Europe's largest "militaristic" ground may be reactivated.
According to reports, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced that Germany will restart its conscription and expansion plans, aiming to be fully prepared for war by 2029.
His rationale is that the Russian military might not stop its aggression after the war in Ukraine, so the German army must be ready for a potential conflict with Russia.
The German public has reacted positively to this move.
According to surveys, 61% of Germans support the resumption of conscription, hoping that Germany can quickly build up its military strength and achieve national power once again.
If Germany fully develops its military capabilities, within 20 years, the German military could dominate Europe once more.
105 years ago, at the end of World War I, the German military had been thoroughly dismantled by the British, Americans, and French but soon resurged. How did the German military regain its strength in just 20 years?
In 1939, World War II broke out, with the German army bravely challenging the United States, the Soviet Union, and Britain.
However, in 1919, just 20 years prior, the German military was in a state of disrepair.
After World War I, the Allies, led by Britain and France, aimed to prevent Germany from rising again by signing the Treaty of Versailles, which significantly weakened Germany's territory and military power.
France reclaimed Alsace and Lorraine, while other countries such as Denmark, Poland, Belgium, and Lithuania gained portions of German territory.
Germany's overseas colonies were entirely divided between Britain and France.
Beyond territorial losses, Germany was also forced to pay massive war reparations, totaling 226 billion marks, which plunged the German economy into difficulty.
Britain and France hoped to permanently weaken Germany's ability to revive.
Moreover, Britain and France took various measures to diminish Germany's military strength.
The treaty stipulated that the German army could not exceed 100,000 troops, banned the possession of tanks, armored vehicles, and other heavy weapons, and abolished conscription.
The German navy and air force were similarly weakened; submarines were confiscated, naval artillery caliber was restricted, and the air force was completely disbanded.
Faced with such stringent limitations, the revival of the German military seemed far-fetched.
However, the Germans did not give up; instead, they chose a clever path to resurgence.
Starting in 1920, the German army encouraged officers to travel abroad for at least three months each year, ostensibly for leisure but actually for military exchanges and learning in countries like Britain and the United States.
The mechanization of the German army and the concept of blitzkrieg were developed during this period.
In 1923, German officers visited the U.S. to observe their mechanized forces and learn about their equipment and training models.
Similarly, by analyzing French military regulations, they recognized that mechanized units would be the main force in future wars.
In 1929, Germany continued to send officers to the U.S. Air Force to participate in courses and test flights, accumulating significant military knowledge and data that laid the foundation for future development.
On the hardware side, Britain and France prohibited Germany from developing its military industry domestically, so Germany sought cooperation abroad, particularly with the Soviet Union.
Even before World War I ended, German intelligence had contacted Lenin in exile, secretly supporting his overthrow of the Tsarist government.
In 1921, the Soviet Union began secretly assisting Germany in rebuilding its army through fake industrial export projects, helping Germany establish weapon development bases in the Soviet Union.
By 1923, Germany had set up production lines for fighters and artillery in places like Petrograd and Kharkov and established flight and tank schools in Lipetsk and Kama to test new weapons and tactics.
Additionally, German industrial giants set up numerous subsidiaries abroad to cover up weapon development through investments and shares.
For instance, Rheinmetall, a German arms manufacturer, controlled the Swiss Solothurn Group to develop new automatic weapons, while Krupp acquired shares in the Swedish Bofors Group to develop advanced artillery.
Through these methods, the German army appeared to be disarmed on the surface but was secretly restoring and expanding its military capabilities.
In 1933, when Hitler came to power, Germany's military strength far exceeded British and French expectations.
Hitler announced the restoration of conscription, expanded the army to 550,000 troops, and avoided strong international opposition by first proposing a disarmament plan at the Geneva Disarmament Conference, requiring other countries to match Germany.
When this proposal was rejected, he used it as a pretext to expand Germany's military, successfully gaining British acquiescence.
Thus, the German military completely broke free from the constraints of the Treaty of Versailles.
Hitler's actions were widely supported by the German public, and Germany once again embarked on a path of militarism.
Today, the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war has prompted European countries to refocus on military development.
Germany's plan to expand its military is just the tip of the iceberg; countries like France and Poland are also actively revamping their military forces.
If World War III were to break out, the fuse might very well be in Europe.
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