Two choices

"Your Imperial Majesty, you are right." Hindenburg's attitude on the other end of the telephone changed in an instant.

Gone was his earlier flippancy. Only now did he regard the newly enthroned German emperor as an equal.

Disrespectful as it might sound, his honors and position had all been bestowed by the previous emperor. The current German emperor could only secure their support; he had not received the recognition an emperor deserved.

But what Eitel had just said made Hindenburg understand that this emperor was no mere figurehead, but a true monarch.

"Then what should we do now?" Hindenburg asked Eitel from the other end of the line.

Eitel sat in a chair in the command post and tapped his fingers lightly against the desk twice.

"I think you should understand better than I do what needs to be done now. You know about the workers' movement at home, don't you?"

Eitel spoke softly, posing a question to Field Marshal Hindenburg. Most officers at the front knew the answer perfectly well. This was also one of the reasons they believed the war could not continue, and the most important one.

Every day those workers refused to work meant insufficient ammunition and supplies reaching the front. With every day the workers' movement continued, the situation in the rear grew more critical.

If those people really took control of the home front, what would become of the soldiers fighting at the front?

Field Marshal Hindenburg understood this too and spoke cautiously. "Your Imperial Majesty, given the current situation, every officer at our general headquarters in Belgium believes we should end the war as soon as possible and return to suppress the rebellion."

"That was also why we agreed to withdraw our troops, but that order has now been rescinded."

"What should we do next?"

Faced with Field Marshal Hindenburg's question, Eitel pressed his lips together lightly. "Withdraw? We certainly cannot withdraw."

"Once we withdraw, everything we have done will turn to dust, and we will have no say whatsoever in these peace negotiations."

"When that happens, our German Empire will become a fat piece of meat on the Allies' chopping block, and anyone will be able to tear off a piece."

Listening to His Majesty Eitel, Field Marshal Hindenburg expressed his agreement. They had also considered His Majesty's orders, but they understood that internal stability had to come before resisting foreign enemies.

Previously, they had lacked an emperor at the helm, and most of their forces at the front had been pinned down by Allied armies.

Now that they had this emperor, perhaps it really could be done.

"Yes, Your Imperial Majesty. I will issue the order to hold our positions immediately."

"Then who should be entrusted with suppressing the rebellion at home?"

By this point, both men more or less understood. Whoever returned to suppress the rebellion needed sufficient prestige, and only the two of them were qualified.

"Field Marshal, I will give you two choices."

"One: you return, and I go to general headquarters in Belgium to oversee the overall situation and take charge of command from here on."

"Two: I return, and you remain in command of the fighting. After all, you are a seasoned commander. You should know what needs to be done."

At this point, Eitel slammed his hand down on the desk, making the telephone jump.

"Everything for the German Empire."

"Please make your decision soon, Field Marshal."

Hindenburg remained silent on the other end of the line for a long time. As he wrestled with the choice, Eitel sat down.

After all, it was a difficult decision. The movement at home was intensifying, and returning to suppress the rebellion now might offend the working class.

Although he did not know why activity at home had recently shown signs of slowing, it was ultimately a mine buried beneath the soldiers at the front.

"I choose to stay, Your Imperial Majesty. Whatever you need, I will give you my full support."

After a long while, Field Marshal Hindenburg finally made his decision. Eitel was not surprised that the field marshal had made such a choice.

After all, he was already seventy years old. At an age when retirement was approaching, he found it truly difficult to decide to do something that would damage his prestige.

Besides, he had built the Hindenburg Line himself and painstakingly maintained it. He could not leave the battlefield.

"I respect your choice, Field Marshal. There is no need for further support. I only want a few men."

"Everything will be as Your Imperial Majesty commands."

Hearing Field Marshal Hindenburg's reply, Eitel hung up at once. Hindenburg's position was now clear: he would not be someone Eitel could put to use.

It seemed he would have to start training those outstanding commanders of the Second German Reich sooner.

As an emperor, would he not be a laughingstock without his own core of followers?

With that thought, Eitel waved over Konstantin, the chief of staff standing nearby. "Chief of Staff, please have the soldiers on this list brought before me."

Konstantin acknowledged the order, took the list from His Majesty Eitel, and withdrew. Only after leaving the command post did he look at the list in his hand.

[Heinz Guderian, Erwin Rommel, Erich von Manstein, Gerd von Rundstedt...]

He read no further. After all, the officers listed so far were still obscure figures, and only Gerd von Rundstedt's name sounded somewhat familiar.

Konstantin thought for a moment, then stopped dwelling on it, since he could not work it out. All he knew now was that His Majesty's orders were right.

Every decision the second prince had made since succeeding to the German imperial throne had been correct, and Konstantin had been won over by His Majesty Eitel's foresight.

For a veteran royalist, a wise emperor was enough to make him risk everything in loyal service.

Konstantin went to the telegraph room and had the order sent out.

After confirming that the order had been transmitted throughout the army, Konstantin returned to His Majesty Eitel.

"Your Imperial Majesty, the order has been issued. Everyone on the list will arrive here in seven days."

Looking at the commander who had worked so hard on his behalf, Eitel stood and patted Konstantin on the shoulder.

"Thank you for your hard work. I promise this war will not end in a way that leaves us all dissatisfied."

Eitel's solemn words reached Konstantin's ears, and a tear slowly fell from the eyes of the old general who had toiled for the empire all his life.

The hand at his side slowly rose to the brim of his military cap in a solemn salute. "Yes, Your Majesty, great German emperor. I shall obey your orders."

"Whatever your decision, I will follow your will unconditionally."

Watching Konstantin's gesture, Eitel's gaze was deep. He knew that the Fifth Army's chief of staff was now entirely at his disposal.

"Come, I want to see the soldiers at the front now."

"To see those soldiers fighting hard for the German Empire."