German Red Prince

Regoye handed his notebook and pen to Hans, then focused on taking photos. To be honest, Regoye really wanted to be a reporter for the Rheinische Zeitung, which was owned by His Highness Thorne, and whose reporters could even go directly to the viewing platform to take pictures.

Everyone present knew they were recording history, and Regoye was no exception. He hoped that next time he had the opportunity to record history, he could choose a good spot.

"Next, the Kingdom's newest Heinkel HE-51 and AR-68 fighter jets will fly by. These aircraft have better performance and stronger combat capabilities, and in the coming period, they will become the backbone of the Kingdom's skies."

Bomber formations and reconnaissance aircraft formations also appeared in turn, and military observer groups from various countries were taking notes. Duclos compared these aircraft with the commune's fighter planes.

Although the Commune possessed considerable armored combat capabilities, the French air force was indeed a weakness.

After the war, Germany prohibited the Commune from conducting research on fighter aircraft and sent military observers to monitor it. Although the French Commune tried many ways to circumvent the surveillance, such as creating an aviation club and researching civilian aircraft to convert into fighters, this still greatly hindered the development of the Commune's air force.

"At least in terms of air power, Germany held a considerable advantage."

Duklow analyzed, but fortunately the commune had abolished the Treaty of Versailles, and with the technology it had accumulated, it should be able to continue to catch up with Germany in the future.

Although the aircraft only flew quickly over Mainzplatz, everyone present couldn't help but marvel at the kingdom's centuries-old heritage.

King Charlemagne reigned for forty years, but the kingdom was only established in 1814, and he truly ruled the Kingdom of the Rhine for only twenty-six years.

But in just 26 years, they transformed a once poor and divided Rhineland into a country that could stand up to France.

During the Rhine Crisis, France only dared to demand the west bank of the Rhine when King Charlemagne had just died and the kingdom was in turmoil, but they did not dare to take direct action.

Although the old king has passed away, he left behind a powerful country. Otherwise, the French wouldn't have bothered with all this. If they could take action, why would they waste time talking?

After the air force contingent, the most anticipated event was the army contingent. Not only the Rhinelanders, but also observer groups and journalists from various countries craned their necks, waiting for the contingent to enter.

The military music resumed, but the music being played was completely different from before. To be more specific, it was unlike any other way of playing songs in the world; it was performed in a completely new style.

"Die Waffen – legt an!" (Get your weapons ready!)

With a command, the sound of footsteps began, followed by rapid and passionate music. Unlike typical military parade marches, this piece was extremely stirring, and the audience inexplicably became excited along with the music.

Thorne not only brought his own compositions this time, but also his own band. He had said back in Darmstadt that he wanted to create a rock band, and after searching around, he finally managed to gather enough members.

Thorne's rock band also had a very local name. Since it was in Germany, he didn't change it and called it "German Chariot". The instruments they used were also not from this era. Thorne found the modern instruments himself.

Although he didn't know what kind of reaction it would have, Thorne still decided to open with "Hell March". Music has no borders, and this oppressive piece of music can quickly bring everyone in the audience into the atmosphere, making it perfect for warming up the crowd.

The audience was quickly drawn into the atmosphere. The piece being played was very imposing, and the audience was even a little flustered at first. However, the Rhine audience quickly recovered and were even a little excited. This was their kingdom's army. What did they have to be afraid of?

"The Royal Guard of the Kingdom of the Rhine, carrying the national flag, military flag and royal flag, slowly marches in. Behind the three flags, the first to come is the historical military flag formation."

"These are all glorious units in the history of the Kingdom of Rhine. Every military flag has a glorious tradition and every military flag is stained with the blood of countless martyrs."

As Levitt announced the news, some veterans on the reviewing stand became restless, looking around to see if there was a flag of their former unit.

“Look, that’s the regimental flag of the 4th Grenadier Battalion of Charlemagne’s Legion. That’s the legion I served in. We fought all the way to Paris back then.”

"The 7th Grenadier Battalion of the Frankfurt Legion, it's been that long, hasn't it?"

"The Third Battalion of the Imperial Guards, the First Battalion of the Imperial Guards Grenadier Cavalry..."

These elderly people were as excited as children at this moment. Looking at the military flags being raised high, they seemed to have returned to the days of fighting.

Schmidt, of course, also saw their military flag: the First Battalion of the Jaeger Legion. When he first joined, he was just a little kid.

"Forty-five military flags passed through the square; that was the Rhine's glorious legion, the Rhine's illustrious past."

"Next up is the historical army formation. As the founder of the Royal Guard, King Charlemagne built the first national defense army for the kingdom, and all the other branches of the kingdom's military evolved from these branches."

"First to march in is the Hunter's Formation, in dark blue uniforms and black pointed caps. They are the most elite warriors of the Rhine Kingdom, the grim reapers in the eyes of their enemies. Salute to them, warriors of the kingdom!"

The Jaeger Legion changed to green uniforms during the reign of Charlemagne I, and all subsequent Jaeger Legion uniforms remained green. Therefore, in everyone's eyes, the Jaegers, wearing blue uniforms, were the most elite force in the kingdom's army.

"Salute!"

The legion paid homage to King Otto and his members on the reviewing stand, and Schmidt, watching the passing Jaeger Legion, also slowly rose to salute them.

"ruhmvolle legion, ruhmreiches konigreich" (The Legion of Glory, the Kingdom of Glory)

"The Royal Officers' Corps, consisting of twenty generals and over three hundred officers, is being reviewed. They come from various legions and defense forces of the kingdom and serve as the backbone of the royal army. Whether in peace or war, the officers must stand ahead of the soldiers. They must always be vigilant and fight on the front lines."

"salut!"

Officers must lead the charge before soldiers; this is a tradition of the kingdom. Only when officers take the lead can the army's fighting strength be guaranteed. There is no hierarchy in the kingdom's army, only differences in rank. This is also the origin of Charlemagne's egalitarian system.

His Majesty the King eats, lives, and sleeps with his soldiers when he leads troops into battle, never considering himself superior to them, and the officers must do the same.

There are no nobles or kings in the army; everyone must fulfill their duties. The officers are decisive, and the soldiers are courageous.

Chapter 160 The Guardians of Ten Thousand Lights

As the parade marched forward, Lübeck grew increasingly nervous, but he managed to control his expression and gripped his rifle tightly as he walked step by step.

Old Lübeck and Johanna were also anxiously searching for their child, looking at the map provided by the staff and comparing it to the advancing formation.

Because of nervousness, old Lübeck's hands were trembling uncontrollably, and his eyes kept flashing back and forth between the map and the parade formations. Looking at the reminders on the pictures, Lübeck should be in the formation that was about to pass by.

"Can you see him?" old Lübeck asked anxiously. Although he was wearing glasses, he still had difficulty finding his child in the crowd.

“Am I not looking for it?” Johanna was annoyed by his nagging and looked at her two children.

"Can you see if you can find my brother?"

After hearing Johanna's words, the children obediently began searching in the crowd, and soon they excitedly pointed to one side of the formation.

"Mom, my brother is over there!"

“Nach rechts schauen!” (Look to the right!)

"Eins! Zwei!" (One! Two!)

Lübeck gripped his rifle with his other hand and swung it downwards with force, executing a three-stage slash. The entire square formation moved simultaneously, exuding a menacing aura.

They had practiced this move repeatedly for months. At the time of training, many people were reluctant because they were worried about getting injured.

"Trust your comrades. On the battlefield, you can only survive if you can confidently entrust your back to your comrades."

Although they were injured during training, that was only in the early stages. Later, as they improved their strength and angle, and after a period of adjustment, they were no longer as worried as they were at the beginning, and could confidently entrust their backs to their comrades.

The efforts of the past few months had not been in vain. The operation was a great success, drawing another gasp from the crowd. The people of the Rhine were incredibly proud that their kingdom had such a powerful army.

"Long live the Kingdom!" all the Rhine people shouted in unison, which prompted some reporters to exclaim in admiration.

"Now should be the most united time for the entire Kingdom of the Rhine. If you tell any citizen of the Rhine present at this time that the Commune's army has reached Mainz, they will not be afraid at all."

"After watching this parade, even a ten-year-old child would probably pick up a rifle and fight the French to the death, let alone the soldiers being reviewed," remarked Vesalius, a journalist from the Belgian newspaper Le Monde.

"Rhineland is now engulfed in a terrible frenzy, a frenzy that can unite the country like never before. The people have forgotten their fear in this euphoria, and they even look forward to the war, even if it means going to the battlefield themselves."

Vesalius wrote his own summary of the parade. To be honest, the atmosphere at the scene had frightened him a bit. These Rhine people were now like madmen, shouting slogans almost fanatically.

Fortunately, Flanders and Germany are not enemies now, otherwise he really should buy a ticket to America.

Vesalius glanced at the French observers on the grandstand. The French had underestimated their enemy. Judging from the atmosphere, the Rhine Kingdom's national cohesion was so strong. Going to war with Germany now was clearly asking for trouble.

"The Kingdom's Army Phalanx, as the earliest military branch established in the Kingdom of Rhine, has a history of over a century, having emerged from the flames of war."

"Today, the Kingdom's army is constantly improving its equipment level and the quality of its troops. In the course of hundreds of years of development, the Kingdom's army has always carried forward the glorious tradition of being willing to endure hardship, being able to endure hardship, and daring to fight. It is constantly moving towards becoming a world-class army."

Amid the cheers of the audience, Lübeck was searching for his parents in the stands.

His own contingent only lasted ten seconds as it passed the stands, and he hoped his parents could see him and be proud of their child.

"Lübeck!"

Old Lübeck was waving his arms excitedly when he saw his child, the child who made him so proud.

"elder brother!"

Lübeck also saw his parents and younger siblings at that moment. Helena covered her mouth, trying not to cry on the spot, but her eyes were filled with tears as she looked at Lübeck.

The younger siblings waved excitedly at their older brother, giving the children another reason to show off to their friends in town.

Old Lübeck was also incredibly excited, his blood seemed to rush to his head, and he felt as if he had drunk several large glasses of beer, making him a little dizzy.

At that moment, he didn't know what to do; he just mechanically waved his hand and looked at Lübeck.

Lübeck also felt his eyes burning and had an urge to cry, but he restrained himself. He was a soldier, a warrior who defended the kingdom, and he could not shed tears.

Lübeck looked at his parents in the stands with a resolute expression and slowly walked across the stands.

The photographers present also captured this moment. Many people in the audience had already recognized their children, and they were very emotional, some cheering and some crying. Compared with the soldiers' resolute expressions, these were all excellent shots.

Regoye frantically pressed the shutter to record the scene. He had even thought of the headline for tomorrow's newspaper: "The Watcher," the guardian of the lights of every home in the Kingdom of Rhine, who was just an ordinary child in his parents' eyes.

To the others on the field, these people were formidable warriors of the Rhine, and they marveled at the invincibility of the Rhine Kingdom. But to their parents, they were always just a group of children, a group of children they worried about.

"The Royal Military Academy Reserve Army is marching in. They come from the various military academies of the kingdom. King Charlemagne has always emphasized the cultivation and development of officers' qualities. With highly capable officers and highly qualified soldiers, they will complete their advanced studies at the military academy and become the backbone and fresh blood of the army."

One formation after another marched past: the naval formation, the air force formation, the reserve formation, and as the cavalry formation passed by, the kingdom's motorized formation was about to take the stage.

"Next up is the Kingdom's motorized formation. They represent the future development direction of the Kingdom's army and demonstrate the Kingdom's military's move towards modernization."

Soldiers on motorcycles marched through the square in neat formations. Their uniforms and helmets were different from those of the previous troops, and their imposing presence clearly indicated that they were elite soldiers.

"The Kingdom's Armored Grenadier Corps has arrived. They are now equipped with the Kingdom's latest Standard Type 27 combat uniforms and new M27 steel helmets. They ride the latest combat motorcycles produced by Mercedes-Benz, which gives the Kingdom's armored grenadiers high mobility."

"salute!"

Behind the motorcycle formation, soldiers standing on trucks saluted the reviewing stand.

"As the kingdom's elite force, motorcycles and trucks allow them to quickly engage in combat, provide battlefield support, and make breakthroughs, making them lightning on the battlefield."

Rommel nodded as he watched the troops pass through. It seemed that his efforts over the past few months had not been in vain; the soldiers he had led had passed the test.

Chapter 161 The Gap Between Us and the World's Powers

After seeing the army formation of the Kingdom of the Rhine, Duclos already had a general idea in mind.

However, what he was most concerned about was the upcoming tank formation. Duclos wanted to see how the Rhine Kingdom's tank capabilities compared to the Commune's.

"As the 'March of the Steel Torrent' began, the tank formation slowly rolled in amidst the majestic military music."

"The first to arrive was the Kingdom's No. 1 Tank. As an experimental subject in the Kingdom's exploration of modern warfare methods, the No. 1 Tank made great contributions."

"salute!"

The armored formation saluted the reviewing stand. Guderian watched the tanks drive by, feeling quite satisfied. At least in the Rhineland, his theories could become reality, instead of just remaining on paper.

"The Panzer I focused on speed. Compared to most tanks today, it was lighter and faster, and performed exceptionally well in battlefield reconnaissance and fire support, making it ideal for supporting infantry offensives."

With its capabilities, the Panzer I tank would be unappealing to most countries, such as the Commune of France, which believed it was so fragile that a single shot could destroy it. Nevertheless, the tank did attract the interest of some nations.

The French Republic greatly admired this tank. The Panzer I was superior to their domestic tanks in both performance and price, and they had achieved considerable success in North Africa thanks to it.

The Ottomans clearly hadn't made up their minds about North Africa yet. Although they were sending more troops there, they weren't sending much heavy equipment. In recent days, the French army had been advancing almost without any resistance.

These tanks were highly praised on the front lines, allowing the French army to easily cross several Ottoman fortifications. As a result, the French planned to continue purchasing these tanks from the Kingdom of the Rhine.

At the same time, it wasn't just the French Republic that was interested in this tank; there were also people from Asia.

"Brother Wenbai, why are you sighing?" Xu Tingyao asked, looking at Zhang Zhizhong, who looked somewhat dejected.

"It's nothing, I just suddenly felt a bit sentimental," Zhang Zhizhong said slowly, watching the No. 1 tank drive by below.

"Yuexiang, do you think China can build a tank like this?"

"Well..." Xu Tingyao wanted to say something, but the words suddenly got stuck in her throat, and after a long while she could only sigh helplessly.

“We’re having trouble even getting fuel right now, let alone tanks.” Xu Tingyao shook her head. “If we could build a tank like that, I’d be laughing in my sleep.”

“Indeed, I could laugh in my sleep,” Zhang Zhizhong murmured.

“Look at the expressions on the faces of the commune people when they look at these tanks.” Zhang Zhizhong pointed to the reviewing stand. “Their expressions clearly show that they look down on these things. It’s not just the commune; the United States, Britain, and some other countries that are considered big names in the world obviously look down on these tanks.”

"The things we dream of are looked down upon by others. That's the gap between us and powerful countries."

Zhang Zhizhong muttered to himself, "No wonder he's so frustrated. The gap between China and the rest of the world is just too big."

As military observers for the Nationalist government, Zhang Zhizhong, Xu Tingyao, and others have been busy in Europe and America for years, studying their advanced experiences.

Zhang Zhizhong's visit to Rhine was purely coincidental. After watching their military parade, he was moved by these thoughts.

In terms of land area, China's land area is ten or even a hundred times larger than that of the Kingdom of the Rhine. Even if all of Europe were combined, it would still be smaller than that of the Chinese Begonia.

China has abundant resources and vast territory, so why can't it defeat countries that are only the size of a province?

Zhang Zhizhong didn't understand this before, but now he understands what the gap is. The industrial level of these European countries is far ahead of China's by an unknown amount of time.

They build tanks and warships at a breakneck pace, far surpassing the current impoverished China in both quality and quantity. To be honest, Zhang Zhizhong was somewhat disheartened. Just catching up with these countries would take countless years.

In the whole of Asia today, only Japan can rival the great powers of Europe and America, and this "Great Japanese Empire" was also built up by the Qing Dynasty back then.