German Red Prince

Page 187

"Even if we redeploy our troops, who among us is confident that we can hold off the Rhine army? Our tanks and artillery are nowhere near the size of the Rhine. With the fall of Nuremberg, our connection with Prussia has been completely severed, and Austria-Hungary is not providing us with any assistance. The losses on the battlefield are simply irreparable."

The Rhineland's Ruhr industrial region alone could completely outperform Bavaria in terms of production capacity, so they didn't have to worry about logistical problems at all.

No one was confident they could stop the Rhine army, but at that moment, they sent a message saying they were willing to negotiate and that Munich could be treated leniently if it laid down its arms.

This caused many people to waver. After all, they were all family, and surrendering wasn't so shameful. But they were all nobles who lived off the emperor's salary. If they surrendered, it would be a bit unreasonable. Nobles cared a lot about their reputation.

"Perhaps we should speak to His Majesty the King about this?"

"They want us to surrender. The Wittelsbach family has ruled Bavaria for nearly eight hundred years. If they want us to surrender, then the king must abdicate. Do you think our King is the kind of person who would be a ruler of a fallen nation? Besides, they say they will treat us leniently now, but what will happen in the future? Didn't the Rhine just publish a list of war criminals not long ago? Our King is on it. And let's not forget France. What happened to their nobles after the French Revolution?"

Hearing this, everyone present felt a chill run down their spines. In the two French Revolutions, the bourgeoisie killed the nobles, and the proletariat killed the capitalists. The French revolutions were thorough, eliminating both the physical and the spiritual. If they were to surrender now, these people, who were all nobles, would be truly afraid of being purged in the future.

"Well, the Rhine should be different from France, right? They've become a republic now, haven't they? The Stemmetz family is doing just fine, and there's been no news of any purges. Although their crown prince hasn't ascended the throne, he still holds a position in the new government. They shouldn't be as extreme as France, right?"

Some people believe there might be room for maneuver. The national conditions of Germany and France are different. To be honest, if the Rhineland had not become a republic or had remained a kingdom, their psychological burden might have been less. Now, most of these people's psychological burden stems from France. The French revolution was too ruthless, both the bourgeoisie and the proletariat were. They are worried that they might end up like those people.

"Shall we inform His Majesty the King of Rommel's message?"

Everyone wanted to try, but the war had become pointless. Even if they wanted to fight, the soldiers didn't want to fight. Many soldiers had deserted to the other side. They heard that the new republican government was carrying out various restoration projects, which was much better than the food shortages in Bavaria. Not only soldiers, but also many civilians were fleeing there.

Although the relationship between everyone was not good during the Kingdom period, we are now forced by circumstances to make a living. Besides, it is no longer a Kingdom, but a Republic. Since it is a Republic, we are all one family. There is no need to emphasize the difference between kingdoms. People are very pragmatic. They will go wherever the conditions are better.

Rupprecht's reply was as expected. Bavaria only had kings who died in battle, not monarchs who surrendered. He could not possibly accept Rommel's suggestion. He could accept it if the future republic was a constitutional monarchy. In that case, he would have to suffer and become the nominal head of state of Germany, with real power handed over to the Stemmetz family. This was already a great concession.

Even the top officials of the Bavarian government couldn't resist such wishful thinking. You can't expect them to have such fantasies when they come to negotiate, can you? If Rhine agrees to this condition, then they've really lost their minds. Rupprecht clearly has no sincerity in negotiating at all.

The removal of the royal family was actually something everyone in Munich wanted to negotiate; no one wanted the war to reach their own territory. However, Rommel only gave them three days, and Rupprecht's attitude didn't seem like that of a negotiating party. It wouldn't last long.

Although information about the negotiations was top secret, for some unknown reason, an unnamed well-informed person leaked the intelligence. To whom? To the Communists in Munich.

The German Communist Party also had a considerable underground presence in Bavaria, and the reason why many soldiers were so weak in combat was largely due to the help of the German Communist Party. If Rupprecht didn't want to negotiate, then he had no choice but to have someone push him.

The German Communist Party in Munich also received a message from Frankfurt that Frankfurt had sent Rommel a document stating that the German Communist Party in Munich would stage an uprising, and that Rommel should act accordingly.

414. Liberation

Although Rommel gave Rupprecht three days and Munich three days to consider what to do, the king was very tough and broke up the negotiations right away, showing no intention of compromising.

The king is unwilling to compromise, but he shouldn't drag his subordinates down with him. Many people are already preparing to flee to Austria-Hungary. Those who remain in Bavaria are among the most loyal, especially those who stayed in Munich.

Although there were some people in the military who wanted to fight the Rhine to the death, most people hoped to avoid war.

The transformation of the Rhine into a republic was in line with the trend of the times. Look at the occupied areas of Bavaria. Although they were not on good terms with the Rhine, there was little resistance in those occupied areas. On the contrary, they were unusually peaceful. Doesn't this show that justice is on their side?

Unable to afford a war and unwilling to make peace, some people started to come up with a brilliant idea: if that's the case, why not follow suit? If the Rhine can become a republic, why can't Bavaria? They can also transform into a republic. If the Rhine is not satisfied with becoming a republic, they can discuss it further. In the future, they can form a federal republic, just like the United States, and fight for Bavaria's autonomy.

However, this idea is obviously too far-fetched. First of all, if Rhine has the strength to completely defeat you, why would they negotiate these terms with you? Why form a federal state, only to have power divided among you later? What would be the point of fighting a war then?

Furthermore, this idea would not be approved internally. Why? When Rupprecht negotiated, he could even propose that the country become a constitutional monarchy and that he himself become that monarch. How could he possibly agree to let Bavaria become a state, inferior to others?

Although Bavaria broke up the negotiations right away, Rommel did not launch an attack. The negotiations lasted for three days. That's how negotiations are. They never reach an agreement right away. They can always make changes later.

However, Bavaria couldn't change their decision. The first document they submitted was the final draft. The point of contention between the Rhine and Bavaria was that the Rhine wanted Bavaria to surrender unconditionally, but Bavaria still had some resources and seemed to be able to put up a fight, hoping for a conditional surrender.

The point of contention between the two sides is that Bavaria wants to ensure the continuation of the royal family and the Wittelsbach family. But think about it, how can a royal family exist within a republic? The crown prince of the Kingdom of the Rhine has abdicated the throne, and the Schrmez family has stepped down. How can Bavaria be allowed to continue?

If the issue is resolved peacefully, allowing the Wittelsbach family to live normally in the future republic, that would be the greatest forgiveness. Retaining the throne is out of the question; it's absolutely impossible.

Since it's impossible, then this problem is unsolvable. Rhine still wants to try to resolve it peacefully. Thorne even wrote a letter to Rupprecht personally, hoping that he could follow the trend of the times.

"If you surrender with courtesy and lay down your arms, you will still be granted a title of nobility. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

Thorne also asked Prince Albrecht to write a letter, hoping to persuade his stubborn father. Thorne and Albrecht actually had a good relationship, at least in the past. They were about the same age. Although Rhine captured Rupprecht's son, nothing serious happened. In the future republic, although he lost the throne, he gained freedom.

No matter how much persuasion was given, it was difficult to sway this stubborn king. He was determined to fight to the death. Since that was the case, there was nothing that could be done. Thorne did not want Rommel to launch a full-scale attack on Munich, as this would cause a lot of unnecessary casualties. Moreover, many locals in Munich did not support the war, and in many places, new tricolor flags had already been hung up even before the fighting started.

"The Munich party branch has sent a message; perhaps we can get Lieutenant Colonel Rommel to cooperate?"

It's funny, actually. Rommel is only a lieutenant colonel, but there are tens of thousands of troops in Bavaria. It's quite a problem for Rommel to command so many troops. There are bound to be some people who are dissatisfied with his rank, and he has encountered a lot of trouble.

The main force of Bavaria was Rommel's armored divisions. Although many people disagreed, the battle record spoke for itself. On any front, which front had a better record than Rommel's? After the war in Bavaria ended, all that was left was to wait to go back and get promoted. This time, he would probably skip several ranks.

Thälmann received news from the Munich party branch that they had the conditions for an uprising. The citizens of Munich knew about the peace talks and that they had broken down, and they were all in a state of panic. The atmosphere in the army was similar, and the soldiers were also very weary of war.

The German Communist Party had already begun its underground operations, connecting many soldiers and officers. Many officers tacitly approved of the uprising, and much intelligence was even leaked by these officers. Most of those involved were mid- to lower-ranking officers, and most of them came from ordinary backgrounds. Clearly, they preferred a republic to a kingdom.

"That works too. The main thing is to avoid the biggest casualties. Let Rommel prepare, and make sure nothing goes wrong." Thorne agreed to the plan. Rather than letting the kingdom collapse from the outside, Thorne hoped that the kingdom could be dismantled from within by its own people. This would also provide a model for the people of Berlin, wouldn't it?

The underground movement in Munich progressed rapidly, and the insurgent troops were all notified. They were told that once a red scarf was around their necks, they were considered "red scarves." The officers also began making preparations beforehand, and what they discovered was astonishing. "Good heavens, you're also..."

Nearly 60 percent of the army in Munich has responded to the uprising. Some of these people weren't originally targeted by the Communist Party, but they've come to contact us instead. Are you guys in the army so busy preparing for an uprising? Don't worry, I won't report you. Count me in.

The officers below were actively making contact, and the officers above were turning a blind eye. Many of them were aware of what was happening below, but they deliberately chose not to care. These officers also wanted to promote peace, but they couldn't show it, otherwise how could they repay the kingdom's nurturing grace?

Bavaria is not like the Rhine. The Rhine can change its fate overnight, and no one has any psychological burden because they have been seeking to establish a republic since the founding of the country, so no one has made any moves. But Bavaria is, after all, an old kingdom with a history much longer than the young Rhine, so there are still some psychological burdens. As long as they do not interfere, these officers have already done their best.

Bavaria, as a traditional kingdom, was originally conservative. However, the wheels of fate began to turn with the establishment of the Kingdom of the Rhine. This exceptionally open kingdom had a profound impact on Bavaria, to the point that so many people in such a conservative kingdom supported the republican system.

Rommel's troops began to advance in coordination, getting as close to Munich as possible. The tank units were also ready, and they aimed to rush to Munich as quickly as possible. Rommel wanted to send his troops directly through the Bavarian defenses, insert them into Munich, and then launch a pincer attack.

"The time has come! Comrades!"

Eugen Leviner stepped forward and fired the first shot of the Bavarian Revolution.

Long live the revolution!

In Bavaria, underground comrades sang the Internationale, rode in trucks, and charged forward waving red flags. Workers were mobilized early in the morning and took to the streets to occupy key areas. The army also responded, and Munich suddenly became lively. The rank-and-file soldiers realized that so many people had revolted. What was there to be afraid of? They charged straight for the royal palace!

"Arise, ye prisoners of hunger and cold! Arise, ye wretched of the earth! For the truth is at stake!"

Soldiers and workers began their actions while singing the Internationale. This was one of the advantages of France being on the border. Although it was heavily guarded, being right next door meant that it was inevitably subject to ideological infiltration, which greatly reduced the pressure during the uprising.

"Long live freedom! Long live the revolution!"

Soldiers were running everywhere in the streets, and some officers who tried to resist were captured by their men. Red flags were hoisted in the city's buildings, and the fortified city collapsed from within.

Too many troops responded to the uprising, and a large number of troops were assembled in Munich. In this case, it would have been better if they hadn't come at all. The insurgent soldiers quickly surrounded the palace and demanded that Rupprecht abdicate. However, this king was indeed tough enough. There are only kings who die in battle, not monarchs who surrender. Rupprecht committed suicide on the throne.

"I hereby declare the establishment of the Provisional Revolutionary Government of Bavaria! Liberty belongs to all the people!"

Levina announced the establishment of a provisional revolutionary government, and cheers erupted once again. Bavaria had indeed been peacefully liberated to some extent; it was the people's choice.

Upon receiving the news, Rommel acted swiftly. With Munich fallen, the troops on the defensive line essentially lost the will to resist. The day after the successful Munich uprising, Rommel's troops marched into Munich. In less than a week, Nuremberg and Munich were liberated in succession, marking the complete end of the Rhineland's involvement in the Bavarian Wars. From then on, the Rhineland had only one enemy left.

415. French officer

The news of Munich's successful liberation quickly reached Frankfurt, and soon the revolutionary government's radio stations were broadcasting the good news. Bavaria was now completely liberated as well, and across the entire German land, there was now only one oppressive government: Prussia.

Thälmann had never been particularly happy; the revolution was progressing so smoothly that he could almost see the victory flag being planted in Berlin.

"The real battle has only just begun, Comrade Thallman."

Thorne was quite pleased to have successfully resolved the Bavarian problem, but it was too early to celebrate, as it wasn't a complete victory.

Bavaria's size means defeating him is only a matter of time. However, the upcoming battle with Prussia is less of a problem if it were Hess, but with Ludendorff's arrival, the revolutionary government's enemies are no longer just Prussia, but the whole of Eastern Europe. Prussia has been quiet these past few days, so that old fox Ludendorff is definitely planning something big.

Thorne could imagine that Ludendorff had probably brought all the elite troops from Eastern Europe to defeat them, but it would be good if he could fight a decisive battle with the revolutionary government here and try to wipe them all out in one fell swoop.

"The Bavarian problem has been resolved. As for Prussia, let Ludendorff handle it. The front lines are temporarily stable. The revolution has just achieved victory, which is a good sign. It's a good opportunity for the officers at the front to come back."

Now that the revolutionary government has just been established, this is a good opportunity to promote the first batch of officers in the Republic.

“Indeed, Comrade Thorne, the newly formed revolutionary government also needs its own strength.”

The Republic had been preparing for the promotion of these first batch of officers for a long time, actually as early as the Rhine era. However, Thorne and his men deliberately waited until after the Republic was established before promoting them.

People gradually got used to the new tricolor flag. Although they didn't feel much change, the newly established republic was indeed more vibrant than before, which was very evident in the liberated areas of the revolutionary army.

Many of the original bans were lifted, and the political climate became much more relaxed. Many people spontaneously took to the streets to dismantle statues of Hess and the German Emperor. Members of the Communist Party of Germany also took active action, and many trade union groups were established.

The trade unions gradually took over the industries in the liberated areas. The revolutions in different regions were different. For example, in China, the revolution focused more on peasants and land, but in Germany, as an industrial country, the focus was on the working class.

However, the industrial takeover of these liberated areas cannot be done in a one-size-fits-all manner, such as gathering all the factory owners together and hanging them to physically eliminate them. This may seem satisfying, but it will create many problems. Moreover, the current revolutionary government has not yet achieved complete victory. If a radical approach is adopted rashly, it will undoubtedly push many potential allies to the opposite side.

The transition to socialism required a transitional period. The French Commune did not change its nature overnight. Thorne and Thälmann-Goebbels envisioned temporarily forming a united democratic government, and then proceeding with the next step of the socialist transition after national unification, giving Germany a "three major transformations".

The Rhine region was least affected by the economic crisis, so after liberating a region, it would start to receive aid. Due to the war, many places were experiencing severe food shortages and there were many unemployed people. When Hess came to power, he made a lot of noise, but he didn't actually solve any problems, or rather, he only addressed the surface of the problems.

Hess used tricks to deceive the masses. For example, how did he solve the unemployment problem so quickly? It was because he incorporated these people into the SA. When Hess's government collapsed, these problems quickly resurfaced, and the revolutionary government had to clean up the mess.

After successfully liberating Bavaria, Rommel received a notice to return to Frankfurt. Many people congratulated him, as Rommel had made a name for himself in Bavaria and was sure to be promoted upon his return.

Frankfurt was as quiet as ever. Hess had once boasted that he would flatten this place, but he never expected to die first. Although there weren't as many troops under martial law, military vehicles could still be seen parked at some intersections.

Rommel hadn't been back for a long time. Having spent so much time in Bavaria, his sudden return felt somewhat disorienting. Seeing the red flags hanging everywhere, he realized that the government was now a republic.

Many officers returned from the front lines this time. The Rhine Palace is now the property of the people, and Thorne rarely comes here. This time, he accompanied Thälmann and the others back here to award medals to the officers. In addition to the officers, many outstanding soldiers were also invited to participate in the medal awarding ceremony.

Ropol and his troops returned to rest and were about to return to the front lines when the kingdom became a republic, and the army underwent a second reorganization. They were unable to leave and received the first batch of reorganization in Frankfurt. Their equipment was updated, and their organization was expanded, which made everyone happy for a long time. The hard days of the past were finally over, and now they had quite a few heavy weapons.

Because of their outstanding performance on the front lines, their unit's designation was retained, and they were expanded to the size of a division, becoming the "Third Red Army Brigade" Division. The Red Army Brigade, as the foundation of the People's Army, was preserved. However, due to the outstanding performance of the Third Red Army Brigade, the first People's Army flag of the new Republic was awarded to them, and the soldiers who participated in the Battle of Drainsfield were also invited to attend the banquet.

This was Ropol's first time participating in such a banquet, and he was a little nervous, especially seeing so many people with ranks far higher than his. So, although they were at the banquet, they didn't chat and laugh like the others, but instead played with their "own people" in a corner.

"Erwin, you've finally arrived."

Kesselring patted Rommel on the shoulder. Kesselring's airborne troops didn't play a major role in the entire battle, but as a surprise force, they still caused Bavaria a lot of trouble. Because of equipment shortages, Kesselring's airborne troops only carried out one airborne mission throughout the entire campaign, and the rest of the time they participated as elite infantry. But this one airborne mission proved how important the airborne troops could be in future operations.

“Otto and Heinz won’t play with us, so I’ve been standing here for quite a while.”

They were responsible for different fronts. Guderian and Model were mainly fighting against Prussia, and they fought more annihilation battles on their side than Rommel. In terms of the intensity of the war, Guderian and Model fought much more battles than Rommel.

Rommel's side was basically capturing prisoners along the way, a so-called "easy win," and it wasn't very clear how much of his command art was displayed. This was also what troubled Rommel all along; he hadn't been able to truly utilize his full command art in the battles of Bavaria.

The atmosphere at the banquet became lively, but at that moment, several uninvited guests arrived. Thorne and Thallman came to the banquet, accompanied by several Frenchmen, who, judging from their attire, were French officers.

What kind of signal does it send that officers from the French Commune would appear at a banquet of the newly formed republic?

416. Volunteer Army

The situation in Munich has just been resolved. Thorne and Thälmann have finished discussing the Bavarian issue and are now figuring out how to handle the situation in Berlin.

The Munich uprising was so successful that it was almost unexpected. So many troops defected and joined the uprising with almost no cost, so everyone was wondering if it could be replicated in Berlin in the future.

There is also considerable underground resistance in Berlin, especially since Adolf is still in Berlin. Berlin's intelligence organization has moved underground in time, preserving the basic framework of the entire organization. Therefore, future uprisings should be relatively easy. However, the situation is different between kingdoms. Although it is relatively easy, detailed planning is still necessary.

As everyone was gathered together discussing the matter, news suddenly arrived. An office worker came in and told Thorne and the others something very unexpected: the French Commune had sent more people, and they were military personnel. France wanted to send international brigade volunteers to the provisional revolutionary government.

Thorne's eyes widened upon hearing this news. Had he misheard? France was actually sending volunteers to the provisional government? Although the Rhine had changed its stance, it hadn't clearly stated what kind of revolution it was, and its attitude remained rather ambiguous.

Why did France send volunteers to Germany when the revolutionary situation there was still unclear? What were they planning?

"What do you all think about this?"

"I'm already thankful that France actually sent volunteers; I'm just glad they didn't cause any trouble." Goebbels clearly hadn't expected the French to be so enthusiastic. Although France had always supported exporting revolution, the fact that they were so enthusiastic about Germany made Goebbels somewhat believe in France's internationalist spirit.

"Overthrowing the world order of the German Empire has always been the goal of the French Commune. Now that there is a resistance force in Germany, it is not surprising that they sent volunteers over."

As a leader of the Communist Party of Germany, Thälmann frequently traveled to France for meetings and was quite familiar with some of France's policies.

"The French probably got involved early on because they saw that the Communist Party of Germany was involved in this revolution in Germany."

Everyone thought about Thälmann's words and they seemed to make some sense. Although the Rhineland had not yet clearly defined this revolution as a socialist revolution or a bourgeois revolution, it did involve the armed forces of the German Communist Party, and quite a few of them.

Anyone with eyes can see that the German Communist Party was not a participant in this revolution, but rather one of its organizers. Why? Because they had guns, and quite a lot of them. With so many guns at their disposal, how could they possibly become a participating party instead of a ruling party?

The French have also learned about this so-called Socialist Labor Party through various channels, and they have made a bold guess: could it be that this party is actually providing cover for the development of the Communist Party of Germany? Otherwise, how can it explain that so many people in this party are leaders of the Communist Party of Germany, and that it was so generous in allowing the Communist Party of Germany to participate in leadership positions after the uprising?

If that's the case, then this revolution was actually a top-down revolution, a top-down socialist revolution, which is simply unheard of and unprecedented.

“The French, it’s good that the French are here.” After thinking for a while, Thorne decided that it was worth meeting them. “Although we say that this revolution is still an internal matter of Germany, after the revolutionary government is established, we need a friend. We can accept French volunteers because our strength is still the dominant force in this revolution. It’s always good to have another friend if the French want to come.”

Thorne didn't see anything wrong with the French sending volunteers, because it didn't matter whether the French came or not. It was more of an added bonus than a timely help. Thorne didn't need many French people to come; he just wanted them to participate in the German revolution to a certain extent.

With this relationship, everyone can be considered to have a "revolutionary friendship" in the future. It will also allow the Democratic Republic to better integrate into the Comintern, deepen cooperation among several countries, and ease tensions with France. The first thing Thorne needs to do in the future is to restore relations with France.

After discussion, everyone agreed that it was appropriate to accept French volunteers, which would also send a friendly signal to France.

François had assumed the Germans wouldn't meet with him. Sending volunteers to Germany was, to be more specific, not the French government's idea, but the Solidarity Front's, or more specifically, the Jacobins'. After Marcel returned to the Commune and explained the situation in Germany to Maurice, Maurice made this decision after careful consideration.

He submitted a bill to the government to aid the German revolutionary government and the world revolution. With the general election approaching, the future outcome was already quite obvious. The Unity Front already held 40 percent of the seats in the current Public Safety Council parliament. By uniting with some small and medium-sized parties, it would be very easy to win nearly half of the seats. It was already clear who would win the next general election.

Therefore, Maurice's resolution did not encounter much opposition in parliament and was quickly passed. The Commune agreed to send an international brigade to the revolutionary regime. Before the international brigade set off, Maurice sent François to visit again and inquire about the attitude of the provisional government.

"Welcome, friend from France."

Saône was the first to welcome François, but his appearance left François bewildered. What was going on? Why was he still there? Hadn't he abdicated?

The French side believes that Thorne was forced to step down by the Socialist Party of Labour, even though the Socialist Party of Labour and Thorne had many connections. However, the Socialist Party, after its growth, was not completely controlled and instead forced Thorne to step down and establish a republic.

But why is he still here now? And among these people? Did he turn against himself? Did he step down voluntarily? This is too strange. I've never seen a king like this before. If all kings were like this, that would be great. We can just wait and see.