Ebert looked stunned, as though after so many internal crises this external threat might be enough to finally shatter him. He was not a revolutionary. ‘I hate it like sin.’ He had said. Yet by a cruel twist of fate he’d found himself forced to bring the monarchy to an end and help establish the republic. He had never sought power, it had been forced on him and he had reluctantly accepted it to prevent his country from slipping into the abyss. Now, again, he was being forced to determine his country’s fate.
Ebert was given a moment to compose himself and gather his thoughts as Stresemann spoke. “Generaloberst are you aware of what you are asking? There is no possible way we could disguise such a thing. It would be a blatant violation of one of the key clauses of the Versailles Treaty. The Entente would never tolerate it.” Stresemann was well aware that certain aspects were already being violated. For example Germany was no longer permitted to have a General Staff. It still existed; it was being called the Truppenamt (Troop Office). However they could only get away with violations that could be hidden.
“Nevertheless, on behalf of the Army I must insist.” Von Seeckt said rigidly.
“And how exactly would we justify this to the Allies?” Stresemann asked.
“That is not my concern,” Von Seeckt replied. “Diplomacy is a matter for the government. My responsibility is solely the defense of the nation. I expect the government to do whatever is necessary to preserve the state.”
And the Army, Ebert thought bitterly. The words and the attitude reminded him of November 1918. Back then Ebert had had no idea just how serious the situation on the Western Front was. Though he had been Chancellor the military had managed to keep the truth hidden from him and from the rest of the Kaiser’s government. He had believed the propaganda that they were winning the war. When general Groener had called him with the Army’s demand for an armistice it had come as a shock.
The Army had been defeated.
The Army had called for an end to the fighting.
The Army had insisted it could not continue the war and that the treaty be signed.
Yet somehow they had managed to avoid all responsibility. They were once again coming to him with demands and expecting him to satisfy them and take all the risk. If this provoked an Allied invasion and brought about the end of Germany everyone would point to him. The generals would not take any of the blame. Just like in November they would walk away with clean hands.
That needs to change. Ebert thought. He had originally agreed that the Army should be allowed to maintain all of its traditions without any interference. Since then though he’d watched the generals remain silent about the situation at the end of the war. As he and the other Socialists were being branded traitors not one general had stepped forward to admit the Army had been beaten in the field. Despite the loyalty he had already shown, von Seeckt and the generals had stood by and done nothing during the Kapp Putsch. Now he was being pushed to violate the Versailles Treaty for the benefit of those same generals. He had no illusions as to who would receive the blame if things went badly.
There needs to be change. He thought once more. The idea did not make him happy. Just as with the November revolution he did not want such deep fundamental change. Yet, just as with the founding of the republic he believed now that it was necessary. The Army felt itself to be above the state and not a servant of it. If this attitude remained then the republic could not survive in the long term.
“Is the situation really so bad?” Stresemann asked as Ebert was still in thought.
“With the fall of Poland the enemy will literally be at our border.” Von Seeckt coolly began to outline the situation. “East Prussia is already cut off and will have to be abandoned. In the case of invasion we shall have to fall back to the Oder.”
The three faces looking at him were completely stunned. What the commander of the Reichswehr was calmly suggesting was that they abandon a quarter of their country! For all the great battles on the Western Front the Allies had never placed a single foot on German soil. In the east the Russian army had only managed it at the very start of the war before being permanently expelled. What von Seeckt described would be a disaster not seen since the days of Napoleon.
“The Bolsheviks can’t be that strong!” Noske said.
“My staff estimates Russian strength in Poland to stand at about seven hundred thousand.” Von Seeckt said with a lecturing tone. If he felt fear at such a number he did not show it. “What additional reserves the enemy has are unknown. We estimate they have about one hundred airplanes of various models. As we currently have no planes at all this will give them another major advantage. Given the Reichswehr is limited to one hundred thousand men without tanks, without heavy artillery, deficient in light artillery and in machine guns I cannot even guarantee you that we will be able to hold on the Oder.”
The generaloberst stopped to allow the information to penetrate. He wanted these men well and truly scared of the impending red menace. While everything he had just told them was true he had very carefully chosen to omit a few details.
The Russian industrial base was in even worse shape now than it had been when the Czar’s armies collapsed. The Russians had virtually no motorized transport and outside of their cavalry brigades were slow moving and lethargic. They were lacking in artillery and machine guns and had no tanks whatsoever. Their greatest weakness was their lack of logistics. From all reports the Russians were having trouble just keeping so many men fed, they had to swarm through whatever countryside they occupied like locust just to survive. The Russians were chronically short of ammunition; not only for their artillery but for their small arms as well. They’d been forced to rely on bayonet charges in most of their battles with the Poles. As in previous centuries the best weapon the Russians had was their nearly countless number of peasant soldiers.
The Russians had won as much because of Polish weakness as because of any inherent strength. Von Seeckt felt certain that if properly equipped and led the Reichswehr would easily crush this eastern rabble. That was not the impression he wanted to give though.
This was an opportunity to restore the Heer to its former glory. He wanted to maneuver these men into helping him build the army back into what it once was. For that he needed to play on their fears and make the danger as great as possible.
The threat was real; he was only disguising the extent of it. East Prussia really would have to be sacrificed and a retreat to the Oder was possible though he did not deem it likely. All sacrifices would be worthwhile however if the end result was a fully restored Army and nation.
“What of the Freikorps?” Noske asked. “They can help.”
“They are nothing but a militia,” von Seeckt said dismissively. “Good enough for putting down uprisings but not for an actual campaign. We will do well to integrate them into the Reichswehr.”
They were also good enough to occupy Berlin and now you want them as part of the regular army. Ebert thought. The members of the various Freikorps were extremely hostile to the current government. Men who would be eager to stage a coup if told to do so by their commander.
“Generaloberst, what will you do if this provokes an Allied invasion from the west?” Stresemann asked.
“We will form a defensive front on the Rhine and resist their advance as best we can.”
Von Seeckt added nothing more.
The implication was obvious, if the Allies actually invaded Germany would lose.
“I trust you understand that should we proclaim a conscript army we will likely provoke a French invasion while the British will reconstitute their blockade.” Stresemann pointed out.
“Gentlemen we have a hungry bear in front of us and wolves behind us.” Von Seeckt said. “If we move the wolves may attack. If we do not move however the bear will certainly devour us.”
Von Seeckt reached into his coat and produced what he felt was his trump card. He placed a plain envelope on the desk before President Ebert.
“If you refuse my request then you may have my resignation. You will alone be responsible for whatever may come.” Von Seeckt said.
Ebert’s eyes widened as he looked at the envelope. He was sure this was just a maneuver meant to put added pressure on him, but without even realizing it von Seeckt had just given the President an unimaginable gift.
Quickly picking up the envelope Ebert spoke for the first time. “I accept your resignation general, you are dismissed.”
