Battlefield Priest's Diary

Chapter 149 Confused
May 25, 1940, Paris, the main hall of the Ministry of Defense, the minister's private meeting room.

A somewhat "simple" promotion ceremony is underway.

There were no honor guards, no flowers, no painted velvet sashes and medals, and only a handful of people in the room. Charles de Gaulle, whose head had just been bandaged, stood expressionless in the very center of the room.

Defense Minister Eduardo Daladier signed his name with a pen on a promotion certificate at his desk, stamped it to confirm its authenticity, and then handed it to de Gaulle.

"Congratulations, Mr. de Gaulle! You have achieved remarkable results in Moncornet and Laon. In recognition of your performance, from today onwards, you are the youngest brigadier general in the army."

Edward Dara handed over the promotion order, and sparse applause rang out in the office.

The promotion from field officer to general is a crucial step in the military, one that many people never manage to take in their entire lives.

Only those who overcome this hurdle begin to be qualified to be addressed as "Your Excellency" and become true senior generals.

If it were anyone else, they might have become smug and self-satisfied, but de Gaulle didn't even show a happy expression on his face.

“Minister, I am more concerned about the current war situation than my personal promotion. May I ask why the 4th Armored Division, which had just reached combat readiness, was scattered and reassigned to other units?” Standing in front of his desk, de Gaulle tried to keep his tone gentle, but his words were still icy.

In such a situation, directly questioning a superior would normally have resulted in a reprimand. However, in France in May 1940, the minister was remarkably patient.

This man, who was elected Prime Minister of France three times and was later known as a representative of opportunism and appeasement, smiled as he explained to his juniors, who were much lower in rank than him.

“Mr. de Gaulle, I know the 4th Panzer Division performed exceptionally well. The previous battles not only slowed the Germans down by 48 hours, but also destroyed a large amount of supplies, and even Commander Guderian was wounded…”

"However, as you know, the Fourth Armored Division has no more than 4000 soldiers capable of fighting, and its armored vehicles are short of fuel. It can no longer maintain the combat formation of a division-level unit."

"Moreover, given the changes in your next assignment, it is not suitable for you to continue commanding the 4th Armored Division."

"Job changes? Mr. Minister, I don't understand what you mean."

At that moment, the office door opened, and a slightly tired voice came in.

"Let me tell you."

Upon seeing the approaching figures, de Gaulle and the other officers stood at attention and saluted.

The current Prime Minister, Paul Reynaud, entered from outside and handed another letter of appointment to de Gaulle.

"Given your excellent understanding of armored warfare, and in order to address the current situation, we, on behalf of the Cabinet, hope that you will take up a post in the Army."

“Cial, we need your abilities now…”
-
When he left, de Gaulle's shoulders were adorned with brigadier general's epaulets emblazoned with silver stars, and his official appointment was that of Vice Minister of the Army.

However, when this man, whom the Prime Minister called a “brave and decisive outstanding commander,” stepped out the door, he refused to be followed by his entourage and walked alone down the Seine.

May is a great time for spring outings, and many couples used to choose to go boating and have picnics here.

People fleeing from the north crowded the docks, sleeping casually on the stone slabs wrapped in blankets, while the wealthy who had been enjoying life on the riverbanks had now fled south or taken boats directly to the other side of the strait.

Shops are mostly closed, and abandoned suitcases and bulky furniture can be seen on the street from time to time.

Several pet dogs were rummaging through the garbage for food—they had probably just been abandoned because they were difficult to carry.

Looking at everything before him, de Gaulle had mixed feelings. He wasn't stupid; from a purely military perspective, France had already missed its chance to turn the tide, and the fall of Paris was almost inevitable.

At this time, government officials were still fighting amongst themselves, and their attempts to win him over were not for the sake of the country, but merely for their own political interests.

And what can he do at this moment?

He wanted to talk to someone, and this desire grew stronger as the situation changed.

A figure appeared in his mind. With that thought, the newly appointed brigadier general walked down the river, and after passing through the Grenell dock, he came to a cemetery.

The cemetery is very large, with thousands of tombstones bearing crosses. When the wind blows, the epitaphs on the stone tombstones are revealed.

Durand-François, 1889–1916
Corporal of the 137th Regiment, 56th Infantry Division of France, killed in action at the Douaumont Fortress.
This is a cemetery built for soldiers who died in World War I.

Quack!! Quack!!
Several crows perched on nearby branches, flapping their wings and looking at him, adding a chill to the already bleak atmosphere.

The newly appointed Deputy Minister of Defense carefully walked through the cemetery area and headed towards a nearby building, a small monastery built close to the cemetery.

The monastery gates were tightly shut, and spider webs had covered both sides.

De Gaulle gently pushed open the door. Dilapidated chairs and wooden tables lay scattered on the ground, clearly indicating that the place had been abandoned.

As he walked into the corridor, the central holy pool had dried up, and inside the small lecture hall, a huge raven stood beside the cross, watching him.

"Your Excellency de Gaulle, you've arrived." A voice in French rang out from behind, and someone stepped out from a hidden corner.

De Gaulle did not seem very surprised, after all, this was the place where the two had agreed to meet.

"By the way, why don't you come and stay at the place I arranged?" De Gaulle looked at the man in front of him. This was the first time the two had spoken face-to-face since returning from the front lines.

"There are a few people from the government I don't want to meet, and my identity isn't suitable for contacting them." The other party gave an ambiguous explanation, but in reality, Qin Hao was afraid of running into a few people who recognized his face.

That day, after leaving the battlefield, Qin Hao hid himself away, mainly because he didn't want to interfere too much with the established course of history.

If the key figure in the diary refers to de Gaulle, then he should have made contact with the British soon, and then a month later boarded that plane to the other side of the Channel, thus embarking on the path of Free French resistance.

My most important task at this moment is to ensure that history continues along its original trajectory.

Therefore, not interfering too much in the current situation has become his choice at this time.

What Qin Hao didn't know was that this elusive state made him appear even more mysterious in the eyes of the general.

"The Army Ministry just issued me my appointment, rank, and position, which are exactly the same as the information you provided." De Gaulle looked at the other party without any concealment. After the events on the battlefield, his trust in the person in front of him had reached its peak.

“That’s normal. The cabinet needs a symbol now, a symbol that proves the French army can still fight back, and you are now the only candidate.”

"Any other news?" De Gaulle's voice carried a hint of despondency.

"Paul Reno's premiership probably won't last much longer. Your old boss, Pétain, is leading a group to force him to resign, and he's already in contact with the Germans."

"..."

De Gaulle remained silent. Pétain, as his former superior and a hero of World War I, held a high position in his heart.

Pétain's contact with the German army was a major blow to him.

A few minutes later, the tall, thin general suddenly looked up at the priest in front of him.

"My friend, do you think my fight still has any meaning?"

? ? ? ? ! ! ! !
De Gaulle's words made Qin Hao tense. This future father of France was actually somewhat depressed at this moment, and his words even revealed a desire to give up.

Isn't this troublesome?

(End of this chapter)