I Became a Tycoon During World War I - Chapter 32

Chapter 32: Rifles or Tanks?

The grand hall of the French Bourbon Palace, housing the Chamber of Deputies, was bustling with noise. Semi-circular rows of seats encircled the speaker's platform, with a five-foot-wide aisle cutting through the hall, cleanly dividing the left-wing and right-wing seating areas.

On the left sat the left-wing representatives; on the right, the right-wing.

As leaders of the two main right-wing parties, Grevy and Armand were seated at the front row on the right. They listened to the heated clamor between the two factions while quietly conversing with each other.

After a while, Grevy glanced toward the left-wing seats, brimming with animosity, and then turned to Armand.
"It’s time to strike them hard!"

Armand nodded, adjusted the bow tie at his neck, and confidently strode up to the speaker’s podium, his head held high, supported by his cane.

(The Chamber of Deputies’ podium had two levels: the lower level, reserved for speeches and proposals from deputies, and a higher level, where the Speaker and other government officials were seated.)

Armand paused and surveyed the room, then raised his right hand lightly, resting it gracefully against his midsection. In a resonant voice, he called out, "Gentlemen!"

The powerful clarity of his voice reached even the deputies seated in the back row. Gradually, the cacophony died down, and the two factions returned to their seats, focusing their attention on Armand.

This commanding presence was one of the reasons why Grevy continually allied with Armand against the left-wing.

Armand had few virtues, but his background as a lawyer endowed him with a sharp tongue and an unmatched flair for oration—qualities that Grevy lacked.

"First of all!" Armand waved casually toward the floor. "Allow me to extend my deepest apologies to the Germans—this time, they won’t have the chance to crown their emperor in Paris!"

The hall erupted in knowing laughter.

A good opening, Grevy silently praised. Both the left-wing and right-wing could unite over French victories.

Then Armand added, "Unless, of course, they’re willing to send their Kaiser over here!"

The laughter grew louder, accompanied by a smattering of applause.

"I’ll personally prepare a special coronation ceremony for the Kaiser!" Armand continued. "This ceremony involves a wooden frame and a rope, and I’ll place the ‘crown’ on his neck myself!"

As he spoke, Armand mimed the act of hanging and even made a grotesque face, sticking out his tongue.

The hall burst into uproarious laughter, followed by vigorous applause.

Grevy couldn’t help but admire Armand’s brilliance as an orator. With effortless gestures and words, Armand became the center of attention.

Only in this way could his subsequent words truly resonate.

Armand transitioned to the main topic:
"For decades, France has consistently suffered defeat at the hands of Germany, both psychologically and in reality!"

"So much so that even brothels have seen a surge in demand for girls named Alsace!"

"They believe that by doing this, they can wrest Alsace back from German control and place it under their own!"

(Note: During the Franco-Prussian War, France ceded Alsace and Lorraine to Germany. Coincidentally, many French women bore the name Alsace, and some women in brothels deliberately adopted the name to attract clients.)

The deputies reacted with mixed expressions—some laughed mockingly, while others wore embarrassed faces, aware that they had engaged in such behavior.

"This is no disgrace!" Armand declared. "In fact, it should be a source of pride, as it reflects your deep love for this nation. I, for one, take pride in it!"

The previously embarrassed deputies began to feel more at ease.

Armand quickened his pace:
"What I truly wish to convey is this: from now on, your wish may soon come true—not in brothels, but on the battlefield. France is guiding its military to reclaim Alsace through genuine conquest!"

"Indeed!" came enthusiastic responses from many deputies.

"And Lorraine, along with reparations!" Armand emphasized.

"Absolutely!" The fervor in the hall escalated.

"And we’ll force the Germans to bow their proud heads!" Armand raised a clenched fist as he shouted.

"Exactly!" The deputies joined in a cacophony of agreement, their passion reaching a fever pitch.

At this moment, Armand shifted his tone, softening his voice as he continued with a touch of levity:

"However, we must ponder a critical question: what helped us defeat the Germans?"

The deputies were momentarily puzzled. Wasn’t it the French military?

After piquing their curiosity, Armand revealed the answer:
"Gentlemen, a young man named Charles provided the answer: tanks!"

The deputies nodded collectively, already familiar with the story. It was Charles who invented the tank, enabling the French military to defeat Germany.

Grevy rose at the right moment and declared, "Exactly! Tanks played a decisive role in both battles at Davaus! Without tanks, we wouldn’t have won!"

Under Grevy’s lead, the right-wing deputies voiced their agreement, leaving the left-wing with no choice but to nod along—after all, the facts were indisputable. The left-wing had failed to notice that they were falling into the trap set by Grevy and Armand.

Armand continued:
"Tanks emerged at a moment when the French army was in retreat, reversing the tide of battle and leading a faltering France to victory!"

"Furthermore, during the counteroffensive along the Marne River, tanks were instrumental in crushing the German forces!"

"Let’s not forget that this battle was commanded by General Gallieni, who led the Sixth Army in a fierce assault on the Germans but suffered heavy casualties and faced potential collapse!"

Armand spoke the truth. The Germans had anticipated the Sixth Army’s next move. If the Sixth Army failed in its assault, the Germans planned a swift counterattack, exploiting the Sixth Army’s weakened state to secure a decisive victory.

(Note: Historically, the Sixth Army was indeed routed by the Germans. Only after Joffre personally convinced the British Expeditionary Force to intervene were the Germans defeated. While the overall British army was disorganized, the initial expeditionary force of around 100,000 soldiers was composed of seasoned and elite troops.)

Armand delivered his key point:
"So, gentlemen!"

"Tell me, in the battles to come, do you want to deploy more rifles, machine guns, and artillery—or tanks?"

"Do you want the French army to suffer heavy losses like the Sixth Army, achieving nothing against the enemy? Or do you want them to emulate the Fifth Army, where just a few hundred men routed the German forces, leaving them scattered and defeated?"

The answer was obvious. Nearly everyone shouted:
"Tanks!"

"We need tanks!"

"To hell with rifles!"

...

No matter the topic, the left-wing and right-wing typically quarreled over their differing stances. Yet on this matter, they were unusually unanimous—almost everyone supported tanks.

Only one man watched the scene unfold in silence: Steed, the owner of the Saint-Étienne Armory.

The French army’s light weaponry, including standard-issue rifles and machine guns, was almost entirely produced by the Saint-Étienne Armory.

Steed had just received word that the two right-wing parties had jointly purchased the tank patent.

Thus, he fully understood the true purpose behind Armand’s impassioned speech.

As Armand’s gaze met Steed’s, the faintest hint of a provocative smile appeared on Armand’s lips, as if to say:
"What can you do about it? Bring it on!"

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