Germany decided to leave history in the past and prepare for war

The missile launcher sends a cloud of brown dust in the air as it shines across a field towards the shooting line. Moments later the countdown to the soldier comes from five to “fire!” , Before a missile wandered in the sky.

The explosions and fruits of these military training exercises are so constant that the locals in the nearby town of Monster are no longer canceled.

But life was set here for a higher sound.

The German army, The Bundeswehr, recently obtained a huge increase in investment after Parliament vowed to exempt defensive spending from strict debts.

The BBC’s best general was told that cash support is urgently required because he believes that Russian aggression will not stop in Ukraine.

“We are threatened by Russia. We are threatened by Putin. We have to do everything that is required to deter it,” says General Carsten Bruroer. It warns that NATO should be a possible attack in less than four years.

“It is not about the time I need,” says defense chief. “The more we hurry to prepare better.”

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has changed deeply in Germany.

For decades, people here grew up on the refusal of military power, fully aware of the previous role of Germany as the aggressor in Europe.

“We have started two global wars. Although 80 years since the end of World War II, the idea that the Germans must remain outside the conflict are still largely in the DNA of many people,” explains Marcus Zenner of the German Marshall Fund in Berlin.

Some are still cautious about anything that could be seen as a military number so far, and the armed forces have been suffering from a chronic shortage.

There are sounds warning: “Are we really on the right track? Do you imagine our threat right? “

When it comes to Russia, Germany had a specific approach.

While countries like Poland and the Baltic countries have warned against approaching Moscow – and its defensive spending – Berlin under the former Chancellor Angela Merkel believed in doing business.

Germany imagined that it was providing democracy through arrogance. But Russia took the money and invaded Ukraine anyway.

So in February 2022, the amazing consultant Olaf Schulz announced a national axis in the priorities, “Zeenwundi”.

This is when the giant committed 100 billion euros (108 billion dollars; 83 billion pounds) to strengthen the army in the country and maintain the “defense owners like Putin” in choice. But General Burur says he was not enough.

“We have filled a little drilling,” he says. “But it is really bad.”

On the contrary, it indicates heavy spending in Russia on weapons and equipment, for stocks as well as the front lines in Ukraine.

It also highlights the hybrid war in Russia: from electronic attacks to sabotage, as well as unlimited drones on German military sites.

Added to this, Vladimir Putin’s aggressive speech and General Burur sees a “truly dangerous mix”.

“Unlike the Western world, Russia does not think about the boxes. It is not related to the time of peace and war, it is a continuous series: Let’s start with hybrid, escalation, then return. This makes me think we are facing a real threat.”

He argues in Germany to act quickly.

The evaluation of the chief defense head of the state of his current forces is consistent with a recent report to Parliament. He concluded that the Bundesoher was “very little of everything.”

The report’s author, Armed Forces Commissioner Eva Hohal, revealed a quiet shortage of ammunition to soldiers, to the dilapidated barracks. The budget for the renewal business alone was estimated at about 67 billion euros (72 billion dollars, 56 billion pounds).

General Burwer says that raising the roof of the debt and allowing the army to borrow – in theory, without limits – will allow him to reach a “fixed line” of funding to start dealing with this.

This historical step behind the expected Shuls, Fredchich Mirz, was taken in a rush that raised some eyebrows. The proposal was submitted to Parliament before it was dissolved immediately after the February elections.

The new parliament, with an anti -hostility and Russia, may be less discriminatory.

However, the “turn” in which Germany began in 2022 gained a new momentum this year.

A modern survey of Ugov poll showed that 79 % of Germans still see Vladimir Putin as “very” or “completely” dangerous for European peace and security.

Now 74 % said the same for Donald Trump.

The survey followed a letter in Munich, the PD Vice Vice President in Europe and its values.

“This was a clear indication that something might have changed mainly in the United States,” says Marcos Zenner.

“We do not know where the United States is heading, but we know that we can rely 100 % on American protection when it comes to our security – I have gone this confidence now.”

In Berlin, the traditional caution of Germans about all military things appears to fade quickly.

Charlotte Crete, eighteen -year -old, says her porous opinions have changed.

“For a long time, we believed that the only way to compensate for the atrocities we committed in World War II is to ensure that they did not happen again (…) and we thought we needed to remove the holidays,” Charlotte explains.

“But we are now in a position in which we have to struggle for our values, democracy and freedom. We need adaptation.”

“There are many Germans who still feel strange to large investments in our army,” Ludwig Stein agrees. “But I believe that looking at the things that have happened in the past few years, there is no other real choice.”

Sophie, a young mother, believes that investing in defense is now “necessary in the world in which we live.”

But Germany needs forces in addition to the tanks, which is less liberal on its son, who has been recruited.

Bundeswehr only has one permanent center, and a small unit between a pharmacy and a shoe store next to the Friedrichstras station in Berlin.

With the inverted offensive dolls in the window and slogans like “cold and hot”, they aim to attract men and women to serve, but only get a handful of callers every day.

Germany has already missed a target to strengthen its ranks by 20,000 soldiers, to 203,000, and reduce an average age from 34.

But the ambitions of General Burur are much greater.

He told us that Germany needs an additional 100,000 soldiers to defend itself and the East NATO wing – a total of 460,000, including reserves. Therefore, he insists on returning to military service necessary “completely”.

“You will not get 100,000 without a model or another of the floors,” the general said.

“We do not have to define what the model brings them. It is important for me to get the soldiers.”

This debate has just started.

It is clear that General Burur puts himself at the forefront of an effort to push the “role” of Germany further and faster.

In his easy way and participation, he loves to visit the regional city halls and challenge the masses there with a question: “Are you ready for war?”

One day, a woman accused him of her fear. I said, “I am not afraid of you, he is the other man! Remember his response.

He was referring to Vladimir Putin.

The general says, the twin stimulant “to wake up”-to threaten Russia and isolate the separate United States-is loudly to Germany, and cannot be ignored.

“Now it is understood for each of us to change.”