Chapter 257: Benevolent Dictator

Chapter 257: Benevolent Dictator



The advance into Albania was rapid, so rapid one might add that the Guerillas had no time to prepare for the German attack. Panzers swept through every town of the small Balkan nation with precision, German soldiers gunning down the various partisans who stood before them with expert marksmanship.

Or at least those who weren't torn apart by 20mm auto-cannons and 7.92x57mm belt fed machine guns. To say that shock and awe had been accomplished within the opening stages of the so called "Special Military Operation" was an understatement.

Just like in Iraq in 91, and 03, the moment the Albanian guerillas came across the German Panzers, they threw down their weapons and surrendered as it became very apparent within the first hour of combat that they had absolutely no offensive capability against armored vehicles.

Honestly, the Albanian guerillas didn't know what was worse, the unstoppable and rapid tidal wave of steel crashing upon them from all sides, or the bombs that fell from the sky on top of their artillery before the Panzers could even arrive.

Within a matter of twelve hours, the Capital of Albania had fallen, marking what was perhaps one of the quickest conquests of a nation in human history up until this point. With the coasts sealed off and blockaded by the Hellenic, and Austro-Hungarian navies, and the Germans having split up and advanced upon the capital of Albania from all sides.

Any and all rebel leaders of the various factions that had until this moment been fighting for control of the nation were either dead, or rounded up where Bruno made an example of them by having them publically executed via firing squad.

After which he pardoned all guerillas who survived the very brief invasion under one condition. They turn on those who had been involved in fostering dissent within the Austro- Hungarian Balkan territories.

Whether it was the simplification of its constitution, codification of laws, parliamentary system, or outright introducing agricultural reforms that were suited to the nation's topography. Bruno had laid out a long list of things that needed to be done to improve the nation and the wellbeing of its people that would go well above and beyond his time as the temporary governor of the Principality.

By the time the rightful prince finally returned to Albania, Bruno had bags upon bags under his eyes, and looked like a man who had crawled out of a coffin. It didn't help that when Wilhelm Friedrich Heinrich found the man; he was sitting in the office, with a cigarette in his mouth, and ashtray full of spent tobacco, and a trash can full of bottles of hard liquor, and cartons of cigarettes.

Once Bruno noticed that his replacement had arrived he gently put out his cigarette, which was the last one he had on him, and tossed it into the trash, before walking over to the German Prince and handing him a stack of papers so large, it might as well be a volume to an encyclopedia.

The German Prince was about to protest until Bruno pointed out with his thumb that there were about 30 stacks of papers equal in size sitting on the desk behind him. All of which were typed via a typewriter, and had been double, triple, and quadruple revised for perfection.

Bruno's voice was as haggard as his appearance, as he said one statement.

"Follow what the work I have laid out for you or hire capable people to do it for you. And your kingdom should be set for the next century. I've done my job as governor pro tempore as best as I can, the rest of the work will be up to you..."

After saying this, Bruno wandered off without saying another word to the man. When Prince Wilhelm looked at the first stack of paper, briefly skimming through a mere ten pages of the massive volume, he began to realize that Bruno had done more work than anyone would have ever expected him to do so, and in a mere month-long period as the temporary dictator of Albania.

History would remember that there was at least one Benevolent Dictator to ever walk the Earth, and he rescinded his position the moment his proper monarch returned. In doing so, he had proven to be the single most efficient ruler history had ever seen, even if it had only lasted for the span of a single month.