【 Chapter 5 – Spanish Civil War – Battle of Guadalajara (2) 】
The situation was a mess, no matter how you looked at it. The Condor Legion’s heavy equipment and elite troops were enough to crush the enemy’s surprise attack despite being covered by the fog. Still, there was too few personnel to defeat all the enemies that came rushing in.
“Spread! Watch the current location for 30 minutes!”
“Hey, spread! Stay where you are for 30 minutes!”
Now, I put myself on a half-torn wall and let the platoon members who were fighting first spread it, and I also stuck to the wall and shot at the enemy soldiers running in front of me.
The click of the enemy collapsing and pulling the action rifle’s bolt tightens the nerves throughout the body.
The enemies were gathering in force to cover the riverside with several pontoon bridges. What the hell are these Italian assholes doing!
This wasn’t a small surprise. By all accounts, the enemy’s main attack is here! Only three battalions are left here!
Even in the midst of this, the sound of bullets hitting the wall and the sound of wind scratching in my ears exploded.
“Argh!”
It stings filth, and blood oozes from my hands, but fortunately, it was brushed. I didn’t lose my ears, but I know for sure that if I stick my head out in this situation, even if I have ten lives, it won’t be enough.
I’m clinging to the wall, tinnitus buzzing in my ears when Clement comes along and sticks to me.
“Six people are already down! Dietrich! What about the Captain?”
“Seven people! Clement! Pick three messengers or two, and send them to the battalion headquarters! Can’t keep the wires! We’ll be fighting a delay, so please give us permission to retreat!”
When the tinnitus was still ringing in his ears, and he shouted like he was crying out loud even though he was right next to him, Clement immediately shouted and called Sergeant Koher, instead of asking more about the Captain.
While he was sending out two of the members who were frantically responding, a Private from the 3rd Platoon came running.
“Heil-“
In the meantime, when the stupid Private was trying to straighten his back and raise his hand, I was dumbfounded and grabbed him and pulled him down.
Send a Private as a messenger? Depression or what, Havenstein, this man is out of his mind!
“Shut up and watch! What the heck!”
“Seven casualties in the 3rd platoon! They’re being pushed out of their defenses! So, the Platoon Deputy Commander was shot too!”
“Fuck, what did they do!”
The corpses must have been growing in real-time while this foolish bastard made it this far!
“Tha- that….”
“Can’t you see everyone fighting like crazy? Say it quickly!”
When my patience ran out, I slapped the Private on the cheek and yelled at him. The Private answered while almost crying.
“The, the Italian bastards abandoned their defenses and took them out first, so from the side….”
Fucking pizza bastards…
“Gre-grenade!”
“Get down!”
Hearing the sound of an explosion somewhere, he threw his head on the floor and fell on his face, and at that moment, the ground shook frightfully, and an explosion erupted.
It was fortunate that the grenade did not explode near us. Instead, the machine gun tank, which was grinding the MG34 behind the tattered wall, blew away.
Republican battle slogans such as “Death to the Fascists!” and “No Pasaran!” were almost right in front of us.
This is crazy. If you hold on to this position, it is certain that half of the company will die in 15 minutes instead of 30 minutes!
“Dietrich! We’re all going to die!”
Clement was clearly seen to be agitated, too. I wish I had a Captain at a time like this…!
It wouldn’t have happened if the dog-like Italians had kept the line of defense! The flanks were pierced, but it was obvious that fighting along the walls would soon lead to encirclement.
I hurriedly remembered a rather large inner building among the city maps I saw during the strategy meeting.
“Messenger! Go ahead and tell them to pull out the 3rd Platoon! Withdraw to the post office, it’s a delay! The 1st Platoon will cover the 3rd Platoon from leaving the wall and falling for 5 minutes! I’ll bring the 2nd Platoon and look after you, so get out of there then! Cross the building and close the defense line and retreat inside!”
The Private nodded abruptly and started running.
“I don’t believe that bastard, so send another messenger!”
“I, I’m back, haahhh….!”
As I tried to stand up without realizing it, my whole body screamed.
Damn it! It’s like having an iron skewer stuck in your shoulder and scratching it. What a dog-like feeling!
“Ugh, huh, uh, huh….”
I had to be shaking in bed for a long time due to the yellowing pain in front of me, but after the pain subsided, a beggarly sense of reality began to return.
“Damn it, you’re not….”
This is not my room in Korea. What color was the ceiling in my room? I don’t even remember.
I even missed Korea’s interior ministry, which was like a beggar. But I can’t even think of the color of the ceiling.
Then, I realized that even the sound I spoke unconsciously was naturally German.
“Ha, fuck. You look like a beggar….”
I purposely talked in Korean. The pronunciation was less dim than the foreigners who first learned Korean, but it doesn’t sound like a Korean pronunciation at all.
Before that, my voice was completely hoarse, and I could only hear the sound of metal scratching.
“Heh heh, heh heh heh…”
“Well, well. You seem to have come to your senses?”
I was laughing out of frustration, but suddenly I heard an old man’s voice from the side, so I turned around and had to struggle in pain again.
“Oops, oh my. Have some water.”
A man sitting on the bed across from me brought me water from the side of the bed, and I gulped it down before I could see him properly.
“Tha- thank you.”
To be honest, I was very unlucky because he had long bangs and a mustache like Hitler’s for some reason, but the man seemed to be a lot older than me and had a nice smile.
“It was nothing. Hehe, I heard a lot about the brave Lieutenant.”
Brave lieutenant? What does that mean? No, wait, what happened? I’m sure I’m gonna have to go to Brieghue because of those damn pizzas.
“We’re all going to die like this! We have to retreat!”
Clement’s desperate voice with a throbbing headache. And the noise of explosions and machine guns passed through my mind.
Seeing my expression, the man soon smiled again. He seems a bit like a kind person.
“Oh, I’m sorry. You must have had no time. Hehe, Lieutenant, you were promoted for your services in Guadalajara. You should also receive a Medal of Merit.”
Medal of Merit, a medal awarded to soldiers who were wounded while fighting bravely on the battlefield. Damn, who wants to get something like that?
“I heard that the Iron Cross is an additional merit review, hehe, I envy you. Oops, look at my mind. My name is Oskar Paul Dirlewanger, the Junior Squad Leader of the Schutzstaffel1 (SS). Hehe. You’re the son of Minister Schacht, right? I look forward to your kind cooperation.”
In an instant, the evaluation of this man so far cooled down. Dirlewanger? The Junior Squad Leader of the Schutzstaffel, ‘Dirlewanger Brigade’?
When he saw my face harden, Dirlewanger immediately coughed and began to point it out and explain.
“Well, kuhm, you might not like the idea of using the same room as the SS, but we’re not the only ones using this hospital. Hehe, it’s just between us, but wouldn’t you enjoy the luxury of a double room with people like us? Haha, ha…”
I didn’t want to correct what this lunatic was mistaken for, and to be in the same hospital room as this human being, I’d like to kick out right away if I could.
“Huh, did you hear any bad rumors about me? Hey, hey, that little bitch wasn’t such a nice kid! What was revealed in the trial….”
[ T/N: Oskar Dirlewanger was described as ‘a mentally unstable, violent fanatic and alcoholic, who had the habit of erupting into violence under the influence of drugs.’
In 1934, he was convicted and sentenced to two years imprisonment for the rape of a 14-year-old girl from the League of German Girls (BDM), as well as the illegal use of a government vehicle and damaging said vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. ]
No, he’s famous for being so hard at slaughter and rapist that his division couldn’t march.
“The rape attempt is a real setup! Oh, no, it was a mistake. I’ve completely improved and become a new person! Hehe! Thanks to Berger, I had the honor of being wounded instead of my comrades in Spain.”
I didn’t know about this either. I don’t need to know what this guy was before World War II, and I didn’t want to know. Yeah, he seems to be acting a bit like a normal person now.
However, when World War II broke out, he was a maniac who would hate even the Waffen SS2 for not only making war crimes but also making human shields that would charge women and children tied to tanks!
Dirlewanger is a face that I kept chewing on, and after putting aside his excuses, he went to his bed and turned around, muttering something.
Either that or not, I had no intention of becoming friendly with that human bastard. The problem wasn’t that guy, it was our company.
However, as I returned to my senses, memories began to come to me one by one.
You’re dead, Captain Kaufmann…
The superior, who called out those shivering in the sleet and poured them hot coffee, but felt sorry for the soldiers that he could not do so, died in a civil war in another country, not for his country.
With the Captain dead and the fucking pizza pups popping out, we were able to hold, withdrew to the office, stood on the ground, and managed to hold out until battalion headquarters permitted us to retreat.
The problem was that I was knocked down by an enemy air raid while running without looking back after receiving permission to retreat, but it was also the case that I was moved to the rear alive, and the retreat itself seemed to have been successful.
My body still hurts, but I haven’t fallen anywhere. I just hope Clement or any of the other squadrons are fine.
But that’s it, and it was crazy to stay like this no matter how much I think about it.
Vaguely imagining the horrors of the Soviet Union war, thinking that I would surrender to the allied forces if deployed in the West or Africa, and the fact that a respectable superior officer died in front of me and I almost died myself was a different level.
In addition, I realized that the arrogant Axis alliance was like an idiot. Why do these Italian assholes run away without even fighting?
The other alliance will be the Japanese Empire, whose name is also brilliant. No, is that an alliance? Putting aside my hatred of the Japanese Empire as a Korean, did you do anything to the Axis other than the unprecedented crap of joining the United States into the Allies?
And above all else, I didn’t want to bleed for this bloody Nazi Germany and the Axis powers.
I wasn’t crazy enough to like crazy people like the Nazis, and I didn’t want to walk into hellfire with them.
Even more with those lunatic human scumbags lying in the next bed!
Of course, the National Defense Force’s infallibility- all the bad things were done by the Waffen SS, and the Defense Force was honorably loyal! I don’t mean to believe in the bullshit of the same era, or to think that the SS are all trash. There are trash in the Defense Force, and there are normal people in the SS too.
But it made me feel even more miserable. Captain Kaufmann was a really nice guy. What the hell did he die for?
Even though I couldn’t get along with him due to the position of Lieutenant of the Company, I lost too many of my subordinates who were attached to me on the battlefield in my own way.
It is said that after World War II, the surviving German army cried out. What did they shed blood for?
For those who gave their lives for the sake of their country, all that was left was Germany, where only criticism and ruins were left for fighting for the criminal regime.
Hitler, that is the only way left for the German army led by that lunatic son of a bitch.
As soon as I was discharged, or when my superior came to see me, let’s just know the serious situation and apply for discharge right away.
If it was not accepted, I was full of intention to imitate a weak officer who was broken by an injury.
Somehow, you get discharged from the military and leave Germany. The family tried to persuade Clement, but to be honest, it was difficult to affectionate a family he had never met just by Dietrich’s memory.
His father, Hjalmar Schacht, is still the Minister of Economy of the Nazi regime, so it is not a realistic idea, and in the first place, Dietrich was quite a rascal, so he had no good memories with his family.
Fortunately, even when I was in Korea as Yoon Sung-il, Dietrich was good at English, so let’s go to America.
That’s how I decided.
….but, how could God have made things work out so well when he dropped me in this crappy place.
I was annoyed because I couldn’t sleep well because of the snoring of the damn Dirlewanger, and the day after I woke up, Major Edmund Beckers, the Battalion Commander, came in person.
It was originally like that, but now it’s really frustrating to do a Nazi salute, but fortunately, I couldn’t salute because I hurt my right arm, and the Major understood.
“I’m glad you woke up safely, Lieutenant Schacht. Oh, I don’t know if you heard, but you were promoted for the Battle of Guadalajara.”
“Thank you, Major! If you don’t mind, may I ask you a question?”
“Well, of course.”
I swallowed a dry mouth and asked a question.
“What about the casualties from our company…”
I was going to be discharged from the military immediately, but he couldn’t help but be concerned about the company members who shared the joys and sorrows on the front, even for a short time.
To be honest, I was determined. If things went wrong, I hoped at least Clement would be safe.
“17 Killed in Action, 14 wounded, 9 missing. Captain Kaufman…”
“….Killed in Action, he did.”
“18 Killed in Action, 8 missings.”
Major Beckers corrected it in a calm tone. I’m ready, but this is too much.
It is considered annihilation if the unit loses 20 percent of its power in a modern war. Of course, that is the story of modern troops with many supply units or auxiliary personnel attached to combat units, and World War II infantry company is a different problem.
However, out of a total of 101 members, the company Commander and Deputy Commander are this, and if that number is an idea, our company should be considered unable to fight until it is replenished.
We weren’t exactly the vanguard either. I’ve been in charge of a place that should have been relatively spacious.
Nevertheless, out of the 101 people who have been there since I first woke up as Dietrich, only 20 died easily. It gave me goosebumps.
When I was shocked and silent, the Major went on.
“I was in big trouble because of Italy’s stupid war. At least, Lieutenant Schacht, thanks to your good judgment, we were able to safely retreat with little loss. Our whole battalion owes you.”
What? Honestly, I don’t know what you’re talking about. All I did was hold out until I was ordered to retreat.
“I got a report from Lieutenant Fleck. Even though the company was suffering huge losses in the siege crisis due to the Italian army’s escape, you used the building as a platoon to fight a delay, giving the battalion time to withdraw, right? Thanks to this, the precious field guns and equipment of the Condor Legion were hardly captured, and we were able to retreat successfully.”
“Ah…”
Lieutenant Fleck is Clement. You’re safe.
But what Major said is certainly what I did. That’s true, but…
To be honest, Captain Kaufmann was killed in the head and the members collapsed, and the fever went up in the head, so most of them ordered a delay in the war, which means that if you run away like this, a sense of crisis called a military trial ordered a delay in most cases.
The crew members were ready to frag their officers (kill their superiors), saying that they would live if they didn’t let them run away right away, so I did it with a bit of emotion. Our battalion has a lot of field artillery and heavy equipment, so it will take time to withdraw, so if we don’t hold out even a little bit, the whole battalion will be sacrificed.
Originally, when a person urges him to die to protect his position, the backlash only increases, but if he is wrapped up in a noble act, it will work even if he orders the same thing…
However, it must have been interpreted as a ‘heroic officer who lost his superior and was injured while making noble resistance for the battalion. Oh, God.
No! Are you going to be the exemplary fascist hero that the Nazis love to use for propaganda!
“It was the command of the Captain. I was just giving instructions.”
“Well, you have a great attitude. First of all, I would like to express my gratitude as a battalion Commander, and I would like to present the black badge of the former listing to be enacted later. When the wound is healed, I will award the first-class Iron Cross medal in advance, so please know that.”
Well, a first-class Iron Cross is good….. Oh, no, thank you for being nice, but I’m going to be discharged, man!
“And Lieutenant Schacht, you will be the Company Commander of the 2nd Company when you return. It’s a bit early, but judging from your actions in the last battle, it’s the higher-up judgment that there is no problem as Captain Kaufmann’s successor.”
“Yes, Sir?!”
Oh, no! You’ve gotta be kidding me! However, my startled reaction seemed good to the Major, so he seemed surprised, and he added with a grim smile.
“You must be curious about the results of the Battle of Guadalajara, right? I’ll leave the battle report behind. Read it. The staff also praised your command, saying that it was a very instructive delay based on the battle report. My country is showing interest in you, so look forward to your future war. Then rest.”
Major Beckers, who only left that comment, left. No, you can’t just say what you want to say and leave.
Dirlewanger, with a face that seemed to be agonizing over whether to get close again from now on, came into my disappointed eyes.
You want me to fight against the Allies and the Soviet Union with these guys under the lunatic Hitler?
…..I’m screwed.
【 Spanish Civil War – Battle of Guadalajara (2) 】- End
1The Schutzstaffel (SS) (German: “Protective Echelon”), was founded by Adolf Hitler in April 1925 as a small personal bodyguard. The black-uniformed elite corps and self-described “political soldiers” of the Nazi Party that was under Heinrich Himmler’s control.
2The Waffen-SS was the combat branch of the Nazi Party’s Schutzstaffel (SS) organisation.
Thank you for reading!
