CHAPTER 329: REVISED: CHAPTER 329 TOP SECRET

Everything was deduced by Shire and Lucia based on the situation in Brute Village.

The "Lady in White" originated from the intelligence agency in Belgium, and Ypres is a Belgian town. It is reasonable that Lucia would know and analyze these things.

One day, if someone ever questioned Shire because of this, the "Lady in White" and many Belgians who have seen the situation in Brute Village could testify for Shire.

But of course, currently, Shire does not need to go out of his way to prove his innocence.

He immediately returned to headquarters to inform Gallieni of the intelligence and his speculations.

In fact, Gallieni knew that Shire had an intelligence network in Belgium.

Although Shire kept it a secret from everyone, many people knew: because Shire saved Belgium, the Belgians spontaneously organized an intelligence agency to be loyal to Shire.

After hearing Shire’s analysis, Gallieni found it reasonable, so he immediately sent this information to the General Headquarters. After thinking for a while and still feeling uneasy, he ordered the staff to send another copy to the Northern Army Group Headquarters.

...

During the First World War, the French forces were divided into four army groups: the Northern Army Group, the Central Army Group, the Eastern Army Group, and the Reserve Army Group.

The Northern Army Group’s combat missions mainly focused on the northern section of the defense line, with the group’s command led by the French Vice Commander-in-Chief Fuxu.

The headquarters was located in Valne, a small town near Combray.

This was Fuxu’s style; he would not expose his headquarters to public view, as he believed it was detrimental to the troops’ offensives.

During the time when Germany and Britain were vying on the Gallipoli Peninsula, the French defense line experienced a window of inactivity.

Both sides seemed to have a tacit understanding and did not launch a large-scale offensive:

The Germans needed to transport their already scarce resources to the Ottoman Empire to reinforce their battle, leaving them no spare effort for a large-scale offensive.

France was observing the situation at the Gallipoli Peninsula, and if decisive victory were achieved there, a frontal attack would be unnecessary.

However, Fuxu would occasionally organize regiment-level offensives because he believed this maintained the troops’ morale.

On this day, Fuxu selected a sunny window, sitting in a rocking chair, basking in the sun, and reading a newspaper.

Fuxu seldom read newspapers, as any issues were directly reported to him by his staff, which he believed was simpler and more time-saving.

But these couple of days were different because they featured Shire’s speech in Parliament:

"I do not think Fuxu’s theory of offense is correct, nor do I agree with Petain’s defense theory."

"The correct approach should be sometimes attacking, sometimes defending."

"We cannot simplify complex battlefield problems, nor can we hope to win by relying on a single, simple, one-sided theory."

...

After reading, Fuxu lightly smiled, folded the newspaper, and tossed it onto the desk beside him.

He gently pushed to make the rocking chair sway back and forth, murmuring to himself:

"If the offense theory is incorrect, then what are the Allies doing at the Gallipoli Peninsula?"

"Isn’t this great military strategist Shire initiating an offensive himself?"

...

This is one of the reasons why the "offense theory" was prevalent and revered by France as an inviolable tactical theory: all instances where victory was achieved through offense could be used as evidence for the "offense theory," and nearly all victories were achieved through offensives.

For example, when Paris was occupied by Germany during the Franco-German War.

This could indeed be said to be the failure of French tactics, but it could also be said that the German Army adopted the "offense theory" more resolutely, bravely, and effectively than the French Army, and thus achieved victory.

Therefore, whether this theory was used by France and resulted in victory or defeat on the battlefield, it was not the fault of the "offense theory," but rather the soldiers’ lack of faith in it!

Basking in the lazy sunlight, Fuxu was starting to feel sleepy when Major Morini came forward to report: "General, a telegram from the City Defense Headquarters, it concerns Shire."

Fuxu’s eyes snapped open.

Morini, with his remaining hand, handed over the telegram and said, "Gallieni reports that Shire believes the Germans will likely use gas to attack us soon."

"Gas?" Fuxu glanced at the telegram and curtly replied with two words: "Top secret."

"Yes, General." These two words meant the information was to be sealed and not leave the headquarters.

Then Morini asked with some doubt, "General, do you also think it’s possible? That the Germans would use gas to attack us?"

"No." Fuxu shook his head, firmly stating, "This is an unfounded speculation, nothing more. Of course, we cannot fight based on guesses, even if the guesser is Shire."

Morini nodded in agreement, knowing that if every guess was taken seriously, the soldiers would most likely be exhausted.

Immediately, Morini’s face showed confusion again, questioning why Fuxu still classified it as "top secret" in that case.

Fuxu seemed to read Morini’s mind, answering his question with another, "If this information were to reach the troops, what do you think would happen?"

Morini instantly understood; the soldiers would be terrified of this unknown gas, leading to panic throughout the ranks, making them too anxious to fight.

This was a core aspect of Fuxu’s "offense theory": always maintain high morale, ensuring the soldiers believe they are winning.

Fuxu yawned and handed the telegram back to Morini, casually saying, "You know how to respond?"

"Yes, General!" Morini took the telegram and walked towards the telegraph room.

...

"We are confirming this information; please keep it confidential!"

This was the reply the City Defense Headquarters received from the Northern Army Group, while Xia Fei’s General Headquarters simply gave no response at all.

Shire was a bit surprised by this outcome. This was a gas warfare warning, and all it garnered was this vague statement?

But then he thought, it seemed normal.

At this time, gas warfare had no precedent; no one understood or even believed in its existence, just like how no one believed in tanks before they were invented.

More importantly, if the rumor of gas warfare spread, it would likely demoralize the troops, and since Shire was the source, they even had grounds to court-martial him!

Gallieni shook his head helplessly, "It seems they don’t believe you, Colonel. Let’s end it here."

It was clear that Gallieni also saw the downside of this information: if gas did not exist, it would have a negative impact on the Allies.

But Shire was certain it existed and would soon appear on the battlefield.