Chapter 5: Change

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The Führer stood at the Reichstag and gave a speech for the German people but as usual, it was broadcast to the world.

"I am from now on just the first soldier of the German Reich. I have once more put on that coat that was most sacred and dear to me. I will not take it off again until victory is secured, or I will not survive the outcome.


Germany has no further claims against France. I have always expressed to France my desire to bury forever our ancient enmity and bring together these two nations, both of which have such glorious pasts.


I have devoted no less effort to the achievement of Anglo-German understanding, no, more than that, of an Anglo-German friendship. At no time and in no place have I ever acted contrary to British interests.


Why should this war in the West be fought? For the restoration of Poland? The Poland of the Versailles Treaty will never rise again.


Let us work together to find a solution to the Jewish problem in Europe. And let those who consider war to be the better solution reject my outstretched hand; although beware, there will never be another November 1918 in German history."


Ivy knew her beloved Führer was being tried and tested. He had offered peace to France and Britain, and it was clear that if they denied his outstretched hand, they all but desired war. And though the war was already official, the Führer still wanted to come to an understanding before any bloodshed occurred.


There was a knock on the door. Although Ivy had told her many times not to, Heidi ran to the door and opened it, without so much as asking who it was. "Uli!" she heard her exclaim. Uli, her stomach flipped.


She walked to the door and there he was, hugging his sisters with so much joy. He let go of the twins and held Ivy in his arms.


"How are you?" he smiled.

"Much better now. Are you well?" she stood back, examining him.

"Yes, but I'm really tired."

"Of course you are, my dear boy," Simone embraced him in a hug that surprised Ivy. She had no idea her mother had worried about him so much.

"Have some lunch and then you can sleep the day away," Simone said.


They walked to the kitchen. "Uli, are you going to fight in the war? Are you going to kill the French and British?" Trudi asked eagerly.

Uli looked at her astonished. "Where did you learn that?"

"Everyone is saying it. The radio man says the British and French want war, they want to fight us, despite our Führer's attempts at peace," Heidi told him.

"Yes, well, hopefully there won't be any fighting," he shook his head.


~


October rolled in with strong winds and cloudy skies. Peter knocked on the dark oak door. "Come in."

"Heil Hitler," Peter saluted the men inside the large meeting room.

"Good news, General Köhler. The Führer has agreed to postpone the attack," General Halder said.

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