Chapter 0130: Military Reforms
"Your Majesty, you summoned me at such a late hour—what is the matter?" Moltke stood before Wilhelm II, bleary-eyed.
From his presence, Wilhelm II could unmistakably detect the scent of alcohol, deepening his dissatisfaction and confirming Essen von Jonalete's earlier assertions.
Von Falkenhayn, however, remained impassive. He had already received a telegram from Qin Tian and was aware that Qin Tian intended to make an example of Pritwitz. Von Falkenhayn wholeheartedly agreed; while Pritwitz was a favored minister of Wilhelm II, he was also an ally of Moltke. Removing Pritwitz from the 8th Corps would significantly undermine Moltke.
Although von Falkenhayn was uncertain whether Wilhelm II would acquiesce to Qin Tian's demands, he remained cautiously optimistic. He resolved that should Wilhelm II seek his counsel, he would staunchly support Qin Tian.
"Your Excellencies, Chief of Staff and Minister of the Army, the Crown Prince has sent a telegram requesting the reassignment of General Pritwitz from the 8th Corps. What are your thoughts?" Wilhelm II inquired.
"What?" Moltke exclaimed, suddenly alert, all remnants of sleep vanished from his face. The effects of his intoxication dissipated instantly.
Previously, he had applauded Pritwitz for standing up to Qin Tian, but he had not anticipated such a direct request from Qin Tian. Now, he sensed the underlying malice; should Pritwitz be ousted from the 8th Corps, he would likely be relegated to a position of insignificance, effectively stripping him of power. This was an outcome Moltke found intolerable.
"Your Majesty, how could the Crown Prince impose such a condition? General Pritwitz is an extraordinarily talented commander—removing him from the 8th Corps would be profoundly unjust," Moltke asserted, his voice rife with indignation.
Wilhelm II remained steadfast, undeterred by Moltke's fury, and turned his gaze toward von Falkenhayn.
"What is your opinion, Minister of the Army?" Wilhelm II asked.
"Your Majesty, what is the rationale behind the Crown Prince's request to reassign General Pritwitz?" von Falkenhayn inquired.
"Oscar believes that General Pritwitz lacks the capacity to lead the 17th Army. Given that the 8th Corps will be tasked with repelling the Russian advance, every commander within it must possess exceptional military prowess. Oscar deems General Pritwitz unfit," Wilhelm II explained.
"Preposterous! This is nothing short of a slander against General Pritwitz! How could a distinguished commander of the Empire be deemed unworthy of a command?" Moltke erupted, rising from his seat in outrage.
"I do not consider it slander; there are indeed questions regarding General Pritwitz's capabilities. Appointing him as the commander of the 17th Army would, in fact, be quite inappropriate!" von Falkenhayn quickly asserted his position.
"Lord Falkenhayn, you speak with your eyes wide shut! How can there be any doubt about General Pritwitz's abilities? He merely missed the Crown Prince's welcoming ceremony—must he be treated this way? Such reasoning is utterly unconvincing!" Moltke's anger stripped away any remaining decorum.
Wilhelm II's expression darkened, his patience with Moltke waning.
"Enough of this bickering. For the stability of the 8th Corps, we shall proceed with General Pritwitz's reassignment!" Wilhelm II made his decision.
Moltke bristled with resentment but, upon observing Wilhelm II's inscrutable demeanor, realized further opposition would be futile. Such defiance would only deepen Wilhelm II's disdain for him.
With both Wilhelm II and von Falkenhayn leaning toward supporting Qin Tian, Moltke's vehement protests would yield no effect; he could only watch as Pritwitz was reassigned, contemplating how to secure him a favorable position elsewhere.
Originally, Moltke had intended for Pritwitz to serve as a thorn in Qin Tian's side, but now it was clear that Qin Tian was no easy adversary, having preemptively removed the very nail he sought to drive in.
"Just wait and see, Oscar. I will not allow you to have the last laugh!" After leaving the palace, he grimaced as he watched von Falkenhayn depart, his face a mask of displeasure.
The following day, Qin Tian received a telegram from Berlin. Essen von Jonalete and von Falkenhayn informed him that Wilhelm II had decided to reassign Pritwitz. The formal orders would be issued shortly, bringing a sigh of relief to Qin Tian.
"It appears Wilhelm II remains on my side! However, such concessions cannot become a habit; if I were to make similar demands again, he would undoubtedly refuse and perhaps even chastise me," Qin Tian pondered quietly.
At nine o'clock that morning, Hindenburg and Ludendorff arrived. Upon learning of Wilhelm II's agreement to Pritwitz's reassignment, they were quite pleased. As for the successor to command the 17th Army, they proposed Leopold von Seckt. After some contemplation, Qin Tian concurred. He vividly recalled that in another timeline, Seckt was dubbed the 'Father of the Wehrmacht,' a testament to his formidable capabilities.
Under Qin Tian's deliberate promotion of the news, the entire 8th Corps soon buzzed with the revelation of General Pritwitz's impending reassignment, leaving the other commanders astonished. If Pritwitz, having offended Qin Tian, was being removed, then surely they were not immune to similar fates. This significantly elevated Qin Tian's standing within the 8th Corps.
In this atmosphere, Qin Tian commenced his long-contemplated plan: to reform the military structure of the German Army. Currently, the hierarchy consisted of squads, platoons, companies, battalions, regiments, divisions, armies, and corps (army groups). Qin Tian aimed to eliminate the brigade level, placing regiments directly under divisions. Should conditions allow, he aspired to remove the army designation altogether, enabling corps to command each division directly, thereby flattening the command structure and enhancing operational efficiency.
Of course, Qin Tian understood that such changes would provoke considerable upheaval. Therefore, he first sought the opinions of Hindenburg and Ludendorff.