Chapter 864: Treat Everyone Equally
In the heavy rain on the western front, the sound of artillery fire was heard constantly.
The French Algerian Army's positions were located behind the junction between the British Expeditionary Force and Army Group East.
This is the easiest place for the Germans to infiltrate and break through because the two armies speak different languages and belong to two different command systems, which often lead to confusion.
The Algerian army's defense line is designed to make up for this deficiency, which is equivalent to patching this gap.
Therefore, once a war breaks out here, it will be a very brutal close combat, and the one they are facing is the elite German force: the Storm Troopers.
Sergeant Haji knelt on one knee in a raincoat beside his friend and subordinate Abram.
They had just repelled an attack by the Storm Troopers, and Abram was stabbed in the abdomen by a German bayonet and was gasping in pain under his raincoat.
Veterans who have experienced war know that being stabbed in the abdomen is the most painful way to die.
This location is not a vital spot and will not kill you on the spot, but every breath will pull the wound and make you grimace in pain.
At the same time, French hospitals were unable to treat the wounded colonial troops.
Therefore, they can only wait slowly for death to come in despair. Some even persist for several weeks, until the wounds rot and maggots grow, and finally they pass away with their eyes open.
"Don't worry about... me." Abram's voice was weak, but his tone was firm: "Find a chance to meet Charles. This is the most important thing."
Haji nodded slowly, "I will, but not now."
"Why?" Abram asked puzzledly.
"We are different, Abram," Haji said. "Charles is a French general, and we are the French colonial army. Do you know what that means?"
Abram murmured, "Hmm," "Are you worried that Ciel will treat us differently?"
"Yes." Haji's eyes were filled with worry:
"Think about it, why did Charles say those things to the British colonial army? Why did he send them supplies and equipment but not to us?"
"We have been incorporated into the French army since the outbreak of the war, and we have always been treated unequally."
"As a French general, shouldn't he be concerned about the French colonial army first?"
Abram covered his wound and groaned in pain. He took a few breaths and replied, "Maybe, maybe he doesn't know this."
“I don’t think so.” Haji shook his head. “We were always there, right in front of him.”
"That being said." Abram shook his head slightly:
"But he's only 19, Haji."
"At this age, he is either thinking about how to deal with the parliamentarians or facing the Germans on the battlefield."
"He had access to only a small part of the army, and that was all aviation and armored forces, or the Sixth Army."
Haji couldn't argue with that.
These troops are the top tier of the French army, with the best quality and equipment.
The French colonial army was undoubtedly at the bottom.
So even though they are in the same army and the same system, they are worlds apart.
But Haji remained cautious: "Don't worry, Abram, I know what to do."
Abram thought he had not yet convinced Haji, so he continued to persuade him: "Go meet him. He is our only hope. We have no other choice."
"I know, Abram." Haji nodded. "I have made appointments with a few people."
"Have you made an appointment?" Abram looked at Haji in confusion.
"Yes." Haji replied: "I have made an appointment with Suku, Goye and several other representatives. We will go to see Charles together."
Abram instantly understood what Haji meant.
Suku and Goye were representatives of British colonies such as Kenya and Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia).
Haji had asked them to go with him because he wanted to know whether Charles would say the same thing about the British colonies and the French colonies.
…
The next day, Charles received a dozen visiting representatives without knowing it.
They shook hands with Charles one by one, and thanked him with their own courtesy:
"We have received your supplies, General, and I thank you on behalf of the Kenyan Army."
“You saved many of our lives, and they were healed because of the doctors you sent.”
"And the medicines are beyond our imagination. Thank you so much!"
…
Charles could feel their gratitude and respect, except for one person, who was wearing a French sergeant's uniform and looked at Charles coldly, his eyes always vigilant.
"Do you have any questions?" Charles asked.
"Lieutenant General." The sergeant stood up and saluted: "Sergeant Haji of the third platoon of the fifth infantry regiment of the Algerian Legion."
Charles immediately understood the problem. The representative of the French colonial army was surrounded by a group of representatives of the British colonial army.
Charles smiled and shook hands with Haji:
"My bad, Sergeant."
"I never paid attention to the French colonial army because I thought they would treat you equally. After all, this is France, and they also regard Algeria as their territory."
“But I recently discovered that this is not the case.”
Haji was a little surprised. He didn't expect Charles to be so direct.
After a pause, he asked Charles: "Lieutenant General, do you mean that you have the same opinion about the French colonial army?"
"Of course." Charles nodded affirmatively, with a look of disbelief on his face: "This is the French spirit, Sergeant. If we in France can't do it ourselves, why should we ask other countries to do the same?"
Haji's originally cold eyes suddenly lit up a little, and the other representatives nodded in agreement.
If Charles's concept of equality only applies to the British colonial army and he refuses to grant the same rights to the French colonial army, it can only prove one thing: Charles has ulterior motives.
"But ironically, it may be more difficult for me to provide assistance to the French colonial army." Charles shook his head slightly, saying helplessly: "You know, a considerable number of French parliamentarians and capitalists stand against me, and I must obey the decision of the parliament..."
"Yes." Haji answered affirmatively: "I know this. The Eastern Army Group and the Colonial Consortium have been spreading rumors that are unfavorable to you."
"And then there is the navy," added a delegate who was in the know. "I mean the Toulon navy, including the Minister of the Navy, who are also against Charles."
Charles spread his hands:
"It's not that I don't want to treat everyone equally, but I have to obey the decision of the parliament."
"British colonies are different. This is a relationship between countries. I don't need to obey their orders."
“So, I hope you can understand my difficulties.”
The representatives nodded, "Of course, Lieutenant General."
As Haji agreed, a hint of hatred flashed in his eyes.
Those damned guys, they were the ones who stopped Charles' good intentions.
That is to say, as long as all of us support Charles and give him more power and more troops, we can achieve freedom and equality!
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
