Chapter 19: 19
Like a opened baguette
"What did you just say?"
"Literally. "I plan to deploy troops in the Rhineland soon."
At the end of June 1935, I gathered military personnel and announced my intention to reoccupy the Rhineland.
Blomberg and the pro-Nazi generals who had been informed in advance looked calm, but the rest were astonished as if they had seen some kind of ghost. Immediately a huge amount of opposition erupted.
"It's impossible, Mr. President! If that happens, France will not remain silent!"
"The Wehrmacht is not ready yet! "If war breaks out now, we will be pushed straight to Berlin!"
Among the Wehrmacht generals, the one who most vehemently opposed it was Army Chief of Staff Ludwig Beck.
"Mr. President, this is a very dangerous idea. Please reconsider."
Because he was one of the most senior soldiers in the Army and had been active as a staff member since World War I, his position in the Army was beyond imagination.
I also knew him well.
In the original history, he was the head of the 'Black Orchestra', a group of anti-Nazi figures in Germany, and committed suicide after carrying out Operation Valkyrie, a plan to assassinate Hitler.
And in the last return, he raised a coup and confined me and shot at the end.
I quietly turned my head and looked into Beck's eyes. Beck shrank when he caught my gaze, but he did not look away.
"General Beck, I also know what worries you. Yes, I am concerned that France is sending troops as soon as we set foot in the Rhineland."
"Yes, Mr. President."
"If the Wehrmacht, which has just been rearmed, were to face the French army, the strongest army in Europe, it would have absolutely no chance of winning."
"Unfortunately, this is the reality."
"But you only know one thing and don't know the other."
"yes?"
"The French want to avoid war more than we do. Let me ask you something. Do you know what damage France suffered in the Great War?"
"Why is that suddenly..."
"It seems like you don't know, so I'll tell you. In the Great War, France suffered as many as 5 million casualties. Among them, 1.385 million people were killed in action or disappeared. Of course, all the casualties were young French men. France suffered enormous damage in one war, losing one-third of its key talent responsible for the country's future.
Even now, France has not fully recovered from the damage. That's why the French fear war more than anyone else. If another war breaks out and the same thing happens again, France will truly be finished. "The country itself, France, has disappeared from the map."
Because the Western Front of World War I was formed within the territory of Belgium and France, France not only lost its land in ruins but also lost many of its young people.
For France, which had already entered an aging society in the late 19th century, the destruction of its youth was not a damage that could be recovered.
Although it suffered the humiliation of being occupied by Germany and reduced to a puppet state during World War II, the fighting itself in France was over in a short period of time, so the damage to its youth was somewhat minimal. However, in World War I, trench warfare was repeated for four years, so the country's youth suffered a lot of damage. Young people had to be separated literally every day.
For this reason, even in the 21st century, France considers World War I to be a more terrible past than World War II.
It's only been 17 years since that hellish war ended, so how many French people would agree to start another war?
"France is a coward. It is a country full of bravado that shouts loudly in words but is more afraid of war than anyone else. Actually, it's not that different for us, but the French people are more afraid of war than the German people are. And I'm trying to exploit the feelings of the French people.
You must know that with time our Wehrmacht will become stronger, but at the same time the fears of the French will also be diluted. By the time we have completed all preparations, the French will also be ready to go to war with us. "Before that, we have to hit the player first."
"······!"
"Of course, your concerns are not something I don't know about. If a fight breaks out with the French army, it will immediately lead to a large-scale conflict, and since we lack weapons, ammunition, and soldiers, we will be no match for the French army. Therefore, I will withdraw my troops as soon as the French show any sign of movement. "How do you feel?"
"······Are you sure?"
I finally got over it. Although he appears to be strong, Beck is actually a very indecisive person.
The characteristic of people like Beck is that when you gently appease and offer a compromise, they immediately bite back.
"I guarantee it in the name of the German Führer. "Wouldn't this be enough?"
"If you say it that way..."
Step 1 solved. Now we have to move on to step 2.
***
News that the German army was making suspicious movements along the Rhine River soon reached the French military leadership.
"What on earth are these guys planning now?"
Maurice Gamelin, the commander-in-chief of the French army, was so frustrated that he was on the verge of bursting out.
The culprit was, of course, Germany and Germany's Fuhrer, Adolf Hitler.
Hitler was an unusual person.
A human weapon who was awarded a medal by Hindenburg, a war hero of the time, for his exploits of single-handedly destroying two tanks and killing dozens of British soldiers in battle as a corporal. A monster of monsters who even predicted the Great Depression and Japan's invasion of China through his autobiography. .
After becoming prime minister, he mercilessly destroyed the opposition, while also attracting the people to his side with his unique charisma and speeches, reaching out to Poland, which was his enemy, first, and even signing a non-aggression pact to solve economic problems.
Is there such an unusual person? Lenin of the faraway Soviet Union would have to be comparable to Hitler.
Considering all the information available to date, Hitler had only one intention.
Reoccupation of the Rhineland.
Although the Rhineland, the area stretching from the French and Belgian-German borders to the Rhine River, was German territory in principle, it was a demilitarized zone where German troops were not allowed to be stationed.
Thanks to the designation of the Rhineland as a demilitarized zone, the French and Belgians were able to sleep with their legs stretched out, relieved that even if war broke out immediately, it would take time for Germany to cross the border.
But what if the Rhineland disappears?
France has no choice but to face off again with the German army across the border.
It was natural that German artillery shells would fall like rain on French territory as soon as war broke out.
"no way! "We must stop it no matter what!"
Gamelin, who was in a panic, immediately summoned the French military leadership and held an emergency meeting.
However, the conclusion of the meeting was more than disappointing, it was shocking.
"Your Excellency, as you know, the defense budget was drastically cut due to the Great Depression."
"yes."
"Because of that, our military was greatly weakened. "In order to train, we need money to buy fuel and ammunition, but how can we train often when we can barely even pay the soldiers' salaries?"
"Among the divisions deployed to the front lines, only a handful have undergone training."
"The morale of the soldiers is low."
"I know."
"But the Germans have made great progress, not only in number but also in quality."
"Hitler was more sincere than anyone else about strengthening national defense. "It's still like that now."
"There is no change in the fact that our French army is the strongest in Europe, but the German army is not an easy opponent. "In fact, they are superior to us in terms of the morale and proficiency of their troops."
"In addition, according to a report from the Ministry of Intelligence, the size of the German army scheduled to be deployed to the Rhineland is close to 300,000."
"So if war breaks out, enormous damage is expected."
"Public opinion is also of the opinion that armed conflict should be avoided as much as possible."
In short, it meant that it was impossible to fight Germany alone.
Gamelin reported the results of the meeting to President Albert Lebrun and Prime Minister Pierre Laval.
"I never thought the military's report would be so despairing..."
A wailing sound naturally came out of Lebrun's mouth.
I had firmly believed the words of military figures that the French Army was the strongest in Europe, but when I received a report that it might be pushed back if it went to war with Germany, I felt like I had been hit hard in the back.
However, there is no way the military filed a false report.
They have an extremely high arrogance and often don't listen properly, but aren't they experts in their field?
Moreover, you can trust that the proud French military has come to a conclusion that may hurt its pride.
"I think it will be difficult for France alone to compete against Germany."
Laval said.
"Maybe this would be good?"
"Let's ask our allies for help first."
***
Britain responded coldly to France's request for help.
Britain, which had signed the Anglo-German Naval Treaty with Germany in January of the same year, had no desire to be hostile to Germany.
Since the Rhineland was German territory anyway, Britain's position was to allow the stationing of German troops.
With British help thwarted, France approached Italy.
However, Italy's reaction was not much different from the UK.
In order for Italy to attack Germany, it had to pass through Austria, but Austria was a neutral country and there was no way it would allow Italian troops to pass through.
Above all, Italy was preparing to invade Ethiopia.
Italian elite divisions have already been gathered in Italian Somaliland and Italian Eritrea, but to support France, these divisions must be brought back to Europe.
Of course, the invasion of Ethiopia is a no-go.
Mussolini, who wanted to invade Ethiopia and colonize Ethiopia at all costs, rejected France's offer.
"Mussolini also rejected our offer."
"Huh, you can't do this..."
France was embarrassed after being betrayed by its most trusted key allies.
Britain did not have high expectations due to the Anglo-German naval treaty, but I thought Italy would be an exception, but when it was rejected, it was quite a shock.
"It is still too early to give up hope. "There are other allies besides Britain and Italy."
Although it was rejected by both countries in succession, it had many other allies.
Belgium's position was that it could not tolerate German troops entering the Rhineland, and Czechoslovakia also announced that it would support France from the rear if it took military action.
But these countries were too small.
The French military leadership was also skeptical about how helpful the armies of these countries would be if war broke out, and this was true.
"Po, there was Poland. "It would definitely be different in Poland."
Poland, a powerhouse in Eastern Europe, would understand France's position.
However, as if mocking these expectations, Poland, like the UK and Italy, gave only vague answers.
"If France is invaded by Germany, we will participate in the war in accordance with the Franco-Polish military alliance concluded in 1921. However, this can only come into effect if France is invaded."
To put it simply, they were saying that they would not participate in the war unless France was invaded.
The response from Romania and Yugoslavia was also lukewarm.
These countries did not share a border with Germany like Italy, and had no significant contact with Germany, so they had no desire to join in the dangerous gamble of war.
"No, how can all the allies not be helpful?"
Lebrun was dumbfounded.
Of all the many allies, only two countries will join forces with France. Fortunately, both countries were small countries that would not be of much help if war broke out.
"I think it's time for us to step aside, Your Excellency."
Laval said.
"I understand. I understand... "We have no choice but to step back."
***
On August 7, 1935, the Wehrmacht entered the Rhineland.
The gamble was a huge success.
"What do you think? "Am I right?"
"As expected, nothing can compare to His Excellency the President's insight!"
As the reoccupation of the Rhineland was successfully completed, the whole of Germany was in a festive mood.
Newspapers and broadcasts praised me every day, and people shouted "Sieg Heil" and hung up Hakenkreuz flags from every house.
"Your Excellency the President's genius is insurmountable."
"I learned a lot this time, Mr. President."
Even military figures who opposed me rattled hard. Even that Beck.
It looks like they're trying to wash their image right now, but it's already too late, guys.
I spoke with Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop without even looking at the generals who had expressed their opposition to me until the very end.
"Now it's pasta time."
"What does that mean?"
Ribbentrop tilted his head.
"Do you by any chance want some pasta? Should I tell the chef?"
"No, that's not what I meant."
After taking a sip of Coca-Cola with ice in it, I whispered to Ribbentrop.
"Ribbentrop, I have a task for you."
"Just say the word, Mr. President."
Ribbentrop seemed excited when I told him I had something to entrust to him.
If you give an order, it looks ready to jump out the window. Oh, of course this is the second floor.
"I need to go to Africa. "As soon as possible."
"Do you mean Africa?"
"okay."
Ribbentrop's eyes widened as if my words were unexpected. You probably didn't know that Africa would pop up, let alone anywhere else.
"Which part of Africa are you talking about? Egypt? Morocco? Or South Africa?"
"It's all wrong. "It's Ethiopia."
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