I Became a Tycoon During World War I - Chapter 220

Chapter 220: The Highly Popular "Char A1"

This day, Charles did not go anywhere; he simply stayed at home, sleeping. After waking up, he read books, and when tired, he went back to sleep. He only went downstairs for lunch when Camille called for him.

He didn't concern himself with anything, nor did he want to think about it. The political intrigue, the deceptive dealings in business, or the open and covert struggles on the battlefield—all of it was pushed to the back of his mind.

At this moment, Charles realized that these seemingly boring days, which he had once dismissed, were actually quite beautiful.

In the evening, when Djoka returned from the factory and sat down at the dinner table, he casually remarked, "von Spee didn't abandon his ships after all. That's worthy of respect!"

"Von Spee?" Charles asked. "The Sharnhorst?"

"You don't know?" Djoka said in surprise, as military affairs were typically something Charles was the first to know about.

The next moment, Djoka understood. Charles had stayed at home all day, nearly cut off from the outside world.

"It was this morning," Djoka explained. "The exact time is unclear, but Spee's fleet was almost completely wiped out. Only one auxiliary ship and a light cruiser managed to escape."

There was a hint of regret on Djoka's face as he spoke.

This was somewhat odd. Spee's fleet was the enemy, defeated by their ally, Britain, yet Djoka expressed regret.

Charles simply muttered "Mm" and did not comment.

This was the problem with naval battles in this period. Slower ships had almost no chance of escaping, and Spee should have known this when he decided to attack the Falkland Islands.

However…

When his first attack failed, choosing to retreat seemed hasty.

Even if he had to retreat, Spee should have left one or two ships in key positions to cover the retreat, even if those ships were sunk. This would have blocked the British navy’s exit routes, allowing the main force a chance to escape.

Otherwise, one ship after another would be sunk by faster battlecruisers, with no suspense.

...

The next day, when Charles returned to Paris for his military service, as usual, he had just walked into the second-floor command center when the staff saluted him again:

"Salute to Colonel Charles!"

...

Lieutenant Colonel Fernand also respectfully saluted Charles and, half-jokingly, said, "Colonel, finally, we don't have to address you as 'Sir' anymore!"

As a lieutenant colonel, taking orders from a major seemed awkward, but once Charles was promoted to colonel, that issue would be resolved.

Charles looked at Gallieni in confusion.

If he had been promoted from lieutenant to major, it would have made sense, as they were both junior officers. But moving from major to colonel in one leap seemed a bit excessive.

It was only when General Petain was 58 years old that he became a colonel, while Charles was still only 17.

Gallieni seemed to understand Charles's thoughts. As he handed Charles his promotion papers, he said meaningfully, "You’ve earned this, Colonel. You've saved more than thirty thousand lives, and I don’t think anyone would object. Also, we can say this is an early coming-of-age gift!"

Charles felt a jolt in his heart. He understood the hidden meaning behind Gallieni's words.

Once Charles reached adulthood, there would be no more restrictions on him going to the battlefield. In the French military, even famous figures like Foch had to personally command on the front lines, so Charles certainly would not be an exception.

So, Charles had been promoted so rapidly, not just because of his military achievements, but also because Gallieni had intentionally maneuvered him into this position.

Gallieni's intentions were clear—if one day Charles had to go to the front, his colonel rank would undoubtedly open up more resources for him.

Charles silently compared his political influence within the parliament:

The Republican Party led by Steed, the Radical Socialist Party led by Wells, and the Socialists and the right wing allied with Schneider still had the upper hand. In comparison, his side still seemed to be at a disadvantage, especially with dozens of interwoven parties.

It seemed unlikely that a reversal would happen before he came of age.

"Another good piece of news!" Gallieni raised his head and looked at Charles. "How much do you plan to sell your 'Char A1' tank for?"

Charles had already decided on the price and answered decisively, "Thirty thousand francs, General!"

This time, Charles had learned his lesson. The Saint-Chamond tank was priced at 21,000 francs, and the Char A1, a tank that could win battles, deserved to be sold at a higher price than the Saint-Chamond. It was not unreasonable at all.

In fact, Charles had left Gallieni a little room for bargaining, but Gallieni merely furrowed his brow and responded with a brief "Mm," not negotiating at all.

After a moment of consideration, Gallieni asked, "I want to know, if we buy a certain number of 'Char A1' tanks, will it be enough to break through the enemy's defenses completely?"

Charles instantly understood Gallieni's meaning.

Although Charles had won many victories on the frontlines, overall, both sides were still in a stalemate.

It seemed that Gallieni wanted to use the Char A1 to change that.

But Charles shook his head and replied, "I don’t think so, General. The Char A1 is still only suitable for short-range breakthroughs. It still has problems with its tracks and other components. Moreover, the enemy may use simple methods to block the tanks' advance."

"What methods?" Gallieni asked in confusion.

Charles leaned in slightly and lowered his voice to answer, "They only need to widen the trenches."

Gallieni nodded and muttered, "Ah," understanding immediately. That was indeed a "simple method."

In fact, Charles didn't elaborate further.

As the saying goes, "When the way is high, the devil is higher." If Germany knew how to dig "anti-tank trenches," essentially digging a trench deeper and wider than a normal trench, with barbed wire and mines set within, the tanks would be completely blocked.

Of course, Charles wouldn't easily reveal this idea. It would be as foolish as Britain holding the most battleships but still developing torpedo boats.

One day, if the Germans discovered this method themselves, Charles would have no choice but to accept it.

"Alright!" Gallieni sighed, "The military plans to purchase 500 units!"

Charles was shocked by the number. Five hundred tanks meant fifteen million francs—a big business!

But after thinking about it, it didn’t seem strange. In history, this tank had sold over three thousand units in just one year. This was only the beginning!

Gallieni then handed Charles a list, saying, "Also, several other countries have applied to our government, hoping to purchase these tanks, including the United States. I think you should find time to talk to them!"

"Yes, General!" Charles responded.

He took the list and glanced at it. Suddenly, he understood why Gallieni had not haggled.

So many countries were eager to buy, and the order quantity was significant. The United States even wanted a production license… meaning they wanted to produce their own batch.

If Gallieni had bargained now, Charles could have used the opportunity to reduce the supply.

Charles thought to himself: It's amazing when others are fighting to get it. Next time, I should try to create a "rush-buy" atmosphere.

Or, find a few partners to cooperate!

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