German Red Prince

Page 190

Now there are rest days every week at the border. This wasn't decided by the Flemish, but by the Germans. That's good, of course the Walloon border guards welcome it. Who would turn down a day off?

The Rhineland's decision to establish this rest day was also for ideological infiltration. Most people in the Walloon region could be won over, and with a little instigation, a sizable uprising might be instigated.

Anatol is no longer as "idiotic" as he was when he first arrived. He has adapted to life as a border guard. Fuchs and Carter's lives have not changed much either. Life as a border guard is just repeating itself day after day, going around in circles on the border every day.

When the Rhine people first arrived, everyone was quite wary. They were Germans, and the Rhine and France were sworn enemies. It wouldn't be easy for them to slack off. However, what happened next changed their opinion of the garrison. These people actually ignored them.

When some Walloons crossed the border, the Germans seemed not to see them and let them pass. Sometimes they even provided cover and helped them delay the Flemish officers. These Germans were actually on the Walloons' side.

Thorne's strategy was simple: win over Wallonia. Since Prussia supported Flanders, he would support Wallonia to create a counterbalance. The Rhine garrison arrived and began operations very actively. Anatol and his men also established good relations with these border guards.

After the German Civil War, the war did not reach this area, so everyone lived in peace and continued with their lives as usual, with their weekly days off continuing as normal.

"Look what I've brought back."

Life on the border was tough, but Carter somehow managed to get his hands on several large pieces of pork and beer, which made the people in the room cheer. They were going to splurge tonight.

As the political commissar of the border guards, Charril had always been concerned about the political situation in Flanders. After the Rhine declared itself a republic, the atmosphere here changed. The most obvious change was that the Flemish officers were no longer so polite. Charril felt that these people were about to make a move, and he knew he couldn't let them take advantage of him.

The Rhine border guards are scattered along the border, and Charrier is just one of them. Even if all the border guards are added together, they only number a few thousand, which is no match for the regular army here. Therefore, it is crucial to actively contact the Walloon army and some socialists here to increase one's bargaining power and play a role in critical moments.

"I'm sure everyone has heard that the Rhine has become a republic, right?"

Charril looked at the group of people present and began to speak. As soon as he said this, the others looked at each other without saying anything. Of course, they knew that the Rhine had become a republic. Wallonia had always been a key area for the commune's political infiltration. With the Rhine becoming a republic, their impression of the group in front of them improved even more.

"Our country has taken the initiative to make changes in the hope of adapting to the development of history and the times. The future belongs to the Republic and the people. No one can stop the progress of history."

These words seem to say nothing, yet they also seem to say everything. No one can stop the march of history. Yes, Germany had its own revolution, and its own king stepped down. So why is this guy in their country still lingering? Besides, he's not even a local. What right does he have to lead their country?

As they talked, the officers of Flanders had been informed that they must restrain their troops and begin to isolate the Rhine garrison, control and stabilize the border to prevent any unforeseen circumstances.

As Charlier spoke, Carter and the others, having drunk their fill, also started to feel tipsy. They had never been fond of King Adalbert, nor were they satisfied with the arrogance of the Flemish. Ever since this king came to power, the Walloons had had enough of his rudeness.

Soon, the place turned into a grievance session. The drunken men began to complain about the injustices and problems with the system in Flanders, and expressed their longing for a republican system. Just then, a Flanders officer walked in. He had been ordered to forcibly separate the Rhine garrison from the Walloon garrison. They were to carry out this mission.

When the Flemish army arrived at their destination, they realized they hadn't come to the French border at all, but rather to the German border. What was going on? Had they gone to the wrong place?

Regardless of whether they had gone to the wrong place or not, the weapons were still distributed. Once they had their hands on the weapons, everyone immediately realized the seriousness of the situation. Were they going to war with the Germans? Had they gone mad? Adalbert, have you forgotten the story of Rupprecht?

"fire!"

The tranquility of the Luxembourg Special Economic Zone was shattered. The people, still fast asleep, had no idea that war would break out here, and the Flanders army arrived unexpectedly.

At the same time, almost simultaneously, a situation arose at the border. In the scuffle, Carter shot and killed the Flemish officer. Everyone was stunned, watching the officer convulsing on the ground.

The die was cast, and the die was cast; there was no turning back. At the same time that Adalbert declared war on the Rhine, the Walloon Uprising also began. Adalbert's situation was far worse than Rupprecht's.

424. Not following the rules

Adalbert believed that if he launched a war against the Rhine and advanced to the Luxembourg Special Region, he would be warmly welcomed by the people, who would offer him food and drink. However, this idea clearly underestimated Thorne's plans.

How could he possibly let Adalbert succeed? Changing a region to a special zone might seem like a concession from the Rhine, but Thorne was actually waiting for the day when the Rhine and Flanders would go to war, and this place could serve as a sufficient buffer.

As part of the former Kingdom of Belgium, the Luxembourg region had high administrative costs. The Germans there naturally opposed the Germans and saw themselves as "victims," ​​much like the Alsace-Lorraine region. Therefore, during the Rhineland military administration, the Luxembourg region generally had a negative impression of the Germans.

However, things changed when it was changed from a region to a special region. After becoming a special region, Luxembourg had more exchanges with Flanders, and the troops stationed in the Rhineland also withdrew from there. When the people of Luxembourg looked at their "homeland" with great enthusiasm, they found that this "homeland" was not as good as the Rhineland.

One major advantage of integrating into the Rhine was that it allowed the people of Luxembourg to share in the spoils of Germany's war. Although they became part of Germany, the standard of living for people living in Luxembourg was far higher than in Germany. The change from a region to a special region meant that Luxembourg had a certain degree of autonomy.

The special zone can hold partial elections on its own, as long as it recognizes the unity with the Rhine, and its autonomy is quite high. Their autonomy is equivalent to establishing a "mini republic" within the Rhine. Except for some key positions where Rhine people occupy a dominant position, most other positions are held by locals. Moreover, the Rhine allows them to organize their own militia as a quasi-armed force.

With such favorable conditions, the people of the Luxembourg Special Economic Zone live a rather "happy" life. They can enjoy the economic benefits of Germany and also have autonomy. This kind of blissful life is much better than that of Flanders Wallonia, where there is still a German emperor. Here, the nominal leader of the Special Economic Zone is still a local.

Moreover, as the special economic zone continues to develop, more and more Walloons have come here. Why did these people come? Naturally, they were not well received in their home countries. So, to a certain extent, it has purified the population. Now, the people living in the Luxembourg Special Economic Zone are basically Walloons or Flemish people who are dissatisfied with their home countries.

The idea of ​​these people "welcoming the king and his army with food and drink" is just wishful thinking. Moreover, many socialist activists who are wanted in their own countries will also flee here. Although this is the border between Flanders, Svallon and the Rhine, and the Rhine does not have many troops stationed here, it is enough to keep an eye on this unruly neighbor.

The people of the Luxembourg Special Region, still fast asleep, heard the sound of artillery fire. Living in the rear, they never imagined that a shell would fall on their heads. The armed forces here were militias, and they did not usually engage in combat, so they had not yet assembled.

After firing a few shots, the Flemish troops began heading towards the Luxembourg Special Region. The officers encouraged their soldiers, saying that this was a war of liberation, and that once they crossed the border, there would be no more bullets or artillery, only flowers and applause to greet them.

They naturally believed this was a war of liberation. This land originally belonged to the Kingdom of Belgium, and the people here were all Belgian. Of course, they would come to welcome them. However, while they thought this way, the people of the Luxembourg Special Region did not think so.

The bewildered citizens peeked out of their windows, watching the unfamiliar army march into the city. They were carrying the flag of Flanders, but the citizens didn't cheer, offer flowers, or applause. Everyone just stared at them coldly.

The atmosphere was extremely awkward. The Flemish soldiers felt as if countless cold eyes were staring at them, making them very uncomfortable. They were supposed to be welcomed, so why were they being treated like this?

Not only were the soldiers confused, but their officers were even more confused. This wasn't what they'd been told! Hadn't they been told that the people here would welcome them? Why was it so deserted?

"Don't move! You have set foot on the soil of the Republic! This is a declaration of war! You must retreat immediately!"

The militia finally arrived in a hurry. Although these men were only second-rate fighters in the Rhine Army, they were well-equipped, with many carrying new submachine guns, which they aimed at these "intruders from the homeland".

Seeing the militiamen pointing their guns at them, everyone was even more confused. According to the script, shouldn't these militiamen have come out to welcome them and then overthrow the Rhine's rule together? Why are they all aiming at them?

If you look closely, you'll notice that these militiamen from the Luxembourg Special Economic Zone wear the tricolor flag of the Republic on their caps, and the tricolor flag of the Republic is also displayed everywhere in the entire Special Economic Zone.

The majority of people here are socialists, and they certainly support the Rhine becoming a republic. Compared to the Rhine, Flanders is still a puppet monarchy. Let them be ruled by a king again? How could that be possible?

The Luxembourg Special Region was a major location for the activities of the German Communist Party. They were responsible for contacting the Flanders socialists who had fled there. Everyone was on the same page. Most of the people living there were originally opposed to Adalbert. How could they be expected to go back?

The dark muzzles of guns were pointed at the first batch of Flanders troops who had entered. These people really didn't dare to do anything reckless. Although they fired a few shots, they hesitated before actually firing. No one had expected this, and no one had told them what would happen if the locals resisted. That's not how the script was written.

In the stalemate, these people actually retreated again. This amazing operation was a testament to the ability of the frontline commander. This was war, not child's play. After firing a few shots, the Flemish army that had finally managed to advance retreated again. They needed to ask their superiors what to do since the other side was not cooperating.

Faced with such a problem, the leaders above were naturally at a loss. They were told to wait for further instructions and to consult with their superiors. Time was of the essence. After the Flanders army pushed back to the border, they actually began to rest and regroup. Although the Luxembourg Special Region reacted slowly, it quickly made the next deployment. The other side would definitely come back with a vengeance. The next step was a race against time.

Fortunately, the Rhine and the French Commune reached an agreement. The International Brigades were located not far from the Luxembourg Special Economic Zone. After the Special Economic Zone reported to its superiors, the International Brigades were the closest forces that could provide support. After receiving the notification, the International Brigades reacted quickly and immediately went to the Special Economic Zone.

The International Brigades were a purely communist armed force, and the Special Economic Zone was also mostly populated by communists from Flanders, which was a significant advantage.

Seeing the International Brigades approaching with red flags, these people were quite excited. Many of them were Walloons and had good relations with the commune. With the arrival of the International Brigades, their morale soared, and they even felt that they could fight back directly.

Meanwhile, the Flemish soldiers finally received their notification. Adalbert was in a state of utter chaos, because the Walloons had revolted. When he heard that the Flemish army had retreated, he was furious. They were already at war, why were they retreating? If the enemy refused, they should just fight! He wasn't Belgian, so of course he didn't care about such things.

"fire!"

Upon receiving the notification, the Flemish soldiers launched a second attack. Of course, this time it wouldn't be as smooth as the first. The enemy was already prepared, and they also had the support of the International Brigades. They were already planning how to attack.

Regardless, the offensive in Flanders began. This time, Ludendorff didn't betray them like he had betrayed Bavaria. Perhaps he knew this was one of the few chances he had to turn the tide. Not long after the fighting began in the Luxembourg Special District, Prussian reinforcements immediately went to reinforce Adalbert and launched an offensive on the front lines in a very cooperative manner.

After a period of silence, the battlefield became lively again. Thorne no longer intended to waste time with the enemy. Hamburg and Kiel could also take action. Ludendorff's iron chain defenses were not invincible. Following the Munich Uprising was the Hamburg Uprising.

425. Poison Gas Offensive

Although Flanders' attack was somewhat far-fetched, they did launch a real attack and went to war with the Rhine. Ludendorff would certainly have to take action as well; this was the strategy he devised, and it was an excellent opportunity.

He couldn't really protect Bavaria, but as for Flanders, he immediately sent reinforcements and weapons after receiving the notification. Although Adalbert was already preoccupied with his own problems, Ludendorff was much more considerate than he had been to Bavaria. I wonder what Rupprecht's spirit in heaven would think.

The offensive began in Flanders, and Ludendorff immediately sprang into action. As a veteran marshal, his military expertise was certainly far superior to Hess's. Hanover, a key city on the front lines, was finally about to make its move.

Lucas observed that the day was quite busy. The German officers were no longer walking slowly, but running. More and more soldiers were arriving, like dumplings being dropped into a pot, wave after wave. Prussian battle flags were being hoisted up, and heavy weapons could be seen piled up everywhere.

Looking at the machine guns and artillery, Lucas knew his good days were numbered. Anyone with eyes could see that Prussia was planning an attack. Sure enough, before they even had lunch, the first batch of soldiers had assembled and boarded the train, ready to head to the front. Seeing these Germans going to the front, Lucas felt relatively at ease. Fortunately, they were a ragtag army and could only do logistics. Ludendorff hadn't thrown them to the front yet.

However, his sense of relief did not last long. As they were sitting together eating a rather tasteless lunch, their superior officer ran over with a grave expression and reported some bad news: yes, they were also going to the front lines.

"Damn it, these Germans really think highly of us."

Yakos was so angry he wanted to flip the table. He thought that coming here to do logistics would be enough, but he didn't expect to actually send them to the front line. The Rhine people were already difficult for Prussia to fight, and they were being sent to fight. It would be a miracle if they could win.

"What you said is not right either. They look down on us at all and are using us as cannon fodder."

Bodel looked at the crazed Yakos and thought to himself, "He really thinks too highly of himself. These soldiers from our vassal states are not even given a second glance by the Germans. How could they have come here to hide in the rear and enjoy themselves, just moving equipment? So they're here on vacation?"

"The Prussians have gradually transferred nearly 100,000 soldiers from Eastern Europe. 100,000 people, just to help the Prussians with logistics? With so many mouths to feed, they've already taken care of the logistics themselves. The Germans are clearly using us as cannon fodder, pulling us in to fill the gaps."

Looking at the bland lunch and hearing what Bodel said, everyone felt increasingly disinterested in the food. Whether they were under Russian or German control, they had not escaped their fate as gray livestock.

"Let's all enjoy this meal. We probably won't have another one. The Germans won't let us waste much food. I reckon we'll be the first to go to the front lines."

"I never imagined that we would shed blood for Germany. When will we be able to shed blood for our own country?"

Lucas didn't know what to say, and just sighed dejectedly. After this meal, it was really hard to have another one. Heaven knows how dangerous the war on the front lines would be. They were Eastern Europeans, not Germans. The Rhine people would not show them any mercy, and they would have no qualms about eliminating them.

"Remember, wear your gas mask properly, make sure you wear it."

Bodel reminded them a few more times: you can forget anything, but you absolutely cannot forget this guy. The Prussians have brought poison gas bombs this time. They really don't care about anything else. No matter how much they fight, they are still brothers. They couldn't quite grasp the Prussians' thinking.

After finishing their "farewell dinner," they were put on the train. Naturally, the carriages were not as comfortable as those of the Germans. They sat with the weapons and could only squeeze into the empty spaces.

Prussia launched the offensive, and Ludendorff estimated that the Rhineland was still in a state of "panic" at this time. Having been suddenly attacked from behind, their first priority would be to send troops back to defend, leaving the front line vulnerable. This would be Ludendorff's opportunity. Ludendorff's offensive plan was to move north to Bremen.

Let the Hamburg army cooperate with the Hanover army to attack towards Bremen, encircle and blockade the northern Rhine region, and also bring about a war of annihilation in the Rhine.

Ludendorff's idea was good, but it was just an idea. He had been idle in Eastern Europe for too long and was completely unaware of the situation. If Wallonia took the initiative to attack the Rhine, he would have a hard time protecting himself. With the Walloon uprising and the resistance from the Luxembourg Special Region, the Rhine had enough time to raise troops in the rear.

Moreover, the German-French border had just been reduced in troop strength when the attack began there. This meant there was no need to withdraw troops from the front lines, as the rear forces were sufficient. With Flanders attacking at this time, Thorne was overjoyed. He was just wondering how to defeat them when they delivered themselves to him.

Moreover, Ludendorff's plan this time was to unite the armies of Hanover and Hamburg to attack Bremen. Hamburg was a good place. With the garrison moved away, the insurgents would have more room to maneuver. Thorne mainly instigated the sailors. Once the army was moved away, the navy would become the dominant force, and the casualties of the uprising would be less.

Once the revolutionary government's army at the front launches a head-on attack, these Prussian troops will be just about to flee when an uprising breaks out in the rear. They want to encircle and annihilate me? I'll just take them down first.

They soon arrived at the front line, where the calm before the storm had passed. Lucas looked at the land, which had been ravaged by artillery fire. There must have been a fierce battle here before, with craters of all sizes everywhere. He felt uneasy and touched the gas mask he was wearing. It was his life-saving device. They had been secretly communicating these past few days to get the gas masks on as quickly as possible.

As is customary, a barrage of artillery fire was launched before the attack. The deafening sound of the cannons hurt Lucas's ears. Large and small cannons fired simultaneously. Ludendorff's attack this time was massive and well-funded. He brought in a lot of heavy artillery. He either didn't fight at all, or he made sure to hurt the enemy badly.

Rhine has been winning too many battles lately, even managing to defeat Bavaria, and is feeling quite smug. I'll teach them a lesson they won't forget.

After the first round of artillery fire, the officer blew his whistle, signaling that it was time for them, the cannon fodder, to go. After silently praying, Lucas charged out of the trench. Only when he looked at the men charging alongside him did he feel a sense of peace.

"hiss--"

The sound of death rang out. Rhine's machine gun was a true battlefield reaper, an object of fear for all soldiers. The machine gun's rate of fire was too fast, so fast that there was no time to react. In an instant, five or six people around him fell to the ground. Fortunately, Lucas was agile and jumped into a shell crater to the side to take temporary shelter.

The Rhine soldiers were firing wildly. This firepower made Lucas wonder if all the shells had missed their mark, since the firepower here hadn't diminished at all after all this time.

"There's a battle going on ahead, and they've tied down the Rhine army," the adjutant reported to the officer holding up his binoculars.

"Have the launch requirements been met?"

"Report: Satisfied, ready to launch at any time."

"Launch immediately."

The officer did not hesitate at all. After all, in his eyes, those Eastern European soldiers were indeed a bunch of gray animals that could be sacrificed for Germany at any time.

The whistling sound of shells whizzing through the air came from above, but this time there was no explosion. Lucas was crawling forward step by step, almost reaching the other side's position, when these shells came.

The strange shell immediately alerted Lucas. When he saw the strange smoke, he immediately realized that it was poison gas. Good heavens, they were still on the front lines, and these Germans were already releasing poison gas.

"Poison gas! Poison gas! Quick, put on your gas masks!"

Regular training saved Lucas's life. He abandoned his gun. The yellowish-green smoke had already dissipated, and some soldiers who hadn't had time to react were already lying on the ground convulsing. Lucas tightened his cuffs and kept groping in the smoke. The Rhine soldiers obviously hadn't expected the other side to use poison gas. Many of them hadn't had time to put on their gas masks and were knocked down by the gas.

Seeing so many people lying on the ground convulsing, Lucas was going crazy. This wasn't a battlefield; it was hell.

With the plan in sight, the Prussian troops were fully equipped, and the Rhine positions ahead were no longer able to resist. All they had to do was advance quickly.

Prussia's first round of gas warfare was very effective because the Rhine never expected Prussia to use gas, not even Heské.

Ludendorff was moral, but not much of him. He was more extreme than Hess, willing to do anything to win. With this unexpected gas attack, Prussia advanced the front line smoothly.

The war constantly pushed both sides to their limits. Whoever started it would not have a good ending. Prussia's use of poison gas caused an extraordinary sensation in the Rhineland.

426. Horrifying

"General Secretary Thallman, according to reports from the front, Prussia has used poison gas in this offensive. This is the first time poison gas has been used on the battlefield so far in the entire war, and it is also the first time poison gas has been used on the European battlefield in more than ten years since the end of the war."

Prussia used poison gas during the war. The use of poison gas was actually quite common during the war. Both the Central Powers and the Allied Powers had a history of using poison gas. Adolf was deeply impressed by this, as he was almost poisoned to death by the French.

Poison gas has never caused many casualties on the battlefield; its main effect is as a deterrent on the battlefield. This stuff is terrifying. Soldiers who inhale poison gas don't experience the same pain as when they are shot; the pain can last for a long time.

During the great war, both sides abandoned the so-called chivalry, and the war became barbaric and cruel. In order to win, both sides abandoned their bottom line and became barbarians. However, after the victory, everyone instantly put on suits and became civilized again.

After the war, the German Empire explicitly stipulated restrictions on the use of poison gas. Of course, this rule was put forward to other countries. After all, Germany was the first country to use poison gas weapons in the war. It was ridiculous and laughable that such a country would propose to restrict other countries from using poison gas weapons.

Germany proposed the Treaty on the Limitation of Poison Gas Weapons, and everyone else signed it. Now, Germany is the first to use poison gas weapons after the war. Isn't that a slap in the face?

However, to be specific, this is not a slap in the face, because the Treaty on the Limitation of Poison Gas Weapons prohibits the use of poison gas weapons against other countries in war. But this time, Germany used it against itself, not against other countries. Therefore, it does not constitute a violation of the treaty.

But this makes it even more outrageous. Is there any other country in the world that would use poison gas weapons against its own country?

"Damn it, that Ludendorff should be hanged! He is the enemy of the German people!"

To win the war, Ludendorff was even more unscrupulous than Hess. As a nobleman, he used poison gas against his own people. Where was his noble spirit? This was utterly despicable and also showed that Prussia had run out of options. Otherwise, why would they resort to such an inhumane weapon as poison gas?

Thälmann was naturally furious that Ludendorff had used such a despicable tactic. They were all Germans, after all, and he hadn't hesitated at all to use poison gas on his own people. Such a war crime deserved to be punished by hanging.

"I really didn't expect it, I really didn't expect it, Ludendorff gave us such a big gift right from the start."

Upon hearing this horrifying news, Thorne couldn't help but sigh. As expected of the old German marshal, he was truly ruthless when he took action, showing no mercy whatsoever. He would strike without hesitation. This opponent was not as easy to deal with as Hess; he had to be serious.