Chapter 834 Who else can be Charles’ enemy?
Despite being doomed to fail, the U.S. military still blocked the German army on the defense line for more than 8 hours.
Pershing sent Charles a telegram almost every half hour:
"We can't hold on, Lieutenant General. Our supply lines have been attacked and we are running low on ammunition."
"Mount Montberg has been occupied by the Germans. We have failed to recapture it after several attacks. The Germans have cut off our escape route to Reims."
"Please send reinforcements immediately, otherwise the fall of Reims is inevitable."
…
Charles did send reinforcements, and the drama had to be done well, otherwise it would arouse the Germans' suspicion.
The reinforcements were Foch's 27th Corps, which was ordered to rush to Reims for reinforcement, but was blocked by the river and Mount Perhan.
The Seine River lies between the Buzenci theater and the Reims theater, and the troops must cross the bridge and then Mount Perrin.
This could easily be stopped by the Germans, even though they had fewer troops.
Finally, around three o'clock in the afternoon, the US military was forced to withdraw from the battlefield and return to garrison along the east bank of the Seine.
At around eight o'clock in the evening, the German army successfully occupied Reims and completed the "C"-shaped encirclement of the Meuse River defense line.
…
The French media was instantly detonated.
Although it was not early in the morning, major newspapers still urgently published this bad news:
"Reims has fallen, the Meuse River defense line has been surrounded, and now the only gap is Mezieres."
"We should evacuate Ciel and his elite troops before it's too late!"
"But Ciel insisted on staying with his troops. He hoped to wait for reinforcements to arrive and retake Reims."
"But this is unlikely and very dangerous. The supply lines have been cut off, and the ammunition of the troops on the Meuse Line will become less and less, while the reinforcements of the Reserve Army Group are mostly inexperienced and inadequately equipped. They will not be much better than the US Army!"
"More importantly, Reims is surrounded by rivers and mountains. It is easy to defend but difficult to attack, which is not conducive to the deployment of large troops."
"The Charles is in danger, which means France is in danger, more danger than ever before!"
…
The citizens of France were stunned by the news and took to the streets, shouting:
"It's the British's fault. They screwed us over!"
"Britain looks like our ally, but in fact it is our enemy. They always need our rescue, but they always open a hole in their defenses to let the Germans in, time and time again."
"Get the British out, we don't need their troops, they're putting the Shire in danger!"
…
Angry people smashed British-owned shops, protested in front of the British Embassy and threw stones into it, tied up passing British soldiers and guards and marched with them. Some people even pulled wounded British soldiers out of the hospital because they were just wasting resources and medicine.
Rational French citizens donated money and supplies and spontaneously formed a militia to prepare to reinforce Reims.
Many people also petitioned the Parliament and Gallieni, hoping to persuade Charles to abandon the defense and return alone.
At this moment, everyone reached a consensus: Charles must not be in any danger, he must be alive, as long as he is alive, there is still hope for France.
Even Charles's mortal enemies, the big capitalists and opposition MPs who always reaped the profits behind the scenes, were silent at this moment.
Because there are precedents.
An ungrateful capitalist gloated over his glass of red wine and said, "Look, Charles's end is here. The Germans are helping us deal with this arrogant dictator."
These words were said at home, with only two servants and close confidants around him.
Yet within ten minutes he was dragged into the street by angry servants, who loudly announced his crimes.
People rushed up and punched and kicked him. When the police heard about it, they swiftly blocked the soldiers who came to maintain order. A few people took advantage of the chaos and kicked him a few times.
His villa and factory became the brightest torches in Paris in half an hour.
People felt that this was not enough, so they took him to the bank and forced him to donate all his money, otherwise they would hang him on a telephone pole.
In the end he survived, but became a beggar on the roadside. Passers-by spat at him, but always gave him food to keep him alive.
Because the citizens believed that his survival could serve as a warning to others.
It was not until then that the capitalists and parliamentarians truly felt the power of the Shire.
These are not orders from Charles, and Charles doesn't know about them, but people will do these for Charles spontaneously.
It's not even "doing this for the Shire", it's just people venting their anger.
If that's the case, who can be Charles' enemy?
…
The town of Darwaise.
Camille felt a little confused. For some reason, the radio at home had been broken since the day before yesterday, and even Victor, the best craftsman in town, couldn't fix it.
The newspaper was suspended for two days. I heard it was because of the workers' strike.
The neighbors looked at her strangely. Although they still smiled, there was panic and something else in their eyes.
Sadness, pity, or sympathy?
Camille wasn't sure.
That night Camille changed into her pajamas and was getting ready for bed.
During the wartime rationing period, except for the factories that supplied equipment and ammunition to the battlefield and worked day and night, power would be cut off in residential areas at 9 o'clock.
Just then, there was a noise outside the window, and Camille vaguely heard someone shouting: "We can't let Charles be in danger..."
These words hurt Camille's sensitive nerves. She suddenly opened the window to see what was going on and why Charles was in danger?
Dejoka's anxious footsteps were heard outside the door. He rushed in and closed the window and pulled the curtains without saying a word.
"It's time for bed, honey," Djokovic said.
Camille didn't move. She stared at Deyoka with anger in her eyes: "Tell me, what happened? Why is Charles in danger?"
"You must have heard it wrong." Dejoka spread his hands and said, "It's just some workers making trouble."
"Workers, making trouble?" Camille narrowed his eyes.
Deyoka realized that this was a poor excuse, as although worker unrest was common outside, it had never happened in the town of Darwaz.
But what else can he say besides this?
"I need to know the truth!" Camille became excited.
"Okay." Djoka knew he couldn't hide it any longer: "They said the Germans surrounded Charles."
Camille almost fainted, but finally managed to stand.
"What kind of danger?" Camille asked.
Djoka comforted him, "Char can handle it. We should have confidence in him. You know, he has been in danger many times, but he was able to escape danger every time..."
"But this time it's different, right?" Camille interrupted Djokovic.
Djokovic was stunned for a moment, then finally sighed and nodded:
"Yes."
"It was the British. Their 600,000-man army collapsed within a few days."
"This puts Charles in danger. He is surrounded by the Germans."
Camille covered her mouth in shock and fear, tears streaming uncontrollably from her eyes.
My poor child, he is only 19 years old, why should he have to go through so much suffering!
(End of this chapter)
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