Chapter 201 Noble Legion

The city defense headquarters finally received information from the Joffre headquarters.

Previously, Joffre had cut off contact with Paris on the grounds of military secrets, and Gallieni could only know the general situation of the front through reconnaissance planes.

Now, suddenly intelligence flooded into the city defense headquarters like a tide.

Gallieni was a little surprised at first. Even if there was a defeat on the front line, Joffre was unlikely to do this. This was almost like admitting defeat to Charles.

Gallieni soon understood. He held up a telegram and said, "It is General Carnays, the French deputy commander. He believes that only we can save this defeat."

"It's impossible to save it!" Charles shook his head as he read the telegram. "The Germans have closed the defense line and made sufficient preparations. All the troops going to rescue will be trapped inside!"

This was determined by the advantages of trench warfare during this period. The Germans built trench defenses at several key locations and even used the newly developed A7V tank, which was a veritable firepower fortress.

All attacks will collapse before them, no matter how many troops are sent.

Gallieni didn't say anything. He flipped through the telegram with a heavy face. He thought Charles was right. The Germans had put a lot of thought into this battle, and a rash rescue would likely result in greater losses.

…

Major General Tijani, commander of the 2nd Special Artillery Division, has a deep understanding of this. He was the commander who faced the German A7V tanks.

When Major General Tijani received the order to break out, he looked around helplessly. There was almost no possibility for his troops to break out:

On both sides were high ground guarded by German troops, stretching for several kilometers. Each commanding height was guarded by an unknown number of German troops. They built fortifications and set up machine guns taking advantage of the terrain. Anyone who approached the high ground or tried to pass through the high ground would be ruthlessly shot.

The exit ahead was only one kilometer wide and had been blocked by German artillery fire. Rows of 105MM shells hit the ground one after another. If you wanted to rush out from there, you would at least be skinned.

Behind them were German tanks, hiding in the blind spots of the high ground so that the French 75MM guns could not reach them. Once the French army rushed out, they would be hit mercilessly by the tanks.

Major General Tijani tried to rush out relying on tanks, but several attempts failed. There were seven "Saint-Chamon" and five CA-1 wreckages parked at the exit, which were vulnerable to the German tanks.

Major General Tijani could only use the radio to report to Joffre again and again: "We can't break out. The enemy's defense lines and positions are everywhere. They are waiting for us to step into this encirclement! We have no way to escape!"

…

"Ding-ling-ling!"

The phone on Gallieni's desk rang. It took someone extraordinary effort to get the call directly to Gallieni.

Sure enough, Gallieni was surprised when he answered the phone:

"Councilor Clermont? What can I do for you?"

"Let Charles rescue Cape Town? But..."

"Really? Your son is a colonel in the 1st Special Artillery Division?"

"Okay, I'll do my best!"

As soon as I put down the phone, the ringtone rang again:

"Congressman Jérémie? You also have relatives in the Special Artillery Division?"

"He's from the Second Special Artillery Division?"

"Okay, I'm trying to figure it out!"

Then another one came. Gallieni simply asked Lieutenant Colonel Fernan to answer the phone, and he always answered "We're trying to figure it out" and "We're trying to figure it out"!

Gallieni raised his eyebrows at Charles: "You know what's going on!"

Ciel nodded: "Yes, I know!"

The capitalists and parliamentarians were extremely short-sighted. Not understanding military matters, they thought that Joffre's attack would definitely win, so they transferred all their sons, nephews and others who were originally in safe positions in the rear to the special artillery division to gain combat experience.

Unexpectedly...

Such officers should not be rescued in the first place; it would be best to let them die there.

However, Charles' heart skipped a beat. If he saved them and made these congressmen owe him a favor, or even made them believe that only by placing their children and nephews in Charles' army could they improve their military performance, would that mean that his power would be further expanded?

However, this was just a thought. Charles shook his head. How could he save the situation? !

Suddenly, Lieutenant Colonel Fernan looked at Gallieni in surprise, nodded to him, and whispered behind the microphone: "It's Wells!"

Gallieni's eyes flashed with surprise, and he stood up and took the phone:

"Mr. Wells!"

"Your son is in the 2nd Special Artillery Division? Major General Tijani?"

"God, I get it, I'll try my best!"

…

Charles was a little puzzled. Who was Wells? How could he have such great power to make Gallieni so cautious?

Suddenly Charles thought, could it be Wells from the Brest Shipyard?

As a shipbuilding giant, he didn't send his son to the navy, but instead sent him to the army, and he was surrounded?

Gallieni put down the phone and was silent for a while. Then he said to Charles: "Follow me, Major!"

Then he turned and walked towards the lounge.

There was another stool in the lounge. Gallieni nodded to Charles to sit down and said earnestly:

"As a soldier, I will not save this army just because a group of capitalists or aristocratic children ask you to. They are all the same in my eyes."

"but……"

"They treat you differently!"

Charles replied weakly: "I know, General, but the current situation..."

"In addition," Gallieni added, "Joffre intends to strictly order the First Flying Squadron to suppress and block the artillery of the Second Special Artillery Division. You know why."

Ciel's eyes widened, "No, he can't do that!"

"Of course he can!" Gallieni replied, "Using the First Flying Squadron to cover the Second Special Artillery Division's 20,000-plus troops in its breakout is worth it even if the entire flying squadron is sacrificed. Moreover, this Special Artillery Division has many relatives of capitalists, and the division commander, Major General Tijany, is Wells' son! Do you think they will have any objections?"

Charles was silent.

That was indeed true; the 1st Flying Squadron was of little importance to the capitalists, but the same could not be said of the 2nd Special Artillery Division.

"Only you can save them, Charles!" Gallieni stared at Charles and nodded slowly: "If you can't do it, no one can."

Then Gallieni added: "Whether it's for tens of thousands of French soldiers, the First Flying Squadron, or yourself..."

Charles was silent for a while, then said calmly, "I can try, but I hope that something like this won't happen again in the future."

"What do you mean?" Gallieni's eyes lit up.

"You can't transfer my troops!" Charles explained, "Joffre doesn't know how to use them. It would be a waste. This request is not too much!"

Gallieni thought for a while and nodded heavily: "I promise that something like this will never happen again!"

(The picture above shows the A7V tank, which has one cannon and six Maxim machine guns, and is operated by 18 people)

(End of this chapter)