Chapter 520: He Was Forced to Accept the Plan
Considering the risk of giving the British an opportunity to accuse him, Charles used the "White Lady" network to disseminate the information about the planned French attack on Namur, making it appear to originate from within German-occupied territories.
Charles found the "White Lady" intelligence network extremely useful. As a civilian organization, it operated covertly, unaffected by military bureaucracy. It could perform operations the military could not officially sanction—such as deliberately leaking plans to the enemy.
Officially, this was treason, punishable by court-martial. But the "White Lady" members served only Charles, convinced his every move was calculated and righteous. They recalled clearly how Charles had once leaked the false information that Belfort, not Verdun, would be the German attack point.
Most of them didn't even realize the source of this order was Charles himself.
Unexpectedly, the first person to approach Charles about the leaked information was King Albert I of Belgium. Albert had many loyal informants within German-occupied areas, and thus received advance notice before it became public knowledge.
Hearing the rumor, Albert hurried excitedly to Charles's command post, accompanied by Brigadier General Eden. As soon as he saw Charles, he asked eagerly, "So, our next target to recapture is Namur?"
Charles feigned ignorance. "Who told you this?"
"The Germans are spreading it," Albert replied. "Apparently, their intelligence service obtained details through special channels."
Charles firmly denied it. "No, that's not true. It's just a rumor, Your Majesty."
Albert's face clearly showed disappointment. He had been hoping to discuss the plans for Namur's liberation and how the Belgian Special Reconnaissance Force could best cooperate with Charles's troops.
Charles added reassuringly, "If there were such an operation, I would inform you first, Your Majesty. After all, we would need you and General Eden to support us."
Albert nodded reluctantly. "Very well. I understand."
When Albert returned to his vehicle, he sighed to Eden in disappointment. "Namur is vital to our fortress defense system. I had hoped we would recapture it soon and link it with Antwerp to form a new defensive line."
Eden, thoughtful, looked back at Charles's headquarters as they drove away. "Your Majesty, do you really believe Charles's denial?"
"Of course," Albert replied, surprised. "He wouldn't lie to me."
After a moment's hesitation, Albert added, "Besides, he explicitly said he needs our cooperation. Lying wouldn't serve him."
"I know, Your Majesty," Eden continued carefully. "Charles is indeed trustworthy. However, what if he's constrained by higher command or strict military secrecy?"
Albert considered this. "So, if he revealed something now, he might risk a court-martial. That's why he would have to deny it."
"Exactly," Eden said. "If Charles admitted it, wouldn't that mean his plans had leaked, forcing him to cancel or alter his operation?"
Albert suddenly understood. "It was my fault—I shouldn't have asked him directly in front of so many witnesses."
"Indeed, Your Majesty," Eden lamented. "Some traitor has jeopardized our progress toward liberation. Such betrayal deserves execution!"
Meanwhile, British Military Intelligence (MI6) and German Intelligence were equally confused by the sudden widespread dissemination of their carefully concealed secret.
Lord Kitchener, through MI6, had deliberately leaked the information about Charles attacking Namur, hoping the Germans would shift their attention there. To make sure the Germans took it seriously, he had even provided limited operational details.
Kitchener couldn't understand why the Germans had made this public knowledge!
On the German side, Chief of General Staff Falkenhayn was equally puzzled. He had strictly maintained secrecy about receiving the British leak. The plan depended on Charles attacking without knowing the Germans were prepared. With the secret public, Charles surely wouldn't proceed as planned.
Who had leaked the news publicly? Were the British that careless?
Both sides kept guessing, but neither suspected Charles himself.
The leak quickly spread among the public. Initially, people were excited, especially Belgians, who discussed enthusiastically:
"I heard Charles is planning to attack Namur. It's not like Antwerp—the Germans are fully prepared there."
"So what? No fortress has ever stood against Charles. He's never lost!"
"Exactly. If Charles intends to attack, the countdown to liberation has already started!"
Initially, no one questioned the implications of this widespread awareness. It seemed normal that Charles's operations would succeed.
However, questions soon emerged:
"The terrain around Namur isn't suitable for tanks. It's essentially a graveyard for armored units. Why would Charles attack there?"
"Maybe Charles has found a solution?"
"Impossible. The terrain itself is prohibitive—rivers, forests, anti-tank ditches, and barbed wire. An armored assault there is suicidal."
"Yes. With the resources required to take Namur, Charles could retake any other region with fewer losses."
Newspapers quickly joined in, providing detailed analyses of Namur's geography. Unknowingly, they educated the French public, who soon understood Namur was indeed unsuitable for armored operations, even Charles's elite units.
Finally, someone publicly raised the critical question:
"This doesn't seem like a plan Charles would create."
"I heard Charles wasn't even invited to the recent Chantilly conference."
"What if Charles wasn't given a choice? What if he was forced to accept this plan?"
(End of Chapter 520)
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