Against this backdrop, the Social Democratic Party (SPD), the main left-wing party in both the Saxon and Austro-Hungarian Empires, began to mobilize frequently.
They first published articles in their newspaper, Vorwärts (Forward), pointing out that the terms of the ultimatum issued by Vienna were so severe that it seemed a deliberate attempt to provoke war.
Subsequently, the Executive Committee of the Saxon SPD requested permission from the government to hold large rallies in major cities to express the ‘unwavering desire for peace of the conscious proletariat.’
To everyone’s surprise, the Saxon Imperial Government, temporarily led by Chancellor Bethmann Hollweg, granted permission.
However, the Imperial Government added a condition: the rallies had to be held indoors, not on the streets.
Hollweg and the other high-ranking officials were playing a careful game. On one hand, they wanted to appease the SPD by permitting the rallies, demonstrating the Empire’s ‘enlightened’ stance and avoiding the escalation of internal conflict before the war.
On the other hand, they weakened the movement’s social influence by restricting the venues, preventing anti-war sentiment from spreading widely among the general populace.
Yet, even with these restrictions, the indoor rallies were extremely enthusiastic.
In Dresden, the largest concert hall was packed to capacity. Latecomers had to stand outside in the square, listening to the speeches through the open doors.
SPD leaders took turns on the stage, passionately arguing the dangers of war and exposing the conspiracies of arms dealers and imperialist politicians.
Their speeches were repeatedly interrupted by enthusiastic applause and slogans.
“We don’t want war!”
“Workers of the world, unite!”
The climax of the rally was thousands of attendees jointly singing La Marseillaise.
The passionate melody poured out of the concert hall and spread into the square outside, momentarily drowning out the sound of the patriotic demonstrators nearby who were singing The Watch on the Rhine.
This dramatic scene was dubbed ‘The Dresden Singing Competition’ by the sensationalist journalists.
Morin did not personally attend the scene. He learned of these events through the 【Intelligence】 system and the next day’s newspapers.
He noted that, generally, the anti-war rallies were calm and peaceful, with no violent conflicts.
At least for now, the SPD in the Saxon Empire still placed their primary hope of preventing war on the Imperial High Command, trusting they would maintain reason and restrain their ally, the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
However, Morin knew their hopes were destined to be dashed…
Life at the Teaching Assault Battalion continued as usual these days, as if the outside world did not concern them—with the exception of Morin demanding extra drills.
But the atmosphere in the camp was subtly changing.
During training breaks, the soldiers’ conversations shifted from girls and beer to the war.
“Hey, did you hear? The Austrians are about to fight the Serbians!”
“Good! It’s better than those guys causing trouble on the border every day.”
“But if they start fighting, will we be dragged in? I hear the Gauls are also getting restless…”
“Let them come! What are we afraid of? We are His Majesty’s Guard Corps! It’s a chance to show those Gallic chickens what we’re made of!”
Most soldiers, especially the younger ones, showed the belligerent enthusiasm of a young bull, unafraid of war.
However, a few older, married veterans showed increased worry on their faces.
Morin observed everything but did not interfere—just as he had done when he first received the reserve soldiers for the 1st Company.
He knew that enthusiasm for war spoken about was worthless. It would only be extinguished when they truly smelled blood.
This afternoon, Morin was in his office studying the maps of the Saxon Empire’s Eastern and Western Fronts when Operations Staff Officer Manstein knocked and entered.
“Sir…”
Seeing the deep furrow in Manstein’s brow, Morin asked:
“What’s wrong?”
Manstein hesitated, lowering his voice: “Sir, a colleague from the General Staff mentioned something that may or may not be true: the Gauls and the Britannians are preparing to offer a substantial aid package to Kolchak and send an Expeditionary Force.”
Morin’s heart leaped.
“To Russia?”
“Yes!” Manstein nodded.
The news brought by Manstein instantly put Morin on high alert.
He immediately opened the system panel. Sure enough, several new red dots appeared on the 【Intelligence】 tab.
【Gallic Republic President Poincaré and Holy Britannian Empire Foreign Secretary Sir Edward Grey have arrived in Saint Petersburg and are holding secret talks with ‘Supreme Ruler’ Kolchak.】
【The two nations plan to offer the ‘All-Russian Supreme Autocracy’ an aid package including a massive interest-free loan, military supplies, and the dispatch of an Expeditionary Force.】
【The precondition for the aid: the Kolchak government must acknowledge and continue to uphold the Sacred Alliance Treaty signed between the former Great Russian Empire and the Gallic Republic.】
Morin quickly processed the information. Cold sweat broke out on his back.
He had been wondering how the Gauls and the Britannians in this world would respond to a Saxon Empire that no longer had a threat to its rear.
Now, the answer was revealed.
They were sparing no expense to prop up a proxy on the Eastern Front capable of checking the Saxons.
Even if this proxy was currently weak, if the Gauls and Britannians provided full support, would Kolchak’s ‘White Army’ soon be able to consolidate Russia’s remaining power and pose a real threat to the Saxon eastern border?
Looking at the map, Morin didn’t think this was a reliable plan.
Kolchak’s sphere of influence was mainly concentrated in Saint Petersburg and the surrounding areas, while Denikin currently controlled Moscow and its vicinity.
The ‘pro-Western’ Provisional National Government of Western Russia, which the International Brigade supported, was barely surviving in the area between these two forces and the Austro-Hungarians and Saxons.
In this situation, even if Kolchak and Denikin wanted to commit to the war, wouldn’t they first have to annihilate the Provisional National Government of Western Russia?
“Are they insane? That plan…”
Morin pondered for a moment, then, speaking speculatively, relayed the potential Eastern Front scenario to his Operations Staff Officer.
“Manstein, if the two nations, Gaul and Britannia, truly fully support Kolchak and succeed in bringing Russia back into the war, how do you think the General Staff will respond?”
Manstein’s brow furrowed even deeper. This question clearly exceeded the purview of a battalion-level Operations Staff Officer.
But he still thought seriously.
“If… and I mean if… I were the Chief of Army General Staff.”
He carefully chose his words:
“I would likely advise adopting a defensive posture on the Eastern Front, using minimal forces to assist our allies in Western Russia in tying down Kolchak’s and Denikin’s forces.”
“Then, concentrate all our main forces on the Western Front, seeking a swift, decisive battle to defeat the Gallic Republic in the shortest time possible.”
“A quick decisive war?”
“Yes, sir. Time is critical for us. The Empire cannot afford a protracted war.”
Manstein’s answer resonated with Morin.
Wasn’t this the exact choice made by the German General Staff in both World Wars in the other timeline?
History, it seemed, was once again heading down that familiar track.
While the two were discussing, the entire situation in Europa seemed to hit a fast-forward button.
July 28th, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, having received the ‘blank check’ from the Saxon Empire, no longer hesitated and formally declared war on the Kingdom of Serbia.
That same day, Austro-Hungarian artillery units deployed on the border shelled the Serbian capital, Belgrade, across the Danube River for several hours.
Later that evening, the Gallic Republic and the Holy Britannian Empire jointly issued a statement expressing ‘extreme regret’ over the Austro-Hungarian military action.
They declared they would ‘take all necessary measures to maintain peace and stability in Europa.’
July 30th, the first joint convoy carrying a large amount of weapons, ammunition, food, and medicine arrived in Saint Petersburg, under the ‘supervision escort’ of several Saxon Imperial Navy warships.
Another convoy, transporting the Britannian Expeditionary Force, had no choice but to take a more northern route, bypassing the Baltic Sea—which the Saxons considered their own internal sea—to land at Murmansk.
The Saxons might tolerate ‘commercial trade’ in the Baltic Sea, but they would never allow Gallic or Britannian military ships to brazenly pass through.
With the arrival of these valuable supplies and the elite Expeditionary Forces supported by Armored Knights and Mages, Kolchak’s confidence instantly soared.
He immediately began mobilizing his troops, preparing to launch a general assault on the ‘rebels’ entrenched between Saint Petersburg and Moscow to open up North-South communication.
Then, he would join forces with Denikin to march West, pushing toward Kiev, the capital of the Provisional National Government of Western Russia, to eliminate the final rebels.
These actions naturally provoked intense dissatisfaction from the Saxon and Austro-Hungarian Empires.
The Ambassadors of both nations in London and Paris simultaneously delivered strongly worded protest notes to the Gallic and Britannian Foreign Ministries, publicly accusing them of ‘adding fuel to the fire in the already burning Balkans.’
The two nations did not back down, similarly protesting the Austro-Hungarian invasion of Serbia, demanding an immediate halt to military action and demobilization.
Both nations’ Foreign Ministries meaningfully stressed: “The Kingdom of Serbia also has friends.”
The clear subtext was: if the Austro-Hungarian Empire remained determined, the Gallic Republic and the Holy Britannian Empire would ‘regretfully’ and ‘passively’ intervene militarily.
While the diplomatic war of words between the two sides roared loudly, the gears of fate that would decide the future also began to turn.
Morning of July 31st.
Morin had just finished his morning drill when the Battalion’s signal soldier rushed up.
“Sir! Urgent telegram from the War Office!”
Morin took the telegram. It contained only a single, short sentence.
【The Saxon Empire is entering a ‘Pre-War State’ immediately.】
(End of this Chapter)