Chapter 1085: The Soldiers

Amidst countless watching eyes, Akado and a host of German officials stood on the speaker’s platform. This was the first time Germany’s high command had collectively appeared in a video recording, and the first time they had been so immaculately dressed, preparing to leave behind a precious historical image for posterity.

Akado stood at the highest podium. To his left was Chancellor Dominis, and to his right were the high-ranking officials of the Greater German Party. Krupp, as a highly prestigious elder within the party, also stood among them. They were all in respectable suits; only Akado and Reinhard Heydrich wore SS uniforms. Farther back, Air Marshal Kesselring and Army Field Marshal Keitel were also present.

“Once upon a time, the armies of Prussia were invincible in Europe. We held every honor a soldier in this world could possess, and because of these honors, we became the strongest nation in the world.” Akado, standing at the high podium, began his speech with passion.

“The Germanic nation is great and invincible. Even though we tasted the bitterness of defeat in the last war, our resolute and unyielding people would still stand up, would still, for dignity, for courage, for their motherland, continue this sacred war of revenge!”

“In two years, we have defeated those nations that provoked us and have hung our flag on their city walls! The German sword has won living space for the German plow, and it has also made its proper contribution to the unification and development of Europe!”

“One day, people will open the heavy pages of history and re-examine everything we have done today. At that time, you will all be proud of what you have done! Though we have waded through mountains of corpses and seas of blood, you and I have made it through. We will ultimately become the cornerstone of a Greater Europe, the driving force for the entire world’s progress!”

“The price of the countless lives paid today will be transformed into the most valuable nutrient, nourishing our soil! And this well-nourished soil will ultimately bloom with beautiful flowers! We have sacrificed ourselves, so that those who will be bathed in peace are all the people of the world who come after this era! War will no longer exist; the future will be more beautiful!”

“Heil Akado Rudolph, my Führer!” Below the steps, the dense crowd of officials from the Greater German Party all raised their arms, forming a dense forest of limbs tilted slightly to the right. The sound of their cheers seemed as if it could shake anything, as if echoing this exciting speech.

Akado, on the podium, also extended his right hand. With his red armband, he held his left hand on his utility belt, looking very straight. He shouted the slogan of “Long live the Third Reich,” his sharp gaze surveying the fanatical people below.

Finally, after Akado had lowered his arm, the cheers gradually subsided, and the German Führer, standing on the steps, continued his speech: “From the time I took office, I promised everyone that war is not the end of everything, but the beginning. A new life will surely come, and all our efforts are for this beginning that will eventually come.”

“Now, the enemies we face have all been defeated, and this goal is within our grasp. What we have to do now is, on this last stretch of the difficult road, to show our unparalleled courage and perseverance, to continue to forge ahead bravely, and to defeat those enemies who are blocking our path and are destined to fail!”

“What I want to ask now is, soldiers, do you have the confidence to defeat the Soviet Union and to bring everlasting peace and tranquility to the borders of the Empire? Soldiers, do you have the confidence to defeat the Soviet Union and to let the sunlight of the Empire shine on every inch of the Eurasian-African continent? Soldiers, do you have the confidence to defeat the Soviet Union, to end this protracted war, and to go home and spend a wonderful Christmas?”

The radio crackled with interference, but around it, German soldiers were crowded, their eyes filled with expectation. When they heard the Führer’s questions coming from the radio, everyone excitedly waved their right arms, shouting their answers: “We have confidence! We have confidence! Heil Führer!”

“This war will end, and we will only accept an end where we are the victors!” Akado shouted into the microphone. Beside him, everyone who was listening to his speech clenched their fists. How many years had it been? From the defeat in 1918 until now, how many years had they waited for these words?

“Soldiers, two years of war have already taken your steps across all of Europe. You, who are covered in glorious achievements, are now covered in the dust of honor… Ahead of you is Moscow, the capital of the Soviet Union, Moscow! Ahead of you is Red Square! Go there, and wash the dust from your bodies. For the sacred Greater German Third Reich, advance!”

After the speech, Akado did not immediately leave his podium. He once again raised his right hand and gave a Greater German salute: “Long live the German spirit! Long live the German people! Long live the German Reich!”

“Heil Akado Rudolph, my Führer!” Everyone in the audience raised their arms, shouting the slogan in response to Akado’s voice. The cheers echoed in the hall, one after another, and did not fade for a long, long time.

“Did you hear that?” By the radio, a German officer looked at his men and asked loudly, “Did you hear what the Führer expects of you? As long as we take Moscow, finish off Stalin, the war will be over!”

“Take Moscow! Capture Stalin! Home for Christmas!” a German soldier shouted frantically in the camp, raising his arm. Around him, all the soldiers raised their arms, cheering for the dawn of victory they could see.

“I say, isn’t F Army Group going to do something to support our Führer’s speech?” a German officer asked, his hands behind his back, as he stood on the position, looking at the quiet Soviet defense zone in the distance. It was covered in barbed wire and pillboxes, and most of the positions had even been reinforced with timber and steel. At this moment, it looked extremely gloomy. Having been hit by several German artillery strikes, it was as pockmarked as the surface of the moon.

“Of course, General Kluge is one of the Führer’s confidants. We all know that. Before the war with the Soviet Union, General Kluge was even the governor of the Polish province,” the artillery officer who answered him said, a knowing smile on his face. He pointed his chin in the direction of the Soviet positions. “We are planning, today, to shorten the distance to Moscow to 10 kilometers.”

BOOM! As he answered, a large-caliber shell landed on the Soviet positions. The other side, perhaps, was already used to this situation. There was no reaction at all, just letting the German heavy artillery pound this land, which was not much better than the surface of the moon.

One after another, the German shells rained down, so densely it seemed there was no gap. Just as everyone was shocked by this unprecedented saturation bombardment, the 105mm and 75mm field guns at the front joined in this grand performance, making the whole scene even more magnificent.

“I doubt there are any living people left on this position,” the German officer who had spoken first said, looking through the battery commander’s scope at the land in the distance, which had been plowed over by the shells. He looked at the black smoke and dust that would not dissipate and lamented.

“Of course, these Soviet soldiers are like rats. They are not so easily wiped out. They are used to drilling into the mud, to surviving in the cracks between our exploding shells,” the artillery commander said, his voice laced with sarcasm as he looked at the other. “In a little while, when the general offensive begins, you’ll see.”

At a command, the dense barrage of shells began to walk further into the Soviet lines. And in front of the Soviet positions, which had not yet completely quieted down, the German army began to emerge from their shelters, slowly approaching the other’s positions.

The sound of gunfire began to crackle, and although it was not dense, it could still be heard clearly under the shroud of the distant artillery. Closer to the German positions, row after row of tanks, spewing black smoke, rolled forward. And behind these tanks followed rank after rank of German infantry.

“For the Führer!” someone shouted the slogan. Most of the men were silent, just holding their weapons, cautiously following behind the tanks, one step at a time. They had to find a way to survive this final battle, so they could return to their homeland and enjoy the good life that victory would bring.

After being covered by the astonishing artillery fire, the return fire from the Soviet positions had clearly not amounted to much. Although the German officer who was inspecting the front was still shocked that there were any Soviets left alive, he still saw swarms of German soldiers charging into the Soviet trenches, beginning to drive out the few remaining defenders.

One after another, the German tanks crushed the barbed wire on the Soviet positions, their turret cannons spitting fire, blowing the machine gun bunkers in the distance to smithereens. This was a classic combined-arms breakthrough. The Soviet army on the other side seemed to be cooperating, as they did not hold out for long before they began another rout.

In the sky, the Stuka II bombers began to dive, pouring their ammunition onto the heads of the Soviets. Some of the hidden anti-aircraft weapons began to roar, but most of the scene was of the German bombers dropping their bombs. Explosions were everywhere. Everything was playing out according to the German script.

Six hours after Akado had given his speech, the German vanguard had broken through the Soviet fortified line. After annihilating 1,000 Soviet defenders, they had pushed the front line a full 2 kilometers closer to Moscow. Now, they were only 9,975 meters from Moscow.

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