19th September.
Tiso has considered the advice of his cabinet, slept on it, and reached a momentous decision. Well, as momentous as any decision made by a micro-power puppet-nation can be. We return to the command bunker as he begins to speak.
"It is clear that the only way to get back our birthright is by embracing National Socialism. Only then will we able to finally claim victory over the Czechs and reclaim Banska Bystrica." Tiso announced.
A mixture of shock and spitting rippled through the room. It was about as messy as you'd expect.
"Traditionally we have resisted this, preferring to forge our own unique Slovakian path." He continued.
This prompted much self satisfied nodding.
"However I have come to two conclusions. Firstly we are a German puppet state, so we can't actually go on an independent path, Slovak or otherwise. Secondly, we are caught between the Allied 15th Army Group and the 3rd Ukrainian Front of advancing armies, a 1/3rd of the army has been captured, our only combat HQ was bombed to death, most of the High Command were Czech traitors."
A pause for massed spitting from the assembled cabinet minister.
"We've misplaced the airforce, can't find the riverine force, there is an ongoing national strike and we don't even have the resources to run out tiny industrial base at half capacity." Tiso continued his catalogue of misery. "So I asked myself this key question, how much worse could things actually get?"
That was not a rhetorical question. It was still met with silence.
"That's settled it then, we're doing it." Tiso announced.
The legal and constitutional efforts required to get a country officially declared fascists are too long, complicated and fictitious to be discussed here. So they aren't. It probably involved Gejaz Fritz and, this being the Slovak constitution, Saint Cyril and some goats.
There is a distinct lack of any shimmering effects as the transition is made. However eventually a messenger arrives and passes a note to Tiso.
Despite his complete lack of use or ability, Foreign Ministry Durcansky was the first to know that the country had officially gone fascist. This is because he was the one the League of Nations informed after they'd updated their big book of nations.
"I can't say I feel especially different." Tiso said.
"No, seems basically identical." Tuka confirmed.
There mildly disappointed conversation was interrupted by the arrival of a new messenger. Well by the messenger walking out of the room and then back in again. This is Slovakia after all.
"I have a message for the leader." He announced.
Then to everyone's surprise the messenger walked straight past Tiso and started looking around the place.
"Where are you going, I'm the Generalisimo of Slovakia!" Tiso commanded.
"I can't give it to you." The messenger nervously explained.
After restraining Tuka from summoning the guards, Tiso asked why.
"Because this message is for the Fuĥŗęř of Slovakia." Replied the messenger, failing entirely to pronounce the weird foreign umlaut.
Why is Stefan Tiso Foreign Minister and who is the new Fuĥŗęř?
As Tuka expressed his frustration vocally, Tiso reached for his hipflask. He was, however, saved from the depths of despair by watching the cleaner trying to tidy up the mess of Czech inspired spit and scattered punctuation. In Slovakia, there is always someone worse off than you, unless you are the poor, poor cleaner.
--
Notes:
A thrilling cliff hanger? Hopefully? Maybe? All will be revealed next time as Tiso and Tuka get to the bottom of this mystery.
In the aftermath of the Slovak National Uprising the German influence on the Slovak government and it's policies became much more pronounced. And that is all I am going to say on that subject.
?
