"Haino, thank you for the significant contribution you've made to our party today! I truly appreciate it! However... I think you should know that our party is still growing, and expenses are high on all fronts! So, I hope you can continue fundraising for our party in the Americas. If needed, I can give you a title as an external liaison officer and assign one or two assistants to you!"
In his spacious and bright new office, Adolf Hitler spoke in a relatively mild tone, which those familiar with him knew was either reserved for someone he held high expectations for or a sign of disappointment.
"Dear Leader, thank you very much for your kindness, but I believe that you and the National Socialist Party currently need manpower more than anything else! As for titles, they are merely tokens in the face of the great cause of Germany's revival, wouldn't you agree?"
Titles were just superficial, and Haino knew that the mustache was simply trying to win him over. In his mind, he was probably seen more as an important source of funds for them than a loyal comrade in arms. To change that perception, the upcoming historical events would provide Haino with an excellent opportunity.
"Actually, many German immigrants in the Americas still consider Germany their homeland. They are willing to make a contribution to their motherland! All I need to do each time is to tell them that Germany needs their help, that their compatriots need their help, and that a party that is saving Germany needs their support! Every time I fundraise, I intentionally arrange for a few people to pretend to donate enthusiastically, and then others follow suit. Although each person may not donate much, collectively, it amounts to a decent sum!"
For Hitler, this explanation from Haino was clearly disappointing—it suggested that the donations from German immigrants in America were not due to their interest in his National Socialist Party or its ideology but rather out of love for Germany. However, after some thought, he regained his enthusiasm.
"Haino, you're a very clever guy! I struggle to raise funds from people, and your method is much more ingenious than mine! Well, it's such a loss that someone like you hasn't joined our party!"
Haino smiled faintly, "Dear Leader, you flatter me! I lack your eloquence and innate political sense, so I have to resort to such inglorious methods! But rest assured, I will spare no effort to raise overseas donations for your party in the future, only for you and your party!"
Hearing Haino's emphatic last words, Hitler was pleased. "Haino, I knew I could trust you! You are the most loyal partner of the party!"
Both Hitler and Haino didn't really take such praise to heart. As usual, Hitler asked Haino when he would be returning to America.
"Our cargo ship is undergoing major repairs in Bremen, and it will probably take two months before it can leave the dock! This time, the shipowner, Mr. von Glücks, is personally supervising the work, so I can enjoy at least a month and a half of vacation!" Haino recited the prepared script.
"I was originally planning to go back to my estate in Oberschleben for a while, but I've sensed a fighting spirit here in Munich that I haven't felt in years! I, Haino von Finkenstein, am born to fight for my country, so how could I rest at home alone at such a moment? If the esteemed Leader doesn't mind, I would like to join this revolution as an ordinary soldier!"
"Haha, Haino, I haven't misjudged you! Whenever the country calls, you will step onto the battlefield without hesitation!"
After Hitler laughed, he paced back and forth with his hands behind his back beside his desk.
"Haino, I'll be frank with you. We've secured the support of General Ludendorff. His prestige in the army is enough to ensure that our revolution receives the support of the military! Also, the Governor of Bavaria, Gustav von Kahr, the commander of the Bavarian Defense Force, General Lossow, and the police chief, Colonel Seisser, are actually on our side! So, we have a great chance of success in this revolution!"
Haino immediately realized that Hitler was making the same mistake in history—overestimating the role of Ludendorff, a retired general, while being overly optimistic about the attitudes of the "Three Titans" of Bavaria and the current situation. If things didn't go awry, this so-called revolution was likely to end in failure, and Haino's goal was to continue supporting and assisting him even after the coup failed, truly bringing himself closer to Hitler through adversity. However, this was not without risks. Nobody knew if things would unfold as they did in history. Maybe because of his influence, the Beer Hall Putsch would have a different outcome—perhaps a bullet from the police would hit Adolf's chest?
Everything was full of uncertainties, but for now, Haino had to take a gamble.
"All of this is the foundation for the success of the revolution, Haino. I just mentioned it, and you must not reveal it to outsiders!" Hitler seemed to intentionally show his trust in Haino, thinking for a moment, "Since you've decided to stay and help us, I appoint you to organize a naval assault team. This team does not belong to any organization and only takes orders from me personally, just like my Adolf Hitler Assault Squad. What do you think?"
This outcome was much better than what Haino had anticipated—much better than being an office assistant or a foot soldier in the Stormtroopers. Although this military power was only relative and could be withdrawn by Hitler at any time, it was still better than nothing.
Haino straightened up, "I am willing to serve the esteemed Leader!"
At the same time, Adolf displayed an overflowing sense of unexpected joy, praising Haino for his patriotism and dedication to the national cause. But in his heart, perhaps he was already plotting how to gradually draw this young man, who could continuously bring him and the party funds, into his schemes and eventually make him completely devoted to his cause.
For both Hitler and Haino, however, such praise didn't hold much weight. As usual, Hitler asked when Haino would return to America.
"Our cargo ship is undergoing major repairs in Bremen, and it will probably take two months before it can leave the dock! This time, the shipowner, Mr. von Glücks, is personally supervising the work, so I can enjoy at least a month and a half of vacation!" Haino recited the prepared script.
"I was originally planning to go back to my estate in Oberschleben for a while, but I've sensed a fighting spirit here in Munich that I haven't felt in years! I, Haino von Finkenstein, am born to fight for my country, so how could I rest at home alone at such a moment? If the esteemed Leader doesn't mind, I would like to join this revolution as an ordinary soldier!"
"Haha, Haino, I haven't misjudged you! Whenever the country calls, you will step onto the battlefield without hesitation!"
After Hitler laughed, he paced back and forth with his hands behind his back beside his desk.
"Haino, I'll be frank with you. We've secured the support of General Ludendorff. His prestige in the army is enough to ensure that our revolution receives the support of the military! Also, the Governor of Bavaria, Gustav von Kahr, the Commander of the Bavarian Defense Forces, General von Lossow, and the Police Chief, Colonel von Seisser, are actually on our side! So, our revolution has a great chance of success! "
Haino immediately realized that Hitler was making the same mistake in history—overestimating the role of Ludendorff, a retired general, and being overly optimistic about the attitudes of the "Three Titans" of Bavaria and the current situation. If things went as expected, this so-called revolution would still end in failure, and Haino's goal was to continue supporting and assisting Hitler after the coup failed, truly bringing himself closer to Hitler through adversity. However, this was not without risks, as no one knew if things would develop differently from history. Perhaps because of his influence, the Munich Beer Hall Putsch would have a different outcome—bullets fired by the police might hit Adolf's chest.
All of this was full of uncertainties, but Haino had no choice but to take a gamble now.
"All of this is fundamental to the success of the revolution, Haino. What I just said must not be disclosed to anyone else!" The Little Moustache seemed to intentionally show his trust in Haino. He thought for a moment, "Since you have decided to stay and help us, I hereby authorize you to organize a naval assault team. This assault team does not belong to any organization but directly reports to me, just like my Adolf Hitler Assault Division. What do you think?"
This outcome was much better than what Haino had speculated, being an office assistant or a Stormtrooper. Although this military authority was relative and could be taken back by the Little Moustache at any time, it was still better than having nothing.
Haino straightened up, "I am honored to serve the respected Führer!"
Meanwhile, Adolf displayed an overflowing surprise, repeatedly praising Haino's patriotism and his dedication to the national cause. However, in his heart, perhaps he was calculating how to gradually integrate this young man who could continuously bring funds to him and the party into his own plans, ultimately serving him completely and utterly.
Haino was constantly on guard against this.
Two days later, on Hitler's orders, Goering selected 39 personnel from several units of the Stormtroopers who had previously served in the navy. Although the number was not large, their distinct seafaring qualities made Haino feel a sense of familiarity.
However, during the personnel and equipment handover, Goering behaved unfriendly. Not only was he arrogant, but he also assigned Mauser 1888 rifles to the unit. The German Army had replaced all Mauser 1898 rifles long before World War I; where did he find these outdated weapons?
Was the rivalry between the Air Force and the Navy starting now? Haino had considered this question more than once, but he was sure that he wouldn't let Hermann Goering become the arrogant person in history who claimed, "Everything that flies in Germany belongs to me," nor would he allow him to hinder the development and independence of naval aviation.
To achieve this goal, there were many options—eliminate him before the National Socialist Party came to power, become someone with a higher status than him, or become his close friend. Now it seemed that the first option was the easiest.
After the personnel and equipment allocation, Goering hastily exchanged a few words with Haino and then left. Haino had met him once before when he came to Munich, attempting to build a good relationship with him, but he seemed jealous of Haino's close relationship with the Little Moustache and maintained a formal attitude during their conversation, never truly engaging.
Although the equipment was not satisfactory, each of these former navy personnel was spirited and high-spirited, honed by the life at sea. After becoming the captain of this naval assault team, Haino's first task was to familiarize himself with and understand them, especially their ranks and positions during their navy days.
At thirty years old, Helmut was the only lieutenant here, more precisely, a lieutenant officer in the Imperial German Navy, who had served as an engineer officer on the famous battleship Kaiser during World War I and participated in the 1919 Rainbow Operation before being repatriated to Germany. He was tall and muscular, with hair as golden as silk and high cheekbones, giving him a resolute feeling. Haino immediately appointed him as the deputy team leader of the assault team, and the appointments of the various squads were based on their ranks and positions in the navy—Haino hoped to awaken their sense of honor and belonging in this way, which undoubtedly proved to be very successful in the subsequent actions.
Next were seven non-commissioned officers, some of whom had served in the main fleet, while others had served in reconnaissance squadrons or on destroyers and torpedo boats in different capacities. The only one from the submarine force was named Eberhard, who had spent a few years on U-39, commanded by the famous ace of the Imperial German Navy, Walter Forstmann, who had sunk 146 ships during World War I, with a total tonnage of 384,300 tons, ranking only behind the legendary hero, Lothar von Richthofen.
With their common experience in U-boats, Haino was particularly enthusiastic when chatting with Eberhard, and Eberhard promised to contact his former boss Walter Forstmann as much as possible. This submarine ace was energetic; he published a personal memoir, "Hunting in the Mediterranean," and even obtained a law license in 1921!
After the lieutenant and the seven non-commissioned officers, there were thirty-one ordinary sailors, whose experiences were relatively simple. Some had served as gunners, communicators, or stokers on warships, while others had served in coastal defense units. Two of them had also served in the submarine force, and they were the focus of Haino's attention in the next stage.
After getting to know each other, Zhang Haino organized them into three combat teams and one support team, with each combat team consisting of 11 members and the support team of 6. There was nothing to complain about regarding the weapons; 22 Mauser 1888 rifles, at least enough to fire, were distributed to each combat team with 6 rifles and 4 to the support team. Those without rifles could only temporarily use sticks as weapons — a common problem in today's assault teams is still a lack of weapons.
On the afternoon the naval assault team was formed, the logistics officer of the assault team, Hans Lomest, personally delivered a large wooden crate, claiming it contained ammunition allocated for their training and combat needs. If the crate was only for bullets, it was unnecessarily large. Zhang Haino opened it and found not only rifle bullets but also neatly arranged 17 Mauser 1898 rifles. The Mauser 1898 alone didn't surprise Zhang Haino, but the number 17 precisely matched the shortfall in their assault team's firearms, immediately confirming one of his suspicions — that Görlin not only intended to make things difficult but was likely boasting among peers to assert dominance over this "newcomer" to prove himself in front of the leader.
After some consideration, Zhang Haino instructed the team to take the ammunition from the crate, while the rifles were returned intact to Hans Lomest. He didn't want his dear friend to incur Görlin's resentment, and more importantly, he feared it would expose their relationship.
This didn't mean Zhang Haino would show weakness to Görlin. Early the next morning, he sent a telegram from the Munich Telegraph Office to Otto, who remained in Bremen, instructing him to purchase some pistols from Colonel there, whether Luger 08s, Mauser police pistols, or those popular Mauser bolt-action shotguns in China. He urged Otto to deliver them to Munich as soon as possible while ensuring safety.
Like most members of the assault team, Zhang Haino's naval assault team members had their own daytime jobs and typically only assembled after work or for important operations. Over the next week, he rented a nearby school gymnasium at his own expense and had his team members come here for training every day after work, with dinner provided by him. The training content was not extensive, focusing mainly on combat practice and formation drills — naval personnel were less trained in these aspects due to the nature of naval combat operations.
Transporting firearms was not like ordinary goods, so Otto did not personally escort the goods to Munich; instead, the Colonel used his secret channels to bring the weapons to Munich. Two weeks later, 20 Mauser pistols, 7 Luger 08s, 4 Mauser 1914 police pistols, and a batch of ammunition arrived. With these guys, Zhang Haino's naval assault team's combat effectiveness greatly increased.
Afterward, instead of concealing these weapons, he took a page from Görlin's book: he personally went to Hitler and explained how he had obtained a batch of pistols through a friend in Bremen, and now his naval assault team was fully capable of various tasks, including guarding the Führer and the party headquarters.
At first, the little mustache was somewhat surprised, but he eagerly asked Zhang Haino about the price of these weapons. Upon learning that these pistols were obtained through personal connections, he immediately praised his partner who had long provided overseas assistance to the National Socialist Party. Finally, he also asked Zhang Haino to find a way for his friend to obtain more weapons, but he didn't mention the price of these weapons.
Zhang Haino enthusiastically promised to handle this matter as soon as possible, but if the quantity of firearms was large, his friend would need more time to gather them. If necessary, he could even use his Fink Estate as collateral.
Upon hearing Zhang Haino's assurance, the little mustache was very pleased. He didn't realize that if he delayed for another month, he would end up in prison, and the National Socialist Party would be forced underground. At that time, there would be no time to pursue these weapons.
The next day, Zhang Haino received a direct order from Hitler: to bring his naval assault team to participate in a mass rally, with the sole purpose of protecting General Ludendorff's personal safety.
Using a group of former naval personnel to protect a former Deputy Chief of Staff of the Army might sound ridiculous, but Hitler had decided so. However, the mass rally scheduled to be held at the Krone Circus was inexplicably canceled by the Bavarian military. Upon learning this news, Hitler immediately burst into a tirade, directing his harsh words at the commander of the Bavarian Defense Force, Lothar von Lossow.
Just as the storm of the canceled rally subsided, something even more unacceptable to Hitler happened: the leaders of Bavaria's "three giants" — the government, the military, and the police — called a meeting with the leaders of the Fighting Alliance headed by Hitler. Zhang Haino did not know the content of the meeting, but when Hitler returned, he could not contain his anger, calling these three old men outright cowards and opportunists, saying they were only fit to be conservative farmers in the countryside. After that, he summoned the main leaders of the National Socialist Party to a secret chamber and held a meeting that lasted for three hours. When he came out, he seemed like a changed man, full of spirit and confidence.
Although Zhang Haino was excluded from the participants, through a series of recent events, he felt that the Bavarian authorities' attitude towards the National Socialist Party was changing, similar to what happened in history. This would eventually force Hitler to coerce the Bavarian "three giants" to obey him through force, and then carry out the "march to Berlin" as planned.
A few days later, during a drinking session, Edwin, who had attended the meeting, told Zhang Haino that Hitler had indeed decided, on strong advice from Görlin and others, to arrest the "three giants" as soon as he had the opportunity and force them to submit through force, ultimately achieving the goal of seizing national power through revolution.
On the other hand, the aspect of fate disguised as inflation seemed to favor Hitler and his march to Berlin. By early October, the pre-war one Mark was now worth 6,014,300 Marks. The price of an egg was about 30 million in 1913. Many cities and industrial enterprises printed their own "emergency currency" to cope with expenses. The Imperial Bank could not refuse to accept this emergency currency or treat it as equivalent to their own currency. The government printing its own money became a big joke: the 1,000-Mark banknote printed in December of last year was now stamped with red ink: 10 billion Marks; the 500 million-Mark banknotes issued by the Bavarian State Bank a few weeks ago were now stamped with 200 billion Marks. This 200 billion Marks, assuming it could be exchanged for 800 US dollars at the time, but when the holder of this note came to exchange it, it was only worth a fraction — assuming someone was willing to exchange hard currency for it. People went crazy; they dared not hold onto banknotes for an hour. Missing a tram to the bank could reduce one's monthly salary to a quarter or less of its original value.
November 4th was Germany's Day of Remembrance for Fallen Soldiers. Adolf received news that a military review would be held in the center of Munich, with those receiving military salutes including the heir to the Bavarian throne, Prince Rupprecht, who still held considerable influence in Bavaria, and the current military and political "three giants" of Bavaria—Carl, Lossov, and Sessel.
With thoughts solely focused on seizing national power, Adolf saw this as a perfect opportunity for a coup. His plan was to block the streets with the Sturmabteilung (SA) before the arrival of the reviewed troops, while he personally led the Adolf Hitler Assault Division and some SA members into the venue, using guns to coerce the dignitaries into cooperation.
In this plan, Haino and his Marine Assault Team were given a heavy responsibility—they and two other SA support units were tasked with blocking the streets. While historically this operation ended in failure, some details had changed here. Haino wasn't sure if the outcome of this event would align with history. It was the first time his small Marine Assault Team had engaged in violent action since its inception, and he hoped it would help develop everyone's coordination skills. Additionally, while the German Navy had shown bravery in previous combat actions during World War I, it didn't mean every individual could display fearless spirit in front of the enemy. This was also an opportunity for Haino to discern the character of his subordinates.
On the day of the operation, hundreds of SA members assembled outside the party headquarters, eager and awaiting orders. Under the arrangements of the logistics minister, Hans Lomester, over a dozen trucks were ready to transport the fierce SA members to the parade ground. However, two hours later, Rosenberg, who had gone to scout the scene, returned dejectedly, exclaiming:
"It's over, the place is cordoned off by a large number of heavily armed police! Damn, those guys actually have brains, they thought ahead of us!"
By noon, the assembled SA members were disbanded, and Haino and his Marine Assault Team followed suit. Though the plan had been a failure from the outset, Hitler was not resigned to it; he wanted to take an even greater risk. On that same day, November 4th, he and Goering concocted a new plan. This time, the SA and other armed groups of the Fighting League would gather in the Frohnmanning Heights under cover of night, then ruthlessly seize strategic positions in the city on the shameful and abominable Armistice Day—November 11th—and immediately declare a national revolution.
But on the next day, a newspaper in Munich carried a report: Carl and others were scheduled to speak at a mass meeting on November 8th at the Bergbrau Keller beer hall in the southern outskirts of Munich.
An opportunity presented itself. Adolf acted decisively and brought forward the operation by three days!