Iron and Blood: A Triumph of the Will

Albert truly hadn't expected that Joachim would actually dare to come and accept the appointment.

But this is fine too, it'll test his abilities and dump all this mess on him.

Berlin.......

Joachim sat in his Mercedes, flanked by protesters on both sides.

Ebert's appointment clearly caused a huge uproar in German politics, and the entire radical left was mobilized.

It is said that some people even considered assassinating Joachim, so Joachim's Mercedes was temporarily reinforced with armor to protect against possible bomb attacks and assassination attempts.

"You see protesters everywhere, Your Highness."

Wolf sat in the passenger seat, his eyes filled with barely concealed resentment: "They have no idea what we have done for Germany. They should greet us like heroes."

"Let's call ourselves heroes once we've completely stabilized the situation in Germany."

Joachim reached up and unbuttoned his collar, his gaze fixed on the view outside the window. "I've heard the situation in Germany is deteriorating, isn't it?"

"Has the military sent us any messages, Heinrich?"

With Manstein remaining in Pots, Heinrich naturally took over his work.

"They have already sent someone to take over the work with us, and Lieutenant Colonel Werner von Fritsch will personally report to you later."

"Lieutenant Colonel Fritz?"

Hearing this name,

Joachim looked serious because the name sounded somewhat familiar.

He turned to look at Heinrich: "Give me the documents."

Heinrich was naturally prepared; the documents were handed to him, and Joachim opened them to take a look.

Then it dawned on me—it was him.

Werner von Fritsch, full name Thomas Ludwig Werner von Fritsch

He was born on August 4, 1880, into a Prussian noble family in Benrath, Rhine Province, German Empire.

He joined the 25th Hessian Field Artillery Regiment of the Prussian Army at the age of 18.

He was promoted to second lieutenant in 1900.

He studied at the Prussian Military Academy from 1907 to 1910.

He joined the German General Staff in 1911 and was assigned to the war history department.

He participated in the entire First World War, serving in the General Staff and front-line troops, and was promoted to major and lieutenant colonel.

He was awarded the Blue Max Medal on April 1, 1918. In addition to this medal, he also received the Iron Cross First/Second Class, the Royal Knight's Cross with Swords of Hohenzollern, and many other national honors.

Political stance: Anti-democratic and anti-Semitic, views "Jewish newspaper propaganda" as a threat, and supports nationalism and elite military rule.

Of course, there are some things that are not written in this document, such as Frich in Joachim's memory.

This guy is something else; he's one of the few old-school German officers who possesses the skill of being adept at social maneuvering.

He knows how to deal with people very well.

As for why he said that, it's all thanks to Joachim's memories from his previous life.

During the Weimar Republic, these so-called democrats always liked to ask tricky questions.

For example, why is military spending increased, and why does such a small army need so many officers and cadres?

Fridge, however, was usually able to handle the situation with ease.

This old-school German officer was extremely adept at using clever words to evade the crux of all questions and dispel the questioner's doubts and curiosity.

Moreover, he knows especially how to shut these people up; he uses patriotism and exploits their weaknesses.

They might also choose to cultivate friendships with them, thereby silencing them completely.

Yes, in a sense, he is a chameleon.

Just as his boss wrote in his promotion report.

He is usually stern and aloof, but to achieve a certain goal, he can immediately become warm and friendly.

This is why, when Adolf came to power, he was pushed forward by the Wehrmacht and successfully persuaded Adolf to massacre the SA.

He is a very capable person.

"It looks like they didn't send a single smuggler."

Joachim smiled, satisfied with the military's attitude.

Because this guy would be a perfect fit to be part of his military staff.

Although Manstein and his colleagues are trustworthy and capable, they are ultimately too young, and Joachim is not suited to promote them to high positions.

These future German stars still need to slowly build up their experience and seniority.

Besides, the current environment is not suitable for them to fully utilize their talents.

"That's true in terms of resume," Heinrich added. "However, Your Highness, our focus now should be on the Potsdam issue and the Red Revolution sweeping the country! The referendum is about to begin, and we need to prepare our propaganda efforts."

"They said the French and British had already sent troops to take over the defense of Pots."

"What's the official statement?"

"Third-party oversight is required to ensure fairness, impartiality, and transparency."

"Manstein should be completely safe, I don't believe those Poles can succeed."

Joachim had long been confident about the situation in Poz, and the Poles there were now terrified of the Germans' swords.

If they still want to break away from Germany, then Joachim might as well teach them another lesson.

In reality, the so-called dispatch of troops is just a nominal joint management; as the saying goes, even a powerful dragon cannot suppress a local snake.

How could a mere few thousand soldiers possibly control the province of Potseh, which has a population of one million?

However, considering that the French might take sides and forcibly allocate the land to Poland...

Therefore, Joachim's demands are not many; he only needs to retain two-thirds and one-half of Poz's points.

The Silesia referendum was also conducted in the original timeline.

The Germans originally won the referendum in Upper Silesia.

As a result, the French personally intervened and sided with the Poles, forcibly ceding a portion of the land to Poland.

Moreover, it is the most prestigious industrial area.

Thinking of this, he paused for a moment and handed the documents back to Heinrich: "But we still need to be prepared. The French and British haven't arrived yet. First, disband a part of the Free Corps, distribute guns to the masses, and organize a German-American self-defense militia in the area. If necessary, we can continue to take action against those unruly Poles."

"I will convey that message, Your Highness."

"There's one more thing. After I meet with Albert, please arrange a meeting with the Danish ambassador for me."

"Hmm? A Dane?"

"But Your Highness, there are still many people waiting to meet you."

"Then let's postpone it. I have more important things to say to the Danes."

As Joachim spoke, he had already been thinking about some things and was making plans for what was to come.

Germany cannot lose an inch.