I Became a Tycoon During World War I - Chapter 67

Chapter 67: Special Operations

Charles adjusted his military cap, which was as stiff as dry bread. It was clearly uncomfortable for combat and offered no protection.

But to Charles, this was an opportunity. He immediately thought of supplying the French army with helmets.

Helmets may be small, but during the Great War, approximately 8.5 million men were conscripted into the French army. If each soldier required one, the profit might rival that of selling motorcycles...

Charles' daydream was interrupted by Gallieni.
"Are you lost in thought or distracted, Second Lieutenant?"

Charles let out an "uh" and refocused on the map in front of him.

"First, we must ensure the safety of the Fifth Army," he said, pointing to the map.
"The Third and Eighth Armies on the flanks are advancing steadily. Their logistical support is stable, and their troop strength is relatively secure. There’s little need to worry about them being encircled by the Germans!"

Gallieni gave a slight nod, indicating agreement with Charles' assessment.

Though the salient in their offensive line was risky and the Fifth Army could be surrounded, how exactly could the Germans accomplish this? Cut off the Fifth Army from the other units? If the Fifth Army slowed down, the Third and Eighth Armies would press forward, encircling any German forces attempting to cut them off in a counter-encirclement.

Risk was relative. Under the premise of "harassment warfare," the Germans would face even greater danger if they tried such a maneuver.

Gallieni was well aware that no plan on the battlefield was truly safe. The choices were between danger and greater danger.

If the enemy’s risk outweighed their own, then the plan was feasible.

Other generals, including Joffre, wanted the Fifth Army to halt because they were afraid of the Germans. They were still shaken by prior defeats and lacked confidence in the French army.

However...

"Why do we need to pick up the pace?" Gallieni asked curiously. "Do you intend to lure the Germans into surrounding the Fifth Army?"

Gallieni didn’t think this was a good idea. The Germans weren’t fools; an obvious trap wouldn’t catch them.

Charles smiled faintly.
"The Germans will think the same."

Gallieni immediately realized he had fallen into Charles’ mental game. In this chess match, Charles had predicted Gallieni’s thoughts.

"Interesting!" Gallieni remarked, grabbing his pince-nez glasses and placing them on his nose for a clearer view.
"So, your aim is precisely to ensure the Germans don’t surround the Fifth Army?"

"You could say that," Charles replied. "If the Germans try to encircle the Fifth Army, we’ll be forced into conventional warfare. While they might suffer losses, ours wouldn’t be any smaller."

Gallieni nodded in agreement. The quality of the German troops was undeniable. Even if they were worn down by harassment tactics, their combat effectiveness still matched that of the French army. A mutual encirclement would devolve into a brutal war of attrition.

Gallieni then placed himself in the shoes of a German commander, moving the Second Army's flag back on the map.
"What if I don’t encircle them and continue to retreat instead?"

"Checkmate!" Charles slapped his pencil down on the map, pointing to the German rear line.
"I’ll take your queen!"

"What?" Gallieni looked up in shock at Charles.
"You can’t do that, Charles. How could you breach my lines twenty kilometers deep..."

Before Gallieni could finish, he suddenly realized something. This gap was his own doing. If the German Second Army retreated, the Fifth Army would already be twenty kilometers past the German lines.

At that point, deploying sidecar motorcycle troops to flank the German positions through the mountain roads would directly threaten the German rear.

"My God!" Gallieni exclaimed in shock.
"The sidecar units would face no German regulars but instead their supply convoys, field hospitals, and vulnerable artillery!"

Charles neither confirmed nor denied it. Gallieni was right about one thing: Charles’ target was never the German frontline.

Gallieni then asked in confusion, "Why do you call this tactic ‘special operations’?"

Charles spoke softly.
"If, as you suggest, the sidecar units merely attacked supply convoys, field hospitals, or vulnerable artillery, it wouldn’t be special operations."

"But if we systematically and deliberately target enemy warehouses, ammunition depots, command centers, railway stations, and bridges, then it becomes special operations."

Gallieni was stunned.

Warehouses and ammunition depots were far more critical. A single fire could destroy the supplies of an entire army.

Attacking an enemy command center would plunge them into chaos.

If railway stations or bridges were destroyed, German supplies couldn’t reach the frontlines, forcing them into a full retreat.

After a moment of thought, Gallieni asked, "So, the difference lies only in the choice of targets?"

Charles silently praised Gallieni’s insight. He truly was a cut above.

An ordinary commander, hearing Charles’ idea, would likely exclaim,
"Brilliant! Let’s do it. We’ll achieve an unprecedented victory!"

Then they would rush to prepare for battle.

These mid- and lower-level commanders focused only on immediate victories.

Gallieni, however, emphasized military theory. Once he understood the principles and key points, he wouldn’t just win the current battle—he could apply the theory to other campaigns and integrate it into France’s overall strategy.

"It’s not just the targets, General," Charles explained. "The difficulty is far greater than attacking supply convoys or artillery. But the casualties might be lower, and the results even more significant!"

Charles’ words seemed contradictory. Greater difficulty typically meant higher casualties and lesser results.

But Gallieni understood. He nodded thoughtfully.

"If the targets are enemy warehouses, ammunition depots, command centers, and bridges..."

"Our first step would be identifying their locations, the size of their garrisons, and defensive weaknesses!"

"So..."

Gallieni suddenly looked up at Charles, his voice trembling with excitement.
"I see it now. It’s all about intelligence, Charles. We need accurate intelligence!"

"Then, using that intelligence, we complete the mission as quickly as possible and withdraw, leaving the Germans with a mess they can’t clean up!"

Charles nodded calmly. Gallieni had grasped the essence of special operations.

Gallieni stared at Charles in disbelief.
"This isn’t just genius, Charles!"

"You are a hundred times better than all of us combined!"

"You don’t even belong to this world!"

Charles couldn’t answer because Gallieni’s words were, in fact, the truth.

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