It was March 23, 1901.
This day was hailed as the beginning of World War I, and it also marked the arrival of World War II.
It is said that a hundred years later, on a network place called the Internet, countless netizens jokingly called this day 'the beginning of the fall of empires'.
They even called the entire World War I 'the fall of empires'.
However, the fallen object changed. The British Empire is also an empire!
For the world a hundred years later, February 30, 1901, represented immense significance, but for the people of today, it was just another perfectly normal day.
The people of Germany woke up normally on this normal morning.
Those who liked to follow national affairs would spontaneously buy a newspaper to check the news about Germany during this period.
Since the German Second Reich declared war on the United States Federal Government a month ago, the war situation had become the most concerned world event for the German people.
Especially the news of the imperial army going astray a month ago, which infuriated countless German citizens, leading them to hold protest marches.
They felt that the German commanding officer who could go the wrong way in such an important matter was simply unworthy of being a German officer; his professional level was so low, and his professional quality was so poor, that even a dog tied up would be better than him.
The widespread education among the people of the German Second Reich was arguably the best in the world, which meant that most of their citizens were well-informed and had their own thoughts.
It was precisely for this reason that such a problem was unforgivable.
To be able to commit such a low-level mistake and still serve as an officer, it was clear that such a commander had risen through connections, which was difficult for anyone to accept.
Rheinard had just woken up from his bed when he heard the familiar shouts from outside the window.
"Protest, protest! The corruption within the imperial army is alarming! We demand the removal of the military commander for the American operation and a serious investigation!"
"Protest, protest..."
One protest after another made Rheinard extremely annoyed. He could only get out of bed, put on his coat, and shout out to the street.
"A newspaper!"
"Coming, sir!" As soon as his shout stopped, the newsboy's cry came.
Then a newsboy, dressed in ragged clothes with toes peeking out of his worn-out shoes, ran over from a distance and excitedly placed the newspaper into Rheinard's hand.
Every extra newspaper he sold meant a slightly better life for him.
The exploitation within the German Second Reich was no less than that of old capitalists like Britain and France, after all, there was too much melancholy within it now.
Although they hadn't been able to take advantage of the wartime chaos, the essence of exploitation had already emerged, and the lives of the lower-class people remained very difficult.
Rheinard took the newspaper, then, wearing white socks and slippers, he lowered his head and read the newspaper in his hand.
Today's newspaper still contained the same old content, reporting that the imperial army was about to reach America.
This made Rheinard even more irritable.
"Damn it! Five hundred miles, and they haven't made it in a whole month? These damn commanders should be lined up and shot one by one!"
Rheinard was going crazy.
He didn't know what kind of human rejects the Empire had found as commanders! They hadn't even found the right path for five hundred miles!
Rheinard was going crazy!
What kind of war could they fight with this damn level of competence! They couldn't even find their way home to nurse!
Britain and France, who started late, had already landed their armies in Washington, Russia had also entered Washington State, and even Japan and Italy had taken advantage of the chaos and followed Russia in. Why was the German Second Reich's army still wandering in the Atlantic?
Was there really such a slow-witted army reaction in this day and age?
Oh, sorry, there really was.
Austria-Hungary had not reacted at all so far, and it was said that the three governments of Austria-Hungary had recently been in conflict, for unknown reasons.
Anyway, the conflict was quite big, and the Austrian Empire was almost fighting with the Hungarian Empire.
This was related to the ethnic relations within Austria-Hungary.
The Hungarian population was small, fearing assimilation and persecution, so they were particularly united and rigid, forcing other ethnic groups to abandon their languages and cultures and adopt Magyar. In most cases, they could even influence the political policies of Austria-Hungary. (This is very similar to Austria-Hungary, as the weaker party in the Allies, being able to influence Germany's foreign policy)
However, it was not very useful, because the current emperor of Austria-Hungary, Franz I, was an out-and-out warmonger.
If it were other issues, Franz I might compromise, but when it came to expanding territory, Franz I was not at all ambiguous.
As of today, the two European fanatics were ready, and the timing they had been waiting for had arrived perfectly.
A mighty world coalition army of one hundred and forty thousand soldiers had already landed on American soil. It was foreseeable that America would inevitably face a colossal war.
And this was an excellent time to enter.
William II did not believe that Mr. Dutch Van der Linde could withstand one hundred and forty thousand people for long, after all, his size was too small, and his development time was too short.
Even with a formidable weapon like the Tank, it could not become a high wall to block their advance under the military strength of these five allied nations.
That was why he dispatched one hundred and fifty thousand naval troops as a blockade chain to seal off the ocean after the war began, thereby preventing soldiers from various countries far away in America from returning to defend.
Therefore, they could only enter now.
Mr. Rheinard angrily threw the newspaper he was holding onto the ground, then let out a long sigh.
"With such troops, why worry about the Empire not falling!"
Mr. Rheinard no longer had the refined pleasure of enjoying a beer in the morning.
He slowly turned around, just about to go back to his bed.
Suddenly, the street outside erupted in a colossal wave of exclamations, like a surging tide, making the windows of his room hum.
"Ahhh! What kind of terrifying thing is this?"
"Damn it, the Empire still had a hidden card up its sleeve until now?"
"I knew it! How could the Empire be so incompetent!"
The clamor of voices outside the window was deafening, but it could not suppress the roar of the internal combustion engines, nor could it suppress the screeching sound of the Tank tracks that Dutch had sold them.
Along with the roar of the Tank's operation, a sense of instinctive tension arose in Mr. Rheinard's heart.
He quickly walked to the window, then widened his eyes and looked out.
He saw black, terrifying steel behemoths, one after another, on the wide street outside, spewing black steam and rapidly moving forward on the street!