"General, the German offensive is overwhelming, we cannot hold out any longer. The front has collapsed, and the retreating soldiers are fleeing northward. The Germans are relentlessly pursuing us. We should escape quickly, for if we delay, we will fall into their hands," suggested a staff officer.
"Escape? What good would fleeing accomplish? If I fail to carry out His Majesty's orders, I will be brought before a military tribunal. In that case, I will surely be hanged!" Major General Donald's face turned ashen.
"General, there will always be another opportunity. It is not that we lack the will to fight to the death, but the Germans are simply too powerful. We are no match for them," the staff officer urged.
Major General Donald hesitated for a moment before finally nodding. He lacked the courage to take his own life, yet he was equally unwilling to fall into the hands of the Germans as a prisoner. Even though fleeing back into Spain would still present danger, he could no longer afford to hesitate. If luck were on his side, perhaps he could save his life.
"Order the troops to retreat along the entire front!" Major General Donald commanded.
The Spanish forces began their full retreat from Gibraltar, their morale shattered. They had lost all courage to continue fighting. Upon hearing the retreat order, many Spanish soldiers fled, and if not for the dire command from their superior, they would have long since abandoned this cursed place.
The Spanish army hastily withdrew from Gibraltar, retreating as far north as the border, where they stopped, still shaken.
"Will the Germans cross the border and attack us?" Major General Donald asked with lingering fear. It was clear that he worried the Germans might cross the border and launch an assault. In that case, they would have no means of resistance!
Losing Gibraltar alone might still have allowed for a possible escape. After all, if the war were confined to Gibraltar, the scale would remain relatively small, and both sides could find a way to end it. But if the Germans crossed the border and launched an offensive, the scale of the war would escalate, and that would spell disaster for the Kingdom of Spain. Similarly, for Major General Donald, it would be a nightmare. Losing Gibraltar was one thing; losing their homeland was quite another.
The swift retreat of the Spanish forces took the Germans entirely by surprise. The commander of the German Navy's 4th Marine Regiment could hardly believe that his single regiment had defeated a Spanish infantry division and swiftly occupied Gibraltar.
Upon capturing Mount Tuckery, he immediately sought guidance on whether to cross the border and continue the offensive.
Major General Hans was unable to make a decision on his own, so he referred the matter to General Moff. After all, the military operation aimed at Gibraltar had been primarily overseen by General Moff.
"Let the Marine Corps remain stationed here, and prevent them from crossing the border. Meanwhile, prepare for the possibility of a Spanish counterattack," General Moff ordered.
The command issued by the Navy was to occupy Gibraltar, not to pursue further aggression against Spain. By occupying Gibraltar, Germany could at least justify their actions. However, launching an attack on Spain would be viewed as an invasion, something that, although Germany might not care about, could severely damage the reputation of the German Empire.
Following the orders, the Marine Corps halted its advance at the southern border and began fortifying defenses. This provided a moment of respite for the Spaniards. If the Germans had continued their offensive, the consequences would have been dire.
However, even with this temporary relief, when King Alfonso XIII learned that the Germans had easily captured Gibraltar, he erupted in fury.
"My God! Is our army so inept? We had a full infantry division stationed in Gibraltar, and yet, in less than two hours, the Germans completely defeated us, inflicting heavy losses. At this rate, how are we supposed to fight the Germans?" King Alfonso thundered, his ministers and military leaders bowing their heads in silence.
Although they too acknowledged that Major General Donald had failed miserably, they also knew that no other division would have performed much better. The German forces were simply too formidable, and compared to them, the Spanish army was woefully inadequate. Even if more troops had been sent, it would likely have been a suicide mission.
"Summon the gendarmes. Have Major General Donald arrested. I will bring him before a military tribunal and have him hanged!" King Alfonso XIII barked.
"Your Majesty, this may not be wise. Our struggle against the Germans has only just begun. Executing a commander now would severely damage the morale of our forces," the Minister of War pleaded.
"Yes, Your Majesty. Although we were defeated at Gibraltar, there were extenuating circumstances. The Germans had a powerful navy stationed there, and under the bombardment from their warships, we simply had no means of defense," Prime Minister Count Romanones also spoke in defense.
King Alfonso XIII furrowed his brow. The explanations from the two ministers calmed some of his anger.
"Fine, we shall let Major General Donald off for now. However, I must strip him of his command!" King Alfonso XIII decreed.
No one opposed this decision. After all, someone had to take responsibility for the disastrous defeat at the front. That Major General Donald managed to save his life was a stroke of luck. Otherwise, King Alfonso XIII would have been determined to send him to a military tribunal.
"Everyone, the Germans have forcibly sent troops to attack our army and have occupied Gibraltar! This is a violation of the sovereignty and dignity of the Kingdom of Spain, and we cannot tolerate it. We must voice our condemnation internationally, denouncing the Germans for their barbaric actions. Let the world know the ugly truth about the Germans!" King Alfonso XIII declared in fury.
"Yes, Your Majesty. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will take immediate action," said the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prieto.
"Furthermore, we cannot allow the Germans to simply hold onto Gibraltar. If we do, it will become an established fact, and it will be impossible for us to reclaim it later. From now on, I will send our finest troops to launch an offensive. We must reclaim Gibraltar at all costs. If we can take it back, we will have won!" King Alfonso XIII asserted.
He fantasized about the possibility of the United States intervening to mediate and end the war.
"Yes, Your Majesty," the Minister of War responded.
On February 2, 1916, the Spanish Army began a large-scale offensive to retake Gibraltar.