March 1, 1938
Berlin, Northern Germany, Berlin War Ministry Parade Ground In Austria, just as I remembered, the disturbances caused by the Austrian Nazi Party members were incessant.
Arthur Seyss-Inquart, the Minister of the Interior and the representative of the Austrian Nazis, was probably just standing by and watching.
The exasperated Austrian Chancellor Schuschnigg would try to hold a referendum in March against the unification with Germany, but the problem was that I couldn't remember the exact date.
I might know about major events like the start of World War II, but there was no way I could remember the dates of every minor incident… I dearly missed real-time internet searches.
Fearing I might forget even the memories I brought from modern times, I had diligently written them down, filling an entire notebook.
I wrote the notebook in Korean, not German, so even if someone saw it, they wouldn't be able to understand it.
In the Europe of today, the country of Korea had almost no recognition, let alone its language.
After neatly ignoring the demands for a reinvestigation from Rundstedt and Beck, Hitler and the Nazi Party promoted a large number of Army personnel as the Austrian issue began to die down.
In reality, it was a show, a way to appease others by promoting them alongside the personnel who suited the Nazis' tastes, all to place their own people in key positions.
The parade ground of the Berlin War Ministry was a spectacular sight, filled with high-ranking Nazi officials, generals, and officers.
"Congratulations on your promotion, General."
"Congratulations! General!"
"Haha… Thank you. Schacht, Michael."
Captain Roger Michael and I offered our congratulations, but Walther Model, now a Major General, seemed to be forcing a smile.
It couldn't be helped. He was being transferred from the General Staff Headquarters in Berlin to become the chief of staff for the 4th Army Corps in Dresden.
Going from a role where he could influence the entire German Army to being the staff officer of a mere unit, it had to be seen as a demotion, even if his rank had increased.
Military personnel in Ludwig Beck's line or those uncooperative with the regime were either demoted like this, or forced into retirement altogether, like General of the Infantry Erwin von Witzleben, who would later participate in Operation Valkyrie (the 1944 assassination attempt and coup d'état against Hitler).
And the elder of the Army who should have prevented this, Rundstedt, had been promoted to Colonel General and was now smiling face-to-face with Hitler.
The very person who had most strongly demanded this investigation! He was promoted by Hitler and then simply stood by and watched as the henchmen of Chief of the General Staff Ludwig Beck were all cut down.
The only thing he did was block Hitler's attempt to appoint General of the Artillery Walther von Reichenau as the Commander-in-chief of the Army.
Walther von Reichenau was an individual who had fanatically followed the Nazis, openly joining the Nazi Party even before they had dominant influence over the military, and naturally, public opinion within the Army exploded.
Only he would know whether Rundstedt truly thought he had to stop it, or if he was pushed to oppose it by the Army's public opinion.
And, the one who rose to the position of Commander-in-chief of the Army in his place was…
"Ah, Your Excellency, the Commander-in-Chief! Congratulations!"
Seeing General Model greet someone with a smiling salute, Captain Michael and I immediately followed suit.
"Congratulations, Model. You've finally become a general, have you?"
Walther von Brauchitsch, promoted to Colonel General and Commander-in-chief of the Army as of today, approached us with a smile.
"Ah, are these men in your line?"
Brauchitsch patted General Model on the shoulder and then turned his gaze toward us.
"I-It is an honor to meet you, Your Excellency, the Commander-in-Chief! I am Captain Roger Michael!"
"Congratulations on your promotion, Your Excellency, the Commander-in-Chief. I am Captain Dietrich Schacht."
"Model, if these are the fellows you've had your eye on, they must have a promising future.
If they are in Model's line, they are soon to be in my line as well. Captain Michael, Captain Schacht.
I shall remember you."
"Thank you!"
Being introduced to such a high-ranking general and being watched fondly by General Model was something that would be quite helpful to my career in the Army, but as I said my thanks, my feelings were complicated.
Walther von Brauchitsch, now the Commander-in-chief of the Army, was General Model's long-time superior officer and an individual whose competence was proven enough that there was no opposition within the Wehrmacht to him becoming the new Commander-in-Chief.
The fact that Walter Model, Beck's subordinate, was able to get a promotion even while being demoted was likely due to his strong influence.
Thinking only this far, it seems like a beautiful connection, but this person, in his desire for career advancement and to look good to Hitler and the Nazis, divorced his wife with whom he had children and remarried a fervently pro-Nazi woman.
He even received financial support from Hitler for the wedding, and because of that, he would neatly betray the expectations of Beck and the Wehrmacht that he would act as a check against Hitler in the early stages of the war, and would be dragged along by Hitler the entire time.
"I was a bit concerned that I wouldn't be able to pay much attention to these friends as I'll be leaving for Dresden as soon as I return from Spain, but with Your Excellency here, I can rest easy."
"Haha, I've benefited greatly from you, would I refuse such a thing? Don't you worry.
…Just between us, I'll put in a word for you soon. An individual of your caliber as a mere corps chief of staff? Is that even right?"
"…Thank you, Your Excellency."
Seeing the gratitude dripping from General Model's eyes as he looked at Brauchitsch left a bitter taste in my mouth.
Walther Model almost never spoke of politics, even to his family, and as a soldier, always emphasized loyalty to the Führer and the regime, but he never ordered racial massacres or war crimes.
Yet, even he was indicted as a war criminal on the accusation of tacitly approving the guerrilla suppression and racial massacres that occurred during the Rzhev Campaign on the Eastern Front, where he began to rise as the hope of the German Army.
There is no record of him giving a direct order, but considering he was in overall command of the Rzhev Campaign and his leadership style involved personally inspecting the front and encouraging the soldiers, he must have known.
I had wondered why he, who openly defied the Nazis by ignoring the Emphasis Order on racial massacres, the Warsaw Uprising Suppression Order, and the Nero Decree to destroy Germany's industrial facilities, and who in the end lamented fighting for a criminal regime, acted as he did in Rzhev.
Did he think he still lacked the power to defy the Nazis on his own authority? I thought, but seeing Model's attitude towards Brauchitsch today, I felt like I somehow understood.
Brauchitsch was a competent general and may have been a mentor to Model, but he actively flattered the Nazis and encouraged war crimes by issuing emphasis orders for officers who criticized war crimes on the Eastern Front to obediently follow Nazi policies.
And then later, at the war crimes trials, he was the opportunistic figure who first claimed the so-called myth of the clean Wehrmacht—that such evil deeds were done by the Nazis and the SS, and that the Wehrmacht was clean.
Walther Model couldn't have escaped the influence of his superior officer and mentor.
In this age of madness, even someone who is an exceptionally good person to you can be a devil to someone else.
"Well then, I shall be on my way. See you next time."
"Yes, sir!"
As Brauchitsch left, receiving salutes from General Model and us, a familiar face approached with a camera.
"Captain Schacht?"
"Reporter Jung."
"Hm? Is she an acquaintance, Schacht?"
"Ah, yes. I've been receiving her help in various ways. Haha."
As I exchanged greetings with Claudia, General Model showed interest.
"A pleasure to meet you, Major General, Captain. I'm Claudia Jung from the Frankfurter Zeitung."
"Ah, a pleasure. I'm Major General Walther Model."
"Oh, I'm Captain Roger Michael."
After the introductions, General Model looked back and forth between Claudia and me, then smirked for some reason.
No, I think I know what you're thinking, but we're not like that, General.
"Since we've met like this, shall I take a picture for you?"
"Oh, is that alright?"
"Of course. I've already taken all the pictures I needed anyway. And I owe Captain Schacht."
Perhaps because the Austria tip I gave her on a whim turned out to be a huge hit, Claudia seemed to be in a very good mood.
Seeing her speak with a bright smile, Colonel Model smiled but also sent a strange look my way.
"Ho ho.
This friend Schacht, he is keeping up with the General Staff Course, isn't he?"
"O-Of course, General…"
Ah, no, why are you looking at me with the same eyes you use for a loafer like Klemens…
Claudia took a picture of me, Michael, and General Model, and said she would send it to me once it was developed.
To think that General Model and I would appear in a black-and-white photo, the kind I'd only seen in history books, wearing German Wehrmacht uniforms… it's truly… a strange feeling.
"Well then, I shall be off as well. Schacht, Michael. I trust you won't be slacking off just because I'm in Dresden."
"Yes, General!"
As Michael and I both straightened our posture and saluted, General Model returned the salute and left.
It was pitiful to think of his feelings, so upset that he didn't even make his usual jokes.
Soon, Ludwig Beck, having lost all his trustworthy subordinates, would be unable to endure and resign.
Did Manstein get demoted then too?
"Hey, Schacht."
Wondering what it was, I followed Michael's gaze to see Claudia, who had just taken our picture, now in conversation with Ribbentrop, who had become Minister of Foreign Affairs in place of the ousted Baron Neurath.
Hmm, that's quite a magnificent business smile, no matter when I see it. Ribbentrop looks like he's dying of joy.
Well, well, isn't that man married?
While talking with the high-ranking Nazi official Ribbentrop, Claudia made eye contact with me and even had the composure to give a wink.
Ha, really.
Was it, 'The more high-ranking the politicians or soldiers, the looser their lips become for a pretty woman'?
"…What a stunning beauty."
To Captain Michael's words, which sounded like he was half out of his mind, I could only give a cold stare.
Hey, hey. She may look like that, but she's a terrifyingly veteran reporter…
-
March 10, 1938
Berlin, Northern Germany, Berlin War Academy Late at night, a time when the day's duties should have all been over and we should have been resting, a siren suddenly blared, and all hell broke loose.
Hearing the broadcast announcing the assembly of all cadets, I jumped out of the bed I had just lain in, frantically put on my officer's uniform, and ran down to the first floor.
"I apologize for disturbing your rest at this late hour, gentlemen.
But this is an urgent order from our great Führer. You are to move immediately towards Bavaria and participate in the Operation to Subjugate Austria!"
As bewildered cadets instantly raised their hands here and there to ask questions, the colonel who had come to deliver the news raised a hand to stop them and shouted.
"This is not a drill, but a real situation! It is the Führer's command that Germany will achieve a unified Greater Germany, even if it means war with Austria! Trains will be running on an extended schedule for the operation, and the operation will be executed on March 12th, so receive your assigned units and written orders and proceed to your respective locations by train!"
Somehow, the colonel who delivered the orders seemed just as flustered as we were…
As soon as the order was given, there was an outcry of cadets calling out names and looking for their orders.
Damn it, I'd heard the German Army was a mess because the Anschluss happened so suddenly, but this is too much!
Not even being assigned to a unit and moving with them, but being told to gather at our assigned places individually? We're not some ragtag mob…
"Captain Schacht! Captain Schacht! Who is he!"
"That's me!"
I pushed my way through the outcry of officers and took the written orders from a second lieutenant.
What a total mess, seriously!
"Schacht!"
"Oh, Captain Michael."
"I'm heading to Munich! 13th Army Corps, 10th Division!"
I tore open the orders.
The assembly point is… Regensburg. This direction is towards Linz, Hitler's hometown, isn't it?
"I'm going to Regensburg.
11th Army Corps, 18th Division…"
"It would have been nice if we were heading in the same direction."
"Tell me about it."
"Let's wish each other good luck! Let's see if we, from General Model's line, can achieve something!"
"You too, Captain Michael. Good luck."
In truth, I knew there would be no battle, let alone a war…
And yet, I could feel my throat burning with tension.
This is finally the starting point.
I've started to be swept away by the set course of history, by its waves.
Hitler's first territorial expansion, revealing his greedy ambition, has opened the door to World War II.