Chapter 2: The Candidate for Chief of Staff
Although he had mentally prepared himself for the Führer's vegetarianism beforehand, when the meal was served, Hoffman still inwardly gasped in shock. Before him lay only two dishes: one was stewed fruit, made from milk, oatmeal, apple puree, walnuts, lemons, and some other ingredients; the other was a vegetable salad, consisting of just a few sparse pieces of broccoli, lettuce, along with peas and lentils—not a trace of meat to be seen. Meanwhile, the others were presented with delicacies like caviar from the Black Sea, salmon from Norway, and ham or bacon from Bavaria. Hoffman could only feel his Adam's apple bobbing as he desperately suppressed the saliva welling up inside. He badly wanted to shout, 'Bring me the same lunch as theirs!' But considering the situation was still unclear, he had no choice but to forcefully restrain even this most basic desire.
"Schmundt, do you have any good suggestions regarding personnel appointments?"
"After careful consideration, I believe General Zeitzler can effectively fulfill this role..."
"Zeitzler?" Hoffman was somewhat surprised. He knew that historically, Halder had served as Chief of the Army General Staff until September 24, 1942, before being replaced by Kurt Zeitzler. Could it be that the Führer had been planning to replace him a month ago?
"Four days ago, General Zeitzler commanded his troops to repel the attack by the British and Canadians at Dieppe. According to prisoners' accounts, about 6,000 men participated in the assault, but General Zeitzler eliminated 60% of them, giving them a sufficiently unforgettable lesson. I believe he is an optimistic soldier willing to dedicate everything and can become an excellent Chief of Staff."
Martin Bormann chimed in: "Although others have different recommendations, Comrade Göring and I both believe General Zeitzler is a suitable candidate."
"I know him; he has consistently demonstrated outstanding performance while serving as Chief of Staff of Army Group D." Hoffman nodded. It seemed Göring, Martin Bormann, Schmundt, and others had reached a consensus. Zeitzler's appointment was likely unavoidable. After swallowing a mouthful of stewed fruit with difficulty, he asked, "Who else has been recommended?"
Martin Bormann and Schmundt exchanged a glance, unsure of Hoffman's intent, and could only answer honestly: "Others have recommended Field Marshal Manstein and General Guderian..."
"Manstein has other assignments! As for Guderian..." Hoffman pondered for a moment, needing to carefully consider how to utilize this man. After the failure of the Moscow campaign in December 1941, Guderian had a major conflict with the Führer. With others intentionally or unintentionally fanning the flames, he was ordered to retire from active duty and transferred to the reserves, now idling at home. Although Guderian's fame and military achievements surpassed Zeitzler's, he had a fatal flaw—he was too cold, aloof, and arrogant, unable to get along with most army group commanders on the Eastern Front, which would undoubtedly be disastrous for the role of Chief of Staff. "This position is also unsuitable for Guderian. I have other tasks for him to accomplish. Having him on vacation at home is too wasteful. The Chief of Staff will be Zeitzler."
Hearing the Führer's final verdict, Schmundt visibly relaxed. Although Zeitzler was quite capable and had recent merit from Dieppe, he was still too young and inexperienced, having only recently been promoted to major general (equivalent to a brigadier general in the British or U.S. armies). His recommendation of Zeitzler for Chief of Staff was partly self-serving, as Zeitzler was a close friend. Göring's support for the recommendation was simply because Zeitzler lacked seniority and would be easier to control.
Hoffman's mindset had now settled. He resolved to no longer complain about the bizarre circumstances of his transmigration or the awkwardness of his position, focusing only on performing well in this role—in his eyes, this was a real-life version of Hearts of Iron, only with a much higher price for failure: either a corpse in the Reich Chancellery bunker or the gallows at the Nuremberg trials. He was determined to use his professional knowledge and historical foresight to steer Germany onto a different path. A preliminary adjustment plan had already formed in his mind. After casually taking a bite of the vegetable salad, he said, "Send telegrams to Zeitzler and Guderian immediately. I hope they can arrive here for dinner tonight; I want to dine with them. Oh, and adjust my dinner menu—bring me some jam and white bread. If you can add a fried egg, that would be even better!"
"As you wish, mein Führer." Schmundt, who had just started cutting into a steak, hastily put down his knife and fork and immediately rushed to the communications room to relay the orders. Hoffman glanced at Schmundt's steak, swallowed another mouthful of saliva, and could only reluctantly avert his gaze—he could replace the Chief of Staff without hesitation, but when it came to meals, he could only make the most minor adjustments.
Bormann was visibly taken aback. They had been discussing Zeitzler just fine, so why summon Guderian too? Before he could fully process this, Hoffman gave another instruction: "Later, bring the recent telegrams, battle reports, and letters to the office. I need to grasp the latest developments on the front lines."
As dusk fell, Mrs. Junge came in to report that General Guderian, who had arrived on the special flight, was waiting to be summoned. Hoffman pushed aside the documents on his desk: "Let him in."
Guderian's appearance was almost exactly as Hoffman remembered. Although transferred to the reserves, he still wore a crisp uniform, with the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves adorning his chest—a reminder of the immense contributions he had made for the Third Reich during the campaigns in France and Poland. He saluted respectfully, a slight hint of confusion on his face.
Hoffman stood up and extended his hand for a handshake: "It seems you've rested well these past few months; your face looks a bit fuller?"
Guderian shrugged. The Führer's opening remark wasn't particularly humorous.
Hoffman gestured for him to sit and added, "Tell me, how many times have you cursed me in your heart these past few months?"
Hearing this, Guderian's face flushed slightly, and he felt somewhat embarrassed. The displeasure of being kicked out of the army by the furious Führer months ago was still vivid in his mind, and he had certainly complained both openly and privately. But now, with the Führer greeting him amiably, as a straightforward and proud soldier, lying felt against his principles, yet flattery was something he couldn't bring himself to utter. He didn't know how to respond.
Seeing his awkwardness, Hoffman smiled: "It seems you've cursed me quite a few times—too many to count at once. But today is not the time for settling scores. Regarding your situation, I mistakenly listened to others' slander and acted too impulsively. I owe you an apology."
"Mein Führer, I..." Guderian stood up excitedly. Being expelled from the army months ago had been a moment he considered a great humiliation. But now that the Führer had personally apologized, all his resentment and frustration seemed to vanish instantly. "I shouldn't have said so many offensive things to you back then."
Hoffman was quite satisfied with Guderian's reaction. Guderian was different from Halder. The former, though complaining considerably after being ordered into the reserves, remained loyal at heart. The latter had always been one of the masterminds within the Wehrmacht plotting to overthrow the Führer and was involved in the July 20 plot. Regardless of any justifications, from the Führer's perspective, such betrayal was difficult to understand and accept.
"Let bygones be bygones. Now is the time for us to look forward." Hoffman had to admit that the Führer's oratory skills and charisma were ten times his own. He stood up, habitually gesturing with his hands, and asked in a serious, measured tone, "Herr Guderian, are you still willing to be as loyal to me as before? Are you still willing to dedicate all your wisdom and strength to the Empire?"
Guderian snapped to attention: "Honorable Führer, I will be infinitely loyal to you. I will devote all my strength to the sacred cause of the Empire, even if it means being crushed to pieces."
When the travel-weary Zeitzler also appeared before him, Hoffman immediately had the Führer's personal attendant, Heinz Linge, notify the dining room to serve dinner. Through the afternoon's interactions, Hoffman noticed that Heinz Linge treated him with the same attitude as always, showing no suspicion whatsoever. Even when some habits didn't align with the Führer's previous routines, Linge automatically attributed them to normal changes after the Führer's dizzy spells. This reassured Hoffman considerably—he was growing more and more confident about this transmigration game.