Planning 1

"Your country can rest assured regarding confidentiality," Tukhachevsky confidently guaranteed. "After the establishment of the Soviet Union, many customs and traditions significantly differed from the era of Imperial Russia. Even the way people address each other is divided into superior to subordinate, subordinate to superior, peers with varying qualifications, peers without qualifications, within the same department, between different departments, and so on. These rules, which may be indistinguishable to outsiders, are clearly defined within the system, allowing staff members to distinguish and understand them. Therefore, if confronted with a foreign spy who has only superficial knowledge, they may reveal themselves with just a few greetings."

Wilhelm nodded, expressing the final condition. "Finally, I require 1 million tons of grain. That is the entire price. General Tukhachevsky, you should also realize that what your side gains from this transaction is completely disproportionate to what you contribute. Even if I were to increase the offer by 2 million tons or 3 million tons, your side would have to agree. However, for the sake of our friendship, this time I will only accept a token price."

Both parties ended this negotiation satisfied. When Wilhelm accompanied Tukhachevsky to the door, he recalled another matter. "General Tukhachevsky, transactions and cooperation between us will all be carried out in secret, while externally we Germans have to maintain an anti-Soviet posture. Sometimes we may say unpleasant things, but they do not reflect our true intentions. I hope comrade Stalin don't mind."

Tukhachevsky obtained what he desired the most, and his mood greatly improved as he cheerfully replied, "Wilhelm, you worry too much. Our great Soviet revolutionary leader, Comrade Stalin, is a highly intelligent individual. How could he possibly be bothered by such trivial matters?"

Wilhelm, with a tense expression, barely managed to hold back his laughter and couldn't help but comment sarcastically in his mind, "I wonder if you'll still feel the same when this supposedly highly intelligent individual eliminates you."

Inside the elevator, Tukhachevsky suddenly snorted heavily. "Are the intelligence agents all useless sacks? Who was the imbecile who concluded that Crown Prince Wilhelm is a worthless playboy? Does he look like one?!"

Natasha, looking frightened, lowered her head and apologized, "Apologies, General Tukhachevsky. It was our negligence. Perhaps this person is skilled in deception and has deceived our agents."

After dismissing the others, Wilhelm lay on the incredibly comfortable large bed. Although the next covert training location needed to be arranged secretly, if all the personnel were gathered in one place, it would be troublesome if Japanese spies were to notice. After all, Japan was also part of the Allied Inspection Team. These little devils would either demand exorbitant concessions or report directly to the inspection team, which would undoubtedly escalate the sanctions against Germany.

Moreover, this trade agreement was genuinely mutually beneficial. The current Soviet Union still had low steel production capacity, while Krupp, the German company, had significant surplus capacity. Germany could import various minerals from the Soviet Union and export the resulting steel products to them. Considering the limited foreign exchange reserves of the Soviet Union, Germany could even engage in barter.

Hmm, he could demand grain from the Soviets. It should be noted that both before World War II and during the Cold War, the main grain-producing regions of the Soviet Union were Ukraine, while the main economic crops came from the Caucasus and Central Asia. Due to geographical constraints, the Soviet Union's agriculture heavily relied on the fertile regions of Europe, with lower agricultural output in the Asian parts and significant variations between bountiful and disastrous years, sometimes reaching a 50% difference in grain production.

If he remembers correctly, the Soviet government has taken special measures against the rich peasants in Ukraine since this year, preparing to exterminate them.

These measures range from increased taxes and additional quotas for grain delivery to confiscation of all property and ultimately exile. By the mid-1930s, approximately 100,000 families had been exiled to Siberia and Kazakhstan. The large-scale collectivization began in 1929 under the coercion of party activists and the threat of economic sanctions. From October 1929 to March 1930, the percentage of collective farms increased from 9% to 65%, and by the end of 1935, it exceeded 90%. The masses resisted collectivization through riots, killing livestock, and damaging machinery, but the response they received was an increase in already high delivery quotas and confiscation of food supplies. As a result, the Great Famine of 1932-1933 occurred, resulting in a death toll of 5 to 7 million people - an unprecedented man-made catastrophe during peacetime. Immigrants from Russia were resettled in desolate rural areas, while traditional Ukrainian rural life was largely destroyed.

It is not difficult to understand why the German army, which invaded the Soviet Union in the original timeline, received support from a large number of Soviet civilians. Wherever the German troops went, they were warmly welcomed and openly supported by the Ukrainian people. Many non-Russian ethnic groups surrendered to the German army, believing that their arrival "liberated" them.

A German soldier, recalling the scenes of their invasion of Ukraine, wrote, 'In every village, people greeted us with bouquets of flowers, a scene even warmer than when we entered Vienna.'

The flowers were just one way the local villagers welcomed the German soldiers. In each village, the residents warmly offered them food and water, played music for them, and imitated the Nazi salute to pay tribute, saying, 'The Ukrainian people sincerely thank our liberators - the brave German soldiers!'

Unfortunately, Hitler's brutal racial policies wasted this ally that was delivered to his doorstep.

In this alternate timeline, Wilhelm certainly would not make the same mistake. Ukraine has long been known as the granary of Europe, and with a little goodwill shown to the Ukrainian people, the entire continent would not have to worry about food. Not only would there be no food shortage, Wilhelm can also imagine that those Ukrainians who deeply resent the rule of the big mustache could easily form an army.

Just thinking about it gets a little exciting.

It's a bit regrettable that I couldn't time travel a few years earlier to halt the independent development of tanks by the Soviet Union. Just last May, the Soviets completed a new design and produced a prototype. After undergoing a short road test near Leningrad, the design was named '1927 Model MS-1 Light Escort Tank,' and later officially designated as 'T-18.'

Next year, in 1929, the total production of T-18 will start to increase. However, as the Soviet Red Army General Staff continues to demand improved combat capabilities from armored units, the T-18's shortcomings in various aspects become evident. They will later improve and develop the T-20 light tank, followed by the T-24, T-26, T-28, and eventually the famous T-34 tank!!

Once the T-34 goes into mass production, the advantage of the German armored forces will be weakened. One shot from a T-34 shell might take away five precious tank crew members, and the losses of the German armored forces will multiply. It is highly likely to repeat the tragedy of the original timeline, retreating all the way to Berlin. Perhaps Wilhelm II won't live until that time, and the one hiding in the bunker, holding a PPK and pulling the trigger towards his own head, will be him."