Interview

The afternoon sun cast a lethargic warmth over the headquarters of the National Defense Army, yet the air was punctuated by the energetic shouts of the guard battalion running drills on a nearby small campus. Their loud slogans filtered through the windows of the reception room where Akado and others were gathered. Despite the distant commotion, the focus inside was on the intense conversation between Akado and Fanny, a journalist whose questions oscillated between highly sensitive topics and trivial personal interests.

Fanny, with a peculiar curiosity, first inquired about the combat capabilities of the Defense Force—a topic drenched in confidentiality that made Akado uncomfortable. Then, without any apparent segue, she shifted to asking about Akado's favorite fruit. Despite the odd transition, Akado managed to navigate the conversation, sharing insights that were permissible and crucial. He elaborated on the philosophy of the German Party, describing it as an advanced political entity that not only championed the rights of workers and laborers but also catered to the interests of the bourgeoisie. He detailed their advocacy for scientifically organized labor, standardized working hours, and fair labor compensation, all while supporting capitalists to enhance production technologies for greater profits.

However, Akado conceded to Fanny that the current focus of the German Party leaned more towards the workers, with capitalist interests being placated through indirect compensations. These included lucrative contracts for military companies and ongoing infrastructure projects like the 'white pigeon plan' which boosted industries related to road and railway construction.

As Fanny scribbled notes in a shorthand that resembled a cryptic code, Akado squinted to decipher her writing but found it incomprehensible. He thought to himself about the specialized skill of shorthand, not accessible to everyone, before sighing and responding to another of Fanny's questions about the short-term goals of the German Party. He stated emphatically that winning the next congressional election was a priority, alongside enhancing production processes within allied companies to boost efficiency and benefits for their supporters.

Fanny, adjusting a stray lock of hair behind her ear, complimented Akado on his knowledge and nobility, to which he responded with a gracious and flirtatious acknowledgment. He believed the interview, which had spanned over two hours, was concluding on a positive note.

However, Fanny had one last probing question regarding rumors about the National Defense Forces secretly ramping up arms in preparation for war. Akado, after a moment's pause, dismissed these claims as the machinations of conspirators and reassured her of their commitment to peace, albeit with a readiness for war if necessary.

After Fanny departed, Anna, helping to clear the documents, questioned the façade of peace that Akado had presented. He wryly admitted that the realities of their preparations were a necessary secret, hidden behind the veneer of diplomatic peace talks. The true peace, he implied, would come only when all threats were neutralized.

Fanny, upon leaving, climbed into a newspaper car, discussing her interview experience with a bearded photographer. She expressed a newfound fascination with Akado, hinting at a potential scoop that could catapult her career. Despite the skepticism from her colleague, Fanny was confident in the newsworthy nature of her findings, envisioning herself as a crucial amplifier of Akado's image and policies.

Meanwhile, Akado remained unaware of the impact his interview could wield, lost in thoughts about his recent interactions arranged by various benefactors and his inadvertent entanglement in a series of romantic and political intrigues.

General Kurt von Hammerstein, the current commander-in-chief of the National Defense Forces, represented a stark contrast to his predecessors with a less dynamic approach, causing Akado additional concerns about operational efficiency and strategic planning. The recent expansion of the Defense Force and the development of new military technologies like the db601 aircraft engine and a compact diesel engine for tanks marked significant advancements, aligning with the 'Blue Plan' and 'Red Plan' for future military superiority.

As night fell, Akado received promising news about these technological innovations, setting the stage for a potential escalation in global military dynamics. Yet, he was also reminded of the challenges in pioneering rocket technology, a field still nascent and fraught with uncertainties.

In this complex weave of military ambition, political maneuvering, and personal interactions, Akado stood at the nexus, navigating through each facet with a blend of pragmatism and visionary zeal, all while under the watchful eyes of allies and adversaries alike.

Until now, Herman Oberte's solid-state long-range rockets remain merely theoretical, existing only on paper. His sole practical contribution came when Akado led the chief of the naval department to observe his experiments. This demonstration was meant to show that the future of battleship-launched guided rockets was promising—an assertion that was entirely deceptive. The ship model's path on the water was predetermined, and the rocket's trajectory was similarly pre-designed. This setup was intended to convince the technologically uninformed generals to abandon what he deemed a wasteful use of industrial raw materials in battleship construction.

Speaking of the German navy, it is worth mentioning the latest German destroyer. With the advice and assistance of Akado, the German naval dock in Kiel launched a brand new destroyer in early 1924, named the "Z" class. This new destroyer boasted enhanced air defense and anti-submarine capabilities. To highlight its air defense combat capability, the German navy equipped the destroyer's main gun with 88 mm caliber rapid-fire guns serving as high-level dual-purpose weapons, and installed numerous 37 mm caliber anti-aircraft guns. For anti-submarine warfare, it was fitted with a plethora of depth charges. In 1925, the newly launched Z13 destroyer was also equipped with a then-novel device called "sonar." The anti-ship firepower of these warships was relatively weak, armed only with a few torpedo tubes, seemingly posing no significant threat to any British naval combat ships—not even to British destroyers, which featured a larger artillery caliber than these new German destroyers. However, what many overlooked was another critical feature: these German naval destroyers could reach an ultra-high speed of 35 knots, allowing them to evade most enemy ships. With their intensive air defense firepower, these warships could effectively repel enemy aircraft attacks, making them ideal for naval assaults.

Additionally, Akado's method of shipbuilding ensured that the 15 destroyers produced in Germany were identical, standardizing the training process for sailors and enabling these naval soldiers to quickly master the operation of new warships. These destroyers also had a covert mission—to escort the German Zeppelin-class aircraft carriers. In the naval expansion plan devised by Akado, there was no inclusion of any warship larger than a cruiser except for the Berlin-class aircraft carrier; all other ships were primarily intended to protect this carrier.

The future plans included the ocean-going destroyer Z2 class (an endurance version of the Z1 class) and the light cruiser X1 class. Although still on the drawing board, these two types of warships shared more than half of their designs with the Z1 class destroyers already in service, a feat that was considered a significant achievement in the history of global shipbuilding.

The German Navy was particularly thrilled that Germany had secretly trained over 600 naval submarine officers and sailors in the Netherlands. These capable submarine pilots and their commanders represented one of the most valuable assets of the German navy, poised to be key players in future naval conflicts.

However, as of May 1925, Akado faced considerable challenges. German industry was still heavily reliant on imported rubber, a critical material for both civilian and military applications, yet the supply never seemed adequate to meet the demands. This shortage severely limited the modernization efforts of the German Wehrmacht. The cost of natural rubber imported from China was not low, as Chiang Kai-shek lacked large-scale rubber plantations and had to procure it from British traders in Myanmar or French traders in Vietnam, which was significantly more expensive than direct purchases.

Nevertheless, there were benefits to this arrangement. Purchasing through China at least circumvented the restrictions on direct imports of natural rubber. Akado was determined to address this issue from two angles. On one side, he increased the volume of natural rubber imports and diversified the sources; on the other, he funded domestic chemical research, particularly focusing on the synthetic rubber project of the company Leuna, hoping it would soon reach mass production. Just recently, he had concluded negotiations with business representatives from Brazil, Malaysia, Myanmar, and other regions, signing several cooperative agreements that would exchange German industrial technology for natural rubber from these areas, including large machinery and railway construction projects.

The project to support Fabone in developing synthetic rubber technology under the guise of the Defence Force began as early as 1921. Although the quality of synthetic rubber was mediocre and costly, the Defence Force secretly purchased all the synthetic rubber produced. Addressing the rubber supply issue had drained a significant amount of money from Akado, but fortunately, he remained financially robust.

Even so, Akado found it difficult to review the financial statements of the IDF (Imperial Defence Force), as they were filled with various debts: the IDF owed Krupp a significant amount in dollars, owed Man Company for equipment procurement costs, and owed Daimler-Benz a hefty sum. These debts nearly drove Akado to despair.

Thanks to Akado's control over the Bai Lanhua Group, which owned many companies, these businesses had significantly improved their output and quality by adopting advanced assembly line production technologies around 1921. Over the years, these companies had grown more than tenfold and had become some of the largest in the world. Consequently, the Bai Lanhua Group had also become one of the largest conglomerates globally. As a result, the cars produced by Daimler-Benz had become some of the most renowned worldwide, selling both domestically and internationally. Coca-Cola had become a popular soda brand among young Americans, and BMW motorcycles had become a symbol of fashion and thrill, coveted by almost every prosperous descendant of the nobility.

Despite these successes, Akado did not divert funds from these companies to support the National Defence Forces. Instead, he used only the dividends he was entitled to, which, although substantial, were still only a fraction of his total earnings. This funding strategy allowed him to support military development without hindering the growth of his companies.

In his private life, General Akado Rudolph was known for his frugality. Unlike the typical wealthy general, he never frequented hotels or restaurants. Like all soldiers in the guard camp, he dined in the canteen of the National Defence Army headquarters. Even business representatives visiting from countries like Brazil had their expenses covered by Krupp. His only suit had been tailored when he was promoted to major, and although he owned a standard Mercedes-Benz sedan, it was purchased and assigned to him by the National Defence Force; he had not spent a penny on it. The driver, an army lieutenant named Depp, was also provided at no cost, randomly selected from German Party members in the guard camp. Despite his substantial monthly income, Akado had no savings; his apartment was bought by Krupp and transferred to him, and even the rent due every six months was waived.

On May 11, 1925, an interview with Akado titled "Interview with the President of the Grand German Party" was published on the front page of the "German Deutsche Post." The article quickly became a sensation, far exceeding the expectations of Miss Fanny, who had conducted the interview. Soon, images of Akado were plastered throughout the streets: the young general was depicted sitting on a chair, legs crossed in the pose of Erlang, his left arm resting on the chair armrest, his right hand on his knee, his head bowed, and his eyes obscured by his cap. Beneath the photo, the caption boldly declared: "Great German Party! Hope of the Great German People!" This image galvanized countless workers to take to the streets, waving flags in support of the newly formed party that had already begun to improve their living standards. Even the stingiest of capitalists granted leave to workers participating in the march and awarded bonuses to many of their leaders. The chants of "Long live the Great German Party!" resonated throughout the streets of Berlin.

To ensure the parade was a resounding success, Krupp enlisted the renowned Karl Orff and Wilhelm Furtwängler to compose the anthem "Brave Forward" for the Great German Party. The streets echoed with this stirring melody as people raised their right hands and sang the inspiring lyrics: "We are the people of Germany, we protect our land with long swords, stand up our unyielding backbone, and use blood and sweat to create victory! … Go forward! Great German people! Go forward! People who move forward bravely!"

In a grand gesture, the Daimler-Benz Company donated 50 trucks to the Propaganda Department of the Grand German Party. These trucks, emblazoned with the party's slogans, transported enthusiastic supporters through the streets. This spectacle was a masterful replication and expansion of the famous Nazi propaganda tactic known as the "Flag and Slogan War," a strategy Akado had skillfully plagiarized and adapted for his own purposes.

The real anxiety for the believers of the Social Democratic Party began when approximately 2,000 fervent supporters of the Great German Party assembled in front of the presidential palace, clamoring for immediate elections to Congress. This was unmistakably the first step in the Great German Party's strategy to gain control of the legislative body. The party was a coalition of two powerful groups: one representing the National Defence Army and the old military elite, and the other representing both capitalists and workers, encompassing nearly every profession and class. Thus, all factions, including President Hindenburg, remained silent during the parade, allowing the event to unfold without interference.

This was precisely what Akado had hoped for, and the entire nation was abuzz with excitement for the Great German Party.