German Civil War – Race to Berlin (1)

21:00, August 31, 1939 - Frankfurt, Kassel, 9th Military District

In a place where key members of the insurgency had gathered, there was tension as Ludwig Beck briefed the outline of the operation.

"In Kassel, the 9th military district where we are, and in Wiesbaden, the 12th military district of General Witschleben, the commanders of the military districts must first call their respective corps leaders and demand their participation. Those who are certain are already included, so there shouldn't be any major problems."

Everyone nodded with looks of nervousness. From now on, nothing could be predicted. They could only hope that those who had not yet been included would respond as much as possible.

"Once the 9th and 12th military districts are secured, General Witschleben of the 12th Military District will lead the 1st Army and move south to the 5th Military District, Stuttgart, and help us take control of the 7th Army."

"Okay, General Beck."

Witschleben's role was very important. Wiesbaden and Stuttgart are at our rear and border with France. If they are not secured, France may intervene.

"General Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb of the 9th Military District must secure the Ruhr Industrial Zone. If we secure the Ruhr, we will leave only some security forces behind..."

Beck looked a little displeased with Konrad Adenauer, who was also the eldest among them.

"I will make former Mayor Adenauer the interim governor of the Cologne-Ruhr region to stabilize the region. I'm sure you won't bring out the separatism you favor in a situation like this."

"Hmph, I'm old, but even I understand the gravity of this situation."

Konrad Adenauer, in his 60s, responded with an outright snort to Beck, who was being cautious.

Again, in the Prussian tradition, military personnel and Adenauer were like water and oil.

Military personnel remembered that Adenauer tried to separate from Prussia by demanding autonomy of the Rhineland after World War I, and Adenauer hated Prussians who treated him as a Rhinelander...

It's not that I hadn't thought of this conflict, but rather, he was exactly the right person to manage the Rhineland because he didn't align with the military or royalists.

"Then I will go to former Mayor Adenauer and to the Ruhr. Leave it to me."

General Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb, a senior officer immediately following Rundstedt in the German Army, answered. He was now at the heart of Manstein's plan.

"The main offensive force, the 5th Army, will concentrate on the tanks and vehicles from the Siegfried Line. This unit will be under the command of Panzer General Oswald Lutz."

"Hahaha, it's the armored corps of my dreams... It's something to see and worth living for."

Panzer General Oswald Lutz was not well known in modern times, but he was the person who established early German armored theory, experimented with tanks, and selected Guderian, who was originally a communications officer, and transformed him into an armored officer.

When Hitler's government came to power, he was decommissioned for being involved in the Blomberg-Fritsch incident, but in retrospect, Guderian's title of "Father of Armored Warfare" was more appropriate for him.

Manstein's plan for armored breakthrough, which had only been planned for the invasion of France, first blossomed in the hands of Guderian's teacher, General Lutz.

Operation Sickle of the original history captured France in six weeks, but even that was a watered-down version that fell short of his draft because Manstein was demoted by Halder on the pretext that his plans were too aggressive, and it was adjusted due to factional conflict within the army.

However, we had been fond of Manstein since his days as Chief of Staff, and Beck, who favored the armored warfare policy, was the general manager. Thanks to the imminent coup, Manstein's concept was adopted almost in its entirety and was even further improved.

"General Lutz will break through the 11th Military District of Hannover and advance to Berlin, leaving the area to the infantry units that will follow. If Count Blumenthal's assassination of Hitler is successful, it would be possible to achieve the greatest surprise against the confused SS."

"Okay, General Beck."

Having said that, Beck turned to Leutnant Colonel Tresckow and me.

"So, what are you doing with the... militia?"

"We plan to go by train to Bavaria before the railroads are put under control, attack the Dachau concentration camp, and then withdraw through Stuttgart, which will be secured by General Witschleben. The rest will head to Buchenwald, near Weimar."

The militia consisted of civilian volunteers, including liberals and social democrats, whom I had recruited. They were like-minded people, so it was decided that Leutnant Colonel Tresckow, with whom I had a close relationship, would take command, and I would serve as his adjutant.

"What... did you say that part was the content of an agreement with the civilian forces? Good. It's an extra force anyway, so do whatever you want. And regarding the rights to broadcast and propaganda..."

Beck looked at me with a little hesitation, but then sighed and nodded.

"Anyway, you secured the press. Alright, let's try it. But if you let us down, you understand that we can withdraw support."

"Of course, General."

Prussian military personnel were less interested in this area because they had a repulsion toward Goebbels and Hitler, but they accepted it more easily than expected.

It seems that the actions I have shown so far have made a good impression on Ludwig Beck.

"Their militia has agreed to assist in policing the Rhineland when the time comes, General. It would be nice if the situation afforded me enough time to get my troops back to the front line."

General Witschleben added; he had been one of our most sympathetic allies here, and I had already had several exchanges with him.

"I do not know how effective the so-called militia will be, but I will trust the judgment of General Witschleben."

The explanation of the operation and the exchange of opinions were almost finished. Beck closed his eyes for a moment, then spoke.

"By now, Leutnant Colonel Oster will be leaving Silesia with the rescued radio staff. Abwehr agents and those on our side who remained in Berlin must be preparing to escape."

Everyone swallowed nervously. Now everyone in this room knew that there was really only victory or death.

Ludwig Beck, who had a high reputation in the military but was helplessly dismissed for rebelling against Hitler, had shown indecisiveness, but in the end, he believed in us and became active.

"We can no longer turn back. Go to your positions and prepare to start the operation. Deadline is midnight. God bless all of you. For the fatherland."

Eleven months since the Munich Agreement. Everything that we had prepared so fiercely was about to be put to the test.

21:30, August 31, 1939 - Abwehr Headquarters, Berlin

"Come on, move it! Hurry!"

"Once Section 2 finishes moving this, we're done!"

Originally, it was long after work hours, and the Abwehr headquarters was noisy with Abwehr agents running around, moving papers and luggage from place to place.

They were the last ones to spirit away manpower, confidential documents, and supplies under the pretext of dispatching them elsewhere.

"Director Canaris! What kind of commotion is this at a time like this?"

SS-Obersturmbannführer Rudolf Bamler, the head of Abwehr Division 3 and Counterintelligence Division and the only SS officer in the Abwehr, ran into the office of Abwehr Director Wilhelm Canaris and demanded.

It was somewhat rude, but Director Canaris turned his head to look at him as he cleared his office and smiled lazily.

"I am preparing to move to the temporary Abwehr office in Frankfurt."

"What? What does that mean! I have never received such a report..."

Canaris nodded, pulled out his pistol, and pointed it at the stiffened Bamler.

"Of course you wouldn't have. You've worked hard as Heydrich's eyes and ears."

"Come on, let's calm down..."

Canaris simply fired the pistol, then spoke to his subordinates Lahousen and Groscurth, who were aiming their pistols at the fallen Bamler.

"What are you waiting for? Move quickly! We're too busy to collect the newspaper staff."

"Yes, sir! Director!"

22:00, August 31, 1939 - Berlin branch of Frankfurter Zeitung

"Here's today's press guidance!"

As always, editor-in-chief Theodor Haubach greeted the delivery man with a smile upon receiving the press release from Goebbels' Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda.

"Thank you for today, good work."

"...? Yes, good work."

The delivery man, an SS clerk, wondered at the strange words of the editor, muttered and simply rode away on his bicycle.

Editor-in-chief Haubach, who was once a member of the Reichstag, closed the door and stepped into the newspaper building, tearing up the press guidelines Goebbels had sent him and tossing them on the floor.

"I'm more nervous than when I first set foot in the Reichstag."

The press guidance that Goebbels sent was not needed today. They were already writing an article based on information that Leutnant Colonel Oster had sent from Silesia.

"Come on, whoever wants to leave, hurry up, go home, pack up, and run! For those who stay, headquarters will pay overtime bonuses and even hazard pay!"

"Hahaha!"

The staff members burst into laughter at the generosity of branch manager Havenstein, but they continued busily writing the article.

No one got up to leave. Branch manager Havenstein saw the scene and said with a smile:

"Let's print it quickly, distribute it, and then scatter like bullets."

Editor-in-chief Haubach also burst into laughter.

"...Then, shall we go see our troublemaker?"

Claudia Jung, a journalist whom Haubach had mentored since she was young, had quit the newspaper without any regrets as soon as she became involved with the resistance.

That wasn't enough—she had committed such a shocking act as assassinating a minister, which had chilled everyone.

Claudia had already left the company a year ago, and there was no evidence connecting her to it, as she had no access to the company except for secret contacts with the branch manager or editor-in-chief. However, Himmler, who had been close to Ribbentrop, tried to shut down the Frankfurter Zeitung.

Fortunately, Goebbels, the propaganda minister who hated Ribbentrop, argued that there was no need to show Britain and France that Nazi promises about guaranteeing press freedom were false by shutting down famous media outlets.

[The SS Attacks Germany!]

Editor-in-chief Haubach grinned at the headline of the newspaper he was working on. Unfortunately, Goebbels, who had prevented its closure, would have to pay a high price.

Midnight, September 1, 1939, Neue Reichskanzlei, Berlin

Hitler was on the phone with Himmler in his new Führer's office.

"What the hell happened! Still no contact?!"

"Forgive me, mein Führer. We are assessing the situation now."

His anger was clearly communicated through the phone, and Hitler seemed ready to explode.

"Damn it, you fool! You can't even conduct a raid on a broadcasting station! I don't care what's going on! Find out no matter what! Right now!"

Hitler slammed down the phone and grabbed his head. Nothing was going according to plan.

"Ribbentrop... The problems began since that damned fool went and got himself killed."

Hitler, who felt that God was interfering with his destiny, had a severe headache. He drank water, swallowed the medicine his doctor had given him, and rested with his eyes closed for a while.

But that respite didn't last long and was interrupted by commotion outside.

"What is it this time? Who dares disturb my residence..."

But before Hitler could finish speaking, he heard gunshots outside. Startled, Hitler jumped up from his seat.

"Mein Führer!"

Almost simultaneously, his recently appointed security chief, Major General Erwin Rommel, hurried in and slammed the door shut.

"My God, what's happening, General!"

"You must escape! A mob is attacking the residence!"

Hitler, seeing a bullet hole in the door closed by Rommel, was shocked and without saying a word, quickly opened the secret passage in his office.

"I will lead the way!"

Hitler, old and heavy, followed Rommel and ran desperately through the secret passage.

"Damn it! He's not here!"

"Where did he disappear to!"

The shouts coming through the closed secret passage entrance chilled his spine.

Rommel grabbed Hitler's hand as he fell behind and the two succeeded in exiting the secret passageway and emerging from the sewer, gasping for breath.

"My apologies, mein Führer. It may be unpleasant, but please bear with it."

"Those damn traitors..."

Who were they? Were they Wehrmacht members? Or the damned Bolsheviks who killed Ribbentrop? Or the Jews? There were too many suspects, but as soon as Hitler escaped from here, he vowed to take bloody revenge worse than the Night of the Long Knives.

While Hitler was thinking this, Rommel struggled and succeeded in opening the manhole cover. After reaching the surface, he extended his hand to Hitler below.

"Mein Führer, please come up. I will help you."

Hitler, who had hesitated while frowning at the dirty sewer ladder, was about to climb to the surface holding Rommel's hand.

"Hitler!"

In the sewer they had passed through, a man breathing heavily was pointing his gun at him.

"Pull me up! Quickly!"

Hitler frantically tried to climb up Rommel...

"Go to hell, you devil!"

Count Blumenthal's shot pierced Hitler's body.

"No! Mein Führer!"

Rommel pulled up Hitler's limp body with all his strength. The Führer's arm hung limply, but that didn't matter now.

"The Führer has been shot!"

Berlin was plunged into chaos.