Imperial Elite

Chapter 147 Joe's Ambition
For the head of state, this is an exceptionally awkward moment.

On the western front, Teutonic forces had almost completely encircled the main forces of Gaul and Bunitania.

If the Teutons could withstand this Gaulish breakout, they would achieve the most glorious victory in their history.

Having lost their mobile forces, the Gauls had no choice but to surrender; they couldn't even find enough troops to defend Paris.

As for the eastern front...

Joe is indeed a problem, but only a slightly troublesome one. His forces are too small to cause much damage in the East.

After careful consideration, the Führer decided to allow the field troops to continue their original operations. As for the telegram, whose authenticity was uncertain, the Führer decided to send troops from the Armed Guard to investigate the situation.

Meanwhile, after sending the telegram to the state, Andrei, having eaten and drunk his fill, did not hesitate to flee.

Just kidding. Although the telegram used a code, what's the difference between a code from ten years ago and sending a message in plaintext?

Moreover, based on Andrei's understanding of his father, given the current situation, even if his father had the ability to save him, it would be difficult for him to handle the huge mess he had made.

His choice was probably to clean up his own mess.

So the purpose of sending this telegram was not to get his father to actually come and rescue him.

Rather, he wanted to tell the Teutons, "I am my father's son. Do you want bargaining chips? Then come and arrest me."

In this way, if any unexpected situation arises, the Teutons will not immediately resort to excessive means to deal with them, such as artillery barrage or air raids.

Instead, they would send ground troops to try to capture him, giving him a chance to engage the Teutonic ground forces in a protracted struggle.

Although the Teutonic ground forces, specifically the infantry, were able to overwhelm the Gallic and Buntanian infantry with their superior firepower, this was nothing compared to Andrei's experience with the equipment systems of NATO-affiliated countries.

So after looting the Teutonic Command, Andrei drove off in two half-tracks with a large amount of weapons, ammunition, fuel, and radios.

In order to send a message to the Teutons that he was indeed Old Joe's son, Andrei also released the Teutonic colonel.

However, although they released the signal and chose to flee.

But the question still loomed over Joe: where should they go now?

Given their current strength of only about ten men, their advantage against the million-strong Teutonic army on the western front is not that great.

So after thinking it over, Andrei decided to head east.

The Teutons came from the forest, so let's go into the forest and play hide-and-seek with them.

Then, on the way to the forest with Andrei's troops, it seemed that most of the Teutons had not received the supplies, as a small group of Buntanians and Gauls had infiltrated their ranks.

In addition, the fighting on the front lines was very intense at the time, so even at night, there were many convoys traveling on the highway with only a small number of armed vehicles, or no armed vehicles at all.

Faced with these almost unprotected convoys, Andrei and his men suddenly realized how incredibly satisfying it would be to launch a sneak attack from the rear.

Especially now that they've all changed into Teutonic uniforms and are carrying Teutonic equipment, they look like a group of genuine old Germanic soldiers with black, white, and red flags.

They hardly needed to fire; whenever they encountered the convoy as they were heading towards the forest, Andrei would step forward and stop them.

If the other party was a troop transport convoy, Andrei, dressed in a captain's uniform, would warn them that there were Gallic guerrilla attacks along the way and to be careful.

Then, after waving them off and catching them completely off guard, they unleash machine guns and submachine guns at them.

Normally, if attacked by this kind of firepower at this distance, the people in those vehicles would be doomed.

However, considering that luck is a mysterious thing, after riddling the people in the vehicles with machine gun fire, Andrei and his men would also add a grenade to each vehicle to ensure that no one would return alive to report the incident.

If the other party is a transport convoy without armed protection, then Andrei will not be so polite.

What is this? Military-grade chocolate? Let me taste it first to see if it's salty enough.

What's this? A little nurse? I stuffed her into Grandpa's half-track truck along with the medicine.

This is... a heavy tank from the reinforcement troops? What a coincidence!

So when Andrei and his men arrived at the forest belt at dawn, after a night of frantic driving with their convoy, they felt that they had never finished carrying all that they had carried.

By this time, they had already raided six transport convoys in one night, capturing a total of seven heavy trucks, one Panzer IV and one Panzer V tank, one 50mm anti-tank gun, seven nurses forcibly conscripted from the Low Countries to the front lines, four truckloads of guns and ammunition, and even a Teutonic Army field kitchen truck.

In fact, if they had more people and could manage it all, they could have packed even more.

In short, when the sun rose, even though they hadn't slept for a day and a night, they felt incredibly excited.

The Teutons weren't that great to begin with, but this guerrilla warfare behind the Teutons' lines is proving to be incredibly effective.

The only problem now is, where should they hide this huge convoy of ten vehicles?

Although they had entered the forest belt, such a large convoy still needed a place to hide for the time being.

At this point, the benefits of rescuing some nurses who had been forcibly conscripted into the army became apparent.

Among these nurses, one of them was from a nearby hometown and had been a wild child running around in the mountains since she was a child. She happened to know of a relatively secluded hunter's cabin nearby.

So Andrei, guided by the young nurse, led his small unit toward the hunter's hut.

Just as Andrei was about to find a place to sleep, the Teutons went mad.

Intercepting Andrei's telegram requesting assistance was not a big deal. Even the Führer, who was troubled by Old Joe's meddling on the Eastern Front, thought that Harrison was just a nobody, and he was crying and begging for help. How big of a deal could it be?

Then what happened that night completely changed the Teutons' understanding.

First, Andrei captured the headquarters of an infantry regiment. Although they released the regimental commander, the radio and other sensitive documents, as well as two half-track vehicles, were looted from the headquarters.

Just one night later, six logistics convoys were attacked on the way to the forest.

Not only were two tanks captured, but almost an entire battalion of infantry was wiped out.

Harrison and tanks—when these two words are put together, they are enough to evoke the most painful memories of any Teutonic officer who still has recollections of the last war.

Especially at this time, Erich's headquarters, which was in charge of Army Group A, was located near the forest.

Judging from the map, Andrei is heading straight for Erich!
Looking back now, wasn't Andrei's telegram a provocation? It definitely was!
Is Old Joe's son trying to do what Old Joe did and take down Erich's command post directly?!
Damn it, the Harrison family is really damn dangerous.

To prevent Andrei, who had been up all night and was fast asleep in bed, from suddenly appearing out of nowhere and taking over Erich's command post.

The Führer, who had thrown a pencil on the USS America, ordered an armored battalion of the Levante of the Armed Guard to protect Erich.

I'll send a battalion over there, now you're out of options, right?
At the same time, the Führer ordered that some guards be immediately mobilized to search the forest belt and that Andrei be brought to justice.

Although Andrei caused some trouble behind the Teutons that night.

However, just like the situation faced by Old Joe on the Eastern Front, Andrei, who only had a dozen or so soldiers, made a little noise, but this noise could not affect the overall situation.

So, just as dawn was breaking, the Teutons launched a counterattack against the Gauls who were trying to break out.

First, a massive Teutonic air force, blotting out the sky, launched a relentless bombardment of the Gauls in the morning sun, followed by a counterattack from the Teutonic armored forces. Faced with the Teutonic attack, Jean-Pierre and Charles did not hesitate to fight back.

Even Jean-Pierre, just as he had said the night before, personally boarded a tank and began commanding the troops in the attack.

Although Charles wanted to do the same, his 1.9-meter height severely limited his performance on the tank, so he could only continue to command the battle from the vehicle.

Charles and Jean-Pierre knew that they did not have enough resources to launch another breakthrough operation of the same scale. If they could not break through the Teutonic defenses today, then Gaul would probably not have a bright future.

Charles and Jean-Pierre were both the type who, as long as Gallicia won, could postpone discussing their own fate.

So although the Teutonic attack was very fierce, the intensity of today's battle was even greater than yesterday's.

The last armored forces of Gaul, under the cover of the coalition's dwindling air power, launched a fierce offensive.

Almost the entire world's attention was now focused on this small breakthrough, awaiting the outcome of the Gallic Army's final gamble.

Of course, not everyone is paying attention to this.

In southern Gaul, the Italians, having discovered that the main Gaul force had been surrounded, immediately declared war in an attempt to take a bite out of Gaul, but now found themselves in a nightmare.

In general, although they entered a state of frenzy earlier than the Teutons and began preparing for the great war earlier.

However, Italy's war preparations did not proceed particularly smoothly.

A few years ago, the Italian army did not perform well against the baring-toothed black men on the Dark Continent. Even with the deployment of air force and armored units, they were still evenly matched with the local natives.

As for the deserts of the Near East, they were practically run amok by the nomadic guerrilla tactics.

Their performance was even worse than during the last major war, when they fought a bloody battle against the Habsburgs in the mountains.

This time, after the entire Italian army launched an attack on Gaul, the Italian troops were battered and bruised on the defensive line of the Gallic forces, which were probably less than one-tenth the size of their own.

In this situation, while one's own failure is distressing, the success of one's allies is even more painful.

Therefore, the Italians were now more concerned with how to achieve some success on the battlefield so that they could get a share of what they deserved after the war than with the Teutons' victories in the north.

Aside from the Italians not being particularly concerned about this breakout operation, the Lucia military government is also not very interested in it.
After the Teutons successfully broke through and surrounded the main forces of the Gauls and Bunitania, the Lucia military government began to consider a question.
If the Teutons were so strong, then wouldn't I, with almost the complete Teutonic training and equipment, be just as strong?
If they were just as strong, would that mean they could end the tedious standoff on the border and completely reclaim the empire's lost territory?
The Lucia military government began to consider this point.
When the Lucia military government began to think about it, the People's Revolutionary Alliance laughed.
Because the members of the People's Revolutionary Alliance are spread all over the country, and have even infiltrated some organizations.
Therefore, the Lucia military government has just begun planning and carrying out military operations.
The People's Revolutionary Committee here already knows.
Then an awkward situation arose for the People's Revolutionary Alliance.
That is, Poland, which was stuck at the crossroads of the Old World, was really in the way.
Poland blocked the land connection between the People's Revolutionary League and Upper Silesia, while also serving as a buffer zone between the People's Revolutionary League and the Teutonic Knights.
Without Poland, the People's Revolutionary Union could have established direct connections in Upper Silesia, thus better constructing its defenses.
However, if Polish Germany existed, the People's Revolutionary League would not need to worry about the East; it would only need to be wary of the Russian military government in the South.
The People's Revolutionary Alliance believes that Poland and Germany are also a hindrance to NATO.
At this moment, however, if Poland were to side with the Teutons, it would be a disaster for them.
But getting Poland to side with them... is very difficult.

Therefore, while secretly mobilizing troops to prepare for the offensive of the Russian military government, the People's Revolutionary League was also trying to stabilize Poland through diplomatic means.

Even if we can't bring Poland into our camp, we can't let Poland side with the Teutons.

At this time, in Warsaw, the Polish capital, where ambassadors from various countries were gathered, a grand event was being held.

The Polish Germans were also in a predicament, as the crossroads of the Old World, or rather, the Old World's doormat.

Logically speaking, the Polish Germans had absolutely no desire to get involved in this great war.

After disappearing for hundreds of years, the Polish Germans finally regained their country, and they cherished this opportunity. So, from the 20s, the Polish Germans began to walk a tightrope between several forces, raising their hands when they arrived in Germania and saluting when they met the Emperor of Bunitania.

The main point is not to offend anyone.

However, given how things have developed, it seems unlikely that remaining neutral any longer is feasible.

They are not a poor mountainous country that would lose money no matter who attacks them. As a country surrounded by enemies, they have the resources to choose sides now. If they don't choose now, it will be too late when they have no other choice.

However, the Polish people are embroiled in a fierce argument over whose side they should side with.

In the New World, Citibank also paid little attention to Gaul's counterattack.

With the new president taking office, the Citizens government no longer had the strong isolationist tendencies of the past. Several "Governors of the Planet" movies swept the theaters, coupled with the performance of the Citizens in Wagner's films.
After the Teutons' blitzkrieg against Gaul, the war mood in the United States was far stronger than in the last major war.
However, just like in the last major battle, there was also a slight disagreement within Citigroup.
That is, for the government headed by the US president, if they were to intervene in the war, it would certainly be the same as during the last war: selling arms to Bonitania and Gaul. If the People's Revolutionary Union also intervened in the war, then selling arms to the People's Revolutionary Union would not be out of the question.
It's not impossible for citizens to volunteer as soldiers, or for the military to send observers to learn from advanced experiences.
The troop strength can be expanded appropriately, but we should wait until the situation is most opportune before taking action.
However, the situation is slightly different for civilians and the military in the United States.
That's because Joe renounced his Bonitania citizenship, and his past performance has proven that no one understands the Teutonics better than him. Even if no one understands him, he is upholding the order of the Old World.
What kind of spirit is this? This is the spirit of chivalry!
In addition, Joe's oldest kids and his brother Ron are all now working at Citibank, with Ron even being a Citibank Air Force pilot.
Therefore, in the eyes of the US military and the public, Jo is one of our own. To maintain world order, we cannot continue to support those bastards from Bonitania and Gaul as we have in the past!
We should support Joe, support Wagner, and support NATO! That's the right choice!
This viewpoint is very popular because Joe also has some influence in the media industry.
However, Buntania cannot openly oppose this view, because anyone who has been following international affairs knows that if they had listened to Old Joe earlier, things would not have turned out this way.
It's because they've been holding Joe back that things have turned out this way. While Joe was trying to maintain order in the Old World and world peace, they were sabotaging him and stabbing him in the back.
This severely damaged the Bunitania government's standing with the United States.
So when the radio started reporting on the Gallic armored forces' attempt to break out in the Old World, the Americans paid no attention to it, instead tuning in to hear how far Old Joe had advanced that day.
In order to put pressure on the Führer, when Joe led his troops out of Bohemia, he not only brought a film crew with him, just like in the past, but also kept up with the news from the front lines.
Sometimes, in order to put enough pressure on the Führer, Joe would announce in advance on the radio which place he would be attacking, and instruct the civilians there to evacuate first, because that place was destined to be destroyed, and so on.
Although the US military knew that Joe's current offensive was due to insufficient troops, all his actions were aimed at supporting the Gauls and the Bunitas, hoping that they could make some noise on the main battlefield.

I wouldn't say we could surround and annihilate the Teutons, but at least we shouldn't collapse, so that Old Joe could keep cutting them in the back with a blunt knife.

But as things stand now, Joe's plan has fallen through.

The military leadership of Gaul and Buntania is a bunch of scoundrels; how can you win a war with them on your side?

So if you're going to bet, why not bet on the side that's sure to win?

The US military wanted the government to intervene in the Old World situation, but instead of aiding Bonitania, they wanted NATO countries to lead them to victory, letting the invincible old Joe lead them.

While the military's perspective had some merit in the eyes of the Citizens government, there was a major problem: they could make a lot of money by providing aid to Bonitania, which was essential for Citizens, which was mired in the Great Depression.

But if we help Old Joe...

Although Joe earned a lot of money as a director, that amount was far too little for the country, and NATO was too small.

Providing aid to Old Joe is not economically worthwhile...

Old Joe, who has many friends at Citibank, naturally knew about this.

This is why Old Joe abandoned conventional warfare methods and prepared to extend the war all the way to Germania.

After the Battle of the Rhine and the Battle of the Sudetenland, Old Joe seriously reflected on himself.

Old Joe believes that the core issue that led him to his current predicament is one thing.

Even when he had the right to be at the table, he didn't realize it and still thought of himself as a pawn on the chessboard. This gap between his current situation and his awareness is what led him into this predicament.

However, the situation is different now. With the main forces of Buntania and Gaul surrounded, he has led his troops to bring the war to the Teutonic homeland.

The troops he commanded had become the last hope for Bonitania and Gaul. The first two telegrams from London had already proven that London was getting restless, and when Paris also became restless, Old Joe would be able to make his offer.

Bring Bonitania and Gaul into NATO and bring some of their forces under unified NATO command.

To defeat the Teutons, they would have to agree to their proposal; only then would they have any chance of winning.

His reputation at Citibank could even bring Citibank into the system.

When that time comes, I will become the commander of a borderless army that is independent of the governments of NATO countries. I will not be a king, but the power I hold will surpass that of any king in history.

However, before this bright future arrives, Joe needs to accomplish one small task: to bring the war to Germania.

Old Joe poked his head out of the turret and looked at the road sign in front of him: '84km from Germania'

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One day in March 1951, the BBC television station in Bonania broadcast the popular biographical program "This Is Your Life," in which a Gallic policeman spoke candidly to the camera.

The policeman told the audience a fantastical story, explaining that he and other policemen in his town surrendered on the very first day the Teutons crossed the border, and the Teutons did not mistreat them, allowing them to continue maintaining order.

So from this perspective, he could be considered a Gallic traitor at the time, but why did he choose the path of resistance?
It was because one afternoon, a tank crashed into the police station where he worked.

That's right, the man who drove a tank into the police station is our regular guest every episode, the most troublesome man of the 20th century, the defender of Paris, the destroyer of Germania, the most filmmaking soldier, and the most womanizing man, the eldest son of Joe Harrison, André Harrison.

——————How to Launch a Sneak Attack in Gaul? [The Amazing Organization 21]

(End of this chapter)