Reiwa Chemist Yōko Takatsukasa Reincarnation: Saving Japan with Plastic Material

Just Desserts

In the end, the Japanese Army's Operation Takasago resulted in the surrender of the bulk of the 1st and 2nd Armies on the Western Front. The Allies suffered 80.000 casualties, while the Germans lost 200.000 soldiers, completely tipping the balance of the war in favor of the Allies. On the Eastern Front, however, the German Army was on the rebound. By withdrawing forces from the Western Front beyond their limits and using new weapons, they had retaken West Prussia.

However, the new weapon they used at this time was the problem. It was poison gas.

Ironically, this poison gas was phosgene, which Teijin had ordered from BASF in Germany to make polycarbonate, and which had been lost due to the outbreak of war. Upon receiving this report, Yōko's reaction was "I knew it."

And since it was the Russian army that was sacrificed, not the Japanese army, she was more dismayed than shocked.

Phosgene as a poison gas is extremely dangerous and there is no antidote. This is because of its mechanism of action. Unlike commonly imagined poison gases such as sarin, it does not act on the nerves, but simply breaks down in the body to form hydrochloric acid, which chemically destroys the mucous membranes of the eyes and respiratory tract. What is worse is that people who are exposed to low concentrations of phosgene for a long period of time may suddenly develop symptoms of poisoning and die a few days later. Therefore, it was necessary to observe for a while those who participated in the battle where phosgene was suspected to have been used.

"Germany's actions are a complete violation of the Hague Convention on Land Warfare!"

Of course, the Allies, as well as the German people themselves, condemned this poison gas attack, and despite the victory, the morale of the German people actually declined.

"We cannot fight alongside a country that uses such despicable means!"

The worst thing was that its allies, Austria-Hungary and Bulgaria, also condemned Germany and withdrew from the Central Powers after signing armistices with the Allies on their own. This was largely due to the fact that Japan had been working with Britain to end the war with Austria-Hungary since its entry into the war, and that Austria and Bulgaria had surrendered to Serbia, achieving their immediate war goals. Germany's actions gave the two countries, which had been looking for an excuse to get out of the war, a perfect excuse.

"We cannot abandon Serbia!"

"Well, yes. We (the British and Japanese) cannot abandon Austria, which has kindly agreed to an armistice."

"If Russia (the country of origin) continues to fight Austria, we have other options."

At the beginning of World War I, there were people in Britain who believed that "Austria should be dissolved and reorganized into several countries based on the principle of national self-determination," and those who believed that "the Habsburg Empire should be peacefully preserved to play the role of a check on Germany and maintaining order in Eastern Europe." Japan actively supported the latter, and by persuading British government officials, it won over Britain and achieved a separate peace with Austria-Hungary (and Bulgaria).

In addition, Russia had already lost more than 2 million people in the war with Germany. The Bloody Sunday incident had already lost the people's support for the Russian royalty, and if the war continued to impose burdens on the people, as in the Russo-Japanese War, there would be another revolution, and this time the country would collapse. As a result, Russia had no choice but to accept the armistice with Austria-Hungary and Bulgaria.

In the end, with the withdrawal of the Austro-Hungarian army, which had been holding back the Russian army, Germany's chances of a comeback were also dashed, and Germany surrendered in turn. The Ottoman Empire had already been ravaged by Russia, and the First World War in this world ended in April 1915.

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I thought it would be a little more complicated, but it turned out to beeasier than I thought. I don't know if this will really work, but pleaseforgive me.

- Toshitsugu Utei