Iron and Blood: A Triumph of the Will

After some discussion, Joachim decided to send an additional 3 troops to Goltz.

This time, they not only want to overthrow the workers' regimes in Estonia and Latvia, but also to open up the border between Lithuania and Germany in one fell swoop.

"So, Your Excellency the Prime Minister has a question."

"How do we transport those weapons and equipment to the Latvian army?"

"And it has to be done in secret."

"It must be emphasized that our railway connection with Lithuania is currently disrupted, and crossing the border would be too risky."

"By then, before we can even take action, they might block our reinforcements, thus preventing us from achieving our strategic objectives."

Hugo Prois reiterated the difficulties of increasing troop numbers.

"If the railway won't work, we'll take the sea route," Joachim said casually, waving his hand.

Hugo Prois paused for a moment, having already calculated the answer in his mind: "That would require at least 50 transport ships, but such a large-scale operation would obviously attract the attention of the Allied Powers, after all, this is no small matter."

"That's clearly not enough."

In fact, from the moment Joachim mentioned sending an additional 3 troops, Gortz, as a professional officer, had already made up his mind.

The reason he didn't say anything was simply because he had his own ulterior motives.

He feared that his answer might shake Joachim's resolve to subdue the Lithuanians.

Therefore, after stirring up the fire, he quietly shut his mouth.

Now that it's time to bargain, he naturally has no reason to keep his mouth shut.

This is the time to fight for interests, according to his calculations.

According to the German division's organization, if it were also equipped with heavy weapons...

To send 30,000 people to Latvia in one go, the Germans would need to deploy at least 150 transport ships.

Without a doubt, this figure is three times the number calculated by Hugo Prouss.

If everything is revealed, there's probably no point in even discussing it.

The cabinet might directly reject it.

"How much do you want?"

Joachim cast a glance his way, though he already knew the answer in his heart.

From the moment Potts came to power, he had already learned a great deal about the world.

He was quite familiar with the situation in the military.

"100 ships."

Goltz looked at Joachim's face and carefully stated the number he thought Joachim might accept.

"That's impossible, that number is simply impossible."

Hugo Prois was almost scared out of his wits by the number, jumping up from the sofa in a flash: "How can I possibly divert so many transport ships to transport your troops when our domestic food crisis hasn't even been alleviated?"

"Should we continue doing business with Red Russia?"

"Should we continue to open up this situation?" Goltz didn't have a good temper with these so-called cabinet ministers. You know, it was these people who overthrew his proud empire. It's good enough that he didn't settle scores with them. How could you expect him to speak to them calmly?

So when he was rebuked like that, he got angry: "We need to give the Russians a good beating now! Not focus on doing business with them!"

"Aren't the lives of ordinary people also lives?" Brodokdov-Rancho chimed in from the side, "Do you know how many lives the grain being shipped from Red Russia is saving right now? How much of a food crisis it's alleviating...?"

"Okay, stop arguing."

In the end, Joachim made the final decision: "Let's put business aside for now; our most important task is to make a breakthrough."

"No matter how difficult it may be, we must make concessions for this operation!"

"We must be determined to make a breakthrough in the Baltic Sea. We must show the French and British that we are not lambs to the slaughter!"

"I will issue an executive order to ensure the Navy fully cooperates with your operations; I'll provide as much as you want!"

"But doing so will undoubtedly prolong the war, Your Excellency Prime Minister." Brodokdov-Rancho still hadn't given up his illusions about Britain and France; he still couldn't make up his mind.

The Interior Minister was also uneasy: "Such a large-scale operation is a blatant provocation!"

"Isn't blatant provocation better than being slaughtered?"

"No matter how many negative factors there are, we must prove to the world that we have the ability to make them continue to bleed."

"It's either coexistence or mutual destruction!" Joachim stood up, his gaze sweeping over the two men, his resolve completely solidified: "And it's not that I want the war to continue, it's that Britain and France want it to continue."

"We have no other choice now but to break the deadlock and get Russian grain in so that we can remobilize."

"Only through a renewed general mobilization can we muster enough forces in the West to continue bleeding Britain and France!"

"Only by making them bleed will they feel fear!"

"Only by instilling fear in them will they yearn for a ceasefire!"

"Fellow countrymen, the problem we face now is not the question of resuming war, but whether all of us can survive until 1920."

"If we want to survive, we Germans must be united."

"Therefore we must overcome all difficulties and complete this operation."

"We want all Germans to see the government's strong and decisive actions and its unwavering determination to win!"

"Everything we do is not for the so-called emperor, but for our country and our people!"

Long live the motherland!

Golts made his stance clear without hesitation, shouting "Long live the motherland!"

The other two glared fiercely at Gortz, though they too were inwardly stirred.

However, they still harbored a deep-seated fear of the combined power of Britain and France.

Can this punch really turn the tide?

Can we really drive down prices and import massive amounts of grain into Russia?

What if it fails?

"If you do not obey, then I will use the Prime Minister's decree to force you to obey."

Joachim pressed closer to the two silent men, saying, "Of course, you can choose to resign and get out, but you won't have a place in the future glory."

"You're gambling, Prime Minister."

Hearing Joachim's threats, the two felt dizzy and disoriented.

It was truly a high-stakes gamble, risking the lives of all Germans.

Either they win, or war resumes, and Germany is completely occupied by Britain and France.

"Life is a gamble!"

"I have given you a choice: either obey or get out!" Joachim pressed again. "Now you must make a choice."

It's time to make a decision.

Brodokdorf-Lancao let out a heavy sigh.