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. The point is that it has no protective effect.

But this is a good thing for Charles. He immediately thought that he should provide a helmet for the French army.

Although the helmet is small, about 8.5 million French soldiers were drafted into the army during World War I. If everyone needs one, the money earned may be no less than a motorcycle...

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

Charles said "uh" and turned his attention back to the map:

"First of all, the safety of the 5th Army."

He pointed to the map and said:

"The 3rd Army and the 8th Army on the flank 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!"

Galieni nodded slightly in agreement. This is the same idea as his.

Although the salient on the offensive line is dangerous, the 5th Army may indeed be surrounded, but how can the Germans surround it?

Cut off the connection between the 5th Army and other troops?

Once the 5th Army slows down, the 3rd Army and the 8th Army will continue to advance, and they will immediately insert the Germans to encircle the 5th Army.

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

Gallieni knows that there is no safe plan on the battlefield, only danger and more danger.

If the enemy is more dangerous than oneself, this plan is feasible.

Other generals, including Joffre, intend to stop the 5th Army because they are scared by the Germans. They are still afraid of the enemy and lack 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)?"

Galieni doesn't think this is a good idea. The Germans are not stupid. The traps that are too obvious on the battlefield will not make the enemy jump down.

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

Galieni immediately realized that he had been fooled. He was outmaneuvered by Charles in this "game". Charles had predicted his prediction.

"Interesting!" Gallieni took a pair of pince-nez and put them on his nose, which allowed him to see more clearly: "So, your goal is precisely not to let the Germans encircle the 5th Army?"

"You can say that!" Charles replied: "If the Germans do this, we can only fight a regular war with them. The Germans may suffer losses, but our losses will not be less than theirs!"

Galieni agreed. The quality of the German army is there. Even if they are exhausted by the harassment war, their combat effectiveness is still comparable to that of the French army. The two armies will surround and strangle each other, which will inevitably be a cruel war of attrition.

Then, Gallieni put himself in the shoes of the German commander. He held the flag of the German 2nd Army and slowly moved back, saying, "What if I don't encircle but continue to retreat?"

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

(Note: chec mat is the French word for eating 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 20 kilometers later..."

Before he finished speaking, Gallieni suddenly realized something. This loophole was given by himself. When the German 2nd Army retreated, the 5th Army had already broken through the defense line 20 kilometers.

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

"God!" Gallieni's face changed: "Then, the border troops will not encounter the regular German army, but the German supply convoys, field hospitals, and fragile artillery!"

Charles didn't say yes or no. Gallieni was right in one point. Charles's target was never the German army in front.

Then Gallieni asked puzzledly: "Why is this tactic called special operations?"

Charles whispered:

"If, as you said, the border troops only attack supply convoys, field hospitals, or fragile artillery, it is not a special operation!"

"But if we have a plan and a target to attack the enemy's warehouses, ammunition depots, headquarters, railway stations, and bridges, then it is a special operation!"

Galieni was stunned.

Warehouses and ammunition depots are obviously more important. They can often be burned with just one fire, and the supply of an army group will be burned.

Attacking the enemy's headquarters can cause chaos without command for the enemy.

If the train station and bridge were blown up, the German army's supplies would not be able to be transported, and the Germans would have no choice but to retreat.

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

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

When ordinary commanders heard Charles' idea, their first reaction might be "Great, just 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 victory in front of them.

As for Gallieni, he paid more attention to military theory. Once he learned the theory and knew its key points, Gallieni could not only win the battle at hand, but also apply the theory to other battles and even integrate it with French tactics.

"It's not just the goal that is different, General!" Charles replied: "It is much more difficult than attacking supply convoys and artillery, but the casualties may be smaller and the results will be greater!"

Charles' words seem contradictory. Doesn't greater difficulty mean greater casualties and smaller results?

But Gallieni understood, and 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 location, how many troops are stationed there, and the defense loopholes!"

"So..."

Galieni suddenly raised his head and looked at Charles, his voice trembling with excitement:

"I understand, it's intelligence, Charles, we must have accurate intelligence!"

"Then complete the task as quickly as possible based on the intelligence and withdraw, leaving the Germans with an unsolvable mess!"

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

Galieni stared at Charles blankly, his face unbelievable:

"This is no longer a 'genius', Charles!"

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

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

Charles couldn't answer this question, because Gallieni said exactly the answer.