Chapter 6

### Personal Interpretation and Setting

It seems that Werner has surpassed Tei Kojiro.

### July 1907 -- Mid-Period

Werner, after his lecture at the Army War College, was, as usual, stationed at the General Staff Office.

His recent work had involved solving the problems of the Werner Doctrine, addressing organizational issues within the army, and even dealing with the establishment of an air force, which was not something a mere lieutenant should be involved in.

He knew that in the future, what would be required of a Chief of the General Staff or a supreme commander was not heroic command on the battlefield, but rather the ability to consolidate the military, strengthen the country's production system, industrial and scientific technology, and work with politics to achieve strategic victory—essentially, a highly bureaucratic role.

Therefore, he had sworn to God and the Emperor that he would not use his personal interests—Werner was, after all, a top executive at RFR—for personal gain. Instead, he was diligently working to grasp the production volumes, production systems, and levels of industrial and scientific technology across Germany.

From this, he realized that only large companies were at the forefront of mass production, while small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) were forced to remain subcontractors due to a lack of funds and manpower.

Although this was typically a political issue, Werner boldly submitted a proposal.

In Germany, there were skilled craftsmen known as "Meisters" in various fields, such as the Meisters of Meissen porcelain and chimney sweeps.

These Meisters completed their work with a precision that the machinery of the time could not achieve.

They were all stubborn and disliked being surrounded by large corporations, so they belonged to small town workshops.

However, even with their technical skills, small workshops were clearly being crushed by the sheer volume of large corporations.

Thus, Werner proposed that these stubborn masters be tasked with creating the foundational machines, or "mother machines," under national-level protection to shield them from corporate pressure.

When Moltke received this proposal, he was puzzled by the concept of a "mother machine"—a machine that makes other machines.

Moltke and other senior officers viewed Werner as a wildcard, a businessman who was also a junior officer.

His position was extremely complex, and it was unclear what repercussions might arise if he were to upset them.

Nonetheless, Moltke and others highly valued Werner's unique perspective, which was evident in the Werner Doctrine, a concept that could not have emerged from existing knowledge.

Given Werner's track record of delivering results, Moltke submitted Werner's proposal to the Emperor as is.

Given Werner's contributions, Wilhelm II immediately ordered a review, and the results, with some additional benefits, were returned by early August.

Subsidies were provided to those who created or aimed to create highly precise items, and a national standardization effort was decided.

The former was largely due to Werner's support, while the latter was primarily a request from the business community.

While both Daimler-Benz and RFR produced products using the metric system, the standards varied from company to company, with one meter ranging from 1.05 meters to 90 centimeters.

This was not a problem when production volumes were small, but with RFR's large-scale mass production, other manufacturers began to emulate their techniques, leading to issues with part compatibility between subcontractors and sub-subcontractors.

This structure was similar to the industrial structure in 21st-century Japan.

Additionally, many manufacturers faced issues with part compatibility, such as the lack of interchangeable screws in different car models, which led to requests from newly established auto repair companies.

Despite the rapid spending of the national budget, by September, the budget for the next year was already being decided, and the current year's budget was running low.

In a situation similar to a salaryman's financial strain before payday, the necessary budget for standardization was to be borne by the business community.

### Early September 1907

Werner's long-awaited discovery was made in Heilongjiang Province, China.

This was the Daqing Oilfield, known in history.

The news of this discovery spread worldwide, and the United States, Britain, and Japan all rushed to conduct surveys of the oilfield.

Amid the movements of various governments and companies, Werner smiled and opened the door, saying, "Feel free to collaborate if you wish," while launching the Rundstedt Oil Company with the newly appointed exploration engineers.

When the engineers from various countries investigated, they found the oilfield to be extremely unique.

The oil solidified at room temperature and required 24 hours of heating to be usable, and it was heavy with a high sulfur content.

This made it unsuitable for use as gasoline or even as fuel for ships.

After experimenting, the governments and companies were disappointed by the high refining costs and began to withdraw one by one.

Even resource-poor Japan, which had no spare funds, withdrew.

The oilfield, named the Kaiser Oilfield to distinguish it from the Daqing Oilfield, was left open for development by anyone who wished to do so.

However, the countries were not entirely giving up; they took samples back for refining experiments and insisted that Werner keep the door open for their potential entry.

They were ready to enter as soon as refining costs decreased.

This reaction was exactly what Werner expected.

He knew about the oil's properties and the countries' cautious approach.

In any case, technology develops as needed.

Werner instructed engineers and researchers to make the oil usable for cars and ships and provided them with substantial funding.

He aimed to significantly advance Germany's oil refining technology, with the goal of making 100-octane gasoline the standard fuel for German aircraft by the 1930s.

He also involved the researchers at RFR's basic research department in solving this problem.

The German government, including Emperor Wilhelm II and high-ranking military officials, supported this effort.

They were ecstatic about the discovery of oil within their own territory, even if it was on the other side of the world.

Thus, the development of the Kaiser Oilfield became a national project, with unprecedented human and financial resources allocated.

Additionally, the discovery seemed to have sparked a surge in exploration, which had begun in 1905 and involved digging up every piece of land, especially in Germany's overseas colonies.

Around the same time, the Jilin Oilfield, known in history, was discovered in Heilongjiang Province. While it was not as challenging as the Daqing Oilfield, the high cost of drilling in swampy areas deterred large-scale investment from other countries.

However, Germany, which needed oil, could not afford to ignore the costs.

Japan, the United States, and Britain followed Germany's lead, and ultimately, the development was led by Germany with cooperation from other countries.

Germany, though not as resource-poor as Japan, was chronically short of resources. The discovery of oil and other resources in their colonies led to rapid development of related technologies—refining and drilling technologies—and a significant increase in research into metallurgy to extract higher purity materials from ores, which became a catalyst for future technological advancements.

### International Reactions

No country could complain about these developments, as the resources were found within Germany's own colonies.

Nonetheless, the United States and Britain began to aim for closer relations with Germany, and France followed suit by focusing on the development of its own colonies.

However, Germany's actions exceeded the expectations of other countries.

By becoming self-sufficient in resources, Germany significantly reduced its imports from other countries and began to export various industrial products on a larger scale.

This led to a substantial increase in foreign currency earnings, and Germany's foreign exchange reserves grew rapidly.

The mass production techniques established by Ford were being adopted by large corporations and gradually by small and medium-sized enterprises, leading to the production of a vast number of products with consistent quality.

Thus, German products, while slightly inferior in performance, were highly consistent in quality and much cheaper, making them widely accepted in other countries.

Even France, Germany's primary rival, was no exception, and other countries hastily imposed high tariffs on German products.

However, only a few major powers could implement such measures.

Countries like Austria-Hungary and Japan, which barely ranked among the major powers, and other nations had no choice but to import the affordable and high-quality German products.

In Japan, despite emotional resistance to importing German products, businesses chose them for their cost-effectiveness.

### A Lucrative Situation for German Companies

For German companies, the situation was highly profitable, as they could sell as much as they produced.

Therefore, all companies strongly supported the national standardization effort, expanded production lines, and developed more efficient production systems, eventually leading to the creation of integrated industrial complexes known as "Kombinats" (or "Bindungen" in this world, derived from the German word for "combination").

The ability to create Kombinats was limited to a few companies due to the enormous initial investment required.

However, the business community chose to share the pie rather than monopolize it and voluntarily established a fund to facilitate Kombinat construction.

The pie, in this case, referred to the global market, not just the German domestic market.

This fund also led to various technical collaborations between companies, including RFR and Daimler-Benz, which, despite being rivals, temporarily ceased hostilities for the sake of future profits.

To dominate the vast global market, they needed to consistently provide the most advanced, affordable, and mass-produced products.

### Germany's Economic and Industrial Transformation

Germany was transitioning to a 21st-century level of economic and industrial structure, despite its already high industrial level—its crude steel production exceeded the combined output of Britain, France, and Russia, and its illiteracy rate was the lowest in Europe.

With a clear path forward, Germany was a country where results naturally followed.

### Early October 1907

Werner was restless.

Just a week ago, he had been promoted to lieutenant.

His rapid promotion, despite his lack of field experience, was exceptional and unprecedented.

However, he was scheduled to be assigned to a guard regiment upon graduating from the Army War College the following year, where he would be subjected to harsh treatment.

Currently, he was on a carriage heading to the Berlin Palace.

Despite his ability to debate with senior military officials, this was his first experience in high society, and he was extremely nervous.

He had to return to the General Staff Office by 8 PM to discuss air force equipment procurement with the responsible officer.

Many senior officers were also attending, and Werner tried to follow them, but Moltke had specifically instructed him to arrive at the Berlin Palace at exactly 6 PM.

Werner checked his pocket watch.

It was 10 minutes before the scheduled time, and the palace entrance was in sight.

There were no other attendees, only a few guards.

Werner, though puzzled, was led to the party venue by the guards.

### The Grand Hall

The large, solemn doors slowly opened, and Werner felt the gaze of many people.

He realized that the reason he had not encountered any attendees on the way was that they were already in the venue.

However, his steps did not stop.

Encouraged by the guards, Werner walked through the crowd of attendees and moved forward.

Eventually, he ascended the stage.

On the stage were men in splendid military uniforms and tuxedos, including Moltke, Tirpitz, and the German Chancellor Bernhard von Bülow, as well as Emperor Wilhelm II, whom he only knew from photographs.

"Are you Werner von Rundstedt?"

Wilhelm II asked, and Werner, with a crisp salute, affirmed it with a firm voice.

"I never imagined that a military man like you would receive this medal... Even the creators of the medal did not foresee this."

As he spoke, a guard brought a small box to Wilhelm II and walked slowly to him.

The guard then opened the box.

Wilhelm II carefully took out the contents and held it up.

"In the name of Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albert von Preußen, Emperor of Germany, I confer upon you the Pour le Mérite for Science and Arts."

With that, Wilhelm II placed the medal around Werner's neck and smiled.

The Pour le Mérite for Science and Arts, unlike the military version, was a peace medal awarded for contributions to the humanities, natural sciences, and fine arts.

In Werner's case, his contribution to the scientific development of the German Empire was recognized.

While it was typically awarded to figures like the Wright brothers or Henry Ford, their achievements were also attributed to Werner's efforts to bring them to Germany.

Indeed, the medal was also to be awarded to the Wright brothers and Henry Ford, but it was deliberately given to Werner first as a political performance.

Werner, however, was completely caught off guard by the events, but the situation continued without him.

Moltke, Tirpitz, and Bülow praised Werner's contributions to the German Empire, and the attendees expressed their admiration.

The gathering was significant, including German nobles and high-ranking military officials, prominent figures from the business community, renowned doctors and scientists, and nobles from neighboring countries.

When Werner finally understood his position, he was asked to say a few words by Wilhelm II.

Werner, unsure of what to say, eventually began to speak slowly.

"Germany has no need for war with neighboring countries."

A murmur of surprise spread through the crowd.

No one expected such words from a military man like Werner.

However, the Germans, including Wilhelm II, remained calm.

Werner's words were merely a confirmation of the current situation.

"In the event that Germany engages in war in the future, it will likely be due to economic friction in trade."

He continued,

"Germany will always be the side that is attacked. When that happens, it will be the end for the country that initiated the war."

Werner spoke calmly, without any pretense.

However, he did not forget to drive his point home.

"Our German Imperial Army is a small, elite force in peacetime, but in wartime, we must quickly establish a total war system involving the entire nation. Every citizen, regardless of age or gender, must contribute to the war effort, and the army must be a large, elite force with a constant and reliable supply line."

Werner continued,

"In the next war, the most important factor will be how many weapons can be sent to the front lines and how many of those weapons can be used effectively."

While the importance of supply and production systems was already understood, amateurs often focused on the numbers on paper.

The real challenge was not just producing weapons but ensuring they reached the front lines and were usable.

Similarly, conscripts could not immediately become effective soldiers.

In response to Werner's words, Wilhelm II declared,

"I hereby declare my commitment to the further development of the Empire. I swear that I will demand difficulties from the Imperial Army but not the impossible."

Wilhelm II's words reassured many military officials, including Moltke and Tirpitz, who understood that the German military was still in development.

New weapons like mortars and submachine guns required time for full-scale production and the development of their usage.

Werner's papers were mostly conceptual, and it was natural that their practical implementation would take time.

Moreover, the Prussian Army had a tradition of demanding high proficiency from individual soldiers, which required significant training time.

"Then, gentlemen, enjoy the party."

Wilhelm II's words effectively concluded the event.

### After the Ceremony

After descending from the stage, Werner was surrounded by a large number of nobles, engaging in conversation.

This was his first time at a party, and the German nobility, as well as nobles from other countries, were eager to connect with him.

Thus, he was constantly the center of attention, both for his debut in high society and the award of the medal.

After conversing with the nobles, Werner then engaged with prominent figures from the business community.

A few nobles tried to join these conversations but could not understand the topics, such as the Hamburg Bindungen, financial health, and Japanese government bonds.

When these conversations ended, Werner was approached by young noblewomen, ranging from their early teens to their early twenties.

Many were dressed in beautiful gowns, and many were the blonde, blue-eyed, and well-endowed women he had long desired.

Werner realized that these 38 women were potential brides.

Surrounded by them, he did not run away but behaved with dignity, as befitting a German military officer.

Internally, he was captivated by the beauty of the women and thought about taking all of them as his own.

Werner had a clear rationale.

Germany's only shortage was in population, and he wanted to contribute to its growth.

While his reasoning was noble, it was ultimately a man's excuse.

However, Werner had been strictly ordered by Gert to choose a bride from the 38 women.

As he conversed with the girls, he pondered who to choose.

Despite his internal thoughts, each girl smiled warmly and tried to win his