Chapter 98: Rejecting the Schlieffen Plan
The world was changing, and rapidly at that. There was no denying this any longer. The future of the battlefield was uncertain. And with the launch of the HMS dreadnought, the Naval Arms race between the German Reich and the British Empire had entered a new phase.
Meanwhile, Bruno was meeting with the leaders of the German Army. The Schlieffen plan was first proposed during the year Bruno was active in the Russian Civil War. But once the war was over, and the Russian Empire was on friendlier terms with the German Reich than it had ever been before, the plan suddenly seemed nonsensical.
Was war with Russia and France truly certain at this point? I mean, Bruno had thrown a wrench in the plans to gain Russia's allegiance to the Dual Entente currently enacted between France and Britain. In addition to this, the Kaiser had leaked the evidence that France was actually behind the attack on Bruno's life that happened on Russian Soil.
Now that the Bolsheviks had been thoroughly purged from this world, the time to reveal the real culprits who had tried to make an attempt on Bruno's life was now. When the Tsar read this, he was outraged. France had attempted to undermine his sovereignty and attack a foreign general in his employ on Russian soil, no less!
It was simply outrageous to think of! This was naturally something that served only to worsen relations between the two powers. Especially after German Intelligence also revealed France's initial plans to army and supply the Bolshevik Revolution in an attempt to overthrow the Tsar and replace it with a nation that the French Republic found more favorable than an autocratic monarchy.
Diplomatically, Russia was shifting back towards Germany and Austro-Hungary rather than Britain and France. And it was all thanks to Bruno's efforts. Because of this, though he wasn't a Field Marshal of the German Army, his input in the future plans for how to deal with the French were requested at the meeting.
Bruno looked at the map of Europe and the figures on it. He, of course, was deeply familiar with the strategy and was quick to make a remark, changing the perspective of everyone in the room as he did so.
"Assuming war with Russia is unavoidable, I would wager it would be better to build a defensive border of significant stature on the Western Front capable of bleeding the French Army dry while the combined might of the German and Austro-Hungarian armies focus on the eastern front.
The sooner we force one side to capitulate, the better. And believe it or not, Russia would be easier to subdue. However, with the current progress of the global stage, it is becoming far more likely that Russia with either side with us or stay out of the conflict altogether.
Either way, the damage that has been done to the relations between the Tsar and the French is irreparable at this point. Nicholas is an incredibly petty and vain man. The attack against his sovereignty by daring to conduct an extrajudicial killing of a man in his service on his soil was enough to permanently soil any attempts the French have made to curry with him.
But further providing evidence of French communications with the Bolsheviks, promising them war aid in order to depose the Tsar and the House of Romanov has almost certainly made an enemy out of Russia. Especially now that the Bolsheviks have been sent to hell where they belong.
From where I stand, it is more likely that Russia will join us, and Italy will betray us, joining the French instead. As for the plan, Generalfeldmarschall von Schlieffen has proposed no offense, but crossing through Beglium in order to take Paris as quickly as possible will only provoke a British response.