181 – Eve (5)
No matter how thick the clothes you put on, the chilly season that you persistently dug into has passed by.
Certainly there was no warm feeling this winter.
I wished that even the northern part of Reinhardt, which was damaged by heavy snowfall every year, could pass without incident.
And as if to prove the passage of time.
Lieutenant Colonel Johannes von Weissenberg ran his finger across his glittering rank insignia.
After his days as a lieutenant who was a planning officer for the Moldoke Armored Train, he took up an important position as the commander of the 32nd armored battalion of the newly created Reinhardt Empire.
Tram.
Once he galloped on horseback as his cavalryman, today his favorite horse is a gray-painted steel land battleship.
He was evaluated as having a particularly radical tendency even in the cavalry division.
Johannes was clearly aware of the limitations of cavalry, and as a way to overcome the limitations, he took the ‘tank’ being developed in the country across the country as a solution.
Originally, the tank was exclusively owned by the United Kingdom of Britain.
The moment he witnessed the huge battleship rolling over the land, he grabbed a flame burning fiercely in his heart.
The result.
At first, the weapon, which was really nothing more than a steel coffin moving on an orbit, continued to develop and developed, and now it has taken on a form worthy of being called a ‘cavalry’.
Reinhardt’s state-of-the-art tank ‘PZ. 38’, A new weapon commonly known as the Cherico tank.
Among the tanks, it was the Cherico, which was classified as a ‘light tank’ because it had poor armor and armament.
With its own 37mm tank gun, it possesses destructive power equivalent to artillery, and boasts a maximum speed of 42km on roads.
From Noble mtl dot com
Where is the only thing to boast about?
It was produced with 100% Reinhalt’s own technology, and unlike the Uk ranian magic tank that requires a mage to operate, a high-output engine is installed so that even ordinary soldiers without any knowledge of magic can operate it without difficulty. .
A perfect weapon to represent the next generation of cavalry.
Lieutenant Colonel Johannes von Weisenberg was very proud of the fact that he was the first armored division commander to operate this weapon.
“You look so excited.”
After putting on his military uniform like that, he heard a voice mixed with laughter behind him as he was appreciating the grandiose picture of the tank.
The lieutenant colonel turned his head at the familiar voice, and the old man with his combed hair looked at him and smiled.
Mercedes Dr. Musk.
Eight scientists who control the world’s science, and he is a genius enough to be said that if there is Dr. Halberstadt in the sky, there is Dr. Mercedes on the ground.
Because right now the Cherico tank was his work.
“Of course. If you can calm down after seeing such a beautiful figure, would that be a human?”
“Uselessly floating.”
The relationship between Dr. Mercedes and Lieutenant Colonel Johannes was very close.
A bond that was woven from the development stage of the Moldoke armored train in the first place. It was because of Lieutenant Colonel Johannes that Dr. Mercedes Musk, who was a simple development advisor, jumped into the armored train development in earnest.
Even after the armored train business was successfully completed, the two continued to exchange.
As a philosophical colleague who shared the common political notion of ‘Reichism’, Dr. Mercedes Musk was a strong support to Lieutenant Colonel Johannes von Weissenberg.
Eight scientists.
In the Reinhalt Empire, where the proportion of mages was not so high, they had as much status as the great mages of other countries.
As long as he became a direct supporter, the future of Lieutenant Colonel Johannes was a flower path.
Of course, he himself had the skills to match.
“By the way, what are you doing here?”
“There is one thing I want to talk to you about.”
A story?
If that’s the case, isn’t there anything else to meet at the base?
“If it’s not an important story, I’ll treat you to dinner at a nearby restaurant…….”
“It’s important. Besides, it’s something that no one else wants to share.”
At Dr. Mercedes Musk’s words, the lieutenant colonel felt that his head went cold. He is considered to be outstanding at least in one sense. The reason why he always went on a path different from others and went on a winning streak was because of this sensitive ‘sixth sense’.
“Greetings.”
“…… !!!”
“Your Excellency, Chancellor Erich Hindenburg.”
A tall man with a white beard sprouting from both sides strode toward Lieutenant Colonel Johannes.
For what reason did the Reichskanzler, who oversees the country’s big and small affairs on behalf of the emperor, come all the way here?
Of course, the 32nd Armored Battalion is getting a lot of fame within the Reinhardt Imperial Army, but I didn’t think the Prime Minister would come here yet.
“Gee, Sieg Heil Victoria!”
He was too great a man for Johannes, who was only a lieutenant colonel, to handle.
He gave a roaring salute to the Prime Minister with a look of bewilderment on his face.
“Nice to meet you, Lieutenant Colonel Johannes von Weissenberg.”
“It is an honor to meet you!!”
Chuck.
After arranging the hard boots, Johannes responds by straightening his body.
“You have a good spirit.”
“Didn’t I tell you, sir?”
“If it’s a young officer who gets Dr. Musk’s favor, there’s no way I’d hate it. Ha ha ha!”
Cold sweat ran down Lieutenant Colonel Johannes’ back at the sight of the two bursting into laughter.
What the hell is the situation?
“You look clearly embarrassed.”
“Oh no!”
“Do you know why I am here?”
Johannes’ head was spinning.
“Well…… I do not know.”
“It is natural not to know. Because this is a top-secret operation on our side as well.”
The young lieutenant colonel had a hunch that something was complicated.
“You must know that the political situation that is currently covering the world is unusual.”
“Yes, I am.”
Johannes also read the newspaper every single day recently.
Because every day was full of surprising incidents.
Across the sea, in the Federal Republic of America, a bubble that had been inflated until it burst burst and caused a massive economic downturn.
Companies like Cheolongseong, which seemed like they would never collapse, collapsed one by one in the earthquake that shook the entire country, and the citizens were left with the damage intact.
Protests happen every day.
Freedom itself is a very dangerous value. The government of the Federal Republic of America had no justification to stop the raging anger of the citizens.
Because he was also free.
Anyway, in a crisis that hit the country that was the de facto leader of the free association and boasted the most powerful economy.
The economies of the United Kingdom of Britain and the Free Democratic State of Prü also came to a point where they were shaken in a chain, and in the meantime, the border clash between the Kingdom of Adalia and the Free Democratic State of Prü was intensifying.
It wasn’t even a matter of a day or two that there was bloodshed in the border area, but I’ve heard news that they exchanged artillery fire with each other recently.
Everybody has no choice but to say with one mouth that the age of confusion has arrived.
Soldiers trained fiercely to fulfill their role in a turbulent era.
The nationalism burning in the
Imperial Alliance goes beyond an ideological concept and functions as the driving force of the nation itself.
Reich caution.
For Lieutenant Colonel Johannes himself, who was deeply immersed in that ideology, the situation around the world was like a ticking time bomb that was on the verge of exploding any moment.
“I have been wired a secret telegram from the Soviet Empire.”
“In the Soviet Empire?”
The Reinhardt Empire and the Soviet Empire belonged to the same faction, but it was a complicated relationship in many ways to say they were close.
As the Soviet Empire claims to have inherited the Rus Char Empire, it was not too shallow to accept favorably the country that succeeded the enemy country of the time.
It was only that the liberals in the west jumped on the bandwagon as a result of the world being divided into the Imperial Alliance and the Free Association.
Although they are allies, it is an ambiguous relationship to say they are blood alliances.
I’d rather have the Kingdom of Adaliya as an ally close to blood.
The intelligence delivered by such an obscure ally was shocking.
“They say they will launch a large-scale ‘special military operation’ against Uk ran next month.”
“… ….”
Lieutenant Colonel Johannes von Weissenberg was silent.
It seemed that the peoples of the north were really intent on starting a war.
“The Soviet Empire wants our Reinhardt Empire to support the occupation of Uk ran.”
“That won’t be easy.”
“I agree with you. Uk ran is not what it used to be.”
Unlike the Principality of Uk ran just a few years ago, the current Uk ran has its own international diplomatic relations and military power comparable to, if not a great power.
It was thanks to the active adoption of reform proposals by several personnel, including Enoch Levandel and Sonny Zeppelin, and the active support of King Orlando I, which achieved quite remarkable results.
Of course, if the Soviet Empire waged a war with sincerity, Uk ran would eventually fall.
Because the invaded Soviet Empire would never be safe.
“Of course, the emperor didn’t like it either, but since it’s definitely an alliance, there’s a debate going on in the imperial family over whether or not we should listen to that request.”
“This is a difficult situation.”
“Besides, we have quite friendly relations with the Uk ranians.”
“We, Reinhalt’s military trains, are being built in the Military Industrial Complex in the Bjartok Manor. We are continuing cooperation with the newly emerging aviation branch.”
If you look at it in a way, it is a country that is much closer to an ally than an empire to consumption that simply straddles the fence of an ‘alliance’.
You can’t protect such a country, but attack it.
Isn’t that ridiculous?
Besides, if it is to be occupied in the end, it must be Reinhardt’s territory.
I couldn’t understand why the great Reinhalt had to watch the Empire’s desire for aggression.
Hindenburg, who read the emotion that appeared on his face for an instant, nodded slowly and added.
“I know what you are thinking. But diplomacy is not that easy.”
The prime minister is old, but the firearm still in his eyes is still there.
“Thus, we decided to organize the ‘Uk ranian Expeditionary Force’ for special operations and send it to the Uk ranian front.”
“Are we going to join the war of aggression after all?”
He is a soldier.
I have never forgotten the spirit of top-down.
No matter how unreasonable you feel, if that is the will of your superiors, you must follow it, as a true soldier’s duty.
However, Erich Hindenburg shook his head and replied.
“No, our Reinhalt has no intention of playing along with the Empire’s play.”
“Then…… ?”
“The Fake War.”
What came out of Hindenburg’s mouth.
It was as unexpected as the invasion of Uk ran by the Soviet Empire.
“All you have to do is drive his armored battalion and pose a threat on the Uk ranian border.”
“Is that all?”
“Yes. But war is war. Do you understand what I am trying to say?”
Johannes answered, correcting his posture once more.
In short, it means a deception operation to deceive the Uk ranians and the Empire at the same time.
“Yes!! Understand!!”
“You are a smart friend. Then I will be watching.”
The sudden meeting with the Prime Minister came to an end.
Lieutenant Colonel Johannes von Weissenberg and the 32nd Armored Battalion were quickly organized in the Uk ranian Expeditionary Force—as known to the outside world, they were assigned to the Rapid Response Force in the Western District of the Empire.
February 24th, Imperial Year 345.
Waaa-!!!
With the deafening sound of sirens, the order to mobilize the rapid response force fell.
“Tank forward!!!!”
Cross the years of hundreds of years.
The gates of World War II were finally opened.
wait what?! did we skip The Great War when I wasn’t paying attention…