Chapter 0225: The Battle of the Marne

"Gentlemen, I propose a toast to the Crown Prince. Once the war subsides, we must hold a grand celebratory banquet to honor his victorious achievements," Kaiser Wilhelm II said with marked excitement.

"Indeed, Your Majesty. I doubt any heir to a throne in the world could match the brilliance of His Highness. Not only is the Crown Prince an outstanding businessman, but also a designer of warships, army weaponry, automobiles, and aircraft. And now, he seems to be evolving into a formidable strategist as well!" Falkenhayn laughed heartily.

Others in the room echoed these sentiments, lavishing praise upon Qin Tian. In truth, it was not mere flattery. Qin Tian's performance had indeed been extraordinary.

Moltke, though smiling outwardly, felt increasingly uneasy. Watching the sycophantic faces around him, he knew that Qin Tian's influence within the military was growing ever stronger. With each victory on the battlefield, Qin Tian's position was becoming more and more unshakable.

"This can't go on. I must find a way to halt his rise, or else I'm finished," Moltke thought grimly.

Given the animosity between himself and Qin Tian, Moltke was certain that if Qin Tian seized real power, his first move would be to remove him from the position of Chief of the General Staff and replace him with that opportunist Falkenhayn. Moltke had long been aware of Falkenhayn's ambitions, but had managed to suppress him thus far, thanks to his close relationship with the Kaiser. But with Qin Tian now firmly established as Crown Prince, an unpredictable variable had emerged, and Falkenhayn might very well exploit Qin Tian's favor to usurp his position.

"Chief of Staff, the situation seems to be turning against us," said General von Prittwitz, stepping into Moltke's office after the Kaiser had left.

As a commander of the Guards Corps, Prittwitz still wielded considerable power, but in his heart, he was deeply resentful. Being ousted from the 8th Army was a lifelong humiliation, especially as the 8th Army had won successive victories.

Prittwitz even believed that if it hadn't been for Qin Tian, he would now be commanding the 8th Army, possibly promoted to full general, and leading victories against the Russians. With such achievements, he might even have been on track to become a field marshal. In his view, Qin Tian's success against the Russians was no great feat; after all, the Russians were weak, and he could have easily achieved the same result. This only fueled his bitterness further. Seeing his ambitions dashed, and still stuck at the rank of lieutenant general, Prittwitz's resentment toward Qin Tian grew deeper.

"Yes, who would have thought that Oscar could really lead the 8th Army to such a resounding victory on the Eastern Front," Moltke said darkly.

"Hmph! In my opinion, Oscar had little to do with the 8th Army's success. He's barely in his twenties—are we supposed to believe he's some kind of genius? I don't buy it. The real reason for the 8th Army's victory lies in the weakness of the Russians, and the competency of its officers," Prittwitz scoffed.

Moltke glanced at Prittwitz and sighed inwardly.

Though Moltke viewed Qin Tian as an adversary, he wouldn't belittle him or ignore his abilities. Even as an enemy, Moltke had to admit that Qin Tian was a genius. At such a young age, he had achieved so much—accomplishments that most men would spend a lifetime pursuing, without necessarily reaching them.

"Chief of Staff, it's clear that His Majesty is placing more and more importance on Oscar. I suspect that soon the 'acting' title will be removed, and he'll officially be named Crown Prince," Prittwitz remarked.

Moltke nodded, fully aware of the Kaiser's shifting attitude. He also understood that once Qin Tian became the legitimate Crown Prince, he would lose any chance to act against him. Even the Kaiser, Moltke's greatest supporter, would not tolerate any moves against Qin Tian at that point. Moreover, his close personal relationship with the Kaiser might be completely severed, and he could even face retribution from the throne.

"Chief of Staff, have you decided what to do yet?" Prittwitz pressed, his growing desperation palpable. As Qin Tian's performance continued to improve, Prittwitz's hopes dimmed further.

Moltke nodded. He had been devising a strategy to counter Qin Tian for some time.

"Given Oscar's current status, we can't move against him directly, nor can we resort to underhanded tricks—that would be challenging the Kaiser's authority. Our only option is to defeat him fair and square. The only way to do that is by commanding our armies to achieve a greater victory on the Western Front, eclipsing his accomplishments. If we can manage that, perhaps the Kaiser's attention will shift away from him. Additionally, we must hope that Crown Prince Wilhelm recovers soon. If the Crown Prince regains his faculties before Oscar ascends to the throne, the question of succession could still be unsettled," Moltke said.

Prittwitz nodded in agreement, recognizing the truth in Moltke's words.

"Pray to God, and may He protect us. Otherwise, we're finished," Moltke said with a strained smile.

"God will surely protect us," Prittwitz replied, brimming with confidence.

On August 28, Moltke formally submitted his plan for the Battle of the Marne to Kaiser Wilhelm. Moltke intended to launch a decisive offensive at the end of August or early September, striking the Anglo-French forces south of the Marne and in the Verdun region. His goal was to deliver a crippling blow to the enemy's main force, advancing the front to the outskirts of Paris and seizing the city in one fell swoop.

Wilhelm approved Moltke's plan, eager to bring the conflict in France to a swift and victorious conclusion.

As the German army began mobilizing for the battle, the Anglo-French forces braced themselves for what they knew would be a monumental clash. The outcome of this battle would decide the fate of both sides. Should Germany prevail, the Anglo-French forces would be in dire straits, and after the fall of Paris, it was uncertain whether the French would have the will to continue the fight. But if the Anglo-French forces emerged victorious, Germany's hopes of swiftly defeating France would be dashed, and the war would drag on.