August 31, 1939
Central Germany, 9th Military District Kassel, Frankfurt Resistance Headquarters
21:00
In the gathering of the resistance force's core participants, amidst the palpable tension, Ludwig Beck was briefing the outline of the operation.
“From our location in the 9th Military District, Kassel, and General Witzleben's 12th Military District, Wiesbaden, the Army Group Commanders of each military district must first summon each Corps Commander to demand their participation.
Anyone who commits insubordination must be arrested imdiately, and the operation must comnce. Since the reliable ones have already been recruited, there shouldn't be any major problems.”
Everyone nodded with nervous expressions. From this point on, nothing could be guaranteed.
We could only hope that those who hadn't been recruited yet would respond as favorably as possible.
“Once the 9th and 12th Military Districts are secured, General Witzleben of the 12th Military District will lead the 1st Army to the southern 5th Military District, Stuttgart, to assist our Corps Commanders and General von Hamrstein-Equord in subduing the pro-Nazi figure Friedrich Dollmann and seizing control of the 7th Army.”
“Understood, General Beck.”
Witzleben's role was very important.
Wiesbaden and Stuttgart were our rear as well as the border area with France. If the securing of those areas was not certain, a situation where France intervenes could erupt.
“General Wilhelm Ritter von Lepp of the 9th Military District must secure the Ruhr industrial area. Once the Ruhr is secured, leave only so public security troops…”
Beck sent a gaze with a slightly displeased face toward Konrad Adenauer, who was among the oldest in this gathering.
“We will appoint forr Mayor Adenauer as the Provisional Governor of Cologne-Ruhr to stabilize the region. …I trust you won't bring up your favorite separatism in a situation like this.”
“Heh, I may be old, but I haven't gone so senile that I can't even distinguish shit from piss to that extent.”
Konrad Adenauer, in his 60s, replied with a blatant scoff at Beck, who was clearly uncomfortable with him.
As expected, the Prussian traditional military personnel and Adenauer were like water and oil.
The military personnel rembered Adenauer demanding autonomy for the Rhineland after World War I and trying to separate from Prussia, while Adenauer disliked the Prussian figures who treated the Rhinelanders like hicks…
It's not that I didn't consider these conflicts, but precisely because he doesn't fit with the military or the royalist faction, he is the right person to manage the Rhineland region.
“Then I shall head to the Ruhr with forr Mayor Adenauer. Leave it to .”
Colonel General Wilhelm Ritter von Lepp, the most senior soldier in the German military after Rundstedt, replied. Now was the core of the plan devised by Manstein.
“The final attack force, the 5th Army, has been concentrated with tanks and vehicles from the Siegfried Line. Panzer General Oswald Lutz will take charge of this unit.”
“Hahaha, the armored unit I've dread of… If you live long enough, you see everything.”
Panzer General Oswald Lutz was not well known in modern tis, but he was the person who established the German military's early armored theory, experinted with tanks, discovered Guderian who was a communications officer, and made him reborn as an armored officer.
Although he was forced into retirent due to being implicated in the Blomberg-Fritsch Affair after the Hitler governnt ca into power, strictly speaking, the title of 'Father of Armored Warfare' that Guderian obtained fits this man even better.
Manstein's armored breakthrough plan, which was scheduled to appear in the invasion of France, ca to bloom earlier in the hands of Guderian's ntor, Panzer General Lutz.
The Sickle Cut Operation in original history caused France to fall in just six weeks, but even that was a downgraded version that fell short of his draft, having been adjusted due to factional conflicts between branches within the army and Halder demoting him under the pretext that Manstein was too reckless.
However, with Beck as the general overseer—who had favored Manstein since his ti as Chief of the General Staff and was sowhat favorable to the armorization policy—and thanks to the nature of this desperate coup, Manstein's conception was adopted almost as is and further supplented.
“General Lutz, breakthrough the 11th Military District, Hanover, and advance to Berlin. Leave the securing of the area to the following infantry units.
If Count Blunthal's assassination of Hitler is successful, we can expect maximum surprise effect on the SS thrown into confusion.”
“Understood, General Beck.”
Having spoken up to that point, Beck turned his gaze toward Lieutenant Colonel Tresckow and .
“Ahem, well… what did you say you'd do with those called the Freedom Corps?”
“We plan to move to Bavaria by train before the railroads are controlled, attack the Dachau concentration camp, and then withdraw through Stuttgart, which General Witzleben will secure.
The rest will head to Buchenwald near Weimar.”
The Freedom Corps are citizen volunteers including liberals and social democrats I recruited.
Since they are people who share my will, it was decided that Lieutenant Colonel Tresckow, with whom I have at least a trust relationship, would take command and I would assist as an adjutant.
“Well… was that part of the agreent with the civic forces? Fine.
They are additional troops anyway, so do as you please. Also, grant
authority over broadcasting and propaganda…”
Beck looked at
with a slightly hesitant face, but soon heaved a sigh and nodded.
“You secured the press anyway. Fine, give it a try.
But understand that if you disappoint us, we can revoke it.”
“Of course, General.”
Prussian military personnel have an aversion to Goebbels or Hitler, so they have little interest in this area, but permission was granted more easily than I thought.
It seems my actions so far have planted a fairly good impression on Ludwig Beck.
“Their citizen army has agreed to support maintaining public order in the Rhineland region after the work is done, General. Depending on the situation, it would be good if we could afford to turn my unit to the front line.”
General Witzleben is the most favorable person to us among those here, so opinions have already been exchanged with him a few tis.
“I don't know how much of a role the so-called citizen army will play, but I will trust General Witzleben's judgnt.”
The explanation of the operation and exchange of opinions were almost over. Beck closed his eyes for a mont, then opened his mouth.
“By now, Lieutenant Colonel Oster should be escaping Silesia with the rescued broadcasting station staff. The Abwehr agents remaining in Berlin and our people will be hurrying to prepare for escape.”
Everyone swallowed dryly. Everyone here knew that now, if it wasn't victory, it was only death.
Ludwig Beck, who had high public trust in the military but was powerlessly ousted after defying Hitler, had shown an indecisive side all this while, but in the end, he trusted us and was stepping forward actively.
“There is no turning back.
Move to your positions and prepare to comnce the operation. Execution is at midnight.
…May God's protection be with everyone. For the Fatherland.”
11 months since the Munich Agreent. Everything we had fiercely prepared for was now on the testing ground.
---
August 31, 1939
Northern Germany, Berlin, Abwehr Headquarters
21:30
“Move that quickly! Hurry up!”
“Section 2 is done once we move this!”
Normally, it would be long past quitting ti, but the Abwehr Headquarters was chaotic with Abwehr agents running around moving docunts and luggage here and there.
They were the last ones, as manpower, confidential docunts, and supplies had already been siphoned off little by little under the guise of external dispatch.
Now that speed was more vital than maintaining confidentiality, they moved busily without hiding the commotion.
“Director Canaris! What is this commotion at this hour?”
SS Lieutenant Colonel Rudolf Bamler, the Chief of Section 3 (Counter-espionage) of the Abwehr and the only SS mber within the Abwehr, ran into Director Wilhelm Canaris's office and protested.
It was sowhat rude behavior, but Director Canaris, who was organizing his office, turned his head to look at him and smiled leisurely.
“We are preparing to move to the Abwehr temporary office in Frankfurt.”
“Wh, what? What do you an! I never received such a report…”
Canaris nodded, then imdiately pulled out a pistol and aid it at the stiffly frozen SS Lieutenant Colonel Bamler.
“Of course you wouldn't have.
You've worked hard working as Heydrich's eyes all this ti.”
“Wa, wait…”
Canaris fired the pistol just like that, then spoke to his confidants, Lahousen and Groscurth, who were aiming their pistols from behind the fallen Bamler.
“What are you doing? Move quickly. We are very busy if we want to pick up the newspaper staff too.”
“Ye-Yes! Director!”
---
August 31, 1939
Northern Germany, Berlin, Frankfurter Zeitung Berlin Branch
22:00
“Here are today's reporting guidelines!”
As always, Editor-in-chief Theodor Heuss received the reporting guidelines sent by Goebbels from the Ministry of Propaganda and greeted the deliveryman with a bright smile.
“Thanks for today as well, good work.”
“…? Yes, keep up the good work.”
The deliveryman, a low-ranking official of the SS, thought 'that gentleman is acting strange today' as he rode away on his bicycle.
Editor-in-chief Heuss, who was once a mber of the Reichstag, closed the door and stepped inside the newspaper company building, tearing up the guidelines Goebbels sent him and throwing them on the floor.
“I'm trembling more than when I first stepped into the Reichstag.”
The guidelines sent by Goebbels were not needed today. They were already writing articles including the content sent by Lieutenant Colonel Oster from Silesia.
“Co on now, those pulling out, go ho pack and run! Those staying will get overti bonus and danger pay from headquarters!”
“Hahaha!”
At Branch Manager Habenstein's banter, the employees burst into laughter but were frantic writing articles.
No one stood up to run away.
Branch Manager Habenstein saw that scene, grinned, and said.
“Let's print quickly, distribute, and flee like a bullet.”
Editor-in-chief Heuss also burst into laughter at those words.
“…Then, shall we go et that insolent young lady.”
Claudia Jung, a reporter Heuss picked up when she was a fledgling and raised diligently, quit the newspaper without lingering attachnt as soon as she got involved with the resistance force.
As if that wasn't enough, she committed a trendous incident like the assassination of a minister, chilling his liver.
Since Claudia had already resigned a year ago and had no access to the company other than secretly contacting the Branch Manager or Editor-in-chief, there was hardly any evidence. However, Himmler, who had so acquaintance with Ribbentrop, tried to shut down the Frankfurter Zeitung.
It was fortunate that Minister of Propaganda Goebbels, who disliked Ribbentrop, blocked it, saying there was no need to show Britain and France that the Nazi's claim of guaranteeing freedom of the press was a lie by shutting down a famous dia company at a ti like this.
[The SS Attacks Germany!]
Editor-in-chief Heuss grinned looking at the headline of the newspaper currently in full work.
It was unfortunate for Goebbels who blocked the discontinuation of publication, but he would have to pay a high price.
---
September 1, 1939
Northern Germany, Berlin, New Reich Chancellery (Neue Reichskanzlei)
00:00
Hitler was on the phone with Himmler in his office at the New Reich Chancellery.
“How the hell did this happen! Still no contact?!”
[S, Sorry, Führer. We are grasping the situation now.
]
Just how flustered he was ca across very well over the phone, and Hitler felt like he was going to explode with rage.
“Damn it, you can't even properly raid a broadcasting station and don't know what's happening! Find out no matter what! Imdiately!”
Bang- Hitler slamd down the phone and clutched his head.
Nothing was going right.
“Ribbentrop… the problem started when that damn liquor seller died.”
Feeling as if God was interfering with his path, Hitler felt a severe headache. He drank so water, swallowed the dicine his personal physician gave him, and was resting for a mont with his eyes closed.
However, that rest didn't last long before it was interrupted. There was a commotion outside.
“What is it this ti, who dares in my residence…”
But before Hitler could finish speaking, he heard the sound of gunshots outside. His nerves stood on end, and Hitler sprang up from his seat.
“My Führer!”
Almost simultaneously, his Chief of Security whom he had personally appointed recently, Major General Erwin Roml, rushed in hastily and slamd the door shut with a bang.
“Wh, What is it, General!”
“You must evacuate! Rioters are attacking the residence!”
Seeing a hole punched in the door Roml closed along with the gunshot, Hitler was engulfed in shock and couldn't say anything as he quickly opened the secret passageway in his office.
“I will lead the way!”
Hitler ran through the secret passageway for his life behind Roml with his aged and burdenso body.
“Damn it! The Führer is gone!”
“Where did he disappear to!”
The shouts coming from beyond the closed secret passageway entrance sent a chill down his spine.
Amidst this, Roml showed thorough professionalism by holding the hand of Hitler, who kept lagging behind, and running. The two succeeded in escaping the secret passageway and coming out into the sewer, breathless up to their chins.
“I apologize, Führer. It may be unpleasant, but please endure it.”
“These, damn traitorous bastards…”
What kind of bastards are they? The Wehrmacht bastards? Or the accursed Bolshevik bastards who killed Ribbentrop? Or if not them, the Jews? There were too many places to suspect, but Hitler vowed to exact a bloody revenge worse than the Night of the Long Knives as soon as he got out of here.
While Hitler was thinking that, Roml, young and brave for a general, struggled and succeeded in opening the manhole cover, and after coming out to the ground, he reached out his hand to Hitler below.
“My Führer, I will help you, so please co up.”
Hitler, frowning at the dirty sewer ladder and hesitating, was just about to take Roml's hand and climb up to the ground.
“Hitler!”
In the sewer they had passed, a man gasping for rough breath was aiming his muzzle at him.
“Huuk! P, Pull
up! Quickly!”
Hitler urgently tried to climb up while clinging to Roml, but—
“Go to hell, you devil!”
Count Blunthal's shooting accurately pierced Hitler's body.
“Oh, Oh my god, Führer!”
Roml pulled up the Führer's limp body with force. The Führer's arm was dislocated, but that wasn't what was important.
“The Führer has been shot!”
Berlin fell into utter chaos.
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