German Red Prince

Page 182

However, out of fear, the Rhine, Prussia, and Bavaria had all been spreading propaganda demonizing other kingdoms, albeit to varying degrees. Hanjana couldn't guarantee that all her armies were as disciplined as that one, nor could she guarantee that war wouldn't break out here again. So she left the front lines and came to Berlin, thinking that everything would be alright here. But not long after she arrived, she heard a huge explosion.

Having lived in the war zone for some time, Hanjana was now in a state of readiness. She quickly hid under the table. Was there an explosion in Berlin? Had the Kingdom of the Rhine attacked so quickly?

The soldiers received Witzleben's order and quickly drove away the pedestrians on the street. These pedestrians knew that something bad must have happened, and they were all in a hurry to go home, afraid of getting into trouble. The soldiers' actions went very smoothly and were not hindered. The street was successfully blocked.

"The National National Party has fallen into chaos. They are killing each other and dragging Germany into hell. The National National Party and the SA have seriously harmed the interests of the German Empire, causing serious political and territorial divisions within the Empire. By order of His Majesty Wilhelm, we hereby declare the dissolution of the National National Party from government control, the termination of all legal rights of the National National Party within the country, and the declaration of the party as illegal."

"The government will be temporarily taken over by the military. General Mackensen has been appointed as the commander-in-chief of the army. This is a direct order from His Majesty Wilhelm. We must save Germany from these madmen!"

Witzlerben and Kluge inspired their men. At this moment, a grand drama was about to unfold in Berlin. The Berlin army, Hess's army, the SA, and Ludendorff's confidants would all begin to act on this chessboard.

The most bewildered person in this Berlin upheaval was probably Mackensen. He was sitting at home when his military rank fell from the sky, and he inexplicably became the Commander-in-Chief of the Army.

Witzleben and Kluge, using Mackensen's name, did indeed win over many conservatives in the military. The office phone rang incessantly, and Witzleben stood in front of the map, anxiously watching the progress of the matter.

"Colonel, the Fifth Battalion has sealed off the streets."

"The 18th Battalion announces its joining us."

"The 7th Battalion is mobilizing."

The current situation is excellent, so smooth that it's almost unbelievable to Kluge and Witzlerben. However, they don't stop there. They know that this coup must be carried out in one fell swoop, before they can catch their breath.

"Immediately send a telegram to the troops, ordering them to go to the SA headquarters and arrest all the SA's high-ranking officers. Also, send another group to the National National Party headquarters to purge the rebels there. We have enough evidence that the National National Party has coerced Crown Prince William and is plotting against His Majesty William."

"I will personally lead the rest of the men to the palace! We will rescue His Majesty the King from these rebels!"

The army under Witzlerben's command was not a rabble like the stormtroopers; it was a regular army of a country, so the troops were also equipped with tanks, which were brought out.

"Send all these rebels to heaven!"

The entire tank force was deployed; their aim was to sever Hess's lifeline.

Hess was completely unaware of the army's actions; he was busy preparing to deal with the stormtroopers. Racing against time, Sternas finally arrived at his camp and immediately mobilized the stormtroopers, not only his own stormtroopers but also other troops.

"Comrades! We are now at our most critical moment! This is a moment of life and death for the SA! We have shed blood and sweat for the Party, but that Hess! He has actually colluded with the army to try to eliminate us and wipe us out! The SA building just exploded! Most of our cadres were injured in the explosion! Hess wants to eliminate us in one fell swoop! He wants to compromise with the army! Can we agree to this!"

The stormtroopers, unaware of the truth, still believed him. Firstly, there were already quite a few people in the stormtroopers who opposed Hess. Secondly, they had clearly heard the explosion. When Sternas came over and said this, they had no choice but to believe him, even if there was only a 10% chance that it was true. If Hess really succeeded, they would be finished.

The stormtroopers were quickly mobilized and rushed toward the explosion site. Since Hess was ruthless, they shouldn't be blamed for being unjust.

Hess was not unprepared. In addition to the elite armored forces under Stroheim, he also had the SS, which he had trained within the party. This force was created to replace the SA and was absolutely loyal and reliable.

The telegraph room was in complete chaos. The Berlin staff had no idea why they were so busy today. Soon, Schultehertz received two completely contradictory orders.

"Proceed immediately to the meeting location and eliminate the stormtroopers—Hess."

"Proceed immediately to the National National Party building and apprehend the rebels—Army Commander-in-Chief Mackensen."

Both orders reached Stroheim, and as a rising star in the Berlin army, it was clearly time for him to choose sides.

One wrong move can lead to a series of mistakes. Although Stroheim agrees with the National Party's propositions, he is not stupid when it comes to matters of principle, and he naturally understands the stakes involved.

This force was founded by His Majesty William, so His Majesty William is now the only one who can give orders to Stroheim.

"What should we do?"

"Do not move."

Stroheim burned both telegrams, choosing not to take sides and waiting for the other side to gain the upper hand before stepping in.

"But......"

"But what? I'm the commander!"

Stroheim knew, of course, that there were many National Party members in this army, but were these people really under Hess's command? Although young, Stroheim was quite capable, and no matter how many National Party members were in the army, he could always keep this force firmly under his control.

Hess will never see the elite troops he longs for. Everyone is clear about right and wrong in the face of major issues. He can only wait for the last SS that is loyal to him.

"Damn it! He dared to betray me!"

Hess was unaware of what was happening in Berlin. He believed that Schultehertz was simply watching him and the SA clash so he could profit from the conflict, completely unaware that the army had already begun raiding the party headquarters.

"Hess!"

Sternas saw Hess's troops and angrily shouted out, and the two forces clashed head-on, beginning a fierce battle.

On Witzleben's side, the army's operation was very successful. They were fighting fiercely and had no idea that the army had already started raiding their base. At the stormtroopers' camp and the National Party building, fully armed soldiers rushed off trucks. Some officers and officials tried to resist but were shot down. This was a coup, and it was a contest of who was more ruthless. There was absolutely no room for mercy.

Inside the National Party's headquarters, the people were still putting up a last-ditch effort, firing outwards from the building to organize their soldiers to approach. Seeing that the soldiers hadn't been able to break in after so long, the tank units decided to stop them and raised their guns.

"fire!"

Although the caliber was not large, the simultaneous firing of four tanks still brought enough impact to the building. After firing several shots, the troops then began to fire machine guns at the building.

"Charge in! Anyone who resists will be executed on the spot!"

Witzlerben led his elite troops straight towards the palace. What was the state of Wilhelm II? No one knew. The emperor hadn't shown his face for so long; they didn't know if he was dead or alive. They had to find out.

"What are you doing! Are you all crazy?!"

Crown Prince William was quite frightened by the sight of the army gathering in front of the kingdom. The palace guards were few in number and could hardly withstand such an attack.

"This is an act of treason!"

"Crown Prince, what is the state of His Majesty? The National Party is dragging Germany into the abyss. We must have Emperor Wilhelm's leadership to expel Hess."

"You are rebelling!"

"No, a soldier's duty is to protect his country."

Witzlerben's tone left no room for argument; he completely ignored William's orders and led his men into the palace.

"Everyone, take over the defense of the palace."

The guards present did not dare to move and let these people rush in. Crown Prince William's face was very ugly at this time. He was furious. He was about to succeed. How could this happen?

Witzelben rushed into the palace. This was the closest he had ever come to the truth. His Majesty the Emperor's room was just ahead. Once he pushed open the door, he would know what was going on.

His heart pounded, and after taking a deep breath, Witzelben opened the door.

Inside was the German Emperor, the most powerful man in the world. He was lying on the bed, emaciated, as if he were dead. However, Witzlerben did not smell anything unusual. It was obvious that their emperor was still alive, just unconscious.

"You must guard the house and protect the kingdom thoroughly!"

Witzlerben closed the door. He had to leave immediately to fetch Mackensen. He was ecstatic. Yes, they had succeeded, they had succeeded... had they?

An old man from East Prussia had already set off; Emperor Wilhelm's shackles were like child's play; the last mastermind was finally about to make his appearance.

401. The Tragic Life of Wilhelm II

Sternas was blinded by rage. He had only one thought in his mind: to kill Hess. He had initially been skeptical that Hess would actually attack the Stormtroopers, but now that troops had been deployed, his intentions were too obvious. Sternas couldn't cover up the lie anymore.

"Hess! How dare you betray the Stormtroopers!"

This is the biggest landmine planted by Hess's National Party. What is the relationship between the party and the gun? Hess did not handle it well. Does the party command the gun or does the gun command the party?

The intensity of the battle between the two sides was actually not high, because neither side had heavy weapons. The only heavy weapons they had were probably the armored vehicles that had come to fight. It was a case of weaklings fighting each other. Hess became more and more confused as the battle progressed. He wanted to end the battle as soon as possible, because the longer it dragged on, the more disadvantageous it would be for him.

The Stormtroopers were his prized possessions, but the situation was now very clear: if he didn't eliminate them, his rule would be in danger. He had no choice but to cut off an arm to save himself.

"Take your men and immediately notify the other units stationed in Berlin to come and reinforce them! Suppress the SA mutiny!"

Hess ordered the SS soldiers standing nearby. He was also very puzzled. What was going on? They'd been fighting for a while, why hadn't any troops arrived? With such a commotion, even if they were just there to watch, shouldn't some troops have come by now? This was Berlin, how could it be like nothing had happened?

The soldiers set off immediately after receiving the notification. Hess continued to fight Sternas here. The stormtroopers officers who were injured in the explosion were still lying inside the building. It was estimated that by the time the fighting was over, most of the people inside would be gone. So, in reality, this was a battle between the party and the gun. Why was Sternas fighting so hard?

High risk, high reward. If he wins, he'll be the leader of the National Party. But he's also very puzzled as to why no one from the other assault teams has come to reinforce him after fighting for so long. He's already sent people to ask for reinforcements, so why is there no response?

"Captain, it's not good!"

The stormtroopers they had sent out rushed over and told Sternas some shocking news.

"All the roads have been blocked by the army. We can't get out at all. We're surrounded!"

"what!"

Sternas's eyes widened. This Hess was really ruthless. He actually united the troops to eliminate them. But why? They were already surrounded. Why not just wipe them out in one fell swoop? What were they waiting for?

Over there, Hess also received news from the SS that the area was surrounded; they were surrounded by troops.

Hess was also shocked when he heard this. His first thought was that the stormtroopers had actually colluded with the army. However, he quickly dismissed the idea. The two sides were mortal enemies and could not possibly cooperate. Based on the principle that whoever was most beneficial to this conflict was the most suspicious, Hess's mind worked quickly and he immediately thought of the most likely planner.

This bomb wasn't arranged by Hess; he didn't want to go so far. The risk of arranging a bomb was too high. It could only be a military conspiracy. He had been outmaneuvered. During the conflict between the National Party and the SA, the army had already taken control of Berlin.

Thinking of this, Hess broke out in a cold sweat. He had no intention of getting entangled with Sternas now. They had been thoroughly outmaneuvered. After fighting amongst themselves for so long, the army outside had already taken control. No wonder there had been no support for so long. No wonder Stroheim hadn't come. Everyone had become a spectator in this National Party affair.

"Don't get entangled with them! Go back immediately! Quickly!"

Hess couldn't care less about anything else; he had to get back immediately. He had already lost Berlin, and this was a huge loss.

Sternas sensed that the enemy's firepower had weakened considerably, and then he saw that they were all retreating. Why were they retreating? Sternas wasn't stupid. If the outer troops belonged to Hess, he wouldn't need to retreat at all. There was only one possibility: they had been tricked by the army, and Sternas had been used as a pawn by the army.

"Damn it! We've been scammed!"

Sternas nearly jumped up; he had never been so terrified. As a member of the stormtroopers, Sternas knew all too well what would happen to him if the army came to power.

"Go back quickly! Break through the blockade! We've been tricked by the army!"

......

A systematic massacre is taking place in the Berlin SA camps. The SA's conventional weapons are no match for the military. If they can't handle the Rhine, they can't handle you either.

Rifle bullets couldn't penetrate tanks, and heavy machine guns were set up at the gates of the military camp, firing wildly. The professionalism of the army was far superior to that of the assault team, especially in this kind of surprise attack. The assault team was completely unprepared, and many of them were killed before they even had a chance to grab their weapons.

The army has a deep-seated hatred for the stormtroopers, who are constantly trying to undermine them. Now it's a one-sided massacre, the army's time for revenge.

Witzlerben rushed to Mackensen's residence, where he had arranged for troops to protect it. Witzlerben was worried that Hess might become desperate and kidnap Mackensen again, so he specifically arranged for troops to protect the place.

Upon entering the room, Witzlerben sensed something was amiss. Mackensen was staring at Witzlerben with a gloomy face, clearly very angry.

"Marshal, I did not intend to issue this notice in your name..."

Before he could finish speaking, Witzlerben was interrupted.

"Witzleben, how dare you forge orders! You should be court-martialed!"

Schörner emerged from the shadows, and Ludendorff's forces in Berlin also began to move; they were even more deeply hidden and the most deadly.

"Scherner? What are you doing here? Do you support that madman Hess?" Witzlerben was extremely excited. Success was within reach; how could he let it all fall apart at the last minute?

“That madman? How could that be?” Schörner said with some disdain.

"Marshal Ludendorff is coming back, and he is now in command of Prussia."

"Field Marshal Ludendorff? You're one of Field Marshal Ludendorff's men?!"

Witzler never dreamed that Ludendorff still had influence in Berlin, and that Tirpitz and Wilhelm II's purges failed to eliminate Ludendorff's power.

"As a soldier, you have interfered in politics, which is a major taboo. You have plotted to overthrow the government, which is an even greater taboo. You are not worthy of being a soldier."

Witzlerben was disarmed and detained. Only now did he understand why Mackensen had that expression. Mackensen was probably even angrier than Witzlerben. He had been outmaneuvered halfway through, taking such a big risk only to have Ludendorff steal his thunder.

It's not surprising that there were many Ludendorff's forces in Witzlerben's rebel army. Hess was put on the throne by Ludendorff, and the whole game could be said to have been orchestrated by him. With such a long time span and so many people involved, it was completely impossible for Witzlerben to turn the tide.

The troops responsible for Mackensen's residence had already defected, not to mention the palace. As soon as Witzelben left, Ludendorff's men took control of it. With control of the palace, Ludendorff had already won.

"End the civil war, Schörner, the civil war must end! You should understand, we can't win!" Witzler still held a sliver of hope. Even if Ludendorff came up, that would be fine, at least he'd be better than Hess. But the war should end, right?

"You shouldn't be so timid."

Schörner scoffed dismissively. How could the war possibly end? A large part of the reason why Ludendorff's dictatorship failed was because the other two kingdoms stirred up trouble. Now that he has hundreds of thousands of troops in Eastern Europe, it's even more impossible for him to negotiate.

When Witzlerben heard Schörner's words, his face turned ashen. Prussia was now completely finished. Schörner acted very quickly, taking control of the palace and important locations. Many soldiers below did not know what had happened, and it seemed that there was no difference between replacing Witzlerben with Schörner as the officer above.

The National Party building remained under control. Hess and Stäners tried to force their way out but were overthrown by the army. The coup in Berlin was now completely over. Ludendorff, the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind, finally arrived in Berlin at the last moment.

.....

Emperor Wilhelm had been unconscious for an unknown period of time. When he finally opened his eyes, he saw the last thing he ever wanted to see: Ludendorff standing by his bedside.

"Your Majesty, you have finally woken up."

"What time is it now?" William was even a little confused. Ludendorff was still around? Was the war not over yet?

"Your Majesty, in 1929, Prussia was at war."

"At war? Who? The French? The British? The Russians?"

"No, it's the Rhine people, Your Majesty. Prussia is at war with the Kingdom of the Rhine."

Wilhelm II wished he would never wake up; the amount of information was overwhelming. What had happened during his coma?

It's 1929 now, so why is Ludendorff back?