Chapter 368: This is Politics
To address the mismatch between tank and infantry speeds, the development paths of different nations diverged in surprising ways after World War I.
Britain, though the birthplace of the tank, never fully grasped its potential or the tactics it required. They chose to slow down their tanks to match infantry pace, resulting in the concept of "infantry tanks," like the "Matilda."
Germany, however, emphasized blitzkrieg tactics focused on speed and offense, pushing their infantry to keep up with the tanks. Thus, they developed half-track armored vehicles and motorcycle sidecars to support infantry-tank coordination.
Charles, knowing the right answer, didn't hesitate. He equipped his units with armored vehicles right from the start, and they were even designed to carry troops.
(Note: Armored vehicles did exist in this period, though most didn't transport troops. They were intended to support infantry rather than to operate alongside tanks. For example, the British Rolls-Royce armored car, introduced in late 1914, was used in this way.)
With the tank brigade arrangements complete, Charles made a quick visit to the flight club, where pilots were diligently training on "The Eight Rules of Air Combat" under Carter's direction. Charles felt reassured.
By midday, Charles was back at the police training base. He had just stepped into the command center when Dominick followed him in. It was clear he'd been waiting for Charles.
"General," Dominick said eagerly, handing Charles a newspaper and pointing to an article. "You should take a look at this."
It was a report on the stalemate at Gallipoli, describing how the Allies were making no headway on either land or sea.
Charles raised an eyebrow and asked, "Since when do you follow the Gallipoli campaign?"
"No," Dominick replied, leaning closer to point out a particular line. "It's this part here."
Charles took a closer look and noticed an unassuming line buried in the article: "The soldiers curse the 'Chauchat' machine gun, saying it's never fired 200 rounds without jamming, something even a rifle can do."
Skimming through the article, Charles had missed this detail at first.
"You're interested in the Chauchat's performance in battle?" Charles asked.
"Yes," Dominick replied. "It's been in service for three weeks, and the response has been strong. Some units are even refusing it outright, saying it wastes resources and requires too much maintenance."
Charles wasn't surprised. The Chauchat was plagued with issues, and in the high-salt, high-humidity conditions of Gallipoli, it was no shock that problems were cropping up.
Then, Dominick cautiously asked, "General, shouldn't we deploy the 'Saint-Étienne Model 2' machine gun instead?"
This was Dominick's true motivation. His attention to the Gallipoli campaign wasn't to gloat over the Chauchat's flaws, nor to boost sales of the Saint-Étienne Model 2. He wanted to see the Saint-Étienne Model 2 quickly deployed to save more lives among the Allied forces.
This soft-hearted man, Charles thought with a trace of impatience. How would he ever take over Steed's business?
After a moment's thought, Charles nodded, "It's about time."
Relieved, Dominick replied, "I'll take care of it right away."
"Wait," Charles said, stopping Dominick as he turned to leave. "Start by equipping the British 29th Division and the 5th Australian Light Horse Regiment."
Dominick looked surprised. "Not the French Army?"
Aren't we a French arms manufacturer? Shouldn't we prioritize our own country's forces?
Charles had anticipated Dominick's reaction and shook his head slightly. A true capitalist should prioritize their own interests, not "national" interests.
"This is an opportunity for the Saint-Étienne factory, Dominick—an exceptional advertising opportunity to raise its profile," Charles reminded him.
"An advertising opportunity?" Dominick didn't understand. How was supplying the British different from supplying the French? Wasn't battlefield performance the best advertisement?
Charles countered, "The Chauchat machine gun is mostly issued to the French Army, right?"
"Yes," Dominick nodded. Though produced by the Puteaux Arms Factory, the Chauchat was still a French-made gun and was therefore distributed mainly to French forces.
Then something clicked for Dominick. "You mean to deploy both the Chauchat and the Saint-Étienne 2 machine guns on the same battlefield to highlight the contrast?"
"That's part of it," Charles indicated for Dominick to take a seat. "But there are other reasons. Can you think of any?"
Dominick looked at Charles, still puzzled.
Charles slowly explained, "People will assume this is Schneider and Joffre's doing—that they've suppressed the Saint-Étienne. This assumption will stir outrage, especially among the soldiers suffering the consequences."
Dominick protested, "But they haven't actually done that."
"I know," Charles said with a shrug. "But that doesn't matter."
Dominick understood. "You're intentionally misleading people!"
Charles didn't deny it.
Previously, Schneider had conspired with Joffre multiple times to undermine Charles and the Saint-Étienne Arms Factory.
Now, if the inferior Chauchat was supplied to the French Army while the high-performance Saint-Étienne 2 went to the British, how would people react?
They'd think, naturally:
"Why is the French Army given the worse option when both guns are made in France?"
"Shouldn't the better equipment be reserved for our own troops? Soldiers' lives are on the line!"
"This must be Joffre and Schneider's doing—blocking superior equipment again."
...
"But that would be a lie," Dominick objected, his face clearly disapproving.
"It's politics and business," Charles retorted. "Besides, we're not doing anything—people will draw their own conclusions."
"But Schneider and Joffre have their own newspapers. They'll issue a statement to clarify the situation."
Charles smirked. "Do you think people will believe them? Once people are convinced, they'll see any 'clarification' as a cover-up."
And if Charles and Saint-Étienne remained silent, people would think they were being pressured to keep quiet.
Even if the truth eventually came out, by then, the damage would be done.
Dominick shook his head. "We can't do that, General."
Charles replied with a single sentence: "This will ensure that the Saint-Étienne 2 machine gun reaches the front faster, saving more lives. Would you rather cling to honesty and ethics, or save soldiers' lives? Choose one."
Dominick paused, then sighed and nodded reluctantly. "You're right. I understand what I need to do."
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