitol and use 1789 as the epoch of their calendar.
The whole thing about the Russians supposedly putting Koreans on the front lines so they will die in place of a Russian is something I made up. I added it because I wanted to have Russia be associated with the EU (In Code Geass: Akito the Exiled, the EU secretly sacrifices Japanese lives so European ones don't have to die on the front lines). Like the EU and Britannia in Code Geass, Russia is currently fighting a war against Japan. So far Russia is loosing more land as the war goes on, like the EU did against Britannia.
Next chapter, which I hope to write as soon as possible, will involve a new character coming from Germany meeting up and joining the Black Army.