Chapter 341 "Mobile Defense"
This was intentional on Charles' part, as he immediately sent Billy Shen's sniper company to the front line to demonstrate the strength of the 105th Infantry Regiment.
"This will force the enemy to use poison gas on us," said Charles.
"What?" Tijani and Claude simultaneously cast puzzled glances at Charles.
What Captain Claude didn't understand was that other troops hoped that the Germans would not use poison gas on them, but Charles did the opposite.
Tijani didn't understand why Charles wanted to "force" the enemy?
Charles pointed to the position of the Algerian Division on the flank of the defense line on the map and said, "If the Germans use poison gas in this area, the Algerian Division will collapse instantly, our defense line will be split in two by the enemy, and we will be surrounded on this side of the coastline!"
This is actually more terrifying than poison gas. If the 43rd Infantry Division and the 105th Infantry Regiment do not surrender, they will have no choice but to jump into the sea.
Tijani suddenly realized: "So, you want to 'force' the enemy to use poison gas on us?"
"Yes." Charles nodded and said, "We are an elite force, and the Algerian Division is a mob. If there is no difference between the elite force and the mob under poison gas, which one would you choose?"
Tijani secretly praised in his heart and of course chose to poison the elite troops.
This is human nature, but they did not expect that using poison gas on the mob might achieve better results.
But on second thought, Tijani felt that this approach had loopholes.
"I wonder if you have ever thought about this, Colonel." Tijani frowned and said, "Everyone knows that the 105th Infantry Regiment is Charles' elite. Since elite troops are no different from a mob in the face of poison gas, why did the French send this elite unit to the front line and expose their strength at the first opportunity?"
The Germans were not fools, and they would have thought: This might be Charles's conspiracy, and he was trying to trick us into using poison gas.
Then the Germans could probably guess what Charles had invented to counter the gas.
"You have learned to think from the enemy's perspective, General." Charles praised.
Tijani had a smug smile on his face: "After all, fighting with you, Colonel, I must improve."
There was some gratitude and a hint of respect in Tijani's eyes. He regarded Charles as his teacher.
"So, I made some preparations before coming here," Charles replied.
"Preparation?" Tijani was puzzled. What preparations could make the Germans put aside their doubts?
Captain Claude looked confused the whole time. Wasn't the point about how to prevent poison gas? But they always discuss some irrelevant issues!
Am I missing something?
…
At this time, German Major General Jonas was in doubt.
He watched his troops retreating like a tide, with only one question in his mind: Why was Charles so confident as to place the elite troops he had built himself on the front line!
To stabilize the morale of the troops?
When the 105th Infantry Regiment comes up, it may indeed be able to stabilize the morale of the troops. But if it collapsed in the face of poison gas like all the other troops, it would not only fail to achieve the goal of stabilizing military morale, but would instead push the fear of poison gas to another climax.
For political gain?
If it were anyone else, Jonas believed they would do the same, but not Ciel, absolutely not!
Although Jonas had never met Ciel, he thought he knew him.
Charles might not be a conscientious capitalist as others say, nor as selfless as the French believe, nor as intent on monopolizing the arms market as French capitalists.
One thing is certain, Ciel respects life.
From the time Charles developed the tank, to Antwerp, to Gallipoli, everything he did was to try to reduce casualties.
Major General Jonas believes that Charles does not actually care about politics and is forced to confront the capitalists.
As a person like him, it is impossible for him to send a troop to die for political gain.
Then, there is only one possibility: Charles has a new invention, and this invention can prevent poison gas, so Charles has nothing to fear.
"General." The staff officer handed Jonas a telegram: "General Stephen thinks we should release the poison gas. The wind direction is right now."
Major General Jonas thought for a moment and shook his head: "No, I think that's a problem, at least not here."
Assuming that Charles did develop something, but it was not equipped to other troops in time and only equipped to the 105th Infantry Regiment, then...
The more Jonas thought about it, the more he felt that this was right. He turned his eyes to the map and decided that he should attack in other directions.
But at this moment, the signalman a few meters away looked at Major General Jonas with the microphone and shouted, "General, General Stephen is calling, he wants to talk to you!"
Major General Jonas knew why. He quickly stepped forward to take the microphone and immediately expressed his thoughts: "General, I think Charles may have developed a device that can deal with poison gas, so I think we should be cautious."
"No, Jonas." Lieutenant General Stephen's anxious voice came from the other end of the phone: "Now is the best time to destroy the 105th Infantry Regiment. Your hesitation may make us miss this opportunity!"
"But don't you find it strange that the 105th Infantry Regiment is coming to the front at this time?"
"Nothing strange, and there is no equipment to protect against poison gas. Charles just thinks he has found a tactic to deal with poison gas!"
"Tactics to deal with poison gas?"
"Yes!" Lieutenant General Stephen replied, "In today's French newspaper Le Merit, Charles expressed his views on poison gas at the city defense headquarters. He believes that poison gas is not as terrible as imagined, and the enemy will not be able to enter the position before it dissipates. Therefore, all we need to do is dig a few more trenches in the rear to fight the enemy. He calls this tactic 'mobile defense'!"
Jonas said "Oh" and understood instantly.
Although he didn't know the specific content, when he heard the term "mobile defense", he understood what tactic it was.
This did seem to be a feasible approach, Jonas smiled, but Charles did not seem to have considered the direction of the wind, and the German soldiers would move in the direction of the wind.
As long as the wind direction is right, the French soldiers will always be one step slower than the German army, unless Charles can make the wind blow backwards!
Jonas's suspicions were gone.
He believed that Charles had no better way, and the reason why the 105th Infantry Regiment was here was just to verify what Charles called "mobile defense."
Lieutenant General Stephen on the other end of the phone ordered: "Release the poison gas immediately and defeat the French 105th Infantry Regiment. This is very important!"
This is not just a matter of an elite force, but also a matter of undermining the morale and confidence of the French army.
"Yes, General," Jonas responded.
After hanging up the phone, Major General Jonas gave his staff an order in a firm tone: "Observe the wind direction and prepare poison gas!"
(End of this chapter)
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