After Germany won the World War and became the hegemon of the world, Germany's military movements became the focus of special attention from other countries. Germany's neighbors and rivals, in particular, were exceedingly sensitive to them. They all feared that Germany would launch an attack without warning. If that happened, probably no country would be able to withstand Germany's sudden assault.
Although the German 1st Army Corps had been reduced from more than three hundred thousand men to two hundred thousand, its strength had not weakened. On the contrary, it had grown even stronger with the addition of large quantities of advanced weaponry.
Although Germany occupied nearly half of France's territory, the French government could only huddle in the south, lingering on in miserable existence, licking its wounds and slowly rebuilding its strength.
For the German 1st Army Corps to reach the Pyrenees Mountains, it had to pass through French territory.
The French government did not dare obstruct them at all. It let them pass all the way, allowing the German military's advance units to travel south by train and reach the northern foothills of the Pyrenees Mountains. Naturally, the main body of the corps would need some time to arrive. After all, this was an army of two hundred thousand men.
Yet even the arrival of only an advance force frightened the Spaniards out of their wits.
When the American Ambassador formally notified Spain of the situation, Spanish Foreign Minister Preto's face turned deathly pale.
"God! Do the Germans truly intend to destroy the Kingdom of Spain?" Clearly, they had no way of resisting a German attack!
"Your Excellency Ambassador, I must report this to His Majesty the King immediately." Preto did not dare delay and hurried to the royal palace to report the matter to Alfonso XIII.
Alfonso