Chapter 72

I spent all day at a friend's birthday and I only got home at night, normally I wouldn't publish any chapters because I was tired, but I had promised myself that I would release 8 chapters on Sunday in celebration of 100k views.

While I was editing, my head hurt from looking for the right names of some characters, so the chapters may not be very well edited, if you find any errors, comment in the paragraph so I can correct them.

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"German people will never forget the humiliation of territorial loss, and we will quietly await the day of revenge," reads the inscription on a monument in the Rhineland demilitarized zone, written in German, bearing witness to Germany's resentment towards the Treaty of Versailles.

The Rhineland refers to the land on both sides of the Rhine River, the only natural barrier between Germany and France. To prevent Germany from launching attacks against France again, the Treaty of Versailles after World War I stipulated that Germany could not station troops, build fortifications, or establish military facilities within 50 kilometers of the left and right banks of the Rhine, creating the Rhineland demilitarized zone. This provision allowed the French army to easily enter this undefended strategic area and swiftly cross the wide Rhine River, penetrating into Germany's Ruhr and Rhine industrial centers in case of war.

Seven years after the end of World War I, countries such as the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, and Belgium concluded the Locarno Treaties. Germany, France, and Belgium mutually guaranteed not to alter the current western borders of Germany as prescribed by the Treaty of Versailles and prohibited the gathering of troops in the Rhineland demilitarized zone.

Any violation of this agreement would be considered a breach of the Treaty of Versailles, constituting "unprovoked aggression," and the affected contracting parties could take immediate action.

This was a preventive measure, and thus the importance of the Rhine River was highlighted politically. According to this treaty, the area would officially become a demilitarized zone once the Allied occupation forces withdrew from the left bank of the Rhine.

For Germans, this was undoubtedly a humiliation, as the Rhineland region had originally belonged to Germany. However, as a result of the treaty, Germany was unable to station any troops there.

As they gazed at the gently flowing Rhine River, their hearts accumulated hatred!

In the entire Germany, perhaps only Wilhelm could rationally analyze that compared to the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, the Treaty of Versailles was indeed quite lenient towards Germany.

The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk forced Russia to cede more than 1.5 million square kilometers of land, losing 56 million people, which accounted for 32% of its entire population. It also took away one-third of Russia's railway lines, 73% of its iron ore, 89% of its coal production, and more than 5,000 factories. Furthermore, the cession of land was done directly, without a nationwide referendum.

In addition, Russia had to pay Germany 6 billion marks in reparations.

On the other hand, the Treaty of Versailles required Germany to cede 73,000 square kilometers of land, much of which was done through nationwide referendums.

As for France, it actually only reclaimed Alsace-Lorraine, which was taken by Germany after the Franco-Prussian War in 1871, without demanding any additional German territory. France was granted permission to exploit the Saar Basin coal mines for 15 years, with the Saar region under international supervision and autonomy. After 15 years, the Saar region would return to Germany through a nationwide referendum.

Regarding the amount of reparations, the Treaty of Versailles demanded Germany to pay 33 billion dollars, equivalent to 132 billion gold marks. However, Germany ultimately paid only 12 billion gold marks, equivalent to 3 billion dollars. It was a small fraction, with the rest being evaded.

Yes, it was not that Germany couldn't afford to pay; they simply evaded the payment. In comparison, after World War II, Germany had to pay 50 billion dollars in reparations, far exceeding the amount required by the Treaty of Versailles. However, Germany paid the entire sum without missing a penny. Germany had the funds to launch a world war and produce numerous planes and cannons, but they deliberately avoided paying reparations, claiming they were incapable of doing so.

This just exemplified the saying, "Being tolerant to the enemy is being cruel to oneself," and it was a living example of nurturing a tiger to become a menace.

"Everyone, I have an idea that I'd like to discuss with you," Wilhelm said, looking at the group of officers sitting below him, as he slowly began to speak. "I am planning to send troops into the Rhineland!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the room exploded with dissenting voices, and various objections quickly drowned the meeting.

"Your Highness, absolutely not! Our current forces are far from matching even a fraction of France's. If we send troops into the Rhineland, it will undoubtedly provoke the French," a blatant provocation indeed!

Damn it, if you want to object, then do it one by one. With so many people talking at once, he couldn't even hear who said what.

After waiting for a while, Wilhelm pounded the table with force, signaling for everyone to be quiet. "I think so too. If we send troops into the Rhineland, it will undoubtedly anger the French. And then what? Won't they consider the 'Ruhr Crisis' from over a decade ago?"

Back then, the German government used inflation and financial crises as reasons to request a postponement of the reparations payments. As a result, France, in conjunction with Belgium, used Germany's failure to fulfill its reparations obligations as a pretext to send 100,000 troops to occupy Germany's Ruhr industrial region, causing the "Ruhr Crisis."

Germany implemented a policy of 'passive resistance' in response. The country experienced industrial shutdowns, a decline in industrial production, a massive outflow of capital, a surge in unemployment, and hyperinflation reaching astronomical levels. Workers in Berlin went on strike, and Germany's political situation became unstable.

The crisis had a devastating impact on Germany. The United Kingdom and the United States feared that Germany's economy would collapse, leading to a social crisis or even revolution. They demanded a quick resolution to the Ruhr Crisis. At this point, both Germany and France found it difficult to stick to their original policies. The failure of the risky move in the Ruhr weakened France's position on the issue of reparations, eventually leading to the leadership of the reparation problem shifting to the hands of the UK and the US, who began to manipulate the situation.

"Do they not consider that the consequences of their hasty actions might sever any ties between the Treaty of Versailles and France?" Wilhelm disregarded the officers exchanging their opinions and continued, "During my visit to the United Kingdom, I raised the issue of the Rhineland. The British response was to have no response at all. They neither expressed support for us nor opposed us clearly. After all, the UK doesn't want to see France become a dominant power in Europe."

Initially, the officers were stunned, but they soon understood. The analogy made by His Highness was indeed quite fitting. As a country outside the European continent, the UK had long pursued a "splendid isolation" policy to prevent the rise of a major power on the continent that might vie for dominance. They would strike at France today and target Germany tomorrow, disturbing the peace in Europe. Although the conflicts among European countries were the main factors, the UK's talent for instigating was not to be ignored.

Anyway, the tense atmosphere in the meeting room suddenly eased. Wilhelm continued, "Moreover, across the ocean, the United States doesn't want to see the UK and France becoming too powerful either. This time, I want to test the attitudes of the UK, the US, and other countries. Even if they don't express support for us or say anything, maintaining silence, France won't dare to act recklessly."

"But Your Highness, what if the French ignore all this and insist on taking action?" After all, these are just your speculations; what if the French show no restraint and directly send troops?

"In that case, we will immediately withdraw our troops and avoid engaging in any conflict with them." Wilhelm said with ease. "I'm not being overconfident; I know that our current Germany is still unable to contend with France. But this is only for now; in a few years, we will make the whole world sit up and take notice! By then, the Gallic Rooster will become a submissive little hen for us to control."

No one had any objections. Rundstedt asked "Your Highness, which unit should be sent into the Rhineland?"

Wilhelm thought for a moment and shook his head. "To avoid causing too much provocation, I don't plan to send the regular army. Instead, the Imperial Guard will take on this task. Also, they will not carry heavy weapons, only light arms. This is just a test to gauge France's bottom line and other countries' reactions." If they show no reaction, it means they are indulgent towards Germany, and then Germany will continue to advance step by step. But if they react strongly, then Germany will immediately back down; it's that simple.

Hopefully, nothing unexpected will happen, and everything will go as it did in the original timeline, with France taking no action.

After further discussions, Wilhelm announced the end of the meeting. "Then let's adjourn."

The officers saluted neatly and left the meeting room one by one.

An elderly general fell behind, and only after everyone had left the meeting room did he come to Wilhelm. "Your Highness, please let me lead this operation. If the French want to investigate, I will take full responsibility for it, claiming it was my personal action without any involvement from others. I will bear the consequences, whether it's being dismissed or tried by a military court, to appease the French anger."

"..." Wilhelm looked at the old general, who was not very famous in the original timeline, and felt a bit moved. If this operation failed, this old general would shoulder all the blame!

The old general continued calmly, "My whole life has been uneventful. I hope to make some contribution to the motherland in the remaining time I have."

Wilhelm comforted him, "Don't worry, General. We won't fail this time." Moreover, he had planned it in a way that required someone of significant importance to lead the operation to make France cautious and prevent them from taking reckless actions.

And who in today's Germany had a higher position than him?

He intended to personally lead the Imperial Guard into the Rhineland.

The old general asked anxiously, "Your Highness, are we really going to go through another world war?"

Wilhelm sighed softly. "I think war is inevitable."

No matter it's Roosevelt's New Deal or Germany's economic reform, it's basically the country firing up the printing press and printing money. Then, they use the government to foot the bill, issue orders to stimulate demand, and push businesses to produce at full capacity. With businesses running, they naturally need a large number of employees, temporarily solving the unemployment problem. Additionally, they undertake large-scale infrastructure projects, consuming manpower, which is all reflective of Keynesian economics.

Now, the most important question arises: After producing all these goods, who will buy them?

The United States is somewhat better off since South America is its backyard. Although the market isn't large, they can at least absorb some goods. For Germany, it's a bit awkward since its neighbors are all industrial powerhouses, and they lack markets; hence, their goods are hardly sold.

These accumulated goods will eventually become a ticking time bomb!

Once it explodes, Germany's economy will be in ruins!!

The only way is to expand outward, seize more markets and resources, transfer the surplus industrial capacity domestically, drive rapid economic growth, and continuously improve the living standards of the people.

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Frankfurt.

Frankfurt is a city by the Rhine River. In the future, it becomes Germany's and even Europe's center of industry and commerce, financial services, and a significant transportation hub. It is also a well-known international exhibition center.

The meaning of Frankfurt is "ford of the Franks," and the Franks were one of the Germanic tribes.

This city has a long history, dating back to around the year 1 AD when the Rhine and Danube Rivers served as the northern borders of the Roman Empire. The Romans stationed troops here, making this area a border fortress.

In the 8th century AD, Frankfurt began to rise and became an important political stage in German history.

For example, during the time of the Holy Roman Empire, Frederick I, also known as Frederick Barbarossa, was elected emperor here.

From 1562 onwards, Frankfurt replaced Aachen as the venue for imperial coronations, and a total of ten emperors were crowned here, ascending the imperial throne.

The Holy Roman Empire officially came to an end in 1806, and then Frankfurt became the seat of the Confederation of the Rhine's government.

It can be said that for the German people, Frankfurt holds deep political significance!

As a new day dawns, the workers gather and head towards the factories in the city. Suddenly, they hear the dull sound of engines coming from behind, and it's not just one engine.

Many people curiously turn their heads since there are usually no vehicles passing by at this time. This is not the future, and with the impact of the economic crisis, many people can't even afford bicycles. If they have to travel a distance, they can only walk.

The next moment, they witness an unforgettable scene; it's as if time freezes here!

In their sight, they see the flags fluttering in the wind, displaying their iconic flag.

"Oh my God! That's the battle flag of the Royal Guard!!"

Some immediately recognize the significance of the flag. Although there are no German troops here, they learned about some military reforms from newspapers. The Royal Guard belongs to His Majesty the Emperor's army.

What they see next is even more astonishing.

At the front is an incredibly luxurious Mercedes car, followed by a line of trucks. The back of the trucks is packed with soldiers wearing Royal Guard uniforms and carrying Mauser rifles.

The crowd begins to stir.

The army, the German army, has entered the Rhineland!

Finally, someone shouts loudly, "Our army is back!" After waiting for more than a decade, day and night, they have finally awaited the return of their homeland's army! People excitedly spread the news, and as the convoy enters the city center, it becomes congested to the point of barely moving. But still, a continuous stream of people pours onto the streets; more and more people gather, crowding the road completely.

Helpless, Wilhelm has to ask the driver to open the convertible's top, stand up, and smile while waving to the surroundings.

Everyone erupts in cheers, wave after wave of enthusiastic shouting!

At this moment, Wilhelm, surrounded by the fervent crowd, had no idea that he almost became a victim of an assassination attempt.