Chapter 588 Divide and Conquer
On the road from Brussels to Gembloux, Lieutenant General Avis led the 3rd Cavalry Division of the British Expeditionary Force through the fog and snow.
It was just dawn, and the pale sky in the east was set off by the heavy snow, plunging the whole world into a gloomy chill.
Lieutenant General Ives shivered uncontrollably and wrapped his cloak around himself. Hours of night marching made him cold and hungry, and he felt like he might fall off his horse at any time.
However, thinking that he would soon be able to get to Jean-Blu and bring the French 6th Army into his command system, Lieutenant General Avis once again cheered up and spurred his horse.
That was a force of 200,000 men, General Ives thought, with a special artillery division said to have more than 200 tanks and an unknown number of armored vehicles.
More importantly, those were Charles' troops.
Of course, it was a charr force in name only, and soon it would no longer be.
Lieutenant General Avis recalled Clemenceau's description of the current situation of the Sixth Army:
"Charles is fighting with Major General Gamelin for command. The 6th Army is in chaos, and there are even signs of mutiny again."
"In principle, the Antwerp defense line is under your command, Your Excellency, Lieutenant General. We think it is necessary for you to go and ask Blue to go."
"If you can resolve this crisis, we are willing to leave the 6th Army at the Antwerp defense line to cooperate with your army!"
…
This was a decision Briand made after careful consideration.
"Divide and rule" is a common method used by Western powers to manage and rule. If the target itself is constantly fighting and wasting energy, it is obviously easier to rule.
Briand said to Clemenceau with full confidence:
"If the British can successfully regain command, they can weaken the Shire's strength while becoming a strong opponent for the Shire."
"If not, this can also intensify the conflict between the British and the Shire, and at the same time we can find a way out."
"No matter what the result is, it will only benefit us, and we can also do the British a favor."
Clemenceau nodded in agreement and immediately arranged everything according to Briand's suggestion.
…
Lieutenant General Avis did not realize from the beginning to the end that this was a strategy of the French Parliament to drive out the wolf and devour the tiger. He thought that the French Parliament was forced into a corner by Charles and had to seek help from Britain.
Lieutenant General Elvis was secretly proud of himself.
The 6th Army was in chaos and had no combat effectiveness. I was the commander-in-chief of the defense line and had command authority, and Britain also had supplies. There was no reason why I couldn't do it, right?
Lieutenant General Avis believed that the last point was the key. Supplies were related to the life and death of France. The French army had to listen to the British Empire, otherwise they would only wait to be defeated by the Germans.
Therefore, the 6th Army is just the starting point, not the end point!
This can bring practical benefits and enhance the British army's previously lost reputation without bloodshed. Why not do it?
"General." A messenger came up from the front on horseback and reported: "Gembloux is five miles ahead."
Lieutenant General Avis was delighted and gave an order with full energy: "Order the troops to speed up!"
“Speed up!”
“Speed up!”
…
As orders were passed down, the cavalry, like a long dragon, sped up as if they had been given a shot of adrenaline.
Lieutenant General Ives rode up a small mound on the roadside, raised his telescope and looked at the small town of Genbulu, which was under the pressure of wind and snow, a few miles away. He muttered to himself: "Here I come, Charles, are you ready for the challenge?"
…
In the small town of Gembloux, the British 3rd Cavalry Division marched along the road. Their destination was the French military camp and defense line located east of the town.
In order to show that he was leading by example, Lieutenant General Avis led his guard company and walked at the front of the team.
However, the further I went, the more something felt wrong.
There were trenches everywhere on both sides of the road. Judging from the uniforms, they were Belgian troops, but they did not look like Belgian militia.
Their fortifications were well-organized: barbed wire, machine gun bunkers, and even the houses in the town were transformed into bunkers with firing holes drilled in them.
Their equipment was very complete: Maxim heavy machine guns, mortars, "Saint-Etienne 2" light machine guns...
When Lieutenant General Avis saw the "Saint-Etienne 2" light machine gun, he realized that this was a force standing on Charles' side.
Sure enough, when the troops entered the town and passed a three-story Gothic building, Lieutenant General Ivis saw King Albert I waving at him from upstairs with a smile:
"Long time no see, Lieutenant General Ivis!" Albert I looked down at him and said, "Take a look at my troops. What do you think of the First Special Reconnaissance Army, the most elite force in Belgium. I wonder if it can match your cavalry division?"
Lieutenant General Ives did not answer. He immediately bent his left hand and bowed slightly to Albert I, saying, "Your Majesty, I'm sorry that I have something important to do and cannot come upstairs to visit you."
Lieutenant General Avis did not intend to get too entangled with Albert I. He hoped to rush to the barracks as soon as possible to control the situation.
"Of course." Albert I nodded with a smile. When Lieutenant General Ivis passed by and showed his back to him, he shouted with a smile: "Remember this, General. We will be your strong backing."
After hearing this, Lieutenant General Elvis felt a chill on his back. With so many machine guns and mortars pointed at him from behind, the cavalry division could be destroyed into ashes in an instant if the fighting started.
This bastard, he is clearly threatening me, Lieutenant General Ives gritted his teeth and cursed inwardly, doesn't he know that we are helping Belgium resist the German invasion?
How could he do this!
However, Lieutenant General Elvis did not stop. He continued to lead his troops forward.
The sound of gunfire from the front was getting closer and closer. The French camp was seen from afar, and it was discovered that the French soldiers were standing in front of the camp in neat formations with shining helmets and armor, even with bayonets ready, and the muzzles of their rifles and machine guns were pointed at the British army.
Lieutenant General Elvis was confused. Where was the chaos? Where was the internal fighting?
It was Gamelin who came out to greet Lieutenant General Avis. He and a group of officers were also feeling uneasy. The French soldiers looked ferocious and who knew if they would suddenly come up with some "hidden rules".
Seeing Lieutenant General Avis and the British Cavalry Division, Gan Molin secretly breathed a sigh of relief and rushed forward as if he had seen a savior.
However, a rumbling sound of engines was heard, and another troop arrived at the barracks almost at the same time.
When Gan Molin looked closely, he saw that it was Charles' mechanized division, led by a major general standing on an armored reconnaissance vehicle.
Gan Molin's heart sank instantly. He recognized the major general. It was Tijani, the commander of the Charles Mechanized Division.
Tijani said nothing and waved his hand expressionlessly.
The mechanized division's troops quickly attacked the British Cavalry Division. Amid the roar of motors and the noise of tracks, the armored vehicles and tanks pointed their guns and cannons at the British cavalry at close range, almost at their heads. The cavalry were so frightened that they dared not move. Even the war horses felt the murderous intent and neighed nervously and stamped their hooves on the snow.
Suddenly, there was a "whoosh" sound in the sky, and a dozen fighter jets flew low, shaking the snow on the eaves to fall down.
The frightened horse tried to escape in panic, and the cavalrymen hurried to control it.
(End of this chapter)
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