Big exercise

"It is shameful to have a country without defense!" Seekert declared emphatically as he initiated the routine exercises of the German National Defense Force. His voice rang out clearly, "You are the national defense of Germany! The exercise begins now!"

Recently, Seekert had managed, through almost forceful means, to extract over 10 million German marks from the already strained national coffers. He used these funds as a deposit to order 200,000 sets of new military uniforms. These uniforms were not just fabric and thread; they symbolized a leap into the future, making his troops appear decades ahead of their old rivals, England and France.

Seekert was a staunch advocate for the detailed and meticulous implementation of an ambitious plan termed "rearming ideas and morale." This initiative, led by Akado, focused on enhancing the soldiers' personal skills and encouraging them to take initiative, thereby mastering more advanced technical forces. Initially, Seekert had little interest in advanced scientific equipment, opting instead to emphasize spiritual power. However, under Akado's influence, this perspective had evolved to rightly balance both spiritual power and technological advancement.

With the commencement order, the German Wehrmacht began their routine exercises. Infantry units, grouped in fours, hustled between shotgun pits carrying the cumbersome Maktin heavy machine guns. The scene was a bizarre spectacle of outdated equipment in vigorous use, causing the observing officers from the coalition arms control committee to view their once formidable adversary as a group of clowns performing a disjointed dance.

The observers watched a German armored vehicle swiftly maneuver in front of an enemy position before quickly retreating. Groups of soldiers huddled around a map, sketching and analyzing it for an extended period before dashing back to their positions to simulate an attack. The cavalry, mounted on thousands of horses, charged a defensive line bristling with machine guns, even deploying smoke bombs that caused tears to stream from the horses' eyes.

Amidst this chaos, several members of the German machine gun team, burdened with a bulky Maktin heavy machine gun, moved slowly forward. A soldier equipped with a distance-measuring instrument sprinted ahead, reached the designated position, and signaled a successful hit before the machine gun team was even properly in place.

The French observer commented dismissively on the exercise, "They're just playing around." This sentiment was echoed when the report of the National Defense Forces' exercise concluded, drawing laughter from several French officials. The report amusingly noted that the 1st Cavalry Regiment had advanced and captured 19 enemy machine gun positions and that the 2nd Infantry Battalion had destroyed 20 enemy tanks and repelled about 30 more. An infantry company even audaciously claimed to have shot down two enemy planes.

Despite the restrictions of the "Versailles Peace Treaty," which prohibited Germany from possessing tanks, it did not strictly limit the number of armored vehicles. Each unit had acquired about 400 new armored vehicles, transforming several main divisions of the German Tank Simulator into a world-class reconnaissance force. Contrary to global assumptions, Akado did not use these vehicles as tank substitutes but as advanced scouts for non-existent tank troops, providing crucial intelligence.

Akado had also equipped nearly twenty thousand war horses for the 20 main defense divisions under his command. These divisions, though slightly outdated in their reliance on horseback, simulated large-scale tank troops and were also tasked with simulating mechanized artillery and armored grenadiers.

Anyone familiar with World War II tactics observing these exercises might think they had stepped into a realm of madness. The machine gun teams, if equipped with standard or light machine guns, would represent an ideal standard for moving machine gun positions. The cavalry's ability to attack enemy positions would be laughably effective if they were actual tanks. The frontline command analysis, based on perfect reconnaissance and artillery support executed with precision, could rival even the 1944 U.S. forces in efficiency.

Despite the apparent disadvantages, the restrictions imposed by the "Versailles Peace Treaty" had led to a military force with extremely high standards. Volunteers had to pass rigorous physical and psychological tests. Even though Akado had surreptitiously doubled the true size of the IDF, these stringent conditions remained unrelaxed. Soldiers were required to serve at least 12 years, and officers no less than 25. Each soldier received specialized training in a particular area, emphasizing leadership skills crucial for military efficacy.

Since Germany was prohibited from establishing a regular military academy, Seekert and Akado ingeniously circumvented this rule by setting up a military education system at the company and regiment levels. Sergeants were trained as officers within this regimental system, ensuring a seamless transition in ranks during times of war.

Akado assured Seekert that in the event of war, all active-duty German soldiers could be promoted at least one rank, and the army's size could be expanded tenfold or more almost instantly. This army was rigorously tested in semi-annual military exercises, assessing not only their professional skills but also their deep sense of military honor. Although lacking modern high-tech military equipment like tanks or anti-aircraft guns, they used cardboard and wood models for training. The so-called enemy aircraft were sometimes nothing more than toy balloons, yet close observers could hear soldiers diligently reporting their positions and actions over the radio, maintaining a high level of professionalism.

A foreign observer, witnessing this, couldn't help but exclaim, "The National Defense Force is no joke. The German team should command the attention of military staffs worldwide."

Thus, it came as a shock to Seekert when he found himself questioning the direction Akado was taking with the exercises. He confronted Akado one afternoon as the latter was discussing tactics with a group of "tankers" operating tractors.

"Akado, I've given you a great deal of trust, perhaps too much, and it seems you've become somewhat forgetful! Should I revoke some of your powers to remind you that the National Defense Forces are not toys for some to play with?" Seekert's presence and tone conveyed his frustration and disappointment, sparking a heated exchange between the two.

Akado, anticipating this confrontation, responded calmly yet firmly, "General, are you absolutely certain that your decisions are always correct?" He paused, allowing the question to hang in the air before continuing, "You know what I'm driving at. If you understand the reasons, why question the methods?"

"Because I am quite certain that the future of warfare will be decided by oil, metal, and the concentrated use of tanks creating massive impacts. It is the mechanization of our forces that will allow us to penetrate deep into enemy lines. The equipment you trust cannot achieve what I'm proposing."

Akado's confident demeanor was met with a stern look from Seekert, "But this is the National Defense Force! This is Germany's last military might. All I can do is ensure that this force improves steadily, not blindly follow some utopian theory scribbled on paper."

Seekert's harsh words underscored the gravity of the situation, "Germany cannot afford this risk! Nor can you bear this responsibility!"

"And you cannot bear this responsibility either, General! If your stubbornness causes Germany to miss this period of development, and we are defeated in the next war because we lacked tanks, trucks, or cannons, how will you answer for that?"

The tension between the two was palpable, each man standing firm in his beliefs. They were close friends and like-minded allies in revitalizing the German Wehrmacht, but now they found themselves at a crossroads, their visions clashing.

After a moment of intense silence, Seekert sighed deeply, his shoulders sagging as if the weight of their argument had physically impacted him. He appeared suddenly older, wearier. "I will withdraw my oversight from the first division, but you will still be under my supervision with the third division. We'll give your theories three years. If you can prove them by then, I will step aside. If not, I will handle the consequences myself."

"If my theories of warfare are not validated, you won't need to do anything," Akado retorted sharply, "I will resign myself."

Seekert turned away, his voice tinged with a mix of hope and concern, "I hope you're not jesting with the millions in defense funds."

Akado's reply was resolute, "I never jest about my dreams."