The Rise of the Third Reich

"How is your Majesty's health?"

"Not very good, sometimes confused and sometimes clear... After all, he is old."

Hersmann and Chloe got off their Mercedes-Benz sedan and walked into the magnificent Charlottenburg Palace led by a royal attendant in an embroidered attendant's dress. Chloe often went in and out of the palace, so she recognized the court attendant. So while walking, she asked about Emperor William's situation.

Emperor II was born on January 27, 1859, and he is 82 years old this year, which was definitely considered old in the 1940s. At the beginning of this year, the emperor, who had always been in good health, began to have some symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, sometimes confused and sometimes clear.

"So can your Majesty attend today?" Chloe, who was wearing a shoulder-baring evening dress and dressed up carefully, asked in a low voice.

"It shouldn't be a problem to show up," the attendant replied.

Today is April 18, 1941, a very special day for Chloe. Her husband Hersmann will get a special rank for him today - Imperial Marshal!

This is a special rank created to honor Hersmann's victory in the Mediterranean. It is higher than the Army, Navy and Air Force Marshals. It is the highest rank in the German Empire. It is estimated that no one else will get it except Hersmann.

Getting this special rank means that Hersmann has become the first person in the German army! Perhaps the greatest German soldier in history.

In Hersmann's view, this "Imperial Marshal" is nothing. Fat Goering in history has won it. And he knows that most of his "great achievements" were "cheated". Only the Mediterranean Campaign was won by his own command.

However, for Chloe, a woman who regards the famous generals who have made great achievements on the battlefield as idols, today is undoubtedly the happiest day of her life. Of course, she also hopes that the German emperor himself can attend the ceremony of the marshal (the ceremony is presided over by Crown Prince William, who serves as regent).

"Our greatest soldier is here!"

When the Hersmanns walked into the White Hall of Charlottenburg, someone suddenly cheered. It turned out that there were already many men in military uniforms and women in evening gowns gathered here. These were all here to attend the ceremony, most of them were senior generals or high-ranking Nazi government officials in Berlin and their wives. Hitler and Schleicher had not arrived yet, they were meeting with Prince Paul of Greece - he was the grandson-in-law of Emperor William, and came from Crete, with the purpose of replacing his brother George II on the Greek throne, and also came to seek peace for Greece.

Goering and his wife and Goebbels had already arrived. In the Nazi Party government, Hersmann and Goering had the best relationship. The two knew each other as early as their youth (they met in military school). Of course, he didn't know that Hersmann had snatched his imperial marshal, and he still regarded Hersmann as a good friend, and walked up to talk to Hersmann very enthusiastically.

Goebbels also went forward with a woman in military uniform beside him. The woman was not Goebbels' wife, but Natalie Lesinskaya. Because of her contribution to the German Emperor's concurrent post as King of Poland, she was named a baroness (Polish Viscount) and became the Minister of Immigration Affairs of the Royal Government of Poland - a minister responsible for the resettlement of Poles who moved out of Posen, West Prussia and West Belarus.

However, not long after she became a minister, she was recalled by Hessmann and asked to serve as the chairman of the Army Policy Council under the General Staff. And this time Hessmann was awarded the title of Imperial Marshal, which was actually achieved with the full support of the Policy Council.

In addition, Natalie also cooperated with Goebbels, the propaganda minister of the Nazi government, to package Hessmann as the incarnation of the German God of War and the most perfect soldier - this was actually what Hitler meant.

A most perfect soldier should stay in the army for a lifetime like Moltke, instead of snatching the job of the "perfect politician" Hitler and going into politics. Because politics is too dirty, it will damage the image of the perfect soldier of the empire.

Of course, Hitler's promotion of Hessmann, the "God of War", was not entirely out of political power, but a means of propaganda. Propaganda is also an integral part of war. Praising a large number of German soldiers as gods of war and famous generals (there is only one god of war at present, but there are many famous generals) can reassure German friends, scare German enemies, and boost the morale of the German people.

When Hersmann was talking cordially with Fat Goering and Lame Goebbels and praising each other, music suddenly started playing and someone shouted loudly: "His Majesty the Emperor and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince are here!"

Then the noisy Whitehall immediately became quiet. Under the gaze of everyone, Emperor William, who was fully dressed and still looked very majestic and imposing, walked slowly along a long corridor with the support of his son Crown Prince William.

…

"Imperial Marshal, the greatest soldier... Haha, the Germans can really brag!"

US President Roosevelt threw a report sent by telegram from the embassy in Berlin on his desk and lit a cigarette for himself.

"President, this is a German propaganda trick," said Harry Hopkins. "The Germans want to give the whole world the illusion that Germany is invincible and will soon win the war."

Of course, Hessmann is not the only one being praised by German propaganda agencies. Under the greatest soldier, there are a lot of very great, relatively great, generally great generals, and then there are all kinds of combat heroes. There are aces in the air, aces on the ground who drive tanks, supermen who fall from the sky, and aces submarine captains and auxiliary cruiser captains who have sunk many British ships.

In short, Germany is now full of superheroes who are very capable of fighting. And there are all kinds of advanced weapons, so the war can definitely be won. This propaganda was carried out not only in Europe, but also in South America, Asia, Africa and the United States itself.

"President, we have to destroy the myth about the Germans," Secretary of State Hull told Roosevelt, "or else we're going to have problems in our own backyard."

The backyard of the United States is of course Latin America. Americans have been operating there for many years and are of course very powerful. Although Latin America may occasionally have heroes from small countries who challenge the authority of the United States, pro-American forces have always been very strong.

However, the pro-American faction in Latin America is just like the pro-British faction in Europe, Asia, and Africa. As Germany becomes increasingly powerful, the voices of pro-American factions in Latin America are gradually declining, while pro-German factions are springing up like mushrooms after a rain. If Germany continues to win like this, and the United States is still unable to find an opportunity to participate in the war, and the Soviet Union is unwilling to step forward and fight Germany to lose both sides, it is estimated that Latin America will be shaken even more seriously.

"But how are we going to help the British?" Roosevelt asked, pressing a hand to his temple.

This was a problem that troubled him. Churchill's letters for help were sent to the White House one after another. But Roosevelt felt that his hands and feet were tied - he could not go to the war. Besides participating in the war, he has done everything he can.

"Mr. President," Chief of Naval Operations Stark told Roosevelt, "the British are likely to face two decisive battles at the same time in two or three months, the Battle of Gibraltar and the Battle of the Norwegian Sea, and they only need to lose one of them. If you fight, you will probably face the fate of defeat."

"That's not the case," Roosevelt shook his head. "The British will persevere to the end. But we still have to find ways to help them." He glanced at the Chief of Naval Operations, "Harold, what suggestions do you have? ?"

"We can send the fleet to the Norwegian Sea!" Harold Stark said.

"Oh, you want the Germans to accidentally attack them?" Roosevelt looked at Harry Hopkins.

Hopkins replied: "People in Congress and anti-war elements outside Congress will ask: How did our fleet go to the Norwegian Sea where the war is going on?"

"It doesn't seem possible!" Roosevelt shrugged. Hopkins was his brain trust and aide who coordinated the positions of various factions in Congress.

"President, I have a suggestion." Secretary of State Hull considered at this time and said, "Perhaps we can hold a meeting between you, President, and British Prime Minister Churchill. The location is near Newfoundland in the northern part of the North Atlantic."

"Meeting? What were discussed?" Roosevelt asked.

"Discuss how to defeat the Germans!" Hull said. "We and the British can jointly issue a declaration, a declaration against the Nazi and fascist regime. If this meeting and declaration can be held and issued during the next round of confrontation between Britain and Germany, It will definitely damage Germany’s morale. If our fleet approaches Iceland after the declaration is issued, it may not have to enter the Norwegian Sea at all, which will seriously interfere with Germany’s military operations.”

…

"Marshal of the Empire, do you recommend Air Marshal Kesselring to be the Commander-in-Chief of the Mediterranean Allied Forces?"

"Yes, leader."

After receiving the rank of Imperial Marshal, Hersmann returned to his post as Chief of the General Staff, and no longer planned to command the Gibraltar operations - the Luftwaffe and naval aviation were already very good at fighting surface fleets, and Hersmann also There is no need to rush ahead. With a guy like Kesselring, how could Gibraltar fail to win?

"Marshal Kesselring is fully qualified," Hessmann said. "He is proficient in air and land operations, and he is also an artillery expert."

Hitler looked at Defense Minister Schleicher, who nodded: "Marshal Kesselring can be sent to Spain. Then who will be in charge of the North Sea battlefield?"

“The North Sea operations are of course dominated by the navy,” Hersman said. “However, Admiral Jeshunek’s performance on the Mediterranean battlefield is outstanding and he can succeed Admiral Graeme as the commander of the naval aviation and cooperate with Marshal Redl. And Grai General Mu will succeed Field Marshal Kesselring as Commander-in-Chief of the Air Force.”