Chapter 480: This Side Towards the Enemy
General Lacoste stared at the map with a troubled expression.
He even briefly wondered if the man standing before him was truly Shire, or perhaps an impostor—maybe even a German spy deliberately trying to lead them into defeat.
Otherwise, what sane commander would willingly give up the strategic advantage of high ground to the enemy?
Shire seemed to read his thoughts clearly and offered a slight smile. "General, if you've already determined that you can't stop the Germans with your current tactics, why not try mine?"
Lacoste suddenly realized how foolish his suspicion was.
If Shire truly were a spy or impostor, he wouldn't need to do anything special—the 2nd Army Corps would be completely wiped out tonight without interference.
Thinking clearly now, Lacoste sighed. "But Brigadier General, moving our line back like this places us in an extremely vulnerable position."
He pointed insistently at Shire's proposed new defensive line.
"If we position our trenches here, the enemy can easily lob grenades into them from above. At this short range and elevated position, they'll slaughter us effortlessly."
Shire responded with absolute calmness, "I don't think so, General. Ordinary trenches would indeed be vulnerable—but trenches designed specifically with differing elevations won't have this weakness."
Lacoste looked puzzled, "Differing elevations?"
Shire nodded, quickly grabbing a piece of paper and a pen to illustrate his point as he spoke:
"This is the hillside slope. We construct trenches here, digging downward and piling all excavated dirt toward the uphill side. As a result, the uphill side will be considerably higher."
General Lacoste's eyes widened suddenly in realization, and he exclaimed:
"Then German grenades thrown from above would either hit the raised mound or sail harmlessly past our trenches?"
Shire confirmed this with a nod.
What he'd described effectively created an intentional blind spot—an area impossible for grenades thrown from the higher ground to reach accurately. Conversely, French soldiers positioned in these trenches could easily toss grenades upward, devastating attackers on the ridge above.
Excitement now flickered in Lacoste's eyes. This tactic would instantly reverse the apparent disadvantage into a strong defensive advantage, despite superficially surrendering the high ground.
Colonel Klein quickly recognized another benefit. He interjected excitedly, "And German artillery—none of their guns could hit this side of the slope effectively!"
General Lacoste turned in surprise, then broke into a joyful smile. "Exactly! Their howitzers would have no line of sight—they'd be firing blindly. My God, we could practically ignore their artillery completely—thousands of guns neutralized!"
"Not only that," Shire added, pointing further down the slope, "we can deploy our own artillery safely at the foot of the slope."
Lacoste nodded repeatedly, almost trembling with excitement:
"Yes, Brigadier General, that's brilliant!"
"Our artillery positioned here remains safe from enemy fire but can directly shell German troops advancing onto the ridge above."
"Amazing. Simply shifting our line back a few dozen meters achieves so many advantages. How did no one see this before? Only you, Brigadier General!"
His earlier doubts transformed into open admiration. It was no wonder Shire had earned the nickname "Mars of France"—he was truly capable of transforming certain defeat into victory.
The Germans would be utterly unprepared, stumbling blindly into a deadly trap and never even realizing where the grenades originated.
Major Jules, who'd accompanied Shire, also watched in astonishment. A deep sadness struck him—if the French had adopted such a tactic earlier, perhaps the initial defense lines wouldn't have collapsed. Colonel Driant and his brave comrades might still be alive.
Only Shire remained calmly indifferent, as if describing something trivial. He hadn't invented this tactic himself; it was borrowed from a future era, specifically the "reverse slope defense" tactics employed effectively by later armies outmatched in firepower.
By deliberately abandoning forward positions and adopting reverse slope trenches, defenders rendered enemy direct-fire artillery and tanks ineffective. Enemy indirect artillery fire became guesswork, incapable of accurately targeting hidden trenches.
Once enemy infantry occupied the seemingly advantageous high ground, defenders counterattacked fiercely from their concealed positions, turning modern battles swiftly into brutal, close-quarters fights where technological superiority meant nothing—just soldiers, bayonet to bayonet.
Such tactics were alien to Western militaries of this period, who preferred engagements dominated by artillery, tanks, and aircraft rather than desperate bayonet struggles.
Lacoste's excitement soon faded slightly as he grasped the risk involved. He voiced this concern carefully:
"Brigadier General, our new trench line would be extremely close to the hilltop positions. With our limited numbers, if the enemy decides to launch an overwhelming mass assault…"
The German units facing Verdun were elite formations—highly motivated troops under Crown Prince Wilhelm's personal command. Rumor had it that seventeen additional divisions had reinforced them from the strategic reserve, eager to crush French resistance swiftly.
In a desperate close-quarters struggle, these tens of thousands of elite Germans could overwhelm the surviving seven thousand French soldiers effortlessly.
"That's exactly why we need these," Shire nodded toward Major Jules.
Jules understood immediately and retrieved something carefully wrapped from his bag, placing it gently on the table.
General Lacoste leaned forward curiously, noting a warning clearly marked on the box in French: "This Side Towards the Enemy."
"This is a directional mine," Shire explained, patting it lightly. "Each contains roughly 800 steel balls. When detonated, they spray outward toward the enemy like bullets, effective up to a hundred meters."
Lacoste instantly recoiled as if burned, staring at the device fearfully. "800 steel balls? Effective range 100 meters?"
Shire confirmed calmly, "Exactly. Any enemy soldiers within range will be shredded instantly. We don't even need precise aiming or clear visibility—just trigger the mines when we know the enemy is approaching."
The weapon seemed tailor-made precisely for this brutal battle.
Swallowing hard, Lacoste cautiously asked, "How many of these do you have, Brigadier General? And how much do they cost?"
"They're free," Shire replied generously, spreading his hands openly. "The first batch of ten thousand units is already en route. They're my gift to you—for Verdun, for France, and especially for our soldiers' lives."
Now was the perfect moment to earn the army's heartfelt gratitude, and Shire wouldn't miss this opportunity.
Deeply moved, Lacoste stepped forward, grasping Shire's hand firmly, eyes moistening with emotion:
"Thank you, Brigadier General. Truly, thank you."
"You are France's savior—our genuine savior!"
"No one else cares about our lives like this—only you!"
All around, soldiers and officers shared in this gratitude and respect. Moments ago, they'd contemplated how to survive. Now, they saw genuine hope—not just of survival but also of potential victory.
Shire scanned the room solemnly, then declared firmly, "It's simply my duty. You are the bravest, true heroes and the elite of France. You deserve nothing less from me. Vive la France!"
"Vive la France!"
"Vive la France!"
Echoes of the rallying cry filled the fortress, resonating emotionally, with some soldiers even shedding tears of gratitude and pride.
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