Chapter 0949: Non-Resistance

At the border between Bavaria and the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the vanguard of the German 3rd Army was crossing into Austro-Hungarian territory. Though this advance force comprised only a regiment of the 21st Infantry Division, they showed not a trace of fear. 

Not far from the German 211th Infantry Regiment, an Austrian infantry division was stationed, watching as the German forces entered their land. Yet, they did not immediately launch an attack. 

"General, the Germans have crossed our border—only one infantry regiment. Shall we engage?" the division chief of staff inquired. 

"Fool! This is merely their vanguard. Who knows how many troops are following behind? If we attack now, and the German main force arrives, we'll be doomed!" the major general in command cursed. 

"But Vienna's orders are to resist at all costs! If we do nothing, how will we answer to them?" The chief of staff was uneasy. After all, this was a direct command from Emperor Karl I. Disobeying the imperial decree was no trivial matter—it could land them all in a military tribunal. 

"Orders from Vienna? Are we supposed to throw our lives away? I fought alongside the Germans on the Eastern Front when I was just a regimental commander. Their strength far exceeds our expectations. Even if it's only a single German infantry regiment before us, defeating them would be no easy feat. And once their reinforcements arrive, we won't even have the chance to retreat," the general replied grimly. 

The chief of staff opened his mouth to argue but ultimately fell silent. Defying orders and cowering before the enemy were unbecoming of a soldier. Yet he knew his commander was acting in the best interest of their men. If they truly fought the Germans here, their frontline infantry division would suffer catastrophic losses—who knew how many would even survive? 

"General, our reconnaissance units report that German reinforcements have arrived—multiple infantry divisions. We've also spotted tanks from the German 3rd Panzer Division," an officer reported. 

"My God! Their main force is here. Order an immediate retreat!" The general wasted no time issuing the command. 

At this point, Vienna's orders no longer mattered. With the German main force advancing, it was clear to all that retreat was the only way to preserve their lives. Staying meant certain death. 

"Sir, the Austro-Hungarian troops are retreating on their own?" The German 211th Infantry Regiment's scouts had also detected the enemy. They had anticipated a hard-fought battle—after all, the opposing force was an entire infantry division, several times their strength. Yet, the Austro-Hungarian army simply withdrew without a fight. 

"Excellent. That makes things even easier. The commander has ordered that as long as the Austro-Hungarian forces do not resist, we will not engage them. Give the order—we move at once. Our destination is Vienna!" the regimental colonel declared. 

In the Kingdom of Bohemia, where the Austro-Hungarian army had once garrisoned the border, the defenses had been abandoned. One after another, Austro-Hungarian units surrendered to the advancing German forces. Not a single shot had been fired—under the orders of their superiors, they laid down their arms and capitulated. 

This was largely because the troops in this region were predominantly Bohemian. Although the Austro-Hungarian central government controlled the military, the Grand Duke of Bohemia still wielded considerable influence within the ranks. At his command, most units complied, willingly opening the borders, relinquishing their weapons, and surrendering to the Germans. 

Without facing any resistance, the German 6th and 7th Armies swiftly advanced into the Kingdom of Bohemia. Troops moved unopposed along the highways, seizing key cities and transportation hubs. Within mere hours, German tanks were already rolling through the streets of Prague. 

The Bohemian police went door to door, instructing civilians to remain indoors to prevent any conflicts. It was clear that the Grand Duke of Bohemia was enforcing his policy of non-resistance to the letter. 

Many Bohemians peered through their windows, eyes filled with trepidation as they watched the German troops march by. Yet, when they saw that the soldiers did not loot their homes or harm their people, their fears began to ease. Some even went so far as to offer kisses to the handsome German soldiers passing by. 

"Father, the Germans have taken all of Prague. Their forces are pressing southward and will likely reach Austria soon," Prince Karini reported. 

The Grand Duke of Bohemia nodded. Despite the turmoil within his heart, he had orchestrated all of this to free the Kingdom of Bohemia from Austro-Hungarian rule and establish an independent nation—one where he would sit upon the throne. 

He had, no doubt, betrayed the Austro-Hungarian Empire by inviting the Germans in. But compared to what he stood to gain, what did it matter if he was branded a traitor? 

"The Germans will leave soon enough. Once they have defeated the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Kingdom of Bohemia will be born," the Grand Duke declared. 

Prince Karini nodded, though his heart was equally conflicted. He did not wish to be a traitor, yet the prospect of becoming a true prince—one who would one day inherit a kingdom, rather than merely holding an empty title—was too alluring to ignore. 

Like the Bohemians, the Kingdom of Hungary also chose non-resistance. Baron Tóth, the Chief of Staff of the Hungarian Army, had already issued orders for all Hungarian forces to remain in their barracks, forbidding them from engaging the Germans. 

This meant that over a third of the Austro-Hungarian military had effectively declared neutrality. With other constituent states also refusing to fight, the central government was left with only a fraction of its forces still willing to resist. 

Under such circumstances, how could the Austro-Hungarian Empire possibly hope to withstand the German onslaught?