Chapter 472: Everything Was Arranged by Shire
In the early morning, Shire was as usual awakened by the noise of the Camel fighters taking off.
Every day, as soon as the sky began to lighten, six aircraft would split into three groups, patrolling in three different directions. This was one of the measures employed to prevent German reconnaissance of their troop deployments.
Shire casually washed his face, put on his military uniform, and headed toward the command post while yawning.
Just as he sat down, an orderly promptly brought him breakfast: mashed potatoes, a slice of bread with a bit of jam, and a small piece of chocolate.
This was thanks to King Albert I, who insisted that the heroes liberating Belgium should not suffer hardship. He mobilized Belgians specifically to improve the rations of the French army, exclusively for Shire's forces!
"The Battle of Verdun has begun," Tijani, who was bent over a map scribbling notes without looking up, remarked casually. "You've won again, Brigadier General."
Shire, who had just been chewing on his bread, snapped his head up abruptly and stared at Tijani, startled. Could this guy possibly know that all of this had been deliberately set up by himself?
Tijani's next words made Shire breathe a sigh of relief. Tossing a file onto Shire's desk, Tijani explained, "The Germans used your tactics—almost exactly what you did at Antwerp."
"Oh," Shire murmured, suddenly understanding the situation.
He smiled faintly, resumed eating, and flipped open the file with his other hand.
Indeed, just as Tijani had described, the Germans began with artillery preparation, followed by infantry advancing behind tanks. They even employed incendiary bottles to guide their tanks, precisely replicating Shire's Antwerp tactic.
If there was any difference, it was that the Germans' artillery bombardment lasted five continuous hours, from nine in the evening until two in the morning the next day.
"They ought to pay royalties," Shire complained.
"Oh, certainly," Tijani chuckled, turning toward Shire with an amused and incredulous look. "Better yet, they should hire you as an instructor, right?"
"No thanks," Shire replied. "I'd drown in the Frenchmen's spit."
Tijani shook his head with a bitter smile, moved Shire's breakfast tray slightly, and spread a map out on the cleared space of the table.
"The first defense line at Verdun has been easily breached. Right now, they're attacking Fort Douaumont."
"Fort Douaumont is crucial. If it falls, Verdun is in great danger," Shire agreed, nodding gravely.
Fort Douaumont was central to Verdun's fortress complex, connected by numerous trenches and serving as a critical support point.
Once captured by the Germans, the French defense line would split into two disconnected sections, isolating other forts and leaving them to fight independently.
"What's Joffre's reaction?" Shire casually asked.
"He insists it's a German feint," Tijani replied with a helpless shrug, "though everyone else knows otherwise."
It was common sense. A feint couldn't involve five straight hours of bombardment and the deployment of tanks and massive infantry forces. The cost would be too high.
Shire merely smiled without speaking.
He knew Joffre was bluffing, as bluffing was the only option left for him now.
In fact, Shire himself had cornered Joffre. He had arranged for Armand to challenge Joffre publicly in parliament, ostensibly for show.
However, in reality, if Joffre admitted that the German attack at Verdun was indeed the main offensive and redeployed troops, Armand would immediately win the argument. This would give parliament ample justification to question Joffre's position as Commander-in-Chief.
It would be utterly humiliating for Joffre, especially since he was being challenged by Armand, a man notoriously ignorant of military affairs—and from the political right, no less.
…
In Paris, under a blanket of fog, members of the Chamber of Deputies hurriedly gathered in small groups, rushing into the chamber for the special meeting convened due to the outbreak of the Battle of Verdun. They had even invited Gallieni, freshly returned to duty from the hospital, to answer their questions.
Gallieni was one of the few authoritative military experts currently present in Paris.
As soon as the meeting began, a deputy posed the question that was on everyone's mind: "General Gallieni, based on your military experience, is the German attack at Verdun merely a diversion?"
Gallieni's face remained pale, yet his voice was firm and resonant: "I do not believe so. No feint could achieve such a massive scale. Without the bravery of our frontline soldiers, Verdun would likely already be in German hands!"
An uproar erupted among the deputies.
Someone then curiously asked, "Who is holding back the Germans at the front?"
"It's Colonel Driant," Gallieni answered. "As far as I know, he commands only around 750 men, and they've already sustained over 300 casualties."
Gasps and murmurs spread across the chamber again.
"We should send reinforcements immediately!"
"No," Gallieni replied bluntly. "The German artillery fire is too fierce. Most of our reinforcements have been killed en route."
The artillery originally stationed at the forts had been withdrawn, directly resulting in German artillery dominance. Any suspicious movement in the open ground outside the forts was immediately pulverized.
"What can we do, then? Just wait?" another deputy asked anxiously.
Gallieni responded, "We can wait until nightfall. Darkness will give us the best chance to reinforce secretly."
"But Colonel Driant commands a regiment—why does he have only seven hundred soldiers left?" another deputy questioned, puzzled.
"You already know the answer," Gallieni stated frankly. "Joffre withdrew the artillery units, along with their support."
Fortress garrisons were usually composed of mixed infantry and artillery. With the artillery withdrawn, only about seven hundred infantry soldiers remained.
Naturally, everyone thought of Joffre. It was his stubborn decisions that had caused this. Colonel Driant had repeatedly warned about this, but Joffre had refused to listen!
However, the deputies didn't voice this directly. Instead, some turned their eyes to Armand.
Sensing their gaze, Armand calmly rose:
"No, gentlemen, I will not speak words detrimental to our forces."
"Now is not the time for assigning blame. The battle is already underway."
"I may not know military affairs, but I know changing commanders during combat is a grave mistake. Right now, our priority is resolving the immediate crisis!"
His statement astonished everyone present. They hadn't expected Armand—known for relentlessly pressing an advantage—to speak with such wisdom and restraint.
Only Gallieni silently sighed inwardly:
Everything was arranged by Shire, including Armand himself.
Armand wasn't defending Joffre at all. Instead, he intended to let Joffre expose even greater flaws and commit further mistakes until parliament finally lost all patience with their commander-in-chief.
Yet, the cost would be Verdun's defeat and countless soldiers' lives!
On the stage, Armand glanced at Gallieni with a faint smile.
He had never imagined that one day he would become Gallieni's "comrade-in-arms."
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