64 – Episode 64 Magic Show (1)
While we were hammering the nail into Russia’s coffin, Britain, which had been sticking its head in the Dardanelles Strait and showing off all kinds of stunts, finally I gave up my regrets.
“With 250,000 casualties, it’s time to learn a lesson. “I’m withdrawing now.”
“Actually, it’s funny that blood is shed like this for something like Russia. “It was a good loss.”
They must have known that Russia was hopeless, so they quietly withdrew their troops from the Dardanelles.
“No, 250,000 people died or became idiots. Russia was ruined after throwing young people into the mud like that? “Did you guys turn around?”
“The Cabinet fully recognizes its responsibility.”
“No, how are you going to take responsibility!”
“I will resign.”
Prime Minister Lloyd George resigned, taking responsibility for the failure to break through the Dardanelles. It was the birth of a short-lived prime minister who lasted only 7 months. The hero who tore Germany apart in the last episode left the dark side of history in such a lonely way.
However, this did not mean that the British gave up on the war.
The British Expeditionary Force, reinforced on the Western Front, began digging trenches like we did.
“Para.”
“How much do you sell?”
“Do everything except eating and sleeping.”
It was long enough to make eight round trips between the Swiss border and the Belgian border. Not only the British army but also the French army dug into the ground. The only reports coming in every day were concerns about how deep the enemy’s trenches were. It was understandable to see the trench expanding by 4, 5, and 6 layers.
Damn bastards, since they had so much fun heading the game, are they telling us to come in now?
If things don’t work out, Germany, which has been left dry due to the maritime blockade, will negotiate. Who wouldn’t be able to make that kind of calculation?
In fact, our Navy also responded to the maritime blockade in its own way, but it was not enough.
From the beginning, the geopolitical position was such that Germany could not win.
The North Sea itself was created when the British mainland blocked the continent. How can they win there?
I also did not make unreasonable demands on the Navy.
They made small demands for privateering with cruisers and armed merchant ships.
However, this did not mean that the maritime blockade was inconvenient.
Even if food was brought from the eastern occupied territories, they had no choice but to dry out and die if the maritime blockade continued. This is because if imports and exports are blocked, foreign currency cannot be accumulated.
Without money, it is only a matter of time before the economy collapses.
In the end, even if Russia was defeated, there was no change in the fact that the negotiations had to go as badly as desired.
‘But it would be crazy to just rush into it.’
Fortress + trench + river + mountain.
The German-French border was the tomb of the attackers, condensing all the malice imaginable to man. Just crashing in there was a way to become the Japanese army that crashed into Lushun.Mk2. Even if that is not the case, it is common sense that the trenches of World War I were not meant to be crashed into. To break through the Western Front, new weapons were needed to overcome the trenches.
So I prepared.
Chemical warfare.
Actually, I didn’t intend to do this from the beginning, but as I prepared, my thoughts changed. Tank preparations were slower than expected, and weapons for breaking through the front lines were inadequate.
Then what should I do? We have to use poison gas. External reputation at stake?
Look at this. If I lose this war, my head and throne will be blown away. What kind of naive thing are you talking about?
I called in Dr. Haber to find out the progress of the weapons so far.
“Chlorine gas is fully prepared, including the production process, transportation, and delivery. “We can prepare up to 500 tons per day.”
“What if Tuval?”
“Gas can now be mixed.”
Dr. Haber said in a proud tone. I’m not proud of ignoring the Hague Convention, but it was a feat worth acknowledging.
Poison gas.
The weapon that turned the Western Front into a real hell was the poison gas bomb. When we think of poison gas, we usually think of standing in a trench line and letting gas flow in the direction the wind blows.
It is not a wrong idea. When it comes to poison gas, that is a common means of delivery.
However, poison gas can also be loaded into artillery shells. Management is a bit tricky, but it is possible with today’s technology.
So what happens? Tactical options are greatly expanded.
Usually, when soldiers see regular artillery shells falling, they hide in dugouts inside trenches. If the poison gas bomb falls at that time, all the soldiers inside will suffocate.
The barley game of death begins.
This tactic of spraying a mixture of poison gas and regular ammunition is the core of the ‘Hutier tactic.’ If a shell falls, poison gas is suspected, so you must wear a gas mask, and if you wait for three or four days like that, you will become exhausted.
If a specially trained assault force attacks it, it can be wiped out like a storm.
If there is one problem, it is that they can also use poison gas. Tear gas is basic, and chlorine gas can also be made.
In the first place, chlorine gas itself is a weapon whose technological difficulty is not very high. The problem is mass producing it and loading it into artillery shells.
In any case, as long as we prepare thoroughly first, we are bound to enjoy an overwhelming advantage for a certain period of time.
Until then, how can you have as much fun as possible with poison gas?
“You worked hard for your country.”
I sent Dr. Haber away and seriously considered ways to use poison gas. If you want to have fun, flat land that you can push on is the best, and the only land around that was suitable for that was Belgium.
If we attack Belgium, will the Belgian army be a problem?
Belgium pumped up its troops to increase its defenses, but it is still Belgium.
If we sprayed some poison gas, we could easily take it down.
Even a third-rate army like Italy could use poison gas to instantly finish off Ethiopia, which had 500,000 troops. However, if Germany, the home of poison gas, used a little gas, it would kill Belgium in an instant.
Since Britain had entered the war anyway, attacking Belgium might have been considered as an option.
If the other person is having a seizure, pressing one more seizure button won’t make a difference.
With the power of poison gas, the Belgian fortresses would be destroyed in half a day.
‘It’s okay, though. ‘I can’t get an estimate.’
In times like this, an expert was needed.
I called Ludendorff, an expert in bastardization.
Ludendorff was so intelligent that there was no need for a long explanation.
“If you’re talking about an invasion of Belgium, do you mean the Schlieffen Plan?”
The unlucky name that was nailed to the coffin after death.
I wanted a good strategy like ‘scytheling’, ‘scytheling’, or ‘scytheling’. When I thought about it, that meant hitting the Netherlands as well.
That’s what the Prussians do.
How are you planning to attack our ally, the Netherlands?
“Jim wants an operation that will outmaneuver the enemy while avoiding trench warfare.”
“That is Schlieffen, Your Majesty. “Now you don’t have to worry about the six-week limit, but the essence is the same.”
“That’s right, Chise. So, if we divert to Belgium, will we be able to properly flank France? “Under the premise that poison gas is used generously.”
Since Russia was defeated, there was no need to wear the false mask of Germany ‘obeying’ international law. What are they going to do if they show Prussia’s barbaric nature? We are dominating the ground war.
“It won’t be easy. “Didn’t we show ‘possibility’ at the beginning of the war?”
That was it.
Unfortunately, France once ran a simulation to see what would happen if the side was stabbed. The French are not stupid enough to experience it once and suffer it again.
No, is that right? Because I got hit again during the second detour to Belgium.
What did Hitler use to deceive the French at that time?
It is said that there was a world-class gamelin debuff, but that alone could not explain everything.
Was the invasion of the Netherlands such a big variable?
“I think we need some kind of trick.”
Ludendorff’s eyes sparkled at those words.
“I think there might be one way.”
“Let’s listen.”
I decided to listen to Ludendorff’s thoughts with a listening attitude.
“In fact, it is not easy to deceive an enemy who is ready and waiting. In that case, there is only one way to deceive the enemy. “You’re telling the enemy the lies they want to hear.”
“It is a lie that the enemy wants.”
The enemy is aware of the possibility of us taking a detour to Belgium.
We are thoroughly preparing for that possibility.
“The enemy will believe that we will take a detour to Belgium. “That is the only way to avoid the fortress.”
That’s right.
“So, let us believe it to be true and attack it head on.”
“How are you going to make me believe that we are going to Belgium?”
“Isn’t it best to make them believe it with their own eyes?”
Let the spies see, hear, and taste.
It wasn’t wrong.
“Please explain in detail.”
“I want the information to flow through Italy. “I’m sure they think Italy has almost joined our alliance, so I wouldn’t be suspicious of their sources.”
“Let me think about it.”
I began to seriously consider the possibility of a ‘detour’ across the West.
That was the only way to avoid the fortress. It doesn’t matter if it’s the power of ‘chemical weapons’, but the French-German border is a neighborhood of overlapping forts. Destroying a few forts would not have left France in trouble.
So, it was easy and convenient to penetrate the turtle-like border of Belgium.
‘The problem is that if you do that, you will completely ruin Germany’s reputation.’
I didn’t hit Schlieffen for nothing. There was such a risk in attacking a neutral country. Even so, the international community did not look favorably on the fact that the Ottomans were forced into war.
Anyway, there was one useful thing among Ludendorff’s words.
‘It might be worth thinking about. ‘It’s a trick.’
For the first time in a long time, I felt like my conspiratorial nature was boiling over.