NOVEL NEXT Chapter 469: How Can We Attack?
The French Army's reinforcement to Colonel Delion was not as easy as imagined. The German Army had surrounded the fortress and occupied the surrounding high grounds, making it impossible for reinforcements to approach without being intercepted.
Soon after, another distressing occurrence was reported: the Germans had mixed gas shells with their artillery shells. People were being poisoned without realizing it, and the symptoms were unlike anything seen before. This indicated that the Germans had invented a new type of poisonous gas.
(Above is a phosgene shell, used by both sides during World War I, with an estimated usage of 100,000 tons.)
More terrifyingly, the gas was being delivered via artillery shells rather than gas canisters as before.
The German Army was clearly prepared.
Whether the Germans were using gas shells or not, the French Army needed to wear gas masks because no one knew if the shells fired at them contained gas.
Without gas masks, it would be too late once they realized.
However, wearing gas masks impaired their vision, making night battles almost impossible.
As a result, there was no suspense: around eleven o'clock that night, Duomont Fortress fell.
Colonel Delion, upon realizing they were surrounded by the Germans, attempted a breakout, but a shrapnel struck the back of his head, killing him instantly.
(Note: Colonel Delion was a hero of Verdun. He led 750 soldiers in a fierce resistance, with only 94 surviving, resulting in a casualty rate of nearly 90%.)
...
The news soon reached Paris, and the sleepless citizens, worried about the ongoing battles, were enraged.
They knew that Colonel Delion was the one who had repeatedly warned but was ignored by Xia Fei, and now, once again due to Xia Fei's incompetence, Delion and his men had sacrificed their lives to the Germans.
It could almost be said that Xia Fei had caused their deaths.
The people marched on the streets with flashlights, shouting repeatedly:
"Xia Fei must be held accountable for this!"
"We don't need a commander-in-chief like this."
"Our soldiers are brave, but they have an incompetent commander!"
...
Under the pressure of public opinion, an already flustered Xia Fei made several more tactical errors.
After the fall of Duomont Fortress, the 72nd Infantry Division stationed at Brabant, without authorization, retreated to the second-line defenses.
Retreating from Brabant was wise, as it was nearly encircled by the German Army.
(Note: Brabant is located at the red circle on the left side of the previous map, being the frontline and the most vulnerable to encirclement once the enemy breaks through the lines.)
This was actually an oversight in Xia Fei's command: he should have ordered this division to retreat earlier.
However, upon learning of the division's unauthorized retreat, Xia Fei angrily ordered:
"Immediately order this unit to return and reclaim the lost ground!"
"Not an inch of land can be abandoned lightly!"
"They must do whatever it takes to reclaim it!"
...
The 72nd Infantry Division reluctantly launched an attack, only to run into the enemy's encirclement, suffering heavy casualties.
The night was a complete disaster.
Xia Fei, disregarding everything, ordered the troops to counterattack the Germans, perhaps thinking that only by reclaiming the lost land could he appease those condemning him.
However, the Germans, one of whose objectives was to deplete the French Army's vital forces and bleed the French dry, halted their advance, using the captured fortresses and trenches to set up guns, mowing down wave after wave of French soldiers on their offensive.
...
As dawn broke, in the dim light, General Gallieni lay asleep on a bed in the rest room, still in his uniform.
He also wished to participate in the Verdun battles, but Xia Fei's arrogance tolerated no interference; Gallieni's City Defense Headquarters received only a few telegrams throughout.
Suddenly, hurried footsteps echoed from the hallway.
Gallieni opened his eyes, and Major Fernan's voice sounded outside the door: "General, Major Jules has just arrived from the front line, hoping to speak with you!"
"Major Jules?" Gallieni slowly got up, fumbled for his glasses on the bedside, and put them on, frowning as he considered for a moment. Do I know him, or have I forgotten due to my age?
Major Fernan added, "He was Colonel Delion's subordinate."
"Oh," Gallieni responded, "let him in, immediately."
Shortly after, Major Jules appeared before Gallieni. In the dim light, it was clear that his body and face were stained with blood, his eyes swollen, though his uniform was intact.
"I'm deeply sorry, Major," General Gallieni said, "I've heard the news of Colonel Delion's sacrifice, and also of the soldiers of the 19th Infantry Regiment who died. They are all heroes of France!"
Major Jules swallowed with difficulty: "I'm not here for that, General."
"Then you are..." General Gallieni was a little confused.
Major Jules took a deep breath and said firmly, "I hope you can persuade Parliament to dismiss Commander-in-Chief Xia Fei, General!"
Gallieni was utterly shocked. He suddenly stood up, his tone turning to anger: "You should know this is more serious than reporting higher-ups. This behavior is practically treason, especially while the war is ongoing. I could even execute you for this..."
"I know, General," Major Jules interrupted Gallieni sternly, "You can execute me, General. But please, respond to my request: remove the commander-in-chief!"
Gallieni was somewhat taken aback, also admiring the young man's courage.
Being executed by one's comrades on the execution ground was different from dying honorably on the battlefield.
Though both involved death, the former carried shame while the latter was honorable.
If someone wasn't afraid of dying in disgrace, they must have experienced an immense provocation.
Then Gallieni seemed to understand and gently persuaded:
"I understand, Major. You wish to avenge Colonel Delion and your comrades!"
"But I believe this action is neither wise nor advisable."
"This is war, as a soldier, you should know, it's not all Xia Fei's fault..."
Major Jules again interrupted General Gallieni: "No, General, I'm not seeking revenge. I want to prevent more people from dying at Xia Fei's hands."
With that, Major Jules took out a piece of paper from his pocket with his blood-stained hands and reported:
"Before coming here, I went to the field hospital to make a count."
"There were over three thousand people in the hospital."
"If you count those fallen on the battlefield and not yet brought back, there are at least ten thousand casualties."
Gallieni was taken aback: "Ten thousand casualties? In one night?"
My God, the French Army is on the defensive, and they have fortress defenses. How could there be ten thousand casualties!
However, Jules replied resolutely: "I am sure, General. Because we were attacking all night!"
Gallieni's mouth gaped open, unable to speak.
Knowing the Germans had deployed new poison gas, how could they launch an attack?!