Reincarnated as Nikolai II

"More than that, I heard Colonel Hertsel is in the Far East now."

"Ah, Colonel Hertsel! Under Count Elston, the Tsar’s in-law."

"Could I sponsor him separately? More precisely, the troops he leads."

"This? If even bonds aren’t enough and you want to provide direct sponsorship, we would be nothing but grateful!"

"Then with war correspondents taking photos of the sponsorship... Ahem, you know what I mean?"

"Haha, I understand!"

Now that the war’s tide had turned in favor of the Russian Empire, it was almost natural for Jewish funds, including Schiff’s, to flow to Minister Giers.

’What if Colonel Hertsel rises to become a Jewish general through this war? All American Jews will have no choice but to support me for backing a war hero.’

’The Tsar’s direction regarding ethnicities is firm. Indiscriminate. So indiscriminate that some Jews died in the recent purge, but that was under the justification of eliminating corruption, so it couldn’t be helped.’

’The government seems to want to support Japan... Well, without military intervention, Russia will win without variables anyway.’

Those like Rothschild who were immovable after getting their share of the Baku oil fields.

Those like Schiff who were either impressed by the Tsar’s policies or just white people who disliked Asians.

Or those who simply took Russia’s side after calculating profits and losses.

Their reasons varied, but most public opinion sided with Minister Giers.

Thus, Foreign Minister Nicholas Giers successfully completed the first bond sale and returned to the Empire amid warm hospitality.

On the contrary, Vice Governor Korekiyo, who had failed badly from his first promotion...

"Buy patriotic bonds! Patriotic bonds!"

"Bonds guaranteed by the Imperial government!"

"Our Imperial warriors are shivering without clothes in that cold place! Please buy them to provide even one precious set of clothes!"

He attempted to inject private funds under the pretext of patriotic bonds, holding back tears to fill the empty treasury.

However, this was just as difficult.

"Governor! Too many bonds were released domestically last year, so now the subjects won’t easily open their wallets!"

"What about the banks? Even companies would do!"

"They’re completely silent. As for public enterprise funds, that would just be moving money from the left pocket to the right pocket..."

"Damn it, I’ll ask the Imperial Headquarters to make a war situation announcement. Then they might sell a bit!"

Due to the unexpected bond failure, they eventually had to involve the Imperial Headquarters.

Bonds barely selling thanks to intentionally distorted reports and the momentum from them.

Now Japan had become a situation where they really couldn’t lose the war.

==

Colonel Hertsel Yankelevich Tsam - the hope of hundreds of thousands of Jewish people and leader of Jewish youth’s lives.

Even though a Jewish unit was created, all Jews across the country couldn’t join this unit overnight, so one had to overcome high competition to enlist in his unit.

The entire global Jewish community was focused on them, with journalists following their every move.

To this, Hertsel saw this war as a gateway and test.

’Though it was created by the Tsar’s goodwill, we must prove our usefulness ourselves!’

As they say, the position makes the person. As a colonel, he had somewhat grasped the atmosphere of his superiors.

As expected of an extremely conservative group, the military’s view of Jews was not very favorable.

They were just following what those higher up had decided.

So this place. This battlefield. Here it is. This is the place to dispel all doubts and imprint Jews as full Russians throughout the Empire.

Uiju-bu, Pyeongan-do, a place name he had never heard of in his life. Next to them were other units of the Eastern Expedition Force.

Rather good. Those who fought together would return home and proclaim how valiant the Jewish people were in this foreign land.

Therefore.

"Men! General Roman below us is said to be grinding down the enemy as they come! Meanwhile, what have we been doing? Would we really just watch this war in others’ hands?"

"No sir!"

"Die here! Today we will leave our people the most precious gift through our deaths! That is qualification! Not qualification obtained through others’ hands, but qualification earned with our own bloodshed!"

Hertsel, who put extra force in his speech today, demanded excessive orders from his troops with heightened emotions.

At this rate, the Jewish unit would become just another unremarkable unit without leaving any impression on superiors or anyone else.

So the unit that should die the most in this Far Eastern war. The unit that should kill the most enemies.

It had to be the Jewish unit he led.

Fortunately, there were enough journalists to record how glorious and great their deaths would be, and enough units to testify.

Land with many river islands (islands in the middle of rivers) including shallow sandbars where water flows.

Land where the Japanese army keeps pushing forward as it’s easy to cross the river and engage in battle while crossing.

That place lies before their eyes.

"Everyone prepare for battle!"

Some may have cursed them as a show unit led by someone approaching seventy.

Or as an interest group receiving special treatment.

"Die Russians!"

"Yes, let’s die together! Let’s drown together!"

"Y-you crazy bastards! Argh!"

But not from today. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"Hurry up and die! Once you die, I’ll follow!"

"We must die more than any other unit!"

The enemy trying to somehow cross the river and occupy defensive positions. But they too are humans who want to live, just with different skin color.

On the other hand, the Jews gathered here had long ago abandoned such half-hearted mindsets about hoping to live.

The contempt they had received for being Jewish. The past when the entire people were treated as social evil and practically ostracized.

The soldiers released all that resentment here with tears of blood.

From that day on, Hertsel requested unlimited reinforcements from his direct superior, General Elston.

Not yet, not yet. More Jewish blood needed to flow to earn qualifications that everyone would recognize.