Andrea's speech was deeply moving. Even he was moved by it. But it was no use. Most of the people there were ordinary folk, without such lofty ideals. They cared more about the interests right in front of them.
They said that once a crowd reached ten thousand, its collective intelligence was cut in half. The crowd outside numbered far more than that. Those at the front could hear Andrea's speech, but by the time it reached those in the back, it was bound to have been taken out of context and embellished.
Looking at the unruly crowd, Andrea reluctantly admitted that reasoning with them was out of the question.
Unless he had the time and energy to work on them one by one, his silver tongue might have been enough to persuade them. Clearly, that was impossible. There were too many people outside; he could never get through them all.
After hesitating for a while, Andrea finally made up his mind. "Colonel, order the soldiers to disperse the crowd!"
As it turned out, the army was far more intimidating. Andrea had worn his tongue out without accomplishing anything, but once the army stepped in, the crowd dispersed in no time.
The protesters had scattered, but that did not mean the matter was over. The army had remained stable because the Berlin Government had bought off the soldiers at the first opportunity.
For most ordinary people, talking about ideals, the bigger picture, and lofty principles was nowhere near as effective as talking about their own interests.
The Berlin Government promised the soldiers a generous relocation allowance and jobs for their family members, with pay no lower than what they earned in their current positions. With the officers reassuring them, morale stabilized at once.
In truth, there was no chance