The Rise of the Third Reich

When British Foreign Secretary Viscount Halifax and Lord of the Admiralty Winston Churchill arrived at the Belgian port of Zeebrugge on the world's most powerful battleship "HMS Hood", some people actually protested on the nearby pier. . Protesters held homemade placards with the following words written in bright red paint:

Want EU, not war;

Europeans do not fight Europeans;

Belgium did not need the British Empire.

Obviously, the Germans' "inducing surrender" of Belgium achieved certain results. The Belgians suffered greatly from the last world war and also suffered from severe "war phobia". Now faced with a re-emerging and aggressive German Empire that defeated a "powerful country" like Poland in just 12 days, the Belgians wanted to compromise in addition to fear.

Moreover, today's King Leopold III of Belgium does not have the courage and perseverance of his father Albert I - it was Albert I who stepped forward at the critical moment, informed France of William II's conspiracy, and led Belgium The people plugged France's bullet holes, allowing Britain and France to win the world war.

But his son now completely lost his courage in the face of Germany, which was coming back and becoming more powerful. Of course, this generation of Belgian people is as cowardly as their king.

When they read in the newspaper that the German Chief of General Staff, Marshal Hersmann, threatened to drop 10,000 tons of bombs on Paris every day, what they thought of was not justice and justice, but the fear that these bombs would fall on Brussels and Antwerp.

So when the Germans demanded that Belgium return the compensation state, cede part of the Ardennes region to Luxembourg (Luxembourg joined Germany), and join the German-led customs union and the European Mark Zone, many people wanted to compromise.

And when the enthusiastic Queen of the Netherlands and the monarchs of the "Goodwill People Group" (on the eve of the outbreak of the world war, the monarchs of Sweden, Denmark, Luxembourg and Belgium formed a "Goodwill People Group" and called for the maintenance of peace) came forward to intercede for Belgium. , finally made the Germans give up their territorial claims to Luxembourg and the Ardennes region, and only insisted on asking for compensation states and Belgium joining the "Customs Union", the "European Mark Area" and several other seemingly very favorable demands. Almost no one in Belgium wanted to fight Germany anymore.

Moreover, even the few anti-Germans cannot tell what noble goal Belgium is fighting for this time?

Oppose European Customs Union? Belgium is not a big market, its territory is small, its population is not large, and it is a developed industrialized country. There is absolutely no reason to refuse to join a market that is ten to twenty times larger.

Against the Euromark? German Foreign Minister Ribbentrop has told the Dutch government that the Euromark will be issued by the European Bank. The European Bank will be a central bank jointly controlled by the governments of all countries in the European Customs Union and will be headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands... ...if the Dutch would join in!

Although it is still a bit risky to abandon the Belgian franc and adopt the European mark, it is better than going to war with Germany, right?

In addition, joining the European Customs Union and adopting the European Mark do not need to be implemented immediately. It is just a commitment that needs to be fulfilled after the Germans use bombers to blow Paris, Lyon and Marseille in France into rubble. The Belgians would gain German-approved neutrality before many Frenchmen were killed.

Although it is certainly a shame that beautiful cities like Paris, Lyon and Marseille were bombed to the ground. But it's better than being bombed in Brussels and Antwerp, right? The Belgians just want to live a stable life and have no obligation to die for the French or British!

Therefore, when the British Foreign Secretary and the Lord of the Admiralty arrived in Belgium on the huge battlecruiser HMS Hood, escorted by several light cruisers and destroyers, they encountered the peace-loving Belgian people. of protest.

…

"Winston, it seems we are persona non grata."

Viscount Halifax stood on the deck of the "Hood", waiting for the arrival of the Belgian Prime Minister (the Belgian Prime Minister had arrived at Zeebrugge Port long ago, but was surrounded by angry Belgian people in the hotel) , chatting with Churchill beside him.

If Hitler was a skilled gambler, then Hersmann was a Go master. He spent more than 20 years carefully laying out the chess game for a world war. Now Britain and France have fallen into great passivity... not only military passivity, but also international political passivity.

Although Germany now has also annexed the Czech Republic, Austria and the Baltic States, it also beat up Poland. But no one in the international community regarded Germany as an aggressor—Germany annexed Bohemia, Austria, and the Baltic States at the request of the three democratically elected parliaments, and its previous dismemberment of Czechoslovakia was supported by the League of Nations.

The conflict between Poland and Germany was also caused by Poland's violation of the 1918 Polish-German Agreement. In that agreement, Germany had given Lithuania to Poland as compensation for recognizing its eastern border. Poland later annexed Lithuania on the basis of the 1918 Polish-German Agreement, and on the other hand, based on the Treaty of Versailles, said that the "agreement" was illegal and annexed most of Germany's West Prussia, Posen, part of Silesia and part of Land in East Prussia. It's really ugly to eat. Now if Germany wants justice, it can't be said to be unreasonable.

Moreover, Germany chose to make peace with Poland after realizing the borders stipulated in the 1918 Polish-German Agreement. Poland, facing the Soviet invasion, also accepted all the peace conditions proposed by Germany.

The Polish-German War is now over, and the Poles have become friendly with the Germans.

Under such circumstances, it would be difficult for Britain and France to convince people that Germany was a heinous aggressor.

"It doesn't matter whether we will be popular or not," Churchill said, looking at the protesting crowd on the pier and smoking a cigar. "The key now is not to let Germany realize its ambitions of the 'European Customs Union' and the 'European Mark'! So... we can't make peace with Germany!"

Churchill exhaled a large puff of white smoke, "If the Germans do not engage in the 'European Customs Union' and the 'European Mark', it is not impossible to make peace. But now, we must fight to the end!"

Once the European Customs Union and the Euromark are established, in 20 years the German Empire will become an intercontinental empire that is almost as powerful as the United States. By then, the British Empire will really collapse.

"But we cannot completely reject peace talks." Viscount Halifax frowned and said, "Now Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Sweden, Norway and Denmark are calling for peace, and even US President Roosevelt has spoken... We can't help but show our respect."

This was why Churchill and Viscount Halifax came to Belgium - Britain and France could not help but make gestures for peace now.

At the same time, Churchill and Viscount Halifax must prevent Belgium and Luxembourg from immediately "falling" to Germany, and must prevent Germany from signing any agreement with Belgium and Luxembourg on the establishment of a "customs union" and a "Euromark area" after the war. agreement.

…

"Marshal, this is a report from the Military Intelligence Department." Hans Speidel handed a report to Hessmann, who was attending the headquarters meeting, and then left quickly.

"What news?" Schleicher asked.

"The British Foreign Secretary and the Admiralty Minister arrived in Belgium to discuss peace issues." Hersman looked at the report from the Military Intelligence Office and said mockingly, "But the British asked Belgium not to reach any agreement with us for the time being."

"What do they mean?" Deputy Chief of Staff General Baker also attended today's meeting. He is a peace advocate with a relatively clear stance - of course not clear enough to launch a coup to overthrow Emperor William. “Since we intend to achieve peace, why don’t we not allow Belgium to sign an agreement with us?”

"Because the British want to delay," Hersman certainly wouldn't tell Baker because of the "Euromark", "they won't lift the blockade!"

"If they don't lift the blockade, we will continue to launch unrestricted submarine warfare!" Navy Commander-in-Chief Redel said, "By January next year, the two break-up fleets will be able to attack!"

Raeder then reported that there is now a break-up fleet (composed of a "Scharnhurst" class battleship, a "Sedlitz" class aircraft carrier and a K-class light cruiser) that can be dispatched, but another The branch is still being prepared.

"Perhaps we can dispatch a fleet to break the diplomatic relations first," Hessmann looked at Hitler. This historical "head of state" did not have much say now. "It will soon be October, and the weather in the North Atlantic will not be conducive to submarine activities."

Although Dönitz now has more than 300 submarines available, because the war broke out in September, the winter winds and waves in the North Atlantic were high and the nights were very dark and long, which was not conducive to submarine activities. Therefore, there is not much time left for the submarine force to play, and it is not enough to cause a truly fatal blow to British maritime transportation.

But this was a good time to dispatch the break-up fleet, but Hersman's purpose of dispatching the break-up fleet was not just to sink a few British transport ships. Because now Britain and France have confirmed the neutrality of the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and other countries!

He said to Hitler: "Leader, dispatching the 'Scharnhurst' and 'Seidlitz' will win justice for us!"

"Winning justice?" Hitler asked, "How?"

Hessmann smiled: "Because justice is within the range of the cannon! As long as our battleships roam the North Atlantic, the world will know that justice belongs to Germany!"