In the clammy air of 1939, thick with the scent of impending conflict, a sticky premonition of disaster hung heavy. Europe resembled a powder keg where any spark could ignite an explosion of unprecedented force. Germany, driven by an insatiable thirst for revenge and expansion, had already annexed Austria and Czechoslovakia, brazenly flouting the Treaty of Versailles. Poland, surrounded on all sides by rapacious neighbors, watched with trepidation as the Reich's military might grew. France and Great Britain, shackled by the armor of outdated doctrines and pacifist sentiments, attempted to appease the aggressor, naively believing they could buy their way out of war at the cost of others' territories. The Soviet Union, led by its pragmatic leader, maneuvered between the opposing sides, biding its time for the most advantageous moment to strengthen its own position. The world, like a cornered animal, held its breath, awaiting the first, fateful shot that would tear the fragile fabric of the pre-war equilibrium.
It was in this ominous year, as the clock of history ticked down the last peaceful days, in an intertemporal space where past, present, and future lost their clear outlines, that an anomaly arose. The thin veil of reality flickered, and from the void began to emerge figures, like shadows from a nightmarish dream.
The first to materialize was Adolf Hitler. In 1939, he was no longer just a demagogue from the beer halls of Munich, but the absolute master of Germany, whose will determined the fates of millions. His gaze, piercing the incomprehensible emptiness, was filled with the cold, calculating resolve that had propelled him to the heights of power. On his face, not yet etched with the grimace of defeat, was an unwavering confidence in his historical mission. "Was ist das? Wo bin ich?" (What is that? Where am I?) — his voice sounded, already carrying the steel notes of the future dictator. His mind, cynical and suspicious, instantly dismissed chance, seeing in this event someone's treacherous intrigue.
Next appeared Joseph Stalin. In 1939, he was at the zenith of his power, ruling a vast country single-handedly and ruthlessly crushing any hint of opposition. His face, frozen in an impenetrable mask, betrayed only vigilance. A heavy, probing gaze swept across the indistinct surroundings. "Куда это я попал?" (Where have I ended up?) — flashed through his consciousness. His mind, hardened in the intrigues of party struggle and geopolitical maneuvers, sought a rational explanation for this irrational event, searching for hidden motives and potential threats.
This time, Winston Churchill appeared without his constant companion — a cigar. In 1939, he was an influential but still marginalized member of Parliament, whose prophetic speeches about the looming war were drowned out by the chorus of appeasers. His full face expressed undisguised surprise mixed with a grim premonition. "Good heavens! This is most irregular!" — he muttered, his analytical mind, accustomed to dissecting the most convoluted political combinations, was stumped by this metaphysical enigma.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt materialized in his wheelchair, his gaze radiating its usual calm, but in its depths lay genuine astonishment. In 1939, he was trying to keep his country from being drawn into the European conflict but sensed the inevitability of the collision. "Well, this is a new one," — he thought, his pragmatic mind seeking a way out of this strange situation, trying to understand what role he and his country might play in this unexpected gathering.
From the east emerged Chiang Kai-shek, his face etched with chronic fatigue and perpetual anxiety. In 1939, he was waging a desperate struggle for his country's survival, fighting on two fronts — against the Japanese invaders and the Chinese Communists. "这是什么地方?" (Zhè shì shénme dìfāng?) (What is this place?) — his weary voice sounded. His mind, focused on the pressing problems of the war, perceived this displacement as yet another incomprehensible complication to an already dire situation.
Mao Zedong appeared with an inscrutable expression, behind which lay a tense mental process. In 1939, he led the Communist Party, preparing for a long and arduous struggle for a New China. "我们为何在此相遇?" (Wǒmen wèihé zài cǐ xiāngyù?) (Why have we met here?) — he asked quietly, his strategic mind trying to discern the political meaning in this unexpected alliance of such disparate figures.
Last to appear was Charles de Gaulle. In 1939, he was a brigadier general whose innovative ideas about armored divisions had not yet been embraced by the French command. His tall, erect figure exuded haughty confidence, and his gaze expressed a cold, assessing curiosity. "Curieux," (Curious) — he murmured, his military mind instantly beginning to analyze the disposition of the "opponents" and seek potential advantages in this strange new reality.
The heavy silence was electrified with unspoken tension. Ideologies clashed, ambitions wrestled, and mutual distrust created invisible barriers. Each of these influential individuals, accustomed to shaping the destinies of nations, found themselves trapped in the inexplicable, face to face with their implacable enemies and temporary allies, on the threshold of something as unpredictable as their sudden appearance.
The oppressive silence, like a thick fog, constrained not only their movements but also the first, hesitant attempts to comprehend what was happening. In 1939, each of them was at the apex of their own political system, accustomed to unquestioning obedience and power over millions. Now, however, they found themselves in a strange, incomprehensible place, stripped of their familiar surroundings and influence, face to face with those they considered their main enemies or dangerous rivals.
The first to break the heavy silence was Winston Churchill. His diplomatic experience suggested that in any unclear situation, it was necessary to try and establish contact.
— A most peculiar predicament indeed, — he said, addressing all those gathered, his voice restrained, but with an underlying wariness. — Perhaps one of us has some… inkling as to the nature of this… assembly?
His gaze swept across the faces of those present, trying to catch even the slightest reaction, a hint of understanding. Franklin Roosevelt nodded in agreement, his face expressing a willingness to cooperate.
— I concur, Mr. Churchill. This is hardly a casual encounter. There must be a reason why we, of all people, are gathered here.
Hitler sneered, his face expressing extreme contempt for this attempt at "democratic" dialogue.
— Welch eine Zeitverschwendung! Sich mit diesen… dekadenten Westlern abzugeben! Wir haben Wichtigeres zu tun! (What a waste of time! To deal with these… decadent Westerners! We have more important things to do!) — he spat out with arrogance, his gaze fixed on Stalin, in whom he saw his main ideological adversary at that moment.
Stalin met his gaze with a cold, impenetrable mask. In 1939, the non-aggression pact between Germany and the Soviet Union was still in effect, but the deep-seated distrust and ideological hostility had not disappeared.
— Не стоит так нервничать, господин Гитлер, — Stalin said slowly, each word carrying weight. — Возможно, мы все здесь для того, чтобы узнать нечто… полезное. (There is no need to be so nervous, Mr. Hitler, — Stalin said slowly, each word carrying weight. — Perhaps we are all here to learn something… useful.)
Chiang Kai-shek, who had been observing this exchange with a grim expression, finally could not restrain himself. His many years of struggle for China's survival had taught him extreme suspicion.
— 诸位,我认为我们应该保持警惕.我们彼此都是对手,突然聚集在此,恐怕并非善意.(Zhūwèi, wǒ rènwéi wǒmen yīnggāi bǎochí jǐngtì. Wǒmen bǐcǐ dōu shì duìshǒu, túrán jùjí zài cǐ, kǒngpà bìngfēi shànyì.) (Gentlemen, I believe we should remain vigilant. We are all adversaries, and suddenly gathering here is likely not a sign of goodwill.)
Mao Zedong listened attentively, his gaze shifting from one leader to another, trying to understand the dynamics of the unfolding relationships. In 1939, he was still a relatively weak player on the world stage, but his strategic mind was already calculating potential alliances and contradictions.
— 蒋介石先生所言极是.我们应该弄清楚,是谁 (Jiǎng Jièshí xiānshēng suǒ yán jí shì. Wǒmen yīnggāi nòng qīngchǔ, shì shéi...) (Mr. Chiang Kai-shek is absolutely right. We should find out who...)
Charles de Gaulle, maintaining his characteristic aloofness, cast a penetrating glance at those assembled. In 1939, he was already harboring ideas about the future greatness of France, although he did not yet have the real power to implement them.
— Il est certain que cette réunion n'est pas le fruit du hasard. Nous représentons des nations aux intérêts divergents, voire opposés. Il serait naïf de croire à une simple coïncidence. (It is certain that this meeting is not the result of chance. We represent nations with divergent, even opposing interests. It would be naive to believe in a simple coincidence.)
Suspicion and distrust hung in the air. Hitler and Stalin exchanged cold, hostile glances, resembling two predators cornered in the same territory. Churchill and Roosevelt, despite their ideological differences with the Soviet Union, felt a certain affinity towards each other as representatives of Western democracies in the face of growing aggression. Chiang Kai-shek and Mao, despite the temporary cessation of the civil war to fight Japan, maintained a deep mutual antipathy. De Gaulle stood apart, observing this strange company with condescending scrutiny, assessing each as a potential ally or adversary in the future struggle for influence.
Attempts to establish dialogue were cautious and probing, each participant pursuing their own hidden goals. Churchill and Roosevelt, recognizing the common threat posed by Nazi Germany, tried to form a semblance of an unspoken alliance based on shared democratic values and the need to resist the aggressor. Stalin, in turn, bided his time, trying to understand what benefit he could derive from this unexpected meeting, not excluding the possibility of pitting his ideological enemies against each other. Hitler, driven by his paranoid hatred, saw only enemies and conspirators in everyone around him.
In this atmosphere of mutual suspicions and hidden intrigues, the tension continued to mount, like a tightly wound spring ready to snap at any moment. Each of these influential individuals, whose decisions in the very near future would determine the fate of the world, tried to unravel the mystery of their sudden appearance, sensing that this gathering boded no good.