I own nothing from Hearts of Iron nor the Kaiserriech Mod.


Private Petros Sahakian

Journal Entry 14

June 18, 1932, Saturday

Detective Walkins came by earlier. Turns out I and the others won't need to testify in court. The Spanish Consulate convinced the Municipal Council to drop the charges on Fatso. In exchange he will depart Shanghai immediately to return home. It turns out he caused trouble for nothing. His wife had left the port just two days before he arrived here.

Went on another patrol. On this occasion it was our squad leader Felton, Gad and Robert and Yi Shang accompied us. We didn't have to deal with another violent drunk this time heh. We mostly just drove around the streets in our sector. On more than one occasion I did feel like we're being watched. I mean more than curiosity or annoyance the locals have with us.

No, it felt more like how a deer feels it's being observed by an unknown threat. The gunny warned us repeatedly in the voyage to here not to underestimate an enemy's desire to kill you. Whoever they are or will be. In this divided country there are numerous candidates for it. As I looked out in the street alleys and corners I searched for that source of that feeling I had but to no avail.

We stopped near an apartment complex so Felton checked the map. It was then we heard screaming nearby. We looked and saw a local woman obviously pregnant, trying to restrain the pain she was going through while leaning on a wall. The baby was coming.

This situation was certainly never covered back in basic.

We had to act quickly. Fortunately Yi Shang knew of a midwife close by. Felton sent Shang to fetch her while we helped the soon to be mother into an inn. The owner threw a fit at us but the corporal quickly paid him off and got us a room. We carried her in there while she was screaming in labor.

We snatched as many blankets, towels as we could and got a bucket of hot water.

I was stuck holding the woman's left hand who firmly grasped my own right hand. Needless to say I was out of my depth but tried to help calm her down but the language barrier made it quite difficult. Finally Shang arrived with the midwife. The old elder got to work as she bossed us around with Shang translating between us and her.

The process took a few more hours and a baby girl came into the world screaming at the top of her little lungs. Until then I had never witnessed a childbirth before nor assisted in one for that matter. That was the most nerve-wracking experience yet seeing that child healthy and strong made it all worth it.

I'll never forget the first look the mother gave to her child when the midwife presented the little one, so tender and so lovely. I couldn't help but think how my own mother must've felt when I was born. I never got to know her, nor father for that matter. We bid farewell to the lady, leaving her in the care of the midwife and paid the innkeeper some more to let them stay.

Afterwards we returned to base. Felton reported in full detail to the platoon sergeant when the latter came out to confront us about being late. Once the circumstances were explained we were off the hook. For now at least.

What a day.