German Red Prince

Page 90

William now wants to strengthen his control over the two kingdoms, and he is eager to understand the strength of the other two kingdoms, since the three kingdoms have almost never been of one mind with each other.

Bavaria arrived after being beaten by Prussia, and the Kingdom of the Rhine was severely outmaneuvered during the war. The historical grudges between the three families could not be fully recounted over several nights.

"beep--"

The whistle blew, and the soldiers in the camp immediately began to assemble. However, after they came out, they clearly felt that something was wrong with the atmosphere today. After a while, they found out why the atmosphere was not right.

His Highness Thorne actually came in person today. Although I had heard that His Highness Thorne seemed to take special care of their troops and that I was given priority in equipment allocation, I never expected to see it in person today.

Looking at the soldiers in front of him, Thorne suddenly felt an indescribable sense of accomplishment. Hundreds of people were standing in front of him, and they all obeyed his commands. This gave Thorne a sudden feeling of wanting to command the world.

No wonder Chiang Kai-shek, with his mustache, likes to interfere with the military so much. He gets a little cocky just looking at these few people. If he could command hundreds of thousands or millions of troops, he might just issue orders without any real command or make a machine gun emplacement move ten meters to the right with a single phone call.

Seeing Thorne grinning foolishly without saying a word, Rommel, unsure of what this meant, could only cough once and then ask Thorne why he had come.

"Your Highness Thorne, is there anything you wish to discuss with me?"

"I'm bringing the machine gun... oh no, I mean, I'm here to check on your situation lately."

Thorne realized he had almost said something terrible.

"Why are your helmets still the M16 type? Is there something wrong with the M27?" Thorne then noticed that the troops in front of him were not wearing the iconic M27 steel helmets, but were still wearing the old model.

“This…” Rommel knew the reason, of course, but he didn’t know if Thorne would be angry when he found out.

"People aren't quite used to the new helmets yet, and we have a lot of old steel helmets in stock, so no one is wearing them during training," Rommel explained.

Thorne understood the reason from listening to the conversation, but he didn't say anything. They might not be able to accept this helmet right now, but once they got to the battlefield, they would probably know just how powerful this helmet was.

"It's okay, but just remember to switch back when you're actually on the battlefield. That helmet can really save your life."

He didn't intend to delve deeper, and then simply inquired about the current state of the military's development.

Rommel also gave Thorne a detailed report on the situation. There were now about 500 men, a battalion's worth, and the supply of weapons and equipment was a priority for the kingdom.

Most of the soldiers were transferred from other units, and even the new recruits had already received several months of military training.

Listening to Rommel's words, Thorne nodded in satisfaction. Even if this army were to be deployed directly to the battlefield, it would probably be stronger than an ordinary army.

If they continue like this, they will surely become the sharpest blades on the battlefield when the day truly comes when they are needed.

"The troops will continue to expand, and the equipment will not be cut off. Major Rommel, I have high hopes for you. I'm waiting for you to lead me to a decent division."

"I've also prepared some new equipment for you. I've ordered 200 motorcycles from Mercedes-Benz. You'll need to adapt to the new way of fighting. The specifics will be explained later. Be prepared."

Thorne then looked at the assembled soldiers, "From now on, you will have a brand new title: Armored Grenadier. In future wars, this title will make you the most feared memory for your enemies!"

With tanks in place, there must be troops to accompany them, and armored grenadiers are undoubtedly the most suitable.

Their agility allows them to closely follow tanks, protecting the tank's flanks while expanding their gains – this is their advantage.

This force, in terms of both equipment and training, is in the first echelon of the army, and they will become the elite of the German army in the future.

Equipping vehicles with motorcycles is just the first step; infantry fighting vehicles will follow, and of course, the crucial anti-tank weapons will not be lacking.

Chapter 142 Approval of the Establishment of Armored Divisions

After the Panzer I went into production, Thorne allocated a space for Guderian to train specifically for armored warfare, so that he could refine future tank tactics and cultivate talent.

Guderian lived up to expectations, and after selection, he brought out the first batch of advanced armored commanders for the Kingdom of the Rhine.

This group of commanders received entirely new tactical thinking and war concepts. Compared to traditional commanders, they were more flexible and proactive on the battlefield. Thorne was looking forward to their future performance. During World War II, a large number of young talents emerged in Germany, and Thorne believed that the future republic would not be too bad either.

As the top military academy in the Kingdom of the Rhine, those who can teach at the Charlemagne Military Academy are undoubtedly elites. The current principal is the kingdom's youngest marshal, Schulz. The military thought here is always at the forefront of the kingdom, and the academy is a pioneer of the kingdom's military theory.

When King Otto and his officers arrived at the academy, the students were initially surprised, but they quickly calmed down. There were only soldiers in the academy, not the king.

When the students in the academy saw Otto, they didn't make any extra movements, but simply saluted him and the officers beside him. Although there might be generals whom the students admired the most, once you entered the academy, everyone was equal.

Otto was very happy to see these peaceful students. The environment here was still so pure. He had once been a student of the academy, but here he could only be considered their senior.

Most of the officers accompanying the King also came from Charlemagne's Military Academy, and you might even find their names on the academy's wall of honored graduates.

“Ludwig, it seems nothing has changed here,” King Otto remarked.

"Yes, Your Majesty. The academy is the culmination of King Charlemagne's life's work. If he could see that the academy is still the same as it was back then, he would surely be very pleased."

“Yes, he will be very happy.” King Otto’s expression turned somewhat somber after he finished speaking. If Charlemagne saw the state of the kingdom today, one wonders what his feelings would be, and what choice he would make.

They were very familiar with everything in the academy, so they easily found Guderian, who was still in class.

At this moment, Guderian was leading his students in a simulated battle. Thorne's power alone could not sustain Guderian's consumption of resources. If they wanted to conduct a real-world combat simulation exactly as Guderian envisioned, Thorne would go bankrupt in an instant.

Guderian needed more than just tanks; according to his operational concepts, tanks should be accompanied by a large number of mobile equipment, which is currently impossible to implement, and the Army would probably not agree if asked to discuss it.

Although the Kingdom of the Rhine has a relatively relaxed military mindset, that only means less ideological constraint. Unless war breaks out now, Guderian's ideas will indeed prove to be effective in actual combat.

Otherwise, he could only slowly simulate and modify, gradually perfecting his theoretical ideas, and then submit them for approval. After repeated discussions, he would then decide whether to adopt this emerging tactic.

In short, during peacetime, unless there is forced human intervention, it takes a long time for a new tactical idea to go from theory to form and finally to practice.

Only after the course ended did Otto enter the classroom to meet the pioneer of armored warfare in the Kingdom of the Rhine.

"Hello, Lieutenant Colonel Heinz, it's nice to see you again." King Otto greeted Guderian with a smile as he walked in.

"Hello, Your Highness Otto." Guderian was somewhat surprised by Otto's visit. Could it be that the previous report had really worked? Had they realized the importance of mobile warfare?

"Lieutenant Colonel Heinz, I heard that the course you are in charge of is mobile warfare training. I have also read the report on the Ardennes, and it does have some feasibility."

"But at present, our tanks are still at a great disadvantage, both in terms of quality and military thinking. If we really fight against the commune, our chances of winning are not high."

Hearing Otto say this, Guderian knew that the previous report must have been approved, and the kingdom was really beginning to consider whether to form an armored force.

Guderian had been waiting for this moment for a long time, and he had made very thorough preparations for it. Guderian believed that he could persuade Otto.

"Your Majesty, just as you said, our current armored forces are lagging behind the commune in both quality and military thinking. This is because we underestimated the enemy. We thought that the Great War could end all wars, but this is just a rehearsal for the next, more brutal war."

"Everyone can see that the division of interests after the war had already become problematic. All countries were preparing for the next war, but Germany, relying on its strong power, was still dreaming of peace. That's why our military theory lagged behind other countries."

"The communes started their ideological work ten years earlier than us. They began preparing for the next war after the end of the war, but it's not too late for us to start now."

"Because according to my judgment, the Commune will not launch a war before 1936, so we have time to prepare, and His Highness Thorne's research has also accelerated our catch-up."

Hearing what Guderian said, Otto felt relieved, knowing that Thorne's influence could now be seen in many parts of the kingdom.

This includes streptomycin, a drug that has already begun circulating within the kingdom and can treat tuberculosis, which has almost eradicated tuberculosis throughout the kingdom.

"Just as one can deduce the course of history, Charlemagne, through his wisdom, could accurately predict future events, and he could always prepare for the future well in advance."

This is the kingdom's assessment of Charlemagne. Now it seems that this assessment also applies to Thorne. No wonder many Rhine people feel hopeful about life again. Thorne is indeed very similar to Charlemagne back then.

"Although Thorne is also conducting research, current armor research is still lagging behind. His latest tank, the first tank he developed, is much faster than existing tanks, but our Army Department's professionals have also analyzed it."

"This tank is very vulnerable. It is too small to have thick armor. A large-caliber anti-tank gun can take it down."

"Moreover, this type of tank cannot carry more powerful cannons, and it is of little use except for reconnaissance, let alone replacing existing tanks in frontal combat."

King Otto voiced his doubts. Although Thorne was also conducting research, the tanks he was developing were far inferior to the current tanks. If these tanks were used to fight against the Commune in the future, Rhine would not have any advantage.

"His Highness Thorne has also mentioned these issues, so he is now researching a brand new tank that is very suitable for future warfare in terms of tonnage and firepower, and can also fight against our current main enemy, the Commune."

Hearing this, Otto became interested. He hadn't expected Thorne to still be researching it. Since Thorne was so persistent, he must have his reasons, just like Charlemagne back then.

"Lieutenant Colonel Heinz, let's go to Darmstadt together and see how Thorne's tanks are doing. I'm really looking forward to Rhine having a proper armored division."

Otto's words also signified that the Kingdom had approved the construction of the armored division, and that the Kingdom would establish the first armored division in all of Germany.

Because Otto believed Thorne's judgment that the future form of warfare would definitely undergo earth-shattering changes.

Chapter 143 A Small Shock in the Rhine

1927 is not a long time away, and Thorne has been in this world for almost a year. Time is slowly moving towards 1928.

In the nearly one year that followed, Thorne had adapted to his new life, but peace was destined to be short-lived, and the shadow of war once again loomed over the European continent.

In the lead-up to 1928, to celebrate the 114th anniversary of the founding of the Kingdom of the Rhine and to deter the French Commune, the government of the Kingdom of the Rhine announced that a military parade would be held on January 18, 1928.

The news immediately caused quite a stir, especially between Germany and France, where many French people viewed it as a provocation, and then a dramatic thing happened.

Two days after the Kingdom of the Rhine issued its notice, the French Commune also announced that it would hold a military parade on January 18, 1928, to celebrate the normalization of the French Commune's armed forces.

The news that the Commune's Eastern Theater Command would hold a military parade on the same day immediately set off a media frenzy in Europe.

The news of both sides holding military parades simultaneously quickly made headlines, and newspapers large and small across Europe have been reporting on it for the past few days. The reason for the Rhine Kingdom's military parade is simple: it's perfectly normal for them to celebrate a holiday.

This is not uncommon in Europe, and everyone can understand it, but the commune's reasons are far-fetched. It is clearly a provocation against the other side and a retaliation against the Kingdom of the Rhine.

The Commune, which had just normalized its armament, dared to so blatantly provoke the victor of the great war, yet there was not a single response from Berlin.

The fact that William, with his fiery temper, didn't react suddenly makes for a lot more interesting gossip to come.

As the vanguard directly confronting Germany, the Eastern Theater of the Commune was better equipped and better trained than other theaters. Apart from the Paris Garrison, the troops in the Eastern Theater were the Commune's elite forces.

France's meaning was also clear: since it was a royal military parade, it would not bully others and only organized the Eastern Theater Command to respond.

Because if Germany and France were to go to war in the future, the first enemy the Rhine would encounter would be the troops of the Commune's Eastern Theater.

Both sides held their military parades simultaneously to see how the other side fared. It was as if they had planned it together. The Kingdom held its official military parade in the afternoon, while the Commune tacitly chose the morning.

Moreover, when the commune announced that the military parade would be held on the same day, the Kingdom of Rhine did not react excessively as everyone had imagined. Instead, they invited the commune to come and visit.

The commune responded that both sides would send personnel to visit and learn from each other on that day, and the timing would not clash.

After visiting France, they flew back to see Germany, and both sides invited many journalists to record this historic moment.

Reporters certainly wouldn't miss this opportunity; it's such a rare chance, and we haven't seen anything so dramatic since the end of the war.

The grand military parade in Berlin after the last Polish campaign already demonstrated Germany's military strength, but this time, the power of a kingdom within the German Empire can be felt more directly, which is very rare.

Moreover, as everyone can guess, the most likely purpose of the Rhine Kingdom's military parade this time is to demonstrate its strength to the Commune and make them put aside their ambitions. They might see some of the kingdom's most treasured possessions at the parade, and if they miss it, they don't know how long they will have to wait.

After the war ended, although there wasn't much news about Germany and France, every piece of news was world news. I remember that after the Commune came to power, there were reports that Wilhelm II was the biggest behind-the-scenes supporter of the French Commune. The Commune did not deny this, but instead, symbolically, they erected a bronze statue of Wilhelm II.

"King Wilhelm II, a German friend who provided over 500,000 marks in aid to the French Commune."

This incident caused a great sensation at the time, to the point that some people actually suspected that Wilhelm II was a so-called German traitor. Later, it became a joke that insulted Germany, and more specifically, a joke that insulted Germany.

Whenever news of French spies was reported in Germany, many people would bring up Wilhelm, the biggest Red spy hiding in Berlin, who would sing "The Internationale" late at night, waiting for the call of his "motherland".

So many people came to watch this event for entertainment, and who knows what other things might happen between the two countries after this military parade.

The Kingdom of the Rhine put a lot of effort into organizing this military parade. The kingdom's Jaeger Corps and other troops were all included. The Jaeger Corps had once thoroughly humiliated the French. Arranging this unit to walk in the front row was a clear indication of their intentions.

Besides the regular troops, the kingdom also needs to bring out something special, otherwise it will be difficult to intimidate the commune. Thorne has been working on some mysterious things in Darmstadt recently, which may be what the kingdom needs for its military parade.

In Darmstadt, Thorne had just inspected Rommel's troops and then went to the Stasi headquarters to learn about current domestic and international affairs.

According to Stasi intelligence, the Ottomans and France had been traveling to several surrounding countries during this period.

In order to gain an advantage, both the Ottomans and France sought potential allies. With the help of the Commune, the Ottomans accelerated their deployment in North Africa. This regional friction seemed poised to evolve into a small-scale regional war.

This is exactly what Thorne wanted to see; ideally, both sides would become increasingly entangled in the conflict, so that his control over North Africa would be foolproof.

"Strengthen surveillance of Cyrenaica, and at the same time try to contact local resistance organizations to find out the political situation inside Cyrenaica as soon as possible. This war is also an opportunity, an opportunity for us to plant a foothold in North Africa."

If a cooperative government can be established in North Africa now, it will provide a guarantee for any future actions in Africa, and provide a foothold for the liberation of the African continent.

After explaining some things, he went to see the tanks he had spent a lot of money to build. He had the most complete data on the Panzer III tank, and the information was also the most detailed.

In this world, the German military industry was not restricted and still retained its strong strength. After Thorne produced the blueprints, several companies also began designing tanks. However, due to various problems, it would certainly not be possible to complete the Panzer III tank in such a short time.

There are still many technical difficulties, and funds are also tight. Thorne understands that he cannot deal with these problems on his own. He had thought that he could rely on his advanced knowledge to arm his troops, but it seems that he was too naive.

Now we can only hope that our cheapskate father can save us. If the kingdom intervenes, these problems should be resolved quickly.

With my current strength and limited resources, even if I could actually build a tank, I certainly wouldn't be able to mass-produce it.

The reason why the first tank was able to be produced so quickly is because the Kingdom of Rhine had previously designed a very similar tank.

However, this tank was discontinued after only a few were produced for various reasons. The Panzer I was an optimized version of that tank in every aspect, which is why it was able to go from blueprints to reality so quickly.

The development of the Panzer III meant a completely new approach, and it would take a long time to go from blueprints to mass production. Thorne named this tank the Panzer II transitional model, which meant that this tank and its derivatives only needed to be able to perform their corresponding functions before 1939.

While Thorne was still thinking about how to tell his father, Otto and the others had already arrived in Darmstadt, which is less than 30 kilometers from Frankfurt, so they found Thorne in less than an hour.

Otto brought Guderian with him this time, which showed his determination to establish an armored division. After hearing about the difficulties Thorne encountered, he no longer hesitated and agreed to Thorne's request. The Kingdom Council will organize a special department to research and produce new types of tanks for the future.

The defensive line needs to be repaired, but there's no rush. The top priority right now is to establish an armored force, because Thorne's prediction was as accurate as Charlemagne's back then, and Otto believes that he must have his own plan for doing so.

Although building a defensive line seems more worthwhile than building tanks, the cost of maintaining and repairing armor in the future could be enough to build several more defensive lines.

However, after reading Guderian's report, Otto also understood that the defensive line could only hold off the commune's attacks temporarily, and could not stop them forever.

Even if he now knows about the Ardennes, the Commune can still choose a different strategy to continue the attack.