A Song of Ice and Fire Book 3 Chapter 7 The Westerlands

  Berlin was boiling when it learned that the Defense Army had completely controlled the Rhine!

  600 deputies, upon hearing the news that German troops were advancing on the Rhine, shouted and screamed with hysteria, their eyes shining with fanatical light as they gazed at Hitler in the rostrum, hailing his government as a savior. Hitler bowed his head, seemingly modest, patiently waiting for them to calm down.

  Hitler concluded in a low, restrained voice with two oaths: "We swear: First, we will not yield to any power at the time of restoring our nation's glory! Second, we guarantee; We are now more determined than ever before to seek understanding from European countries, especially from our western neighbors!"

  600 members of parliament rose like robots, their right arms stretched upwards in a Nazi salute, shouting "Long live the Empire".

  No one can understand how tense Hitler is now, he and his government are taking a risk. After the advance into the Rhineland demilitarized zone, it can be said that this is the most nervous moment in his life. If the French army also enters the Rhine...

  He is not afraid of losing the fight, victory is certain, but the impact will be very severe. The current Germany is not yet prepared, and this move is just to test the reaction of neighboring countries.

  Halter had been very frank with Hitler: If France reacts, I think we must withdraw our defensive troops from the Rhineland. Now is not the time to start a war easily, and our preparations are still insufficient. Germany's main enemy now is Poland!

  The entire government is actually very contradictory, they want to do and have done so, but are also afraid of causing a bad influence. Doing it with such trepidation and yet with such righteousness and grandeur, isn't that contradictory?

  It was on the same day that various countries learned of the German army's entry into the Rhineland, and their reactions were not uniform. Belgium and the Netherlands, which had fought against the German Wehrmacht, strongly demanded that the international community impose sanctions on Germany, and that Germany must compensate for the losses suffered by Belgium and the Netherlands, with 1 million Reichsmarks to be paid in compensation for each soldier killed, and all soldiers of the three countries must be returned within a time limit... Hmm, they also pulled France into this, saying that if all their soldiers were not returned within a month, they would take necessary measures to punish Germany.

  In other words, Belgium and the Netherlands have also issued threats of war!

  French Foreign Minister Pierre-Etienne Flandin rushed to London, asking the British government to support France's military action in the Rhineland. His request was ineffective, and the British were unwilling to risk triggering a war, despite the Allies' overwhelming advantage over Germany. However, they believed that the Germans had merely entered their own backyard.

  The Hitler government's strategy succeeded, and Germany's soft attitude towards Britain was rewarded. With Britain making the first 'conciliatory' move, France's confidence was shaken, only the Gauls could understand that France is now in a difficult situation. Without British support, France did not have the guts to shout at the Third German Empire.

  Hitler's adventure in the Rhineland had been a success, with consequences that were both surprising and important. The victory greatly enhanced his prestige and power, to an unprecedented degree. It solidified his position as supreme leader of Germany. This victory told the people of the Third Reich that Hitler's judgment was far superior to anyone else's on matters of foreign relations and even military strategy. They had feared France would go to war; Hitler and Hjalmar Schacht, as the Führer and Deputy Führer of Germany, repeatedly publicly declared: they (the Allies) will not march!

  The actual result was that the occupation of the Rhineland, although only a small military action, frightened Europe and changed the strategic situation, creating an irreversible passive situation, and also earned Germany enough points in the international community. Other countries no longer regarded Germany as a country with no defense, and recognized Germany's equal status in international exchanges.

  Europe is a strange environment where whoever has the bigger fist is the boss. The weak are bound to be bullied, and more than a dozen countries gang up to bully that weak country. Being weak is sometimes a sin!

  At this time, the French government was in an embarrassing situation, they were very quiet, when the people asked for a solution, the government's answer was: We are meeting to decide! Prisoners? No! Our France does not have soldiers as prisoners of Germany, they are exchanging and strengthening friendship.

  Also made public is a report from a colonel stationed in the Rhine, which tells the story of this colonel and the German 'Crown Prince' Karl von Stak.

  What? Don't you know who Karl von Stacker is? Brother, don't you often read the newspaper?! The German Führer Adolf Hitler has publicly stated that this person is the designated next Führer of Germany! Cough, this shows that Germany is still very gentlemanly, sending such an important person to exchange with our French colonel. Finally, the whole government issued a cheer of 'Long live friendship!'

  Friendship? The people were stunned, is there such a thing as friendship between France and Germany? Oh! So our country has a good relationship with Germany, how come we just found out now? Whatever...... The government says: All Quiet on the Western Front.

  All right, the people accepted the government's explanation. The whole French government had just breathed a sigh of relief when another thing came: this rogue state in Italy is thinking of hitting France in African colonies!

  France has finally found a place to vent, the Rhineland is after all Germany's backyard, and it's understandable for the German military to enter. Does Italy want to hit France's great colonial mastermind? Meeting, except for meetings, there are still meetings, but this time the efficiency is very high, and a conclusion was reached in just one afternoon: France will increase its troops in African colonies!

  The French people are thrilled. No! France is a powerful country, how can it lose its international influence?

  "Long live the Third Republic of France!" Having shouted this, the crowd, its vanity satisfied, went home.

  Hitler's nerves finally relaxed as he read an article in the French Republican newspaper, his coffee-filled cup dropping to the floor. The headline read: "The Friendship between the German Crown Prince and a French Colonel".

  Lao Xi was a bit stunned, wondering how the French government knew what he had said before, that remark about Kahn von Strauck becoming the next German head of state, which was just an appreciative joke.

  "No!" Old Heiko jumped up and paced back and forth, his facial expression changing constantly for a full half hour before shouting: "Himmler!"

  The door was pushed open and Himmler walked in. He had put on a lot of weight, his face was flushed with red light, and he raised his hand in a respectful salute: "Heil Hitler!"

  Hitler slammed the newspaper, "What is your secret police doing?!" He seemed furious, slamming the paper on Himmler's face, bellowing: "Look at what it says here!!"

  Himmler didn't know what he had done wrong, he nervously picked up the newspaper and was stunned to find it was a French-language paper because he couldn't understand French. He trembled with fear as he explained: "My Führer, you see, I...I don't speak French."

  Hitler had actually forgotten that Himmler didn't understand French, and he was too lazy to say much more to this stupid pig, so he directly ordered: "Get your secret police moving, round up all the French spies in the country! Good heavens! It turns out the French knew everything I said and did!"

  Himmler's face was dripping with cold sweat, this matter could be big or small, it was a dereliction of duty, he didn't want Hitler to suspect his ability to handle things, so he hastily said: "Yes! My Führer!"

  He was walking out when he was called back by Old Xi.

  "Leave the newspaper behind!" Hitler's eyes flickered with hesitation, "Also send a combat adjutant to Canaris, hmm... what position is Reinhard Heydrich holding now?"

  "Himmler said: 'Security is everywhere. My Führer!'"

  Hitler picked up the newspaper and glanced at it a few more times, his expression was inexplicably strange, as if he was struggling fiercely in his heart. Finally, he said: "Very good! Kahn's performance this time is outstanding, I plan to transfer him from the First Armored Division and let him join Erich von Manstein to form the Second Armored Division. My little friend's current rank can no longer match his honor..."