Chapter 129 Automobile Technical Service Department

In the drizzle, Foch rode on his horse, controlling his horse to pace and observing the front line through a telescope. He was thinking about a question:

If reinforcements arrived and he was given command of this battle, what would he do? What would be the result?

The answer is obvious:

He would command his troops to launch a counterattack because he believed that the best defense was offense.

The result is undoubtedly a long-term tug-of-war, with both sides continuously dumping troops into this mud, ultimately resulting in tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of casualties!

The difference between this battle and the one before us...

Foch suddenly felt like a child who didn't know how to fight.

For many years, the military theory that had been as solid as a rock in his mind and unshakable was now shaky and fragile, and would collapse with just a slight push.

The Belgian officers and soldiers guarding the front line did not react until this time. They did not cheer. Everyone felt a sense of luck that they had come back from the dead.

All of them thought that they could not escape this battle, and some were even ready to surrender or escape.

But suddenly, the Germans who wanted to capture and kill them did not come up, they were repelled, leaving a large number of corpses!

The Belgian officers and soldiers still did not dare to relax. They thought this might be a trick of the Germans and that the Germans would soon return and launch another more fierce offensive.

Until news came from the headquarters: the Germans were defeated, they were no longer able to launch an attack!

Then the Belgian officers and soldiers gradually reacted.

This was all true, the victory came so suddenly that they were caught off guard and couldn't believe it.

Some people laughed happily, while others sobbed quietly, saying again and again: "I'm still alive, are we really still alive?"

It is a desolate thing. "Being alive" is the best wish for the soldiers, but in war it is just an insignificant number, even small enough to be ignored.

"Yes!" the officer replied softly, "Charles saved us again. He used his shells to form an indestructible shield in front of us!"

It was only then that the soldiers truly understood what had happened.

…

Paris Defense Headquarters.

Gallieni nodded to Charles amid the cheers: "So, this is 'asymmetric warfare'?"

"Yes!" Charles answered, "But it doesn't have to be this way. It's actually... about magnifying your own strengths to find a breakthrough, and then using this breakthrough to attack the enemy!"

Gallieni agrees:

"In this battle, our advantage is that we can bring the plane with us."

"You magnified this advantage and created an irreparable shortcoming for the enemy!"

"As a result, the enemy's infantry, which was originally in an advantageous position, was unable to exert its combat effectiveness, and ultimately lost the battle!"

Gallieni has summed it up very well, so Charles has little to add.

Gallieni closed the combat record and quickly wrote a line of words on the cover: Asymmetric Combat, sent to the Military Academy for compilation as teaching materials!

This is not the first time Gallieni has done this. Previously, Charles said that the same is true for "harassment tactics" and "special operations."

For Gallieni, every battle and even every thought of Charles was worth the French officers' serious consideration.

But Charles didn't seem to know this. He took it for granted, as if they had already happened and existed for a long time!

"I have always had a question, Lieutenant!" Gallieni handed the combat record to the staff officer and asked Charles casually: "You know that French military theory is roughly divided into two schools. The vast majority of officers support offense, while a small number support defense. Which school do you think is right?"

"Why should we choose one faction?" Charles asked.

"What you mean is..." Gallieni was quite surprised. Could it be possible to choose both factions?

Unexpectedly, Charles really thought so:

"It's possible that both are right, or it's possible that both are wrong."

"'The situation of the army is ever-changing, and the shape of the water is ever-changing'. The battlefield is a place that changes rapidly, which means that there is only the most suitable tactic. There is no best tactic, and there is no tactic that can win all battles!"

"I think we should adopt different tactics according to the specific situation on the battlefield, rather than hoping to solve all problems simply by attacking or defending!"

France's mistake was not actually tactically backward.

Tactical backwardness is only a superficial phenomenon. The fundamental reason for their tactical backwardness is that they hope to use a single military theory to solve complex and ever-changing military problems.

That is why there was one-sided emphasis on offense during World War I and one-sided emphasis on defense during World War II.

Gallieni nodded slightly. This was a very novel idea, and it seemed to make sense. Some battles needed to be won by attacking, while some battles needed to be defended.

Just like the Battle of Ypres that just ended, Charles killed a large number of enemy forces in defense and ultimately won the victory.

Gallieni thought for a while and wrote on the document, "Adapt to local conditions and choose appropriate tactics!"

Charles noticed this and found it a little funny. Actually, there was no need to remember this. All he had to do was buy a copy of "The Art of War" or "Thirty-Six Strategies" and read them. Everything was in there.

The ancients had already explained these issues clearly and plainly.

Although the European powers at that time had achieved industrialized military equipment and were very powerful, they were still younger than China in terms of strategy and tactics.

Gallieni put down his pen and changed the subject: "I heard you are developing a new tank?"

"Yes!" Charles did not deny it. There was no need to hide this from the military, especially since this person was Gallieni, who had reached some kind of agreement with Charles.

"Then you have to be careful!" Gallieni said, "There are at least two companies competing with you!"

"Two families?" Charles thought it was only Francis' family.

Then the other one is...

Gallieni seemed to see through Charles's thoughts and said, "Have you heard of TAS?"

Charles shook his head in confusion.

"A department of the government!" Gallieni explained. "The full name is 'Automotive Technical Service Department'. In principle, all vehicles entering the military are under the jurisdiction of this department. TAS found that someone bypassed them and developed a tank on their own. It was Francis' tank. So, they joined forces with Schneider to develop a larger and more powerful tank!"

When Charles heard the word "Schneider", he understood that this might be the key point!

Then Gallieni said: "This project was supported by General Joffre!"

Charles suddenly realized that he was no longer under Gallieni's control.

But Gallieni added: "I will try my best to include them all in the wartime procurement regulations. You know, just buy the best ones!"

(End of this chapter)