Chapter 76
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 76
Chapter Title: Finale (1)
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Defeat.
But defeat didn't mean annihilation.
At least, that's what the Empire's upper echelons believed.
Austria-Hungary attempted to transition into a multi-ethnic federation.
But there was no ethnic group left that wanted to live under the relics of this bygone era.
Hungary, Poland, Czechoslovakia—even the Empire's ruling Germans rejected their emperor one after another, and the once-mighty empire burst apart like a punctured balloon.
The Ottoman Turks fared even worse. They signed humiliating separate armistices after defeats everywhere.
Even as their allies crumbled one by one, Germany at Europe's heart brimmed with confidence that it wouldn't collapse like those ragtag rabble.
"As Kaiser of the Empire, I take responsibility for failing to lead the nation properly. I shall dissolve the existing Imperial Diet and entrust state governance to a new parliament."
"Long live the Empire!"
"Long live democracy!!"
Of course, this shift to constitutional monarchy was part of a scheme cooked up by Ludendorff, a clique of hardline military men, and the Kaiser himself.
Having handed power to those quasi-rebels, the Kaiser fled to the high command in Belgium to tighten his grip on the Empire's true backbone: the military.
His clique thought that was that—"We've taken responsibility; now you Reds handle it"—but the enemy leaders, who had staked their lives for years, saw things differently.
"Those bastards are at it again with the disguises."
"Constitutional monarchy? Give me a break. Planning a comeback?"
"We're not negotiating. We're demanding three preconditions: withdrawal of all German forces from illegally occupied territories, cessation of all submarine operations, and the abdication of Kaiser Wilhelm II—you!"
Germany erupted in outrage at these terms, and Ludendorff, true to form, naturally replied with a mental 'Fuck off.'
But the situation had changed.
Ludendorff was no longer the Empire's power broker.
Cornered even within the Empire by his reckless words and deeds, he ended up fleeing to Sweden in disguise with fake papers—a pathetic wretch.
"Just you wait! You fools who rejected my counsel! And you spineless Kaiser! Your Empire has days left at best! In two weeks, there'll be no Empire or Kaiser in Germany!!"
His curse hit the mark, as ridiculous as it sounded.
The German Empire's collapse happened in an instant, like dominoes toppling.
"Gentlemen, defeat is now inevitable. But! The proud Imperial Navy cannot just sit in harbor and accept it!"
"What the hell? Feed him and talk."
"For the Empire's glory! Let's muster our last strength and rain hellfire on the British swine! Forward, sons of Germany!"
"You lunatics, if you're dying, hug each other and drop dead!!"
"Group suicide's your business!"
When ordered on what amounted to suicide missions, the German sailors mutinied instead of meekly sailing against the British.
The rebellion spread like wildfire, and the masses and socialists—who had subsisted on sawdust dreaming of victory—poured into the streets.
The uprising that began in Kiel naval base engulfed all of Germany.
No Allied soldier crossed into Germany.
Before their boots could touch enemy soil, the Empire—already at its limit—crumbled like a sandcastle.
More precisely, a nation that should have collapsed long ago had scraped together every last radish and shoe within its borders through absurd administrative grit, only to exhaust its final reserves.
"End the war!"
"The Kaiser must take responsibility!!"
"We want bread!!"
A massive wave began at the Empire's northern edge.
Citizens flooded the streets, seething with rage.
Like a body drained of innate energy until it turned to ash and scattered, the Empire disintegrated from head to toe into dust.
The final chapter of an era's hegemon was miserable and gruesome.
"What the hell is going on?"
"A communist revolution's broken out in Germany! Mobs and Reds are trying to create a communist state!"
The U.S. forces, who had crossed the Meuse-Argonne after bloody battles and finally reached the Meuse.
The Anglo-French forces reclaiming vast German-held territories in Belgium and France.
All were stunned by the sounds of the Empire's fall beyond the border.
Communist revolution erupted in the Kingdom of Bavaria, a part of the German Empire; armed Reds declared the abolition of the monarchy and the establishment of a new communist state.
In the Empire's capital Berlin, Rosa Luxemburg, Karl Liebknecht, and the Spartacus League marched boldly, waving red flags.
A nightmare.
Following the Russian Empire, another autocracy had fallen, replaced by the monstrous specter of a Red nation.
"Shouldn't we stop that?"
"How?"
"Even rotten fish has some life; we need to keep Germany breathing to prevent bolshevization, right?"
"France, trampled for years, will exact this blood price no matter what!"
Even fleeing occupation zones, the Germans didn't pack up quietly.
They demolished, burned, and even sprayed poison gas in their retreat—the vicious swine.
Even the world's most peace-loving French couldn't hide their urge to gut the Germans.
France's sacred mission after years of devastation: carve Germany into dozens, hundreds of pieces and erase it forever.
But Great Britain, with its ample victor shares, and America, rapidly expanding its influence, thought differently.
"Blow Germany away? Dream on."
"France still thinks Richelieu's their boss."
Britain and France had never been friendly.
No, they were more like mortal enemies.
They allied out of shock at Germany's meteoric rise, but now Germany was done.
From Britain's view, Germany had to exist.
To keep France perpetually uneasy.
Americans didn't plan to fully endorse Britain's continental strategy, but they wouldn't sit by for communists to overrun Europe either.
"Push too hard, and Germany gets a second communist state."
"We need to leave the Germans enough strength to smash their own Reds, no?"
One thing united American politicians, bureaucrats, capitalists, and soldiers:
'Smash the Reds.'
Even domestically, Reds were causing chaos.
Russia? Fine, backward and unenlightened backwater.
But Germany was different.
They couldn't tolerate red stains seeping into their prime future market.
When the German armistice delegation met Foch in the Compiègne Forest near Paris.
"These are the armistice terms."
"This... this is too much!"
"Nonsense? Let me repeat: this has nothing to do with peace negotiations. You know it's hard to get home now that the Meuse has fallen? Decide before France's vengeful sons cross the border. You have 72 hours, you vile invaders."
The terms made the German delegates' jaws drop.
Surrender and handover of heavy weapons, trucks, trains, artillery.
Surrender and handover of nearly all surface ships and submarines.
Acceptance of Allied naval blockade during armistice.
Swift withdrawal from Alsace-Lorraine, France, Belgium, Luxembourg occupations; release all civilians and POWs held.
Allies may occupy German territory, maintained at Germany's expense.
Invalidation of peace treaties with Russia, etc.
"Th-this!"
"Take it or leave it. I'd prefer you refuse. Please, just go home?"
So I can kill you all.
Facing this pure hatred up close, the Germans requested days for home approval.
Man, what a mess.
Like the old saying about the world's chaos?
These past days, lounging with coffee, watching Germany implode was quite the spectacle.
Who'd have thought the Kaiser, who bellowed across the world, would abdicate so pathetically?
Thinking his army could prop him up, he abandoned his capital and scurried to Belgium's high command—never to return to Germany.
The new democratic Germany that ousted him first signed the armistice, naturally.
November 4th.
The armistice was finally signed.
News spread, soldiers burst from barracks cheering.
"Homeward bound!!"
"We won!!"
But I just watched them pitifully.
Sorry, no home for you yet.
"What about the troops?"
"Uh... they know, right? About holding occupations."
"I've realized lately: our men are... way dumber than we think."
I'd bet five bucks over half can't tell armistice from peace treaty. For real.
Our unit's lucky—smart Black volunteers for rights got us to half; elsewhere it'd be 80%.
More accurately, they just don't want to accept no home soon.
"Fact-check the kids clearly. No false hopes."
"They'll be disappointed; what to do?"
"Make 'em grateful no more charging machine guns or risking death."
Yeah, troops should thank their stars—no more dying.
Now it's troop management, masking up, quick evac for coughers... pure accident prevention.
No suicides over water duty, no whiners skipping drills, no nepotism moochers! Unit management on easy mode.
Post-war tasks await.
I never forgot.
I rushed to send a wire across the Atlantic—a modest request.
To: Ford Chairman, struck by money lightning and happy.
Send one division's worth of lawyers and accountants.
Jerry stole my barbed wire patent—won't forgive!