Chapter 81: Chapter 159 The Battle of Poland (22)
"It's really the incompetence of one general that killed the three armies." Wilhelm couldn't help but sigh.
Schlieffen took office in 1891 and retired in 1906. He thought about it for fifteen years and wrote a fifteen-page memorandum painstakingly. There are 9 pages of plans on how to defeat the French, with a total of 18 response plans and countermeasures. If the French do not take the initiative to attack (or take the initiative to attack), and then abandon Paris and run south, how should we continue to fight?
Even Britain's participation in the war was within his expectation (of course, they were preparing to invade Belgium, a neutral country, and Britain would definitely participate in the war). "The British army should have two to three divisions deployed on the 18th to 20th day. The area between Namur and Brussels threatens the right wing of the First Army. The First Army should continue to execute the plan to outflank the French army while remaining vigilant, and cut off the French First Army before the 24th day (Schlieffen believes that the French army will deploy troops according to designation from north to south) of its supply line, while defeating the British infantry division facing them." According to historical facts, the First Army did not have much pressure to do the above work, and it was basically within Schlieffen's prediction.
Among the fifteen pages of memos and dozens of war plans, Moltke the Younger only used two in the 1914 war, while his predecessor's nearly ten pages of assessments, predictions and countermeasures were all kept in the archives, collecting dust.
By the way, Moltke the Younger's ability is far inferior to that of his uncle Moltke. Why does Wilhelm II still use him as the commander-in-chief? Is there no one in the government?
That's because starting from Prussia, the German officer corps has been almost hereditary. These people and the Junker lords are closely integrated and intertwined.
As the largest military leader, Moltke has many disciples and former officials throughout the army. Therefore, even if Moltke the Younger doesn't want to stand out, there are still people around him who want to lift him up.
Generally, dictators with great ambitions and limited talents feel that they are omnipotent geniuses and there is nothing they cannot handle. Wilhelm II was no exception. He also wanted to command the army himself.
Therefore, what Wilhelm II needs is an obedient chief of staff, or a senior adjutant. And Moltke also meets this standard.
"Damn Junker nobles, stupid Junker officer corps." Listening to Wilhelm angrily cursing the "non-existent" Junker nobles, Rundstedt remained silent in embarrassment. After all, he was also a Junker noble before, but now he has "abandoned the darkness and turned to the light" and become a new imperial noble. Moreover, the Hohenzollern family is the core Junker noble family. It sounds like His Highness himself is scolding his ancestors, and it is difficult for him to interrupt.
After cursing a few times, Wilhelm sighed. "Forget it, it's been all these years. I hope there won't be such a stupid guy again this time." Of course, he has already eliminated the guys who will get in the way in the future, and the rest are capable and loyal.
Just like the Rundstedt in front of him, he is a pure professional soldier, a model soldier, and an excellent army commander.
Due to his reputation and qualifications, he assumed the position of Army Group Commander at the beginning of World War II. Major German generals such as Guderian, Rommel, and Manstein all led troops under him. This also had a big negative impact. Although Rundstedt had achieved major victories in Poland, France, and the Soviet Union, people always attributed the victory to his excellent subordinates, and Rundstedt rarely interfered. The actions of his subordinates make it more likely that his success is just luck.
In fact, the duty of a general, especially a group army commander like him, is to allow his subordinates to give full play to their tactical talents. The situation on the battlefield is changing rapidly, so how can the army headquarters hundreds of kilometers away make accurate judgments? Forcibly intervening on the front lines like Mustache will only cause a Dunkirk-like miracle.
Just like when Hindenburg cooperated with Ludendorff and Hoffman on the Eastern Front. Most of the credit for the planning and command of the Battle of Tannenberg lies with the latter two. Hindenburg "merely" held the reins of Ludendorff's wild horse to ensure that he and Hoffmann could cooperate happily.
But from subsequent developments, we know how important leaders and regulators like Hindenburg are. Without him, Ludendorff and Hoffmann would not be able to cooperate with each other. This is also Rundstedt's function, to try to give his subordinates room to perform, to protect his subordinates, and to occasionally pull in and slow down. As a soldier, he rarely participated in politics and always upheld the attitude of wielding his sword for Germany.
So after the Polish campaign, Wilhelm planned to promote Rundstedt to marshal. In fact, this was considered an undisclosed secret, because the German army still did not have a marshal. To be promoted to marshal, Rundstedt was of course the first person to be selected.
No matter what, the German army will not stop its offensive.
At five o'clock in the afternoon, Britain and France declared war on Germany at the same time. Poland, Australia, New Zealand, Nepal, Newfoundland, Tonga, South Africa, Canada, and Iraq also declared war on Germany one after another (the latter countries did not have any deep hatred against Germany, but most of them are British protectorates and have not yet become independent).
Countries such as Spain, Portugal, Turkey, Sweden, Switzerland, and Italy declared neutrality.
Goebbels, the "imperial troll", then delivered a speech that said, "Evil can never defeat justice, and barbarism can never defeat civilization." He scolded the British and French governments, calling them the Axis Alliance of Evil and filthy themselves. War fanatics whose political interests involve countless people in the flames of war.
"They have no sense of justice, justice, or sense of right and wrong in their hearts, only outright self-interest. For their own political interests, they are not willing to provoke new wars and ignite new wars in Europe."
"People of the British Empire and France, those fat-headed warmongers drove your sons and husbands to this unjust battlefield and made them pay their precious lives needlessly, and all you got was death. But they hide in the safe rear and sing every night. The death of your loved ones is just a number in their eyes."
"In the face of this arrogant and unreasonable threat of war, Germany will never retreat, because if we take a step back, the enemy will take a step forward! When we have no way to retreat, it will be the day of our destruction! By then, Europe will fall into real darkness during this period, we have become the playthings of these despicable politicians. Justice cannot be served, fairness cannot be maintained, and security cannot be maintained."
"Of course we cannot let it happen. Just as we protect our relatives and homes, we will protect the justice of Europe!"
"No matter how strong evil is, it will eventually perish; although justice is weak, it is an eternal fire that will one day start a prairie fire and become unstoppable!"
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