I Became a Tycoon During World War I - Chapter 145

Chapter 145: Conditions

This was Charles’ first time being summoned to the headquarters by Gallieni while on leave.

At the time, Charles had been napping.

Several factories were now running smoothly under Djoka’s management. The only drawback was that the aircraft manufacturing plant was too far from the town of Davaus, making it inconvenient for Djoka to oversee.

As a result, Charles had time to handle his own affairs.

Just as he was waking up and still groggy, Laurent’s voice came from outside the door: “Lieutenant, the general wants you to return to headquarters immediately!”

...

On the way, Charles learned about the overall situation of the battle: more than a thousand casualties, with the loss of 59 CA-1 tanks and 15 Saint-Chamond tanks.

Most of the Saint-Chamond tanks were not destroyed by the enemy but were stuck in shell craters and rendered immobile. The Germans hadn’t even noticed them for quite some time.

Even so, French engineers were unable to recover the tanks from the battlefield. They were too heavy—27 tons, equipped with tracks, and stuck in craters. Not even several trucks could tow them out.

Then, as the rain lessened, disaster struck again. The German army discovered the stranded tanks and bombarded the area. The shellfire not only shattered the Saint-Chamonds into pieces but also killed or wounded hundreds of engineers and destroyed over a dozen vehicles.

Laurent sighed, “No one expected the Saint-Chamond, which was so highly anticipated, to perform so poorly on the battlefield. Joffre even invited reporters from all the major newspapers to gather at La Focqs, intending to launch a publicity campaign after the victory. Now, it’s like shooting himself in the foot!”

But Charles remained unfazed.

Joffre was a hero crafted by the capitalists using their propaganda tools, a stabilizing pillar of France. The capitalists would not allow him to fall easily, especially during wartime.

Moreover, both the right-wing-supported CA-1 and the left-wing-sponsored Saint-Chamond had participated in the battle. Both sides controlled propaganda tools, and any newspapers or media outside their influence could be managed with money or deals.

Thus, the likely outcome of this situation would be a diversion of focus or a quiet downplay. Over time, people would forget, and it wouldn’t harm Joffre’s position.

Sure enough, when Charles got out of the car, he heard murmured conversations:
“I heard the tanks had design flaws, which caused heavy losses for the military!”
“Yes, it wasn’t the soldiers’ fault. They fought bravely!”
“This is because the designers don’t understand the battlefield. They’re out of touch with reality!”

...

This was the power of controlling the narrative. The capitalists skillfully diverted public attention to the military, the soldiers, and the designers, leading people to pick one to blame.

But none of them were truly at fault. The real culprits had already taken a large sum of money from the military and remained safely hidden in the shadows.

When Gallieni saw Charles arrive, he went straight to the lounge. Sitting on a chair with a grim expression, he said helplessly, “What you were worried about has happened, Lieutenant. Our tanks didn’t even see the enemy—they were completely passive and on the defensive!”

This outcome was within Charles’ expectations. Tank operators had only a small observation slit for visibility, and during the battle, it had been raining heavily, making it impossible to see the enemy clearly.

“Can your tanks perform?” Gallieni asked.

Charles replied ambiguously, “They should be able to, but I’m not entirely sure, General.”

Charles wasn’t in a hurry. If the military wanted breakthroughs on the defensive line, they would have to consider tanks. And now, Charles’ tanks were the only option left. The military had no choice but to purchase them.

Therefore, Charles didn’t need to offer any guarantees. He maintained an attitude of indifference, as if saying, “Take it or leave it—it’s up to you.”

Gallieni seemed to see through Charles’ thoughts. Smiling faintly, he tapped the table with his fingers and said sternly, “Lieutenant, I need a detailed evaluation report on the tanks produced by the Charles Tractor Factory. Can you deliver it within half an hour?”

Charles was taken aback. This tactic again?

Gallieni added, “You’re not going to tell me you don’t know your own tanks, are you?”

“No, General. I’m familiar with them,” Charles had to reply.

“Good!” Gallieni nodded in satisfaction. “Now, do you plan to tell me in the report, or will you give me the answer directly?”

Charles straightened up and said, “General, Charles’ tanks can break through enemy lines, but under certain conditions!”

“What conditions?” Gallieni asked with interest.

Charles answered, “I need Major Browning and his Fifth Army.”

Gallieni nodded in agreement.

Major Browning was one of the first commanders to collaborate with Charles, a fact well known since the Battle of the Marne. Charles was called the “Inventor,” and Browning was known as the “Commander.”

It was reasonable for Charles to request collaboration with Browning’s forces.

“What else?” Gallieni asked.

“I might also need the First Air Battalion,” Charles added.

Gallieni agreed immediately without hesitation. This battalion was originally under Charles’ command, so it wasn’t a significant demand.

Then Charles lowered his voice, hesitating slightly, “I also need an artillery officer, Colonel Estigny.”

Gallieni froze. “Estigny? Who is that?”

Charles lowered his voice further. “The developer of the CA-1…”

“No, that’s impossible!” Gallieni looked at Charles in disbelief. “If he developed the CA-1, then he’s aligned with the right-wing!”

Gallieni was aware of the conflicts and disputes between Charles and the right-wing, especially the incident in Antwerp where Charles was deceived.

And now, Charles was proposing an alliance with the right-wing?

“No, General!” Charles explained. “Just Colonel Estigny. I have no intention of collaborating with the right-wing. Colonel Estigny, for certain reasons, designed the CA-1 for the right-wing. He came to me.”

Gallieni remembered something. “Isn’t he the guy Laurent beat up a few days ago?”

Laurent had reported the incident to Gallieni, though Gallieni hadn’t paid much attention to it.

“Yes,” Charles nodded. “I need him to train the tank units.”

Browning was better suited for battlefield command, where he only needed to “know what to do” and follow a systematic set of rules to direct operations.

But Colonel Estigny needed to “know why” because only by understanding and fully grasping the theory of coordinated combat could he be a competent instructor for training the troops.

Gallieni’s expression remained neutral as he replied, “I’ll reserve judgment on that. I’ll investigate and get back to you.”

He shook his head slightly, as if to say, “This young man is too trusting. If Colonel Estigny is a right-wing operative, you’ll lose everything.”

Gallieni then snorted softly, as if thinking, “If Estigny really is a spy, he’ll regret it soon enough!”

Table of content - Next Chapter >>>