Chapter 006: A Shocking Turn of Events

Kruger's face turned pale in an instant, and Major Gen. Renshe did not spare him any courtesy, immediately tearing off his insignia and epaulettes. The poor marshal trembled all over, tears streaming down his face, overwhelmed with unspeakable regret

After a short while, Major Genesh ran over and reported the discovery of a timed bomb in Teleskov's bag. Although his voice was not loud, everyone heard it clearly. Hoffman felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. If he had not already made up his mind to eliminate this malignant tumor and made proper arrangements, he might have been eliminated today, which would have truly made him a wronged ghost

Now, Weikes dared not utter another word, mechanically shaking his head and sitting down obediently. However, he had little inclination to listen to what Hoffman was about to say next; his mind was entirely occupied with matters concerning the rebel group: the capture of Treliskov was undoubtedly a heavy bombshell. He had served under two commanders of the Central Army Group, Bock and Kruger, and particularly, Marshal Bock was his uncle. It was possible that a conspiracy network had already been organized, and it was not unexpected that the Central Army Group would soon initiate a wave of purges against the conspirators. The thought of taking over such a mess as the Central Army Group, coupled with the interference from Himmler and the SS, made his head throb painfully.

With a loud shout from Hoffman, the guards rushed forward and captured the general of infantry who served in the Supreme Command. This individual may not have a prominent reputation, but Hoffman was well aware of his capabilities—he had used his position as the Director of the Army General Staff Office and the Head of the Reserve Armed Forces Bureau of the Supreme Command to place a large number of conspirators in various departments of the Army Headquarters, and had even devised a plan to launch a military coup and occupy Berlin with the support of the reserve army. However, he was quite straightforward; upon realizing the situation was unfavorable, he surrendered without any resistance, not even uttering a word in defense.

The infamous core figure of the rebel organization—General Teleskov, I have heard that you have organized more than 3 assassination plots against me. I didn't expect you to be caught so easily in such a situation, did you?" Hoffman sneered contemptuously. The advantage of a time traveler is indeed significant; normally, these individuals would only be exposed after the 720 incident, but he can now unearth them one by one. "Guard, go outside and carefully check his briefcase, be cautious of bombs.

Through personnel and deployment adjustments, everyone has understood the overall situation. Among the 180 divisions on the Eastern Front (including over 20 Axis allied divisions), the southern wing accounts for the majority, possessing 96 divisions. Within the two army groups, A and B, that make up the southern wing, the B Army Group, where Manstein is located, holds 60% of the forces and even directly commands the 6th Army, which boasts the strongest assault capabilities with a composition of 14 elite German divisions. The gaze of everyone towards Manstein is filled with envy, yet they also believe that this conqueror of Crimea deserves this position.

Cold sweat suddenly broke out on Kruger's forehead. At this moment, he was unarmed, having had even his only sidearm confiscated before entering the conference room. With a mournful expression, his teeth were visibly chattering, and in a trembling voice, he said: "Führer, I... I have always been loyal to you."

Manstein not only took over as the commander of Army Group B but also concurrently served as the commander of the 6th Army. The Greek conqueror and commander of the 19th Mountain Army, General Ferdinand Schörner, unexpectedly became the commander of the 2nd Army—although this was a purely infantry army, it had a structure of up to 9 divisions and 1 brigade. Clearly, he, who was not present, received a good assignment, and according to custom, his rank would also be elevated by one level. Hoffman had a far deeper understanding of Schörner's capabilities and loyalty than most, and this seemingly mundane personnel adjustment marked the beginning of a series of adjustments to the core commanders on the front lines.

After the announcement of several scattered personnel appointments and dismissals, General Cai Zile, the Chief of General Staff, began to explain the strategic guidelines for the next phase on the Eastern Front

With even Weixs falling silent, naturally no one would stand up to speak on behalf of Paulus. Moreover, everyone's thoughts were entirely focused on the conspiracy group, and they did not dare to question the Führer's decision. Consequently, the subsequent personnel appointments were adjusted accordingly.

The meeting continues, General Weixs, do you have any differing opinions regarding your new position

Amidst the curses of Treliskov, the pleas of Kruger, and the silence of Olbricht, the guards swiftly escorted the rebels away, and it was not until the conference room door slammed shut with a "bang" that everyone could finally relax their tense hearts

"The leader... the leader..." Kruger shouted as he rushed over, "I never agreed to participate in their conspiracy"

"So, you admit that you are aware of their conspiracy?" Hoffman said with a cold smile, "Kruger, if you truly dare to join the rebel organization, I would still respect you as a person of significance. However, you are indecisive; you neither dare to report their conspiracy to me nor participate in their schemes. You are nothing but a shameless and worthless wretch! Take him away and lock him up properly, let Himmler interrogate him!"

South Line Strategy? Everyone is puzzled and confused. In addition to the East Line and West Line, now there is also a South Line?

The Commander of the Western Front is Marshal von Rundstedt; the Commander of the Eastern Front is held personally by the Führer; the Commander of the Southern Front is Marshal Kesselring, and General Guderian succeeds Marshal Rommel as the Commander of the African Army Group. At the suggestion of Zeitzler, Guderian stood up to inform everyone about the general situation of the Southern Front strategy

Cäitzler's stance is very clear: the Central Army Group and the Southern Army Group will each allocate one armored division and one motorized infantry division, while the Northern Army Group will contribute one motorized infantry division. The specific unit numbers will be determined by the Supreme Command after the meeting.

The public was not surprised by the reinstatement of Guderian. Given the numerous events that have transpired today, even the most unexpected orders would not raise eyebrows. Many are even relieved that this fellow Guderian is not causing trouble on the Eastern Front.

Upon hearing the Führer's directive to withdraw 2 armored divisions and 3 motorized infantry divisions from the Eastern Front to reinforce the African Corps, everyone, especially the commanders of several army groups, experienced a fit of anxiety akin to a toothache. No one wished for such a situation to befall them. However, it now seems that this decision is unavoidable—after all, the Southern Front possesses oil resources

Everyone looked at each other in confusion, as the development of the situation had exceeded their capacity and imagination, but faced with the muzzle of the MP38, no one dared to move.

"Loyalty? Is this how loyal you are to me?" Hoffman ignored the pitiful Kruger and instead pointed at Kruger's capable assistant, Major General Heining von Treliskov, Chief of Staff of the Central Army Group, and said, "Arrest this traitor."

Are you unwilling to step forward? Then I will call out a name, Friedrich Albrecht

Before anyone could react, three fierce guards rushed forward and seized Tleskov from behind. As he struggled, Major Genshe dealt a heavy blow to his abdomen, causing him to curl up in pain like a shrimp, blood involuntarily trickling from the corner of his mouth as he fixed a gaze of hatred on Hoffman

"Is there anyone among you who is their accomplice? Step forward voluntarily, and you may implicate fewer others." Hoffman’s cold gaze swept across the crowd; no one spoke, no one moved, and certainly, no one dared to meet his eyes. The air seemed to have solidified.

Everyone gasped in shock, not expecting another one to be caught. Marshal Keitel, the Chief of the General Staff of the Supreme Command, turned pale and trembled all over; the Führer had actually apprehended such a high-level rebel right under his nose. He felt as if the sky was about to collapse.

Upon hearing the mention of a bomb, the faces of the other attendees turned pale—who knows how many casualties an explosion would cause in such a confined space! Fortunately, the leader discovered their plot

Cäitzler's capabilities are certainly not to be underestimated. In just one evening, he transformed the strategic intentions briefly outlined by Hoffman the previous evening into a meticulous and reliable military deployment adjustment. He picked up the pointer and began to explain segment by segment on the map: "According to the Führer's instructions, for the next six months, the forces under the command of the Eastern Front will remain at their current levels. Unless in special circumstances, no new army divisions will be formed. However, the personnel, supplies, and technical weaponry lost by the current troops will be replenished according to emergency needs. Overall, in the coming months, we will adopt a strategy of offensive defense, focusing on eliminating the Russian forces rather than capturing strategic points. We hope that through a year of adjustments and reinforcements, we will be able to open up the situation on the Southern Front while gaining overwhelming advantage over Stalin next year."