"Your Lordship, we must leave at once! The German armored divisions are charging towards us. If we don't depart now, it will be too late!" The adjutant reported urgently to Lord William Nicholson.
"How could this happen? Why has it come to this? Why have we lost? We had such a great chance of victory!" Lord William Nicholson murmured, his voice tinged with disbelief, as though he could not accept the grim reality.
"Your Lordship, we have already lost. Although our forces far outnumber the Germans, our troops are utterly demoralized, lacking the courage to continue fighting. Thus, the moment the Germans attacked, our forces disintegrated," the adjutant explained.
"Is that so? It seems that despite having vast numbers, we were nothing but a rabble. Even with overwhelming forces, we could not stand against the Germans!" Lord William Nicholson closed his eyes in agony, his face twisted with despair.
He was well aware of the low combat effectiveness of the British Indian Army, but he had believed that sheer numbers could turn the tide. With millions of soldiers, he thought even a weak force could withstand the German assault. Alas, the British Indian Army's performance was even worse than he had imagined. More devastating still, the British forces stationed in India—upon whom he had pinned high hopes—were equally ineffective. As a result, Lord William Nicholson suffered a crushing defeat in this pivotal battle.
Despondent, Lord William Nicholson departed with his adjutant, as vast numbers of British Indian soldiers fled towards Delhi, pursued relentlessly by the German forces. In particular, the 8th Panzer Division, along with the 73rd and 74th Infantry Divisions, gained the fastest momentum. Many British Indian soldiers fleeing along the roads were caught by the Germans. With no escape, these officers and soldiers, both Indian and British, surrendered. As the battle reached this point, they had lost all hope.
The German 8th Army was equally astonished by how swiftly victory had come.
"General, we have won. The 8th Panzer Division has shattered the British Indian forces, and the entire army has collapsed. Now, we are rounding up prisoners of war. Soon, we will be overwhelmed by the sheer number of captives!" reported General von Rundstedt.
General Ludendorff, though surprised, had anticipated a tough battle. He had prepared for significant losses for the 8th Army. However, he never expected the British Indian forces to be so utterly incapable. Even the British forces stationed in India seemed to have lost all will to fight, as if they, too, had succumbed to the same ineptitude.
"It seems that even God is on our side!" General Ludendorff laughed, his long-held anxiety finally subsiding.
"Order all units to capture as many prisoners as possible. Our next move will be an assault on Delhi. By eliminating the remaining British Indian forces, we will seize Delhi faster!" General Ludendorff commanded. He no longer saw the capture of Delhi as a challenge.
"Understood, General!" General von Rundstedt immediately went to issue the orders.
Originally, they had expected that sending only two armies to invade India would result in a prolonged and arduous campaign. Even if they succeeded, it would surely take a long time. However, the rapid progress of the battle far exceeded their expectations. At this rate, they might soon bring the Indian campaign to a close.
The German 8th Army wasted no time and continued advancing toward Delhi with their sharp spearhead—comprising the 8th Panzer Division, the 73rd Infantry Division, and the 74th Infantry Division.
The news of the British Indian forces' devastating defeat quickly reached Delhi. Baron Charles Hardinge, the British Governor-General of India, could scarcely believe the report.
"Damn it! What is this? Could there have been a mistake in the telegram? How could we have lost? Lord William Nicholson must have mobilized all our forces, and their enemy was merely 200,000 Germans! How could this happen?" Baron Hardinge demanded.
"Your Excellency, I have confirmed with the frontlines. We have indeed lost. Our troops are in full retreat, and the Germans are pursuing us, closing in on Delhi. They will likely reach the city soon," the secretary replied with a grim expression.
"My God! Have you truly forsaken the British Empire? Even with such a great advantage, we cannot defeat the Germans. If this continues, we are doomed!" Baron Hardinge lamented, his face contorted with despair. For the first time, he realized how foolish his once assured plans now appeared.
At nearly the same moment, the leaders of the Indian National Congress and the Green Party Alliance learned of the frontline situation. They, too, were stunned beyond measure. They had worked hand in hand with the British Indian colonial authorities, hoping for India's independence, only to see it all unravel.
This failure crushed their hopes, for if the British Indian forces lost the war and the Germans occupied all of India, their dreams of national and ethnic independence would be forever out of reach.
"What do we do now? What are we to do? The British have lost, and it's over for us!" Tilak said, his eyes vacant.
"If the Germans occupy India, they certainly won't spare us!" Nehru said in panic.
Gandhi's face mirrored their despair. Undoubtedly, he, too, regretted the path they had taken. But at this point, they had no other options.
On April 14, the German 8th Army arrived at the gates of Delhi. Despite the British Indian forces' efforts to regroup and resist, they could not muster sufficient strength with the diminished support from the Congress and Green Party Alliance.
By the time the Germans launched their assault, Delhi was defended by fewer than 400,000 soldiers, over 100,000 of whom were British Indian troops. Despite maintaining a numerical advantage, their fighting spirit paled in comparison to that of the Germans.
The German offensive lasted only two days.
By the afternoon of April 16, Delhi had fallen into German hands.