Chapter 521: Reverse Bait
On the surface, the rapid spread of this information appeared to be merely accidental, but behind it was an invisible hand quietly guiding events. Charles carefully orchestrated everything, knowing exactly how to steer and control public sentiment.
The news and subsequent skepticism didn't originate from Le Petit Journal or Journal des Débats, but rather from some prominent "military analysts" who contributed articles to other newspapers, while simultaneously being subtly promoted by the "White Lady" agents among civilians.
The more people thought about it, the more plausible the rumors became, eventually forming a complete chain of logic, each claim reinforcing the next.
Quickly, the relationship between General Nivelle—the newly appointed French Commander-in-Chief—and the British was put under scrutiny. It was no secret that Nivelle had ascended to his position thanks to British backing. He had openly relied on British promises of military supplies to persuade many French parliamentarians to support him.
Thus, the French public reached a shocking conclusion:
"My God! This was a British conspiracy all along! They control Nivelle and used him to impose an absurd operational plan on Charles!"
"It's not just absurd; it's a trap designed to push Charles and his elite troops straight into disaster."
"This is outrageous! Charles is fighting to save France; he's rescued us repeatedly. But now he's being stabbed in the back by allies who seek to use German guns to destroy him. Such treachery!"
"We can't let the British succeed, or we'll be complicit in this betrayal!"
"Only we can protect Charles now!"
This time, people weren't merely striking, marching, or shouting slogans. Furious crowds stormed the Paris city government offices and even surrounded the Palais Bourbon, demanding explanations from the government and parliament.
When news reached the military, French soldiers openly expressed their outrage, shouting:
"Are we fighting the Germans or the British?"
"We've been winning victories thanks to Charles. But now the British are trying to steal those victories by controlling our Commander-in-Chief. They're plotting to destroy Charles and break the French Army!"
"If this continues, why are we even fighting on the front? Perhaps we should fight the British first and show them we're not to be trifled with!"
France's government and parliament descended into chaos. They had been unaware of this plan; some had heard rumors but never imagined it was specifically designed as a trap for Charles:
"They've gone mad! Trying to use the Germans to eliminate Charles is madness!"
"Perhaps we shouldn't have compromised with the British. We should've realized earlier that making Nivelle Commander-in-Chief would end badly."
"British aid was never free. Their ultimate goal isn't just defeating Germany, but weakening France as well!"
Facing the rising tide of public anger, Nivelle hurriedly stepped forward to clarify. He published statements, faced parliamentary inquiries, and publicly declared:
"Things aren't as they appear."
"Yes, we had an operational plan, but due to security concerns, I can't disclose details."
"These rumors originate from German propaganda. They aim to divide the Allied forces and create internal conflict."
"Please trust our steadfast ally, Britain—they wouldn't commit such disgraceful acts!"
Meanwhile, Nivelle quickly sent a secret telegram to Charles:
"The Namur offensive has been canceled. Maintain strict secrecy."
Upon receiving this message, Charles smiled softly. He knew he had succeeded.
Nivelle's authority was severely damaged. Public opinion, the government, and parliament now openly questioned his ability to lead the army effectively.
Britain's reputation suffered as well. Even many British soldiers felt deeply ashamed. Many were Charles's admirers, and they sided unequivocally with him. Even those who weren't his supporters believed this betrayal of an ally at such a critical moment was disgraceful.
Most importantly, the Germans now believed Charles was highly unlikely to proceed with the attack on Namur, given that the plan had been publicly exposed.
"Excellent!" General Tijani exclaimed joyfully after seeing Nivelle's telegram. "They finally canceled this ridiculous plan!"
Charles simply nodded thoughtfully, tapping his fingers rhythmically on the desk, but said nothing.
Tijani noticed Charles's silence. "You don't seem satisfied yet, General?"
"No, I'm quite satisfied," Charles replied calmly. "But you seem to have forgotten the original purpose behind all this."
Tijani paused, thinking carefully, then suddenly understood. "You mean...you still plan to attack Namur?"
Tijani raised the telegram incredulously. Charles had literally just received an order canceling the mission. Ignoring this would conveniently remove the entire Namur problem from their plate.
Charles responded slowly but firmly: "Namur will still have to be taken eventually."
Tijani was stunned. "You're actually serious? Namur? Even if someone attacks it, it shouldn't be us!"
Charles smiled enigmatically. "Not right now, though."
He was waiting—waiting for the perfect moment, waiting for the bait to be set elsewhere.
Meanwhile, back at the British Expeditionary Force's headquarters in Dunkirk, everything appeared normal on the surface. Officers and aides went about their usual duties. But there were whispers, furtive glances towards Lord Kitchener's office, and subtle tensions beneath the calm exterior.
In his office, Kitchener stared down at the scattered telegrams and newspapers on his desk. One headline in The Times stood out starkly:
"At the brink of victory, is it wise to foster division?"
He could disregard French public opinion, but the criticism pouring in from Britain itself was harder to ignore.
The British public wanted victory. They longed to end this war, to stop sending their sons to die on foreign soil. Yet Kitchener's actions seemed to oppose that goal, damaging Allied unity at the very moment they needed cohesion.
Kitchener sighed deeply, sipping his coffee and wondering what had gone wrong. The plan had been perfect. How had it unraveled so disastrously?
Was Charles behind all this chaos?
Probably. If one considered who benefited most from this fiasco, Charles stood alone.
"Damn him," Kitchener muttered. He had severely underestimated Charles. He thought a simple command would suffice to neutralize the threat Charles posed. Instead, Charles had turned everything back on him, leaving all involved badly compromised. Charles now held damning evidence that could destroy their credibility entirely.
Now forced to cancel the Namur operation, the British had lost the upper hand. Any future orders sent through Nivelle would be questioned fiercely for legitimacy and fairness.
Kitchener decided grimly: it was time to launch the real offensive, divert public attention, and silence critics once and for all.
(End of Chapter 521)
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