Berlin! The Empire State Building in Silla towers into the sky, the tallest building in Berlin.

Standing in the conference room on the top floor, you can see the whole city of Berlin through the huge windows.

The meeting room was smoky and the atmosphere was solemn!

Just a week earlier, the Ming army had taken the initiative to launch an offensive against the coalition forces on the northern front.

As a result of the offensive, Prussia lost five divisions stationed in Vyazma.

There were five more divisions, which were surrounded by Ming armored forces on the way to reinforcements, and only five percent of the troops withdrawn to Smolensk.

If the Ming army wanted to, they could definitely rush across the Dnieper River while the weather was still cold and the ice was still solid.

In that case, Smolensk would be the core position, and the northern front, which would be more than 300 kilometers long, would be in danger of collapsing.

However, the Ming army did not launch a new offensive, but quietly disappeared along the Dnieper, disengaged from contact with the Prussian army.

The reconnaissance troops who came out in front even found that their display had moved back more than a dozen kilometers.

Fighting a war is actually similar to doing business, and it all pays attention to a good start.

The divisions sent by Moltke were all troops with excellent records in the empire and were relatively capable of fighting.

But I didn't expect that the first kick hit the iron plate, and there was no good start, and I got a black start.

The Prussian Empire, with a million troops on the front.

Claimed to be the strongest army in Europe, even Napoleon's French army looked down upon.

But now ......!

How to explain it to the rest of the coalition? How to convince a group of Nordic brothers?

In Frederick's words, he wanted to show his face, but ended up exposing his ass.

"I have personally been to the Vyazma encirclement, and most of our soldiers were roasted alive in artillery shelters and underground bunkers.

There was a bunker that roasted a platoon of soldiers to death.

It's all baked!

The military uniform on his body was soaked with oil baked from his body!

Rundstedt, burned to ashes, can only be distinguished from the remains of the gun, the pile of ashes on the ground is him. ”

Moltke's words echoed through the chamber, and none of the participants spoke.

The scene is so tragic that it makes people shudder to listen to it.

Rundstedt, who was born in the aristocracy and had outstanding military achievements, actually ended up like this.

"You mean to say that Da Ming used a new weapon.

A...... Irresistible weapons for our troops? ”

No one spoke, and Bismarck had no choice but to speak.

"Not a single person in the Vyazma encirclement escaped alive.

According to the on-site investigation, there should not be a single survivor either.

After the victory, the Ming army did not occupy Vyazma, but uncharacteristically retreated more than a dozen kilometers.

This shows that the Ming army wants us to see the battlefield of Vyazma. ”

Moltke did not answer Bismarck's words directly.

"A weapon that has never been seen before, a weapon that can wipe out tens of thousands of people in an instant."

Frederick shuddered, if there really was such a weapon, then ......, the empire's million-strong army would be nothing more than a lump of roasted meat in front of the Ming army.

"The five infantry divisions that were reinforced were wiped out overnight?

A casualty rate of 95 percent? ”

"Facts have proved that in the conditions of no cover in the field, it is indeed difficult for the Imperial Wehrmacht to withstand the attack of the Ming army."

The one who asked the question was the Duke of Winter, who was also a soldier, and it was impossible to hide lies from him.

Moltke nodded helplessly and admitted that he had carefully inspected the battlefield in the past few days.

Only five hours after the start of the battle, the temporary front of the Prussian army was interspersed with a sieve by the Ming army.

Ammunition accumulation points, logistical supply points, and command organs at all levels have become key targets.

Many of the troops ran out of ammunition after two hours of fighting.

In the face of tanks and armored vehicles, there are also Ming infantry who are firing indiscriminately, and the rifles in their hands have no bullets, which is not much different from burning sticks.

They had only two options: escape, surrender, or be killed by the Ming army.

"How many troops did the Ming army put into it this time?" Duke Winter asked with a cold face.

"I don't know! But they are all tanks and armored vehicles, and it is difficult to fight with our firepower. ”

"Does that mean that the spring offensive we are preparing will also suffer heavy casualties if it is attacked by the Ming army's armored forces?"

Duke Winter took a slow puff of his cigarette, his expression a little blank.

"Uh......! Yes. Moltke reluctantly admitted that Duke Winter was right.

"That is, even if we launch a spring offensive.

We have nothing but casualties. ”

Duke Winter had an indifferent face, and there was no emotion to be seen.

"Yes!"

Moltke reluctantly admitted.

He planned a spring offensive for a winter and concentrated a huge force of two million troops.

Now it looks like it's going to be very difficult to win.

It could even be said that it is basically impossible.

This left Moltke feeling very frustrated!

Before the war, he thought that by virtue of his numerical superiority, he could annihilate the Ming army.

But when I really fought, I realized that it was very difficult to do this.

The battlefield on the northern front, where he is located, is completely the Great Plain of Russia.

No mountains, no hills and swamps.

On the Great Plains of Eastern Europe, armored forces, led by tanks, can rampage with impunity.

Those eight-eight guns, infantry guns, and other things that I thought I could rely on were difficult to play after the brilliant results of the initial battle.

It's like in this battle for the defense of Vyazma, all the eight or eight guns failed to fire more than three rounds of ammunition.

As for the bazooka made by Kong Tingxun, it is difficult to evaluate the power.

Because not a single living person in Vyazma escaped, not a single one!

At the moment, with the exception of anti-tank mines. The coalition forces actually have no real anti-tank methods!

Infantry against tanks, still relying on the most primitive. The man was carrying the explosives bag and died with the tank.

This method is considered the most effective, and the only drawback is that it is more wasteful.

Most of the time, filling a platoon may not blow up a tank.

"Your Majesty!

The Chief of the General Staff of the Imperial Army had already admitted that our planned spring offensive would be difficult to achieve victory.

If it held out any longer, the Imperial army would suffer heavy losses.

I suggest an indefinite delay in launching the spring offensive. ”

Duke Winter stood up and stared at King Frederick like a falcon.

It is very impolite to look at His Majesty the Emperor like this.

But Duke Winter has this qualification and strength!

The Prussian Empire, in fact, should be called the Prussian Confederation of States.

After the collapse of the Holy Roman Empire, there were 300 states, large and small, in this land.

Prussia was only one of the larger of these states.

Moreover, Prussia itself was not united. Its territory was divided into Prussia and East Prussia by numerous states.

Hanover, Bavaria, Saxony, and Prussia became the four largest principalities.

Later, after continuous alliances, the alliance later formed the Northern German Union led by Prussia and the Southern German Union led by Bavaria.

The so-called Prussian Empire was, in fact, the result of a compromise between the North and South German Union.

Because the North German Union was relatively strong, Frederick was assisted by Bismarck and Moltke.

Eventually, Germany was unified a dozen years ago.

But within the alliance, in fact, there have always been different opinions.

In particular, the boss of Bavaria, Duke Winter, who actually has the possibility of becoming emperor.

As long as......

Frederick held his breath, he knew that Duke Winter's purpose would not be so simple.

But he was also helpless, because what Duke Winter said was very reasonable.

Paying a dozen or even hundreds of thousands of lives for an attack that was not destined to win was a disaster for the armed forces of the Reich.

Not to mention, even Moltke, the organizer of the campaign, had no confidence in victory.

"I agree!" Duke Winter reluctantly spoke.

"For such an almost impossible battle, the Prussian Empire spent enormous manpower, material resources, and financial resources!

The number of Prussian soldiers assembled at the front line amounted to an unprecedented 1.5 million people.

This was the largest number of troops that Prussia could assemble in a single campaign.

But what do we get?

Shameful failure!

There is also a situation where you can't advance or retreat now!

Who is to blame? Who is responsible for the 100,000 fallen soldiers?

Who is to blame for poor Rundstedt? Duke Winter roared like a tiger.

His words were so loud that pins could be heard in the entire conference room.

Bismarck's eyes narrowed, and he smelled something unusual.

No one spoke, everyone looked at Duke Winter.

This is a duel between the big guys, and the little people will be crushed into scum if they rush into it.

"Your Excellency, Chief of the General Staff, can you tell me who is responsible for this damned, doomed battle plan?"

The Duke of Winter looked at Moltke with a sad gaze like a wolf looking at a dog.

Moltke's teeth were about to bite his mouth, but he couldn't argue with it.

The loss of 100,000 elites of the empire in World War I is not 100,000 pigs, of course someone has to be responsible.

Although he was prepared, Moltke did not expect that Duke Winter would jump out in person.

In terms of status, in terms of position, Moltke was not yet qualified to reunite with Duke Winter.

But Duke Winter pressed him to ask, and it was impossible to pretend to be an ostrich.

Frederick and Bismarck tried to help him, but they couldn't get out.

"I should be responsible, I will resign from the post of Chief of the Imperial General Staff." Moltke reluctantly offered to resign at the Supreme Council of the Reich.

"Very good, you are very responsible. But this is not enough, you and your staff will leave the General Staff of the Empire.

We can't let a bunch of incompetent people, lead our army, control the lives and deaths of those poor children on the front line. ”

Duke Winter has to be unforgiving, pressing step by step!

"Uh......!" Moltke gritted his teeth and did not speak.

He resigned, and could be replaced by another general.

But if the entire staff is purged, then the northern forces will be forced out of the top of the army.

Those guys from the south will control the supreme power of the army.

"Duke Winter, I think ......!" Bismarck felt that things could not go on like this.

If the Bavarians from the south had taken control of the army, the rest would have been terrible to think about.

"Before the big war, we were quasi-allies with the Ming Dynasty.

With the help of the Ming Empire, we have an airship manufacturing plant, and we can produce train heads.

Even in Hamburg, we have the ability to make boiler ironclads.

The Hamburg shipyard has gone from being a second-rate shipyard in Europe to one of the top shipyards in Europe.

To this day, the Hamburg shipyard is one of the few shipyards in Europe that can build warships.

Why?

Why are we at war with the mighty Ming Empire, and why? Why?

Your Excellency Otto Eduard Leopold von Bismarck, can you tell me why? ”

Duke Winter interrupted Bismarck's speech without politeness, and even called out Bismarck's full name at the end.

Bismarck's face changed, and sure enough, Duke Winter was going to make trouble today.

"This is the resolution of the Imperial Diet!" Bismarck didn't have much confidence in what he said.

The war with Da Ming was forced by him and Frederick under the strong push.

Even in order to remove resistance, there was no waiting for Duke Winter to attend the meeting.

"The Imperial Diet? How did I not know, I participated?

When was Bavaria kicked out of the Reichstag by you?

Your Majesty, do you want to kick Bavaria out of the Empire? ”

Duke Winter's spearhead is directed at King Frederick.

"Duke Winter, the situation is urgent. This is in line with the Imperial Emergency Handling ......! ”

"Then please explain why we are going to war against the Ming Dynasty.

Now that the war has become like this, how are we going to stop it?

He is the Prime Minister, and he has this obligation and responsibility. ”

Duke Winter spread his hands and looked at King Frederick and said.

"Enough Winter, are you talking to His Majesty?" Bismarck stood up, also glaring at Winter.

"Then you tell us, what is the reason for all this?

How did the empire, under your leadership, get to the embarrassing dilemma it is now? ”

"I said it, this is a resolution of the Imperial Diet." Bismarck roared like an old lion.

"I'm asking you, what are we going to do now?

Come up with a solution, solve the problem, that's what you're supposed to do as a prime minister. ”

"Everyone is here to solve problems and discuss."

"You're the prime minister, you should come up with a reasonable plan.

Again, it's your duty, it's your job. ”

“……！” Eloquent as Bismarck, there is nothing to say at this time.

Because it is indeed his responsibility, and he really has no solution.

"Why don't you speak, Bismarck, do you say that you led the empire on the wrong path, and now you can't lead the empire on the right path?"

"Enough is Winter!" Frederick slammed the table and stood up with a "whew".

"Your Majesty, I just want His Excellency the Prime Minister to do his duty, is that also wrong?

If he can't come up with a good solution, then he's an incompetent prime minister.

I am going to launch a motion to remove this Bismarck from the corpse.

Choose another talented person to take on the role of prime minister. ”