Not just yet. One more saturday, one more session,
one more war...
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May 1831, Haara-astunta, near by Uusilinna in Greater Finland.
Spring bought its scents from the near by cravens and air was tender for human been to exist on that quiet Sunday afternoon.
Jouko Vilhonpoika had returned from the church and slowly rolled open the draft letter. None of its contents had changed.
...Moscow's Infantry regiment 4 will report in concentration centre at Irkuts for II Infantry Corps HQ for further marching orders to Northern Cantonese Group HQ...
Jouko rolled the letter back and put it back in his sleeve pocket. Mrs. Vilhonpoika came to the verandah and looked in the distant. Slow set of clouds had invaded a spotlight place atop the scene that the well grown birches usually reigned.
She didn't mention anything.
They had have their figth at yesterday and both haven't spoken a word since. Jouko was Tenement ranker in Moscow's 4th Infantry regiment, one of the II Infantry corps elite units. His father had held his position before him, as had his father and so on for many generations.
II Infantry, that had for decades been the precious one of the high command and first to incorporate latest weapons tactical applications from the Niklas I 's Military Academy.
II Infantry to whom the President himself trusted and one he would send first into where ever it was needed.
Ten years ago, when Japanese adventurims threatened the stability of Indian Pennisula, it was quick marched among the other Infantry Corpses to Far east for possible pre-emptive mission in Manchuria-Korea.
A two year march was an experience that Jouko never forget. A six day deployment in Amur river instead was a hasty recollection, that soon faded away from the even foolish task, a quick pace march back to Polesia after the rumors of possible Prussian invasion came public.
Five years had seen his wife to grown distant and cold presence, his children not recognizing their father, his small farms near neglect and his family economy in bankrupt... It had took five more years to ensure at least some sort of future for his eldest son, and now the government wanted him back in Far east...
Well, not in Far east exactly, not among the huge bears of Amur and its suscpicious Japanese natives, But into Siberian town near Lake Baikal, and from there, to the ultimate doom, Into China.
“....And hadn't my father told me many times, marry a soldier and you should learn to read chinese, 'couse thats the words his new mistresses will know when you try to send him a letter to beg him come back...”
Mrs. Vilhonpoika had been rather blunt in her toughs about her husbands commission. Jouko had tried to describe her the finest Chinese china and jewelry to calm her down...but he knew that it was pointless pretending.
From both him and her.
II Infantry wasn't leaving there for some readiness mission. China was in war. War was what they were going to seek and most likely war was what they would meet.
Jouko had tried to tell her wife about duty and responsibility but those where hollow words. What duty did Finnish peasant conscript have for the yellow man? Was it in the hands of these northern farmers to defend the rich land of asian giant? Where the swords forged in nearby blacksmith for exchange of some home distilled vodka – the ones that World most largest nation had to rely on?
Jouko knew no answers. Indeed his wife's pointy remarks made lot of sense to him. They made lot of sense to all whom had family in military. He liked to think that his most likely death would not be fruitless one. In the Church, the vicar had made a speech about the danger of the Catholics and reformist demands that were given to peacefull, if somewhat simple Chinese. The western legue of colonialism whished to establish bridgeheads in china for future expansion and influence over the region, traditionally been landmark for its level of freedom and prosperity.
Finland had always honoured the sovereignty of her Asian neighbours, unlike the false-believing west that knew no language other than bullying and threats when they tried to conduct diplomacy with the Asians.
The ancient tyranny of the HRE was rising now as the new French hegemony along with the Italian one had secured their backs with agreements among the rest of Finland's old enemies of Prussia and Germany, natural members of the demonic Holy Roman Empire, that for so long ment the same with satanic request for free and humble people of the east.
And that renewed power block had laid their predator's talons atop poor China.
These things seemed so distant for Jouko, but all together, still so very near. His past commission in Far east, and during the long march have given him somewhat boarder view of the world around his homeland. Finland wasn't along in the world. For most of the time, their march have gone trough the Rich Georgia, a land so long for Finland's trusted ally, that many of the roadside ins knew Finnish like their native tongue, many of the generations bearing names like Matti, Juho, Antti or Leila, for marks for past military transits of the Finnish army.
The world beyond Georgia and Finland deemed these large orthodoxian countries as pariahs, obstacles in western greed for asian riches, that these old giants guarded. Only the asian minors, Mallacca and Japan held them in some sort of value, but mostly for their own selfish gains or when it suited them strategically. For the rest, they were the synonyme for
enemy, hated
others,
them, not Us...
It was hard world for poor and hars countries like Finland to survive. Now when the modern age called itself to be born, Finland was in severe danger to remain behind the western rising powers of France and the ever-flourishing Georgia. Land thats destiny seemed to be agricultural backyard with little hands to defend its vast resources, too little hands to make best profit out of them by themselves.
In that sort of world, friendship between nations weighted more than gold. Finns were told this from very early stage at schools and churches. Newer turn down a friend.
When rich Georgians and the filthy rich Italians had turned their ears on Chinese pleas of economical assistance, those have granted huge loans of astronomical figures in hope of many times bigger gains for the sleeping giant...but When those pleas have reached Finland's ears, it had given modest amounts out of the little it have had.
There were never to be an university here in Haara-astunta. 100 years ago, funds for it, 2/3s of the total government vault that time were almost raised, but then send for China in aid when the Brettany's dogs were barking on its doorsteps.
Little credit this generosity had give to Haara-astunta, and people there always remembered where their university vannished. For what? Mrs. Vilhonpoika could raise that sort of questions.
Jouko wouldn't.
Few decades past, when Jouko was a little boy, a sight of the yellow man painted unforgettable picture in his young mind. Among the 500 regiments of Chinese army that arrived in eve of the rumored invasion to Prussian held Vilnus, one regiment camped near by his home estate. They had been odd sight, small but cheerful, full of wonders and miracles, interesting toys and unforgettable fireworks...
When they had left, Jouko had wept because he liked them so much and had asked his father, where he could ever meet them again? His father didn't know, but he had took him on his kneed and told him, that the Chinese were here to help them and to defend them. As he was going to raise up to take the Allotment duty upon himself, who knows if some time would demand that it was time for 500 regiments of Finnish lads to leave into china to give help to a friend when most needed...
It had calmed young Jouko back then, but he wasn't sure did he calmed himself now. Was china worth of dying for?
Who knows. Was Finland worth of dying for? What would come to Finland when China had fallen and East wold infest with Western nest for future harvest of the Asian riches. When China would fall, it wouldn't just loose the ones taken in war, but the remaining ones would retrograde back into chaos of warlords and separatist, rebel hordes would travel everywhere caring not of borders nor written laws. The chaos would be only calmed by foreign occupations when rising superpowers would poach what was left to increase their prestige in ancient European power-play.
What would small Finland to do in world of wolves that would rise? It would have to fortify its huge eastern regions and allocate regiments and corpses after another there to detente and to secure the vital Finnish interests there...who would then defend the old western border? Poor and small have not luxury to divide its forces. Thats why Finnish army don't call its echelons as divisions, as it marks for the division of the army. Instead, Finnish regiments flies the colors of Corpses and Armies, that stands for concentration of forces, vital ingredient in Finland's fortunes.
Will they triumph and be victorious? Who knows...Jouko didn't want to think about it in that moment. There would be months for that when the march will begun. Instead he tried to memorize this scene...the mountains of clouds atop the birches that had just burst into green. A flight of ravens flew across the woods. A flock of ravens followed.
For reward: Army tradition
