"Perhaps Stalin might suspect this newspaper is part of our conspiracy, but we've prepared more than just this one move, Reinhard?"
Reinhard calmly said, "Tomorrow, an accusation letter denouncing Mr. Molotov for treason will be delivered to Stalin, and the investigation department will find secret correspondence between him and us, the Germans, in Mr. Molotov's home."
Watching Molotov's facial muscles twitch with an expression of horror and despair, Wilhelm laughed triumphantly. "It looks like Mr. Molotov will soon meet Marshal Tukhachevsky. Don't forget to give him my regards. Tsk tsk, Marshal Tukhachevsky, a genius of armored warfare—if he were still alive, the Soviet armored tide might have swept across Europe by now."
Marshal Mikhail Tukhachevsky, a prodigious talent who laid the foundation for Soviet armored forces, left this world with his incomplete deep battle theory. After his death, his deep battle theory was completely abandoned; all the mechanized corps that had been formed were broken up, with tanks being assigned to infantry units in the form of tank companies, and Soviet armored forces returned to their old role of supporting infantry.
In 1941, at least on the surface, Soviet armored forces still looked formidable, boasting over 20,000 tanks of various types, including the renowned T-34 medium tank and the heavily armored KV heavy tank, a force capable of daunting any adversary. With the Great Purge winding down, the Red Army was also trying to rectify its errors.
Four mechanized corps were rebuilt, and the tank companies scattered among infantry units were regrouped into tank brigades. However, by this time, the Soviet Army was already riddled with deep-seated problems; beneath the seemingly splendid exterior, corruption had set in.
The command of tank units was inherently more challenging than that of traditional branches (infantry, cavalry, artillery), and at the beginning of the Soviet-German War, most Soviet tank commanders had no experience in directing armored forces—how could they stand against the battle-hardened German panzer troops!
First, within the Soviet armored forces (and indeed, in other units as well), political commissars held authority above that of the unit commanders. If you were lucky enough to have a commissar who knew when to delegate, all was well. But if you got one with a strong desire for personal glory, it was disastrous, especially in armored units where tactics differ vastly from traditional military branches. Commanding armored troops could even be called an art, but after the purges, few military officers, let alone political workers, understood how to command armored units.
In the early stages of the Soviet-German War, countless tank units were sacrificed pointlessly due to poor command, fighting "for Stalin, for the Soviet Union."
In theory, the strength of tanks lies in balancing mobility, firepower, and protection. Their use must emphasize the exploitation of mobility, but due to the lack of clear, systematic tactical guidance, the combat effectiveness of Soviet tank forces heavily depended on the personal capabilities of their commanders. Without excellent leadership, Soviet armored units in the early war could not exert their full potential; they either charged like lone, despairing cavalry or conducted futile counterattacks alongside infantry, gradually being decimated.
After lamenting for a moment, Wilhelm continued, "I recall you also signed the execution order for Marshal Tukhachevsky, didn't you, Mr. Molotov? In that way, you indirectly did us, the Germans, a great favor. Here's the deal: if Mr. Molotov agrees to cooperate with us, not only will you save your life, but there's also a significant benefit in it for you in the future."
Molotov instinctively asked, "What benefit?"
"The Soviet Union is too big for us to swallow in one bite. Besides strategic areas like Ukraine, I've decided to split the Soviet Union into several parts, perhaps a dozen or so. I can give you one of these countries to rule—whether you want to be an emperor, a president, or a general secretary is up to you."
Molotov's mouth fell open in shock at Wilhelm's wild plan. He was already thinking about what to do after defeating the Soviet Union—how could the great Soviet Union be defeated so easily!
Seeing that Molotov was unmoved, Wilhelm realized he had offered the wrong incentive.
Molotov was a "veteran" of the Soviet Union, a close comrade and staunch supporter of Stalin. Despite Stalin not fully trusting him and his wife being persecuted by Stalin, he remained a steadfast supporter. In the mid-1980s, he became close friends with the famous Soviet poet Chuyev, and in 139 conversations with him, he gave high praise to Stalin.
Moreover, as the second-in-command of Stalin's leadership team, he was potentially Stalin's successor (in the original timeline, when Stalin was gravely ill in 1945, the issue of his successor came to the fore. The acknowledged candidates were high officials in Leningrad like Zhdanov and Molotov, who was also the Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers and Foreign Minister). At that time, he would control the entire Soviet Union—how could he possibly be interested in leading a small country offered by Wilhelm?
Wilhelm decided to find another angle. "I heard that your wife, Mrs. Polina Zhemchuzhina, is still alive?"
Molotov deeply loved his wife and daughter, always carrying their photos with him wherever he went.
On March 9, 1953, the day of Stalin's funeral (which also happened to be Molotov's birthday), Khrushchev and Malenkov did not forget to wish him a happy birthday. When asked what he wanted as a birthday gift, he simply said a few words: "Give me back my Polina." This wish was immediately granted: a few days later, she returned to his side as a "great gift."
"If I remember correctly, you signed 'capital punishment' for all of Marshal Tukhachevsky's relatives, right? His mother, Mavra Petrovna, his wife, Nina Evgenievna, his sisters, Elizaveta Nikolayevna and Olga Nikolayevna, and his minor children—tsk tsk, you were quite resolute."
"Uh, do you remember what Marshal Tukhachevsky's daughter was named?" Seeing Molotov's blank expression, Janik slowly said, "I remember she was called 'Svetlana.'"
"!!" Molotov's facial muscles twitched violently because his daughter was also named Svetlana, a rather fashionable name; Stalin's daughter was also named Svetlana.
Wilhelm gave a cold laugh. "Your daughter is also named 'Svetlana,' isn't she? Quite a coincidence. How old is your daughter this year? Fourteen or fifteen? I wonder who will write 'capital punishment' on the report regarding your relatives this time? I'm not very familiar with Soviet penalties. Can you explain what 'capital punishment' means?"