"Sell newspapers, sell newspapers! Two destroyers of the High Seas Fleet were attacking the illegally invading French Navy while performing their normal tasks in our territorial waters, and one destroyer was sunk! "The streets of Berlin in the early morning echo with the childish voices of newspaper boys.

But soon, the newsboy's voice died down – his newspaper was snapped up by people who got up early to go to work.

A office worker grabbed a newspaper, read it cursoryly, and said hatefully: "These damn French bastards, can they be lawless just because they are the victorious country?" ”

"Yes, even if the warship sneaks into our territorial waters, dare to sink our destroyer openly?! This is a damn act of war! B also gritted his teeth and said his opinion.

"Well, who made our navy sink itself in Operation Rainbow." "I have a relative who is a fisherman, and he told me that in recent years, fishermen have been very angry, not only being squeezed out by fishermen from other countries on the high seas, but sometimes fishing in the territorial waters of their own country is also bullied by illegal foreign fishermen. ”

"Hey, the newspaper says that General Lyon is going to give a national address on the radio today, do you want to go back and listen to the radio?" B said.

"Well, I'd love to go back and listen, but I'm going to work soon." A is helpless.

C took the newspaper away and said, "What class are you going to?" Anyway, I'm going to skip work today and go back to listen, goodbye guys. After saying that, he hurriedly returned to the direction he had come.

Seeing this, A gritted his teeth and said, "MD, I'm not going to work either, I'll go home and listen to General Leon's radio." ”

Not only these two people, but almost all of Germany invariably skipped work, factories and companies stopped production, shops closed, and even schools organized students and teachers to listen to the radio.

Germany, Kiel, Cemetery of Naval Martyrs.

Dressed in a crisp military uniform and solemnly standing in front of the podium, Leon was about to address the thousands of officers and men of the army and navy and to the whole of Germany.

"Today, we are gathered here to pay tribute to the 234 officers and sailors who died in the service of the glory of the German Navy and the interests of the country."

"Two days ago, the French Navy's fleet of three Frion-class cruisers and six Jaguar-class destroyers brazenly invaded our territorial waters. The First Destroyer Detachment of the High Seas Fleet, which was on duty nearby at the time, quickly dispatched two destroyers, the Lebrecht Math and the George Tiller, to interrogate and drive away. But instead of leaving our territorial waters, the French fleet fired a shell at our destroyer, the USS George Tiller. ”

"We were willing to let our two destroyers withdraw to the fleet first, but the French robbers fired two more shells at the Georges Tiller. In desperation, the commander of the fleet, Rear Admiral Klaus, had to order the two ships to counterattack in self-defense. In a fierce battle, the George Thiele sank one of the destroyers of the enemy String 144, and our destroyer Lebrecht was also sunk by the enemy, and 234 officers and men, including the captain Carl von Ekolt, were killed, and only 17 of the whole ship survived. ”

"We, the German people, are peace-loving, and we have not made much effort for peace, but the sinking of the Lebrecht has made all that our German people have done for peace seem meaningless. The sacrifice of 234 officers and men of the Navy made me realize that we were wrong, that we should not blindly choose to tolerate for the sake of peace, and that we should not believe in France, a hypocritical country. ”

"But fortunately we have not completely laid down our guns, we still have the opportunity to remedy the mistakes we have made in the past for peace, the 234 naval officers and men will not die in vain, we have to make the French pay the price! Hereby I announce that Germany will re-establish its troops in the Rhine region! In my capacity as Commander-in-Chief of the Wehrmacht, I ordered that the Wehrmacht Army Group Center leave its garrison immediately and march to the Rhine! I swear I will never let the French hurt us in the slightest again! ”

"We German people love peace, but we are never afraid of war!"

The audience applauded thunderously!

"Are the Germans crazy?" Baldwin smashed the report with the words "German Army Group Center is maneuvering in the direction of the Rhine" on the table and roared, "What are they trying to do?" Marching towards the Rhine? Do they want another big war? ”

"Mr. Prime Minister, I personally think that it is not so much that the Germans are crazy as that the French are crazy. We should ask the French what exactly they want to do. "The blatant invasion of German territorial waters and the sinking of a German destroyer are already a declaration of war." ”

"The French have gone too far, and the Germans are in charge, and it is difficult for us to persuade them to withdraw." The Secretary of War said.

"Alas, I also know that the French are to blame for this, but it is imperative to change their minds before the Germans enter the Rhine demilitarized zone." Baldwin said, rubbing his forehead.

"Prime Minister, the latest information!" An intelligence officer from the intelligence department pushed open the prime minister's office and said with an anxious expression, "Our intelligence officers in France have reported that at least three infantry corps in France are moving towards the German-French border, and the forward troops have arrived in Strasbourg!" ”

"What? Damn French bastard, isn't it big enough? Baldwin couldn't sit still, "Help me inform the League of Nations and have them call an emergency meeting!" Then inform the German and French sides and tell them to stop this dangerous move, and the League of Nations will give them a solution. ”

On the other hand, an emergency meeting is also underway at the top of the German leadership.

"Leon, the news from the front-line intelligence officers that the three infantry corps of the French have begun to move towards the German-French border, and their vanguard has arrived in Strasbourg and may cross the German-French border at any time!" Hindenburg wiped the cold sweat from his head and said nervously, "I don't know what you want to do, but war could break out at any time." I just want to ask you, if there is a war and we lose, can you afford to take this responsibility? ”

Lyon did not answer Hindenburg's question, and he asked the adjutant beside him, "Where are our troops now?" ”

"The 1st Army under Army Group Center has arrived in Stuttgart, and now three infantry regiments are crossing Stuttgart into the Rhine demilitarized zone." The adjutant replied respectfully.

"Very well, let the First Army stop its operations, and the three infantry regiments that have entered the Rhine demilitarized zone continue to advance!" Leon said with a smile.

"Leon!" Hindenburg whispered, "You're playing with fire!" ”

Leon still did not take Hindenburg, he sat calmly in his seat, as if waiting for something.

"General! There was news from the British side calling on us and France to calm down, saying that an emergency meeting of the League of Nations had been convened and that they would give us a satisfactory answer. An officer walked quickly to Leon's side and whispered to him.

"Ignore them, let our three infantry regiments continue to advance until we come face to face with the French bastards in Strasbourg!" Leon continued to speak unhurriedly, as if the dangerous situation had nothing to do with him.

Hindenburg sat down in his seat weakly, he had never felt so frightened.

War, on the verge of breaking out!