Chapter 883: Not Just Business

At the Metz headquarters, Charles is busy with the "super defense line".

Charles doesn't need to worry about specific matters such as project bidding and material procurement, Djokovic will arrange everything.

Almost all the projects were contracted by subsidiaries of the Bernard Group.

Only a few small projects were given to other companies, and they were just a few "bones" thrown out by Djokovic.

If a capitalist protests:

"Look, Charles and his company took care of almost all the work."

"We have reason to suspect that Charles abused his power for personal gain and opened the door for his own company."

"Yes, this is unfair to other companies, he is emptying the French treasury!"

…

At this time, Djokovic will flip the file:

"You said monopoly? Then why are these companies able to move in? They don't belong to the Bernard Group."

"Admit your mistakes. You exploited the workers too harshly and paid them terribly low wages."

"This is one of the reasons why your factories cannot produce high-quality products and workers are not motivated. This is why you cannot get the 'Super Defense Line' project."

…

These words naturally stand on the side of the workers and will certainly be supported by the people. They will undoubtedly nip the capitalists' protests in the bud.

What Charles needs to do is to consider how to build this "super line of defense" from a military perspective.

The gun was a 6-inch 26-cwt howitzer manufactured by Bernard, but it should have been an improved version with increased range.

The reason is that the more important thing about the cannon in the fortress is not its firepower, but its ability to fire farther.

The former is to destroy the enemy in large numbers, which cannot be achieved by a few guns in a fortress.

The latter can keep the enemy out of range, which is the advantage of the fortress gun with thick bunkers.

Then there were the mines, barbed wire, machine guns produced by the Saint-Etienne Arsenal...

The jobs they would add would not just be in the "super line of defence" itself, but also in the arsenals and all the supplies needed to produce it.

Tijani was a little confused.

"Is this purely business?" Tijani asked Charles, who was tinkering with the drawings.

"What?" Charles didn't even raise his head.

Tijani leaned sideways on the table, lowered his head and spoke in a low voice: "I remember you said before that we should have mobile defense, and also your theory of 'attack is greater than defense'."

"Attack is greater than defense" means that it is impossible to build a perfect line of defense, it will always have shortcomings.

As the attacking party, the enemy has plenty of time to find this weakness.

Once found, they can focus their efforts on breaking through this weak point, rendering this line of defense ineffective.

This theory is obviously contradictory to the "super line of defense".

Ciel stopped writing and looked up at Tijani: "Are you trying to express your dissatisfaction with me?"

"No, no, Lieutenant General." Tijani replied, sincerity in his eyes: "I just don't want you to become... like other people."

You are my idol, Lieutenant General, don't become like my father!

Charles felt a little emotional. This society was full of intrigues and schemes, but this rich second generation who grew up in a greenhouse always remained innocent.

"First of all." Charles put the pen on the table: "The 'super defense line' was proposed by Pétain. It is in line with his defense concept. General Gallieni also agreed to this project."

Tijani laughed. "That's used to deceive others, Lieutenant General."

"Secondly," Charles continued, "this is dynamic defense."

"What?" Tijani was stunned. How could building a line of defense be considered dynamic defense?

Ciel pushed the engineering drawing in front of Tijani and pointed at a point: "Look at this."

Tijanyi glanced at where Charles pointed, still unconvinced:

"Railway? You mean the railway line is 'dynamic defense'?"

"That doesn't convince me, Admiral. I know what dynamic defense is."

“Railway lines can transport troops and equipment, but they are by no means dynamic defense.”

Ciel didn't answer, but took out another blueprint from the drawer and placed it on the table: "What if we add this?"

Tijani stood up straight in shock, picked up the blueprint and looked at it carefully, his suspicion deepened: "Armored train? Is this the dynamic defense you mentioned?"

(The picture above shows a German armored train during World War I. It first appeared during the American Civil War and was mainly used on the Eastern Front during World War I, but less used on the Western Front)

"Why not?" Charles answered.

"'Attack is greater than defense' is correct. The enemy will always find the weakness of the 'super defense' and break through."

"But if we add 'armored train'."

"Once the enemy breaks through in a certain direction, we will immediately use it to fill the gap and push the enemy back."

This can be considered as Charles's improvement on the "Maginot Line".

Charles also planned to strengthen the defense of the Ardennes Mountains and form a mountain force using the mountain warfare tactics of the Vietnam War.

If the Germans continue to infiltrate the Ardennes Mountains as they did in history, they will be trapped in the mountains and unable to move.

Tijani believed it a little. It did look like "dynamic defense", or to be more precise, a combination of "static" and "dynamic" defense.

"But," Tijani said, "we all know that armored trains have many shortcomings."

"Yes," Charles agreed. "The biggest disadvantage is the extreme dependence on railways."

This was the main reason why armored trains were eventually eliminated.

The heavy reliance on railroads meant that routes of action were fixed, and enemy aircraft could easily locate armored trains along the railroads and destroy them.

"But we have air superiority, and our aircraft will always be one generation ahead of the enemy," added Char.

Tijani suddenly realized.

If Charles could make his aircraft more advanced than the enemy's, he could use fighter planes to escort the armored train.

Armored trains can be quickly deployed to weak points in the defense line to fill the gaps, thus revitalizing the defense system.

Tijani breathed a sigh of relief. "So, it's useful, huh?"

"Of course." Charles nodded: "Not just business."

This is indeed not just a business. Charles did not mention the purpose of "redistribution of benefits". This matter is not suitable to be spread out. Gallieni just needs to know it.

"That's good." Tijani returned to his usual nonchalant manner: "I'm sorry to doubt you, Lieutenant General, because you look more and more like a capitalist than a general."

Charles smiled but said nothing.

What Tijani didn't know was that a mere general would not have a good ending under the French system.

For example, Gallieni in history was angered to death.

At this time, the guard came forward and reported: "General, Brigadier General Pershing is outside."

Charles nodded. He knew what Pershing was going to do. The U.S. military was going to break away from the French command system and training and join forces with the British Army.

(End of this chapter)