Interlude III: A Second Front
22:41, June 3rd, 1938. Secret Underground Bunker, Warsaw area.
Edward Rydz-Smigly smiled in spite of himself, it was not often he smiled, but now was as good a time as ever. Earlier the same evening he had recieved an order from the top to assemble the ranking military leaders of the Polish Military. Poland had been promised aid and a significant part of Germany should they help the Allies to catch the Germans in a two-front conflict. Felicjan Slwnoj-Skladkowki, ruler of Poland, had agreed. Now it was up to the military to draw up a quick invasion plan that would coinside with the Polish declaration of war on the Germans the 8th the same month. Since the Polish military had been on fairly high alert since the Sudeten War it was not much that needed to be done apart from deciding which parts of Germany would be best suited under Polish rule.
Rydz-Smigly looked at the reports and maps in front of him with furrowed eyebrows. It seemed that if the security department was correct only four full divisions of German infantry had been spared to defend the Polish frontier. This opportunity was too good to be missed. For the first time ever, Poland would conquer its hated western neighbor. The numbers told Rydz-Smigly all he needed to know, the Polish outnumbered the German border troops roughly ten to one. Quickly he sketched out some arrows on the map summarising on Polish and German positions. First, they would consume Pommerania and push toward Berlin with the troops that didn’t guard the Soviet border. Even though the Germans outclassed the Polish in every aspect of equipment, training and organisation, this gamble would catch them unprepared.
Speed was the key. A quick, decisive victory against the border guards would leave Germany open to the conquest. Encouraged by this line of thought, Rydz-Smigly stood up and adressed the gathered leaders.
“Friends! The time has come for us to act, the Germans have turned us their back and the Allies have promised us great aid. This is the beginning of the end for the German Reich!” He held up the paper authorizing a plan to invade Germany. “Let us decide what needs to be done, for from this point on, we cannot turn back!” Rydz-Smigly quietly prayed that their leader had not just doomed their entire nation to Fascist slavery and then sat down to confer on war.
***************************************
08:36, June 8th, 1938. Outside a café, in a village square in Wittlich.
Feldmarschal Freidrich Schweer looked over the small village square in Wittlich, situated some thirty miles from the border to Luxemburg. The small city was alive with military vehicles and personell. Thirty of the Wehrmachts divisions were positioned in villages like this along the whole border stretch, awaiting the final order to go ahead with the operation. The codeword the radio operator was listening for was “Licht”, appropriate in a way since that order would spark the entire invasion of France and hopefully a quick defeat of the Third Republic.
Loudly and suddenly Lieutnant Wassentrock dashed out of the command building quickly looking around for any sign of his commanding officer. Spotting the Feldmarschall sitting outside the café he ran over and hastily saluted.
“Herr Feldmarschall, the Poles, they have declared war on us!”
Schweer was already on his feet and moving towards the command building.
“Why didn’t we recieve any warning?” He said furiously. “The entire Polish front is practically undefended! They will be in Berlin before we can push them back!”
The Lieutnant just nodded. “That is why operation Stahlflügel has been put on hold, all efforts will be directed to the Polish frontier instead. All senior commanders have been ordered to return to Berlin.”
Schweer nodded thoughtfully. “Inform the troops, we wouldn’t want them to miss out on this excersie, would we?” He said with a bitter and sarcastic voice.
The Lieutnant just nodded and followed.
To be continued...
