Chapter 975 Ruhr Industrial Area
The Ruhr industrial area is as busy as usual. Densely packed factories are stacked like building blocks on the outskirts of the city. Huge chimneys constantly spew out thick smoke, and the air is filled with the suffocating smell of coal.
Workers come and go in the factory. Trucks transport iron ore to the smelter, where workers put it on conveyor belts. Finally, it is processed into steel and shipped to other factories.
They will be transformed into artillery, tanks, ammunition, etc. needed on the battlefield, providing the material basis for Germany's ongoing war.
(The picture above is one of the ruins of the Ruhr Industrial Zone)
Suddenly, several gunshots were heard outside.
The workers didn't take it seriously; they were used to it.
Workers who work hard but do not have enough to eat often do extraordinary things, such as stealing, robbing food, and selling supplies.
At this time, the guards would use guns against them, sometimes firing blanks as a warning, and then taking real action if they still refused to behave.
But this time it seemed a little different. The gunshots did not stop for a long time, and even became louder and more frequent.
The workers stopped what they were doing in confusion, the truck also stopped, and the driver stuck his head out to look in the direction where the gunshots came from. Only the machines and conveyor belts were making "humming" sounds.
"What's going on?" someone asked, "Are the French attacking?"
"Impossible!" the foreman answered loudly:
"Our army will never let them get here."
"Go back to work. Maybe it's just an exercise or some unit is doing target practice."
The workers thought the foreman was right.
The Ruhr industrial area is very important. Its coal production accounts for 80% of Germany's total production, and its steel production accounts for 70%. In addition, there are also chemical, petroleum, machinery manufacturing, etc.
If the French army reached this place and occupied it, it would almost mean the collapse of Germany's military industry.
However, just as the workers were about to return to their jobs, two planes flew over their heads with a "whoosh" sound.
The workers exclaimed:
"That's not our plane. I've never seen anything like it."
"They are French."
"The French have reached this place, we are finished!"
…
The workers are still hesitant, they are not sure whether this is a "rumor" or the "truth".
The workers only confirmed this when a plane swooped down from the sky with a shrill roar and dropped a bomb that accurately turned the bunker at the factory gate into ruins.
Workers rushed out of the factory screaming at the explosion. The originally orderly industrial area was suddenly crowded with people running in panic everywhere.
The streets were crowded with people. The German soldiers who came to reinforce waved their rifles and shouted at the crowd angrily: "Get out of the way and return to your posts!"
But no one listened to them. The crowd blocked the counter-moving German troops like a tide. Tramplings occurred from time to time. The German troops were squeezed and unable to move. Soon they were scattered.
However, some soldiers did so on purpose, as they were unwilling to go onto the battlefield to fight the enemy.
They knew more information: it was Charles' 2nd Armored Army that had arrived at the Ruhr industrial area, while the main force of the German army had been transferred away from the Ruhr.
They can also make judgments:
The undermanned Ruhr would fall, and Germany would surrender.
Who would be willing to lose their life at the last moment of surrender?
So, they drifted with the crowd, the troops became more and more scattered and smaller, and soon disappeared, leaving only a few officers who were furious and shouted and fired into the air, but they could not change anything.
A few minutes later, German troops withdrawing from the front line joined the crowd.
But before they could retreat, they heard the rumbling sound of tank engines behind them.
A French tank like a steel giant appeared behind the crowd, followed by fully armed French soldiers holding rifles in their hands, pointing the black muzzles at the crowd.
"Put down your weapons!" Christine hid behind the tank and leaned out to shout to the crowd: "We are Charles's troops, we are not the enemy. As long as you surrender, we will guarantee your safety!"
The name "Charles" seemed to have some kind of magic. The workers gradually quieted down, and then the crowd, including the soldiers, raised their hands to surrender to the French army.
…
"Extra, Extra, Charles captures the Ruhr industrial area."
"Char has won a decisive victory."
"The Ruhr industrial area has fallen, and the Germans are no longer able to resist!"
…
On the streets of Paris, the cries of newsboys attracted the attention of citizens, which instantly triggered a buying spree and soon developed into a carnival.
The Meritorious Newspaper, which had inside information, accurately seized this moment and took the lead in obtaining information. It typeset and printed the newspaper as usual, and even delivered the newspaper to various retail outlets.
As soon as Gallieni's ministerial office received the news, Kobdo immediately ordered the newspaper to be put on the market, with only a minute difference.
So much so that when the newspaper was published, Clemenceau, the French Prime Minister, had not yet received the intelligence.
At that time, Clemenceau was holding an emergency meeting at the Crillon Hotel, and he proudly announced to the delegates:
"Ladies and gentlemen."
"Perhaps you have heard that our army, led by Lieutenant General Charles, captured the Liege Fortress."
"This means we are one step closer to peace!"
Although the delegates had already received the news, they still cheered and applauded.
Only General Winter and the British representative had gloomy faces.
Not long ago, they heard that there were demonstrations in many colonies, demanding that the British army return their autonomy, including countries such as Canada and Egypt that were vital to Britain.
This was obviously no coincidence, and General Winter believed it was related to the victory of the Shire: because of the Shire's great victory, the colonies saw the weakness of Britain.
Therefore, they could follow Charles' footsteps without any scruples, support Charles' "French spirit" and respond to his call.
Clemenceau discussed with the delegates the details of the capture of the Liège fortress:
"In this battle, Ciel used two newly developed equipment."
"One is a directional parachute, which enables the paratroopers to control their landing trajectory and land precisely on the target fortress."
"The other is a dive bomber. In extreme cases, it can carry a 500-kilogram bomb and blow through the 3-meter-thick reinforced concrete of the Liege Fortress!"
…
Representatives from various countries were amazed, this was equipment they had never dared to imagine.
At this time, most of their countries were still in the stage where pilots dropped bombs manually, and some small countries did not even have the ability to produce aircraft. However, France had already developed to the level of using dive bombers for precision bombing!
Thus, their confidence in following France was once again strengthened.
Clemenceau's secretary suddenly burst into the meeting room, holding a newspaper in his hand, and reported breathlessly with a happy look on his face: "Mr. Prime Minister, they said that Charles has occupied the Ruhr!"
(End of this chapter)
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