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

Chapter 929 Mercenaries

But Charles didn't intend to let them off so easily.

"Can this battle plan be implemented?" Charles asked seriously, "If it cannot be implemented, should we discuss the issue of liquidated damages?"

Tijani, who was drinking coffee not far away, was choked by these words and coughed a few times as if he was laughing.

Feeling the murderous gazes of General Winter and Baker, he made an apologetic gesture and hurriedly left with his coffee.

You can tell he was trying to stay calm, but he couldn't help but let out a little laugh when he turned around.

General Winter turned his gaze back to Ciel, "Are you kidding me, Lieutenant General?"

"Do you think I'm joking?" Charles asked back:
"There is no joking in the military, Major General. Do you know how much effort my troops and I have put into this battle plan?"

"Targeted training, exercises, live-fire shooting, now is a war time, these are very valuable supplies."

"But now, you tell me that you can't cooperate with me in the battle? All my efforts were in vain? What about my losses?"

Charles spoke in a very convincing manner, and Major Generals Baker and Winter were stunned.

Although Baker was an old hand in politics and diplomacy, he had never seen anyone like Charles who distorted right and wrong and made his arguments so "reasonable and well-founded" that no one could refute.

He could only turn to General Winter for help. General Winter was a friend of Charles and he hoped that he could deal with it.

General Winter was silent for a moment, realizing that "reasoning" with Charles was not going to work.

Although Charles was telling a lie, in order to expose this lie, the British and American troops must first be able to fight and carry out a feint attack mission.

If Britain and the United States are not strong enough to fight, they can only let Charles brag about it.

"Okay, Lieutenant General." General Winter suppressed his anger. "Now, I want to know if the French army's promise to participate in the attack still counts?"

As long as the French army participated in the attack, the Allies would be able to break through the Hindenburg Line and defeat Germany, which was the most important thing.

"Of course." Charles acted innocently. "I am the one who keeps my promise, Major General. You have no reason to doubt me."

General Winter is furious, but now we are the ones who broke our promise?
"Then." General Winter raised the plan in his hand and said, "Modify this plan and change the feint attack of the British and American coalition forces to the British, American and French coalition forces."

Baker's eyes lit up and he secretly praised.

What a good idea! The British and American forces could not organize such a large-scale feint attack, but with the help of the French army, this combat plan could be implemented smoothly.

See how Charles responds!

"Good idea." Charles gave a thumbs up and praised: "You are worthy of being the favorite general of the Minister of Munitions."

But he changed the subject and asked, "How many French troops do you need to cooperate with?"

Major General Winter discussed with Baker and compared the 100 million troops required for the feint attack in the offensive plan. After adding and subtracting, they soon came up with a result.

"It will probably take two armies with 50 men," said General Winter.

It would certainly be a good thing to have French troops involved.

Perhaps because they loved the French army too, the British and American soldiers had a superstitious belief in the French army. They believed that as long as the French army participated in the battle, they would win, and their confidence and morale would be boosted.

And this is exactly what the British and American troops need.

"Yeah." Charles nodded.
"Two armies with 50 men, including equipment, supplies, employment and pensions."

"A rough estimate is $10 billion."

"The United States will pay half, $5 million, and the United Kingdom will pay the other half..."

General Winter was stunned by what Charles said: "You mean, these 50 troops are counted as money?"

"Of course." Charles replied: "This is the extra force we sent. It's 50 troops, Major General. Do you think we can fight for you for free?" "But we are allies." General Winter's eyes were filled with anger: "This is the participation you promised us..."

"Major General." Charles interrupted General Winter:

"France has fulfilled its obligations as an ally. It is no longer in France's interest to continue the war. What I agreed to do is to cooperate with the British and American forces in the attack, not for the British and American forces to cooperate with the French forces in the attack."

"With 50 French infantry, plus a heavy army, it can be said that the British and American troops did not need to let the French army defeat the Germans independently."

"I suppose you don't know the difference between the two?"

General Winter was speechless and Baker was stunned.

Charles continued:
"So, I can only calculate it as a mercenary."

"I believe that Parliament and the French army will also support this approach."

"It's a fair price. 50 well-trained and fully-armed soldiers for only $10 billion. They can even defeat a country for you."

The total amount of reparations Germany paid after World War I was as high as 330 billion US dollars, which was not paid off until 2010.

It was a conscience of Charles to save a few hundred million from it.

Baker couldn't help but retort: ​​"This is blackmail, this is forcing us to accept it!"

Charles responded bluntly: "Buying and selling are free, Mr. Minister. If you feel it is blackmail, you don't have to buy it."

General Winter looked at Charles blankly with a dark face.

Ciel responded with a helpless expression: "Although I want to help you, the army does not belong to me, and I cannot make my own decisions."

General Winter nodded slightly and turned his gaze to Baker.

Baker took General Winter aside and asked angrily, "Are you really going to agree to his terms?"

"What else?" General Winter asked, "Do you have a better idea?"

This question stumped Baker. The war was at a stalemate on the defense line, and the British and American troops were even in danger.

The morale and combat effectiveness of the two armies were affected to varying degrees. If the Germans launched a large-scale counterattack at this time, the British and American armies would most likely be defeated.

This problem is particularly evident for the U.S. military, because its recruits are more susceptible to collapse and the problem of soldier casualties is more obvious.

After thinking for a while, Baker raised a concern: "How can we guarantee that he will definitely participate in the attack after paying these costs? He may find another excuse."

"What else can he do?" General Winter asked. "Our army is almost unable to fight. What excuse can he make next time?"

Baker thought about it and agreed. The situation had already hit rock bottom.

"Then." Baker nodded helplessly: "We should consult our superiors and let them make the decision."

General Winter said "hmm", turned around and raised his voice to ask Charles: "Britain doesn't have that much money. We can provide you with more detailed aircraft carrier data..."

"I don't need those data anymore, Major General." Charles crossed his legs. "And they are far from worth 5 million."

"So what do you want?" General Winter asked.

Charles handed General Winter a document: "Take a look at this."

General Winter took the document and saw that it was Malta's application to join the League of Nations.

"Malta is a British colony," said Charles. "We cannot make a decision to allow it to join."

Then General Winter understood that Charles wanted control of Malta.

(End of this chapter)