Chapter Sixty-Two: The Art of Employing People

Among the three, only Crown Prince William had served in the army, so his words carried the most weight.

Over the course of more than an hour, William meticulously explained the flaws in the strategic plan devised by Little Moltke and offered suggestions for revision. Since Feng Chengqian had neither served in the Imperial Army nor managed its affairs, the Kaiser did not suspect that he was the one who had discerned these issues; instead, he believed they were identified by the Crown Prince himself.

Evidently, the Kaiser harbored doubts about Little Moltke’s plan as well.

Let us not forget: before ascending the throne as Emperor, Frederick III was the corps commander of both the Kingdom of Prussia and the German Empire, possessing extensive experience in warfare.

When William had finished speaking, dinner was also concluded.

The three did not depart, but followed the Kaiser into his study.

“These issues you brought up are indeed serious, and I have discussed them with Little Moltke,” the Kaiser said, accepting the wine glass handed to him by the Crown Prince, his expression grave. “Last year, I instructed him to revise the plan, but he insists there is nothing wrong with it.”

Feng Chengqian sighed inwardly; it seemed Little Moltke was extremely stubborn.

According to the Imperial military system, even though the Kaiser was the supreme commander of the armed forces, he had no authority to interfere with the General Staff—only the General Staff could draft war plans. In other words, the Chief of the General Staff possessed considerable independence and was not bound by the Kaiser’s directives in operational matters.

This policy, established during the era of Old Moltke, had helped unify all of Northern Germany under the Empire.

Now, however, it was having negative repercussions—Little Moltke’s stubbornness meant he would not accept any advice or suggestions, persisting in his flawed views.

Of course, it was not impossible to change this, but it was a matter of great consequence.

Put simply, if the Kaiser could not persuade Little Moltke to alter the war plan, the only recourse would be to remove him and appoint a new Chief of the General Staff.

The question was: who in the German Army could replace Little Moltke?

As far as the Kaiser was concerned, there was currently no one capable of taking his place. Although Feng Chengqian believed otherwise—he knew at least one person who could—but since the Kaiser had not considered dismissing Little Moltke, Feng Chengqian felt it inappropriate to bring it up directly.

After a long silence, the Kaiser finally spoke. “If war breaks out within the next two years, we do not have much time left. I will do my best to persuade Little Moltke to revise the plan. If he refuses, I will consider other solutions.”

Feng Chengqian’s brow twitched; he caught the implication in the Kaiser’s words.

“The key is, if we wait until then to find a solution, it may already be too late,” the Crown Prince said hesitantly, for it was a serious taboo for him to meddle in state affairs.

“You mean…”

“Regardless of whether Marshal Little Moltke accepts our advice, we must be prepared on two fronts: first, to immediately organize personnel to draft a new war plan; second, to identify suitable candidates for Chief of the General Staff.” The Crown Prince glanced at the Kaiser. “Only then can we resolve the current predicament.”

The Kaiser nodded thoughtfully, “The problem is, the General Staff…”

“We can assign officers outside the General Staff.”

“But…”

“Did not Count Feng Chengqian once conduct a war game with Old Moltke?”

The Kaiser was startled and turned to look at Feng Chengqian. That war game had been personally hosted and judged by the Kaiser himself.

“Your Majesty, at present…”

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“Your rank is not important; what matters is what you can do,” the Kaiser said with a smile. “If William had not mentioned it, I would have forgotten. So many years have passed, and those talented young officers of the past have all gained valuable experience. If we organize them, they will surely accomplish great things.”

Feng Chengqian managed a faint smile; he had not prompted the Crown Prince to bring up the matter.

“Since William has raised this issue, the task will fall to you,” the Kaiser said, giving the Crown Prince a glance. “For personnel matters, you may consult Count Feng Chengqian. As for the organization, it will be temporarily placed under the Naval Command until I have discussed things further with Little Moltke.”

The Crown Prince readily agreed; this was precisely the outcome he desired.

“As for finding a new Chief of the General Staff, there is no need to consider it for now.” The Kaiser sighed. “Marshal Little Moltke commands great respect in the army. Removing him without sufficient cause would surely stir up trouble. Besides, there is no one at present fit to succeed him.”

Feng Chengqian hesitated but decided to remain silent.

Clearly, what the Kaiser valued was not Little Moltke’s ability, but his influence within the army—he was Old Moltke’s nephew. In the German Army, Old Moltke’s standing was unrivaled; most of today’s senior officers had served under him and were supporters of Little Moltke. Even if the Kaiser had ample reason, he could not simply remove Little Moltke.

The problem was, unless Little Moltke was dismissed, all other efforts would be futile.

To put it simply: even if the Crown Prince produced a superior war plan, the General Staff would shelve it and never adopt it. Only by removing Little Moltke from his post would the situation change.

Feng Chengqian kept silent; Tirpitz, given his position as Naval Commander, could hardly comment on army affairs.

As for the Crown Prince, having achieved his aim, he was no longer as eager as before and did not wish to risk discord with his father.

When the three left the palace, it was already midnight.

William did not return to the Crown Prince’s residence, but accompanied Feng Chengqian and Tirpitz to the Naval Command.

“Count, why didn’t you bring it up earlier?”

“Bring up what?”

“The candidate to replace Little Moltke.”

Feng Chengqian smiled at the Crown Prince. “Even if I had, would His Majesty have listened?”

“Well…”

“Don’t worry, His Majesty is dissatisfied with Little Moltke as well, but for now lacks grounds to remove him. Once the time is right, he will act.”

“The problem is, by then it may all be too late.”

“That’s why you must focus on your own responsibilities.”

“What do you mean, Count?” In formal occasions, the Crown Prince addressed Feng Chengqian as Duke; only in private did he use the title of Count of Brandenburg.

“Besides the candidate for Chief of the General Staff, a comprehensive war plan is equally vital.”

“So, Count, do you have any recommendations?”

“There are several, but the Crown Prince need only trust two.”

“Who?”

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“Brigadier General Ludendorff and Major Hoffmann.”

The Crown Prince furrowed his brow, seemingly puzzled.

At this time, Ludendorff was already somewhat renowned. During Schlieffen’s tenure as Chief of the General Staff, Ludendorff held a senior position and was a favorite among Schlieffen’s staff. However, after Little Moltke became Chief, Ludendorff seemed less welcome, left the General Staff, and became a brigade commander. Ludendorff’s departure was closely tied to Little Moltke’s drastic revisions of Schlieffen’s war plan. Ludendorff could be considered Schlieffen’s loyal follower.

Major Hoffmann, however, was not as well known.

During the Russo-Japanese War, Hoffmann served as a military observer in the Far East, traveling to Manchuria and developing a deep understanding of Japanese and Russian tactics. After returning to the Empire, Hoffmann spent two years with the General Staff, but, apparently underappreciated, later moved to East Prussia. As a result, Hoffmann’s reputation within the army was modest; few knew this young major.

Yet Hoffmann’s talent was not to be underestimated.

In East Prussia, Hoffmann accomplished two significant things. First, he refined the army’s defensive tactics, especially emphasizing advanced weaponry—machine guns, rapid-fire cannons, mortars—which had proven their effectiveness during the Russo-Japanese War. Second, he advocated that trench warfare would play a decisive role in future conflicts, potentially shaping the entire course of war.

Clearly, through the Russo-Japanese War, Hoffmann had glimpsed the nature of future warfare.

“Of course, you must treat these two differently.”

“How so?”

“Ludendorff has the potential for command; if managed properly, he will become a leader of the German Army—his achievements will rival those of Old Moltke.” Feng Chengqian smiled. “The late Emperor unified the realm with Old Moltke; if the Crown Prince secures such a commander, his own achievements will surely match those of his father.”

Upon hearing this, the Crown Prince’s eyes lit up.

“As for Hoffmann, though he possesses some command ability, he is better suited for strategy and planning—his ideal role is as a senior staff officer.”

“A staff officer?”

“A commander is not omnipotent; without support from his staff, he can accomplish nothing, is that not so?”

“So what do you mean, Count?”

“Ludendorff and Hoffmann are the perfect pair. If you can get them to collaborate, it won’t be long before you are pleasantly surprised.”

“If the Count holds them in such high regard, I am sure they are the right choice.”

Feng Chengqian smiled. “Crown Prince, your task is not to personally oversee everything, but to properly employ the talent at your disposal, putting them in the right positions to maximize their abilities. Just as the late Emperor did, governing with a light touch yet forging an empire.”

“Wise words, Count.” The Crown Prince nodded repeatedly in agreement.

Feng Chengqian said no more, knowing that too many words invite missteps. Besides, the Crown Prince was astute and quick to grasp the essentials—there was no need to belabor the point.

Upon arriving at the Imperial Naval Command, they discussed further details, after which the Crown Prince took his leave.

Feng Chengqian did not return to the Count’s residence; his main role now was as a junior staff officer in the Imperial Navy, and most nights he stayed at Naval Command.

Tirpitz did not go home either; he was even more dedicated to his work than Feng Chengqian.