I Became a Plutocrat in World War I: Starting with Saving France

Duomont Fortress is an extremely important support point on the Douaumont Line, located precisely in the middle of the trenches and the surrounding terrain is flat for several kilometers.

As long as Duomont Fortress is occupied, its artillery and machine guns can suppress the firepower of the trenches within a range of several kilometers to the east and west.

Whoever occupies Duomont Fortress controls the Douaumont Line.

(The yellow lines in the above image indicate the Douaumont Line)

This is also why the German Army, after occupying Duomont Fortress, immediately dispatched an infantry battalion and an artillery battalion to garrison the fortress.

Colonel von Garneton is the commanding officer of the fortress, and as soon as he took over, he ordered the artillery to dismantle the cannons and move them into the fortress for defense.

But he quickly discovered the problem: "You idiots, the 150MM artillery should be placed on the flanks, not the front."

The artillery battalion commander objected: "But the enemy is at the front, Colonel!"

"Use your brain." Garneton angrily glared at the artillery battalion commander, "What does the enemy have that could threaten us? Rifles, machine guns, or their 75 cannons?"

The artillery battalion commander immediately realized his mistake.

The artillery battalion took cover inside the fortress, using the 77 cannons to suppress the front-line French 75 cannons, ignoring any attacks from the enemy.

150MM artillery pieces, with their longer range, placed on the flanks could not only cover over ten kilometers of trenches to the east and west, but also bomb any enemies that breached the trenches from an elevated position if the trenches were lost.

"Yes, Colonel!" The artillery battalion commander responded, quickly ordering the 150MM artillery to be placed on the flanks.

Colonel von Garneton was very satisfied with his deployment, believing the defense line to be impregnable.

Duomont Fortress was an unsolvable knot for the French Army, which had no large-caliber, long-range cannons. All they could do was charge in tight formation, only to be mowed down in swathes by German machine guns and artillery!

However, the situation that night made Colonel von Garneton uneasy.

That day, Garneton was outside the fortress with binoculars observing the Seventh Army's assault, feeling that the attack that night was unusual.

Previously, the artillery fire should have extended into the enemy's depth by now, but it continued to flash near the attack line without advancing an inch.

Is the attack not going well?

Colonel von Garneton was puzzled.

"Colonel!" At this time, a messenger reported, "They say there are too many wounded soldiers returning from the front line, and some need to be transported to the fortress."

Garneton thoughtlessly responded with an "Mm."

The space outside the fortress was large and flat, and there were ample supplies stored there, making it a good place for temporarily settling the wounded soldiers.

Especially since these wounded soldiers were only "a portion," Garneton had no reason to refuse.

However, as soon as this "portion" of wounded soldiers was brought up, Colonel von Garneton was dumbfounded.

There were at least five hundred of them, plus stretcher bearers and medical personnel, who quickly crowded the fortress and continued to pour in.

"No, no." Colonel von Garneton stopped a few soldiers carrying stretchers: "You can't go inside; it will cause problems for our defenses."

But immediately, a military doctor said, "These are severely wounded soldiers, Colonel, and they need surgery right away. Do you want us to use flashlights to cut open the wounds in this environment outside?"

Colonel von Garneton hesitated; indeed, it wasn't suitable, as there was smoke and dust everywhere, and flashlight beams would expose their position.

But...

Seeing Colonel von Garneton's hesitation, the military doctor added, "Someday, your troops will have casualties too, Colonel."

The words carried a hint of threat, as if warning Colonel von Garneton not to offend a military doctor.

Colonel von Garneton reluctantly nodded and allowed them inside, thinking that the fortress's defensive needs were not great at the moment, as the French were still far away.

However, once a crack was opened, it couldn't be stopped.

All the severely wounded needing surgery were brought into the fortress, turning it into a temporary hospital filled with incoming wounded and outgoing corpses.

Colonel von Garneton hoped that this would quickly end and return to normal.

Although he sympathized with the wounded, they had severely impacted the defense of Duomont Fortress.

The artillery inside the fortress had even become surgical assistants at the military doctor's command, holding buckets of severed limbs instead of shells.

Colonel von Garneton reported to his superiors several times by phone, and the response was: "Rest assured, Colonel, it is just a temporary placement; they will be transferred soon."

Colonel von Garneton hoped so, but he saw no decrease in the number of wounded; instead, there were more and more, including some stretcher bearers carrying Lebel Rifles.

Hold on, Lebel Rifles?!

Colonel von Garneton's pupils dilated; he rushed over with a flashlight and confirmed they were indeed Lebel Rifles, only used by the French!

"Hey, seize him." Colonel von Garneton shouted, "There's an enemy infiltrat..."

Before he could finish, a gunshot sounded from behind. Colonel von Garneton felt a shock throughout his body, looked down at the blood seeping from his chest, and collapsed.

As Colonel von Garneton's consciousness remained clear, he heard gunfire erupting inside and outside the fortress, with the German Army in chaos, surrounded by cries and screams.

...

This was Shire's arranged ambush.

He hadn't intended to capture Duomont Fortress, as it was unrealistic. Stabilizing the French front line was already difficult, let alone seizing the heavily guarded and well-positioned Duomont Fortress?

It would be as suicidal as a moth flying into a flame.

However, after the directional mines caused significant casualties to the German attacking forces, it became possible.

"Major Jules," Shire turned his head and called.

Major Jules was sorting out intelligence while eating bread, having gone a whole day without food.

He felt deeply guilty, believing he had let down Colonel Delion and his comrades, with the 19th Infantry Regiment suffering a 90% casualty rate, leaving only 94 survivors.

In such a brutal battle, he had argued with Lagden and Xia Fei, nearly failing to convey the intelligence successfully.

He felt he was a disgraceful deserter who should have died on the battlefield with his comrades.

When he heard Shire's call, he immediately put down his bread and ran over: "Yes, General."

"Are you familiar with the terrain of Duomont Fortress?" Shire asked.

"Of course, General." Major Jules confidently replied, "The 19th Infantry Regiment garrisoned there for nearly a year; we were almost ready to name every stone there."

"Hmm." Shire nodded and asked, "If I give you an infantry battalion, can you take it back?"

Major Jules was stunned for a moment and then burst into tears, choking out,

"Yes, General, I promise!"

"Thank you, General! Thank you very much!"