Chapter 7

The parade, which already had a growing number of citizens joining the march, received an even greater boost when a company of the defense forces decided to join in. This not only amplified the symbolic power of the parade but also added an element of military strength that could not be ignored.

The swastika flag waved high above, guiding all those present. In front of the Ministry of the Army, the police and the Munich garrison had surrounded the building, but there were no signs of combat. Inside, Himmler and Röhm, along with their men, had taken control of the Ministry. The windows were adorned with flags, and the men guarded the place with unwavering determination. Outside, the troops and police tried to persuade them to surrender, but resistance was evident.

As the protesters approached, the tension in the air was palpable. Something was not right. More and more people crowded around the building: rioters, ordinary citizens, and even members of the army. Among them stood out the figure of Scherner, from the 19th Infantry Battalion, who was leading the rebellion. Upon seeing him, curses were quick to follow.

"Scherner, you traitor!" they shouted.

The commander of the 98th Regiment of the Munich garrison, Reuss, was furious. He had sent Scherner to stop the parade, but instead of fulfilling his duty, Scherner had joined the rebels. The surprise was even greater when Reuss saw Alex, dressed in a stormtrooper uniform, among the protesters.

"Attention, silence! General Ludendorff will give a speech to everyone!" announced Hitler, trying to impose order. However, his voice was lost in the chaos. Hitler knew that Ludendorff had begun to belittle him, and he was determined to prove his worth. He did not fear death; during World War I, he had been a brave soldier, willing to fight and attack. Now, more than ever, he was determined to achieve victory in this uprising.

But no one seemed to listen to him. The rebellion of the defense forces had ignited the indignation of all present. Both sides were engaged in a verbal battle, with insults and accusations flying back and forth. "Silence, silence!" shouted Hitler, brandishing a large revolver in his right hand. At that moment, he was the protagonist, and he wanted everyone to see him.

Suddenly, a shot rang out in the air. Alex was stunned. Had Hitler fired the shot? History has several versions of what happened at that moment, but what is certain is that both sides were on the brink of a violent confrontation.

Was this some kind of challenge? A "try to move me" that no one was willing to fulfill? The words were repeated over and over, but no one took the first step. The tension was unbearable, and saliva flew everywhere, increasing the anxiety of those present.

Then, another shot broke the silence, and chaos erupted.

The triggers of the weapons required a certain amount of force to be pulled, and in a moment of tension like that, it was easy for someone, nervous, to do it unintentionally. But Hitler was not nervous. He loved these kinds of scenes, where he could demonstrate his skill and determination. With a quick movement, he pulled the trigger, and the weapon fired.

The sound of the shot was the detonator. At that moment, both sides were at a standoff, with countless weapons aimed at each other. The defense forces and the police had more weapons, while the stormtroopers, though less equipped, were willing to fight to the end.

Originally, Ludendorff should have taken the initiative, using his experience to defeat the opponent. If that didn't work, he would have used Lossow and Seisser, the two leaders, as hostages to threaten the defense forces and the police. But before he could act, the shooting began.

The Mauser 98 rifle, common in Germany and later becoming the standard rifle of the German army during World War II, was the most used weapon by both sides. At that moment, the sound of gunfire echoed in the air, and the place erupted into chaos.

Everything was tense! And with a roar, the weapons began to fire. Who had fired first? No one knew for sure. But once the first shot was fired, there was no turning back. The confrontation had begun, and both sides were determined not to retreat.

'Bang, bang!'

The shots echoed in the air, and the nearest enemy was only thirty meters away. At that distance, the Mauser 98 rifle was lethal. Even a blind man could hit the target!

The shots followed one after another, and bodies fell to the ground amidst screams of pain. The group marching behind stopped, paralyzed by horror.

I joined the chaos. How had all this exploded? Run, damn it, run!

'I'm not going to do this anymore,' I thought, as fear overwhelmed me. "This is going to kill me."

Not only the marching group but also the stormtroopers began to retreat. They couldn't be blamed; they were nothing more than thugs unaware of the sacrifice that war demanded.

"The history has not changed yet!" The idea flashed through Alex's mind like lightning. If the parade turned into chaos and everything collapsed, all his efforts would be in vain.

Would the Beer Hall Putsch end in a farce? No way! Alex still had a card up his sleeve.

'Lossow and Seisser are still in our hands!' he thought. In moments like this, one had to risk everything.

"Thump, thump, thump."

Alex looked around and saw that, taking advantage of the confusion, Seisser had cowardly escaped backward. And the stormtrooper escorting him was running even faster!

Without hesitation, Alex grabbed the submachine gun and pulled the trigger.

The 9mm bullets cut through the air with deadly precision. At that moment, Alex's mind was strangely clear and calm.

The bullets hit Seisser's body, who took one more step before collapsing to the ground, with no chance of getting up.

Killing a high-ranking official was a serious crime. If the operation failed, Alex would be sentenced to death. But now, he felt no remorse.

'Hitler will triumph in the end,' Alex thought firmly. 'And I will not be punished. This is just the beginning.'

Sessel had fallen, but Lossow was still alive. Now it was crucial to use him to maintain control.

"Get up!" Alex grabbed Lossow forcefully, dragging him forward.

"Cease fire immediately, or I'll kill him!" shouted Alex, his voice cutting through the chaos of the battlefield.

With Lossow as a human shield, Alex advanced. If anyone was going to get shot, it would be him first.

Aiming the submachine gun at Lossow's head, Alex roared, "The commander of the defense force is in my hands! If you shoot, he dies!"