Relief

Sweat beading down from atop my forehead finds a path into my eyes, stinging my vision just as I dismount my black Arabian stallion.

I feel alive!

Across my back, under my arms, and between my legs, a stream of salty water pours forth, honoring a vigorous July morning ride.

Nothing feels better than pushing my steed and myself to the limit!

I woke this morning in good spirits despite Franz-Joseph’s ultimatum.

Why did he have to be so harsh? No one wants a European war!

I pause for a moment before entering the hall of Potsdamplaz.

Once I go in there, the world will come back.

My courtier of servants and advisers, always ready to break my sense of good feeling with the affairs of state, stand impatiently behind that door, anticipating my return.

With a false sense of self-confidence and assuredness, I thunder into the hall, looking left and right at the gaggle of staff breathless for my every word.

“Any news?” I ask, not really wanting an affirmative reply.

“Yes, Kaiser, there is news of the Serbian reply to Austria-Hungary’s (A_H) ultimatum,” my foreign affairs adviser calls out from the front of the pack as he hands me a crisp sheet of finely typed letterhead.

With my left hand, I take the paper, slapping the back of his head with my right.

We could all use a good laugh!

Laughing vigorously, I look around the room. Everyone offers a nervous laugh, attempting not to look at the embarrassed man who handed me the note.

“I’ll look at this in my office. Bring me eggs,” I call out while moving through the mass of people to my private study.

Entering my office, I am delighted to see that everything is in its place.

The servants are finally coming around. Show and presentation mean as much as substance.

I look down at the piece of paper before taking a seat behind my mahogany desk. Placing the crisp sheet upon the black blotter, I can’t help but be caught for a moment by the contrast between the darkness of the blotter and the bright paper upon which is written the Serbian reply to Austria-Hungary’s ultimatum. Then, I begin reading:

(Preamble) ...[Serbia] cannot be held responsible for manifestations of a private character, such as articles in the press and the peaceable work of societies ... [The Serbian government] have been pained and surprised at the statements, according to which, members of the Kingdom of Serbia are supposed to have participated in the preparations of the crime...

[However, Serbia is] prepared to hand over for trial any Serbian subject. . .of whose complicity in the crime of Sarajevo proofs are forthcoming [as well as officially condemn all propaganda against A-H].

●          [Serbia will] introduce ... a provision into the press law providing for the most severe punishment of incitement to hatred and contempt of the [A-H] Monarchy...

●          [The Serbian government] possesses no proof ... that the Narodna Odbrana (Black Hand) and other similar societies have committed up to the present any criminal act of this nature ... Nevertheless, [Serbia] will ... dissolve the Narodna Obrana and every other society which...

●          [Serbia will] eliminate without delay from public instruction ... everything that serves or might serve to foment the propaganda against [A-H], whenever [Austria] furnish them with facts and proofs...

●          [Serbia] also agrees to remove from the military service all such persons as the judicial inquiry may have proved to be guilty of acts directed against the integrity of the territory of [A-H], and they expect [Austria] to communicate ... the names and acts of these officers for the purpose of the proceedings which are to be taken against them.

●          [The Serbian government does] not clearly grasp the meaning or the scope of the demand ... that Serbia shall undertake to accept the collaboration of the representatives of [A-H], but they declare that they will admit such collaboration as agrees with the principle of international law, with criminal procedure, and with good neighborly relations.

●          ...As regards the participation in this inquiry [which Serbia intends to hold] of Austro-Hungarian agents... [Serbia] cannot accept such an arrangement, as it would be a violation of the Constitution...

●          [States it has not yet been possible to arrest one of the persons named; request proofs of guilt from Austria]

●          [agrees to reinforce measures against illegal trafficking of arms and explosives across the frontier with Bosnia-Herzegovina]

●          [offers explanations of anti-Austrian comments by Serb officials if Austria sends examples of their actually having been made]

●          [Serbia will duly notify the measures taken, but if Austria is not satisfied with the reply] the Serbian government. . . is ready. . . to accept a specific understanding, either by referring this question to the decision of the International Tribunal of The Hague [i.e., the World Court], or to the Great Powers...  

This is fantastic! Nine of the 11 demands are now met!

Picking up a pen in my right hand, I place a few notes at the top of the text:

A brilliant solution—and in barely 48 hours! This is more than could have been expected. A great moral victory for Vienna; but with it every pretext for war falls to the ground, and [the Ambassador] Giesl had better have stayed quietly at Belgrade. On this document, I should never have given orders for mobilization.

*****

Kaiser Wilhelm II

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kaiser_Wilhelm_II_LOC.jpg

German Kaiser Wilhelm II was so satisfied with Serbia’s reply to Austria that he immediately wrote to his foreign minister, Gottlieb von Jagow stating, “Austria-Hungary should use the reply as a basis for negotiation on the outstanding points. Perhaps Belgrade will need to be occupied temporarily (largely to give the Austro-Hungarian army an outing) but there is clearly no need for war.” Seeing no reason for haste, the Kaiser sends his message by courier rather than by telegram or telephone.

Unknown to the Kaiser, Austro-Hungarian ministers and generals had already convinced the 83-year-old Franz Joseph I of Austria to sign a declaration of war against Serbia. As a direct consequence, Russia began a general mobilization to attack Austria in defense of Serbia. An hour after the Kaiser read the Serbian reply; Austria declared war on Serbia, starting World War I.

Disconnected →

“I can’t get any units on the line!” Hennig calls out from the radio room of the command bunker.

“Damn, I have to know what’s going on!” General Stumme, temporary commander of Panzer Army Africa, replies.

What’s going on is that we’re under attack. The British have finally started their long-awaited assault with a massive artillery barrage that has taken out our communications with every division and regiment under the Generals command.

“Buchting come with me, we’ll go to the front ourselves!” Stumme belts out as Colonel Buchting, his communications officer, steps forward to take up his position at the General’s side.

Moving at a quick pace, the General leads Buchting and I out of the bunker to his waiting Mercedes coup.

I rush forward to beat the General to the car, grasping the still warm door handle before opening the front door for the General.

The general likes to sit in front rather than the back of the car. I’m not too happy having him up there because I don’t have a poker face. He’s already caught me laughing at something he said more than once since he showed up a couple of weeks ago.

Colonel Buchting scrambles into the back of the car as I run around to the driver’s side, before sliding into my seat.

As I turn the key to start the ignition the General’s red face seems to deepen to an almost crimson color.

We call him Fireball because of the natural redness of his face. Poor old many with high blood pressure was ordered to a battle front.

At least he’s more personable than Field Marshall Rommel.

General Stumme likes to joke and spend time with us, whereas the Field Marshall is all business all of the time.

Colonel Buchting calls out in a raspy voice “Head to 21st Panzer first, we’ll be able to communicate from their command bunker.”

General Stumme turns his head, bobbing his blood colored face up and down in agreement with the Colonel.

My foot slams on the gas, propelling the coup forward, leaving a whirlwind of dust behind us. Even thought it’s after 10pm, I put on my dust goggles to keep the sand out of my eyes.

I wish I’d brought my jacket. These desert nights can get nasty cold!

As we turn a gully to come under an outcrop about 3 miles from 21st Panzer, a strong of bullets riddle the road near the car.

Cracckity, Cracckity, Cracckity. . . The bullets come whizzing by.

Damn it, our guys are so nervous from the artillery barrage that they are shooting at anything that moves, even behind the lines.

The bullets keep whizzing by, a few hitting the side of the Mercedes.

“General, get down!” Colonel Buchting screams.

I can’t get down far enough to escape these bullets.

The General does not move an inch of his short and stubby upright frame. In the backseat, the Colonel turns to look to the side.

Neither of them are crouching in any way. I would if I could right now!

“Those aren’t our gu. . . ” the Colonel stops short, his body slumping forward to hit the back of my seat.

General Stumme turns frantically toward the back of the car.

“He’s dead!” the General announces in a voice faltering with excitement.

Taking my eyes off of the road, I turn to look at the General sitting beside me.

I’m not sure what caught my eye, but there’s something about him that is striking. I have to look.

“General, are you ok?” I ask.

His hands move swiftly to his bulging chest, clasping toward his heart.

“I. . ., I . . . , I. . . “ He can’t get the words out.

Crrrraaacccckk, CCCrrrraacck, Crackkkkk - the bullets are streaming by.

Could he be having a Heart Attack?

I slam on the brakes, jolting the car, and halting us right in the path of the machine gun fire.

There’s a small outcrop on the left, maybe we can hide in there.

“General!” I yell, “get down!”

Pppppiinngg, Pppinnng, Ping - the front of the Mercedes is taking direct hits.

“We’ve got to get out of this car!” comes out of my mouth as I grab, then yank, the General’s arms to drag him across the front seat.

“I. . ., ha. . . , t’. . . , com. . . “ His eyes start losing their color.

Manhandling the hefty little incapacitated General is no challenge given the amount of adrenaline coursing through my veins.

I’ve got to get him under that outcrop!

“Stay with me Sir!”

His eyes are turning almost steel gray.

RRrriiiiffftt, RRrriiiiffftt, RRrriiiiffftt. . .clumps of sand and dirt geyser up from the ground directly in front of me. Each round approaching me as I rush toward the cover while dragging the General’s listless rotund body.

I can’t pull him any longer.

PPPpffffttt, Pppfffffttt, Piffftttttt, pifffttt. A tingling sensation enters my arms and stomach.

Warmth, warmth in the cold desert night.

My grip loosens on the now completely immobile officer before me.

Pppffffttttt, blood begins streaming forth from my left shoulder.

I can make it to cover. I can make it.

General Stumme’s body was found the next day without any bullet wounds. He appears to have died of a heart attack within the very first hours of the British offensive at El Alemain. Panzer Army Africa was without a leader for those hours, until another General took command in General Stumme’s absence. His disappearance from the field of battle led to an initially disorganized defense of the Axis positions in the African desert, and a nervous Hitler ordering Field Marshall Rommel back to the front early despite still recovering from a medical procedure in Switzerland. Despite weakened command following a lack of command, the Axis forces put up fierce resistance before eventually succumbing to the gritty grinding onslaught of the overpowering British assault.