The Rise of the Third Reich

On October 22, 1918, Hersmann accompanied Germany's future president Ebert and two revolutionaries who were destined not to live long, back to Berlin, the precarious capital of the empire - although they refused to participate in the coalition government led by the Social Democratic Party, But the Prince of Baden still gave in to pressure (someone marched in Berlin) and ordered the release of Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg.

In Berlin's train station square, Herschmann saw a familiar scene. Thousands of Spartacist supporters gathered in the square, waving red flags, singing the "Internationale" and shouting Liebknecht's name. The sound is deafening!

Liebknecht, like Lenin, climbed on top of a prepared car and delivered a passionate speech. Once again, he criticized the German government's war policy and declared that the main enemy of the German people at home is German imperialism, the German war faction and Germany's secret diplomacy! Demand that the government immediately stop the war and achieve peace without ceding territory or paying reparations! After their speeches, Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg also led their supporters to walk to the Soviet Embassy to pay tribute to the young socialist republic!

"Although they are unwilling to cooperate with us, they have not announced that they will launch a proletarian revolution immediately!" Albert, who escorted Liebknecht back to Berlin, had been standing on the steps outside the waiting hall of the train station, listening carefully to Liebknecht. Knecht's speech. Finally he smiled at Lieutenant Colonel Hersman, who had been standing beside him like an aide-de-camp.

"Mr. Congressman, it seems that your advice has had some effect," Hessman replied respectfully. "You have won a temporary respite for the Empire."

"Well, I'm pretty good at talking." Albert smiled, "Lieutenant Colonel, how much time do you think we have?"

"A few days...or two weeks." Hersman said solemnly.

"Only such a short time?" Albert was startled. During this period, the situation on the battlefield was actually not bad, and the German army temporarily stopped its decline. For now, the battlefield remains far beyond Germany's borders.

"Yes, Mr. Congressman, how long do you think the Austro-Hungarian Empire can last?" Hessman spread his hands helplessly, "The Czech Republic has declared independence, Hungary is in chaos, and a revolution can break out at any time. Once Hungary declares independence, Austria will How can they support the war alone? If there is a revolution in Austria... Unless the Spartacists join the government and help the government suppress the revolution, the revolutionary wave will still sweep through Germany!"

"Austria-Hungary..." Albert shook his head, "What you said makes sense. They saw this exactly, so they asked us to 'unconditionally surrender'."

The "Fourteen Points for Peace" and "Preferential Treatment for Democracy" are indeed a trap! After Germany's "democratic government" came to power, the Allied Powers immediately raised their asking price. They no longer mentioned the "Fourteen Points of Peace Conditions" but still demanded that "the German army completely hand over its main equipment and transportation means of navy, land and air force." This is asking the German army to surrender, and it is unconditional surrender!

Although the Allies did not say that the "Fourteen Points of Peace Conditions" were now invalid, anyone with a little common sense would know that once the German army handed over its weapons and equipment, it would be a lamb to the slaughter. Under such circumstances, if Britain, France and the United States would spare Germany, then they would not be imperialists...

However, most people in Germany did not realize at this time that peace was more painful to them than persisting in war! Most people still believe that the United States of America on the other side of the ocean will find its conscience and grant them a just peace.

After parting ways with Albert, Hersman asked Chloe to go home first. He and Ogaly boarded a carriage sent by the Russian-German Economic Promotion Company and headed to Zossen on the outskirts of Berlin, where the Tsar's family lived in Germany. Then he returned to Berlin to report to the General Staff about his meeting with Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg - Hersmann also planned to remind the superiors to pay special attention to these two dangerous elements. It's best to eliminate them immediately, don't wait until they do something earth-shattering, then it's over!

At the General Staff Headquarters, Hessmann heard another piece of dumbfounding news - the Germans in the Austro-Hungarian Empire wanted national self-determination. The non-German members of the Imperial Parliament all returned to their hometowns to pursue national self-determination, and the remaining German members, after studying the provisions on national self-determination in the "Fourteen Points of Peace Conditions", believed that the German nation within the Austro-Hungarian Empire could also Self-determination, so they wanted to pass a resolution to unite Austria and the German Empire...

But can the Austro-Hungarian German nation really determine itself as stated in the "Fourteen Points of Peace Conditions"? Hersman didn't believe it, and 99% of the staff in the General Staff didn't believe it either. Because they all found themselves being played by the Americans' little tricks.

When Hersmann arrived at Koenigplatz (the location of the Grand General Staff), the people here were either sad or angry, and some were shouting curses in an angry tone, including Hindenburg.

"Deceived! Germany was deceived! There is no 'just peace' at all! The "Fourteen Points of Peace" are also a lie... They want to take away everything from us! These devils, these have no sense of honor. Rubbish!"

The roar of Chief of the General Staff Field Marshal Hindenburg could be heard clearly by Hessmann outside the corridor outside his office.

"Lieutenant Colonel Hersmann, please come with me." Major Schulenburg, Field Marshal Hindenburg's adjutant, saw Hersmann and immediately led him into Hindenburg's large office. There was not only Field Marshal Hindenburg, but also the haggard General Ludendorff. Hindenburg, who seldom lost his temper, walked around the office in a rage. Ludendorff sat dejectedly on a sofa facing the door.

"Lieutenant Colonel Hersmann, are you here?" Ludendorff said weakly when he saw Hersmann.

"Your Excellency, Marshal, Your Excellency, Admiral, it's me." Hersmann gave a military salute to Ludendorff and Hindenburg, and then stood there upright. Hindenburg also stopped and turned to look at Hessmann.

There was a deathly silence in the office. I don't know how long it took before I heard Marshal Hindenburg sigh and smile bitterly: "...You should know about unconditional surrender, right? You were deceived by the Americans! How stupid!"

Hersmann learned the news of the unconditional surrender when he just arrived at the hotel in Breslau. He and Albert received calls from various systems at the same time.

"Your Excellency, Marshal, we underestimated the despicability of the Americans!" Hersman said, "They have never been gentlemen!"

"Yes! They are not gentlemen, they are just a group of liars and robbers! They have no credibility at all!" Ludendorff also cursed.

It was agreed at the beginning that Germany would be able to negotiate peace if it had a democratic government, but it turned out that it wanted to surrender unconditionally! If you had said it earlier, Germany would not be so chaotic now, and Karl I of Austria-Hungary would not accept the "Fourteen Points of Peace Conditions". Maybe Germany and Austria can grit their teeth and persevere.

"This is unacceptable!" Hindenburg gritted his teeth, "Unconditional surrender is unacceptable! The empire cannot lose its weapons, at least the army cannot lose their weapons, otherwise Germany's survival will be in question!"

Are things that bad? Hirschmann said that historically, Germany did lose its main naval fleet after World War I, leaving only a small number of old ships. The Air Force was also forced to disband, but the Army was not lost. It still maintained a certain combat effectiveness and number of people. In the early days of the Weimar Republic, the German Defense Forces Army still had hundreds of thousands of people, and there were also a large number of "Free Corps". Otherwise, Germany would be turned into a Soviet state!

Therefore, there must be some factors that prompted the Allies to be open to Germany and allow it to retain considerable force. Hessman thought to himself: This factor should be the revolution! Now the Russian revolution is getting louder and louder, the White Guards supported by the Allies are failing, the Austro-Hungarian Empire is about to disintegrate, and a new Soviet state is very likely to emerge. And if Germany had such signs, would the Allies dare to really suppress the German Empire's weapons?

But I can’t make this suggestion myself—it was the Hohenzollern dynasty that was overthrown by the revolution! As an aristocratic Junker officer, why do you have to pretend to be a royalist?

When Hersman was wondering whether he should pretend to be a royalist after the war, Ludendorff spoke in a hoarse voice: "Lieutenant Colonel Hersman, I have discussed it with the marshal and I think we can support socialism in Hungary. Revolution. Soon arms and ammunition will be shipped to Budapest... in the name of supporting the Ottoman Empire.

In addition, Nicholas II will issue a decree to confer Ogaly Nikolayevna as the Grand Duchess of the United Baltic Principality. And our relations with the Russian Bolsheviks may also break down...but you should still maintain contact with them as much as possible. If a decent peace is not possible, then cooperation with Soviet Russia is our last hope for revival. "

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