Confrontation at the Front

"Have the front line prepare for battle."

Eitel stood in his office, looking out at the quiet streets of Berlin as he instructed Rommel.

Rommel nodded, then asked, "Your Majesty, are we still going to that conference we discussed before?"

"What's the hurry? There are still eight days. I believe that diplomat will have delivered my words to the Allies by now."

"Before the conference, we still have one last hard battle to fight."

"Only this time, it will be the final war."

Eitel's calm words settled Rommel's nerves.

"Remember the following orders. Send all the weapons and ammunition the factories produce during this period to the front."

"Focus on reinforcing Liège Fortress. Have its officers watch French troop movements at all times and report immediately if there is any news."

"Also, have Field Marshal Hindenburg watch British troop movements. And has that peace agreement been delivered to President Wilson?"

Listening to Eitel's orders, Rommel took a small notebook from inside his jacket and busily recorded every instruction.

Only after Eitel finished speaking did Rommel raise his head. "Your Majesty, the peace document has been delivered to President Wilson without a single word changed."

"However, there has been no word from him yet."

Eitel was not surprised. If the president of a country so readily believed a document from an enemy like him, he would never have reached the presidency.

Besides, they had only just joined the Allies. Even if they learned this news, they would not rashly withdraw from the Allied camp. By staying, they could still eat a few scraps left over by Britain and France. If they withdrew in a fit of pique now, they would not get so much as a hair.

At that thought, Eitel turned and sat down at his desk. "Don't worry about that. President Wilson will have his own channels for determining whether this news is true. When that happens, we won't have to worry about the threat of American troops on our front."

His Majesty Eitel's words gave Rommel, who had still been somewhat worried about the front, an inexplicable sense of reassurance.

"Your Majesty is wise."

While Eitel kept the overall situation in hand, far across the ocean in the White House in America...

President Wilson set a document on the desk with a gloomy expression, picked up the cigar beside him, took a deep drag, and exhaled.

Beside him, Secretary of State Robert Lansing wore an equally unpleasant expression.

"Secretary of State, go verify whether its contents are true."

Lansing nodded in acknowledgment and left the office. Before long, he returned and confirmed to Wilson that the contents of the document were true.

At Lansing's words, Wilson's already unpleasant expression grew uglier still.

"They want us Americans to work for nothing. I knew they had ill intentions when they excluded us from the peace negotiations."

"This Eitel is no good either. He's trying to divide us from within."

Looking at President Wilson, Lansing was somewhat troubled. "Mr. President, although that is the situation, we cannot withdraw from the Allies yet. After all, we need to increase America's international influence."

"If we withdraw now, not only will we let Britain and France snap up a huge bargain, but the international influence we've only just begun to build will collapse."

Lansing spoke earnestly and sincerely. Listening to his persuasion, Wilson waved a hand. "I know this isn't the time to act on emotion."

"Since they've done something like this, they can't blame us for showing up without putting in any effort."

"Send orders to General Pershing. From now on, our operations need only amount to showing up and going through the motions. Let's see whether Britain and France still dare look down on America then."

After receiving President Wilson's orders, Lansing nodded and went out again.

Once Lansing had left the room, President Wilson sat in his chair and took another drag on his cigar.

Smoke rose, through which Wilson's pensive face could faintly be seen.

Following Wilson's gaze, Germany's colonies could be seen marked on the map.

Those were all excellent markets for dumping goods. America was currently under severe inflationary pressure. Its entry into the war was not merely intended to increase America's international influence, but also to divide Germany's colonies with the Allied nations.

That would allow them to dump their domestic goods abroad. After all, their goods could not compete with British and French products in name recognition, nor with German products in quality.

American goods were therefore very unpopular on the international market, which made him deeply dissatisfied with the terms of these peace talks.

Suddenly, a spark of inspiration flashed through Wilson's mind.

"Lansing!"

Hearing the president summon him, Lansing came in. "Mr. President, do you have any further instructions?"

"Draft a letter to the emperor of Germany for me. Tell him that if they are willing to accept our goods, we will help them secure the most favorable terms at the peace conference."

"Add another point. As a show of sincerity, we can sign a fifteen-year grain sales contract right now."

"Aren't they short of grain? We'll offer them some benefits now. As long as the war in Europe keeps going, we will have an endless market for our goods."

At this point, Wilson's eyes brightened. "As long as the war continues, our profits will keep flowing."

After recording Wilson's words, Lansing nodded in assent, then turned and went out to issue the orders.

Meanwhile, in front of Liège Fortress, troops of the English Second Army and the French Sixth Army were digging long trenches some distance from the fortress.

Ahead of the British and French forces were troops of the Belgium Field Army, also known as the Flanders Army Group.

They were making preparations to attack Liège Fortress, and watching the Allied troops ahead prepare for an assault...

The commander of the German troops stationed inside Liège Fortress frowned. He waved over a messenger and instructed him, "Send a telegram to Field Marshal Hindenburg. Allied troops are establishing positions in front of Liège Fortress."

"They appear to be planning an attack on Liège Fortress. Please ask the field marshal to decide our course of action."

The messenger accepted the order and hurried to the radio to relay it to Field Marshal Hindenburg.

Far away at general headquarters in Belgium, Field Marshal Hindenburg's brow furrowed when he received this intelligence. He also held a message from His Majesty Eitel that had just reached him.

That message likewise instructed him to pay close attention to the situation at Liège Fortress.

Looking at the two reports on his desk, Field Marshal Hindenburg knitted his brows tightly.

"Could this emperor of ours truly be a military genius, one in ten thousand?"

"Then why did he show no sign of it before?"

"Never mind. Chief of staff, relay my message to the garrison at Liège Fortress."

At this point, Field Marshal Hindenburg paused. "Have them hold out for five days. I will have reinforcements reach Liège Fortress as quickly as possible."

"Also, coordinate with the logistics department and give priority to supplying the troops at Liège Fortress."