"Sell newspapers, sell newspapers! When two destroyers of the High Seas Fleet were normally performing their duties in our territorial waters, they were attacked by the illegally invading French navy, and one destroyer was sunk! The streets of Berlin in the early morning echoed with the childish voice of newsboys.
But soon, the newsboy's voice disappeared — his newspaper was snapped up by people who got up early to work.
A office worker grabbed a newspaper, read it roughly, and said hatefully: "This group of damned French bastards, just because they are the victorious country can be lawless?" "
"Yes, even if the warship secretly enters our territorial waters, it will dare to sink our destroyer in an open manner?! This damn thing is simply an act of war! B also gritted his teeth and said his opinion.
"Alas, who let our navy sink itself in Operation Rainbow." "I have a relative who is a fisherman, and he told me that fishermen have been very angry in recent years, not only being crowded out by fishermen from other countries on the high seas, but sometimes fishing in their own territorial waters is also bullied by illegal foreign fishermen. "
"Well, the newspaper says that General Lyon will give a national address on this event on the radio today, do you want to go back and listen to the radio?" B said.
"Oh, I'd love to go back, but I'm going to work soon." A is helpless.
C put away the newspaper and said, "What other work do you have?" Anyway, I'm going to skip work today to listen, goodbye everyone. After speaking, he hurriedly returned in the direction he came.
Seeing this, A gritted his teeth and said, "fxxk, I won't go to work anymore, go home and General Lyon's broadcast. "
Not only these two people, almost the whole of Germany has involuntarily skipped work, factory companies have stopped production, shops have closed, and even schools have organized students and teachers to listen to the radio.
Cemetery of naval martyrs, Kiel, Germany.
Lyon, dressed in a straight military uniform and standing in front of the podium with a solemn face, was to address the thousands of officers and men of the army and navy and the whole of Germany.
"We are gathered here today to pay tribute to the 234 sailors who died for the glory of the German Navy and the interests of the country."
"Two days ago, the French Navy's fleet of three Frian-class cruisers and six Jaguar-class destroyers brazenly invaded our territorial waters. The First Destroyer Detachment of the High Seas Fleet, which was on a mission nearby, quickly sent two destroyers, Reibericht Maji and Georg Thiele, to interrogate and drive away. But instead of leaving our territorial waters, the French fleet fired a shell at our destroyer USS Georges Thiele. In a tolerant manner, we planned to let our two destroyers withdraw to the fleet first, but the French robbers fired two more shells at the Georges Thiele. In desperation, the commander of the fleet, Rear Admiral Klaus, had to order two ships to fight back in self-defense. In a fierce battle, the Georg Thiele sank one of the destroyers of the enemy string 144, and our destroyer Leiberacht was also sunk by the enemy, 234 naval officers and men, including Captain Carl von Ekert, were killed, and only 17 of the entire ship survived. "
"We Germans are peace-loving, and for peace, we Germans have not made much effort, but the sinking of the Leiberacht makes all that the German people have done for peace seem meaningless. The sacrifice of 234 officers and men made me realize that we were wrong, that we should not have chosen to forbear for the sake of peace, that we should not believe in France, a hypocritical country. "
"But fortunately we have not completely laid down our guns, we still have a chance to make amends for the mistakes we made in the past for peace, 234 naval officers and men will not die in vain, we have to make the French pay!" Here I announce that Germany will re-station troops in the Rhine! I, in my capacity as commander-in-chief of the Wehrmacht, ordered that the Wehrmacht Army Center immediately leave its garrison and march into the Rhine! I swear, I won't let the French hurt us in the slightest! "
"We Germans love peace, but we are never afraid of war!"
In the audience, the applause was thunderous!
"Are the Germans crazy?" Baldwin slammed the report in his hand that read "Army Group Center is moving in the direction of the Rhine" on the table and shouted, "What are they trying to do?" March towards the Rhine? Do they want another big war? "
"Mr. Prime Minister, I personally think that it is not so much that the Germans are crazy as that the French are crazy. We should ask the French, what do they want to do? The Admiralty said, "The blatant invasion of German territorial waters and the sinking of a German destroyer are already a declaration of war."
"The French have gone too far, the Germans are in charge, and it is difficult for us to persuade them to withdraw." The Minister of War said.
"Alas, I also know that the French are to blame for this, but the priority is how to change their minds before the Germans enter the Rhine demilitarized zone." Baldwin said, rubbing his forehead.
"Prime Minister, the latest information!" An intelligence officer of the intelligence service pushed away from the Prime Minister's office and said anxiously, "Our intelligence officers in France report that at least three infantry corps in France have moved towards the German-French border, and the forward units have arrived in Strasbourg!" "
"What? Damn French bastards, don't you think it's big enough? Baldwin couldn't sit still, "Help me inform the League of Nations and ask them to call an emergency meeting!" Then inform the German and French sides, let them stop this dangerous move, and the League of Nations will give them a solution. "
On the other hand, an emergency meeting is also taking place at the top level of Germany.
"Lyon, the news from the front-line intelligence officers has come back that the three infantry corps of the Frenchman have begun to move towards the German-French border, and their forward has arrived in Strasbourg and may cross the German-French border at any time!" Hindenburg wiped a handful of cold sweat from his head and said nervously, "I don't know what you want to do, but war can break out at any time." I just want to ask you, if there is a war and we are defeated, can you take this responsibility? "
Leon did not answer Hindenburg's question, he asked the adjutant beside him, "Where are our troops now?"
"The First Army under Army Group Center has arrived in Stuttgart, and now three infantry regiments are crossing Stuttgart into the Rhine Demilitarized Zone." The adjutant replied respectfully.
"Very well, let the First Army stop the operation, and the three infantry regiments that have already entered the Rhine Demilitarized Zone continue to advance!" Leon said with a smile.
"Leon!" Hindenburg roared in a low voice, "You're playing with fire!" "
Leon still ignored Hindenburg, and he sat calmly in his seat, as if waiting for something.
"General! News came from the British side, calling on us and France to calm down, saying that the League of Nations had called an emergency meeting and that they would give us a satisfactory answer. An officer hurried up to Leon and whispered to him.
"Ignore them, let our three infantry regiments move on, knowing that they are face to face with the French bastards of Strasbourg!" Leon still said unhurriedly, as if this dangerous situation had nothing to do with him.
Hindenburg slumped back in his seat when he heard this, he had never felt so much fear.
War, on the verge of breaking out!