Chapter 144: The Report
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London, England. The Prime Minister’s residence.
“Prime Minister!” A British naval officer handed a report to Ramsay MacDonald, who was drinking coffee. “Our intelligence personnel have confirmed that the German Navy is currently building two huge ship hulls. Work on the two battleships that were originally being built for us has now basically stopped.”
“Are the Germans planning to go to war?” MacDonald asked with a frown, looking at the naval officer who had come to report. “What are the French saying? Shouldn’t the Allied Military Control Commission be preventing this from happening?”
“Prime Minister, if you turn on the radio, you can probably hear the national address being given by the German Führer, Akado Rudolph,” the officer said, his tone somewhat stiff. “The Germans have announced the dissolution of the Allied Military Control Commission and have expelled all foreign troops stationed on German soil.”
“That’s impossible!” MacDonald finally put down his coffee cup. He turned on the radio and heard, through the hiss of static, Akado’s rousing cry: “Gentlemen! There is still an institution on our territory that hinders our independence and sovereignty! This institution restricts our army and denies us the right to self-defense! Should we tolerate such an unequal existence? No! Should we meekly let others manage our household affairs? No! Freedom is what we yearn for! Strength is the foundation of Germany’s survival! Therefore, I solemnly announce here! The German government no longer recognizes the legitimacy of the Allied Military Control Commission! The German government will order the Allied Military Control Commission to disband and leave German soil within a set time limit!”
“My God! Notify His Majesty the King! Within the next twenty-four hours, I want the numbers, equipment status, and readiness of all available military units! Notify all generals who are not on leave to come to my office,” MacDonald said to his secretary, his face grave. “Issue the order immediately. Inform the embassy in Germany to be ready to evacuate at any time!”
Germany, Berlin, the British Embassy.
Smith was watching his adjutant and several embassy staff members stuff all sorts of things into his suitcases. “Hurry up, gentlemen! Or we won’t be able to leave! Damn Akado! Has he suddenly gone mad? To challenge the tolerance of all nations at a time like this.”
“How could they do this? This is provoking a war!” the adjutant said, fuming. “I just received a call from the French embassy. The German Foreign Ministry has officially issued the notice of expulsion for the Allied Military Control Commission.”
“Now I can’t figure out what the Germans are trying to do either,” Smith said with a sigh. “Do they want to fight another world war? And lose everything they have?”
On the French border, officers were busy issuing ammunition to all the soldiers. Combat engineer units were reinforcing the surface fortifications of the Maginot Line in some sections. The entire Maginot Line was a scene of bustling activity.
After receiving Germany’s notice, France began to mobilize its troops. Eleven divisions were moving toward the Franco-German border. Including the fifteen divisions already stationed on the border, France had already amassed more than 300,000 troops on the Maginot Line alone, and this number was constantly increasing. France estimated that eventually, 50 divisions might reach the border and, from there, tear through Germany’s Siegfried Line and invade German territory.
“Colonel de Gaulle! You have been promoted to Major General of the Army and are responsible for commanding the newly formed 1st French Armored Division,” an old general said, waiting for the Colonel de Gaulle standing before him to salute before continuing. “Immediately rendezvous with the newly established 2nd Border Army and proceed to the rear of the Maginot Line to await orders!”
“Yes, General!” de Gaulle saluted and then asked in a low voice, “Will France declare war on Germany?”
“General de Gaulle, in fact, I am not optimistic about this operation. If war does break out, our mission will be to break through the enemy’s Siegfried Line, with projected losses of over ten divisions,” the old general said with a sigh. “So we would rather hope that the Germans realize that war is imminent and finally compromise with us.”
War was just a threat; it would only break out if the threat did not work. This was the French government’s calculation. Having just begun to emerge from the economic crisis, they did not want to see their efforts destroyed by war. What France hoped to see more was the German people themselves driving Führer Akado from power and reinstating the Allied Military Control Commission.
“How are our tanks?” the old general asked after a pause, turning to de Gaulle, the commander of France’s only armored division. “Are you confident you can defeat the Germans?”
“General, based on our experience in the Spanish Civil War, we have improved our tank designs, thickened the armor on all sides, and equipped them with larger-caliber tank guns. I am confident that after the war begins, we can teach the German tankers a profound lesson!” de Gaulle said confidently. “Our tanks are superior to the German Panzer III in both firepower and protection.”
“Intelligence came from Britain yesterday,” the old general said, clearly a little worried. “The Germans may have a new type of tank. It has a large chassis and may be equipped with thicker armor! This is the conclusion they drew from the width of German tank tracks they happened to see.”
“It makes one’s blood boil just to mention those damned Brits,” de Gaulle complained with a frown. “If it weren’t for them always trying to use Germany’s rise to check us, and helping the Germans conceal so much intelligence, we wouldn’t have been kept in the dark until now!”
“There’s no point in talking about what the politicians have done now! Our job is to fulfill our duties as soldiers! To clean up the mess for that bunch of foolish politicians!” the old general said, his eyes narrowed. “Prepare for war. At least, I personally feel that this Führer of Germany is much better than that bunch of foolish politicians in our country. Since he has stepped up to challenge us, he will not compromise so easily.”
“Yes, sir!” De Gaulle turned and walked out of the old general’s office.
“The German army is increasing its strength. In the last report from the Allied Military Control Commission, we can see that Germany is mass-producing ammunition and improving their rifles and individual combat gear,” a British general said, holding a report and analyzing it for MacDonald. “Prime Minister, all signs indicate that Germany is expanding its army.”
“The Air Force is confident it can attack Germany’s military facilities. Even if there are signs that their air force has a new type of fighter, the numbers are not too large! We can dispatch 500 bombers to attack their airfields,” an air force general said.
“The Royal Navy can easily destroy the German Navy. We only need to strike to completely blockade all of Germany’s sea lanes. Their navy is not even a match for ours; at best, they can only serve as targets,” the First Lord of the Admiralty added smugly.
“In fact, Germany has always been acting according to our plan, haven’t they?” MacDonald said after some thought. “They are developing a large-scale army, which can check the French for us—but their navy and air force are very weak, which is enough to put our minds at ease.”
“Theoretically, that is the case,” another official said with a nod. “In fact, Germany has always maintained a good cooperative relationship with us, especially on the issue of dealing with the growing Soviet Navy. They have provided us with a lot of help.”
The First Lord of the Admiralty of the Royal Navy was one of the people who most wanted to fight a war, because the German Navy was so weak it could not cause him any losses, while the glory of winning a war was a huge temptation for him. “But we cannot ignore Germany’s actions! We should sink their warships and show them who is the master of the world!”
“Sir!” MacDonald said with a sigh. “We withdrew from the Allied Military Control Commission a long time ago. I cannot persuade His Majesty the King to approve the use of our Royal Navy just because Germany has expelled a French-led organization!”
He paused, then continued, “In fact, the possibility of us going to war with Germany is very low. Before this meeting, I was informed that both His Majesty the King and the Chancellor of the Exchequer feel there is no need to mobilize the army and go to all-out war with Germany over a diplomatic crisis. They are pinning their hopes on a round of diplomatic mediation, or a low-intensity military action, to achieve our objectives.”
“But we should do something,” the air force general said, looking at everyone. “We must warn the Germans, make them not forget the pain of defeat, and make them remember the position of the British Empire!”
“Well said!” the official who had spoken earlier agreed. “More importantly, we cannot allow the Germans to develop their military strength as they please. The last war proved that this is very dangerous! We should firmly control the expansion of Germany’s military power so that we can better control the situation on the European continent.”
“Easier said than done. That Führer of Germany will not back down easily. The German Foreign Ministry has already sent formal written documents, and their embassies are packing their things. It seems they are more eager for a new world war than we are,” the army general said in a gruff voice from the side.
“The Americans don’t want to see the European continent fall into chaos before the economic crisis is over either,” the Foreign Secretary said with a frown. “However, the American ambassador has suggested that we use a more peaceful and effective method to resolve this crisis.”
Prime Minister MacDonald’s eyes lit up. He looked at his Foreign Secretary and asked, “Does the American government have any good suggestions?”
“They suggest we blockade the Middle East oil routes and cancel Germany’s oil quotas in the Middle East,” the Foreign Secretary said with a sly smile. “Destroying Germany’s oil reserves will limit its military development. Unless their planes, tanks, and warships can run without fuel, they will have no choice but to accept all our conditions!”
“Then that is our best solution for now!” MacDonald said with a smile. “Tell the French that we will share Germany’s oil together! Let them provide the ports, and the Royal Navy will resolve this dispute!”
