Chapter 241: Belgium Calls for Aid!
Serbia's surrender came as no surprise to the other nations of the world. They had fought, lost repeatedly in a series of disastrous battles, and were caught between their enemies on both sides. The Kingdom immediately became occupied by the Austro-Hungarian Army, who would, for the duration of the war act as Gendarmes.
As for The remainder of the newly reconstituted Central Powers were concerned, the war in the Balkans had yet to fully end. Montenegro had yet to sue for peace despite being surrounded on all sides by their enemies. While the Ottoman Empire still remained defiant.
Montenegro was naturally the first cause for concern, but Bruno believed they would surrender within the week. Most likely by the start of the new year. Because of this, he set his eyes on the Ottoman Empire and the lands that they still occupied in Europe.
However, invading the Ottoman Empire directly was impossible, as Bulgaria currently owned the lands between them and the Greeks. Having chosen to remain neutral in this conflict, at least for the time being. There was not much possibility of negotiating military access for the sake of attacking the Turks who were an active member of the Allied Powers.
Thus, Bruno and his men would have to travel by sea, and gaining the transportation to do so was not a swift task. Hence, for the time being he was stuck in Belgrade, the city whose death he was responsible for.
It would take time to repopulate the capital of Serbia, and because of this it was more or less currently a military fortification. But none of that really mattered, as more pressing concerns were being had further north.
After months of battle, the Belgian Armed forces were on the verge of complete and total capitulation. Thoroughly exhausted by the French onslaught, they had been repeatedly pushed back to their borders on the edge of the German Reich.
For whatever reason, the King of Belgium had remained defiant, in fighting his own battles. Probably because he suspected the Kaiser would attempt to annex his lands by the time this war was over if he allowed the German Army to march through and drive the French out.
No doubt resulting in the complete and total occupation of Belgium, as the Germans had done to Luxembourg. And while Luxembourg welcomed the German soldiers, especially their young women, Belgium did not wish to do the same.
In Bruno's past life, the Royal Belgian Army had been completely overrun by their Gerrman counterparts before the winter even began. Yet even now, as the year 1914 came to a close in this new timeline, they still resisted the French invasion with whatever strength they could muster.
And King Albert I had been more or less in a similar style of leadership to Bruno. Actively leading his soldiers into battle, rather than sitting back from afar in the safety of his capital, or any other distant town.
It was perhaps because of this that the men beneath his command revered him so, after all it was a rarity, especially in this modern era for a monarch to fight his own battles. But even so, the legendary Knight King of Belgium had used all of his strength in this fight, and it was now coming to an end.