London, War Office
The battle for London was nearly over, with only the War Office still standing as a last bastion. As the hiding place of the British Secretary of War, Richard Haldane, the War Office was still occupied by over a thousand elite troops, desperately continuing their futile resistance.
The German forces had dispatched an entire regiment, surrounding the War Office. Yet, the British troops, entrenched within the building, had managed to mount a determined defense, utilizing machine guns to create a deadly fire zone. Several German assaults had been repelled, and a heavy toll in bodies was left outside the British positions.
By 2:00 PM, several armored vehicles arrived not far from the battlefield. Marshal von Falkenhayn and a group of corps commanders disembarked.
Hearing the distant roar of artillery and gunfire, Marshal von Falkenhayn's brow furrowed in concern. As long as fighting continued here, it meant that the battle for London had not yet been won.
"Why is it not over yet?" Falkenhayn inquired.
"Marshal, the British have strong firepower, and they have constructed formidable defensive positions. The terrain also hampers the full deployment of our forces, which is why we have not been able to take it yet. But rest assured, we will capture it before nightfall," a brigadier general assured.
"Have we attempted to negotiate their surrender?" General Krüger asked.
"We have," the brigadier general replied. "But those British refuse to yield. Even in these dire circumstances, they remain steadfast and refuse to surrender."
"I didn't expect to find such bravery in the British at this point," remarked General Bilo, shaking his head.
The other commanders nodded in agreement. Indeed, the British performance in this war had been far from impressive. If anything, it had been disastrous. On the battlefield, they were no match for the German forces, utterly incapable of withstanding the full force of the German assault. Despite having millions of troops and decent equipment, they were swiftly defeated by the more than one million German soldiers. Had their morale been stronger, the Germans would not have so easily achieved victory.
The tenacity of the British defenders at the War Office, however, was a surprising twist. With the rest of London already under German control and the British forces in the city mostly decimated, their continued resistance seemed futile. At this point, surrender could save their lives, yet they chose not to. Their courage was undeniable.
"Send another envoy to negotiate. If they refuse to surrender, we will have the Luftwaffe reduce this place to rubble with heavy bombs," Marshal von Falkenhayn ordered, his tone final.
Though he begrudgingly admired the British soldiers' courage, he had no intention of wasting more time.
"Yes, Marshal," the brigadier general answered.
A few minutes later, a German officer entered the British War Office under a white flag, delivering the German terms.
Meanwhile, Richard Haldane remained in his basement office.
"Sir, the Germans have come once again with a proposal for surrender. They demand we lay down our arms, or they will no longer show mercy," the secretary reported.
Haldane sighed deeply. He knew the battle was lost; Britain had already fallen.
"Let the soldiers choose for themselves," Haldane said quietly.
"Yes, Sir," the secretary nodded.
In the end, no British soldier chose to surrender. They preferred to fight for their honor until the bitter end.
An hour later, the Germans launched an airstrike. Twelve H1 bombers, each carrying 500-kilogram bombs, targeted the War Office.
The heavy bombs easily pierced the buildings, and what remained of the War Office, already half-destroyed in earlier battles, was obliterated under the bombardment.
The British defenders inside were mostly killed in the violent explosions, though a few managed to survive. The Germans then conducted a thorough search, executing those who refused to surrender.
When Richard Haldane's body was found, it was already cold. However, he had not been killed by the bombing. Instead, he had taken his own life, poisoning himself before the German airstrikes began. Perhaps he preferred to die by his own hand rather than fall into the Germans' grasp.
Once the fighting ceased, Marshal von Falkenhayn finally ordered a report to Berlin: the battle for London was over.
At the Liverpool docks, a submarine was moored, and several men were smoking on the pier. At the center of the group stood Winston Churchill, the Prime Minister of the British Empire.
As the last high-ranking British official to leave the country, Churchill had remained behind while King George V and other cabinet members had already fled to Canada.
"Prime Minister, time is running out. If we don't leave now, it may be too late," a naval officer said with concern.
The Germans had intensified their patrols along Britain's coastline, and even submarines faced difficulty escaping.
"Let's wait a little longer," Churchill replied, shaking his head.
The officer hesitated, but said nothing more.
Moments later, a secretary arrived, breathless.
"Prime Minister, the battle for London is over. The Germans have taken complete control. Our forces in London have either been destroyed or surrendered," the secretary reported.
Churchill closed his eyes in pained resignation. Although he had expected this outcome, the speed of the British Empire's collapse still shocked him.
"What about the Secretary of War?" Churchill asked.
"The Secretary of War took his own life before the fall of London," the secretary replied.
Churchill nodded somberly. He hadn't expected Richard Haldane to act so resolutely. Yet, he deeply respected him. Had it been Churchill, he too would have made the same choice.
"Let's go," Churchill said, discarding his cigarette. With London fallen and the Empire in its final moments, there was no need for him to remain. His duty now was to lead Britain's revival from Canada. Though they had failed this time, he believed there would be a day of reckoning and revenge.