【 Chapter 15 – Spanish Civil War – End of Discharge 】
July 24, 1937
Brunette, West of Madrid, Central Spain – Nationalist Occupation
Brunete was captured.
It’s our victory.
The Republican army, which had endured until the end, was unable to withstand the fierce attacks of the Condor Legion and the Italian Air Force and ultimately lost.
The ambitious Brunette offensive of the Republicans ended with capturing all the cities and other occupied territories and being pushed to the original front.
But that was pretty good.
In the offensive, 13 of our troops were killed, and 17 were injured.
I didn’t know there were so many idiots dying to save my money.
…was my command the best?
The thought that I could have reduced the sacrifice a little more did not leave my head.
That’s how I feel. Anyway, the results obtained with the blood of the soldiers have inspired the Nationalist leadership to the utmost.
Encouraged to do something crazy.
The battle was over, but gunfire continued in the half-burned ruined city.
Republican soldiers who failed to escape, or gave up their escape and surrendered, were being executed while standing in a row in front of the pit.
I didn’t want to look at the faces of those who were crying and terrified while waiting for their turn.
As I led the crew and accelerated my steps, a Spanish broadcast sounded as loud as the gunshots that killed the prisoners.
[Killed a thousand Reds today! Let’s rape a thousand Reds tomorrow!]
From the loudspeakers that Leicester had used to encourage the Republican soldiers through his broadcasts, the Nationalists’ radio broadcasts, no, crazy incitements, were now playing.
“What did he say?”
“That’s crazy…”
There were few people in the unit who spoke Spanish, so Clemens asked me, but that was all I had to say.
“Come here!”
“Ahhh, Mama!”
Before our eyes, two girls, probably in their early to mid-teens, were being dragged away by Moors (North African) soldiers.
I thought I knew what they were going to do without looking at it, but it was hard to pretend I didn’t know, so I talked to the lieutenant who seemed to be their commander.
“What are you trying to do with them?
The Lieutenant looked at me with a wary look for a moment, then relaxed when he realized that I was a Lieutenant of the Condor Legion, not a Nationalist senior.
“No big deal. It always happens, but what?”
“With the little ones?”
At my question, the Lieutenant frowned for a moment, but then grinned, revealing white teeth sticking out from his brown face.
“Ah, don’t worry too much. After all, they will last for two hours at most.”
Did you say that as an answer? In my mind, I wanted to throw it down.
But I can’t stop it because I’m not the boss and I’m a foreign volunteer.
I felt nauseous. What a crazy time.
The crazy ones who encourage you to rape on the radio, and the ones who do it for real.
When I thought that Nazi Germany would do more, not less, I just felt bad.
I didn’t want to talk anymore, so I tried to ignore the screams of the girls who were being dragged into the building, and when I started walking again, he shouted behind my back.
“Don’t be too tight. We have to reward our subordinates for their hard work!”
What’s that crazy guy saying?
I turned my back and looked at him without realizing it, and my eyes met a member who seemed to be fascinated by the words.
Fuck, did you fight while shedding blood just to see something like this?
The battle was won, but there was no glory or joy.
A month has passed since the Battle of Brunete ended.
In the meantime, the Nationalists returned the troops they had evacuated to the central part of the country and resumed their offensive, and the northern part was rapidly collapsing amid the inaction of the dying Republicans.
We were reorganizing because we suffered a considerable loss as the mainstay of the offensive.
I held funerals for the dead members and bought alcohol as promised by the time the injured members recovered.
It seemed like we were laughing, chatting, and drinking like crazy.
Even during the college student MT, it was my creed to drink until tipsy, but this time I poured it until the film was completely cut off.
When Clement and the platoon commanders laughed out loud talking about what I had done, or when I was suffering from a hangover, I was able to forget everything and laugh, even for a moment.
And I celebrated my first birthday with this body.
…August 15th.
Does this mean that I should remember my original homeland even in this faraway foreign country?
Or is it simply that the God who dropped me in the middle of this hell is trying to mock me?
Thanks to the fact that the birthday is a day that Koreans can’t forget, I became more disturbed because it was my birthday.
Let alone Seoul in the 21st century, there is no Korea, the country of Yoon Sung-il.
The Koreans under Japanese rule, who were as crazy as the Nazis, and the present me. Which is worse?
Germany – Hitler’s Nazi Germany formed an Alliance with the Japanese Empire, according to its original history.
There will be no direct contact with the far and far eastern peninsula, but if I don’t do anything, it means that I will be the enemy of Korea.
What can I do for Korea in this bloody era, which is still struggling to take care of myself against the upcoming World War II?
August 25, 1937
Condor Legion HQ – Nationalist stronghold Salamanca, Central-Western Spain
Now, I was swallowing dry saliva with all the other commanders.
“Wave attack?! Did you submit this as a plan?”
The roar of the Colonel Model, the culprit that made us nervous, came unfiltered to us, waiting beyond the door.
“Idiots like you drove the soldiers in front of machine-gun positions in that great war, while you yourself stayed behind like cowards! Why are you wearing that rank insignia! Are you trying to kill your men?!”
Oh, damn it. Listening directly to Walter’s screams, which I’ve only heard verbally, makes my spine run cold even though it’s not directed at me.
“Get that pathetic, stupid face out of my face right now! If you want to stand in front of me next time, you’ll have to lubricate that non-rotating head! Get lost! Now!”
“He, he-Heil Hitler!”
The Captain, who opened the door and came out, was sweating with a pale face.
Oh, my God, your eyes are all out of focus.
“Next!”
“Lieutenant Schacht, inside…”
Oh, is it my turn now?
I cleared my throat while receiving half-pity and half-expectation from the other officers around me, and entered the office of Colonel Model, who had already shattered the souls of several officers.
The Condor Legion usually gives a Nazi salute, but even if I did a regular salute, Colonel Model accepted my salute without saying anything.
He cast a cold gaze over the monocle, then opened his mouth.
“Are you nervous too? Don’t worry. I only scold fools.”
“I’m sorry to say, Colonel, if that is true, the future of the German Army is bleak.”
Didn’t all the officers you called in today get smashed? At my expression, the Colonel Model paused for a moment and smiled.
“Looking at the reaction, you might not be a real idiot this time. I like it.”
To be honest, I thought you’d show me a ‘funny old man’ mode, but this is Colonel Model in a higher-level mode.
The model beckoned me to come closer as I swallowed.
When he got closer, I showed the plan of operation on his desk.
In this battle of Brunete, the plan that Colonel Model distributed to the unit leaders like homework.
It was the offensive plan I wrote and submitted.
Oh, that was it.
The reason why the officers were madly dumped was because they wrote the offensive plan poorly.
I didn’t know because every officer who came out ran away in a hurry.
“The basics are in place, Lieutenant. At least you didn’t write it roughly because you were lazy.”
“…because it’s my crew who die when the plan is implemented. Colonel.”
I don’t know how the new Chief of Staff’s order to draw up an offensive plan that might actually be used out of the blue in the middle of an operation might have seemed to other officers.
Company Commanders in the front line just let go, and drafting an offensive plan was originally the job of senior commanders or staff.
Looking at today’s situation, it seems that there are a lot of humans who thought it hard or bothered, but I knew his tendency from the beginning, so I wrote it with my head wrapped up whenever I was in a lull even though I was busy with battle.
What I said to him wasn’t empty.
It was at least impossible for me to pass that it was a war and a soldier would of course die.
Living as an officer in Germany during World War II, I don’t know if this is a curse or not.
Colonel Model glanced at me at my remarks and lowered his gaze back to the operation plan.
I feel it again, but the impression of the Colonel Model itself is ordinary, but when in work mode like this, it gives a considerable sense of intimidation because of the unique intense eyes looking through the monocle.
I can’t imagine that he is a pleasant old man who usually laughs and jokes with the soldiers..
“You suggested deploying a lot of troops in this area, what’s the reason?”
Colonel Model pointed to the operational map and asked the question, and I answered without delay.
“That’s because the road leading from Madrid is close, so the enemy’s reinforcements are fast. Depending on the situation, I thought the enemy might send in defenders from Madrid.”
“What if you get information from Madrid that there’s no sign of additional reinforcements?”
I pondered for a moment about the intention of Colonel Model in asking this question, but no answer came.
Anyway, I haven’t received proper staff training yet.
“If that’s the case, I might be able to turn 2-3 companies into reserve, but I think it’s better to keep the other units.”
“Why?”
Ugh, my throat keeps drying up because of the cold eyes looking through that monocle.
“The information that the intelligence department brings is not always accurate, and even if it is correct when it comes in, there may be troops departing after that.”
The model colonel listened without saying anything to my opinion.
“…And if that happened, the enemy could move quickly through the roads, while we would be hit by the lack of smooth movement of the troops in the extreme heat.”
“Hmm.”
“Although there may be reinforcements coming from other directions, in that case, it was a situation where we had a certain advantage in air supremacy, I decided that if I could figure it out in time, I would be able to respond because it was the same condition.”
After I finished speaking, I waited for his reaction with a nervous look, and he thought for a moment and then spat out.
“Lieutenant, you’re too careful.”
Ugh.
To be honest, I didn’t expect to be praised by one of the greatest commanders of our time, but I still think that this is the result of my hard work.
“It’s not a bad attitude or idea to prepare for a crisis, but if you grasp the situation and concentrate your forces to quickly proceed with the operation, you may make fewer sacrifices as a result.”
I had nothing to say because it was so theoretical.
Was he eating away at the thought of avoiding the worst while watching many deaths on the battlefield?
“I’m not the type to say things in a roundabout way, so I’ll be honest. From the combat reports and the evaluations of your noncommissioned officers, you’re an ordinary unit commander.”
I felt cold.
Come to think of it, the Germans of this time were the world’s best group, at least in terms of tactics.
Was it just arrogance that I thought I could become a general staff member just because I had the knowledge he gained from modern times?
“Not a coward, but not heroically brave, and overthinking. Prudent, but somewhat lacking in determination.”
Colonel Model’s cold evaluation pierced my heart mercilessly. What’s going on with the Nazis, it’s driving me crazy.
Did you believe that there would be a main character just because an ordinary modern man who had just been discharged flew to another era?
Colonel Model didn’t curse at me or threaten me like he did to other officers, but I was getting distracted.
“But the sincerity of thinking about all possibilities and working hard is highly appreciated. It actually paid off.”
So I couldn’t react for a moment to the words of the Colonel Model and blinked my eyes.
“I think your talent will be more powerful as a staff officer than a frontline commander. What do you say, if you like, I’ll recommend you to the General Staff course.”
“…yes?”
I asked back in a daze for a moment, but I covered my mouth without realizing it, and the model colonel smiled as if he had never glared at me with cold eyes.
“Don’t you like it?”
“Oh, no! It’s an honor!”
Oh, my. I can’t control my expression.
My mouth was loosened, so I knew how my expression would be without looking in the mirror.
“That’s what I’m saying, but even if you don’t take my recommendation, you’re a strong candidate for this jockey War College. 88, and Lieutenant Colonel Richthofen of the Luftwaffe gave you a very generous evaluation.”
“Ah….”
“Of course, that doesn’t mean my recommendation is meaningless. Relationships are important in the military. Unless you don’t want to be involved with a troublesome boss like me.”
Colonel Model said playfully.
I know very well how this man’s self-esteem is among his subordinates…
“It is an honor that I will never have again in my life to be recommended by someone like you, Colonel!”
Who is Walter Model?
Even in the situation of Germany’s despair itself at the end of World War II, it is a legend itself that gave defeat to representative Allied forces such as Georgy Zhukov, Bernard Montgomery, and Omar Bradley.
Now, he is still a Colonel, but when countless German enemies were dismissed at the end of the war, he was a defender who played as enemies until the end of the war with his performance that made Hitler shut up.
I was thrilled to hear that such a person really recommended me.
However, perhaps because I was so enthusiastically moved, Colonel Model was a little hesitant.
“No, it’s not that… did you have a knack for flattery?”
Uh, well. Was it too much?
I, who know the future, show infinite respect and trust to Colonel Model, but he hasn’t known me for very long…
But I can’t explain this, and I just said it with as much respect as possible.
“No! I will try not to be ashamed of the Colonel’s recommendation!”
“Well, yes. Expect it, Lieutenant Schacht.”
This crappy Spanish Civil War was really tough, but in the end I made it.
To the War College, I can go to Germany!
【 Spanish Civil War – End of Discharge 】- End
Thank you for reading!
