Re: Blood and Iron

Chapter 780: The Sun Rises in the East Once More

While Roosvelt began his scramble to build an enclave for the United States of America, a poorly guided attempt to preserve the union and its legacy through a rump state after its inevitable collapse.

Bruno found himself in Bangkok. He was not on vacation, nor was he dressed for such an occasion.

Instead, he sat in the royal palace of the Thai King, a boy by the name of Rama VIII, who had not yet matured into adulthood.

It was not this child that he was meeting with; rather, as the ceiling fans turned lazily above the council chamber, the Council of Regency sat in front of Bruno and his delegation.

They were five old men in immaculate white uniforms trimmed with gold embroidery. In comparison to Bruno’s formal military attire, they could only regard him with the mixture of respect and unease reserved for a tiger that has wandered into their garden and politely taken a seat.

Prince Rangsit, the most senior of them, cleared his throat.

“Your Excellency,” he said, “we appreciate your presence here in Bangkok. But we must speak plainly. Our units are taking heavier losses in the Philippine theater than anticipated.”

Another regent added, voice tight: “Your armor and mechanized battalions bear the brunt of the main fighting, yes. But it is our patrols, our infantry are the ones who bleed in the night. The Americans flee into the jungle, take potshots at our men, disappear again. The terrain favors them. The people favor them.”

A third leaned forward.

“And that’s not including the local rebels who are against both sides of this conflict who behave much the same. If this continues, public pressure will rise. Families demand answers. Our parliament demands answers.”

Bruno did not immediately respond.

He reached for the glass at his elbow, iced jasmine tea, and took a slow sip. Only then did he place the glass down and meet their eyes one by one.

“You believe I have not heard this already?” he asked softly.

The regents exchanged looks.

Bruno continued, voice calm, but edged with conviction.

“Since the campaign for the Philippines began, your men have fought beside mine, through Luzon, through Samar, through the Visayan Corridor. I know their valor. I know their sacrifice. I have watched your soldiers die with more composure and honor than most European generals possess.”

The tension in the room softened. Slightly.

“But,” Bruno went on, “you are correct. This pace cannot continue. And so, I will tell you what I have not yet told any other ally.”

He leaned forward, shadows crossing the sharp planes of his face.

“Germany will be adjusting its patrol doctrine effective immediately.”

Prince Rangsit’s brows rose.

“Adjusting how?”

“In two ways,” Bruno said. “First, mechanized patrols in the Philippine lowlands will shift from a German-Thai mixed structure to a 70–30 split. My armored reconnaissance units will take the lead on high-risk corridors. Your men will follow at distance, not at point.”

A ripple of relief crossed the table.

“And second,” Bruno continued, “new landing craft, heavily armored, purpose-built for riverine and swamp terrain, are already en route. Designed in Berlin, but manufactured in Saigon and tested on the Mekong. Your patrols will ride in steel, not bamboo. That alone will cut your casualties by half.”

One of the regents exhaled as though he had been holding his breath for days.

“This… is more than we expected, Excellency.”

Bruno gave a faint nod.

“Your kingdom has earned it.”

A silence of respect settled over the room.

Then Prince Rangsit spoke again, voice quieter, more measured:

“There is still one concern, Chancellor. If Germany withdraws its primary forces after the war… what will become of the Pacific? Siam alone cannot police the seas.”

Bruno smiled,not kindly, but knowingly.

“That,” he said, “is why I have re-armed the Empire of Japan.”

Every regent froze.

Bruno let the weight of the words descend like monsoon rain.

“The sleeping sun in the East,” he said, “has begun to rise again. Slowly. Carefully. Under my shadow, yes, but rising nonetheless.”

He shifted slightly, posture still perfect.

“When I crushed their militarists in the early 1930s, I broke the sword that once threatened all Asia. But I did not grind it into dust; I have spent the last decade reforging it towards a single purpose.”

He lifted two fingers, making a small, precise gesture.

“Since the end of the War with Japan, I have rebuilt their navy, their shipyards, their academies, their air wings, their coastal command structure, and most importantly: I have rebuilt their officer corps, from the roots up, to purge fanaticism and cultivate discipline.”

One regent whispered, almost unconsciously:

“You intend for Japan to become… our counterpart.”

“Your partner,” Bruno corrected. “Not a threat. Not an overlord. A partner, bound by treaty, by mutual interest, and by my oversight until they learn to walk without falling back into old madness.”

Prince Rangsit’s eyes narrowed.

“And after the war?” he asked. “What then?”

Bruno leaned back in his chair, expression calm, serene even.

“After the war,” he said, “Germany will begin withdrawing from the Pacific in a formal military capacity. Slowly but surely, even our colonies in Australasia will be ceded to local authority eventually, as we have done since the end of the Great War in Mittelafrika. Allow me to put it frankly… The Reich wants out of the Empire business. Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say that the fatherland wishes to remain the fatherland with no other attachments. ”

The regents tensed.

“But,” Bruno added, “I do not intend to fully withdraw forces before the region can stand on its own two feet.”

He tapped the table lightly with one finger.

“Siam and Japan will form the twin pillars of Pacific security. You will guard the western archipelago and Indochinese seaways. Japan will guard the northern lanes and the outer oceanic perimeter. Together, you will hold the Pacific stable, through cooperation, not competition.”

He paused, then spoke with a tone that was almost philosophical.

“Empires must know when to leave a theater. Staying forever breeds resentment. Leaving too early breeds disaster.”

A faint smile.

“I prefer to leave a garden, not a graveyard.”

One of the younger regents, braver than the others, leaned forward.

“And what is our place in this garden, Chancellor? Germany is a giant. Japan is a slumbering one awakened. What is Siam?”

Bruno looked at him with something approaching respect.

“You,” he said simply, “are the hinge.”

Silence.

“The Pacific turns on you. Your geography, your stability, your culture, your neutrality between giants. You are the land bridge between India and the South China Sea. The keystone of Indochina. No empire, not mine, not Japan, not Britain, not America, can ever dominate the Pacific without your cooperation.”

He let his voice drop to a whisper.

“And that makes you powerful.”

The room exhaled as one while the regents straightened their posture. For the first time, they did not look at Bruno with unease, but with understanding.

Prince Rangsit slowly rose to his feet and bowed.

“Germany has our gratitude, Chancellor. And perhaps more importantly, our confidence.”

Bruno stood as well, returning a respectful bow of his own.

“The Reich does not forget its allies,” he said.

“And neither,” Prince Rangsit replied, “does Siam.”

Bruno looked at his watch and was not the least bit surprised by the time.

“I am afraid that is all the time I have for now…”

Prince Rangsit’s eyes widened in disbelief when he heard these words, as he began to protest.

“You’re leaving already? You’ve only just arrived. We have not even begun to show you a proper welcome; it was only because you insisted on forgoing proper hospitality and getting straight to business that we even had this meeting so swiftly. Must you really depart?”

Bruno understood Thai hospitality quite well and was forced to apologize for not showing proper respect to the customs. But he had his reasons and was quick to explain them in order to avoid a diplomatic incident.

“I must apologize, sincerely, believe me when I say there is nothing that would give me greater pleasure to remain here in Siam, and enjoy your beautiful country on a proper diplomatic visit, but I am afraid I have armies to command, and a war to wage. Believe me, you have already shown me the greatest courtesy by hurrying this meeting along while I am on such a critical schedule. Such luxuries will have to wait for another time.”

Prince Rangsit immediately understood exactly why Bruno was in such a hurry, and honestly felt a bit ashamed of pushing his own cultural norms onto a man who was single-handedly juggling multiple theaters of war, one of which regarded the future of his own nation.

He was quick to relent on the issue, but not without making a promise Bruno would not take lightly.

“It is a pity the times are so dark that even hospitality must be cut short. When this war is over, please bring your family to Bangkok. The King and his court would be honored to host you.”

Bruno allowed himself a small smile.

“The honor will be mine.”

He bid them farewell and stepped out into the humid Bangkok air, already thinking of the next front before the palace doors closed behind him.