Part 113, Chapter 1870
Chapter One Thousand Eight Hundred Seventy
12th August 1968
Warsaw, Poland
Just like that, the war, or whatever you wanted to call it, in Poland was over.
No one had any illusions about how it had done nothing to solve the problems that had precipitated it. That was why Tilo’s barge remained under heavy guard once it was moored in the city. There was a lot of grumbling among the ranks about how they had been cheated of a win in the race to take Warsaw. Having blasted their way into Warsaw only to find that the Fallschirmjäger had taken it in a walk. Why wouldn’t they? All eyes would have been on the Marines coming from the north. Tilo might have pointed out the large battle that had taken place south of the city suggested that the Poles themselves had considered Army Group South to be the greater threat. As it was, Group North and Group South had both entered the city at about the same time and learning that it had been the Tabbies who had “won” the race had been mutually dismaying.
The larger effects of this campaign had yet to be seen. It seemed obvious that the solution was to hold plebiscites in Southern Poland. The people of the regions of Galicia and Ruthenia being given the choice of what they wanted in the future. The rub was that it wouldn’t just encompass those two regions. There were substantial Ruthenian minorities in Slovakia and Bohemia as well. There were already calls for the plebiscite to be extended into portions of Northern Slovakia, much to the chagrin of the Slovakian Government who had been early supporters of the Galician Freikorps.
The glow of victory had extended to Governing coalition in Berlin. The timing was good for them because there was an election planned for early next month. It would be long over by the time the inevitable complications of occupying Poland presented themselves. Of course, Tilo figured that the vast majority of the people of the German Empire would go back to ignoring Poland for another couple decades or so when the next crisis presented itself.
Tilo himself was having a good day. He had gotten Nancy and the girls on the phone. It had been nice to talk to them and learn how they were all well. Sabastian was at the Richthofen Estate in Silesia, so he was unavailable. Tilo figured that he was having a fun summer out in the woods with Nikolaus. He hoped that it would be enjoyable because he understood that the Prussian Academy in Wahlstatt would be a bucket of cold water for someone as freewheeling as Sabastian tended to be. Nancy had described the application process and that had been jarring for Tilo. The Academy had taken one look at Tilo’s service record and said that the son of a General with a PLM was automatically granted entry. Tilo was reminded of how he had been opposed to the very notion of intergenerational privilege when he had been younger before conscription and an unplanned trip to the Far East had forever changed his life. How he had despised how those already at the top tended to stay there. Now, he was seeing first-hand how the system benefited people like him, no matter how he had gotten where he was.
Hechingen
There were a few things weighing on Marie Alexandra as she swam to the edge of the deep end of the pool and climbed out.
Going with the other girls to the public swimming pool in Hechingen was something that Marie had thought nothing about when she had done it the year before. Suddenly, it had become a huge issue for her. The thought of being looked at, filled her with dread. Kiki had listened to her and told her that it was an adjustment that all women went through and of all things told her to watch her friend Zella the next time they went into Hechingen if she wanted to learn a few things. She had not understood what that had meant.
Earlier today, Marie had watched as Kiki and Zella had left the dressing rooms in swim attire that was appropriate for the location. Still, it seemed that every single male eye in the place had been drawn to Zella who reveled in the attention. There were stories about Kiki’s dear friend, that she had something of a bad reputation. Marie had mentioned that to Kiki and Kiki had said that she shouldn’t believe everything she heard. Zella had apparently been leading a largely chaste existence for the last few years because she had a bad experience when she was younger. Kiki said that Zella being the sort who men would drool over even if she wore a burlap sack didn’t help matters. Marie was left with the obvious question. What did she mean by bad experience?
Kiki had just looked at Marie and said that everyone has lapses in judgement and that she always needed to be cautious of those in positions of authority who might take advantage of her. That only led to more questions, but Kiki had said that was enough for one day.
Marie’s thoughts were interrupted by someone calling her name. Looking over her shoulder, she saw that it was Fritz, the local boy her age she had danced with the year before.
“How you been?” Fritz asked awkwardly.
“Well enough” Marie replied, only to see that Fritz’s eyes were no longer on her. His face took on an amazed expression as he saw Zella laying on a lounge chair beside the pool.
Marie felt a sudden flash of anger as she shoved Fritz into the pool for being an idiot.
12th August 1968
Warsaw, Poland
Just like that, the war, or whatever you wanted to call it, in Poland was over.
No one had any illusions about how it had done nothing to solve the problems that had precipitated it. That was why Tilo’s barge remained under heavy guard once it was moored in the city. There was a lot of grumbling among the ranks about how they had been cheated of a win in the race to take Warsaw. Having blasted their way into Warsaw only to find that the Fallschirmjäger had taken it in a walk. Why wouldn’t they? All eyes would have been on the Marines coming from the north. Tilo might have pointed out the large battle that had taken place south of the city suggested that the Poles themselves had considered Army Group South to be the greater threat. As it was, Group North and Group South had both entered the city at about the same time and learning that it had been the Tabbies who had “won” the race had been mutually dismaying.
The larger effects of this campaign had yet to be seen. It seemed obvious that the solution was to hold plebiscites in Southern Poland. The people of the regions of Galicia and Ruthenia being given the choice of what they wanted in the future. The rub was that it wouldn’t just encompass those two regions. There were substantial Ruthenian minorities in Slovakia and Bohemia as well. There were already calls for the plebiscite to be extended into portions of Northern Slovakia, much to the chagrin of the Slovakian Government who had been early supporters of the Galician Freikorps.
The glow of victory had extended to Governing coalition in Berlin. The timing was good for them because there was an election planned for early next month. It would be long over by the time the inevitable complications of occupying Poland presented themselves. Of course, Tilo figured that the vast majority of the people of the German Empire would go back to ignoring Poland for another couple decades or so when the next crisis presented itself.
Tilo himself was having a good day. He had gotten Nancy and the girls on the phone. It had been nice to talk to them and learn how they were all well. Sabastian was at the Richthofen Estate in Silesia, so he was unavailable. Tilo figured that he was having a fun summer out in the woods with Nikolaus. He hoped that it would be enjoyable because he understood that the Prussian Academy in Wahlstatt would be a bucket of cold water for someone as freewheeling as Sabastian tended to be. Nancy had described the application process and that had been jarring for Tilo. The Academy had taken one look at Tilo’s service record and said that the son of a General with a PLM was automatically granted entry. Tilo was reminded of how he had been opposed to the very notion of intergenerational privilege when he had been younger before conscription and an unplanned trip to the Far East had forever changed his life. How he had despised how those already at the top tended to stay there. Now, he was seeing first-hand how the system benefited people like him, no matter how he had gotten where he was.
Hechingen
There were a few things weighing on Marie Alexandra as she swam to the edge of the deep end of the pool and climbed out.
Going with the other girls to the public swimming pool in Hechingen was something that Marie had thought nothing about when she had done it the year before. Suddenly, it had become a huge issue for her. The thought of being looked at, filled her with dread. Kiki had listened to her and told her that it was an adjustment that all women went through and of all things told her to watch her friend Zella the next time they went into Hechingen if she wanted to learn a few things. She had not understood what that had meant.
Earlier today, Marie had watched as Kiki and Zella had left the dressing rooms in swim attire that was appropriate for the location. Still, it seemed that every single male eye in the place had been drawn to Zella who reveled in the attention. There were stories about Kiki’s dear friend, that she had something of a bad reputation. Marie had mentioned that to Kiki and Kiki had said that she shouldn’t believe everything she heard. Zella had apparently been leading a largely chaste existence for the last few years because she had a bad experience when she was younger. Kiki said that Zella being the sort who men would drool over even if she wore a burlap sack didn’t help matters. Marie was left with the obvious question. What did she mean by bad experience?
Kiki had just looked at Marie and said that everyone has lapses in judgement and that she always needed to be cautious of those in positions of authority who might take advantage of her. That only led to more questions, but Kiki had said that was enough for one day.
Marie’s thoughts were interrupted by someone calling her name. Looking over her shoulder, she saw that it was Fritz, the local boy her age she had danced with the year before.
“How you been?” Fritz asked awkwardly.
“Well enough” Marie replied, only to see that Fritz’s eyes were no longer on her. His face took on an amazed expression as he saw Zella laying on a lounge chair beside the pool.
Marie felt a sudden flash of anger as she shoved Fritz into the pool for being an idiot.
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