German Red Prince

Page 189

The International Brigades were an extremely glorious force, born during the Second French Revolution, a revolutionary force that emerged after the war and overthrew the corrupt bourgeois government.

The International Brigades are called international because they consist of people from different countries, skin colors, and ethnicities who are united by a great communist belief and seek liberation for oppressed peoples around the world.

During the Second French Revolution, many people from different countries formed the first International Brigades, which helped the Commune militia successfully liberate Paris. To commemorate this force, the International Brigades were preserved, and this spark became an important organization for the French Commune to promote the revolution abroad.

Strictly speaking, the French Ministry of Defense could not command the International Brigades, because this army was not a French army; it was a proletarian force, a class force. The International Brigades were under the command of the Comintern, and sending troops abroad required a vote by the Comintern.

However, due to the French Commune's absolute dominance in the Communist International Congress, the French were the largest in the International Brigades. Therefore, this force was generally commanded by the French. To this day, the French government has always been an internationalist, advocating world revolution, and has not used this army for anything else but to genuinely aid various countries around the world.

If the French government were to use this army for other purposes, the International Brigades could refuse. They are not a private French army and have a relatively independent internal system, so they would not be used as tools.

Because of the French Solidarity Front's absolute dominance in France, the French government agreed to send volunteers. However, for diplomatic reasons, Maurice decided to send the International Brigades instead. The German revolution was also part of the world revolution, so it was actually better to send this force instead.

After the government meeting passed the resolution, the Communist International Congress also passed a resolution that the International Brigades would send troops to support the revolution of the German comrades. The entire International Brigades consisted of about 10,000 people, mainly from France and Britain. France had nearly 6,000 people, and Britain was also very enthusiastic, sending more than 3,000 people.

This number of 10,000 is neither too many nor too few, but it is enough to demonstrate the commune's sincerity. The troops have been assembled and will soon be able to be dispatched to Germany.

The French government's trip there was also a way of showing off its military strength. Although it had been blockaded by the German Empire for so long, the French Commune had risen again through the power of the people, and its economy and military had developed rapidly. This is the superiority of the socialist system.

This batch of international brigade was very well-equipped. The commune provided them with a lot of new stuff, new artillery, new machine guns, and even the latest tanks and armored vehicles. They were showing off to the neighboring Republic of the Rhine that the commune's fist was really strong. Following their big brother, the good days were yet to come.

The International Brigades had all assembled. There were actually many commune militia members involved, but they couldn't fight in the name of the commune; they were nominally affiliated with the International Brigades.

Everyone was very excited about this gathering. It had been a long time since there had been such a large-scale gathering. The last time was when they went to China, and the commune sent many people there. This time, they wondered where they could continue to spread the revolution. Some people guessed that they would go to Spain, since there had clearly been some progress in Catalonia, and they were probably going there to add fuel to the fire.

"Comrades, the flames of world revolution are burning ever brighter. The revolutionary situation is excellent, and it is time for us to continue the fight!"

Long live the revolution!

"Comrades, the order of the German Empire is collapsing! We must build a completely new world, a world that has broken all chains! Now let us quicken our pace, raise our swords, and break the shackles! This time our destination is Germany, and we will help our comrades in Germany to completely eliminate German imperialism!"

This statement surprised everyone. Clearly, no one expected their destination to be Germany. Although they had heard that there was a revolution in Germany, they didn't know the details. This time, they were actually helping them.

"Comrades, we must overthrow the oppression of German imperialism. You must also understand that the first and most deeply oppressed people are the German people. They are the first victims of the German imperialist system. Now the people there have stood up to resist, and we must not stand idly by."

"France's enemy is German imperialism, not the German people. The war is a shameful war in which the corrupt bourgeoisie manipulates the proletariat. Our enemy has never been a nation, but a class! A class that oppresses the people!"

"The German people have raised the red flag, which shows that their people have awakened! Our ranks represent the will of the people. Now, let us help our German comrades to completely crush the oppression of imperialism! Long live the world revolution!"

Long live the world revolution!

It must be said that France is now a true socialist elder brother, showing genuine compassion to those forces that are resisting. The International Brigades were mobilized and boarded trains to fight alongside the Germans to overthrow imperialist oppression. Entering Germany in this capacity was quite unusual for everyone; they didn't just fight their way in, they simply walked in.

"Our French comrades are coming. Everyone, stay alert! We are class brothers, we can't make a fool of ourselves."

The French were not used to it, nor were the Germans, and even the soldiers of the Red Army brigade were not used to it. Germany and France were sworn enemies, especially the Rhineland and France, which were the most sworn enemies among sworn enemies. This meeting seemed somewhat awkward.

Not only were the soldiers unsure, but Thallman was also a little uncertain. He was really afraid that something might go wrong. If something happened after the French arrived, it would be quite a mess.

The Rhine Revolutionary Government kept its promise. When the French Commune sent volunteers, a number of troops on the border withdrew immediately. In some places, a dozen or so people were stationed on the border, erecting scarecrows and holding red flags to show goodwill to the French.

Thälmann was the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Germany. His presence was better than anyone else's. It showed respect for the volunteers, and he was also familiar with the situation in France, so there would be few obstacles in the conversation.

The Red Army soldiers who came to greet them had similar ideas to those of the commune. The commune wanted to flex its muscles, and the revolutionary government naturally couldn't appear miserable. Real combat was the best place to test weapons. The war of 1929 led to a systematic upgrade of Rhineland weapons. Helmets, uniforms, and weapons were all improved and uniformly defined as the "29 series".

This brigade of Red Army soldiers was uniformly dressed in Type 29 rifles, carrying Type 29 submachine guns loaded with drum magazines. They also wore overcoats, and their helmets were painted with the three colors of the Republic and the wheat ear symbol. They looked very elite at first glance.

"The French comrades are coming! Play the music!"

The red flag of the International Brigades could already be seen in the distance, and Thallman quickly gave instructions to start playing music.

When the Internationale plays, what distinctions remain between countries, ethnicities, races, and skin colors? Under this melody, everyone is simply a class, a class brother.

"Welcome, comrades from France."

Thälmann extended his hand, the hand that symbolized Franco-German reconciliation.

421. The Impact of the German Revolution

As Arahan sat on the train, he couldn't believe that he had come to Germany in this way, that he had been able to go to Germany peacefully instead of fighting.

Maurice quickly made preparations, and the Communist International Congress also quickly organized the International Brigades, which consisted of nearly 10,000 people who boarded trains to Germany and headed to the Rhineland.

When Arahan received the equipment, he realized that this was truly generous; the equipment they had was all state-of-the-art. The French Commune was currently undergoing an armament upgrade, and even the regular national army had not yet fully adopted this equipment, yet they were given priority.

Holding the latest rifle, Arahan was still a little unaccustomed to it. This time, the government actually supported the Rhineland, even though they were mortal enemies before. He had thought that France would observe for a while after the revolution in Germany, but he didn't expect them to get involved so readily. But then he thought, the Republic might become a friend in the future, and the Rhineland revolutionary government was winning one victory after another, so it would be good to add to its glory.

Of course, besides the French, the British were also involved in this operation. Britain and France had been aiding the world revolution for more than ten years and had been to many places, but they had never been to Germany.

In this stronghold of the old order, everyone was imagining a final battle between the public society and Germany, a decisive battle between the new order and the old order that would determine the fate of the world. It seems that this final battle is unnecessary.

"The Rhine military strength was experienced by the previous government many years ago. I heard that they have already dealt with the Bavarians, so Prussia probably really can't handle them."

Arahan analyzed the current situation and found that internationally, the environment was relatively stable, meaning that no other force was interfering in Germany's civil war. Internally, Bavaria had already lost, and now it was a showdown between Prussia and the Rhine.

The last time the Prussians reached Paris was during the Franco-Prussian War, which was quite a long time ago, so I'm not entirely sure. However, I witnessed the fighting prowess of the Rhine people during the war. Although I don't know the Prussians' skill level, the Rhine people are definitely formidable fighters. The upcoming one-on-one duels will be quite a spectacle.

"The Rhine and France are sworn enemies, and now we have to help the Rhine Revolution. This world is truly amazing. But it's good this way. If Germany can be successfully liberated, I think there won't be any major wars in the future, and the whole of Europe will be peaceful for a long time. I think this is the war that will end all wars."

Someone started joking, and the atmosphere in the carriage was lively. These international brigades were only meant to be icing on the cake, and it was estimated that the Rhine wouldn't use them much. In the battle between the Rhine and Prussia, the Rhine was clearly in the lead. Otherwise, why would Prussia be on the defensive? Wouldn't it have been better to attack and end the war sooner?

Besides the British and French, the International Brigades also included Germans, who were undoubtedly the most excited. Liberating their homeland was something they had longed for, and now that wish could finally be fulfilled.

Hey, where are you from?

Rulls appeared very enthusiastic. He was a Rhineman and was extremely excited about the revolution that had taken place in the kingdom. He was finally able to go back and support the revolution in his homeland.

"I am Bavarian, and I heard that the area was recently liberated."

Michel's hometown was liberated not long ago, and he had been away from it for a long time. This time, he was finally able to go back and visit.

"A newly established republic, I'm really looking forward to it."

Ruhr took out a cigarette and offered one to Michel. As members of the International Brigades, they were all "traitors to their motherland," abandoned people, but now they could finally return openly to liberate their country and people.

"That's right. When I heard about the German revolution, I couldn't sleep all night. I finally got the news of the revolution."

They were Germans, and naturally excited about the revolution in Germany. However, in France, besides the Germans, the Russians were the most interested in revolution and foreign forms.

Russia had experienced a revolution, which almost succeeded. As the largest political group in France, Russians were very concerned about what was happening in their country and wished they could leave tomorrow and go back to the past.

The German revolution gave Russians hope. If Germany had a revolution, how far behind could Russia be? After the success of the German revolution, the old imperial system would inevitably collapse, and the whole of Eastern Europe would no longer be subject to Germany's control. After the Russian revolution, although a large number of Bolsheviks were arrested or killed, and a large number of people fled, many still stayed in Russia or Eastern Europe to fight as guerrillas.

After the collapse of Germany, the development of these forces will not be restrained. On the contrary, as Germany is keen to export revolution, these forces will develop rapidly. The fragile Russian government will not be able to resist the power of the Red Army, and Bukharin will one day return to loyal St. Petersburg.

The Russians strongly supported the German revolution, and although they were a foreign force, the Russian party had considerable political influence. The Russians contributed a lot to the International Brigades' mission to Germany, and much of the equipment the Germans received was provided by the Russian party.

Bukharin eagerly anticipated the victory of the German Revolution. He believed that if Germany won, Germany and France would be united, and he didn't believe Russia could remain unmoved. He would no longer have to bow down to Paris every day.

Of Bukharin's rivals, Joseph fought guerrilla warfare in Patagonia, Trotsky guided the development of the local army in Mexico, and the Bolshevik Party only had Bukharin. He was the true heir of the Bolshevik Party and Comrade Lenin. No one was more suitable to guide the Russian Revolution than him.

This international brigade arrived in the Rhine carrying everyone's hopes, and the Commune's government was now considering how to establish good diplomatic relations with the future government of the Republic.

After getting off the train, Arahan jumped up and down a couple of times to make sure he was really in Germany. It was truly unexpected. Everyone was quite excited. The Rhine had a standing army of 100,000 men on the border, and they had also built a large number of bunkers and fortifications. During the great war, more than 100,000 Frenchmen died but none of them crossed the border. They had actually come across unscathed.

After the troops completed their formation, they marched to the designated location. The provisional government had already sent people to greet them. The Royal Rhine flag was not seen; instead, the new tricolor flag of the Republic and the Red Army brigade flag were displayed.

"play music!"

The Internationale began to play, and Arahan heard it from a great distance. They immediately became serious, raised the red flag of the International Brigades, and marched over in orderly steps.

Upon entering Arahan, one discovers that the new Republic's army stands in neat rows ahead. Judging from its appearance alone, this army is an extremely elite force. From its equipment to its imposing presence, Arahan can sense that this is an army with advanced ideology.

"...This is the final battle. Let us unite until tomorrow, and the Internationale will surely be achieved!..."

The two sides quickly concluded their meeting, and under this song, only class distinctions remained.

The International Brigades were positioned on the Franco-German border, but no one expected that they would soon face a major battle. Flanders Wallonia was determined to cooperate with Prussia in a campaign of encirclement and annihilation.

Adalbert wanted to be the first to intervene in the war, setting a "good precedent" for other countries.

422. An Unexpected War

Adalbert's willingness to wage war against the Rhine can be seen as inheriting his father's character—always willing to take a gamble.

After the issue of the Luxembourg region was resolved, Adalbert gained some prestige in the country and changed the region into a special district, making it less troublesome for the people of Flanders and Wallonia to go there. This was also a form of "reclaiming lost territory".

Thanks to this achievement, the monarchists and revolutionaries in the country quieted down considerably, and he, as king, was able to grasp some power. If the revolution had not occurred in the Rhineland and everything had been peaceful, then Adalbert might have actually been able to control the government.

However, the unexpected happened very quickly. For some unknown reason, a civil war suddenly broke out in Germany. Then Thorne announced his abdication of the throne, and the Rhine became a republic. All of this happened too fast, and Adalbert had no time to react.

However, the war in Germany did not have much to do with them. After the Rhine became a republic, the policies did not change. Special zones remained special zones, and border defense remained border defense.

Logically, things should have remained peaceful that afternoon. Thorne's mind was entirely on Prussia, and he had no interest in Flanders or Svallon. Or rather, Thorne was unaware of what might happen there, and he believed that nothing much could go wrong.

Adalbert had been wavering, and the arrival of the Prussian envoy solidified his resolve, as the Rhineland had successfully become a republic, and the socialists in Wallonia had begun to scheme.

Since the crown prince in the Rhineland could abdicate the throne and become a republic, could Adalbert here also abdicate the throne and become a republic? Could we achieve a bloodless change of regime?

These rumors are the real reason why Adalbert attacked the Rhine. He came here to secure his throne. If he were to step down, wouldn't all his previous efforts have been in vain?

The transformation of the Rhine into a republic also gave him a sense of crisis. Like dominoes, kingdoms were falling one after another, and he couldn't just sit idly by. Besides, his father, Wilhelm II, was still in Prussia. He couldn't just abandon his father, could he?

If Prussia were to fall, the external forces supporting Adalbert would disappear, and the monarchists within the country would be eager to welcome back the old king. With Prussia's defeat, the domestic political environment would also prevent him from remaining in Flanders Wallonia.

Ludendorff promised to provide heavy weapons aid to Flanders, and this batch of aid did indeed arrive, at least showing some sincerity. If Adalbert takes action, Prussia will certainly follow suit.

Flanders and Wallonia are both unreliable, which is what Adalbert is most worried about. Germany, in order to maintain its own stability, has followed Britain's bad example and likes to stir up trouble.

Flanders and Wallonia were thrown into chaos. There was a deep conflict between the people of Flanders and Wallonia. Wallonia was close to the Rhine, but it was influenced by the Commune.

The Walloons should have been very enthusiastic if they could have won, but the key issue was the Rhine Revolution, which turned the country into a republic. This gave Adalbert a headache. In terms of fighting strength, Wallonia was stronger than Flanders, but Flanders were considered upper class in their own country, leading to constant conflicts between the two nations.

Attacking the Rhine now would definitely require drawing troops from Flanders to Walloon territory. Adalbert was very worried that news of the attack would leak out. If the Rhine realized what was happening, their small size would not be able to withstand the German artillery fire.

Another point to note is the presence of troops stationed in the Rhine. In order to "defend" France, the Rhine cooperated with Wallonia on the border, sending troops to defend the border together with the Walloons.

Previously, Adalberg had been basking in the joy of a "great diplomatic victory" and hadn't paid much attention to this issue. After all, Flanders was a vassal state of Germany, and there was no problem with the stationing of troops in Germany. But now that the Rhineland had become a republic, the problem arose because the troops were still there.

The Walloons' political leanings have always been towards the Commune. So, if Thorne announced his voluntary abdication, did he have this republic in the Rhine premeditated all along? Aren't the people stationed on the border with the Walloon army all Republic spies?

The thought is alarming. If that's really the case, after such a long period of infiltration, the border is already under the control of the Rhine. There are already many communists in Wallonia, and with the border area cooperating with them, if Adalbert doesn't take action, Wallonia will be in chaos.

"Immediately assemble the Flanders army and head towards our border with the Commune. All officers in Wallonia shall begin to inspect the army, being careful not to attract attention. Conduct a secret inspection to find out exactly how many communists are in the army, paying particular attention to the border guards."

"Immediately monitor the Rhine's garrison camps on the border, try to avoid conflict with them, and await my orders to take them under control as soon as possible."

Adalbert acted immediately. He wanted to take advantage of the Rhine's lack of reaction to first resolve the domestic problems, control all unstable factors in Wallonia, and then assemble the army to march into the Luxembourg Special Economic Zone.

The two sides signed an agreement that transformed Luxembourg into a special economic zone, making it an autonomous region within the Rhineland with a degree of autonomy. The Rhineland also has virtually no military presence there.

This was originally Belgian territory, and Adalbert imagined that once the royal army arrived, the people would surely welcome them wholeheartedly, and with all the opportune moment, taking this place should be very easy.

In order to coordinate with Prussia's actions as soon as possible, Flanders Wallonia also made active preparations. First, under the pretext that the war between the Rhine and Prussia affected the security of the Imperial Pact, they pretended to be worried and mobilized troops to the border with France.

Then, a secret inspection order was issued to monitor the Rhine and Walloon troops guarding the border to prevent any unrest.

Prussia sent a lot of heavy weapons, and Adalbert also transported them to the front lines, as if he were ready to fight the Commune to the death.

But in reality, these troops were not heading to the border. The train turned around, and their real destination was the Luxembourg Special Economic Zone. Even the soldiers on the train didn't know their destination; they thought they were going to the border for a garrison exercise.

To lower Rhine's guard, the army didn't bring many weapons; the weapons and troops were transported separately, with the equipment going first, followed by the people.

These Flemish people went to the battlefield in a daze. The Rhineland rear was indeed very vulnerable, but that was before. Adalbert did not know that the Rhineland Revolutionary Government had reached a secret agreement with France.

Tens of thousands of soldiers were withdrawn from the Franco-German border. Most of these troops were sent to the front lines, while some remained behind to guard against Flanders. Moreover, a nearly 10,000-strong international brigade had just arrived at the Franco-German border. This group was equipped with new weapons and was quite formidable in combat.

But war doesn't allow for so many hypotheticals. From the moment Adalbert announced the opening of the cannons, the fate of Flanders Wallonia was sealed, and so was the fate of Adalbert.

Flanders declared war on the revolutionary government of the Rhine, becoming the first country to officially declare intervention in the war since the outbreak of the German Civil War.

423. The Walloon Rebellion

Everyone was already somewhat worried about this emergency assembly. With the war in Germany, Flanders, as a vassal state, had lost its backing and was naturally quite afraid of its western neighbor. In their eyes, the French Commune was a monstrous flood that devoured people without spitting out the bones, and they did not want to be swallowed up by the red giant wave.

Against this backdrop, it's not surprising that Adalbert issued the martial law order. With his patron facing an accident, it's only natural to send more troops to the front lines.

Judging from this situation, war is about to break out. Apart from a few extreme politicians, few people want war, especially the ordinary soldiers. They had been hoping that Germany would support them and that they could enjoy many years of peace and prosperity. The war was touted as the war that would end all wars, and everyone thought that everyone would be happy after the war. But they didn't enjoy the benefits for many years, and now the bitter fruit has arrived.

It sounds ridiculous that a small country helped France fight the Germans back then, but now it's helping the Germans fight the French. But behind this lies the bitter reality of a small country. There's no way around it; in this region, small countries have to be mindful of their size.

Although they were going to the border and seemed quite tense, everyone tried to reassure themselves that if they were going to the front lines and there was a war, they couldn't go without weapons, right? But right now they only had a gun and a few bullets, and many people didn't even have a gun. This situation didn't look like a war. Who would fight the French like this? That would be crazy.

These men from Flanders had no idea that their destination would be the Luxembourg region, and that tonight was truly the night of war, a major war at that.

Border guards were stationed on the border between Wallonia and the French Commune. Originally, the soldiers on the Wallonia side were all Flemish soldiers, but when the Germans came, these arrogant guys became much softer. They were Rhine people, and Rhine people were also Germans. Just because they were Germans, a Flemish officer wouldn't dare to mess with a Rhine soldier.

So the Walloon border garrison was quite pleased when these Rhine border guards came over, as they were happy to see the Flemish people suffer. Moreover, these German officers were much better-tempered than the Flemish officers, and they were not arrogant when giving orders to them. They were also very disciplined, and the locals had a very good opinion of them.

Most of these border guards in the Rhine were members of the German Communist Party, and there were political commissars in the army who did ideological work. In addition to doing ideological work for their own troops, they would also do ideological work for the soldiers in Wallonia. In this way, the mobilization was completed very smoothly.

After the outbreak of the German Civil War, the border guards of the Rhine continued to patrol together with the border guards of Wallonia as usual, since it was an internal German matter. However, the civil war also made the political commissar of the border guards realize that the time was almost up. The troops had been trained for a thousand days to be used for one day. Thorne's previous arrangements in Wallonia could be put to use.