Chapter 279 Pressure from Public Opinion
Returning to the headquarters, Charles was surprised to find that Gallieni was not at his desk.
"Is the general still in the Chamber of Deputies?" Charles asked Colonel Fernand.
"No, he's back." Lieutenant Colonel Fernan raised his head towards the lounge, his expression showing anger and worry: "They 'tortured' the general for more than two hours, and the general's old injury seems to have relapsed."
Charles said "hmm" and said nothing. He made a cup of coffee, walked to the lounge and knocked on the door gently.
"Come in." Gallieni's weak voice came from the lounge.
Charles opened the door carefully, put the coffee on the table, and asked softly, "General, do you need a medic for you?"
Gallieni frowned and looked pale. He slowly sat up from the bed, shook his head and replied: "The cause of the disease is the shrapnel left in the wound. The medical soldiers can't do anything!"
"You don't need to argue with them." Ciel turned the subject to the parliament: "It's like your injury. The cause is internal. No matter how you try to stop it, it will be useless."
Gallieni paused holding the coffee in his hand in mid-air, then put it back. "You mean, they will eventually send you to the battlefield?"
"Yes." Charles answered: "It's not a matter of should or shouldn't, but because my power is not enough."
Gallieni pondered for a moment and nodded slightly.
He actually understood what was going on.
The right wing was afraid that Charles would lead France to a new industrial boom, which would completely marginalize the right wing in France.
Although the left wing appears to be capitalists like Charles, many people have become competitors due to Charles' rapid rise, and they also hope to stop Charles.
The most ideal and straightforward way is to send Charles to the battlefield and to a dangerous place.
Gallieni could not help but snort. "That's what they thought when they sent you to serve in the army. They even kept saying it was just to 'boost morale.'"
Charles said nothing. The truth was more complicated than Gallieni had imagined.
If it was before, even the Parliament would not be able to send Charles to the battlefield, because the French people would not allow it. If the Parliament did so, the French people would be very excited and march in protest or launch a general strike.
Now, even the French people want Charles to save the Dardanelles:
"Only Ciel can win this battle. We should let Ciel lead this battle."
"This is a crucial battle. If we win, we can end this war!"
"Countless soldiers are dying on the front lines. Only Charles can save them!"
…
People have all sorts of strange ideas.
Some do it because of France’s dignity. They think that if France can do it while Britain cannot, they will be very proud.
Some of them simply wanted to bring their loved ones back home because they had relatives fighting in the Dardanelles and they didn't want their families to be in danger.
Others believed that winning the Battle of the Dardanelles would end the war, and they hoped that Charles would "save" France one last time.
…
From this perspective, the parliament did not go against the will of the people; on the contrary, they were "voicing the voice of the French people."
Of course, the reason why public opinion has undergone such changes is inseparable from the covert guidance of the right wing and capitalists. For example, some newspapers have reported on related topics in an obscure manner, including "Little Daily".
Charles did not say this because Gallieni knew it would be useless. He was a pure soldier who only cared about the war and not politics or public opinion.
"I am an adult." Ciel said calmly, "If they find that they cannot convince you, they will question me soon."
Gallieni was stunned. This was indeed possible. Parliament had the right to question any government and military personnel as long as it did not involve military secrets.
Charles went on to say: "At that time, they would ask me a question that I could not answer: 'Colonel, as a soldier, are you willing to go to the Dardanelles and fight for France?'"
Charles dragged a chair over and sat in front of Gallieni, with a confident smile on his face: "What should I say then?"
Unwilling, or willing.
The former would make Charles a disgrace to the military, turning him from a hero of France into a coward, a wimp, and a deserter overnight.
Then Charles would lose the support of the people, and everything he had built would be overthrown. He would no longer have the capital or opportunity to deal with his opponents, just like Boulanger was defeated.
As for the latter, there is nothing to say. If Charles himself is willing to go to the battlefield, what right does Gallieni have to stop him? What is his intention?
Thinking of this, Gallieni nodded slightly: "Then you have to tell them that you are on a warship, not a landing operation..."
Charles said nothing, but just stared at Gallieni quietly.
Gallieni understood Charles's expression and asked in surprise, "You, are planning to land and fight?"
"You think they will let me go?" Charles asked back, "If I can't land on a ship, why would they send me there?"
After a pause, Charles added:
"They can use the same method to force me to go to the battlefield."
"For example, we could send a few media outlets to follow up on the report on the warship."
"The reporters would chase me every day and ask questions like: 'What do you think about the casualties on the battlefield?', 'Do you think you should personally go to the battlefield to command?', 'Or do you plan to continue to stay on the warship?'..."
"How should I answer then?"
Gallieni understood that they would use public pressure to force Charles onto the battlefield step by step.
If Charles chooses not to go, he will become a "deserter" and lose the support of the people and everything.
"It's not that I want to go to the battlefield." Ciel concluded: "But rather than being forced to go to the battlefield by them, it's better to take the initiative to ask for it."
Gallieni stared at Charles in a daze. He knew that Charles was right.
Being forced to go to the battlefield means that there is no preparation at all, and there may be assassins who want to kill Charles in the army.
If you take the initiative to request to go into battle, you can at least ask to use troops you trust.
Gallieni was a little worried: "You have never been to the battlefield..."
"I'm the commander, General." Charles comforted him, "They will protect me."
Gallieni sighed and agreed: "Well, this day will come!"
After thinking for a while, Gallieni said: "I can transfer a force of 3,000 men to reinforce the Dardanelles, and you will serve as the regimental staff officer."
"Yes, General!" Charles stood up and responded.
"What else do you want?" Gallieni asked.
Ciel replied: "I hope you give me two weeks to prepare!"
(End of this chapter)
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