I was a tycoon in World War I: Starting to save France

Chapter 964 The Emperor's Trap

At the General Staff headquarters in Berlin, Hindenburg and Ludendorff, along with their staff officers, were extremely busy.

Everything went into chaos after the Charr occupied Saarbrücken.

Romania withdrew, Italy withdrew its troops, and the Hindenburg Line had to retreat in the fighting; otherwise, Charles' mechanized forces could have easily routed them from the rear by simply turning a corner.

"We must get rid of it!" Hindenburg roared at Saarbrücken on the map. "It's like a malignant tumor that will eventually kill us."

Charles has deployed few troops in Saarbrücken, including only one armored division and one mechanized division, while two motorized divisions have been withdrawn to protect supply lines.

But it was precisely these two divisions that Hindenburg was extremely wary of.

Because he was unsure from which direction the Charles would attack:

Heading south would allow them to bypass the defensive line and encircle a large area east of the Rhine.

To the east, it would penetrate behind Italy and even sever the connection between Germany and Austria-Hungary.

To the north lies the Ruhr, Germany's industrial heartland.

Thus, Hindenburg was able to defend every direction but could not defend any place, even though Charles's troops stayed in Saarbrücken and did not advance an inch.

"Calm down, Marshal," Ludendorff advised.
“While we should take back Saarbrücken from a military standpoint, we should not from a political standpoint.”

"Think about Charles's attitude."

"He has always hoped for a 'ceasefire' with Germany, and if we launch an attack, it will inevitably provoke the French army!"

Hindenburg nodded helplessly.

This is precisely where the German army finds itself in an awkward position:

The elite troops of the Charles were stationed in Saarbrücken.

Leaving aside whether they could win or not, even if they could, they would inevitably suffer heavy casualties, and then they would not have the strength to face the British and American allied forces.

The best option is to avoid provoking the Charles and continue this sham peace.

However, it was like a sword hanging over his head, ready to take his life with a single swing, which made Hindenburg feel extremely uncomfortable.

Just as Hindenburg was feeling uneasy, a guard's voice came from outside the door: "Your Majesty!"

Hindenburg looked up in confusion, just in time to see Wilhelm II stride in. His voice seemed different than before, filled with confidence: "Is everything alright, Marshal?"

“Yes, of course.” Hindenburg stepped forward and saluted. “All is well, Your Majesty.”

Wilhelm II sat down on the sofa, glanced around, and asked meaningfully, "Is that so?"

He smiled without saying a word, looking at Hindenburg with a hint of mockery in his eyes.

Hindenburg immediately realized that the visitor was up to no good; the emperor might be there to seize command, or at least partial command.

Hindenburg, however, didn't take it to heart.

Just him?
If he could bring Falkenham along, he might have a better chance of winning.

"Do you have any instructions, Your Majesty?" Hindenburg feigned respect, but in reality, he was giving Hindenburg the order to leave: If you have nothing to say, then leave; we don't need you here.

Wilhelm II was unconcerned:

"That's right, the navy won a great victory last night, and I hope to share the victory with the marshal."

"after all……"

Wilhelm II maintained his smile and gestured to the surroundings.

Although he didn't say anything, Hindenburg understood that this meant Hindenburg desperately needed news of a victory.

"Oh, really?" Hindenburg said calmly. "Very good news. But I'd like to know, what kind of victory warrants His Majesty's personal visit?" What kind of victory could the navy possibly win? Hindenburg thought, perhaps just destroying a few torpedo boats and then coming to show off!
Wilhelm II raised an eyebrow, crossed his legs, and spoke casually:

"It can't be called a major victory."

"We merely succeeded in a surprise attack, sinking three cruisers and five destroyers that the British were escorting the convoy."

"Of course, we also suffered some losses; the Bavaria sustained some minor damage."

(The image above shows the Bavaria-class, Germany's most advanced battleship during World War I, which officially entered service in March 1917.)

Hindenburg was stunned, and Ludendorff and the other staff officers also turned their attention to Wilhelm II, who instantly became the focus of everyone's attention.

Hindenburg still couldn't believe it: "You...no, I mean the navy, really won such a victory? Why are our newspapers..."

"Because we just released the news." Wilhelm II leaned back with a smug look on his face. "I think it won't be long before it comes out."

Then, as if remembering something, he said, "Oh, right. We also brought back seven merchant ships fully loaded with supplies."

Hindenburg's eyes widened instantly: "Seven merchant ships? Where are they...?"

Hindenburg had no concept of the carrying capacity of merchant ships, so he couldn't guess the number.

Wilhelm II added to his statement: "The initial estimate is 3 tons of supplies, possibly more, as each of them is fully loaded with cargo."

Hindenburg's heart skipped a beat. 3 tons of supplies were a lifeline when the entire nation was tightening its belts to fight the enemy.

The others couldn't help but gasp, then cheered and applauded for Wilhelm II:
"Well done, Your Majesty!"

"You have solved our urgent problem."

"Thank you, we've finally heard some exciting news."

……

Wilhelm II rose and nodded to them:
"No need to thank me, soldiers. This is what the German Emperor should do."

"I should be the one thanking you. It is your perseverance and hard work that have protected Germany and enabled it to survive until now."

“I think it’s time to come together, I mean the Navy and the Army.”

"As long as we unite against the enemy, we will surely defeat them, even if the enemy is the Charles!"

Another round of applause erupted in the command center.

Wilhelm II turned his gaze to Hindenburg and asked, "You agree, Marshal?"

Hindenburg understood the meaning behind Wilhelm II's words.

In reality, the navy and the army don't really have much coordination or unity; they are on two different battlefields.

What Wilhelm II called "unity" was nothing more than a demand for participation in the command of the army.

Hindenburg did not want to agree, as it meant the decentralization of power.

But he had no choice but to agree, otherwise the captured supplies might not be distributed to the army but instead used to reward the navy or provide relief to the citizens.

After a moment's hesitation, Hindenburg nodded helplessly: "Of course, Your Majesty, that's how it should be."

“Very good.” Wilhelm II smiled with satisfaction. “Now, let’s take a look at the Hindenburg Line.”

He strode to the map and pointed at the defensive line: "I suddenly have an idea, Marshal. Do you think that if we launch a counterattack against the enemy, it might catch them off guard?"

"No, Your Majesty," Hindenburg hurriedly replied, "We are short of ammunition, and a counterattack at this time would likely be a disaster!"

Hindenburg was completely unaware that this was a trap set for him by Britain, the United States, and the Emperor.

(End of this chapter)