German Red Prince

Page 193

Before that war, Gerhard also thought that the war would not last long and would end in a few months or weeks, but after experiencing that war, he realized that it might last a few months or weeks, but it would not be ended by them.

Fortunately, he had learned from previous retreats, which allowed him to lead most of his men out this time, avoiding total annihilation. The army's structure remained relatively intact, and the Prussian troops did not suffer significant losses; their combat effectiveness was still intact.

The soldiers in Liege were terrified to see the army that had only gone out a short while ago return, and many of them were missing. They looked panicked and wondered what had happened. Weren't they supposed to be attacking?

Gerhard, who had just arrived in the city, immediately began to arrange the defenses. There was not enough time; at most, the Rhine army would catch up in an hour. They only had one hour to organize the defenses.

"We have deployed all our artillery, prepared ample ammunition, and deployed all available personnel to organize breeding and prepare for combat."

"Preparing for battle here? Against whom?"

The Flemish officer was still in a daze. Weren't they just attacking? Why are they on defense now?

"With whom? Who else could it be? With the Rhine! Hurry, mobilize all the troops you can! The Rhine are attacking! If Liège falls, we'll lose all our advantage in the entire theater of operations. This will be a court-martial!"

Gerhard uttered a single sentence and immediately began preparations. The Flemish officer was completely bewildered. The Rhine people were here? So quickly? Wasn't it said that the war would be over once the Prussians entered? How could this be?

Whether the officer believed it or not, Gerhard was right; the Rhine people had indeed arrived, and just as Gerhard had estimated, they only had one hour.

433. Make a choice

Rothenburg and Ningburg, one right in front of Hamburg and the other right in front of Hanover, were both occupied by Rheinland before Ludendorf took over.

After Ludendorff took control of Prussia, these two cities became a stumbling block to Prussia's progress.

Now Ludendorf wants to attack Bremen, so he's bringing in soldiers from Hamburg and Hanover. If he wants to launch a two-pronged attack on Bremen, he must first attack Rothenburg and Nymburg. Only by taking down these two bridgeheads can he continue towards Bremen.

However, this would obviously be time-consuming and laborious, and Ludendorff always prioritized stability in his military strategy, which meant that splitting his forces might lead to their defeat one by one. Combining his forces would increase the chances of victory.

Moreover, if the forces were to unite at Hödenhagen, they could then march from Hödenhagen to Felden and Achim, heading straight for Bremen, and Felden is located between Ningburg and Rothenburg.

Looking at the map, what is this? It's a long, straight line formation. If the attack goes smoothly, we can attack Bremen, and also advance from Felden towards Ningburg or Rothenburg. In any case, it's a win-win situation.

But that's assuming the attack goes smoothly. The key question is whether the attack can go smoothly now. Prussia has already used poison gas, so how could the Rhine possibly let them go? How could the attack possibly go smoothly?

With words from above, countless soldiers below carried out Ludendorff's grand counter-offensive plan. Ludendorff called this battle the decisive battle on the Western Front, a battle that would determine the outcome.

This was one of the few times Ludendorff took a risk, but it wasn't risky enough; he was still somewhat conservative.

They dare not launch a full-scale attack, hesitant to attack from both sides. Now is the time to fight desperately, and if Ludendorff acts like this, their chances of winning are even smaller.

Model and Guderian are now advancing rapidly from Rothenburg and Ningburg towards Hödenhagen. Ludendorff's move is a big one, so they must act. If they can deal with the troops here, then Prussia's Hamburg and Hanover defenses will collapse.

The Rhineland had a relatively high level of industrialization within the German Empire, and with military reforms, the rate of motorcycle and truck use in the army was relatively high. However, even with the high rate of motorcycle use in the Rhineland, it was still impossible to meet all the needs of the army.

Rheinland has now managed to build two and a half complete tank armies by scrapping together all the resources. In other words, over the years, Rheinland has only truly formed about three tank armies, while the rest are still old-fashioned tank units.

Currently, most of the power is still animal power, relying on mules and horses for transportation. In order to make dumplings, Model and Guderian are both in a hurry, and the troops are on a forced march. In order to make the troops go faster, almost all means of transportation are overloaded.

"The armored forces are all in Heinz's hands. Although our mobility is not as good as theirs, four wheels may not be able to outrun two legs."

Model looked at the map in his hand. Rothenburg was a little farther from Höldenhagen than Ningburg, and they didn't have any heavy equipment here.

If there were any, they would probably be those few rocket launcher vehicles. Our unit was traveling light, and by the time we reached Rothenburg, we didn't have enough time, so our equipment was a bit inferior. But that doesn't mean their troops were slow.

The marching column was quiet; everyone was busy getting there and had no time to talk. The trucks were packed with people, which was obviously a violation of battlefield regulations, but there was no time to worry about that now; all that mattered was time.

Model glanced at his watch and then at the map. He was at the very front of the group. There were only a handful of people who were the commanders on the front lines, but Model was certain that Guderian was also on the front lines.

Where is General Guderian?

The messenger on the battlefield was completely bewildered, because he had asked almost every unit on the march but still couldn't find Guderian. The report was sent upstairs and the result was that Guderian couldn't be found. Everyone he asked said that Guderian was ahead, but ahead of whom? Why did everyone say that he was ahead? Where did the general go?

Is General Guderian ahead?

The messenger, panting heavily, continued to ask the next person. He could not run any further; there would be no one there. Surely Guderian could not have already reached Höldenhagen?

"I am Guderian. What can I do for you?"

The man put down his binoculars and sat down, looking at the messenger in front of him. The soldier never expected that the person sitting in the car was Guderian.

The most capable star generals in the Rhine Army today were all trained by Thorne. They all share similar characteristics: they are very adventurous in battle and like to charge to the front lines.

Guderian also had this problem. He believed that only by going to the front line could he control the direction of the battlefield, so he liked to rush to the front line. Last time, he rushed too fast and was almost blown up by his own rocket.

The massive explosion nearly overturned the car; had it not been for the driver's excellent skills, Guderian would never have achieved his dream of becoming a marshal in this world.

Wearing an M29 steel helmet, Guderian looked a bit silly and cute. His uniform had no obvious markings, so the messenger didn't recognize him and mistook him for a battalion commander.

"General, General Model has sent a message asking when we will arrive. He says their troops are about to begin preparing for the attack."

Hearing the messenger say this, Guderian couldn't help but smile. Model was clearly "provoking" him, wanting to see who could get to the opening of the encirclement first.

“Tell General Model that our troops will definitely arrive ahead of them.” Guderian waved his hand. “Instruct the troops to speed up; we must devour this big dumpling.”

Along the way, besides the advancing troops, there were also many civilians fleeing. This was a war zone, about to become the front line of the war, and there were many citizens scrambling to escape. You could see quite a few of them along the way.

"General Guderian has ordered that the Three Main Rules of Discipline and the Eight Points for Attention be strictly observed, and that harassment of fleeing civilians is strictly prohibited!"

The order was passed down, and although most of the refugees were Prussians, Guderian strictly forbade his troops from harassing or looting these citizens. This was not just Guderian's order, but the order of the entire revolutionary government.

The Three Main Rules of Discipline and the Eight Points for Attention were Thorne's modified version of the German military, in which he hoped that the National People's Army would become a truly revolutionary force.

Without harassing the citizens of Prussia, the revolutionary government did not rely solely on violence to win; it also aimed to demonstrate to the German people what made this regime different.

The advancing troops would automatically disperse when they encountered fleeing civilians, and some would even put their canned goods on the large carts they were pulling, since they didn't need much of these things anyway. After taking Höldenhagen, the Rhineland would be stuffed with dumplings.

Ludendorff's army had already left Hödenhagen and was on its way to Bremen. Guderian and Model were both on forced marches and had not rested for a moment. They arrived in Hödenhagen almost simultaneously. The garrison there never dreamed that the Rhine troops could attack.

When the news arrived, the Prussian troops had already marched to Felden, and now the army faced four paths.

The first option is to attack Bremen at any cost; the second is to break through Rothenburg and return to Hamburg; the third is to launch a strong attack on Ningburg and retreat to Hannover; the fourth is to turn around and launch a strong attack, and drive back to Höldenhagen.

Or there's another option: wait in Felden for further instructions and see what Ludendorff's plans are...

434. Whose main artery was severed?

Ludendorff's campaign was the largest in the west. The general plan was a modified version of Manstein's plan, which aimed to concentrate a large army to break through Bremen and disrupt the northern defenses of the Rhine.

If the northern Rhine defenses are destroyed, Prussia can disrupt the entire war, and then there will be a lot of room for maneuver. This is the only chance to turn the tide, so it's no wonder that Ludendorff is putting in so much effort.

With so many people transferred from Hamburg and Hanover, Ludendorff was certain that Rhineland wouldn't be able to react in time; previously, the situation here had mainly been one of standoff.

Ludendorff set up an absolute defensive line, and the two sides faced off for a long time. Ludendorff was certain that the Rhine could not react to his sudden attack, but in reality, Prussia had already been infiltrated by the Rhine and turned into a sieve.

Rheinland actually knew about this operation from the beginning, otherwise he wouldn't have been in such a hurry to reinforce Rothenburg and Ningburg.

The Prussian army seemed poised to crush the Rhine, but in reality, the Rhine deliberately let them in, waiting for them to walk right into their trap, and they foolishly walked right in.

Ludwig led this force, which carried the hopes of Prussia, from Hödenhagen. They encountered little resistance along the way and were practically on a "picnic" towards Bremen.

This is actually quite strange, because Bremen is also a major border town of the Rhine, especially after the start of the war, its status should be similar to that of Hanover.

If you say that the Rhine didn't react in time and moved all its troops to the rear to defend Flanders Wallonia, is that looking down on the Rhine or on Prussia? After fighting Prussia back and forth for so long, how could the Rhine be so scared by a mere Flanders?

Ludwig took out his binoculars. This was a rare "great victory" since Hess. The Prussian army had once again stepped into the Rhineland, its advance aimed directly at Bremen.

"This is a turning point in the war, and the Empire will remember us."

Putting down his binoculars and watching the advancing soldiers, Ludwig felt a sense of pride. The military had been making a fuss for so long, but no one had managed to achieve anything worthwhile. Look at them, they're about to reach Bremen.

Those old marshals in the military headquarters argue every day; when they actually get to the front lines, they're probably not as capable as a general like him.

The Prussian army had just captured Felden, and Ludwig stood in front of a road sign that read "15 kilometers from Achim" and "35 kilometers from Bremen," which to Ludwig it seemed like they were within easy reach.

"Gentlemen, do you know what this means?"

Ludwig picked up the military knife hanging at his waist, pointed at the road sign, and smiled.

"The capture of Felden means that I have severed the Rhine's lifeline, and their northern defenses are doomed."

Ludwig laughed heartily, and his adjutants, seeing how happy he was, also laughed along. How could they not laugh when their leader was laughing?

Ludwig and several officers stood next to the road sign, and the photographers below quickly came up to take pictures. This was a "great strategic turning point," and this moment had to be recorded.

Ludwig and several officers were laughing and taking pictures, all looking very happy. But Manstein couldn't feel happy at all.

Everything's going so smoothly now, it almost smells like a conspiracy. How could Rhine's reaction be so slow? Was he really terrified by the poison gas? How could that be?

When Hess and Rhein fought, Manstein had been studying the opponent's tactics. The key to their army's strength was speed; their army was highly mobile, so much so that Prussia had no time to react.

But the Rhine army, known as the Lightning, is performing so sluggishly. The Prussian army is about to reach Bremen, and they have not yet encountered any decent resistance.

Did they really move all their troops to the west to defend against Flanders? Are Flanders that powerful?

Manstein felt uneasy. He sensed a conspiracy and felt as if a pair of eyes were watching him from behind.

"General, should we observe the situation? Our attack is going too smoothly. The Rhine army shouldn't be reacting so slowly; this isn't like them."

Manstein subtly reminded Ludwig that he should be careful, as the Rhine might be plotting something. If so many troops were to perish here, Prussia would only have two options: retreat to Eastern Europe or flee to Africa.

"What, Lieutenant Colonel Manstein, are you questioning the Marshal's plan?"

Although Manstein and Hindenburg were related, Ludendorff now held real power, so Manstein's position was still very awkward.

"The attack on Bremen was the Marshal's plan. The fact that we've had such a smooth journey proves that the Marshal's plan is perfect, doesn't it? Lieutenant Colonel Manstein, don't think the enemy is too strong. Be bolder."

Manstein's suggestion was shut down by Ludwig's few words, leaving him speechless. He could only sigh, hoping that he was overthinking things and that Rhein had truly lost his mind.

However, the probability of that was too small. Compared to that, Manstein preferred to believe that Hess had regained power, which was more realistic and reliable.

The worst fears came true. The troops hadn't advanced for long when news came from behind that their retreat was blocked and Höldenhagen had been captured by the Rhine.

"Rhineland troops? What Rhineland troops?!"

Ludwig felt a little dizzy. Where did this army come from? They hadn't encountered any Rhineland troops along the way, so how did they suddenly end up behind them?

"Quick, bring me the map!"

Ludwig quickly opened the map and began to look at it. The more he looked, the more alarmed he became. Their rear had been cut off, and they were now surrounded.

The armies of Hanover and Hamburg certainly wouldn't be able to save them in time; they were just heroes of Prussia, and now they're about to face a military court.

Attack or retreat, or break through? Now it's time to make a choice, and this choice is too difficult. There are four options, and choosing the wrong one means certain death.

"General, let's break through."

When Manstein learned that his army's rear had been cut off, he immediately realized it was a trap. He guessed that there were many people waiting for them in Bremen. Now, all they had to do was break out and at least preserve their lives.

“The Rhine has cut off our retreat, so Bremen must have made preparations. If we attack Bremen now, we are likely to be attacked from both sides. If we retreat, the troops lying in ambush in Bremen are very likely to rush out and surround us.”

“We hadn’t heard any news before, which means that the Rhine army attacked from Ningburg and Rothenburg. They started from here and have now surrounded our rear. Their flanks must be very weak, so we still have a chance to break through.”

Manstein suggested retreating towards Hanover, even though Hamburg is closer. However, the north is Rhineland-occupied territory, and while they know that escaping to Hamburg is closer, Rhineland certainly knows as well, and there might be some ambush in the north. So, they should rush south, since Rhineland cannot deploy heavy troops on both sides; they don't have that many men.

Manstein immediately voiced his opinion to Ludwig, but what happened next infuriated him. He actually ordered the troops to stop and wait for Ludendorff's orders, just to avoid taking the blame.

This was a multiple-choice question. Manstein eliminated three of the four options (A, B, C, D) for him, but this guy actually chose E, which Manstein then thoroughly investigated.

No matter how he explained, Ludwig simply wouldn't take action. Manstein couldn't persuade him at all and only hoped that Ludwig would allow him to retreat with a portion of his troops. Ludwig was eager for someone to take the blame, so he immediately agreed. If Manstein's entire army was wiped out, then the blame on his head would be less.

After receiving approval, Manstein acted immediately. Although he could only bring out a small portion of the troops, it was better than not being able to bring them out at all.

Manstein immediately gave the order for the troops to break out of the encirclement and head towards Hanover. This group of soldiers became the only legion to escape the encirclement.

435. Why is the general laughing?

"All troops, speed up! We absolutely cannot let them escape!"

Guderian and Model issued the order almost simultaneously, and tanks and armored vehicles charged forward at full speed.

Unlike the Prussian government, which had been thoroughly infiltrated by the Rhine, the Rhine's intelligence work was quite reliable, especially after the Rhine became a republic, the Gestapo's subversion work in Berlin went very smoothly.

This is why Ludendorff was so confident in ordering his troops to advance; the enemy was in the command post.

If the armies of Hanover and Hamburg remain holed up in the cities, it will be quite difficult for Rhine to fight them. Rhine's current strength lies in mobile warfare, taking out strongholds one by one. Although they can take them down, it is still quite a tough battle.

Ludendorff was never quite clear about Rhine's specific plans. After a victory, he believed that Rhine's main force was not in this area, but rather in the west dealing with Flanders or the Commune.

Ludendorff is still unaware that the Rhine and the Commune are practically in cahoots. He still fantasizes that the Commune might be putting pressure on the Rhine from one side, holding back the more than 100,000 soldiers on the Rhine border.

Rheinland's intelligence deception made Ludendorff, a usually cautious and prudent general, act aggressively for once, which ultimately determined the course of the entire war.

At a single command, tens of thousands of troops set off from Ningbao and Rothenburg. Due to their rapid pace, the vanguard troops even became separated from the following troops.

This was extremely dangerous. If even one person in the Prussian army had realized this, the encirclement and annihilation operation would have been ruined.

Guderian couldn't care less about all that. On the battlefield, opportunity was the most important thing. Once a good opportunity was missed, no matter how safe the strategy was, the war would not be won. If the troops were out of sync, so be it. Tank units and armored grenadiers would lead the charge. These were the troops that Guderian relied on the most. As long as they could keep up, that would be fine.

Once the speed picks up, the people in the vehicles suffer, especially since these trucks are overloaded. On roads with poor conditions, the trucks bump into each other, and the soldiers bump into each other slightly. If they weren't wearing helmets, the soldiers inside would probably all have concussions.

"Five kilometers to go! Just five kilometers left!"