Chapter 286: Time Points to Midnight (2)
The confrontation between the King and the Prime Minister ended unpleasantly.
Buckingham Palace was completely sealed off, but the news inevitably leaked.
Large crowds of citizens took to the streets, cheering for the heroes who had broken into Buckingham Palace.
The calls for peace and European unity rose higher and higher.
Of course, no one knew how many of these people had been paid with the Germans' five hundred thousand marks.
Left with no other choice, the London City Government was forced to deploy mounted police around noon to control the situation by force.
Trlica, a close friend of Churchill and a staunch supporter of the pro-war faction, as well as the Mayor of London, rushed to the Prime Minister's residence by car.
But before he could enter, he was stopped by a secretary.
"I apologize, Mr. Mayor, but the Prime Minister said he is not seeing anyone."
The long arguments Trlica had prepared in his heart turned into a helpless sigh.
"Then please tell the Prime Minister that whatever decision he intends to make, he must make it quickly."
That afternoon, the news reached Jörg's ears.
Compared with Churchill's hesitation, Jörg immediately realized that this was the best opportunity to open the gateway to the Atlantic and seize Britain's Far East Fleet without sacrificing a single soldier.
He picked up the telephone at once.
"Hello? Raeder?"
His voice was sharp and decisive.
"Relay my order. Immediately dispatch every available fleet to surround the English Channel and assume a battle stance against the British Expeditionary Fleet."
Raeder was stunned by this decision for a long time.
After a moment, his slightly uncertain voice came through the receiver.
"Führer, is that… all of them?"
Jörg's tone was extremely strict, leaving no room for doubt.
"Yes. Truly all of them."
"The French auxiliary warships and our entire aircraft carrier battle group must leave port."
"Time waits for no one."
"I will use Germany's authority as a governing nation to hold a European Union vote."
"By six o'clock this evening at the latest, the naval forces of all European Union nations will contact you."
"No firing is allowed."
"Only confrontation."
"If things proceed smoothly, the Far East Fleet will become our property."
"If not, immediately initiate Operation Sea Lion and encircle and destroy the Far East Fleet."
Jörg hung up the receiver and immediately dialed another number.
"Hello? Heinz Guderian."
"Draw the 1st Armored Division to stand by on the coast of the French occupied zone."
"The 1st and 2nd Infantry Divisions, the 3rd and 4th Special Operations Brigades, and the 101st Airborne Division are all to stand by."
Heinz Guderian did not question him.
"Yes, sir."
The call ended immediately.
Jörg simultaneously contacted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and two urgent telegrams were sent to Greece and the United Kingdom of Iberia.
Greece was the first to respond.
After annexing the Italian Navy, Greece possessed a number of operational fleets. The King of Greece was also generous in assisting Germany, and telegrams rained down upon the various Greek naval ports.
José's Italian Navy was the second to respond.
The fleets of both nations sailed out together to suppress the St. George's Channel.
At four o'clock in the afternoon, Germany's Ministry of Foreign Affairs was incredibly busy.
The European Union had been established for less than a week, and its alliance emblem had not even been officially decided, yet the Military Alliance Treaty had already been approved as the three governing nations voted in favor of deploying naval forces against Britain.
After discussion, the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of various countries agreed to Germany's proposal.
They would use military means to pressure Britain into surrendering and jointly confront the Soviet Russian threat.
The navies of Austria, the Netherlands, and Denmark headed toward the Strait of Dover to reinforce the position.
Raeder was undoubtedly the busiest man.
To command this enormous fleet, he kept three translators beside him at all times, constantly monitoring the encrypted naval telegrams arriving from every European Union nation.
Meanwhile, Jörg sat quietly at his desk, staring intently at the telephone representing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Would it be Operation Sea Lion?
Or would white doves take flight?
Midnight would reveal the outcome.
He stood and drew the curtains.
Raindrops splattered against the glass, leaving streaks of water across the window.
On the other side of the English Channel, George VI had found his elder brother.
Edward VIII, whom he had appointed Duke of Windsor on March 8th.
Edward was surprised by his arrival.
But upon seeing the heavy dark circles beneath his younger brother's eyes, he still showed the appropriate concern.
"George?"
He frowned.
"What happened?"
His conflict with their father, George V, had been severe, but his relationship with his younger brother was not nearly as bad as the rumors suggested.
Wallis Simpson saw the King arrive and seized the opportunity to show goodwill.
She took a fruit plate from a servant and placed it on the coffee table.
But just as she did, shocking news reached her ears.
"Edward, Mother is trapped in Buckingham Palace."
"A group of extreme pacifists slipped into the palace during the bombing and took her hostage."
Hearing this, Edward nearly fainted.
"Where are the Royal Guards?"
His face turned red with rage.
"I will have them hanged from Big Ben."
"What is going on?"
"Fuck. Fuck, fuck."
After recovering, Edward cursed the guards and everything else he could think of.
Only then did he ask, "You came here just to tell me this bad news?"
"What exactly happened?"
George VI answered truthfully.
"Those extreme pacifists are demanding surrender talks with Germany."
"I went to see Churchill, but he refused."
"He insists on a strategy of resisting to the very end on the home front."
"I need your help."
George VI's voice was low.
"I do not want anything to happen to Mother."
"And I do not believe we can hold this isolated island."
Edward stated frankly, "Tell me what you need me to do."
"Specifically."
"I intend to announce my abdication to pressure Churchill."
George VI looked at him.
"Call him and inform him of the severity of the situation."
"If he compromises, you will become King of the British Isles from now on."
"I will not remain in Britain."
"The country needs a monarch who will continue to resist."
"If he does not compromise, I will immediately go find the Archbishop, deliver a national address, and demand that all colonies cease resistance."
George VI's voice was cold.
London.
Inside the Prime Minister's residence, Churchill summoned the Head of MI6, who offered him a feasible plan for a forced entry.
"Mr. Prime Minister, the bandits have lost external contact."
"The Queen's bedroom only has one radio and one telephone."
"We can broadcast false news to lure them out."
"We have also confirmed the identities of the bandits, and their families are already under our control."
"If they attempt to call and verify the news, they will also receive false information."
Staring at the moving second hand, Churchill knew he did not have much time left to make a choice.
"Then proceed."
After the Head of MI6 left, Churchill picked up the receiver and issued an order to the Commander in Chief of the Far East Fleet.
"All ships are to be placed under martial law."
"Prepare evacuation plans."
"If you encounter the German fleet, do not open fire."
"Everything must follow my orders."
At eight o'clock in the evening, prolonged excitement had caused the hands of Hunter and Noka, these two small figures now influencing the world, to tremble uncontrollably.
One gun was pointed at Queen Mary, who was earnestly trying to persuade them.
The other was aimed at the door.
Noka knew the door was certainly guarded by police and soldiers.
Opening it meant danger.
Therefore, he would rather go hungry than ask for food or water.
Ding-a-ling.
The sudden ringing of the telephone startled Noka.
He picked up the receiver.
A gentle male voice came through from the other end.
"Gentlemen, the War Cabinet has agreed to your demands."
"Britain has surrendered to Germany."
"You may turn on the radio to verify the truth."
"Please do not harm Queen Mary."
"She is innocent."
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