Section 03 Wolf's Lair Headquarters of the Führer

  Wolf's Lair was the name of Hitler's command centre on the Eastern Front, located in a forest in the town of Rastenburg, East Prussia, Germany.

  Li De knew that national leaders and stars were not free. His schedule was all packed in the red leather bag of Party Secretary and Director of the General Office, Bao Man. Every day's schedule was tightly arranged, only at night was his own. Just yesterday he had just left the hospital, today he received an order to go to the Wolf's Lair, where a large group of army officers were waiting for him.

  Li De sorted out the thinking: On June 22, 1941, German troops invaded the Soviet Union in three routes. By the end of October, the southern route had entered the Crimean Peninsula; The northern route fought to the city of Leningrad, surrounding the city from land, but the north was Lake Ladoga, and the east side of the lake was still in the hands of the Soviet army, they could contact Leningrad through this lake, unless occupying the east bank of the lake, completely surrounded the city named after Lenin.

  On October 2, the German army launched a massive offensive aimed at capturing the Soviet capital of Moscow. At the beginning of Operation Typhoon, the Germans captured 665,000 Soviet troops, and by October 16, they had reached within 40 kilometers of Moscow, with Moscow in chaos, and even if only a few paratroopers landed, Moscow could be occupied. However, man proposes but God disposes, on the 18th, the continuous autumn rain began, and 1.5 million German troops were trapped in the endless mud. Two roads lay before Hitler: either to take great risks and continue the attack, or to stop while he was ahead and switch to defense.

  Li De is very clear that historically, Hitler yielded to the opinions of the Army General Staff and the Central Group Army leaders, chose the first path, and launched a strong attack on Moscow without the support of heaven, earth, human and timing, causing the previously invincible German army to suffer its first major defeat. Therefore, his top priority is to find ways to put a leash on these lunatics who are eager to make achievements, save the empire, and establish his own prestige.

  The train travels along a single track deep into the forest, with soldiers from Hitler's SS guard on either side of the railway. The rails stretch between tall trees to a small station called "G?rli tz". From there, you can see two iron towers standing upright in the woods, which are communication towers. Between the two iron towers, on a small clearing, you can see a huge entrance made of massive stones and concrete. That is where the Wolf's Lair is located.

  Li Desheng came here for the first time, greedily looking at everything around him. Compared to the movies, this place is more quiet. In the deep autumn season, the leaves have already started falling.

  Li De was surrounded by a large crowd of people, chatting with those beside him and intentionally slowing his pace to let others walk in the front, so as not to reveal that he didn't know the way.

  "Herr Hitler!" The two sentries at the door stood at attention, and Li De was so startled that he almost squatted down. A army officer led him to the entrance to salute and welcome him, his mouth quickly closed. It wasn't until they walked inside that he remembered he had forgotten to return the salute earlier.

  He walked into the map room, where the room was packed with black-clad officers. In front of him were high-ranking officials with red stripes on their pants and daisies on their collars. Many people had a single-lens glasses hanging from their chest, which they would put on when they were busy. Li De grumbled: God is really unfair to create humans, why did he make the eye sockets of Europeans so deep, saving them money on glasses?

  Someone held out his hand and he tensed up, shrinking back, as the other took his hat and coat and hung them on a hook.

  "Hey, Hitler." The room erupted in thunderous applause as he leaned against the attendant who had taken his coat, or else he would have collapsed to the ground. This scene had been seen countless times on film, but being there in person was overwhelmingly powerful; he gritted his teeth so that no one could hear them chattering.

  These were the high-ranking commanders of that invincible army sweeping across Europe, the elite of standardized armies since ancient times. Of course, I was their commander-in-chief, I was Adolf Hitler, Commander-in-Chief of the Three Armies. What was there to fear? Li De thought this and couldn't help but straighten his back, imitating Hitler's mannerisms, striding towards the large table in a staccato gait. Everyone made way for Li De like he was an ox parting the waters, more out of avoidance than reverence.

  After paying their respects, the officers exchanged uneasy glances: the former head of state had bandages wrapped around his face, nose and even neck, and his eyes were softer than usual, completely devoid of their usual vigilance and acerbity. Army Commander-in-Chief Brauchitsch said, "I didn't expect the head of state to be so badly injured. We in the army are determined to take Moscow as soon as possible and avenge you."

  Li De was startled, but he suppressed it and didn't show it, magnanimously waving his hand: "Let's have a meeting." He leaned against the edge of the table with both hands, and General Commander Brauchitsch and Chief of Staff Halder stood beside him. He remembered that similar photos were left in the world, only on the photos was the real Hitler, while he not only pretended to be inferior, but also had a bandage wrapped around his nose, and that characteristic small mustache hadn't grown out yet.

  After a brief flurry, Li De was as if assisted by the gods, and he raised his right hand, glanced at the German Army Commander-in-Chief, and Marshal Brauchitsch began his lengthy report:

  "...the overall situation. By the end of October, our army's control line on the Eastern Front was: from 50 kilometers west of Murmansk in the north, south to the northern shore of Lake Ladoga, east of Leningrad (excluding Leningrad) Chudovo, Kalinin, Kaluga, Tula,... all the way to the Black Sea."

  Li De listened intently, trying his best to search in his mind. He was surprised that he had already entered the role and felt himself merging with Hitler. Familiar historical scenes appeared before his eyes.

  Borukhichi Marshal swallowed hard and continued:

  "It is necessary to emphasize two directions: one is the north, where my 39th Motorized Army has already entered Tikhvin and is preparing to make a swift thrust towards the Svir River..."

  Khalkhin added: "There is also a corps that will advance eastward in the general direction of Vologda."

  "Attack my ass." Lide cursed in his heart, "General Merektskov of the Soviet Seventh Army will soon drive you out of Tikhvin." Lide's mind flashed back to Marshal Merektskov's memoirs "Fighting for the People", historically the Soviet army had counterattacked just a few days after the German occupation, on November 11, 1941. He tried hard to recall the numbers of the Soviet counterattack troops in his mind, it seemed like the 46th Tank Brigade and an infantry regiment of the Seventh Army...

  "My commander." Marshal Borodikh brought him back from his memories, he was tongue-tied for a moment, and soon calmed down. A faint rustling sound came from the room, and the big head in front of him continued to report:

  "The situation on the northern front is such that it is estimated that within ten days, German troops will reach the Svir River and join forces with Finnish troops. Next we turn to the Central Group of Armies..."

  "Wait a minute," Li De shouted, "Are you so sure that the German army will merge with the Finnish army after ten days? That is to say, the Soviet army will watch you, no, watch the German and Finnish armies merge without doing anything? Won't they counterattack?"

  The room had turned into a beehive, filled with buzzing sounds. Previously, when the leader and they made battle plans, it was just wishful thinking, letting the German army do whatever they wanted, rarely considering what the Soviet army would do. Today was different, the leader actually stood on the opponent's side to consider the problem, making them unexpected.

  Looking at the bewildered expressions of these invincible generals, Li De was very happy and suddenly felt his confidence doubled. He pointed to the map: "I am sure that in a few days the Soviet army will counterattack."

  "What counterattack?" The voice of the Chief of the Army General Staff, Halder, was not loud, but his tone was stern and the small eyes behind his glasses shot out a cold light that made Li De shiver.

  Li De said with confidence: "The 46th Tank Brigade and an infantry regiment, as well as the Soviet Infantry 44th and 191st Divisions..."

  "The 44th and 191st Divisions have been annihilated, as for the 46th Tank Brigade you mentioned, they are still confronting the Finnish army in the rear of the Seventh Army Group." Halder said, immediately followed by a series of coughs. Halder looked at "Hitler" with great satisfaction, taking off his glasses to wipe them clean.

  Li De then argued with these stubborn generals, and soon he was defeated. After all, he didn't have that many professional terms, after all, he didn't grasp that many details, after all, he lacked Hitler's momentum, after all, he wasn't confident enough. He couldn't help but sympathize with Hitler, working with these arrogant and self-important generals was a torture, just their serious expressions were unbearable. Turning it over in his mind, he had the foresight that none of them, not even Hitler possessed, so let facts teach these antiques a lesson. Don't look at how lively you all are now, facts will soon prove that I have foresight, and when that time comes, you'll all become laughing stocks - ashamed and embarrassed.

  Brauchitsch again talked endlessly about the situation of the Central Group Army, with the general opinion being to launch a second attack on Moscow. Lee knew clearly that the second attack on Moscow in history was a disaster. On the one hand, he wanted the German army to get hurt, but on the other hand, he couldn't establish his prestige that way, and he had a strong urge in his heart - a strong desire to pursue fame and fortune.

  Brauchitsch concluded his report with the words: "I request on behalf of the Army High Command and the General Staff that the Fuehrer approve our plan for an autumn campaign against Moscow."

  "An autumn offensive?" Li De asked back, and Halder's expression proved that he had not misheard: "There is still a good chance of capturing Moscow before winter sets in, the General Staff agrees with the Commander-in-Chief of the Army."

  A deathly silence, Li De sneered to himself: "Autumn offensive? Do you think this is India?"

  "Please, Führer, approve our plan," Harald urged, his voice rising.

  Li De raised his voice: "Since the start of Operation Typhoon on October 2, you said that on November 7, there would be a parade on Red Square in Moscow, and today, it is not us who are parading on Red Square, but Stalin. What will you use to attack Moscow? Will you use the 1.3 million exhausted troops stuck in the mud and unable to extricate themselves?"

  Halder looked at Lid defiantly and shouted: "My Führer, allow me to correct two small mistakes. Firstly, Moscow has been surrounded by our troops from three directions, the Red Square is within the range of our bombers, Stalin will not dare to hold a military parade unless he wants to die. Secondly, the number of troops attacking Moscow is 1.5 million, as of yesterday, that is, November 7th at 17:00, we have lost -

  Lid lowered his head to avoid Halder's spitting saliva, while Halder took this as a sign of weakness from the leader and became even more aggressive. Lid sighed and thought it was no wonder Hitler disliked military officers so much, and that he had even bribed them with money from the manuscript fees of "Mein Kampf" just to make these arrogant officers obey him.

  Hitler not only fought against the enemy, but also against these outdated, stubborn and conservative old fogies. He really wanted to give a few slaps on each of those proud, arrogant and conceited big heads.

  Li De decided not to argue with them like Hitler, he believed that facts are more powerful than eloquence. Didn't Haarde say that the Soviet army didn't dare to hold a military parade on Red Square? He didn't know that at the time of their meeting, Stalin was reviewing the Soviet army with live ammunition, and after passing through Red Square, they sang "Sacred War" and went straight to the front line. To keep it secret, the news of the Red Square parade was announced the next day. Li De decided to dig a hole for them to jump into, and with a smirk on his face, he suddenly announced a recess.

  Hald pointed at the report in Brauchitsch's hand, asking somewhat irritably when it would be approved. Brauchitsch replied with equal irritation that this was a matter of life and death for the German Empire, and could not be decided hastily. Tomorrow, he would summon all the army commanders of Army Group Centre and the armoured corps commanders to make a final decision.

  Li De turned to leave, but unexpectedly, the two commanders rushed forward and blocked his way, shouting loudly: "That's impossible! Commanders can't leave the front line to attend meetings here. Every minute is precious for them."

  Li De felt his blood rushing to his head, and he suppressed his anger and asked back: "Now that there is no combat mission, what are they busy with?"

  "They have enough to keep them busy." Lee noticed a hint of mockery in the eyes hidden behind Halder's glasses, and he suspected that although the order for the second attack on Moscow had not yet been signed, this guy had already acted first and moved troops. He absolutely could not tolerate anything that offended his authority, so he stretched out his hand and pointed at Halder's nose, shouting: "Before the formal order is issued, no one is allowed to advance towards Moscow any further, otherwise, I will remove him from office."

  "He is a party member and should be expelled from the party." Bowman took advantage of the wind to fan the sand, expressing his support. Later it will be found that as long as there is an opportunity to hit the army, Bowman will not let it go. Because in his youth, an army major took away his girlfriend, he transferred his anger to the entire army.

  Li De walked straight forward, and Borodin and Hardt moved aside at the last moment, but their mouths were still not yielding: "I dare to guarantee that half of the front-line commanders will not be able to attend the meeting here tomorrow."

  Li De suddenly stopped in his tracks, and the attendant who was closely following behind him failed to stop in time, piling into his back and sending him stumbling forward.

  Li De stared at the two of them and declared word by word: "Then we'll go to the front line, once again to the front line."

  Braun spoke up beside him, "My Führer, the last time you went to the front lines it nearly got you killed. I won't let you take that risk again. If anyone is pushing you hard for this, they are not thinking clearly." He couldn't help but glance at Halder, whose face turned bright red.

  Li De patted his shoulder and said: "It's okay, national interests are above everything. You immediately find out if my special train has been repaired or not?"

  Baur said: "You forgot the Fuehrer, your special train was destroyed, but at that time two special trains were built, another one was for Reich Marshal Goering, he never used it."

  "Yes, borrow his, and also inform Dr. Goebbels to follow. Yes, and Speer." Li De said, sneering at Halder: Want to fight with me? No way.

  Lidong took a big step towards the door, and Bao Man opened the red file folder with respect and said that tomorrow is the anniversary of the Beer Hall Putsch, and the leader should attend the rally in Munich.

  Lee De remembered that on the evening of November 8, 1923, the Nazi Party in Germany planned to emulate Benito Mussolini's march on Rome, launching a farce to overthrow the Weimar Republic at the Bürgerbr?ukeller beer hall in Munich. Every year on this day, old Nazi comrades gather at the Bürgerbr?ukeller beer hall in Munich to commemorate this childish coup.

  Li thought to himself, what's the point of commemorating that childish farce, besides, both assassination attempts Hitler encountered occurred there, so he said to Bormann: "Let someone else represent me this year, old party members will be heartbroken seeing my current appearance."

  Bao Man hesitated and said that Golyn could be entrusted to attend, after all, he was the vice president and the successor of the president.

  Li De happily patted Bowman's chubby face: "I'd forgotten about this fatso, let's do it like that."

  Heidt's Mercedes-Benz stopped in front of him, and Liddell got on the car and closed his eyes to rest, letting out a sigh.