Abyssus Abyssum Invocat
Page 8
If the base upon which you’re building your assumptions is wrong, you have to admit your mistake despite the shame.
Why would you expect to be able to build a decent structure atop a rotten foundation? I swear on my modern intellect and rationality that I couldn’t stand to construct a condemned building to show off my ineptitude like some masochist. For a decent person like me, that would be sheer unendurable suffering.
Which is why Tanya has to accept her shame and tell her superior officer.
“Our only hope is to distinguish the Communists from the rest. We won’t be able to get away with idly viewing the enemy as Communists.”
“So divide and conquer, then?”
“Conquer? General, isn’t that joke a bit much? Why in the world should the Empire have to take over?”
Administrative services, by their nature, are not an industry that brings about profit.
But it’s true that in an occupied territory, the military government must carry out minimal maintenance of social order, application of the infrastructure, and so on.
Up until now, Tanya has just barely accepted those things as necessary costs. It irritates her to admit that it’s an emergency where market functions are paralyzed, but she understands that’s why maintenance is necessary.
But, she adds with conviction.
Ruling is out of the question. Management via military government is already putting an excessive burden on their organization. Conquer?! If we tried to do that, the army would disintegrate. From there, it’s a straight shot to being an understaffed unethical corporation.
“General von Zettour, if we try to conquer, our military org will collapse from exhaustion before we even fight. What we need is a wonderful friend to whom we can outsource.”
There’s no need whatsoever for the Empire to conquer. Every man to his trade; personnel management must be optimized.
“…That’s an interesting thing to say, but unfortunately the Empire doesn’t have many friends.”
“Then we just need to make some.”
“When you get older, it’s not so easy.”
These pesky problems keep holding us back. It’s a bit late to worry about acquiring friendly state relations with so much historical baggage making things difficult.
On the other hand, I suppose, there are frequently alternative ways to use one’s given conditions. You may be convinced something is useless, but if you change your point of view, you find a way. Poison can be medicine depending on how it’s used.
Even the extremely harmful drug thalidomide, which caused birth defects, was effective against some diseases. And that’s exactly why… Tanya continues with confidence, “But if we build up trust and results, though, maybe we can meet someone. Don’t you think it’s possible for us to meet a new friend?”
“What?”
“Don’t we have the resource of old enemies?”
There’s a saying in diplomacy: The enemy of my enemy is my friend. That may only mean your interests overlap, but overlapping interests are reason enough for two nations to become friends.
“Given the Empire’s traditional international relations, no one doubts that the Federation is an enemy. So we might be able to cultivate friendships with the antiestablishment factions within it.”
“The Federation is a multiethnic state, but…are you arguing that we should try to achieve solidarity with separatists inside it?”
“Yes, General.”
“I see your logic, but Colonel, the issue is whether we can apply what’s written in the textbooks in the field.”
Tanya nods that she understands. It’s not what Zettour said, but she knows that textbooks provide only one possible answer under one set of circumstances.
You only get points for following the textbook in school.
What people want from you in the field, once you go to the front lines, is results. Any idiot whining that it’s not his fault because he did it according to the textbook should be given a swift kick.
“Certainly, the Federation is our enemy. But just because someone is an enemy of our enemy doesn’t automatically make them our ally.”
She does have to agree—he’s right. It’s only logical that even if you have a common enemy, the question of whether you can achieve solidarity or not still remains.
“After all,” Zettour continues with a sigh, “it doesn’t even seem like the separatists distinguish between us and the Federation authorities.”
True, that’s an extremely important thing to note.
And in reality, the advancing Imperial Army has been ordered to avoid conflict with the locals to the extent possible, but…the troops have made a lot of mistakes. From seeing how the Feldgendarmerie was operating, Tanya can easily understand why.
“The cause of that is simple. General, we’re nothing but armed outsiders. With no one who can mediate, trouble is unavoidable.”
In terms of having someone who can talk to them, the Empire is at a hopeless level. A mediator, a negotiator we could trust, or at least an interpreter who could facilitate communication… We should have gone in with someone like that. But we’re currently lacking in that department.
“We’re completely missing the boat when it comes to language in our pacification strategy.” Of all things… Tanya reflects bitterly on their situation.
In the Imperial Army, there is currently no one who can converse with people on the ground. We’re at the stage of hurriedly pulling someone from the Foreign Office, but we’ll be lucky if we get someone who has set foot on a battlefield a couple of times. As for someone who can negotiate, we’re only just starting to consider where we might even look.
“Officers should be able to speak the Federation’s official language, though.”
“Yes, General, as you point out…we have learned a tiny bit of Federation language, but…”
Tanya knows the grave truth. To the antiestablishment factions in the Federation, the official language is the language of the enemy.
“General, we’re speaking to allies in the enemy’s language. It’s folly.”
“…You’re saying we shouldn’t use the official language?”
Tanya nods yes, her mood grim.
She wants translators who speak the languages of the antiestablishment factions’ ethnicities, but she knows how well that is likely to go, because she had Serebryakov look into it.
Any specialists in those languages are probably professors in the Empire’s universities. Minority languages are only one field that linguistics experts study. They won’t be able to build a program of systematic language education overnight. In short, it will be a hopelessly long time before the army will be able to talk to these people.
“So it’s a structural weakness in the Imperial Army because we didn’t anticipate expeditions in foreign lands due to our foundational interior lines strategy.”
“Frankly, I don’t think our longtime defense strategy is a problem. The issue isn’t interior lines strategy in and of itself. The root of many of these problems is that we didn’t follow through on it and instead sent troops across the border.” Tanya points out the truth. “At least interior lines strategy will continue to prove effective.”
“That’s fine, Colonel von Degurechaff. So what’s our plan?”
“Our task is clear. We must acquire competence in deploying soldiers abroad, whether we want to or not. And regarding occupation by military government, we should try to improve things as soon as possible and seek new friends in our occupied territories.”
It’s not as if Tanya isn’t aware that she’s asking a lot.
Whether they want to install a puppet or back a friendly power, if the key player isn’t present, the plan won’t even get off the ground.
“Colonel von Degurechaff. You know how few people there are willing to cooperate with the Imperial Army. Do you think you can find the right person under these conditions?”
“I believe it’s possible.”
Zettour urges her
to explain.
Perhaps it’s the product of all his hard thinking? His eyes look wise as he stares at her, unflinching.
So Tanya proceeds logically.
“General von Zettour, it’s true that we’ve already had issues with residents of occupied areas. As a result, they’re also somewhat bloodthirsty and hateful, but…they have someone to compare us to.”
“Someone to compare us to?”
“The Federation government. Frankly, in a choice between the heartless Communists and the violent Imperial Army, I think the people are levelheaded enough to choose the latter.”
“So you’re thinking radically, then. Very well, let’s suppose we’re able to join forces with them. Are you saying that our method of occupation should be to make use of the local forces?”
“Yes.” Tanya nods, and Zettour sinks into quiet thought as if mulling over her words before shaking his head to indicate it would be difficult.
“Frankly, I can’t see the advantage. I’ll give you my view as someone keeping logistics working in the rear. If we’re not sure if someone is a friend or foe, in a way, it’s much easier to deal with them as a foe.”
To that opinion, all she can do is sigh. If a fool were uttering it out of foolishness, she would be able to laugh it off as absurd.
The reason she sighs is simple.
“You make a good point, but as for whether they’re friends or foes, they’re definitely friends.”
General von Zettour is a strategist and the polar opposite of a fool.
He’s a great man who understands the field of operations, is well versed in the affairs of logistics, and even keeps busy working on relations between the government and the military as the leading figure in the Service Corps. You can’t really call him one of those guys who are biased toward the army in all respects, who are pro–any kind of force; at any rate, he’s someone in Berun who can bring the arguments between military officers and civil servants to a compromise.
Even someone so competent is, with perfect composure, saying things that I am forced to declare mistaken?
Is the Imperial Army’s paradigm so problematic?
“What…? Colonel von Degurechaff. I never thought the day would come that I’d have to point something out to you. There is a mountain of reports from the Feldgendarmerie on the ground. Read whichever one you like.”
“You mean those guys who can’t tell friend from foe?”
“Yes.”
This is the kind of thing that makes people go, Agh.
The cause of this is simple. The mistakes are getting mixed together. General von Zettour’s conclusion is helplessly warped by puzzle pieces that don’t fit.
“General, I’ll be straight with you. Most of the MPs in the Feldgendarmerie can’t even speak the official language of the Federation. All their mistakes of assumptions, prejudices, and relying on untrustworthy interpretation have resulted in a misunderstanding that might as well be called a delusion.”
“…Go on.”
“We need to sort out this situation. What we need is to be able to tell the difference between friend and foe. The vast majority of the ethnic minorities inside the Federation are more hostile toward the Communist Party than us. I don’t think forming an alliance would be impossible. Which is why,” Tanya declares, staring right back into her superior’s eyes, “rather than employing hunting dogs, even excellent ones, with faulty noses, we should hire normal, local hunters who are well informed.”
After a few seconds, thinking in silence, General von Zettour furrows his brow and says, “…That makes sense, although the question is whether such convenient hunters exist… But fine. Who, then? This is you, Colonel von Degurechaff, so I’m sure you have your eye on someone.”
“Sir, I think the best would be the police organizations and national councils.”
“That’s a novel viewpoint, Colonel.”
The look she gets is a stern one.
He must really not like that idea, Tanya frets inwardly. Are ideas that are perfectly reasonable to her still considered radical by the key people at the top of the Imperial Army?
“I’m sure you’re aware, but the Feldgendarmerie considers those very bodies guerrilla hotbeds, and I’ve been told they need to be disarmed. At least, those are the reports coming in as we mop up the partisans.”
Zettour’s half-grumbled words exhibit—aha!—the approach of a good officer who endeavors to understand the troops’ situation by reading reports.
But. Tanya musters her reply. There is one factor that Imperial Army members such as General von Zettour have no way of understanding.
“General, I think we need to change our point of view. Certainly, we are imperial subjects, whether we’re from the east or the south. We all belong to the Reich.”
“And?”
“It’s true that both the police organization and the national council have guerrillas mixed in. So in that sense, maybe it makes sense to think that the people are standing up united against the invaders. But,” Tanya declares forcefully. The documents on which General von Zettour is basing his understanding of the situation are fundamentally incorrect, from their very premises. “General, please listen. It’s all a mistake.”
If your premises are wrong, you’ll be mistaken no matter how sharp and prudent of a strategist you are. There’s no way for you to understand the actual circumstances correctly. When planning strategy, mistaken data analysis causes fatal discrepancies.
Correct information from the ground and a correct understanding of the situation must form your base.
“I’ll speak from my experience fighting guerrillas. They do exist certainly, but not everyone who takes up arms is one of them.”
Soldiers don’t hesitate to take up arms.
They’re educated to pick up whatever weapon is within reach and fight the enemy. It makes sense, since they’re armed and disciplined at a nation’s expense to be ready for combat. In fact, they have to be that way.
But civilians are different.
“General, please understand. In the region in question, weapons are considered tools for self-defense. The MPs find fault with weapons for self-defense, but…I don’t understand their interpretation. To speak in extremes, it’s the same as arresting everyone who puts a lock on their door.”
“…Self-defense? Colonel, they’re Federation military rifles and submachine guns.”
“General! That precisely is the root of the misunderstanding.”
“Hmm? Go on, Colonel.”
“Please consider their situation! Of course the only weapons they can get currently are Federation Army castoffs! Do you really mean to say that their circumstances allow them to import small arms with proof of purchase from a vendor in a neutral country?”
The market principle is simple. Items of which there are a surplus supply will proliferate; it’s practically historical truth. The people can acquire large amounts of Federation Army weapons cheaply from the Federation Army supply when they are cast off.
It’s virtually inevitable that the people should buy guns for which it’s easy to procure ammunition rather than expensive automatic pistols. To employ a phrase I don’t much care for, you could even say it’s the invisible hand of God.
Even under Zettour’s sharp gaze, Tanya unwaveringly makes her declaration. “Only a terrible minority is taking up the arms they’ve acquired against the Imperial Army. General, what’s playing out now is a scenario purposefully designed by the minority.”
Where there’s no fire, there’s no smoke, but there are often malicious arsonist types who want to turn a tiny flare-up into a giant blaze. Isn’t that how the Bolshevik lineage maintains itself?! I mean, it’s totally their specialty.
“It’s true that there are destructive elements trying to start what barely deserves to be called a resistance movement by fanning the flames of discord and distrust on both sides. The problem is not so much the resistance but rather that we’re failing to apprehend the instigators.”
Even with a mind as sharp as his, I suppose it should be repeated that when basing decisions on mistaken premises, it’s impossible to reach the correct answer.
A brief silence follows.
Keeping silent, Zettour looks up at the ceiling, begins moving his mouth to say something, swallows his words, and then finally gives a small sigh. “…I see what you’re getting at. In other words: We are one. But the enemy may or may not be one, right?”
Tanya is relieved to hear him say that.
As could be expected, I suppose, General von Zettour’s intellect is apparently unclouded.
That he could so quickly see the truth of a minority controlling the majority through fear…is even a surprise to Tanya.
“Yes, General von Zettour. Most of the enemy soldiers we questioned on the battlefield are fighting not for the party but for their ethnic group. To put it another way, we don’t have to go along with the delusion that every Federation civilian is an enemy.”
“…That’s headache-worthy news. If it’s true, we’re fools. We’ve committed yet another strategic blunder that we should have avoided.”
“I apologize for taking so long to get a handle on what was really going on. I leave whether I should resign or not up to you.”
“No, there’s no need for that. On the contrary, you did a fine job realizing all this. We figured it out before it was too late. Let’s consider ourselves lucky.”
I’m grateful for his consolation, but at the same time, it’s a keen reminder of my incompetence. My loathing of Communists caused a serious issue.
My prejudices severely warped my observations, which should have been objective.
Even Zettour’s words speak to the gravity of our failure. If we were “lucky,” then that means we avoided disaster only by chance. We were saved by something as unreliable as luck?
We can’t even say we were saved, then.