Chapter 373: Circuitous Tactics

The French High Command was in chaos at this time. No one, including Joffre, expected that the Germans would attack before the French, so a planned offensive battle was temporarily changed to a defensive battle.

"What's the terrain like at Cambrai?" asked Joffre anxiously.

"It's hard ground, General." Kanais' eyes were filled with fear: "Hard ground suitable for tank attacks."

According to Charles's advice, Canais had previously identified all the hard ground in the defense line. Cambrai was one of them, but because it was located in northern France and was the defense zone of Foch's Northern Army Group, it was excluded.

Soon, the staff found more detailed information and sent it to Joffre:

The chalk soil is solid, and there is an open space within a radius of ten miles, with the terrain being very flat.

Joffre closed his eyes in distress. Through the preparations for the attack during this period, he knew that such terrain was not only "suitable" for tank attacks, but "excellent".

"Why didn't we hear any news!" After opening his eyes, Joffre complained angrily. He didn't even know that the Germans were preparing to attack.

"It was obviously a strict intelligence blockade," Kanais recalled. "The tanks we found were probably intentionally allowed to be seen by the Germans."

Kanais was referring to the photo taken by the Second Bureau of a tank covered with canvas on a train.

"What do you mean?" asked Joffre.

Kanais handed over the photos and documents and replied quietly: "They made us think that these tanks were going to Messina, and there were not many of them."

Xiafei was speechless for a moment. This was his judgment.

There were only two carriages with six tanks on the train, which were transported to Messina.

From this Joffre concluded:

"The Germans have at most 20 to 30 tanks, and Messina's hilly terrain is not very suitable for tank combat."

"They still don't know how to fight a tank battle!"

Then, Joffre ordered his men to strengthen aerial reconnaissance in Messina and pay attention to the movements of the German army.

Now it seems that he was fooled by the Germans, and all this was what the Germans wanted to tell him.

But of course Joffre would not admit this.

The embarrassment on Joffre's face disappeared in an instant. He coughed lightly and his expression immediately returned to normal. He glanced at the map and ordered in a steady and calm voice: "Order the 1st Special Artillery Division to reinforce Cambrai."

"Yes, General!"

After a pause, Joffre gave another order: "Send a telegram to Charles and ask him to command the Second and Third Air Regiments to cooperate with our army!"

"yes!"

…

Soon, Charles received an order from the General Headquarters to cooperate in the battle of Cambrai.

This makes sense, just because the Air Corps is commanded by the Charr doesn't mean they are the Charr's private army.

However, Joffre designated the 2nd and 3rd Air Regiments, the two airfields closest to Cambrai.

Charles sent a telegram asking: "Are you sure, General? You should know that the Germans are equipped with new fighter planes."

The reply from the General Staff was full of condescending arrogance: "Of course, I need you to regain air superiority over Cambrai immediately! Immediately!"

Joffre never took the German army's new fighter planes seriously. He believed that France had air superiority, which was the case in the past and was no exception now. All Charles had to do was send the fighter planes into the sky.

There should have been a battle plan at this time so that Charles would know how to command the fighters to cooperate with the ground forces, but Joffre said nothing.

Charles could only reply: "As you wish, General!"

After thinking for a while, Charles telegraphed the 2nd and 3rd Air Regiments to prepare for battle, and ordered each of the two air regiments to send four fighter planes to Cambrai to scout the situation.

Charles also specifically instructed: "This is a reconnaissance mission. If you find something wrong, retreat immediately!"

After thinking about it, he ordered the First Air Regiment in Paris to send a flying squadron to reinforce the front-line airports.

…

At this time, the town of Cambrai in northern France was filled with the sound of artillery fire.

Amid the smoke and gunfire, German tanks advanced slowly towards the French defense line in neat formations, followed by teams of German soldiers holding rifles.

This is the 1st Tank Division of the German 2nd Army.

It was a secret reinforcement that entered Cambrai: the tanks entered the front line under the cover of artillery fire and darkness, and once in the position they hid in the tank bunkers and were camouflaged, so that even the friendly troops on the front line were unaware of the presence of the tanks.

This is a common way to block intelligence in war, and what they need to guard against most is often friendly forces rather than the enemy. Because the enemy's main channel for obtaining intelligence is to capture prisoners and interrogate them.

Major General Nicholas, commander of the 1st Tank Division, stood on an Upper Silesian tank, observing the battle situation on the front line through a telescope.

Under his lens, batches of tanks crossed the enemy trenches, then divided into several groups and moved along the side of the trenches, cooperating with the soldiers to break through the enemy's defense line.

This is a tactic developed by Major General Nicholas, which he called the "roundabout tactic."

(Note: Such tactics did exist during World War I, but they were invented by the British. The reason was that there were no armored personnel carriers at the time, so the soldiers could not move quickly. Once the tanks quickly broke through the enemy trenches and advanced deep into the enemy, they would leave the infantry far behind, and it would be easy for them to be divided, surrounded and defeated one by one by one. Therefore, during this period, it was popular for tanks to break through the trenches and then turn around to use machine guns and artillery to cooperate with the infantry to seize the trenches.)

Looking at the French troops in front of him falling one after another under the tanks and machine guns, and soon collapsing and fleeing, Major General Nicolas showed a satisfied smile on his face.

Originally he was worried that there might be some unexpected events with the new tanks and new tactics, but now it seems that this worry was completely unnecessary.

"General." At this time, the staff officer reported: "Enemy aircraft has been spotted, it's an 'Avro' fighter!"

Major General Nicolas was shocked. Charles's air corps!

They say that the new fighter "Fokker E1" can easily shoot down the "Avro", but who can be sure without actual combat?

What’s more, the opponent is Charles!

No one can underestimate Charles, otherwise he will get the most profound lesson!

"Quantity?" asked Major General Nicholas.

"Four in each direction." The staff officer replied, "Eight in total. They are searching for our reconnaissance plane."

The staff officer's implicit meaning was to let the Fokker E1 go, as now was the best time to test it.

Major General Nicholas also had the same impulse, but he thought about it for a while and finally held back.

"Ignore them!" Major General Nicholas ordered.

"General!" The staff officer was somewhat unwilling: "Our reconnaissance plane is being destroyed by them."

Major General Nicolas gave a cold order: "Order them to flee faster and keep a distance from the enemy aircraft."

"Yes." The staff officer responded helplessly.

Nicolas sensitively realized that this was most likely a test from Charles.

Then Nicholas thought of something even more terrifying: If Charles wanted to test it, did it mean that Charles already knew that the Moral Army had a new type of fighter plane?

What's more, has Charles also developed a new fighter plane? !

(End of this chapter)