Empire in Progress

Chapter 107: Anschluss (4)

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Lin Wei glanced at Schuschnigg and said reluctantly, "Mr. Schuschnigg, I don't think you know. When I came here, I passed through many towns in Austria and I didn't see the Austrian people resisting Germany." What I saw was that the Austrian girls gave flowers to the boys in our army. And the Austrian people prepared food for us. This was not a war, it looked more like a military parade."

Lin Wei ignored Schuschnigg's feelings and continued, "Almost all Austrians believe that we are one nation, but in two countries, and they are just victims of the Austrian government. This action is not so much about Germany. Invading Austria, it is better to say that the divided Holy Roman Empire was reunited."

"Shut up, you're lying!" Schuschnigg yelled with all his strength, his voice was a bit scary, but Lin Wei would definitely not care about this little old man who was almost sixty years old.

Hiss... Suddenly, a screaming hiss interrupted Schuschnigg's shouting. From Schuschnigg's home, military vehicles could be seen driving nervously, and people's screams were heard in the distance. There were gunshots. "Lampard, what are you doing?" Schuschnigg rushed over like crazy and grabbed Lin Wei's collar, while the Gestapo next to him did not move under Lin Wei's eyes.

Just kidding, even if Lin Wei has no weapons in his hands now, if even an old man can subdue him, then Lin Wei can go back to the Junior Military Academy to study again. Of course, if Lin Wei doesn't feel embarrassed.

Lin Wei ignored Schuschnigg's rage and spoke softly, "Eliminate dissidents." Then he broke free from Schuschnigg's hand and said, "Mr. Schuschnigg, in fact, I came here to ask you to go to Damon." I'm on vacation, now I'll give you five minutes to sort out the incident." As he spoke, Lin Wei really started to look at his watch, regardless of whether Xu Schnig heard what he said.

Schuschnigg was stunned on the spot, with the word Damon in his mind. Although Schuschnigg was not a German, as the prime minister of a neighboring country of Germany, Schuschnigg also knew where the Damon concentration camp was. Lin Wei Actually want to knock it down there.

Five minutes later, with a gesture from Lin Wei, the Gestapo put the Schuschnigg family on a truck, and like thousands of others arrested today, crossed the border and were sent to the Damon concentration camp in southern Germany. After Schuschnigg got on the truck, an adjutant next to him asked, "Leader, Schuschnigg is also the former Prime Minister of Austria. How about we capture him and send him to a concentration camp?"

"There's nothing wrong with it. He's going to go in sooner or later anyway," Lin Wei said with a smile, thinking of Schuschnigg's experience in history.

After finishing the Schuschnigg matter, Lin Wei remembered something important, the referendum. Then he said to the adjutant, "Now that the head of state has entered Austria, we need to let the head of state know that today Germany and Austria have become one country again. You are now using the military's military radio to issue orders for me, and you are now preparing to hold a referendum in Austria, right?" "We must ensure success and give the feeling that this merger is the will of the people."

Lin Wei's order was immediately implemented in areas where the SS troops were stationed. SS soldiers in various places began to mobilize residents in their stations to come out to vote. After consulting the country for instructions, the Wehrmacht also began to take action. So on the same day that Germany occupied Austria, Lin Wei immediately began preparing for a referendum.

Lin Wei calculated that Hitler should arrive in Vienna tomorrow, so he still had one day to prepare today. After Hitler entered Austria, he did not come directly to Vienna, but returned to his hometown first. Hitler led several The people closest to him ran to nearby Linz and went to have a look the next day. That's his hometown. Next to him was Rudolf Hess, and the group slowly came to the graves of Hitler's parents - in the cemetery opposite Hitler's hometown.

He laid a wreath on the graves of his parents in Leondine, then returned to Linsi and delivered a speech: When I left this town many years ago, I had exactly the same faith as I do today. I am now deeply moved by the fact that after all these years I was able to make this belief come true. If God had ever called me to leave this town to become the leader of Germany, He would have given me a mission, and that mission could only be to restore my dear country to Germany. I believe in this mission, I live to fight for this mission, and I think I have now achieved it.

Lin Wei took advantage of Hitler's return to his hometown and used the power of the army to quickly set up thousands of polling stations in Austria's towns and cities. The Gestapo also stepped up efforts to arrest unstable elements to ensure the safety of tomorrow's referendum. Schuschnigg had placed his hope in a referendum to consolidate Austria's independent status, but unfortunately, it was the referendum that decided the merger of Austria and Germany.

On May 14, in large and small polling stations throughout Austria, heavily armed SS or Wehrmacht soldiers carefully watched the people coming and going. Everyone knew that for Germany, this might even go down in history. On this day, no one dares to be careless.

Although doing this may be photographed by other countries, it will be used to explain Germany's annexation of Austria, and it may even be said that Germany's armed forces threaten the people and have voted in their favor. But Lin Wei believes that there is no need to worry about this kind of thing. Germany's bad reputation can no longer be removed anyway, so it is only right to do it thoroughly to ensure that there are no mistakes in this voting.

Starting at eight o'clock in the morning, people came to vote one after another. The British reporters who wanted to cause trouble, despite their efforts. However, I still didn’t see the German occupying forces showing any impatience with the residents. On the contrary, the Austrians coming and going kept waving to these soldiers, showing no intention of being coerced. This is mainly due to the hundreds of years of entangled emotions between Germany and Austria. This emotion is difficult for foreigners to understand, and only they themselves understand it.

The voting began, and people walked to the voting booth patiently and orderly one by one. The soldiers in front of the stage did not mean any threats, and did not even take a second look. After what happened in the past two days, Lin Wei now knew that Austria People may not have any objection to this German action. Through military radio stations in various places, Lin Wei will report on the situation in each place every hour. Lin Wei compiled it and reported it to Hitler.

Hitler's worship in his hometown has ended. After hearing the news that Austria was holding a referendum, although Hitler was full of confidence in this action, he still decided to come to Vienna to see it in person. The referendum was proceeding in an orderly manner, and on the afternoon of May 14, Hitler triumphantly entered Vienna, the capital of Austria, where he had wandered.

However, he was in a state of joy at returning to a former imperial capital that he believed had treated him coldly and led him to a wandering life of hunger and poverty in his youth, and now welcomed him with great warmth. In a state of madness.

After arriving in Vienna, Hitler was eager to know Austria's attitude towards him in this referendum. Although the time Hitler left for Lin Wei was very limited, and Lin Wei also knew that it would be impossible to obtain the approval rate as high as Hitler's in history, Lin Wei still said without blushing, "According to the current statistical results, 99.75% of the people in Austria All voted in favor."

"Is this true? Lampard," Hitler said excitedly. Hitler had no reason not to be excited, because although this plan had been prepared for several years, it was implemented in a hurry, and the time was too short for Hitler to guess. penetrate the minds of the Austrian people. So in fact, Hitler was not very sure that the Austrians would be willing to merge with Germany.

"Of course, head of state! We are all one nation, but we have become two countries due to various reasons. We are one family." Lin Wei maintained his usual seriousness. Perhaps he spent too long with the old-fashioned officers and was tainted. They had some of their habits, but it seemed that Hitler wanted Lin Wei to be like this.

Hitler seemed unable to conceal his excitement. He stood up and sat down. For a long time he asked, "Lampard, since I've known you, you always have various methods or suggestions. Now I want to know, what do you think of Austria now?"

"Führer, Austria should disappear permanently. There is no need for it to exist." Lin Wei said his thoughts regardless of Hitler's slightly discolored face.

"Go on, Lampard." Although Hitler was unhappy, he still let Lin Wei continue.

"Führer, Austria's name only lasts for a day, and some unwilling people always try to revive him." Lin Wei glanced at Hitler secretly, looking at him thoughtfully. Then he said, "Although these people are not harmful, they are really annoying. Although we can guarantee that the vast majority of Austrians think the same as us, the saboteurs in the dark will definitely take advantage of our negligence to incite Austrian rebellion." People are against us".

After all, Hitler was an Austrian. He must have felt uncomfortable after hearing Lin Wei's words. However, he is now the head of state of Germany, and he must give priority to Germany's interests in everything. If after his death, Austria breaks out for independence, he will not rest in peace until he dies.

Hitler sat on the sofa and meditated. He had now united it with Germany. Austria's old German name, the Eastern Reich, should also be cancelled. After a long time, Hitler finally made a decision, "Lampard, I leave this matter to you."

"Yes, Führer!" Lin Wei smiled happily. Hitler finally made a choice between Germany and his native Austria.

Lin Wei already has a plan in mind to gradually make Austrians forget the name Austria. Berlin will use the administrative units of districts to manage the country. Districts are roughly equivalent to historical states or provinces in other countries. Vienna has also become a city in Germany, the administrative center of a district, making it gradually become like an ordinary German city, instead of the capital of Austria that comes to mind when mentioning Vienna.

Without a single shot, and without interference from Great Britain or France, which could have overwhelmed him by force, Hitler added seven million people to Germany and gained a strategic area of great value to his future plans. Not only did his armies surround Czechoslovakia on three sides, but he now had Vienna, the gateway to southeastern Europe. As the former capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Vienna has long been a transportation and trade center in Central and Southeastern Europe. This nerve center was now in German hands.

It is a Georgian-style building located in Downing Street next to Whitehall in Westminster, London, the capital of the United Kingdom. This inconspicuous place is No. 10 Downing Street, where the current Prime Minister Chamberlain works and symbolizes the center of the British government.

Although No. 10 Downing Street was a gift from the monarch, due to its small size, lack of maintenance for many years, and being built on marshy soil, many prime ministers throughout history were unwilling to move in, and some even intended to raze it. . In addition, because the position of British Prime Minister had not been clearly established until the 19th century, No. 10 Downing Street was often occupied by other officials in the past and could not be regarded as the real Prime Minister's Office at that time.

But today, No. 10 Downing Street has become a symbol of the British government. The 68-year-old Chamberlain is arguing with another powerful figure in Britain, Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden.

"Why! That's why, Neville, why don't you organize Germany's actions? Although Germany is now much stronger than in previous years, I believe that as long as we in the UK move a little finger. That German mustache will be Go back to Germany," Anthony Eden shouted while holding out his little finger.

Chamberlain didn't even raise his eyelids, and said without a trace of fireworks, "Anthony, don't be like this, we need a strong Germany to help Britain resist the threat of the Soviet Union. What Europe needs now is peace, and what we have to do is Ensure the hard-won peace in Europe. Moreover, the impact of the last war on us was not enough. The United States on the other side of the ocean has quietly developed through our bloody battle with the Germans. If war breaks out in Europe again, I think you should know what the consequences will be."

"No, Germany is more of a threat than the United States. Have you not forgotten the last war?" Anthony Eden asked.

"Of course I remember the combat capabilities of the Germans." Everyone knows that the last war was actually between Germany and the entire Allied Powers. Of course Chamberlain also knew that. So he said, "That's why I help them to make Germany strong enough to resist the Soviet Union's ambitions in Europe."

"Neville, you are wrong. You are playing with fire. I will not agree to it. I want to impeach you." Anthony Eden stood up and walked out angrily.

"Impeach me?" Chamberlain's eyes became very scary for a moment, "I am right, and what I do is best for Britain."

The meeting ended unhappily, bringing the relationship between Anthony Eden and Chamberlain to a freezing point. In just a few days Chamberlain took advantage of the Conservative Party's dominance in parliament to oust Anthony Eden. He was succeeded by Lord Halifax. Berlin welcomed the change. After the Berchtesgaden ultimatum, Chamberlain delivered a speech in the House of Commons, saying, "What happened in Berchtesgaden was simply that the two statesmen agreed on certain measures to improve relations between their two countries... It seems that It is difficult to argue that just because two statesmen agreed on certain internal changes in one of the two countries, one country has given up its independence for the benefit of the other."