NOVEL NEXT Chapter 468 Everything was Arranged by Shire
Early morning, Shire was routinely awakened by the noise of the "Camel" aircraft taking off.
Every day at dawn, six aircraft would fly out in three groups toward three different directions to patrol. This was one of the measures to prevent the German Army from reconnaissance on our troop deployment.
Shire put on his uniform and hastily washed up. While yawning, he walked towards the command post.
Just as he sat down on the chair, the orderly brought over breakfast: mashed potatoes, a slice of bread, a little jam, and a small piece of chocolate.
This was thanks to Albert I, who believed that the heroes who liberated Belgium should not be treated poorly. Thus, he mobilized the Belgians to improve the food for the French Army, exclusively for Shire's troop!
"The Battle of Verdun has started." Without lifting his head, Tijani, who was bending over and staring at the map, writing and drawing on it, said, "You've won again, Brigadier."
Shire, who was gnawing on bread, looked up sharply at Tijani, shocked. Did this guy know that all this was an intentional trap set by him?
Tijani's next words made Shire breathe a sigh of relief. He threw a document onto Shire's desk: "The Germans are using your tactics, almost identical to when you fought at Antwerp."
Shire uttered an "Oh," so that's what's going on.
He smiled lightly and continued eating while his other hand flipped through the document.
Indeed, as Tijani said, the German Army first had an artillery preparation, followed by infantry charging behind tanks. They even used Molotov cocktails to guide the tanks' attack routes.
If there was any difference, it was that the Germans' artillery preparation lasted for 5 hours, from 9 AM to 2 AM the next day.
Shire complained: "They should pay some royalties."
"Oh, yes." Tijani laughed, turning his head to look at Shire, his eyes filled with incredulity: "It would be best if they could hire you as an instructor, right?"
"Forget it!" Shire replied: "I would be drowned in French spit."
Tijani smiled bitterly, shaking his head. He stepped forward and pushed Shire's tray aside, spreading out the map on the empty desk.
"The first line of defense at Verdun has been easily breached. They are attacking Duomont Fortress now."
"Duomont Fortress is very important. If it falls, Verdun will be in danger!"
(The above image shows the map of Verdun, with many named locations being fortresses, dozens in total. The red arrows indicate the direction of the German Army's attack, with their main forces passing through between two round-marked fortresses, heading directly toward the central Duomont Fortress.)
Shire nodded in agreement.
Duomont Fortress is the center of the Verdun Fortress Group, with many trenches connected to it, making it a critical support point.
Once it's captured by the German Army, the French defenses will be divided into two segments, and the other fortresses will be fighting independently due to the inability to communicate.
"What's Xia Fei's reaction?" Shire asked casually.
"He insists that this is a German feint." Tijani helplessly spread his hands: "Despite everyone believing this is not the case."
It's common sense; a feint would not involve continuous bombing for 5 hours and dispatch tanks and large troops, otherwise, the cost of this feint would be too high.
Shire just smiled without saying anything.
He knew Xia Fei was merely holding on. He seemed to have no other choice but to hold on.
In fact, Shire had blocked Xia Fei's retreat route, arranging for Arman to bet against Xia Fei in the parliament.
On the surface, this looked like a quick verbal triumph.
In reality, it was: once Xia Fei admitted that the Germans' main attack was on the Verdun direction and reallocated troops, it meant Arman had won, and the parliament would have legitimate grounds to discuss Xia Fei's retention as commander-in-chief.
This was a great humiliation for Xia Fei, especially considering the person betting against him was Arman, who knew nothing about military matters and was from the right-wing.
...
Under the mist covering the Paris House of Representatives, groups of three or five legislators hurriedly walked into the meeting room and took their seats.
This time, a special meeting was convened due to the outbreak of the Battle of Verdun, and they had also called in Gallieni, who had just returned to his post from the hospital, for questioning.
Since Gallieni was one of the few authoritative military experts in Paris.
As soon as the meeting began, someone raised the question that everyone wanted to know: "General Gallieni, with your military experience, do you think the Germans' attack on Verdun is a feint?"
General Gallieni's face was still pale, but his voice was loud and powerful: "I don't think so because no feint attack can reach such a scale. If it weren't for the heroic battle of the front-line soldiers, Verdun might have already fallen into the hands of the Germans!"
The legislators were all in an uproar.
Then someone curiously asked: "Who is holding off the Germans at the front line?"
"It's Colonel Delion." Gallieni replied: "As far as I know, he has about 750 soldiers. Up to now, more than three hundred of them have been killed or wounded."
The meeting room was again filled with exclamations.
"We should send reinforcements immediately."
"No," Gallieni replied: "The German artillery is too fierce. Most of our reinforcements are bombed on the way."
The artillery in the fortress was relocated, directly leading to the Germans' artillery occupying an absolute advantage. Any suspicious troops appearing in the open areas outside the fortress would be blasted into the sky.
"Then what should we do? Just wait?"
Gallieni answered: "We can wait until the night when there's a chance for reinforcements. Darkness will be the best cover."
"But Colonel Delion is the regiment commander. Why does he only have seven hundred people?" Some legislators expressed confusion about this.
"You know," Gallieni replied truthfully: "Xia Fei transferred all the artillery and gunners."
The garrison units were mixed infantry and artillery based on the fortress. With all the artillery being transferred, only a pitiful seven hundred soldiers were left.
So, naturally, everyone thought of Xia Fei. All this was caused by him. Colonel Delion had warned repeatedly, but he stubbornly persisted!
Legislators did not speak out, and some cast their eyes on Arman.
Perhaps sensing this, Arman stood up with composure:
"No, I won't say anything that undermines the war effort, gentlemen."
"Now is not the time to blame; the battle has already begun."
"Although I don't understand military matters, I know it is a grave mistake to change commanders in the heat of battle. Now we should consider how to resolve the current crisis!"
His words surprised everyone. Legislators did not expect Arman, who had always been aggressive, to say such foresighted and overall considerate words.
Only Gallieni sighed to himself:
Everything was arranged by Shire, including Arman.
Arman was not speaking in favor of Xia Fei but intending to expose Xia Fei's weaknesses and force him to make more mistakes until all legislators could no longer tolerate the commander-in-chief.
But the price paid would be the defeat of Verdun and the lives of soldiers!
Arman looked at Gallieni on the stage and smiled lightly.
He did not expect that one day he would become Gallieni's "comrade-in-arms."