Chapter 240 Taking Advantage of the Germans

"Is it just a matter of allowance?" Cobdo guided the major to continue.

"No, no, of course not!" Major Langoff waved his hand to the plane behind him: "Look at our planes, they are all reconnaissance planes, not a single machine gun fighter, not a single one!"

Several pilots couldn't help but come up and complained:

"Even the reconnaissance planes are old planes that have been flying for more than a year, and they keep breaking down."

"I'm missing parts and can't fix them."

"The infantry only cares about one thing. They ask us to fly to the sky to take a look at what they need to know. They always think it is easy."

…

The more they talked, the more unpleasant it became, and soon it turned into accusations. They wanted to catch those infantrymen here to experience it.

Kobdo added fuel to the fire at the right time: "I heard that one of the planes shot down by the enemy recently came from your airport?"

The pilots' anger was immediately ignited:

"Yes, the pilot is Adrian, a great guy who is also the best mechanic among us!"

"We don't know what we will do in the future. The Germans already have machine-gun aircraft, but we only have pistols. The infantry always says that we are not in danger, but this is not the case!"

"I don't understand. We invented the machine gun aircraft first, so why are we the ones who are beaten and scared? Where are our machine gun aircraft?"

…

Kobdo explained: "This may be because you are in two different command systems. Although we have machine guns and aircraft, they don't even know that you are in danger."

"Yes!" Major Langoff nodded in agreement, with a helpless tone: "Although we fly in the sky, we belong to the army in terms of establishment, allowances and command. And Charles's flying group is the real aircraft force. . We can't get reinforcements from machine gun aircraft unless we have machine gun aircraft ourselves."

Other pilots added variously:

"But this is impossible. Each army has its own reconnaissance aircraft and its own airport."

"And the infantry divisions, the aircraft they have as well."

"There are at least twenty such airstrips along the front line. If each airport was equipped with enough machine guns and aircraft, at least several hundred would be needed!"

…

Kobdo ended the interview. He didn't say much about the Shire. At most, he just mentioned "Flying Club".

Kobdo understood that if he asked the pilots too openly: "If you and Charles's flying group were merged and put under the command of Charles, would you be willing?"

The pilots may be willing, but everyone is thinking:

La Merit belongs to Charles, and Khovdeau is a reporter for La Merit.

So, Kobdo’s interview was actually to help Charles “acquire” these airports, with sinister intentions!

Not only will this be ineffective, but it will also become a source of leverage for capitalists.

Therefore, Kobdo carefully controlled the interview.

However, he always leaves the pilots with a question at the end of the interview: "How do you hope to improve the current situation, and what is the future development direction of Army aircraft?"

Similar interviews were conducted at more than one airport. Except for a few airports regarded as "top secret" by Jiafei, which were not allowed to be approved, reporters from "Meritorious Service" visited almost every army airstrip and reported their current status one by one in in newspapers.

So a question is placed in front of everyone:

Is it necessary for these numerous, dilapidated, and almost unmanaged airports to exist?

Discussions among the military and civilians then became heated:

"It's just suicide, they're like little workshops on the streets."

"It is conceivable that these pilots are just targets when facing the German machine gun fighters. They will be of little use and will become excellent practice targets for the Germans!"

"They will be defeated by the Germans one by one, without any chance of survival!"

Driven by this hot topic, other newspapers followed up with reports, and the discussion gradually turned to issues of future development:

"We should bring them together and manage them uniformly."

"The person best suited to command them is obviously Charles. He manages the First Flying Group very well."

"Yes, the First Flying Group always achieved victory under his command. He also invented the machine gun fighter. He understands air combat!"

…

Gallieni nodded with satisfaction. His desk was filled with various newspapers, such as "Le Petit Daily", "Le Petit Paris", "Morning Post", etc., and even "Le Figaro" for nobles. in.

"Well done, Kobedo!" Gallieni took a sip of coffee and praised Kobedo while flipping through the newspaper: "Public opinion is moving in our favor."

"Yes, General." Cobdo glanced at Ciel and replied: "We don't need to be anxious. Ciel's military exploits are there for everyone to see. Let the citizens ask for Ciel's command. The effect will be It would be much better than what Charles asked for!”

Gallieni nodded in agreement.

At this time, the "Leader of Merit" instead took a back seat and turned to other hot topics. This was a very clever method. Kobdo knew how to guide the direction of public opinion.

"Then, are we just waiting like this?" Lieutenant Colonel Fernand was a little anxious: "The German machine gun aircraft may have been prepared somewhere, and they will launch a fatal strike on the army aircraft at any time!"

"They will fight back." Kobdo replied without any clue.

"Who, the Germans?" Lieutenant Colonel Fernan asked in confusion.

"No, Lieutenant Colonel." Kobdo lowered his voice: "At present, our opponents are not Germans."

Lieutenant Colonel Fernan was stunned, and then realized that Kobdo was referring to Joffre.

Galieni said "hmm": "Of course he will not sit and wait for death, he will try to guide public opinion in other directions."

Charles already understood all of Kobdo's plans. This guy, his strategy in public opinion warfare is no worse than Charles.

Sure enough, Kobdo replied: "Yes, I guess, in order to keep the command of these airports, Joffre will equip these airports with machine guns and add more manpower and resources to these airports."

"Then what?" Lieutenant Colonel Fernan frowned. He didn't think this was good news.

Galieni and Charles didn't say anything, but just looked at each other meaningfully.

Lieutenant Colonel Fernan suddenly understood: fighting, in the end it will be a battle.

Such a deployment of Joffre would make him face the attack of German aircraft directly. He would tell everyone that such a decision was stupid and wrong through one or even several defeats!

Kobdo was using the Germans to defeat Joffre, and Joffre would have to compromise in the end!