Chapter 64: International Conspiracies
While Bruno was moving his forces within the Iron Brigade, as well as the supporting elements of the Imperial Russian Army into position near the city of Tsaritsyn. International interests began to converge. Not in support of the Red Army, but rather in opposition to the German Reich.
To all who observed what had happened in Saint Petersburg, there were two things that stood out. One, the use of machine guns as employed by the Iron Brigade had universally changed the world's understanding of warfare and how it was fought.
Or at the very least, this was the case for the world's major powers. In addition to this, the use of steel helmets on the battlefield was an irregularity which the Iron Brigade had utilized. Some thought that this was perhaps simply a ceremonial decoration in reference to the word iron, which was in their unit's name.
After all, most headwear in military use was ceremonial to some degree. But those with a bit more intelligence and insight were quickly able to deduce why these steel helmets were employed. To reduce head injuries from artillery. Something that was rapidly becoming a concern for the world at large as artillery developed over the course of the last century. Because of this, most militaries were now looking to make investments into both machine guns and steel helmets for their soldiers. And upon seeing that the cat was now out of the bag, the German Army saw this as a perfect opportunity to no longer conceal their power level, so to speak.
Over night the preparations Bruno had made as far back as 1901 were beginning to enter the service. The new uniforms patterned after the 1915 German Uniform from Bruno's past life were quickly issued to all troops.
The new feldgrau uniforms were a statement, and from the perspective of the other nations very forward thinking. While camouflage had yet to come into existence, gone were the days of wearing bright and flashy colors. Which in all honestly was a remnant of a bygone era.
Instead, the Germans had adopted a uniform in earthly tones, which would allow them to better blend in with their environment. This, of course, was another concept that other militaries began experimenting with as well.
While the German Reich and its allies met together to discuss the future of warfare, including the nations of Germany, Austro-Hungary, Japan, and Italy. So too did the Reich's enemies. Specifically Britain and France, as the Russian Empire was currently on the fence of whom to join.
While Anglo-Russian relations were progressing as they had in Bruno's past life. It was the end of 1904, and it would be another two to three years before the Anglo-Russian entente was signed.
Bruno had chosen to throw a wrench in these plans, as he sent the Iron Brigade to ensure the Tsar's survival during the Russian Civil War, which as a result of his previous interference in the timeline had occurred a decade earlier than it should have.