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墨書 Inktalez
November 9, 1923
Munich
The Army Ministry Building
"Are we really going to rush over there?"
Faced with a group of heavily armed soldiers under the protection of armored vehicles, Ernst Röhm nervously asked Hitler. However, the latter remained silent at this time. Despite Hitler's efforts to remain calm, his pale face and slightly trembling hands indicated that his inner turmoil was far from calm. At this moment, he felt some regret and even questioned the meaning of his stubborn resistance. Several hours earlier, under Ludendorff's prestige and Hitler's persuasion, Karl, Lossov, and Saisel succumbed one after another. They agreed to cooperate and act as representatives of the king.
They achieved a superficial unity and all lined up to return to the hall. When the audience enthusiastically cheered from their seats, each of them spoke briefly on the platform, pledged loyalty, and shook hands with each other. Hitler was overjoyed, feeling relieved, and excitedly said:
"I will fulfill the vow I made five years ago at the Military Hospital when I was temporarily blinded: to tirelessly strive until the November Criminals' government that led to Germany's defeat is overthrown, and until a powerful, free, and glorious Germany is established once again on the tragic ruins of today's Germany."
As soon as he finished speaking, the entire venue erupted with chants of "Germany Above All."
The coup had a promising start, and victory seemed within reach. Hitler briefly believed that all of Bavaria was under his control. However, the subsequent developments dealt him a significant blow.
At such a critical moment, the stormtroopers actually allowed Karl and others to leave, their reason being that they needed to go back to organize documents. Rom wanted to stop them, but was rejected by Ludendorff on the grounds of not questioning the character of a soldier.
So, on the evening of November 8, 1923, The government of the state of Bavaria. received news and dispatched a large number of National Defense Forces soldiers to suppress it.
In addition, the Nazi Party's nighttime raids across the city either failed or were aborted for various reasons.
Until the early hours of November 9th, Hitler was dismayed to discover that, apart from the raid on the Munich police station personally led by Rom being successful, they actually did not control any key locations.
Even worse, the war department building they were in had been surrounded by the arriving National Defense Forces soldiers, and in fact, they had nowhere to escape.
Rom suggested surrendering, believing that resisting the National Defense Forces with the strength of the stormtroopers would only result in futile bloodshed, but the desperate Hitler refused. Hitler's character determined that he would not give up until the last moment, just as he chose to commit suicide in despair only when the Soviet Red Army reached the gates of the Congress in 1945.
Hitlel waved the pistol in his hand and shouted, "A true warrior should fight to the last moment."
"You are not a warrior, you are just a corporal," Ludendorff sneered.
"Asshole, if it weren't for your stupidity in letting the Karl gang escape, we wouldn't be in this passive situation. Now we can only make a desperate attempt and head towards the center of Munich. This is our last effort to gain support."
Hitler no longer cared about respecting the elderly and loving the young. At this point, he couldn't even bother to disguise his image. The rudeness of the Austrian sergeant was revealed.
Ludendorff knew he was in the wrong, so he didn't argue anymore, just muttered quietly:
"Karl those bastards betrayed the honor of the soldiers, while I Ludendorff will not betray today, will not betray tomorrow, and will never betray."
Later, before the sun had risen, 3000 supporters of the Nazi Party marched mightily towards the city center, easily breaking through the first line of defense composed of Munich police. Then, near The Army Ministry Building, thousands of Nazi Party members and hundreds of National Defense Forces soldiers met.
At this time, the National Defense Forces, despite undergoing major downsizing, still retained heavy firepower and armor vehicles. Their weapons and training level were not something that the stormtroopers composed of thugs and veterans on the opposite side could compare with.
Although Hitler had just gained a little confidence from the small victory of breaking through the first police line, he couldn't help but feel nervous in the face of the dark gun barrels. The road ahead of them had been cleared, and the empty streets only had a freshly painted red dividing line, behind which were machine gun positions set up by the National Defense Forces. A National Defense Forces officer shouted loudly from an armor vehicle using a megaphone: "Drop your weapons, surrender immediately, anyone crossing this red line will be shot!"
Soon after, the National Defense Forces soldiers immediately loaded their weapons, ready to pull the trigger and kill the thousands of people in front of them. Rom swallowed hard and asked Hitler, "Do we really have to charge forward?"
At this point, the latter remained silent. Despite Hitler's efforts to remain calm, his pale face and slightly trembling hands indicated that his inner turmoil was undeniable. Without a doubt, he was also struggling internally.
Despite entertaining the thought of retreat, Hitler had reached a point of no return. Whether he retreated or not and ended up in prison was a foregone conclusion. With determination, Hitler shouted, "All the brave warriors of the Nazi Party, follow me in the charge for the victory of the revolution!"
Soon after, Hitler grabbed the arm of his comrade and led the way forward in a row, with countless stormtroopers following in rows, charging towards the National Defense Forces line. Facing the overwhelming Brown-shirt troops, the soldiers of the National Defense Forces remained calm. They were all veterans of World War I, and among the best of the best, having seen all kinds of battles. With a command from the leading officer, various weapons unleashed their fury, quickly scattering a large number of stormtroopers. Faced with such fierce firepower, the disorganized group soon dispersed, and the formation was immediately broken up by the crowd.
At the moment when the gunfire broke out, Hitler's mind went blank, and he almost lost his ability to think. He was just being pulled around like a puppet by the members of the Nazi Party on his left and right. It wasn't until the Nazi Party member, Borschna Rie, who was holding Hitler's left arm, was hit in the thigh by a bullet and fell to the ground, dislocating Hitler's left arm in the process, that Hitler felt a sharp pain.
"I've been shot! I've been shot!"
Realizing what had happened, Hitler immediately jumped up from the ground, leaving behind his dead and injured comrades lying in the street.
He boarded a nearby car and immediately drove to Ernst Hanfstaengl's countryside villa in Niufin, where he received care from Puck's wife and sister. It was there that he was arrested two days later. Meanwhile, the leaderless Nazi Party quickly surrendered under the armed threat of the National Defense Forces, surrendering so swiftly that in less than an hour, the National Defense Forces had control over all the rioters. A soldier from the National Defense Forces who participated in the operation later disdainfully remarked that the action he took part in hardly qualified as suppressing a riot, as it only took thirty minutes to capture three thousand "pigs."
Of course, the qualities displayed by the Nazi Party during this operation were not all cowardly and foolish. Standing at the front of the parade was Ludendorff, who was very brave.
Perhaps his sense of military honor did not allow him to retreat; he boldly crossed the line of fire, advancing through the scattered crowd and the hail of bullets, and miraculously made it past the red line to stand before the soldiers of the National Defense Forces. Whether it was sheer luck or intentional, not a single bullet hit him.
By the time the gunfire ceased, there was no one left standing on the street except for Ludendorff; those remaining were either lying on the ground moaning or had gone to meet their maker.
Ludendorff leisurely took out a cigar from the pocket of his coat, then searched for matches, but unfortunately couldn't find any for a while. It was probably lost in the chaos just now, which made him somewhat annoyed. At this moment, the officer who had just been commanding the National Defense Forces saluted Ludendorff and personally lit his cigar. This was not out of respect for his name, but out of respect for his courage. The National Defense Forces officer then stood at attention and said to Ludendorff, "Sorry, General, you have to come with us."
"Of course, Sergeant." Ludendorff leisurely took a puff of his cigar; no one could resist a Switzerland cigar after a thrilling battle. "But can you wait until I finish this smoke?"
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