German Red Prince

Page 160

Soon after, the people responsible for gathering information returned. They weren't after them; instead, they had captured several cartloads of able-bodied men to take to the front lines to fill gaps.

France had just suffered a crushing defeat; the Tripoli landings had become a laughing stock, and the elite troops they had been reluctant to use before had been almost completely wiped out.

In order to stabilize the front line, they had to recruit people from the rear. The Ottomans must have reached their limit. After repelling the landing French army, they did not rush to attack, and the two sides were once again deadlocked on the defensive line.

It's normal to grab people from the back to fill in the gaps now. This has little to do with Hussein and his group; they're just a caravan. They just need to wait for these people to leave.

However, for some unknown reason, or whether they had lost their minds or something, the vehicle started driving towards the caravan.

"Everyone, get ready. It seems there's no way to avoid this."

Normally, this would definitely be a fierce battle, but things are different now. The Germans are far better equipped than them. In the past, when the French blocked the trade routes, they could only swallow their anger, but now they can fight their way out directly.

The caravan's armed men waited quietly for the French convoy to arrive.

Because of the disastrous defeat at the front, manpower became scarce. In the past, local troops led natives to form a certain fighting force. Now that the local troops were all wiped out, it was impossible to hold the line with just those rabble. So, they had to conscript men from the rear.

The convoy had just met its quota and was about to deliver a truckload of people, but it was unclear what these people were thinking. Although the trade route through Cyrenaica was uncertain, the locations they passed through were all roughly the same. Perhaps these people were hoping to make another profit and wanted to check out the situation.

Hussein watched as these people skillfully drove over and fired shots into the air. It was impossible to take such a large caravan all at once. Some fools had tried to do that before, and as a result, the caravans stopped going that way. They wanted to sustainably exploit the caravans, charging protection money as they passed through. They didn't want all of your goods, but you had to hand over your valuables.

However, this time it was obviously not as simple as those people thought. As the caravan got closer, the people inside realized that something was wrong. How could there be so many people in this caravan?

"hiss--"

The machine gunner on the roof opened fire. At such close range, with this rate of fire, there was basically no need to aim; a general direction was enough to turn someone into a sieve. After the machine gun opened fire, Lübeck and his men also opened fire with their submachine guns. These men were sent to Africa to learn desert warfare, and now that they had a chance, they were going to practice as much as they could.

The legion soldiers responsible for protecting the caravan coordinated very well. The suppressive fire from submachine guns and machine guns kept these people completely at bay. In this desert with no cover, it was impossible to dodge such firepower.

Soon the armed vehicles that came looking for trouble were overturned on the ground, and thick smoke billowed up shortly afterward. The two trucks that were following behind the escorting vehicle saw that the situation was not right and stepped on the gas and drove away. They were already far away and it seemed that they could not be caught.

The battle lasted less than five minutes before it ended. The Afrika Korps soldiers were clearly not satisfied; there were simply too few of them to test their combat skills.

While it might seem insignificant to them, it was a different story to Hussein. To prevent caravans from affecting their subjects, the French would often launch shameless raids, sending special detachments deep into the Sahara Desert to attack their oases.

Under the combined assault of modern guns and sometimes air support, the caravans were powerless to fight back, and in most cases could only scratch the surface of the French army before retreating into the desert.

The numerous oases that once belonged to them in the desert have been taken over by the French, and the Senussi Order lacks modern weapons, making it difficult to effectively strike them.

Now he saw it, saw what real modern warfare and modern weapons were. With the help of the Germans, perhaps they could try to take back the oases that had been occupied by the French.

With the arrival of the Germans, many far-sighted chiefs in Cyrenaica realized that the caravan trade was far less profitable than modern industry, and that Cyrenaica's future lay in developing modern industry with all its might.

Hussein had spent decades traveling trade routes, but now it seemed time for them to change careers; their tribe needed to develop and become more modern.

330. Emergency

Cyrenaica's oil fields are now a key source of revenue for the Kingdom of the Rhine.

Germany currently derives most of its oil resources from Central Africa. The General Customs Service is controlled by the Prussians, and Central Africa's oil is the main source of its resources. If anything happens in the future, Berlin can take control immediately.

This was tantamount to strangling the other two kingdoms. The demand for oil was not significant during the war, since the methods of warfare at that time were still relatively traditional and did not require such large vessels.

Future wars will be different. Tanks, planes, and warships are all oil guzzlers, consuming crude oil very quickly. Buying them from the Prussians will be inconvenient, since we don't know what the future holds for them.

After the discovery of oil in Cyrenaica, the kingdom quickly began work, sending a large number of people to mine it.

This area is within the Ottoman sphere of influence, so secrecy must be maintained. If the Ottomans discover this, the oil extraction rights might be lost, and they would definitely try to sabotage it.

The Ottomans are currently at war with France and cannot spare any attention; their focus is entirely on France. Therefore, apart from these two countries wanting to end the war as soon as possible, no other country in Europe wants the war to end so quickly. Even Ukraine, a vassal state of Germany, has benefited greatly from the conflict.

The war caused a surge in food demand, and several ports in Ukraine were operating non-stop, not to mention other European countries. Arms sales were sluggish, and the European "big brothers" suddenly became very helpful, sending all kinds of equipment to the front lines.

For France and the Ottoman Empire, the best outcome now would be for the two countries to end the war as soon as possible, as there was no point in continuing to fight. However, neither country was willing to give up. They had already put in so much effort, and if they hadn't gained any benefits, wouldn't that be a waste of their time?

There are no victors in this war now, but no one admits to being the loser, so it's just dragging on. The European continent is now basically aware of the Tripoli landings. The fact that the French lost to the Ottomans is a huge joke. Now that they've retreated to Africa, they've truly become Africans.

The failure of the landing operation led most people to believe that the war was over. The French had suffered too many losses and would not be able to launch any larger-scale operations in the future. Perhaps they would soon begin to negotiate with the Ottomans.

The Ottomans didn't gain much from this battle either. Kemal fought this war to unite the Arabs, but it seems the effect was minimal.

If the war stops, the attention of these two countries will definitely turn elsewhere. The work in Cyrenaica needs to be done well, otherwise who knows what the desperate Ottomans might do.

The kingdom must keep the oil fields under its control at this stage. It is important to stockpile crude oil before the war, as a major war is about to break out. Thorne does not want his hard work to end up benefiting others, so he is also considering sending reinforcements to Xilanica. He needs to send more people there to have enough confidence.

Another task is to try to free Cyrenaica from Ottoman control and cultivate a pro-German force to solidify its position. Considering these factors and the kingdom's emphasis on this, Thorne needs to personally go to Cyrenaica to assess the situation. The Austro-French War seems to be coming to an end, and Cyrenaica should also make preparations.

The oil fields are in the desert, as is the Rhine Kingdom's base. The oasis is the territory of the locals, a fact everyone had learned before arriving in Africa. They were advised not to go there unless absolutely necessary, and apart from some daily supplies, the people in the camp rarely went out.

This also left a good impression on the locals. At least these people weren't like the white colonists who came here only to burn, kill, and loot. These people even helped them build a lot of roads.

There wasn't much going on at the Cyrenaica camp. Oil workers worked there, while the Afrika Korps sent there were responsible for guard duty and daily training, including desert warfare skills. However, Paulus wasn't just sitting idly by; he was also responsible for training Cyrenaica tribe soldiers.

The rigor and professionalism of the Rhine Kingdom's Afrika Korps made these African chiefs realize the gap between themselves and the capabilities of modern professional forces.

More than a decade ago, they fought against colonists from Europe. At that time, they fought the colonists' armies to a standstill, only to later learn that these were Italian troops, the last of the great powers.

Even though Cyrenaica was at the bottom of the great powers, it wouldn't have gained any advantage in a direct confrontation with them. Now that the Germans had arrived and were maintaining a cooperative relationship with Cyrenaica, they wanted the Kingdom of the Rhine to help them build a regular armed force.

Thorne readily agreed with the proposal. The Rhine Kingdom would need allies in the future, and by helping Cyrenaica train its troops now, their allies would become stronger.

However, Thorne agreed, which was a disaster for Paulus. The troops of the Cyrenaica chiefs were driving him crazy, and he was constantly complaining about them in his diary.

"Nearly two-thirds of their soldiers were illiterate; some couldn't even distinguish left from right..."

Why don't these people aim when they fire their guns?

"Machine guns must not be clustered together!"

Paulus only truly felt exhausted when training these soldiers. The Cyrenaica troops were far inferior to those of Germany, with the vast majority being illiterate and the officers lacking any military training. He didn't know how long it would take to train them.

This task needs to be handled by Yodl, who is the military judge of the Afrika Korps, responsible for the army's political work. He was sent here by Thorne after studying in Frankfurt for a period of time to build a powerful army, the first step of which is to give the army a soul.

Yodl was in this line of work, so after he arrived in Africa, the task of training Cyrenaica soldiers was temporarily handed over to Yodl. Paulus would then train them after Yodl completed the basic education of these soldiers.

An army must have faith, so that even an army with outdated weapons and equipment will not fall apart.

Yodl's first task was to help these people establish a goal and a belief. To this end, he sent someone to find Mukhtar, an old veteran who had led the guerrillas for many years. With his help, the work would go more smoothly.

The trucks responsible for transporting supplies arrived today. Unlike before, there were significantly more trucks this time, and all the soldiers responsible for camp security were also mobilized. A very important person has come this time.

Paulus's obsession with cleanliness is completely gone in Africa. He's so busy every day that he can fall asleep almost as soon as his head hits the pillow. This time, because Thorne came over, he finally got to take a shower.

"Your Highness Thorne."

The truck was parked to the side, and the soldiers in the camp were unloading supplies. Thorne jumped out of the truck and looked at their base in Cyrenaica.

"How are things, William? Is life in Africa going well?"

"This place is really different from the Rhine."

Paulus hesitated for a long time before finally saying, "The conditions here are much harsher."

"You've worked hard. There's a saying: 'Heaven will entrust you with a great mission, and it will first test your strength.' Gold will always shine. After training here for a while, a bigger stage will be waiting for you in the future."

The Cyrenaica camp is well-constructed, and oil extraction here is now possible. This is a major victory for the Kingdom of Rhine, indicating that their first overseas camp has been successfully established.

"Where's Yodl? I haven't seen him."

“He’s training Cyrenaica soldiers, it’s a tough job,” Paulus sighed, recalling the nightmarish training sessions.

"I see." Thorne smiled after hearing this.

“I’m already aware of this issue, which is why I brought people here specifically to help with the training. More people will be sent to the Cyrenaica camp in the future. I will discuss the specifics with their government. In short, you need to be on high alert.”

Thorne brought a large number of political workers from Germany, many of whom were key members of the Labor Party and even members of the Communist Party of Germany. They infiltrated the army and did a very good job. Now, a large number of Labor Party political workers have entered the lower and middle ranks of the army through various channels. After a period of influence, the army will be able to side with him.

To influence the lower and middle ranks and promote high-ranking officers, it is necessary to strengthen one's own power within the army, since the first battle for the liberation of Germany was fought on one's own side.

"Be on high alert? What happened? I heard there's been no movement from the French and Ottoman fronts for a long time. Are they going to negotiate?"

"No, something much bigger has happened."

Thorne's expression turned serious. Not long ago, he had learned some very explosive news, which was why he had to go to Cyrenaica immediately.

"Kemal has been assassinated, and we don't know the details yet."

Paulus was clearly shocked to hear the news. Kemal had been assassinated? If this Ottoman political strongman had fallen, the entire war in North Africa would become even more unpredictable.

331. African Springboard

Following the great victory at Tripoli, just as the Ottomans were preparing to launch a fatal attack on the French Republic, a major event occurred in Turkey.

This was a major event that shocked the entire country of Turkey: Kemal was assassinated during a speech and shot by a gunman.

The incident was kept strictly under wraps in Turkey, with the official statement claiming that the assassination attempt had little impact on Kemal himself. However, Thorne did receive news that Kemal's injuries were quite severe; he had been shot twice, once in the arm and the other nearly hitting his heart. He was currently in a coma in the hospital, and it was unknown when he would wake up.

Kemal was the spiritual pillar of the Ottoman Empire and a leading figure of the current Turkish reformists. There is a high probability that his assassination attempt was carried out by the conservatives, who wanted to completely eliminate the radical reformists in the country and return to the old conservative system.

After all, Turkey's secular reforms have been too radical. Many mosques have been demolished and many clergy have been dismissed. Many figures in the religious community have expressed serious dissatisfaction with Kemal's actions, believing that he will be punished by God.

The assassination of Kemal is definitely not good news for Thorne now, because he was the one who supported the war on the North African front. There are also many reformists who oppose sending more troops to North Africa. They believe that the money should be used to invest in domestic construction instead of being wasted on useless Arabs.

Kemal was a Grand Ottomanist among the reformists. To restore the glory of the Ottoman Empire, it was necessary to deeply instill Grand Ottomanism in the hearts of the people. Arabs were an unavoidable link. Egypt had already separated from the Ottoman Empire, and Turkey was vying with Egypt for leadership of the Islamic world.

Now that Kemal is in a coma in the hospital, what should be done about the situation on the front lines? There is also a dispute within the Ottoman Empire, with the majority advocating for withdrawal. The Ottoman Empire has already won a victory, giving these arrogant Europeans a lesson they will never forget. There is no need to continue bleeding. It is time to negotiate with the French and withdraw from the war with dignity. At least for now, the Ottoman Empire is the victor.

Those who opposed it argued that Kemal's instructions should be carried out. They believed that France was now severely weakened and should be pushed back, at least until French-held Tunisia was conquered before any peace talks could be held.

In short, the two sides argued and could not make up their minds. So, after the Ottoman army won the victory, it did not press its advantage but stopped to rest and regroup, giving the French a chance to catch their breath.

The French were also in trouble after taking that hit. Pétain was so angry at the news of the defeat at the front that he fainted. The French command structure was thrown into chaos for a while, but it was quickly taken over by de Gaulle.

Darlan's defeat caused him to lose prestige in the army. At least de Gaulle's troops had achieved some results on the front lines, and their losses were not too great. Those Africans did not include them in the normal battle losses.

After suffering defeats on the front lines, France dared not launch an attack. Who knew if the Ottomans had set a second trap for them? They were still unaware of Kemal's situation, which made Thorne anxious. Both countries were currently at their weakest point, and he truly hoped to lead his army all the way to conquer the entire North Africa.

"Kemal's assassination has had a huge impact on the war in North Africa, and it has also had a huge impact on us. We may need to reorganize our strategy in North Africa," Thorne said to Paulus.

"The Kingdom has decided to increase its troops in North Africa. We don't know the specifics of the situation in Turkey, nor do we know if Kemal will wake up. In order to protect our assets in Cyrenaica, the Kingdom will be increasing its troops significantly in the coming period."

"Furthermore, we will increase our investment in Cyrenaica. If the war really reaches the Cyrenaica front, transporting weapons from Europe is still too slow. We must have a military factory here. We don't need heavy weapons, but we must be able to produce light weapons and meet the war supply."

Thorne gave Paulus several requests that needed to be completed in the coming period. Once the Cyrenaica oil field issue was exposed, Egypt, the Ottoman Empire, or France would definitely try their best to get involved. Before these people came to cause trouble, he had to prepare countermeasures.

“Isn’t Yodl in charge of training Cyrenaica’s soldiers? That’s a good thing. We need more people who can fight. More people means more strength. We need to be prepared to fight on two fronts.”

The current ruler of Cyrenaica is not the legal heir. The rightful heir is currently hiding in Egypt enjoying himself and it's unknown when he will return. If the secret is exposed, there's no guarantee that Egypt won't have any ulterior motives and come under some pretext to cause trouble.

"The camp is developing well, let's take a walk."

Thorne followed Paulus around the camp. The people in the camp didn't know what was going on. There was a group of people gathered at the entrance, but they didn't know what they were doing. Now that Thorne came in, they realized that the kingdom had sent people to check on them.

"Long live!"

The soldiers in the camp cheered, because not only did they receive supplies from the kingdom, but Thorne also brought them a lot of things. Conditions in North Africa were still very harsh, and the treatment of these people really should be improved.

This was a major replenishment; all sorts of military equipment and supplies were piled up in the warehouse, and the next step is to upgrade combat readiness.

"Thank you all for your contributions here. I feel fortunate for the kingdom to have people like you working so hard here. You are the pride of the kingdom, and Rhine will never forget you."

"I've come here to check on everyone's living conditions. Also, the Kingdom has made adjustments to your peacekeeping benefits, increasing your salaries and providing more supplies, so your lives will get better and better. We will also invest in infrastructure construction here. In short, the hardships you are currently facing will definitely be resolved soon!"

Thorne wandered around the camp for a while, and then went to visit the oil field in the desert. Thorne was very satisfied with the security of the oil facilities. It seemed that the kingdom had invested so much in Cyrenaica and it was not a loss.

“William, we must cultivate good relations with the locals. These tribes in the oasis are the ones we need to win over. The Cyrenaica people don’t want to be under Ottoman control forever, and we must take advantage of that. We can’t stay on the defensive forever; we have to fight our way out.”

Thorne's words made it clear that he was granting Paulus the authority to act independently in North Africa. If the time was right, Cyrenaica could take the initiative to help the Kingdom of the Rhine, its springboard in Africa.

332. Waiting for the right opportunity

1928 will soon be over, and this will be the third year since Thorne came to power. So far, nothing major has happened, and Germany remains the most powerful country in the world.

If we're talking about major events that have happened in recent years, the biggest ones would probably be the Ottoman-French War or the Polish Campaign shortly after we arrived.

In recent years, the Kingdom of Rhine has made unprecedented strides, with many new troops being formed and many old troops being reorganized.

The feeling of climbing the technology tree is very exciting, but there is a price to pay, which is that it is very expensive. The Rhine Kingdom has spent more money in recent years than ever before.

The preparations made over the years to build up strength for the revolution have had some effect. The border troops sent by Flanders-Wallon have allowed the Kingdom of the Rhine to extend its reach into the Low Countries, which is a threat from the rear. Thorne cannot guarantee that he will not take any action after he and William turn against each other.

In the eastern territory of the empire, Ukraine now has forces supported by him, and in Russia, which is further away, the Stasi has also arranged for many people to know the situation there. After the defeat of Soviet Russia, not all Bolsheviks fled Russia; many remained in the area to fight guerrilla warfare or engage in underground resistance movements.

Russia's political scene is currently in great turmoil. Kerensky is a pro-German figure, but many military figures in the government hold a hardline stance towards Germany. Western Russia has been under German control since ancient times, and Russia must reclaim it if it wants to rise again.

Germany's geographical location was actually quite unfavorable. To win the war, it was necessary to avoid fighting on two fronts as much as possible, a point that was not handled well after the war.

It is impossible for the French Commune to ease relations with Germany now. Although Russia has been dismantled by Germany and has a sufficient buffer zone, it is still unstoppable if that group gets angry.

So Thorne's solution was quite simple: avoid fighting on two fronts. Just don't give them a reason to attack me. There are so many left-wing forces in Eastern Europe, and quite a few in Russia as well. In France alone, the Russian Bolshevik forces are the largest among all foreign countries.

After the German Civil War, the world order will be reshaped. The Russian Bolsheviks in France will definitely return. At that time, the revolutionary situation will spread from west to east, and the east will be very promising. Once socialist regimes are established, the differences should disappear.