Chapter 1 The Examiner

  In the tough years ahead of us, setting an example is more important than living a meaningless life!

  Before the Nazi Party marched into Berlin, the armed SS held an armed parade. Hitler hoped that the SS would give a powerful image, and the first batch of SS equipped with Mauser 98 rifles was less than 30,000 people, which was the elite of the Nazi Party's armed forces. These armed SS troops assembled in Marienplatz under Himmler's leadership.

  They will set out from Marian Square, singing a bold military song as they march towards the New City Hall, passing by the Cathedral of Our Lady and stopping at the Royal Palace complex on Maximilian Square. They will sing the national anthem in front of the Old Town Hall, perform various drills and then continue to Crystal Palace.

  Under Hitler's energetic slogans, they will board trucks and head to the town of Schwangau, 5 kilometers from Füssen in Bavaria, where Ludwig II built his new Swan Castle, where they will take an oath before heading to Berlin!

  They will pass through Nuremberg, Dresden and temporarily stay in Cottbus, waiting for the permission of the Defense Army of Berlin Military Region to enter Berlin.

  Due to concerns about the potential impact, Berlin authorities deployed a squadron for aerial surveillance. These planes were mostly Henkel He-51s that survived World War I. They would monitor the movements of the Nazi Party's armed SA in the air and report back to headquarters in a timely manner. If the SA did anything out of line, headquarters would react immediately.

  The Nazi Party's armed march was intentional, Hitler hoped to give the impression that the Nazi Party was very powerful through this armed march, which was a momentum for the election half a month later.

  It's been a long time since the Germans have seen a fully armed, grey-clad German military force. Although the Waffen-SS didn't belong to the direct forces of the state, that was enough to get people excited for a while.

  Under the admiring gaze of the various party formations, Hitler's important officials and armed SS men will board the train to Cottbus.

  Berlin at the border of Cottbus, a national defense force was summoned here early on. This is a new-style army, and its members were borrowed from various divisions by the National Defense Command. They are the first experimental infantry division, and the division commander is General Leeb.

  The infantry battalion has 4 infantry companies, each company is equipped with 12 light machine guns, some of which are equipped with 4 MG series, and the experimental MH-10/17 multi-purpose machine gun. Each infantry company has two Gr.W.34 mortars, and one battalion is equipped with an MH-10/17 machine gun company.

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  Each reinforced infantry gun company was equipped with 8 x 75mm light infantry guns and 2 x 88mm infantry guns.

  Each infantry regiment had 2 engineer companies, equipped with 6 light machine guns.

  The reconnaissance battalion consists of 2 bicycle companies, 1 motorized artillery platoon and 1 anti-tank artillery platoon.

  Signal Troops: 1 telephone line regiment, 1 motorized signal regiment, 1 motorized signal column.

  Jurisdiction over 1 medical battalion, 1 field hospital, and 2 ambulance companies.

  Such a configuration is absolutely a fierce beast with strong firepower for the active forces of various countries around the world! In order to build such a division, the military expenditure of the national defense army has been increasing again and again. After sacrificing the construction costs of three divisions, it was finally established.

  Leb turned down the promotion to general and took command of this brigade instead, it can be said that he earned it! Xu Yang and his companions served as officers in this new-style infantry brigade. In Leb's words, he was willing to trade everything for the command of this brigade, living with the gold miners made him feel much younger.

  "I love it when others look at me with envy in their eyes. They must be consumed by jealousy!"

  Xu Yang was assigned to the first platoon, first company, first battalion of the regiment as a reinforced squad leader. He graduated with the rank of junior lieutenant and led four infantry squads, mortar teams and driver soldiers. The members of the squad included Gallich (sergeant), Danso (staff sergeant) and a seasoned defense military officer Stidner (staff sergeant). This veteran who had participated in World War I was expected to be promoted to junior lieutenant in two months, but at this time he still served as an assistant officer under Xu Yang.

  "Second Lieutenant, Lieutenant Isbert from the battalion is looking for you."

  Xu Yang turned around and saw that the newcomer was Vikster, the communications soldier from Lian's department. "Oh, okay. Corporal, you can have a drink of water here."

  "Wei Xie thanked Xu Yang's kindness: 'Lieutenant, the car is waiting outside, Lieutenant Colonel, please go over immediately.'"

  Xu Yang said no more, and after signaling for Shi Daina to take his place, he walked out of the squad with Dan Suo and got into a jeep.

  In recent years, the development of industry has led to the construction of roads, and jeeps can drive on the road without any bumps. Along the way, you can see soldiers in gray uniforms busy at work. This is a must-pass place for the armed party guards, and the highway on both sides is controlled by the national defense army. The attic of the civilian residence was requisitioned and built into a firepower point. In order to respond to sudden situations, the national defense army did not directly station troops beside the highway, but instead cut down some trees beside the road to build a military camp at a secret location.

  Looking far into the forest, you can see soldiers carrying wood to perfect the defensive position of the camp, surrounded by barbed wire. The camp looks a bit like a concentration camp from later times, but now it's used to prevent unknowing people from entering the military camp. Behind the barbed wire, in addition to the soldiers building the camp, you can also see the engineering corps camouflaging artillery positions, with the dark steel pipes of the cannons sticking out from the camouflage points, making one feel a chill down their spine. The direction the cannon is pointing at is exactly a crossroads that the armed party guards must pass through.

  Leb had solemnly declared: If those militiamen dared to force their way into Berlin, they would be annihilated by my troops!

  A humming noise made Xu Yang look up, two Henkel He-51s slowly flew from the sky towards the belly of Berlin, indicating that Hitler and his men were not far away. "Third-class soldier, drive faster."

  The jeep stopped in front of the tent, and Xu Yang hastily got out of the car and rushed in. "First row, Lieutenant Colonel Strak ordered me to come."

  "Captain Isbert was drawing something on a map with the company's officer, when he saw Xu Yang come in, he stopped his actions. 'Lieutenant, come here.' He pointed to a small town on the map. 'Take your squad to monitor the movements of the armed party guards there. I want to know that your squad has arrived at its destination within half an hour. Do not open fire without orders, understood?'"

  Xu Yang saluted: "Yes! Lieutenant!" He turned around to leave when he was called back.

  Lieutenant Isbert gave Xu Yang a privilege for insurance, "You bring two communication soldiers over, and when necessary, you have the right to request fire support from the nearby artillery company."

  "Yes!" Xu Yang saluted again, turned around and left. As he came out, he saw Vikster was still outside, he asked: "Private Third Class, I need your help?" He said, sitting in the passenger seat of the jeep.

  Vickers started the jeep and turned it around, heading back the way they had come. "Lieutenant," he said in a low voice, "I have a request."

  "What?" Xu Yang hadn't heard clearly, the noise of this jeep was too loud.

  Viktor was extremely embarrassed, he hesitated for a moment before speaking out, "Lieutenant, I request that you transfer me to your platoon, I yearn to be transferred to your platoon!"

  Xu Yang unexpectedly looked at Vikster, "Third-class soldier, reason, you need a very good reason."

  Weichert was speechless, he remained silent for a long time, until they arrived at the platoon, then said: "Lieutenant, I yearn to fight, not run back and forth every day with documents doing nothing."

  Xu Yang jumped off the vehicle, "Third-class soldier, you should know that you are also in combat. Communication is an indispensable unit of the troops. You should be proud. With you, the army has good communication information, and your responsibility is more important than our efforts on the front line."

  Weixter was taken aback, first feeling disappointed at being rejected, but after hearing the latter part, he looked up and gazed seriously at Xuyang, "Really?"

  "Of course!" Xu Yangyong said with an encouraging tone, nodded and turned around to rush into the squad, leaving Dan Su behind.

  Xu Yang came in and found that the class leaders of each class were also present. He gave a hasty order: "We are going to relocate, let the soldiers move out, we must be in...". He flipped open the small and simple map of the battalion's configuration, "in Kob town to monitor the armed party guards."

  Feng-Kesi is the leader of the artillery group, he asked: "Sir, do we need to transfer too?"

  Xu Yang looked around at everyone with dissatisfaction, "My order is to transfer, what are you still doing here?"

  Everyone stands upright, raises their right hand, with the palm facing outwards and the thumb close to the palm, while the other four fingers are closed together and touch the front edge of the helmet - Salute: "Yes!"