I was a tycoon in World War I: Starting to save France

Chapter 67 Special Operations
Charles straightened his military cap. It was as hard as dry bread. It would be uncomfortable to wear it in battle, and the most important thing was that it provided no protection at all.

But this was a good thing for Charles, who immediately thought of providing a helmet for the French army.

The helmet may be small, but about 850 million French soldiers were drafted into the army during World War I. If everyone needed one, the money earned would probably be no less than a motorcycle...

Charles's sweet dream was interrupted by Gallieni: "Are you thinking or distracted, Lieutenant?"

Ciel said "Uh" and turned his attention back to the map:

"First and foremost is the safety of the Fifth Army."

He pointed to the map and said:
"The 3rd and 8th Armies on the flanks are advancing steadily. At the same time, there are no major problems with the logistics supply of these armies. The source of troops is relatively stable, so there is no need to worry too much about being surrounded by the Germans!"

Gallieni nodded slightly in agreement, which was the same idea as his.

Although the salient on the offensive line was dangerous and the 5th Army could indeed be surrounded, how could the Germans surround it?
Cut off the 5th Army's connection with other forces?
Once the Fifth Army slowed down, the Third and Eighth Armies would continue to advance and would immediately be able to penetrate the Germans and counter-encircle the Fifth Army.

Danger is relative. It is even more dangerous for the Germans to do this under the premise of "harassment warfare"!

Gallieni knew very well that no plan was safe on the battlefield, only danger and greater danger.

This plan is feasible if the enemy is more dangerous than yourself.

The other generals, including Joffre, planned to stop the 5th Army because they were frightened by the Germans. They were still afraid of the enemy and lacked confidence in the French army as before.

however……

"Why should we speed up?" Gallieni asked curiously, "Do you want to lure the Germans to encircle them (referring to the 5th Army)?"

Gallieni didn't think this was a good idea. The Germans were not stupid. A trap that was too obvious on the battlefield would make it difficult for the enemy to jump into it.

Charles smiled softly: "The Germans would think so too!"

Gallieni immediately realized that he had been fooled. He was outmaneuvered by Charles in this "game", and Charles had anticipated his expectations.

"Interesting!" Gallieni casually took the pince-nez and put it on his nose, which allowed him to see more clearly. "So, your goal is precisely to prevent the Germans from encircling the Fifth Army?"

"You can say that!" Charles replied, "If the Germans do this, we will have no choice but to fight a regular war with them. The Germans may suffer losses, but our losses will not be less than theirs!"

Gallieni agreed. The quality of the German army was there. Even if they were exhausted from the harassment war, their combat effectiveness was still comparable to that of the French army. The two armies would surround and strangle each other, and it would inevitably be a brutal war of attrition.

Then, Gallieni put himself in the shoes of the German commander, holding the flag of the German 2nd Army and slowly moving back, saying: "What if I don't surround them, but continue to retreat?"

"Chec mat!" Charles slammed the pencil in his hand towards the rear of the German defense line: "I will eat your queen!"

(Note: Chec mat is the French word for capturing the opponent's king in chess, which is equivalent to killing the opponent)

"What?" Gallieni looked up at Charles in shock: "You can't do it, Charles, how can you break through my defense line of 20 kilometers..."

Before he could finish his words, Gallieni suddenly realized something. He had created this loophole. When the German 2nd Army retreated, the 5th Army had already broken through the defense line by kilometers.

At this time, sending the three-wheeled troops to cross the enemy's defense line along the mountain road from the side would directly threaten the rear of the German troops on both wings.

"Oh my God!" Gallieni's face turned pale. "By then, the Border Tricycles will not encounter the regular German army, but the German supply convoys, field hospitals, and fragile artillery!"

Charles neither said yes nor no. Gallieni was right in one point. Charles's target was never the German army. Then Gallieni asked in confusion: "Why is this tactic called special operations?"

Charles said softly:
"If, as you said, the Border Tricycles only attack supply convoys, field hospitals, or vulnerable artillery, then that is not special operations!"

"But if we have a planned and targeted attack on the enemy's warehouses, ammunition depots, headquarters, railway stations, and bridges, that would be a special operation!"

Gallieni was stunned.

Warehouses and ammunition depots are obviously more important. They can often be burned down with just one fire, and an army's supplies can be destroyed.

Attacking the enemy's headquarters can cause chaos and disarray in the enemy.

If the train stations and bridges were destroyed, the German army's supplies would not be delivered, and the Germans would have no choice but to retreat completely.

After thinking for a while, Gallieni asked again: "So, they just attack different targets?"

Charles secretly praised him in his heart. After all, Gallieni was Gallieni. He looked at the problem from another perspective.

When ordinary commanders hear Charles' idea, their first reaction might be "Great, if we fight like this, we will win an unprecedented victory!"

Then they began to mobilize troops and prepare for battle.

These low- and middle-level commanders only think about the immediate victory.

Gallieni, on the other hand, paid more attention to military theory. Once he learned the theory and knew its key points, Gallieni would not only be able to win the current battle, but he would also be able to apply the theory to other battles and even integrate it with French tactics.

"It's not just the target that's different, General!" Charles replied, "It's much more difficult than attacking a supply convoy or artillery, but the casualties are likely to be smaller and the results greater!"

What Charles said seemed contradictory. Wouldn't greater difficulty mean greater casualties and lesser results?

But Gallieni understood, and he nodded thoughtfully:

"If the target is the enemy's warehouse, ammunition depot, headquarters, bridge..."

"The first thing we need to do is to know their locations, how many troops are stationed there, and their defense loopholes!"

"so……"

Gallieni raised his head sharply and looked at Charles, his voice trembling with emotion:
"I understand. It's intelligence, Charles. We must have accurate intelligence!"

"According to the intelligence, we completed the mission as quickly as possible and withdrew, leaving the Germans with an unmanageable mess!"

Charles nodded calmly. Gallieni had already grasped the essence of special operations.

Gallieni stared at Charles in disbelief.
"This is no longer something that can be described as 'genius', Ciel!"

"You are a hundred times better than all of us combined!"

"You simply don't belong to this world!"

Charles could not answer this question, because Gallieni had given exactly the answer.

(End of this chapter)