Republic of Korea in Yeokcheon - Chapter 289



Only Krnovel

#289. The President also knows this.

Sukarno, in a fit of rage, pointed to the Minister of Defense and asked him:

“Minister of Defense! You said you were confident! Say something!”

“… … .”

“I told you to speak up!”

Only after Sukarno shouted did the Minister of Defense raise his head and open his mouth.

“Hmm! Mr. President, please calm down.”

“You don’t look excited right now! What is this after listening to you!”

“… … .”

Since ancient times, when things go well, it is my fault, and when things don’t go well, it is my subordinate’s fault.

In fact, it was entirely Sukarno’s fault that things had come to this point, but it is impossible to point that out, even if it is due to his duty as a subordinate.

“Ahem! Anyway, the battle situation is definitely not good, but we haven’t lost the war. Hold on.”

“You’re saying we didn’t lose the war? The army defending the coast was destroyed and the capital was surrounded in just one day! The situation in other regions is the same!”

“What I’m saying is that the war doesn’t end when the enemy lands.”

“What does that mean?”

“Although they boast overwhelming firepower, they will never be able to fire on the central area around the presidential palace.”

“Why the Korean guys?”

“It’s because of the embassies. Despite their warnings, many embassies from various countries have not withdrawn yet. As long as they are here, the Koreans will never be able to recklessly launch airstrikes or shells.”

“Hmm, that’s true.”

This statement was true.

Despite such warnings from the South Korean government, many embassies remained in place and were not evacuated.

This was not because they doubted South Korea, but because they were skeptical and missed the evacuation period.

South Korea also launched an operation with lightning speed.

So, even the US and UK embassies only withdrew their families while the ambassadors and staff remained, so the Indonesian Minister of Defense’s words were not entirely nonsense.

“So, if we gather our forces and prepare for urban warfare, it is not that we are without hope. As Your Excellency the President knows, urban warfare is a huge burden to the enemy. This is especially true in a complex metropolis like our Jakarta.”

“… … .”

It goes without saying that urban combat is a huge burden on the enemy, but it is also a huge burden on friendly forces.

No, it is urban warfare that imposes enormous suffering and sacrifice on the citizens of one’s own country, not on allies.

However, the Minister of Defense omitted such words, and although Sukarno was well aware of this fact, he did not show it.

Because civilian lives were not important to them at the moment.

“Whew! How many of our troops do we have left?”

“We are currently in the process of retrieving them, but we can probably salvage at least 20,000, and maybe 30,000 if we do well. If we add the 50,000 that we have left as a last resort, we will have a whopping 70,000 to 80,000. In urban warfare, where the number of troops is important, our army has the advantage in numbers at least.”

“Damn it! You can only get 20 or 30 thousand out of 90 thousand… … .”

“… … .”

Sukarno was so sorry that he thought he was going crazy.

How could such a large force of 60,000 be wiped out in just one day?

“The most important thing is to put out the fire immediately.”

“Whew! So? What are you going to do with 70,000 people fighting in the street? We’re still isolated?”

“We’ll hold out as long as we can. If we hold out, they won’t be able to bear the burden of being sacrificed in street fighting and will turn back.”

“How can you be so confident?”

“You must not forget that the Koreans are different from us. I have heard that they are extremely reluctant to make even small sacrifices of troops.”

“They are crazy. They don’t want to make even small sacrifices during a war… … .”

“That’s true, but it would work to our advantage.”

“Okay, let’s say we lure them into a street fight to buy some time. Then how are we going to hold out? If we’re cut off from the outside world, we won’t be able to hold out for long either.”

“Fortunately, half of Jakarta’s citizens have been evacuated outside the city. I believe there is enough food and supplies to last a month or two.”

“Damn it! I shouldn’t have stopped the evacuation… … .”

I really had no idea that the evacuation of half of Jakarta’s citizens to the outskirts due to South Korean broadcasts and leaflet campaigns would be so helpful.

There was even a large-scale bloodshed in which tens of thousands of people were sacrificed while trying to stop the evacuation.

In any case, in this situation, the evacuation of Jakarta citizens turned out to be a great help.

In particular, the citizens along the northern coast, which was the front line, were practically left empty because the Indonesian government not only did not discourage them from evacuating on the grounds that it would interfere with the construction of defensive positions, but even recommended evacuation at the last minute.

“Anyway, while doing that, we’ll try to create an exit in the rear. If we can do that, we can hold out for quite a long time. Of course, my personal opinion is that the Koreans won’t be able to hold out for more than a month.”

“… … .”

There was no choice.

As the Minister of National Defense said, we had no choice but to endure while forcing sacrifices on the Koreans through street fighting.

“Okay, let’s do that for now.”

“Yes, Mr. President! This time, we will definitely drive them out… … .”

“Don’t just say that!”

“yes…….”

This is a solution, but it has calmed down a bit compared to the first time when I didn’t know what to do, but the Minister of National Defense is still not very attractive.

Anyway, after finishing the meeting, Sukarno returned to his office and was taking a breather when someone quietly requested an interview.

He was the newly appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs some time ago.

“What’s going on?”

“Excuse me, but given the circumstances, how about negotiating with South Korea?”

“Negotiate with them? Would they negotiate in this situation? No, what if they come forward and try to colonize our Indonesia?”

“I wouldn’t make such an unreasonable demand. I’ve been to South Korea often, following the former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister Subandrio. So I know this well, but South Korea fundamentally doesn’t want any more territory. It’s struggling to manage its vast territory in the north, and it’s also showing a tendency to be reluctant to give up areas that are racially, culturally, and religiously heterogeneous, even if they were given to it.”

“Hmm… … .”

“Mr. President, the capital is under siege. As the Minister of Defense said, it will not be easy to hold out in street fighting. Even if we do, we will have to make enormous sacrifices.”

This was the reason why the new Foreign Minister met with Sukarno separately.

Having worked as a career diplomat from the beginning, he knew the country of South Korea well, and in his opinion, South Korea was absolutely not a country that would gloss over the sacrifices of its citizens.

And you’re saying you’re going to hold out in urban warfare?

No matter how I look at it, the Minister of Defense’s thoughts were extremely petty.

So far, nothing has gone as planned, so I just can’t understand how they have the guts to only think of cases that are advantageous to their own forces.

However, he felt uncomfortable openly irritating President Sukarno, who was no different from the second-in-command in the power hierarchy, so he met with him secretly.

“hmm…….”

“Your Majesty! The idea of ​​the Minister of Defense is only possible if all circumstances work out in our favor. Moreover, there are still more than a million citizens here. How can we possibly endure with so many citizens for a month, or even two months?”

“… … .”

Although he had no choice but to do as the Minister of Defense said, Sukarno also felt uneasy.

But there was a critical stumbling block to negotiation.

“What if they don’t back down from their original conditions? I have no intention of being punished as a war criminal.”

“… … .”

This was the problem.

South Korea’s demands also include Sukarno’s resignation and punishment.

“Ha! So, aren’t you saying that we should negotiate well? Just ask that the conditions be relaxed. In the first place, we didn’t even think about negotiating, and that’s why we’re in this situation. Let’s at least talk.”

“Then you try. I’m telling you clearly, I have no intention of accepting it unless that condition is met. Instead, try negotiating by raising other conditions. For example, by making the conditions for oil resource development a little better.”

“All right.”

The new Minister of Foreign Affairs, Maulana Naradbha, immediately contacted Kim Kyu-sik in Borneo via a hotline.

-Maulana, the Deputy Minister? Oh, now you said Minister?

“Yes, Deputy Prime Minister. Do you remember me?”

-I remember, but what happened?

“It is unfortunate that things have come to this. Mr. Deputy Prime Minister, it seems that your military has had enough to vent their anger. Please stop now.”

―What are you talking about? Nothing has been resolved? And I’m sorry to Minister Maulana, but if you have anything to say, tell President Sukarno to contact you directly. What is it? You want to level with me at this point?

“Ah, no, Deputy Prime Minister! Please don’t do that… … .”

-I’m hanging up.

“… … .”

Kim Kyu-sik dealt directly with Sukarno even before the situation reached this point.

However, in this situation, which was like holding a knife to one’s neck, Kim Kyu-sik had no intention of talking to the person who had been vice-minister until recently.

In the end, Sukarno had no choice but to pick up the phone himself.

It’s a shame because it was him.

“Deputy Prime Minister, I am President Sukarno. We have had a misunderstanding… … .”

– President Sukarno, just keep it brief. Isn’t that the situation now?

“… … .”

Sukarno had to suppress his seething anger.

“Let’s stop here. This didn’t start out as a misunderstanding, did it? I will accept most of your demands, except for those related to me… … .”

-Are you kidding me right now?

“yes?”

– No, our army has come this far and surrounded the capital, so you want to stop with the pre-war conditions? And that too, excluding the key condition related to the president? Would you agree?

“Well, then?”

-Okay, surrender unconditionally.

“What, what! This guy, really!”

―What I can promise you is that your country’s independence will continue to be recognized. Surrender with that knowledge.

“Don’t talk nonsense! We still don’t have an army… … .”

―Let’s see how many days that army lasts. Then, I will take it that you do not agree to unconditional surrender. That’s all for now.

Stop!

“There are so many fucking people! Alright! Let’s see how far we can go!”

I called for nothing.

***

09:00, September 18, 1959.

3km off the coast of Jakarta.

Hong Beom-do, flagship of the Republic of Korea Expeditionary Fleet.

“What’s the situation overnight?”

“They are gathering their forces and joining forces with the troops in the rear to prepare for street fighting.”

“You idiots, you’re being sarcastic. You’re saying you’re going to fight in the street?”

“Yes, that’s right. This might be a bit of a headache, though.”

“Huh? Why does your head hurt?”

“Huh? Isn’t our military’s basic policy to avoid urban combat if possible? Besides, Jakarta is such a complex metropolis… … .”

“Okay. We won’t fight in the street.”

“Huh? What are you talking about… … .”

“Show me the map.”

The chief of staff, bewildered but familiar, manipulated the console and brought up a map of Jakarta on the screen.

“Is this the extent of what we have controlled so far?”

“Yes. It’s 15km from the coast, but we’ve literally only taken control of it. We’ve just taken out the Indonesian defense forces’ positions and artillery positions, and we can occasionally conduct military patrols. So if they engage in urban warfare, we should consider the area 5km or more from the coast as a danger zone.”

“Then why don’t we make it safe?”

“yes?”

“From here where we are, we will make a straight road to the capital.”

“??”

“?”

“Are you making your way?”

“The range of the 8-inch main gun is about 27 km, right?”

“Is that so?”

“We’re going to make a path with cannons. In a straight line.”

“Sir, really? Are you saying we should just destroy everything with cannons?”

“huh.”

“… … .”

The staff gaped in shock.

This is because what Kim Jong-woo was saying now was that he would destroy all the buildings with cannons, eliminating any room for street fighting or gunfire.

“If you do something like that, you’ll face a lot of criticism from home and abroad… … .”

“What the hell are you talking about? Why are you worried about criticism? And you said all the civilians in the frontline area were evacuated?”

“That’s true, but the civilian casualties will not be small. The higher-ups will also take issue with it.”

“What are you talking about when we were kind enough to hand out leaflets telling them to avoid it? Are we supposed to take responsibility for that?”

“… … .”

“And this is something the President knows about.”

“Huh? No way?”

“I’m telling you, really? Do you think I told you to bring as many battleships as possible for no reason?”

“… … .”

“… … .”

Lee Kang-cheol looked really angry.