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墨書 Inktalez
Hans von Suckow was born in 1866, and came from an aristocracy background as the son of a Prussia general. He began his service in the Alexander Emperor's Guard Grenadiers in 1885. Seeckt was promoted to officer in an infantry regiment at the age of 19. He had a special talent in literature and also excelled in sports, earning the extraordinary title of "Abitur" (similar to "sports champion"). When World War I broke out on August 1, 1914, he was the Chief of Staff of the 3rd Army stationed in Berlin.
General Seeckt was part of the 1st Army under Alexander Heinrich Rudolf Kluck, playing a crucial role in the German army's famous Schlieffen Plan as the most important right flank offensive.
With the "Miracle of the Meuse River," the German army's plans collapsed, and the 1st Army was forced to retreat. However, von Seeckt demonstrated his personal talent and leadership abilities in battles at Vailly and Soissons, making him a top candidate for senior staff positions.
When the war ended, Seeckt saw the Treaty of Versailles imposed on Germany through newspapers, and he personally visited nearby factories to witness Germany dismantling various weapons and equipment under the supervision of the United Nations disarmament committee.
Since then, Seeckt secretly vowed to make Germany strong again. He once wrote in his diary, "It is shameful for a country to have no defense," constantly inspiring himself to contribute to the rise of the German military.
In July 1919, Seeckt became the Chief of Staff of the post-war German army, and a year later he became Germany's Commander-in-Chief of the National Defense Force.
From 1920 to 1925, he achieved remarkable success in this position, which is highly regarded no matter how it is evaluated.
In that era of political turmoil and chaos in Germany, he established a force that became the backbone of the country, proving to be the best-trained and most capable army of its time. Seeckt formulated plans for rearmament and morale revitalization, allowing the greatest asset of the German army—the officer corps—to be preserved, which facilitated the development of new tactics and strategies. After five years of dedicated effort, the German military, which Seeckt had invested so much in, began to take shape. He knew that the day when Germany would become strong again was not far off.
In early 1925, during a rally to inspire all soldiers, Seeckt stated:
"Any unequal treaty, anything that cannot be taken from us by any enemy, is a strong belief. When fate once again calls upon the German people to arm themselves, he will see warriors, not cowards, firmly grasping their loyal weapons. As long as there are hands and wills as strong as steel, it does not matter what weapons are used."
Now, a former German Army lieutenant has come before him, proposing a method of operation that Seeckt had previously envisioned but later rejected.
Seeckt believed that by the time the next war started, the German military would not be able to gain any advantage over the Anglo-French, so he chose not to launch an offensive and instead opted for mobile defensive operations. However, the lieutenant steadfastly told him that in the future, Germany would become powerful, and the German military must use Germany's sword to acquire land for Germany. These were two choices for the Build the army route, and this choice was crucial to the success or failure of the next major war for Germany. At this critical historical juncture, Seeckt became the person who made the choice.
Should he build the army in his own way, progressing slowly and steadily along a predetermined path, or choose a more radical approach that carries greater risks and rewards? Seeckt found himself in a dilemma.
Strasser was also anxiously awaiting Seeckt's decision. Although he knew that the future German Army would eventually adopt this style of warfare, he had proposed it over a decade earlier than history would record, and Seeckt might not accept such forward-thinking ideas.
Germany could afford to study Blitzkrieg a few years later, but Strasser could not, as his time was running out.
Although Strasser and Hitler officially broke apart in 1932, in this timeline, with Hindenburg's support and guidance, Hitler might ascend to the position of Chancellor of Germany much earlier and initiate the Night of the Long Knives sooner. Strasser's time could be limited to five years or even less.
Without the support of the National Defense Forces, he could only rely on stormtroopers to confront them. Germany would inevitably plunge into civil war, and the outcome would be uncertain. Even if he won the civil war, would a shattered Germany truly fare better than it did in history?
At this moment, a significant part of Strasser's future is determined by this resolute old general before him.
Seeckt took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. He still couldn't make such a significant decision in such a short time. He decided to hedge his bets and give Strasser a chance to prove himself.
If Strasser succeeded, then Germany would naturally follow this approach to build the army; if Strasser failed, it would not affect the construction of the National Defense Forces, and he could withdraw without consequence.
"Strasser, Lieutenant, I have decided to give you an opportunity to prove your ideas. Will you accept?"
"I am willing to dedicate myself to Germany," Strasser responded sharply.
"Since that is the case, Captain Strasser, I now appoint you to be responsible for organizing the formation of Germany's First Armor Division. Due to your current rank, I will arrange for Ludendorff to temporarily hold the position of commander of The First Division until you are promoted to the appropriate level to take over officially. As for you all," Seeckt glanced at Rommel and the others, "those who are willing to follow Strasser in this endeavor, I will transfer you to The First Division, and everyone will receive a promotion."
"I'm willing!" Rommel and Student immediately agreed, after all, for people like them without a background, having a leader with a radical ideology and the ability to teach them new things was as good as it gets.
"I'm also willing!" von Bock hesitated for a moment but also agreed.
Rundstedt hesitated a bit, but after seeing the look Seeckt gave him, he straightened his military boots and stood at attention.
"I am willing."
"Then, congratulations, Major Strasser, you have a group of excellent subordinates. Tomorrow, you can go to the barracks of the First Division in the suburbs of Berlin to take over. I have already prepared the soldiers for you, but you will need to take care of the equipment and training yourselves."
"Yes! Huh? I've been promoted again." Major Strasser was somewhat bewildered.
"You became a lieutenant in 1918; it was just the usual four-year promotion process. Now, this is a reward for your appointment. By 1926, you can be promoted again," Seeckt explained. After all, he was the Army Commander-in-Chief, and his word was final—who would dare to question him?
Fortunately, this guy wasn't that private from Bavaria; otherwise, who knows how long it would take for him to reach the rank of colonel, Seeckt thought with a hint of dark humor.
"Thank you for your guidance, General! Strasser will transform the First Division into the most powerful force in Germany!" Strasser saluted once more.
"I believe you can do it, but I'm worried that your qualifications are too shallow. The officers of the First Division may not respect you. It seems I need to create some momentum for you." Seeckt's gaze moved back and forth among the generals of the General Staff of the Army, finally locking onto the youngest, General Mark.
"In order for Strasser to gain respect and to protect the reputation of the other senior generals in the General Staff of the Army, I can only put you in a difficult position, Major General Mark," Seeckt thought.
His gaze lingered on Major General Mark, making the latter feel somewhat uneasy.
"Major General Mark, would you be willing to contribute to the future development of the German army?"
"Of course... I am willing." Although Major General Mark was puzzled, he still agreed,
"What do you need me to do, General Siket?"
"Nothing is needed; you just need to take a day off tomorrow," Seeckt said with ill intentions.
Poor Major General Mark was still cheering for his day off tomorrow, unaware that before he could even enjoy it, he would see the front page of the General Staff of the Army's newspaper reading, "Shocking! A Lieutenant Defeats the General Staff of the Army in Military Simulation Games," with a photo of himself and Strasser on the cover.
Furious, Major General Mark rushed into the General Staff of the Army with a gun, looking for Seeckt to duel, but the latter had long since vanished.
The agitated Major General Mark stormed into Seeckt's office building, dispersing the people inside with a gun and then began greeting Seeckt's immediate family over the intercom, "Seeckt! You are a traitor!" Major General Mark cursed. Finally, it was General Jung who, along with a group of generals, managed to pull him out.
"Calm down, Major General Mark, don't be impulsive."
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