German Red Prince

Page 105

The new uniforms could not be the traditional field gray, and the expeditionary force might encounter many problems. Thorne also sought out professional departments to study them. The Tropical Research Institute of the University of Frankfurt had been tasked with developing the new uniforms long ago.

After a period of research, the Tropical Institute designed a brand-new lightweight cotton uniform and cork helmet to replace the wool uniforms and steel helmets that had been used on the European battlefield.

The new military uniform is meticulously designed and made of lightweight cotton fabric, which is not only breathable but also very comfortable. Soldiers will not feel too hot or uncomfortable even when wearing it for a long time under the scorching sun.

To adapt to the North African environment, this uniform was made of sand-colored khaki fabric, providing soldiers with effective camouflage.

In desert warfare, it is also necessary to increase the convenience and combat capability of soldiers. Thorne even personally made drafts and designed the first tactical vest for them, which is used to more conveniently carry various equipment, ammunition and supplies.

However, these new equipment have not yet been distributed, and it is estimated that it will take several weeks of training in North Africa for them to master the skills and methods of using them.

The R&D department also designed a new cork helmet, which is lightweight and highly absorbent, making it very comfortable to wear in hot environments. Its wide brim also provides sun protection for the wearer's face and neck.

However pleasant it may be to wear this helmet, it has a fatal flaw: it offers no meaningful protection against bullets and shrapnel. Wearing this helmet provides no protection whatsoever; a mere graze is usually fatal. Of course, Thorne wouldn't be foolish enough to equip them only with these wooden helmets.

This type of helmet is more comfortable and is only worn in non-emergency situations such as routine training or daily activities. In combat, life is more important, so this type of helmet is not worn. Thorne provides the latest M26 steel helmet as the standard equipment for the Afrika Korps.

The M26 steel helmet was hailed as a masterpiece by the Army after testing, described as a highly protective helmet made of high-quality steel and with a special design that effectively protects the wearer's head from injury.

The Royal Army Medical Examination Committee strongly supports the replacement of the entire army with this type of helmet because it provides better protection than the traditional M16 helmet.

The defense industry also supports replacing the helmets because the new helmets require fewer resources and have a much lower production cost than the M16 helmet.

Because of its use in combat in Africa, this helmet has undergone a complete design upgrade, including the addition of more durable materials and improved comfort and ventilation, making it comfortable and breathable so that soldiers can wear it for extended periods in high temperatures without experiencing discomfort or fatigue.

To better adapt to the conditions in Africa, the helmets have also been given a tan camouflage pattern as a protective color.

In addition to uniforms and helmets, Thorne also provided the troops with a range of necessary equipment and weapons to ensure their competence in combat operations in Africa.

This trip to North Africa was a major strategic move by the Kingdom of the Rhine. Thorne hoped to gradually infiltrate the African region through this move, so that even if Wilhelm II fled to Africa, he would have a way to deal with them.

The equipment to be issued had undergone a long period of design and testing, and the produced uniforms and helmets were ultimately approved and adopted by Thorne. These finished products were basically consistent with his expectations, and the effects were even better.

The new equipment is ready and can be distributed at any time. The first batch of peacekeeping troops to be dispatched to Cyrenaica has been finalized to be a regiment. Including other accompanying personnel, the total number of the first batch of personnel is estimated to be six thousand.

"Your Highness Thorne."

Paulus saluted Thorne as he entered the room. He couldn't understand why he, an ordinary lieutenant colonel, would be personally summoned by His Highness Thorne.

Thorne sized up the man standing in front of him, Paulus, a name he had heard so many times in his previous life that he was practically calloused. His deepest impression of Paulus was that he was the first German field marshal to surrender, and then there was the mustachioed man's scathing rebuke: "Paulus, give me back my Sixth Army!"

Although most of the time this marshal was ridiculed in my previous life, one thing is for another. Paulus did have some ability. Although he was conventional in combat and did not have any particularly outstanding talents, he had a solid foundation, was rational and calm, and had a meticulous mind. He could be considered an excellent soldier.

Paulus, who came from a staff background, also had his shortcomings, namely, he lacked his own opinions, was hesitant, and not very decisive. However, since Thorne considered him one of his own, he would definitely nurture him well.

This trip to North Africa is also a good opportunity. Going to Cyrenaica is not particularly dangerous, and it's a good chance to test Paulus's abilities.

“Lieutenant Colonel Paulus, the Kingdom of the Rhine will be sending a unit to North Africa on a special mission. The Kingdom attaches great importance to this mission, and this unit needs a suitable person to lead it.”

"I've reviewed your file. During the war, you served on both the Western and Eastern Fronts, and your command of several operations was quite commendable. I greatly admire your abilities. Would you be willing to serve as the commander of this unit?"

Hearing Thorne say this, Paulus felt his head buzzing and couldn't believe that he actually had such a qualification.

Although Paulus had performed admirably in previous battles, he was not of noble birth and had been rejected from studying in Prussia for the same reason, so he was still quite self-conscious. The fact that he was given such an important task right away left Paulus somewhat at a loss.

"Don't be nervous, Lieutenant Colonel Paulus." Thorne went over to comfort him. He knew what Paulus was hesitating about. Because of his position, this guy had never been confident enough and lacked courage.

"I believe in your abilities, Lieutenant Colonel. Please understand that most of the marshals in the Kingdom of Rhine are not born into nobility. I hope to see you among them one day."

“Your Highness Thorne, I have made up my mind. I am willing to go to North Africa.”

After listening to Thorne's words, Paulus naturally understood that Thorne intended to cultivate him, and he immediately agreed without hesitation.

The trip to North Africa was personally chosen by His Highness Thorne; if I missed this opportunity, I probably wouldn't encounter it again in my lifetime.

"Very good, Lieutenant Colonel Paulus. I look forward to your performance in North Africa."

Thorne chuckled as he looked at Paulus standing in front of him. Now that he had fooled Paulus, the North African journey could officially begin.

Chapter 178 Nationalist Government Students Studying Abroad

The trade agreement between the Kingdom of the Rhine and the Nationalist Government was still proceeding normally. When Thorne negotiated with the representatives of the Nationalist Government in Guangzhou, one of the Nationalist Government's demands was to send students to study in the Kingdom of the Rhine. Thorne did not raise any objections to this condition at the time.

Thorne counted on his fingers, realizing that several months had passed since the negotiations were reached. He wondered how things were going with the Nationalist government. After finishing the deployment in North Africa, Thorne finally had some time to rest. Soon, the first batch of peacekeeping troops would set off, and he felt he had accomplished something significant.

During the initial negotiations, the Nationalist government hoped that the Kingdom of the Rhine could provide them with some industrial assistance. After all, the Nationalist government's enemies, the Qing Dynasty and Fengtian, were backed by foreign powers, and the Nationalist government would find it difficult to deal with these two enemies on its own.

Unifying China is a major undertaking that cannot be taken lightly. Although the Nationalist government has the support of the people, it is not strong enough to confront the North with its current strength. This is why the Nationalist government chose to confront the Qing Dynasty along the Yangtze River. Once war breaks out, it will be a full-scale war. China must be completely unified and there will absolutely be no situation of dividing the country into separate states.

However, even with the support of the French Commune, the Nationalist government still could not guarantee sufficient strength. The two northern countries at least had standard rifles, while the Nationalist government was still in the era of a hodgepodge of weapons from various countries. The French Commune was not the only country it was aiding, and the resources it could provide were limited. Therefore, the Nationalist government needed to find other partners.

The Rhine Kingdom's offer of assistance at this time was very timely, and the Nationalist Government attached great importance to it. Thorne, of course, was willing to help as much as he could and readily agreed to the Nationalist Government's request. He sent a group of technical experts to the Rhine Kingdom, led by Lieutenant General Milch Strachwitz, and also dispatched a military observation group of about fifty people to help the Nationalist Government train a group of highly qualified armed forces.

The Ministry of War now hopes to replace the equipment of the Kingdom of Rhine's army, replacing the M16 steel helmets with the latest M26 models, and also replacing the uniforms with the latest M26 models designed by Thorne. The idle steel helmets and various equipment can also be exported to the National Government to help them build a new type of army.

Thorne remembers the original history, that China and Germany did not officially cooperate until 1933 and began to establish German-equipped divisions, but due to various reasons, the training plan for sixty German-equipped divisions was not completed.

However, those German-equipped divisions that were trained underwent repeated tests in war and inflicted heavy blows on the Japanese army on many occasions, proving that they were indeed a well-trained force.

Thorne's proposal for cooperation comes much earlier than the history of that timeline, and Germany now has a certain influence in Asia, so Japan won't act so quickly. Thorne hopes to help China build a well-trained army ahead of time in this timeline.

Speaking of cooperation, Thorne remembered that he hadn't yet visited the students sent by the Nationalist government to study abroad. The Nationalist government had sent dozens of students to the Rhineland to learn advanced knowledge from abroad.

Thorne held these veterans in high esteem. When the People's Republic of China was founded, countless veterans gave up lucrative opportunities abroad and overcame numerous obstacles to return to China, working hard to help China catch up with the world during that most difficult period.

Similarly, Thorne also took great care of the students sent by the Nationalist government in this timeline, arranging special places for them and providing them with free room and board, so that they could focus on their research without worrying too much about their daily lives.

"I wonder if they're adjusting well."

Since I'm free anyway, I might as well go and check on them to see how they're doing and if they need anything else.

Upon arrival, the guards standing at the entrance with their guns saluted Thorne. Although it was peacetime, Thorne still couldn't let his guard down. The security situation in Germany was much worse than in previous years. Due to economic reasons, the number of unemployed people was increasing, and these people had become a source of instability in society.

Moreover, xenophobic sentiment is gradually spreading within Germany. Under the German-dominated trade system, the cost of hiring foreign workers is far lower than hiring Germans. As a result, many German companies choose to hire workers from places like Eastern Europe where labor is cheap, which has caused dissatisfaction within Germany.

Unemployed workers and bankrupt farmers felt that these foreigners had stolen what was rightfully theirs, so there was a strong xenophobic sentiment in the society. Although this was in Frankfurt, there was no guarantee that nothing unexpected would happen.

Although they had arrived at the destination, Thorne did not see a single person. It was already evening; shouldn't everyone have returned by now? Why was there no one here so late at night?

"Old Zhang, it's almost eight o'clock, where is he?"

Thorne inquired about Zhang Hongsheng, who was in charge of the place. He was the owner of the restaurant he had met in Chinatown. Thorne had asked Zhang Hongsheng to come and take care of the meals because he was worried that they wouldn't be used to German food.

“Your Highness Thorne, it’s not even eight o’clock yet. They won’t be back this early,” Zhang Hongsheng explained to Thorne, already used to this.

"What do you mean? Do they always come back very late?" Thorne asked, puzzled.

“Yes, Your Highness Thorne, it’s still early. They usually don’t return until around nine o’clock.” Zhao Hongsheng brought out a stool for Thorne to sit down.

“At the beginning, it would be even later, usually around 11 o’clock. Some people would rush back in the early morning. I was also confused at that time. When I got up to prepare breakfast for them, I found that everyone had left. Even after I finished cooking dinner, I couldn’t wait for anyone.”

"Later, I heard that several people had fainted in the lab. Then several professors found out what happened and ordered them to be back before nine o'clock every night, or they would not be allowed to follow them in their research. That made things a little better."

Zhang Hongsheng sighed, "I've seen people work themselves to the bone, but I've never seen anyone work this hard. I don't even know what time they leave home every morning. The only thing I can do is give them breakfast the night before so they can get it themselves. If this continues, I don't know if their bodies can hold out until they return to China."

Listening to Zhang Hongsheng's sighs, Thorne had nothing to say. These were students sent abroad by the Nationalist government at great expense, and they must know the country's expectations of them. But if things continued like this, and some health problems arose, it would be a loss.

Thorne sat with Zhang Hongsheng in the room and waited for more than an hour before the first person came in. However, he didn't seem to notice Thorne and went straight upstairs. The people who came in after that were similar to the first one. Some of them even brought a large stack of drafts and rushed upstairs after they came back.

Until everyone returned, none of them noticed Thorne; perhaps they didn't even realize there were two living people sitting in the room.

"They're in a hurry to organize what they learned today. I'll call them down for dinner in a bit. Your Highness Thorne, you've never seen them eat like that. They're so anxious, I'm afraid they'll choke to death."

"What do you want to say? Should I call them down?"

“No need.” Thorne waved his hand and stood up. “I just came to visit today. I won’t disturb them. When they come down for dinner, please pass on a message for me.”

"Health is the foundation of everything. Take good care of yourself and get plenty of rest. The academic doors of the Kingdom of the Rhine are always open to them."

After saying goodbye to Zhang Hongsheng, Thorne sincerely wished that these international students could bring hope to China's future.

I don't know what the situation is like in East Asia. I wonder if the technical experts I sent there can help improve the weak industry of the Nationalist government.

Chapter 179 New Year's Eve

"This is my sixth month in China, and I have no regrets about the decision I made. What I have seen and experienced in China has made me fully appreciate the strength of the people here."

"Although the economy of the Nationalist government was far behind that of the United States and Michigan, the people here did not seem to have lost faith in the future. I once interviewed a worker in the ironworks and asked him if he was satisfied with his current life. He smiled and told me that he was very satisfied with his current life and told me about his experiences."

“During the conversation, he told me that he fled from Zhejiang to Guangzhou to escape the war during the counter-revolutionary war waged by Sun Chuanfang, and that he had a job there.”

“When talking about his work, he seemed very natural. He told me that he was working for himself, not for the exploiters. The current government treats him like a human being. Every day after get off work, there are workers’ night schools to organize learning sessions. Every piece of steel produced makes the country stronger, and his life can get better.”

After consulting with Reed, Edgar Snow eventually arrived in China through various means. However, he did not meet Katayama Sen in China. He heard from those who knew him that Katayama Sen was still staying in a place called Changsha. Snow decided to visit his friend in Changsha when he had time.

Two journalists, Louise Strong and Agnes Smedley, accompanied Edgar Snow. They had been entrusted by Reed to come to China with Snow to investigate the revolutionary situation and the people's movement.

The knocking interrupted Snow's thoughts. He put down his pen, closed his notebook, and put it in the drawer. These were his observations and experiences in China over the past few months, which he had recorded to take back to the United States.

"Please come in."

During his time in China, Edgar has gained some understanding of Chinese and can have brief conversations with others in Chinese. Although his proficiency is limited, he is quite proud of it and often shows off a few words of Chinese during interviews.

At first, Edgar was a little confused. When he was talking to some ministers, they could understand what he was saying, but he didn't know what they were saying.

Officials within the Guangzhou government came from various regions of southern China, so they sometimes spoke with accents. This led Edgar to doubt whether he had actually learned Chinese. However, seeing others able to communicate normally, it seemed as if he was the only one who didn't know anything. In short, because of his accent, he made quite a few jokes when he first arrived.

After several months of study, Edgar had figured things out and even learned a few regional dialects from others.

"Minister Zhou." Edgar quickly stood up and went to greet him upon seeing him enter. "Minister Zhou, what brings you here?"

Edgar clearly remembers that when he disembarked from the cruise ship, Minister Zhou was the one who greeted him at the port. At the time, he was worried that there might be language barriers between them and that misunderstandings might arise.

However, Minister Zhou's fluent English quickly put Edgar at ease, and the two became acquainted after a conversation. Minister Zhou became Edgar's first friend in China.

As a special envoy of the Guangdong Revolutionary Government, Zhou Enlai, together with Li Jishen and others, successfully led the Fujian Uprising, dealing a heavy blow to Sun Chuanfang's counter-revolutionary forces. The uprising army dislocated one of Sun Chuanfang's arms at a very low cost.

The three forces that participated in the Northern Expedition were the National Revolutionary Workers' and Peasants' Red Army led by Mao Zedong, the National Revolutionary Army led by the Guangdong Revolutionary Government, and the Fujian National Revolutionary Army, which was mainly composed of the 19th Route Army.

After the Fuzhou Uprising, Zhou Enlai served as the director of the political department, and together with Li Jishen, Jiang Guangnai, Cai Tingkai and others, he was responsible for the eastern front of the Northern Expeditionary Army, working with the central front of the National Revolutionary Army and the western front of the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army to overthrow the reactionary rule of Sun Chuanfang.

Later, together with Jiang Guangnai and others, he led the Hangzhou Campaign and the Battle of Nanjing, achieving crucial victories that greatly accelerated the Northern Expedition. After successfully reorganizing the German-equipped divisions that had surrendered to the Revolutionary Army, Zhou Enlai was transferred to work in the central government in Guangzhou and soon became the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

"Today is a special day, I came to see you," Zhou Enlai said to Edgar with a smile.

"A special day? Is it some kind of holiday today?" Edgar asked, somewhat puzzled. Although he had been in China for some time, he was still not very familiar with some things.

"Today is New Year's Eve. According to our calendar, it is the last day of the year. After tonight, it will be the New Year."

"So do you celebrate this day every year?" Edgar asked.

“No, that’s not it.” Zhou Enlai shook his head. “Our calendar is a little different from yours, so the date of New Year’s Eve is not the same for you.”

"It's really complicated. I really admire you Chinese for being able to remember so much." Edgar gave a wry smile; he certainly couldn't remember such a cumbersome and complicated calendar.

"Haha, Mr. Reporter, you'll remember this after you stay in China for a while longer. We've prepared a New Year's Eve dinner tonight, and I've come to invite you to join us."

After defeating Sun Chuanfang, although the Yangtze River Incident prevented the revolutionary army from continuing its Northern Expedition and forced it to confront the north along the river, the Nationalist government did not remain in a corner of the country. Instead, it actively launched a westward expedition to liberate as many other areas of China as possible and fight against the agents supported by imperialism in China.

In the first Northern Expedition, the revolutionary government achieved a phased victory and successfully controlled the area south of the Yangtze River. Although the Guangzhou Incident had some impact, it was quickly rectified. The government then organized a western expedition, and everything seemed to be developing in a positive direction.

The current economic situation may be slightly worse, but it is at least safer than the Qing Dynasty and Fengtian. After stabilizing the situation, the Nationalist government did not relax, and the army did not sit idle. It has been actively preparing for war and carrying out large-scale bandit suppression operations in the areas controlled by the Nationalist government to eliminate banditry in various places.

After the Nationalist government and the Kingdom of the Rhine reached a cooperation agreement, the economy recovered somewhat. Recent development can be considered the best period in history. There were no large-scale wars, everything was peaceful, prices dropped, and land reform was promoted in various places. People at least had some hope for their lives.

The aid experts and military observers sent by the Kingdom of the Rhine came to Guangzhou some time ago. Taking advantage of this New Year's Eve dinner, I can also exchange ideas with these foreign friends and get to know each other better.

The Nationalist government had only been established for a short time and needed to leave a good diplomatic image on the international stage in order to win more opportunities for cooperation. Therefore, apart from the high-ranking officials of the Nationalist government, most of the people attending the dinner were foreign friends who had come to China.

When Edgar arrived at the banquet, he found that quite a few people had already arrived. Almost all the high-ranking officials of the Nationalist government were present, including Xu Chongzhi, a leader of the Nationalist government who rarely showed his face.

This surprised Edgar somewhat, because he had hardly seen the nominal leader of the Nationalist government during his months in China. The actual affairs of the Nationalist government were handled by the standing committee members of the Central Executive Committee.

Edgar was most impressed by Chairman Mao in the Executive Committee, because in the handling of major events, only after Chairman Mao made a decision would the matter be submitted to General Committee Member Xu Chongzhi for instructions.

Edgar's intuition told him that perhaps soon, this member of the Mao Committee would become the leader of the Nationalist government.

Chapter 180 Departure

After King Otto announced that a special kingdom council meeting would be held, the various political parties in the Kingdom of Rhine quickly got busy, soliciting proposals from the public in order to gain public support and win more seats in parliament.

Because it is directly related to their own interests, all parties are very active, and their presence can be seen everywhere, in city squares and beer halls.

Members of parliament from various parties will give speeches in various places to promote their party's political views in order to win public support.

The most popular venue for speeches was the beer hall, and the owners of these beer halls were the happiest when the Kingdom Council was held.

At times like these, if a member of parliament comes in to give a speech, the beer hall will often be packed. If the speaker is from a party with high approval ratings, the owner's income in one night may be equivalent to half a month's income in the previous night.

For a long time, these parties have also formed a cooperative relationship with the taverns. Whenever the Kingdom Council is held, the tavern owners will put up signs at their doors to attract supporters of these parties.

These political factions also attract people's attention in various ways. Some traditional major parties, such as the Social Democratic Party of the Rhine and the Centre Party, will organize free concerts and rallies, while other parties will produce leaflets and posters and spread their positions and opinions through newspapers and other channels.