[At a party Reichsminister Heusmann is hosting, Joe Blake is not too pleased at an Abwehr officer casually talking to him about his Pacific States mission]
RMReichsminister Martin Heusmann
What happened?
One of your guests reminded me of who I am and who I'm not.
HHeusmann
I don't understand.
You wouldn't. But I've seen the blood that pays for this champagne. And if you think for a second that it's going to make me forget what you did to my mother... She died poor, by the way.
HHeusmann
Josef, I'm not asking you to forget anything. I get it. It was war. You were here.
HHeusmann
There's more to the story, son.
HHeusmann
Please. Please stay.
Is that an order, Reichsminister? Whatever it is you need to tell me to clear your conscience, I don't want to hear it.
[Joe Blake and Reichsminister Martin Heusmann enter Adolf Hitler's office, but Hitler is nowhere to be found]
RMReichsminister Martin Heusmann
The Führer... is in a coma. The doctors say it is unlikely he will recover. Until the Party meets and selects his successor, the Führer had ordered that I be named acting chancellor. Trust me, it's not an honor anyone would want, Josef.
HHeusmann
You see, this has happened before. Once the Führer was unwell, and for a time it was thought as he would die, so Reichsmarshall Göring declared himself acting chancellor.
I never heard about that.
HHeusmann
That's because Hitler had Göring shot, along with his entire family.
[sighs] This is different, right? He chose you.
HHeusmann
Yes. And because I've been chosen, I must do my duty.
Well, why? You're an engineer.
HHeusmann
An engineer. Exactly, and therefore not a threat, unlike Himmler and the others who would kill for this, and very well might, whether the Führer recovers or not. I will be held directly responsible for everything that is bound to go wrong in the days ahead.
Or maybe they'll thank you.
HHeusmann
Ah, the American in you remains so optimistic... [puts hand on Blake's shoulder] and naïve, Josef. I want you to go back there.
HHeusmann
Return to New York today. It is no longer safe for you here.
[In Berlin, the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht meets with Chancellor Heusmann on a new war plan and an unnamed field marshal briefs them]
BBriefer
[explaining map movements] Chancellor, men, our attack is in three phases. Phase One- U-boat and silo-launched missiles to destroy primary targets. San Diego, San Francisco, Pearl Harbor in the Pacific States. Darwin and Manila, Yokohama, Kamchatka, and Vladivostok in the East.
CMChancellor Martin Heusmann
How long it will take?
BBriefer
On your order, 15 minutes from launch.
HHeusmann
And why not Tokyo, field marshal?
RSReichsfuhrer-SS Heinrich Himmler
[interjects] If we kill their emperor, it would prolong the conflict.
HHeusmann
So we spare him? After he murders our Fuehrer?
The Japanese must see their deity surrender and acknowledge the superiority of our Master Race.
HHeusmann
[sternly] They will accept that reality without him. [orders briefer as Himmler remains quiet] Destroy Tokyo in Phase One.
BBriefer
[looks at Himmler who nods at him] Yes, Chancellor.
BBriefer
Phase Two - our long-range nuclear bombers destroy secondary targets, including Anchorage, Los Angeles, and Sacramento in the west. Osaka, Peking, Delhi, Bangkok, and so on in the east. Time to completion, six hours from launch. Phase Three, a ground and marine invasion to secure and occupy. We expect total capitulation within two weeks.
HHeusmann
What kind of retaliation can we expect?
BBriefer
The strongest resistance will be in our satellite states.
Particularly, the Americas, where we expect the Japanese to mount significant defense and counterattacks.
BBriefer
We anticipate Japanese bombers to launch long-range suicide missions. We should expect major attacks as deep as Chicago and New York.
HHeusmann
Projected casualties?
BBriefer
The nuclear attack will result in 15 to 16 million dead. Ground invasion will add another two to three million.
HHeusmann
And on our side?
BBriefer
The Japanese only have conventional weapons. Casualties will be in the hundreds of thousands.
And mostly Americans, so... acceptable losses.
HHeusmann
When can you be ready to launch?
BBriefer
By 1900 tomorrow, Chancellor.
HHeusmann
Good, [rises with everyone] Tomorrow night, I will address the Reich from the Volkshalle. During my speech, I will give the attack order. I will secure the Fatherland and the future of the Reich. [everyone makes the stiff-arm salute]
[Chancellor Heusmann prepares the nuclear-launch console but Joe Blake tries to counsel him against attacking Japan]
Just think of the innocent lives. Father, you can't.
MHMartin Heusmann
I know the casualties will be high, but that may be necessary.
You can't really believe that.
HHeusmann
Did you listen to nothing that I've said??
Of course I did, but you can't build a better world if there's nothing left of it. [Himmler enters the room with a group of SS soldiers]
HHeusmann
[in German] What is this for?
RHReichsfuhrer Heinrich Himmler
[in German as the soldiers take Heusmann and Blake] Acting Chancellor Heusmann, you are under arrest for high treason and the murder of our Fuehrer, Adolf Hitler.
[sees John Smith at the door] What the hell's going on?
OJObergruppenfuhrer John Smith
Your father's a traitor, Joe.
[in German] Take them away!
The Man in the High Castle · 124 quotes
