German Red Prince

Page 203

After marking the route, Blitzt waved to everyone, boarded the tank, and continued forward. He was determined to finish the last ten kilometers.

Not long after Blitzt left, the main force indeed arrived. Blitzt had taken a roundabout shortcut and arrived earlier than everyone else. When the main force arrived, they saw the markings he had left behind. This was the western part of Berlin, where there were no enemy troops, and they could proceed with peace of mind.

Just as they were wondering if it was true or not, a flag of the revolutionary government lit up in the window, followed by shouts from a group of people saying that the place had been liberated. Then a group of women and children came out. No matter how ruthless the Prussian troops were, they would not risk the lives of children, so the news was true and there were really no enemy troops here.

“A tank just passed by and said that if they see troops wearing helmets like yours, they should bring out their flags.”

The representative returned the flag to the revolutionary army, and the officer in charge saluted them. It was indeed safe here.

"We will soon liberate all of Berlin, and a new era for Germany will begin, a more equal and brighter era!"

"Comrades, the people are waiting for us! Our friendly forces have just passed through! We absolutely cannot fall behind. Forward! Liberate Berlin!"

The western part of Berlin has been liberated, and the northern part is further tightening its defenses. The Rhine army is about to invade the core area of ​​Berlin, and Adolf is also preparing to take action.

458. The Berlin Uprising

The main force of the Rhine has gradually crossed the Havel River, which means that the outermost edge of Berlin has been breached, and the next step is to attack the main city.

Due to severe troop shortages, Manstein's defenses in Berlin were likely concentrated around the main urban area, primarily focusing on the Brandenburg Gate, which was a key target for the Rhine attack.

In the southern region, after the western district was liberated, the troops continued to advance, all striving to meet at the Brandenburg Gate. Berlin truly lived up to its reputation as the world capital built by Wilhelm II; it was so vast. This was the first time the revolutionary army had been to Berlin, and not only the soldiers, but even the commanders with maps got lost.

Countless streets, big and small, made people dizzy and disoriented, but fortunately, some kind workers stepped forward to give directions and marked out the correct way out for them.

The sound of artillery fire grew closer and closer, as if a shell might strike at any moment. Everyone in the command post looked extremely grim, fearing that a shell might stray into their path.

Rundstedt remained remarkably calm, constantly checking the map and assigning tasks. With such a small force, it was quite an achievement that Rundstedt and Manstein had managed to hold out for so long.

"General, Rhein has already captured the Reich Congress Center, and is only four kilometers away from the Berlin Zoo, our next key defensive position."

The International Brigades fought with great zeal; they even advanced faster than the Rhineland's army. Their vanguard had already captured the Reich Congress Center, the site of international conferences held under the Reich Pact, which was arguably the power center of German imperialism.

Witzler rushed in to report the news to Lundstätter. He had just gone directly to the front line and happened to encounter the International Brigades and the Rhine Revolutionary Army attacking the Reich Congress Center. The situation was not optimistic because once past the Congress Center, the core of Berlin would truly be next.

"Move to the second line of defense and continue the defense."

Rundstedt didn't say much. There were only three lines of defense. If they could break through the first line and then capture the zoo, the last line would be theirs: the Brandenburg Gate. The giant imperial statue next to the Brandenburg Gate was the symbol of the entire German Empire. Rundstedt was already prepared to go to the battlefield himself; he was ready to die in front of the imperial statue.

"Gentlemen, if the Rhinelanders attack, we will be the last line of defense for the German Empire. We will defend the honor of the Empire with our blood. I am ready to die at the gates of Brandenburg."

Rundstedt's tone was quite resolute. Unlike Ludendorff, Rundstedt was truly prepared to die at the Brandenburg Gate. However, while he thought so, most of the high-ranking German officers remaining there thought so too, the soldiers below had different ideas.

The Rhine's victory was already a foregone conclusion. Their deaths here were meaningless. They sacrificed themselves for the Empire, but what did the Empire give them in return? What became of all the heroes of the war? These people received no care from the Empire. Some were left with lifelong disabilities and had to beg in the streets.

They fight for the honor of the Empire, but does the Empire truly respect the honor of its soldiers now? To be honest, the Empire does respect it, but that has nothing to do with ordinary soldiers; they respect the honor of the Junker nobles.

Next to the Berlin Zoo is Big Tiergartenplatz, from which you can almost see the Brandenburg Gate. Friedrich smoked one cigarette after another; he was already tired of the war. During the Ludendorff era, many officers were looking for a way out, but Friedrich did not leave.

He was willing to take a gamble and see if he could turn a bicycle into a motorcycle. He had been in contact with Rhine for a long time, and not long ago someone came to have a secret talk with him. The liquor dealer was someone he knew before, and he also pointed out a path for him: Berlin is the center of Germany, and the less damage, the better.

If they could revolt in the main city and reduce casualties, they would be heroes of the German people, so why not? Speaking of revolts, Friedrich felt that his men were all wrong. He had a premonition that even if he disagreed with the revolt, his soldiers would tie him up and force him to revolt.

Friedrich didn't dare guess how many Rhine agents were in Berlin. He even suspected that his adjutant was a Rhine spy. Since no one wanted to fight, he didn't need to be the sucker; he might as well go with the flow and do a favor.

The sound of gunfire grew closer. Friedrich had smoked countless cigarettes. It was time to move out. He gave instructions to his soldiers to remember to raise the flag. Many defense zones in Berlin were doing the same thing, quietly replacing the flags and waiting for the signal.

Sheriff York is also very nervous. They are only one kilometer away from the Brandenburg Gate, and he has far too few police officers under his command. How can such a small number of people be enough? Adolf has come here in person to oversee the situation and is staying with Sheriff York.

Himmler, Ribbentrop, Adolf—these men are all at the police station now, with Chief Inspector York. This is now the headquarters for the Berlin Uprising. During wartime, the police are busy maintaining order in the city, and their equipment has improved considerably.

Although there aren't many of them, don't forget that Berlin has quite a few troops preparing for an uprising. These troops will pour into the city from all directions, and they'll be in for a rough time.

The International Brigades soldiers charged quickly, and Arahan climbed directly to the top of the Reichstag building and planted the flag. This building, a symbol of German hegemony, was now liberated. As the flag was planted, a large group of soldiers below cheered loudly. The next one would be the Reichstag.

"Comrades! Liberate Germany! Liberate all oppressed people!"

After planting the flag, Arahan and his men did not stop for a moment and continued to charge forward. They never expected that they could fight their way here. When he stood on the top of the parliament building, he could even see the Brandenburg Gate.

"Attention everyone, we have entered the city. Do not damage those statues and buildings. These are works of art. Although they are for the imperialists to appreciate, they were created by the people and must be protected."

The French still value art highly. The French Commune still holds regular opera performances in Paris. In the past, these shows were watched by nobles and the bourgeoisie, but now they are watched by the vast proletariat.

The revolutionary army was getting closer and closer, and the time was almost up. Adolf nodded. He had been lying in wait in Berlin for so long, and now it was finally time. Looking at the time on his watch, he knew that all of Germany would remember this moment.

"Gentlemen, the uprising begins!"

"Oh!"

Before the Rhine troops even arrived, gunfire erupted from all sides. Adolf immediately raised the huge red flag, a symbol of the Berlin Revolution—a flag bearing the hammer and sickle of an old man.

459. A World Belonging to the People

"For the revolution! For victory!"

While fierce fighting was taking place outside, a gunfight suddenly broke out inside the city as well. For some unknown reason, some units suddenly lost control, began to leave their defensive positions, and started engaging in firefights with other units.

News of fighting came from several blocks ahead. The troops in front were engaged in battle with the Rhine, while the troops behind were in disarray. This clearly disrupted Rundstedt's subsequent plans.

"General, some of our troops have mutinied, and there is unrest in Berlin."

An officer, covered in dust and dirt, ran over. The inexplicable gunfire and fighting quickly turned his assigned area into a battlefield. If he hadn't run fast enough, he might have already been captured.

"I'm not too surprised that this happened at this time."

Rundstedt lit another cigarette, patted his uniform, and noted that Rhine's intelligence work was notoriously elusive. He had taken over the job in such a chaotic state that it was quite an achievement that the defenses could be organized. Rundstedt knew, of course, that many people in the army were already on Rhine's side, but he wouldn't bother to investigate.

If these people hadn't been investigated, they would have remained quiet until now. But if they had been investigated, they probably would have jumped out when he was organizing the Brandenburg Line, and the situation would have been even worse then.

"Gentlemen, what are your plans?"

Lundstätter put out the cigarette after smoking only half of it. He hadn't had a proper rest in a long time and could only rely on smoking to keep himself awake.

Looking at the gaunt, weathered general before them, the others remained silent. They were speechless; as the empire crumbled, they were unfortunate enough to become witnesses, watching it collapse before their very eyes.

"To have witnessed so many major events in my lifetime, I can say that my life has not been in vain."

Rundstedt stood up, leaning on the chair for support. He seemed a little unsteady, swaying slightly. He put his hat on, straightened his clothes, and gave the final order.

"This is the last order I give as the commander-in-chief of the German Imperial Army: all Prussian troops in Berlin shall act on their own upon encountering Rhine troops."

After saying that, he slowly walked towards the gate. There was no need for Rundstedt to continue issuing orders. The whole of Berlin was in chaos. There was fighting in the city and fighting on the outskirts. It would be useless for him to issue orders. Prussia had already lost. No miracle would happen.

Since there was no need to issue orders, there was no point in him staying in the command post. Rundstedt chose to go to the front line. If he were to die, he wanted to die as a soldier on the battlefield, in front of the Brandenburg Gate, on the last front of the German Empire.

Rundstedt left the meeting room, and everyone watched his departing figure in silence. After a while, Manstein also stood up. As the commander of the Berlin garrison, he should now go to the front line and personally defend Berlin.

The officers in the conference room stood up one after another. They had chosen to stay, having prepared for the worst. So what if they died? Dying on the battlefield was the fate of a soldier.

Because of the mutiny of the troops in the Tiergarten defense line, the revolutionary army was able to advance rapidly again. As Haigar watched the Brandenburg Gate getting closer and closer, his heart pounded. They were almost there. Victory was just around the corner!

A revolutionary soldier stared blankly at the lions lying on the ground in the zoo. These animals seemed completely unaffected by the war, each one acting as if nothing had happened.

"I really envy you guys."

He sighed, "They can still be so leisurely even during a war. I really want to go in and lie down for a while too."

"Hey! Let's go! Forget about these tigers and lions! We'll see them all after we win!"

Haigar shouted to the side, "I have to say, Berlin's vibrant world is much more beautiful than Frankfurt's. Most people are here for the first time. Just take the zoo, for example. It's the largest zoo in all of Germany, with a huge variety of animals."

The troops continued to advance, and Rundstedt and his men arrived at the front line. Several hundred soldiers were stationed there, facing a dense mass of revolutionary troops. Their small force seemed utterly ineffective, but the arrival of Rundstedt, Manstein, and their group gave them immense courage. With the Commander-in-Chief here, what did they have to fear?

"Boys, we are the last line of defense for Germany."

Lundstätter smiled. He hadn't expected that in the end, this vast empire would only be able to hold out with just a few hundred men. The sound of gunfire grew closer and closer, and now both sides could see each other.

"Comrades! Look! That's the Capitol Building!"

Arahan shouted loudly, they were determined to plant the red flag there. He still remembered the scene when the International Brigades planted the red flag on the Eiffel Tower, it was so shocking. Now they would also plant the red flag on the Reichstag, it would be a complete victory for communism.

Rundstedt ordered the troops to act independently, and more and more troops chose to lay down their weapons. Adolf had been in control of Berlin for so long, and the working class had always been his reliance. In addition to the army, the workers' pickets also began to take action. A large part of the leaders among these people were "good students" who had attended Goebbels' or Adolf's classes in the past.

"This is our war! For our victory!"

The insurgent troops surged into Berlin from all directions. No matter how powerful the army was, it could not stop the tide of the people. Everyone had only one destination: the Reichstag building. Red flags fluttered like waves in Berlin.

Blitzt kept urging Adam to drive faster; they had to be the first tank to storm into Berlin and hold onto that honor.

"Adam! Hurry up! Nobody remembers second place!"

The tanks encountered no enemies along the way, which clearly indicated that Berlin was in complete chaos and the enemy could not even organize an effective defense.

"Brandenburg Gate! Charge!"

At this time, the last resistance force was fighting with Hyjal and his men. Neither side had heavy weapons, so the battle was at a stalemate. Just then, Blitzt and his men suddenly appeared from the middle of the road.

"Our troops have arrived? Quick, fire two shots in that direction to get our troops to charge."

The revolutionary army was blocked a few hundred meters from the Brandenburg Gate. Blitzkrieg was bound to come up and help. Miller fired two shots directly at the enemy's position. The huge explosion overturned their defensive positions, and their firepower was greatly reduced.

"Thank you, comrades in the armored forces!"

The revolutionary army erupted in cheers and, taking advantage of the weakened enemy fire, charged forward and seized control of the position. Just then, two artillery shells were fired, and the huge explosions knocked Rundstedt unconscious. Manstein was not much better off; he was almost killed by the blast. A great general almost perished here.

Seeing the shoulder insignia of Rundstedt and Manstein, the revolutionary army knew they had captured a big shot. However, they did not know that they had captured the commander-in-chief of the Prussian army. After dealing with the garrison here, they rushed forward to the Reichstag building to plant their flag.

The Blitzkrieg crew was the first to pass through the Brandenburg Gate, and they cheered right inside the tank. The fact that they were the first tank to enter the city of Berlin was of great significance.

"Park our tanks right in front of the Brandenburg Gate! Let the incoming troops see that we are the first tanks to storm Berlin!"

This will give me something to brag about later. I bet anyone will bring up this when they ask me anything: How did you know our crew was the first to drive into Berlin?

Unlike in the Third Reich, there was no scene of defending the parliament building to the death here. Haigar and the others ran all the way to the roof. He took the tricolor flag of the revolutionary government, looked at Arahan next to him, and they nodded to each other. Both flags were planted on the roof at the same time.

A huge tricolor flag was planted atop the Brandenburg Gate by other soldiers, signifying the victory of the revolution.

The last line of defense was breached, and follow-up troops quickly arrived and joined forces with the insurgents in Berlin. Looking at the tricolor flag fluttering in the wind, everyone realized that the revolution had succeeded.

"We won!"

Long live the revolution!

The soldiers embraced and cheered. The German revolution had succeeded, and this would have a huge impact on the whole world, bringing about a complete change in the world order.

"Arise, ye prisoners of starvation and cold! Arise, ye wretched of the earth! Our blood is boiling with fervor for the fight for truth! The old world shall be utterly destroyed! Slaves, arise! Arise! We have nothing, we shall be masters of the world! This is the final struggle! Unite, and tomorrow the Internationale will surely be realized!"

There's no need to hide it anymore; now they can sing "The Internationale" freely on the streets of Berlin. The world ahead will be a world that belongs to the people, a world that belongs to all workers.

460. From man-eating monsters to our troops

The battle to liberate Berlin was a major undertaking. As the largest city in Germany, both sides showed great restraint during the fighting in Berlin. Both Rundstedt and the revolutionary government had their bottom lines; neither wanted to destroy this great city.

The gunfire that had lasted for several days finally stopped, and the citizens who remained in Berlin were finally able to come out of their houses to see what was happening outside.

It was still the same tricolor flag, but the colors had changed. Black, white, and red had become red, black, and gold. The red flag and the new tricolor flag were hung all over the city, and soldiers were walking back and forth on the streets. Revolutionary troops were continuously heading towards Berlin.

Berlin as a whole is still quite well preserved. The Rhine people are not Soviets, and Berlin is a German city after all. They must have felt bad about it when they fought. The Reichstag Building and the Brandenburg Gate are very well preserved.

Citizens gradually emerged from their homes, and Berlin became lively again. Soldiers were directing traffic on the streets, but they didn't do anything else, as if nothing had happened.

The revolutionary army of the Rhine had been warned beforehand; Thorne had prepared a German version of the Three Main Rules of Discipline and Eight Points for Attention, precisely to prevent any unforeseen circumstances from arising after the troops entered Berlin.

The damage to Berlin wasn't too severe, but it wasn't entirely unscathed either. The follow-up troops who arrived in Berlin no longer had combat missions, so they helped clear the ruins and assist with the reconstruction work. The leaders of the revolutionary government would be arriving in a few days.

Thälmann and his group didn't arrive, but Heydrich did. As the head of the Gestapo, he was bound to come early. The revolutionary government would be moving here in a few days, and this test for Berlin would be a major test for the Gestapo. Having been an undercover agent in the enemy camp for so long as the head of the Rhine Gestapo, Heydrich was even a little unaccustomed to his sudden return.

He lit a cigarette and walked down the street. There were many soldiers on the road. Heydrich knew that all his investments had been worthwhile. Now he had come to Berlin as a victor. If he hadn't followed Thorne, he would at best be a naval lieutenant commander. But now, he was about to become the head of the intelligence agency of the entire German Democratic Republic.

After the liberation of Berlin, the focus shifted to restoring order. It was impossible to keep everyone crammed into their homes. Charlie rode his bicycle out of his house. Berlin was returning to order; closed shops were reopening, and various departments and institutions were resuming operations. Charlie had been notified to go to work today; their newspaper had been closed for some time due to the war.

As Charlie rode his bicycle along the familiar streets, he felt a sense of unfamiliarity. He had never seen the soldiers on the street before. These were Rhine soldiers. He had seen the Rhine army before, which was similar to the Prussian army, but this was a revolutionary army, and this was the first time he had ever seen one.

When the Rhine declared the revolution, he almost thought the French had attacked. The revolutionary army was advancing all the way, and their newspaper boss was so scared that he packed up and ran away.

Passing by the Brandenburg Gate, there used to be a bronze statue of Wilhelm II. Blitzkrieg was annoyed by the statue, so he fired a cannon and blew it up. Now, a huge portrait of Marx stands on the original site, with a banner above it that reads "Workers of the world, unite!" Many soldiers are taking photos there.

The war was not completely over after the liberation of Berlin, and Germany was not completely liberated. Guderian's troops were honored troops who had entered Berlin and were temporarily resting in Berlin, while other troops led by Rommel and others continued to advance to liberate East Prussia.

Charlie rode his bicycle to the newspaper office. Several soldiers were standing at the entrance. Judging from their black coats, they were Gestapo officers. The newspaper had reopened. Their editor-in-chief had long since fled, and there was definitely a need for someone to take charge. Charlie was the next in line.

"Hello, you must be Mr. Charlie."

The Gestapo officers were very polite when they saw Charlie approaching and inquired about his identity.

"Yes, sirs, is there anything I can help you with?"

Charlie saluted the officers and, seeing the two tricolor flags of the revolutionary government hanging in front of the newspaper office, knew that the place had most likely been taken over.

"Are these newspapers published by your newspaper company?"

A Gestapo officer walked over with a newspaper. After Charlie read it, he almost fainted. Good heavens, they're here for revenge!