German Red Prince

Page 198

During World War I, Belgium and Germany fought fiercely in Liège. Belgium's 40,000 troops held off more than 100,000 German troops for nearly two weeks.

Liège now has over 50,000 troops deployed, mostly Prussian soldiers, and the Rhineland-Palatinate International Brigades on the other side don't even have 50,000 men. They occupied the area in less than five days.

Perhaps because the Germans had completely demolished the Liege fortress, the Western Front was essentially over after the fall of Liege.

During the Great War, Belgium captured Levante and surrendered without a fight four days later. Flanders probably wouldn't need four days, no wonder Adalbert ran away so quickly.

The battalions of the International Brigades were full of confidence, and the Walloon uprising forces, aided by the French Commune, were even more powerful. The flames of uprising on the border quickly spread to the entire Walloon region.

The surrender of Flanders was a foregone conclusion; all that remained was to continue the journey.

The Rhine Revolutionary Army left a deep impression on Arahan; its fighting strength and combat quality were unmatched by the Flemish army.

The Flemish army was virtually powerless against the Rhine revolutionary army.

If it weren't for the Prussian army's defenses on the other side, they might have taken Levant in less than five days.

"Look, everyone! King Adalbert of Flanders has abdicated, handing the throne to King Abel I of Belgium. These old feudal nobles, who used to be eager to become emperor, are now getting rid of this hot potato."

A cheerful atmosphere filled the air as a group of soldiers from the Rhine and International Brigades huddled together, reading the news in the newspaper. Adalbert had fled north in panic, leaving Flanders Wallonia leaderless. A group of officers began clamoring for peace, but it wasn't that easy. If they were going to fight, they would fight until complete victory.

"I really don't know if Abel I will come back to take on this hot potato. I'm actually hoping he can come back to be king; that would be more interesting."

After capturing Liège, everyone seemed quite pleased. The ensuing war was more like a spring outing. Flanders Wallonia didn't have many troops to begin with. The significance of such a deformed country was that it served as a buffer zone between Germany and France. Germany was right next door, so they didn't need many soldiers.

According to the previous plan, once Germany and France went to war, German troops could quickly enter Flanders and Svalbard with the help of convenient transportation. At the time of the war, Belgium still had more than 100,000 standing troops. Now, it would be difficult to muster 100,000 at most. Adalbert's declaration of war was completely unprepared strategically. The Battle of Liège wiped out nearly half of their forces.

"Liberate Brussels! Carry the revolution through to the end!"

Only by taking Flanders can Germany and France truly unite on one side, thus completely uniting the revolutionary forces. The International Brigades performed exceptionally well in Flanders.

Although when this unit first arrived, the Rhine government only intended for them to serve as "mascots" for Franco-German reconciliation, the Battle of Flanders allowed this unit to truly participate in the German revolution. After the liberation of Liège, all soldiers of the International Brigades were awarded the Order of Friendship by the Rhine Revolutionary Government.

Arahan originally thought he would fight his way to Brussels with the main force, then cross the border into Wallonia to return home. Many soldiers in the International Brigades thought the same way. However, in order to further resolve the conflict between the two countries, the Rhine government has now formally invited the International Brigades to liberate Berlin together.

"Berlin is not only the center of oppression of the German people, but also the center of oppression of the people of the world. The liberation of Berlin marks the disintegration of imperialist hegemony. This liberation is not only the liberation of the German people, but also the liberation of the people of the world. Here we invite the fighters of the International Brigades to join the revolutionary forces of the Rhineland in liberating Berlin!"

A personal letter from General Secretary Thallmann was delivered to the front lines. Upon hearing its contents, the International Brigades soldiers showed no disappointment; instead, their eyes lit up. Liberate Berlin? They could liberate Berlin? This was an incredible event.

Compared to Brussels, it was clear that Berlin was the target. Berlin was the place that all French soldiers longed for; who wouldn't want to liberate it?

This most reactionary bunker was able to participate in the battle to liberate Berlin. This honor is such that even if he died on the way to liberation, he would certainly be carried into the martyrs' cemetery when he returned to France, and his name would probably be recorded in future history books.

Who could resist the temptation of having their own page in the family tree? So after reading the letter, all the International Brigades soldiers cheered.

Long live the revolution! Long live Franco-German friendship!

The road to Brussels has been cleared, and the work can continue without the International Brigades. Their departure will not cause any changes on the Western Front. It was these considerations that made Thallman and his men feel at ease allowing the International Brigades to be withdrawn.

Because they were going to liberate Berlin, everyone acted quickly, and they were all packed up in one afternoon. They boarded the train and headed to the front lines. Although they were getting further and further away from their homeland, they were getting closer and closer to the revolution.

The International Brigades were to return to Cologne from Liège and then head towards Hanover. Guderian was currently deploying defenses in Hanover, where the garrison had previously been very lenient, and the remaining soldiers surrendered with almost no resistance. When Guderian stormed in, they didn't even come out; they were simply waiting to surrender in their camps.

It's obvious from any perspective that both the people and the army in Prussia are highly weary of war. After two administrations failed to win, who would want to continue fighting?

Bavaria has already surrendered, and Prussia has only managed a few sporadic victories on the front lines. The Rhine army is getting closer and closer to Berlin, and it looks like they're going to lose no matter what. So why fight? We're all in the same boat anyway, so who can't take the lead?

The vast majority of people thought this way, but the nobles and capitalists did not. With the precedent of the French Revolution before them, they were also afraid of being hung on a lamppost. Now, those who were fully supporting the Prussian war were just a few large German companies, along with a group of nobles following behind.

The French Revolution was a one-step process, directly hanging capitalists and transitioning to socialism. However, the situations in different countries are different. To be on the safe side, Thorne decided to take a two-step approach. The Socialist Labor Party in the Rhineland had already provided a good model, and after the liberation of all of Germany, there would be a reference for the subsequent work.

Unlike Hess, whose base was in Prussia, Ludendorff's base was in Eastern Europe. Therefore, he dared not put too much pressure on Eastern Europe, because if he pushed them to the brink, he would have no way out. If he did not exploit Eastern Europe too much, Germany would certainly suffer.

Now, with the civil war raging, Prussia's resources have come almost entirely from Eastern Europe. Hess had desperately exploited Eastern Europe to win the war, so the country was still well-supplied. However, since Ludendorff took power, the situation in the country has deteriorated. The war had yielded no results, and the country was being chased and attacked. Meanwhile, the supplies received in the rear were becoming increasingly perfunctory.

When Hess was in power, Prussian citizens could still afford meat, but now they basically eat carrots and beans every day. This old hero of World War I has a lower approval rating than that Cairo beggar.

Adalbert's defection dealt a significant blow to Prussian morale. For him personally, it was a very wise choice, but from the perspective of the overall war situation, it was a very bad one. However, his defection also gave the people of Berlin some insights.

Ludendorff suffered repeated defeats at the front, and defeat was only a matter of time. Some of them did not want to surrender to the Rhine, nor did they want to flee to Eastern Europe with Ludendorff, as Europe would not be safe in the future. They were unwilling to give up and wanted to make a comeback. There was only one way out: to learn from France and flee to Africa with Wilhelm II.

Wilhelm II is now completely sidelined, but he is the legal authority, the legitimate ruler. As long as the officer corps holds the reins, they are the righteous ones.

Another plan was quietly brewing in Berlin: this coup would not overthrow Ludendorff, but instead take Wilhelm II and flee to Africa.

446. Died with shame

Following the Kiel uprising, Rommel led his army quickly toward Lübeck, completely blocking Prussia's sea routes.

After occupying Lübeck, the Schleswig region was completely surrounded, and its liberation was only a matter of time.

The uprising in Kiel was quite successful. The uprising organized by Heydrich there provided ample manpower and greatly aided Rommel's attack on Lübeck.

With uprisings taking place in Hamburg and Kiel, Heydrich and Pieck had successfully completed their mission and returned to Frankfurt. These two men had made invaluable contributions on the covert front of this war.

Heydrich had already become a close confidant of the person in charge; if he had continued to lie low for a few more years, he probably would have really become the boss.

Heydrich and Pieck both completed their missions. In Prussia, there was still the most fatal nail in the Rhine's coffin. The Rhine planted the last nail in Berlin, which was also the nail that sealed the coffin of German imperialism.

"According to Adolf's message, Berlin is in chaos. The political stability following Ludendorff's seizure of power has been broken after the collapse of Prussia's northern defenses."

"The main force that overthrew Hess was not Ludendorff. Field Marshal Mackensen is still under house arrest, and those involved are also imprisoned. After the defenses collapsed, Ludendorff showed signs of relinquishing power, and the number of people in contact with Field Marshal Mackensen gradually increased."

"Ludendorff does not want to take responsibility for the defeat in the war. He is now actively looking for a way out. The morale of Prussia is wavering. Now is an excellent opportunity for us to press our advantage."

Rhineland is already thinking about how to fight the final battle, while Prussia has set up a "long snake formation" to strike at the heart of the matter. The time for the final battle that will decide their fate is getting closer and closer.

With the northern defenses collapsed and now Schleswig lost, even a fool should think about what to do next.

Ludendorff was looking for a way out. He knew that Rhine wanted a complete victory and that any ceasefire was impossible, so he started putting on an act again, trying to "step down."

The old marshal wanted to hand over power to Hindenburg and retire to the background, but Hindenburg was no fool. He wouldn't relinquish power when things were going well, but he wanted me to fight when things were going badly.

Hindenburg declined the invitations multiple times due to health reasons, and eventually disappeared altogether, staying at home to recuperate.

When internal problems became unsuccessful, Ludendorff turned his attention to other people. Mackensen had been under house arrest by Ludendorff, and if Ludendorff hadn't interfered, Mackensen would likely be the leader of Prussia by now.

Ludendorff, eager to extricate himself from the political arena, treated Mackensen better and better, and whenever things went wrong, he would immediately entrust him with the important task of defending Prussia.

Flanders has now surrendered; after the battle of Liège, Flanders' surrender was a foregone conclusion.

Especially after Adalbert fled, the officers who remained in Brussels didn't even bother to come and negotiate.

These people cursed Adalbert, that dog of a king, in their hearts. "You ran away without even telling us. What are we going to do now that you've run away?"

The nobles who remained in Brussels were busy packing their bags and no one paid any attention to the advancing Rhine army. The officers were busy running away, so why should the soldiers risk their lives?

They basically offered no resistance along the way, and some Flemish soldiers just stood there with their guns, watching the Rhine army march forward.

The Luxembourg army was very excited. They had succeeded in their battle with the royalists. Abel I, Adalbert, had signed the abdication decree. Would the old king dare to return?

With the Walloon uprising gaining momentum and the French providing support, these insurgents and the Rhine army victoriously joined forces in Brussels.

Because Adalbert intervened in the war, Flanders Wallonia became the first country in continental Europe to complete a revolution after the war.

The successful liberation of Flanders and the unification of the entire socialist region marked the complete failure of Ludendorff's strategy of attacking from both the east and the west, and essentially brought Ludendorff's political career to an end.

Despite suffering repeated defeats on the front lines, Ludendorff had at least served as a dictator for a period of time, and the power of the entire Prussian government remained firmly in his hands.

This was the first time Ludendorff had stepped out of his little houses since seizing power; if he didn't go out and explore now, he might never have the chance again.

Berlin is more than 250 kilometers away from the Rhineland and the Prussian front lines. It's unknown how many days it will take for the Rhineland to attack.

"Everyone knows about His Majesty Adalbert's matter, right?"

Ludendorff rarely went out, but this time he led a group of people around Berlin, and there wasn't a single person to be seen outside.

Although the Rhinelanders were still more than 200 kilometers away from Berlin, who knew when they would attack? Which Berliner still believed the battle reports from headquarters? The reports said that the "ghost army" that had been surrounded and annihilated was still fighting the Rhinelanders on the front lines.

No one spoke; they just looked at each other. Adalbert had fled. He was Wilhelm II's son. If His Majesty found out...

“I have already told His Majesty about this.”

After hearing Ludendorff's words, everyone was speechless. He told His Majesty? What's His Majesty's condition? He's in such a bad state; telling Wilhelm II this would only infuriate him.

"We have failed, everyone. I don't need to hide it from you anymore. Flanders has surrendered, the northern defenses have collapsed, and our strategy against the Rhine has completely failed."

Ludendorff readily admitted his defeat, and this self-criticism was issued very suddenly; no one expected the old marshal to "blame himself."

"If Berlin falls one day, I will have no choice but to die in battle beneath the Brandenburg Gate to report to the Emperor and the people. Do you think I must be heartbroken at this moment? No, I am overwhelmed with grief. I know I will die without a proper burial!"

Faced with this impassioned and tearful speech, the generals who were following him were speechless. If they really felt guilty, they should go to the front line instead of talking here.

If it becomes unbearable, Prussia still has an army. They should hurry to the front lines and fight again. At that time, they can regain some of the old marshal's reputation. Ludendorff's two dictatorships have completely ruined his reputation as a war hero.

After leading these military commanders on a stroll in front of the Brandenburg Gate for a while, Ludendorff perhaps realized that he was powerless to reverse the situation and began to make arrangements for his funeral.

Manstein was the only one to return with troops, and with the battle situation becoming increasingly tense, Ludendorff promoted him again.

Manstein was promoted to the rank of major general and became the commander of the Berlin garrison, in charge of the subsequent defense of Berlin.

Ludendorff also relinquished a large portion of his command authority, and Rundstedt was promoted to general and appointed as the chief of staff. Previously, Ludendorff had held this position concurrently, and the meaning behind his relinquishment is self-evident.

Because of the large number of soldiers conscripted from Eastern Europe to fight in Germany, the situation in Eastern Europe is now very bad. Thorne's previous color revolution actions have now been effective, and riots have broken out in many areas.

Belarusiania, Ukraine, and Poland are all important areas for grain requisition. Now, due to the reduction of troop deployments, the Red Partisans have begun operations, causing extensive damage to transportation.

The Baltic states have had a large number of soldiers withdrawn. Russia is currently politically unstable, and Kerensky could step down at any time. If a dictator comes to power, they will certainly retaliate against Germany, and the drained Eastern European countries would be a perfect target.

Given the current situation, Ludendorff has no choice but to leave. Losing Prussia is not a big deal; he can make a comeback after unifying Eastern Europe.

447. Escape

"Hang him! Hang him!"

Wilhelm II struggled desperately, but was forcibly held down by a group of people. A thick rope was put around his neck, and as the rope tightened, the footrest suddenly came off. Cheers erupted around him, and people holding torches and rifles shouted. In despair and suffocation, Wilhelm closed his eyes.

He suddenly woke up, realizing it was just a dream. Wilhelm II wiped the sweat from his brow. Ever since learning of Adalbert's escape, Wilhelm II had been having frequent dreams about it.

On the one hand, he was very pleased that his son had escaped, at least he hadn't died at the hands of those Red mobs. On the other hand, Wilhelm II was furious. His son was a coward who had actually run away during the enemy's attack. He should have died in Brussels, that would have been more like a member of the Hohenzollern family.

Despite these thoughts, William, who had countless nightmares, was now also thinking about how to escape. The rebels in the west were getting closer and closer, advancing towards Berlin little by little. The Prussian army, which William II was so proud of, was now suffering defeat after defeat, retreating again and again. He really couldn't understand what had happened during the time he was unconscious, that caused his thousand-year-old empire to collapse overnight.

If those communist elements were to reach Berlin, they would certainly not fare well. Tsarist Russia and France were examples of what would happen. They were getting closer and closer. Wilhelm II naturally knew this. He could not stay in Berlin and wait to die. The world order established by Germany could not collapse completely in an instant. It was a slow process. Besides Germany, he could go to many other places.

However, Wilhelm II certainly couldn't go to Canada like Adalbert. He was different. Wilhelm II was the ruler of Germany, which was his capital. With this authority, he had to have the ambition to make a comeback. If he couldn't stay in Berlin, Wilhelm II would go to the empire's largest colony, Africa, to make a comeback.

Although Central Africa has never been subservient to the monarchy, they don't believe that William would just ignore it if he went there. Moreover, if the rebels in the west were to win, how could they possibly let Africa go? They're all in the same boat; the red rebels will eventually march on Africa. William's presence could give them legitimacy, and if the counterattack succeeds, these people might even be able to turn their lives around.

From the time of Hess to the time of Ludendorff, Wilhelm II was effectively under house arrest. Given his status, no one dared to touch him. He was confined to the palace, and although he could know what was happening outside, he could do nothing about it.

Moreover, he knew that he had been placed on the Rhine's list of war criminals, even though he hadn't done anything wrong. He was even unconscious during the civil war, so how did he become a war criminal after all this time?

Ludendorff's surveillance of William was even stricter than Hess's, but now, due to the successive defeats on the front lines, Ludendorff himself was already planning to flee, and William II's seemingly poor health had reduced the surveillance on him considerably.

In Berlin today, everyone is thinking about how to get out of trouble. Those with connections are using them, and those without are looking for a way out. Nobody is paying any attention to this German emperor.

Wilhelm II could no longer stay in Berlin, and he had to flee. Although he was sidelined, this did not mean that Wilhelm was alone. Given his status, there were always some forces that needed to rely on him.

Schulteheim has managed to evade several rounds of purges thanks to his flexible stance, but now he has to make a choice quickly. He can't just stay in Berlin and wait to die, can he?

Ludendorff's side is definitely out of the question. He started his career in Eastern Europe, and even if I went there, I would definitely be ostracized. He is not part of Ludendorff's faction, but rather someone close to William. This means that if Stroheim wants to leave successfully, he must find a way through William.

If he could get Wilhelm II out of the palace, he would have the merit of "helping the emperor rise to power" and might even be able to climb the ranks further. From Wilhelm II's perspective, Stroheim was now a perfect opportunity. Ludendorff's surveillance of the palace was becoming increasingly lax, and he could send Stroheim out to make some contacts to see if there were any like-minded friends who wanted to run away together.

The first person that comes to mind is undoubtedly Field Marshal Mackensen. Witzleben and Kluge's initial coup attempt was almost successful; they wanted to put Mackensen on the throne. Given Mackensen's relationship with Wilhelm II, if they had succeeded, they might have been able to "restore power," and the situation might not be as bad as it is now.

Witzleben and Kruger are currently imprisoned by Ludendorff, and Mackensen is also under house arrest in effect. However, Ludendorff, who is in a hurry to escape, has relaxed his restrictions on them. Witzleben and Kruger, who were originally sentenced to several years in prison, have now been released and are still under house arrest, which is equivalent to serving their sentences at home.

As for Mackensen, Ludendorff is now trying to persuade the old marshal to return to command. However, given the current situation, he's not stupid; otherwise, Ludendorff wouldn't have handed over command to Lundstätter.

Stroheim became the mediator between Wilhelm II and the Junker nobles who were unwilling to submit to Ludendorff. If he wanted to go to Africa, Wilhelm II also needed to unite a force, otherwise he would be sidelined in Africa. Pétain took tens of thousands of troops with him when he fled to Africa. Wilhelm might not be able to take that many, but he could still take a group of military generals.

Some traditional Junker nobles were still willing to unite around the old emperor. Africa was indeed the best choice besides Eastern Europe, even better than Eastern Europe. It was far from Europe and did not border Germany, so they could develop in peace for a period of time without worrying about being swept away by the revolutionary army.

To avoid being hanged or forced to become a lumberjack in the Netherlands, William needed to quickly unite a group of officers. Mackensen was the leader of the Junker officers, and winning over this marshal meant winning over the Junker nobility.

This was their only chance to escape. The wealthy businessmen in Berlin now clearly realized that the entire war had been lost. The Rhine revolutionary army had occupied Hanover and Hamburg, and now they had blockaded Lübeck. The seemingly solid "long line" defense was completely ineffective. The Rhine could easily destroy this line of defense, just as they had destroyed the northern line.

The Rhine's occupation of Lübeck has complicated the evacuation process, requiring several transit points before a successful departure from Europe. However, given the "friendship" between the royal families, the evacuation should only be complicated, at least there's no need to worry about not being able to escape.

Central Africa was Germany's last chance to turn things around, and Wilhelm had to control it. Otherwise, the German Empire, which had worked so hard for so long, would be destroyed in his hands. How could he face his ancestors then?

Even though William's physical condition is now very bad, he firmly believes that he can achieve final victory. After all, he is a man who has won a great war.

Rhine launched a sustained attack on Ludendorff's one-line defense. Ludendorff had almost finished his work and was preparing to leave Berlin to command remotely. Wilhelm also had to leave now, using Africa's abundant resources to reclaim his territory.

448. Lone Commander

"Colonel Manstein, oh no, it should be Major General Manstein now."

An officer walked in and congratulated Manstein. From colonel to major general, it seemed like a promotion, but crossing that threshold was no easy feat. Some people could only ever reach the rank of colonel.