Germany does not seek survival

Faust was very ashamed of this. He did not expect the situation to be so tricky. The situation of the Austrian army was completely different from that of the German army. No matter how bad the condition of the German troops was or how low their morale was, as long as the framework of the troops themselves was still there, it would be easy to solve the problem.

Moreover, Germany still has a set of powerful state machinery, so officers have relatively fewer issues to consider.

In the Austrian army, Faust not only has to consider military and political issues, but more importantly, he has to find a way to find people, money and food for Conrad's troops.

The German government understands one thing very well:

Any government that has been maintained only by the sword, any government that has been constantly obliged to repress or curb the anger of the people, has long since learned the truth: that the discontent of the people cannot be eliminated, and that some means must be found to divert this discontent from the government upon others.

The current situation in the Austro-Hungarian Empire was that the government had become so weak that it could no longer even divert discontent. Local administrative departments were generally paralyzed. Most of the few German officials had joined the military and were only responsible for controlling the most important military and police departments. As for other matters, such as industry, agriculture, news, and public security...

In many other local administrative departments, the Austro-Hungarian Empire could only give way to officials from ethnic minorities. These officials from ethnic minorities naturally had no ironclad loyalty to the empire, and it was already considered outstanding if they could serve as priests and recite scriptures for a day.

Faust looked at the roll call lists of the seven divisions. The numerous absenteeisms on them were simply horrifying. He didn't know what to say for a moment.

“This mess…!”

Faust now felt cheated. He failed to deceive Marshal Conrad and was left with a mess by Conrad.

The Great German Regiment temporarily used a barracks outside Innsbruck as its headquarters. Faust hung up a sign outside the headquarters, indicating the training directorate of the 11th Army of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

The training center was soon filled with a group of officers wearing Austro-Hungarian uniforms. Their uniforms were still old-fashioned, with double-breasted buttons and leggings, giving people a strong sense of the 19th century, just like the Austro-Hungarian Empire, a group of people who were stagnant in the 19th century and did not understand life.

These were officers of the 11th Austrian Army, subordinates of Marshal Conrad. One-third of them were Germans, and the remaining two-thirds were ethnic minorities of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Some of them had not even received a complete military academy education, but were promoted to officers only because they were educated and knew multiple languages ​​other than German.

Inside the training headquarters, the Austrian officers were also talking to each other, and for a while there was a lot of noise. They used a variety of languages, and Faust could not understand any of them except German. He was very confused. In this command room alone, at least seven or eight languages ​​were spoken.

If this is the case for officers, the situation for the soldiers below will only be more complicated.

The German officers may have some sense of responsibility and honor towards the Austro-Hungarian Empire, but most of the officers from other ethnic minorities just took the military pay, which was in serious arrears and shortages. They just fired a few symbolic shots for the Habsburg Empire and that was it.

If the Italians on the opposite side had not also been in a bad state, Faust would have found it hard to imagine how such an army could have lasted for more than three years.

Many of this group of useless Austrian officers are children of aristocrats. Just talking about their appearance, even though the empire is in extreme financial distress, none of them look shabby, and the officers still maintain their dignity.

The noble officers lined up in several rows in the corridor, their whips still had silver handles, and some of them had their family coats of arms embroidered in gold thread on the hem of their cavalry uniforms at their own expense.

Someone was waiting for Faust's lecture, and was getting a little impatient, so he took out a Turkish cigarette from the silver cigarette case. The mink trim on the cuffs of his military uniform had fallen off halfway, revealing the worn lining underneath, but he still deliberately raised the enamel pocket watch engraved with the family crest high in his hand.

The most ostentatious ones were undoubtedly the Hungarian officers.

A Hungarian officer had been waiting for a long time and was still shouting, asking the waiter to bring him coffee...

Faust, dressed in combat uniform, with his hands behind his back, silently watched the Austro-Hungarian officers with an apocalyptic atmosphere, thinking in his heart that it was no wonder that the Habsburg Thousand-Year Empire perished so easily, and after its demise, there was not even a splash of restoration.

Looking at this posture, it is exactly like the Qing Dynasty.

The 11th Army is such a joke!

Perhaps the Austro-Hungarian Empire, as a whole, was not as rotten as Faust saw it. It was because Conrad's people were scattered and marginalized, and he was squeezed here and neglected. Therefore, Vienna would definitely not give Marshal Conrad any good resources. The cards in his hand must be the worst hand in the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Faust had no other choice. He had to play the bad hand of Marshal Conrad well. After all, it was still an army group and seven divisions, which was much bigger than the three regiments in the hands of the National Socialist Party.

It's okay if the troops are bad.

The worse the troops were and the stronger their war-weariness was, the greater the space for the National Socialist Party to infiltrate, influence and transform them.

Faust looked at the group of incompetent officers at the training headquarters and also put on airs. He put his hands behind his back and put on the cold and stern look common among German soldiers. He said:

"Marshal Conrad has granted me full authority to conduct a comprehensive retraining of the 11th Army. Within the deadline, my primary requirement is that officers in all units replace all absent personnel. At that time, we will conduct a roll call and inventory. If any unit experiences serious absenteeism, all officers will be treated as dereliction of duty."

A Hungarian officer asked, "Mr. Lieutenant Colonel! You look so serious. To be honest, I also hold the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Our ranks are equal. You don't have to be so nervous. I just want to ask, how will you handle dereliction of duty?"

Faust was ruthless: "Dereliction of duty means transferring the officer from his current position."

The officers of the 11th Army Group didn't want to fight in the first place, so being transferred from their front-line posts was something they were more than happy to do.

Another Austrian officer started grumbling, "It's not enough that there are no soldiers at the front. There are no cannons, and even fewer rifles. And what about ammunition? The last time our regiment got a supply of ammunition was last year. They can just be transferred away. Who wants to continue working here?"

Faust's eyes flashed coldly. "After being transferred from your current position, given the paralyzed state of industrial and agricultural production in the rear, those who have failed in their duties will be subject to expedited trials by field courts. If found guilty, they will be punished with hard labor. At the very least, they will face demotion or dismissal."

When Faust said this, everyone present was shocked. The Austro-Hungarian Empire had always been very lax in enforcing discipline within the army in order to prevent mutiny in the army composed mainly of ethnic minorities. If they really did what Faust said, who knows how many people would lose their official hats, and how many would be arrested and killed.

The officers also thought that Faust, a German who was airdropped, had the ability to fulfill his boasts.

Still, some officers stiffened their necks and retorted in German with a thick Hungarian accent: "Lieutenant Colonel! What authority do you have to do this? This is against regulations! Besides, if we don't give us enough pay and ammunition, we won't be able to recover the deserters."

Faust stared at the Hungarian officer and said coldly, "Rules? Marshal Conrad has granted me full authority. If you have any objections, you can either go to Marshal Conrad or to your Emperor in Vienna. Before the Marshal and the Emperor give their orders, all matters here are under my jurisdiction. I will take care of whatever Austria is in charge of, and I will also take care of whatever Austria cannot. Remember my name, Lieutenant Colonel Witte Faust!"

The expression on Faust's face was extremely ferocious, and his handsome face had a murderous aura when showing this expression.

Behind Faust, Hitler immediately pulled away a tablecloth, revealing the second sign behind the Austrian 11th Army Training Directorate.

On the sign, the following words were written: Extraordinary Committee for the Elimination of Anti-War Resistance, Desertion and Desertion in All Tyrol.

Abbreviation: All-Tyrolean Anti-Counterrevolutionary Committee.

Faust written in German is a very long string of words: "Kaiserlich-konigliche Kommission zur Hemmung von Enttauschungen, Kampferflucht und Ausrutschern".

Translated, it roughly means the Imperial Royal Committee for the Suppression of Disappointment, Deserters and Deserters.

Such a long name is of course difficult to remember, so Faust took out the first letters of this long name and abbreviated it to "CHEKA", which is abbreviated as "Cheka".

"I now appoint Captain Hitler as the temporary head of the Cheka Committee. His job is to set up a field court and investigate all absences. Failure to arrive at the designated assembly station on time, providing false information, extending leave, and leaving the unit without permission are all considered desertion and must be brought to trial in the field court."

"The first person responsible for absenteeism in the troops is the officer of that unit. The Cheka will be responsible for reviewing all officers' misconduct. If an officer withholds pay or oppresses soldiers, causing desertion, Cheka personnel have the right to arrest the officer immediately."

"Officers who fail to effectively control their subordinates, leading to large-scale desertions, may be transferred from their current posts and sent to hard labor camps. Soldiers who discover that an officer is sheltering or harboring deserters can report it and the officer can be replaced by that soldier."

……

Faust immediately announced the Cheka's code of conduct, which was so strict that it really scared many officers of the Austro-Hungarian 11th Army present. As Faust said, the Cheka's power was simply boundless.

Now when everyone looks at the man behind Faust, Hitler, who has a mustache and looks amiable at first glance, they feel that he is a devil who wants his life taken away.

Hitler snorted twice out of the blue, each of which struck the hearts of the Austrian officers, making them feel a little overwhelmed.

Faust was well aware that the Cheka's harsh and strict rectification measures were all concentrated at the officer level, but it did not announce any compulsory measures against the soldiers below. Instead, it provided soldiers with a channel for promotion by reporting officers.

It would be difficult for the Austrians alone to implement these measures, as the officers under them would definitely try their utmost to resist them.

So Faust also made it clear directly that all the personnel of the Cheka were German soldiers. He was not afraid of executing a few noble officers who were in trouble. If there was really a big mess, it would be reported to the emperor, and Charles I would have to protest to Berlin.

Faust is not afraid at all. If something really goes wrong, the only result will be that Faust will be transferred away from the muddy Italian battlefield, and he would be more than happy to do so!

If the Cheka's policies can be successfully implemented...

There is no need to say more. Faust can at least purge more than half of the middle-level officers of the Austro-Hungarian 11th Army. What will he do after that?

Of course, they would place their own people from the National Socialist Party.

Faust doesn't care about training or anti-war. What he wants most is an excuse to carry out the purge legally and reasonably.

Those aristocrats who are just sitting there doing nothing and doing nothing must be cleared out immediately.

Others, particularly loyal and patriotic Habsburg supporters, were also targets of purges, even if they were capable and well-disciplined.

Faust was merciless and cut the Gordian knot. From now on, the National Socialist Party would have the final say in Tyrol.

Chapter 105: Grassroots Political Power Returns to the Socialist Party

The quality of the officers of the Austro-Hungarian Empire was actually quite good before the outbreak of the war. However, in the first two years of the war, it must be said that "thanks" to Marshal Conrad's various fantasy plans, the qualified officers of the Austrian army were directly eliminated. Up to now, every single Austrian officer has very poor military quality.

Faust dared to establish the Cheka and carry out the Great Purge because he saw this point clearly.

No matter how many Austrian officers were purged, it would not actually affect the combat effectiveness of the 11th Army much.

Because the combat effectiveness has reached the bottom and there is no lower limit for it to continue falling, no matter which direction it develops, the only option is to rise.

The purge of officers will only lead to better results, whether the vacant positions are filled with National Socialists or grassroots soldiers of the Austrian army.

Faust has instructed Hitler not to show any mercy. The Cheka is not here to negotiate cooperation with the Austrians, but to act as their boss.

Marshal Conrad gave Faust the Sword of Justice, which was equivalent to Faust giving Hitler the Ark of the Covenant.

The man with the mustache was originally Austrian, and this time he could be considered to have returned home in glory. His military rank was only a captain in the German Army, but as the head of the Cheka, Hitler could now organize a field court at any time. Not to mention a major or colonel, even a major general who had become a division commander could be fired by Hitler.

The Austro-Hungarian Eleventh Army was instantly plunged into a bloodbath. The Cheka's personnel, all Germans, were transferred from the Großdeutschland Regiment. They showed no respect at all. The next day, they were fully armed and broke into the camps of seven Austrian divisions, searching their rosters and counting absentees.

All Austrian officers were given the task of resolving at least 70 percent of the current absenteeism and shortfalls within three weeks. Those who failed to complete the task would be reported to the Cheka.

Faust's mission was too demanding, and for most Austrian officers, it was just a deliberate attempt to make things difficult for them.

Well, Faust was just trying to make things difficult for them.

Restoring the absent staff is only a secondary goal. The main goal is to have a proper reason to carry out a purge and lay off a large number of officers.

As for retrieving the deserters, Faust didn't expect these good-for-nothings from the Austro-Hungarian Empire to provide much help.

First, use the Cheka to force these Austrian officers to find deserters. Faust knows without even thinking about the whole process that it will be a mess.

Whether it was to keep their official hats or to keep their freedom and lives, Austrian officers had no choice but to use all kinds of brutal and illegal means, and it was normal for all kinds of scandals to occur in the process.

Faust also told Hitler that the Cheka should make preparations in advance, observe the Austrian army's search for deserters in Tyrol, and then record all their illegal actions in the process.

Later, when the Cheka began to purge officers, Faust could use this evidence to appease the Austrian soldiers.

After the Austrian officers offended the Austrian soldiers, they were purged by the Cheka, which was equivalent to helping the grassroots soldiers of the Austro-Hungarian Empire vent their anger and would greatly enhance the relationship between the German side and the grassroots Austrian soldiers.

The methods used by Faust are somewhat close to the level of "conspiracy". Even the ruthless Hitler would exclaim: "This is not an upright method!"

Faust sneered, "Austria-Hungary is an aristocratic country a hundred times worse than Germany. Don't worry about what means I use to deal with the nobles of Austria-Hungary. Whatever means I use, they are all aboveboard."

If Rosa Luxemburg, the leader of the left wing of the German Social Democratic Party, were here, she would definitely criticize Faust: pursuing the right goal does not mean using the wrong means; using the wrong means will itself cause the right goal to no longer be right.

Faust did not have the same strong sense of justice as Ms. Rosa Luxemburg. He did not have much time, and the mess of the Austrian 11th Army was really eye-opening. In a short period of time, the National Socialist Party would find it difficult to clean up the situation except by using special means.

After the Cheka began to attack from all sides, Faust called Tito and others and said: "The Austro-Hungarian administration in Tyrol has been paralyzed. Except for the capital Innsbruck, government officials in other regions are almost indifferent. In this case, we, the National Socialist Party, will help the Austrians take charge of everything."

Among the nine key cities under Tyrol, the capital Innsbruck is in the best condition, and it is not convenient for Faust to intervene. Other places have long become completely autonomous except for the central area where the local city government is located.

"Bozen and Merano are Austro-Hungarian frontier cities against Italy, and are directly administered by the military. We can now take over these two cities in the name of the 11th Army Headquarters. However, to avoid shouldering the responsibility of urban governance that the National Socialist Party cannot currently bear, there is no need to take over the entire city. For the time being, we will first arrange for National Socialist Party members to control the hospital in Merano and the telegraph and telephone offices in Bozen..."

"Kufstein is also a border fortress city with large barracks and ammunition depots. We will gradually arrange for National Socialist Party members to take over management positions at the ammunition depots, as well as the artillery batteries at Kufstein Castle and the railway station in the city center..."

"The Lienz-Torbach railway line is a vital supply route connecting Vienna and the Italian front. Our personnel should oversee the daily management of this railway as military train supervisors..."

The National Socialist Party now has less than 2,000 members. Most of them need to stay in the three regiments of the German army as backbones. The main task of the remaining people is to serve as Cheka personnel and carry out the purge of the Austrian 11th Army. The secondary task is to enter the seven divisions of the Austrian 11th Army as instructors and consultants to carry out political propaganda.

Only those who remain will be responsible for taking over the grassroots government in Tyrol, which has long collapsed.

Therefore, Faust did not intend to take on everything at once and control Tyrol. After discussing with the important members of the National Socialist Party, they together selected several of the most important targets in Tyrol.

For example, Merano was a sanatorium resort with many hospitals before the war. During the war, it became a concentration of front-line military hospitals. Bozen was the administrative center of South Tyrol, and Bozen-Brenner Pass was also the core line of defense of the Austro-Hungarian Empire against the Italian attack.

Kufstein is the most important military fortress in Tyrol, and Lienz's transportation location is very important.

Faust's targets were mainly cities with smaller populations. He selected cities where the National Socialists would take over some of the grassroots management. The city with the largest population was Bozen, with only 35,000 residents, which was easier to manage. Once a revolution was launched in the future, it would also be easier to control.

A city like Innsbruck has a population of 100,000 and is quite large. As the capital of Tyrol, its industry is relatively developed and there are too many interests involved. The National Socialist Party has not yet developed to the point where it can develop an underground regime in Innsbruck.

After Faust had assigned tasks to everyone one by one, he finally breathed a sigh of relief. He leaned back on the chair and threw his pen on the table. In the huge command center, the only one left was Archduke William, who had just been transferred to serve as Faust's guard.

"Grand Duke William... No, I should call you Vasily now, Vasily Shevchenko."

Vasily stood straight, guarding the door of Faust's office, motionless. Faust couldn't help but think that this feudal fool of the Habsburg royal family was really stubborn.

Vasily frowned, and after the National Socialists had left, he marched towards Faust, gave a German military salute, and said, "Your Excellency, General Manager! I want to lead the troops in the Grossdeutsche Regiment!"

Faust put his hands on the handles of the seat and stared at Vasily quietly. Vasily was not to be outdone and looked straight into Faust's eyes.

"You boy."

Faust slammed his hands on the handles on both sides. "What do you think our Great German Regiment is? Is our Great German Regiment a poor unit? You really treat our ace of the German army as a garbage dump!"

Vasily raised his head and said, "Your Excellency, I can endure hardship and I am willing to endure it, no matter if it means blood and sweat. I can do it."

Faust shook his head vigorously. "You serving as a guard here is an exception, given the Habsburgs' respect. I can't possibly send you to the Greater German Regiment. Don't dream on this. Do you think you can meet the standards of the Greater German Regiment?"

Vasily gritted his teeth and said, "Director Faust, I know that the Großdeutschland Regiment has the most rigorous training standards in the entire German Army. I have been holding myself to their standards for some time. I believe that I have met the requirements, and in the most fair way, I should be allowed to apply to join the Großdeutschland Regiment."

Faust still refused: "You can apply, and I can also refuse. Archduke William, you should understand that you are a very difficult problem for us. It is not good to scold you or beat you. Even if you don't use the Habsburg surname now, everyone knows what is going on."

Faust really didn't want to be burdened by the baggage of a Habsburg royal family member. "In Charlottenburg Palace, you can't even hold a sword steadily. You're not even a qualified soldier. Don't mess with me."

Vasily's face flushed red this time, and he was particularly unconvinced. "Director, you're lying! You knocked my sword off my back at Charlottenburg Palace, not because I was incompetent, but because Mr. Faust is the most powerful soldier in Germany!"

Vasily's words were an invisible flattery, but they were completely useless to Faust.

Faust said even more coldly, "If you really want to do a good job, you should stay here first and work as a guard. When you do well in the future, you can talk about joining the front-line field troops."

Vasily knew that Faust was becoming more and more powerful. If Faust went to the front line again, he didn't know if he would have another chance. He would always be a guard for the director, so he would never be able to go to the front line to make merit.

Vasily also felt that Faust's tone was too harsh, and it seemed that Faust would not give in no matter what.

Vasily could only nod reluctantly. "Please don't go back on your word. As long as I perform well on guard duty, you must send me to the front."