"General Hindenburg, General Ludendorff, I present to you my suggestions for reforming our military system. Please take a look. If we can achieve a more streamlined command structure, it will significantly enhance our operational efficiency. This will yield tremendous benefits on the battlefield," Qin Tian stated, handing a document to both Hindenburg and Ludendorff.
As they received and began to peruse the document, shock quickly registered on their faces. Indeed, they had not anticipated that Qin Tian would propose such sweeping reforms to the military structure. For decades, from the Kingdom of Prussia to the German Empire, military regulations had undergone frequent changes, yet these had typically involved only minor adjustments rather than the outright elimination of entire units. Had they known that Qin Tian aimed not only to abolish the "brigade" unit but also to remove the "army" unit, their astonishment would have been even greater.
After examining Qin Tian's plan, both Hindenburg and Ludendorff fell into a contemplative silence.
Eventually, Hindenburg spoke. "Your Highness, while eliminating the 'brigade' unit would indeed simplify the command structure, it may also incite considerable unrest and discomfort among many individuals. Most importantly, it would reduce the number of brigadier-level officers, likely leading to widespread discontent." Hindenburg expressed his concerns, aware that every position has its purpose; maintaining brigade units would create numerous roles such as brigade commanders, deputy brigade commanders, and brigade chiefs of staff, all of whom hold the rank of brigadier or colonel. With the removal of brigade units, what would become of these individuals?
"General Hindenburg, we intend to implement this system solely within the Eighth Army Corps, without extending it to other corps. Even if it does create some unrest, we are fully capable of managing it. As for the placement of those brigade-level officers, we can easily reassign them to other departments. The abolition of brigade units does not imply that we will no longer require these brigadiers and colonels; for instance, artillery battalion commanders can still be brigadiers, as can deputy division commanders and division chiefs of staff. We should be able to find suitable solutions without significant issues," Qin Tian replied.
He had resolved to move forward with this decision, undeterred by the challenges that lay ahead.
"Though it may pose some difficulties, the simplification of the command structure will undeniably benefit our military operations. I believe we should give it a try!" Brigadier Ludendorff asserted, displaying a more youthful and adventurous spirit compared to Hindenburg.
Hindenburg hesitated for a moment before voicing another concern. "Your Highness, if we unilaterally alter military regulations, it could provoke discontent within the General Staff. We remain uncertain about His Majesty's stance on this matter."
"We need not worry excessively about the General Staff. If Moltke wants to cause trouble, I will handle it. As for my father, I will explain my position to him," Qin Tian responded. After all, he and Moltke were now at odds; even if he did nothing, Moltke would find a reason to challenge him. Rather than remain passive, he preferred to act according to his own vision. With his position as heir apparent growing increasingly secure, he felt no fear of Moltke.
As for Kaiser Wilhelm II's perspective, Qin Tian was confident he could persuade him. After all, nearly every endeavor he had undertaken in recent years had met with success. In light of this, Wilhelm II would likely trust his judgment.
"Very well, Your Highness. Let us proceed with your plan!" Hindenburg nodded. Having offered his counsel, he recognized that Qin Tian remained resolute in his convictions, leaving him no alternative.
According to Qin Tian's plan, all units within the Eighth Army Corps would undergo reorganization in accordance with the new military structure.
Each squad would consist of 12 personnel, equipped with ten rifles, one light machine gun, one sniper rifle, and one grenade launcher. Three squads, along with a weapons squad and a platoon headquarters, would form a platoon. The weapons squad would also comprise 12 personnel, armed with one heavy machine gun and one mortar. The platoon headquarters would be composed of the platoon leader and deputy, one medic, one communications officer, and two orderlies, bringing the total for a platoon to 54 individuals.
Three infantry platoons, plus a heavy weapons platoon, would form a company. The heavy weapons platoon would consist of two light machine guns, three 60 mm mortars, and one heavy machine gun, totaling 23 personnel. The company headquarters would include the company commander and deputy, two guards, one communications officer, one medic, and two orderlies, resulting in a total of 193 personnel in the infantry company.
An infantry battalion would comprise three infantry companies, a battalion headquarters company, and a heavy weapons company, along with a mortar company. The battalion headquarters company would include not only the personnel of the headquarters but also a reconnaissance platoon and a guard reconnaissance platoon. The heavy weapons company would be equipped with six 81 mm medium mortars, eight light machine guns, and three heavy machine guns. The infantry artillery company would be armed with six 08-type infantry guns (designed to counter the Japanese Type 92 infantry gun), bringing the total battalion strength to 1,050 personnel.
An infantry regiment would consist of three infantry battalions, an artillery battalion, and a regiment headquarters with direct-support units. The regiment headquarters would include administrative staff, a guard company, a reconnaissance company, and other units. Additional direct-support units would encompass a regiment-level mortar company, equipped with six 107 mm heavy mortars, along with logistics and medical companies. The artillery battalion would be a field artillery battalion, comprising three field artillery companies, each equipped with six 75 mm field guns, totaling over 4,500 personnel in the regiment.
The infantry division would encompass three infantry regiments, an artillery regiment, and various divisional support units, including the division headquarters, reconnaissance battalion, guard battalion, supply battalion, and an armored battalion (not yet included). The artillery regiment would comprise three artillery battalions, with two battalions using 105 mm howitzers, each equipped with 18 pieces, while the remaining battalion would utilize 150 mm heavy howitzers, also with 18 pieces. The total personnel in the infantry division would exceed 16,500.
The most significant distinction between the new infantry division and its predecessor lies in the enhancement of machine gun and artillery firepower. Notably, artillery firepower has received a considerable boost. The existing German infantry divisions are equipped with 54 pieces of 77 mm field guns and 18 pieces of 105 mm howitzers. In contrast, the restructured infantry division will be armed with 54 pieces of 75 mm field guns, 36 pieces of 105 mm light howitzers, and 18 pieces of 150 mm heavy howitzers. The number of artillery pieces has nearly doubled, and the intensity of firepower has surpassed that of previous infantry divisions by over twofold.
With such an increase in technical weaponry, the newly formed infantry division, once trained, will exhibit formidable combat effectiveness—certainly much stronger than its predecessors. If Qin Tian's ambition to establish the Eighth Army Corps as the most formidable in the German military had initially met skepticism from Hindenburg and Ludendorff, they now found themselves entirely convinced.