CHAPTER 400: CHAPTER 400: DELAYING TACTICS

Shire walked into the City Defense Headquarters, feeling the atmosphere in the command room was a bit oppressive.

The staff officers whispered, Major Fernan was saying something to Gallieni, Gallieni was staring at the map on the table with a frown, a trace of anger in his eyes.

When they saw Shire come in, their gazes instantly turned to helplessness and sympathy, and several staff officers shook their heads and sighed, seemingly feeling unfair for Shire.

"What’s going on?" Shire asked in confusion.

Gallieni replied, "Xia Fei plans to transfer you and your troops to the Eastern Army Group."

"What?" Shire was stunned, almost laughing out loud; was this guy really planning to follow through with the plan discussed by the public?

Come on, that plan was already known to everyone, and if the public could think of it, wouldn’t the Germans figure it out too?

And indeed, it wasn’t just similar, it was exactly the same.

Gallieni pointed at the map and said:

"He thinks we should be ready to cooperate with Italy for a pincer attack on the Germans."

"Once the Italian army advances north and threatens the rear of the German Army, we should fully attack and crush them, thus forming a pincer movement with the Italian army against the German Army."

"And tanks are needed for the attack, currently your troops are the only ones in the entire military that have tanks."

Shire thought of the "Saint-Chamond" and industrial rights he had purchased not long ago, and how the "Saint-Chamond" of the First Specialized Artillery Division was almost completely wiped out in the Battle of Combray.

So indeed, only Shire’s troops had tanks, except for the "Upper Silesia" seized from the German Army.

"I can sell him the tanks," Shire replied, "Anytime he wants, he can rebuild the tank unit, whether it’s the ’Saint-Chamond’ or the ’Shire A1’."

Gallieni shook his head, "We all know this is just an excuse, Brigadier General, we should be thinking about things beyond tanks and combat plans."

"Things outside the plan?" Shire didn’t understand what Gallieni meant.

Gallieni nodded, "Once you and your troops are under Xia Fei’s command, you might be sent on dangerous missions, do you understand what I mean?"

Shire instantly understood, using public office to achieve private gain, borrowing someone else’s hand to kill!

It wasn’t hard to imagine, with one order from Xia Fei, Shire would be in a dilemma.

If he carried out the order, he would have to lead his troops into danger.

If he didn’t, he would be accused of cowardice and disobeying military orders, facing disgrace and a military tribunal.

Even a victory on the battlefield wouldn’t be a solution.

If victorious, the credit would go to Xia Fei’s command.

If defeated, Shire himself would be in mortal danger, and even if he survived, his reputation would suffer and he might be disciplined.

Major Fernan suggested, "We can assign Shire other tasks, and then refuse on that basis."

Gallieni shook his head, "No task is more important than Italy’s now, Major, the battle in that direction can practically decide whether the war ends."

Shire was speechless, even Gallieni thought this way.

But it was no surprise, who would have thought that an Italy with a million-strong army couldn’t even break through the Austro-Hungarian border?

"Then," Major Fernan continued, "we can give the Brigadier General a vacation, after all, he was the one who brought Italy into the Allies, I always thought a day off was too little..."

Gallieni interrupted Major Fernan, "Useless, Major, the battle has already begun, at a critical moment even on vacation, the Brigadier General should return to the army to fight."

The others were also trying to come up with ideas, they suggested eagerly:

"We can consider sending the Brigadier General to Gelibolu, the battle there is also important, I heard they are barely holding on."

"Or just send the Brigadier General directly to Italy to cooperate with them."

"Yes, that’s better than taking orders from Xia Fei."

...

However, these excuses were all feeble.

Gallieni looked at Shire, his eyes filled with inquiry and a hint of anxiety.

But Shire replied calmly, "I think this plan is feasible, I can go to the Eastern Army Group."

"What?" Gallieni thought he heard wrong.

The others stared at Shire in shock, while everyone else was thinking of ways to drag him out of the fire pit, he was jumping in himself!

Shire merely shrugged nonchalantly, "Only, I think it’s not the right time yet."

Gallieni asked, "What’s not the right time?"

Shire pointed seriously at the map and said:

"The Italian army has just launched an attack at the border, and their advance is at least a hundred kilometers from threatening the German supply lines."

"If we reinforce the Eastern Army Group with the tank unit now."

"First, it would prematurely expose our strategic intent, second, the supply needed for the tank unit would be a heavy burden on logistics, and third, the tank unit wouldn’t be able to train properly and would just be waiting on the frontlines."

Gallieni agreed.

The tank unit was different from ordinary troops, who only needed food and bullets.

The tank unit needed gasoline, parts, and had to have a logistics unit, training on the frontlines would easily expose them.

"So," Shire concluded, "I think we shouldn’t be in a hurry. The tank unit can first train in the rear, and once the Italians break through the Austro-Hungarian border and advance on Germany, we can then rush to the Eastern Army Group."

Major Fernan and the other staff officers nodded in agreement:

"Indeed."

"That’s how it should be."

...

But their voices were small and lacked confidence.

They thought Shire was trying the "tactical delay" out of helplessness, trying to delay going to the Eastern Army Group and obeying Xia Fei’s orders as much as possible.

Gallieni thought the same, he was even confused by Shire.

Did it make sense? It was only delaying it for a few days, or a bit longer.

But in the end, what had to come would come, Shire would eventually have to face it, the key was to find a fundamental solution to this problem!

However, Gallieni saw confidence in Shire’s eyes, as if he didn’t take this problem to heart.

What was going on?

Did Shire have a way to deal with Xia Fei?

Or, was Shire certain that Italy wouldn’t win this battle?

Impossible!

...

In the end, with no better ideas, Gallieni reluctantly conveyed Shire’s message to Xia Fei, "We obey the order, General, Shire will report to the Eastern Army Group after the Italian army breaks through the enemy lines."

Xia Fei beamed with joy.

This time, Shire couldn’t escape, directly under his command, it was all a matter of one word!

Xia Fei complacently turned his gaze back to the map, already planning in his mind:

"Can’t let Shire fall into trouble too soon, must make him suffer with the Germans."

"It’s best to save some of the tanks."

"No, no, that would be too obvious, it should be a more brutal battle, so as not to arouse others’ suspicions. Once Shire is eliminated, his factory, tanks, and even his assets will be at our mercy!"