CHAPTER 701: CHAPTER 701: ACCEPTING THE BENEFIT OF SHIRE’S CHARITY

Saint Michael Fortress in Verdun, Command of the Third Army of France.

Petain hadn’t slept all night, pacing anxiously under the dim light, asking from time to time about Charles’ whereabouts, but apart from the occupation of Bicangxi, he knew nothing.

Petain’s anxiety was not due to the tense situation on the Verdun front.

Since the battle of the River Somme began, the situation in Verdun had eased considerably.

With Charles’ support, the Verdun Defense Line had been fortified into an impregnable iron wall:

All forts were fully equipped with artillery, with long, medium, and short-range cannons to meet different needs.

The trenches were also deepened and reinforced, with many concrete bunkers and pillboxes added.

More importantly, various mines were buried roughly three hundred meters in front of the defense line; for the Germans to advance, they would have to take the risk of clearing the mines or pass through the minefield.

Petain’s restlessness stemmed from knowing that Charles had begun his most crucial interspersed operation.

"Charles is sure to win," Petain analyzed, "because no one knows where he wants to infiltrate."

"What?" The staff officer didn’t understand what Petain meant.

Is there a significant relationship between "no one knows where he wants to infiltrate" and "Charles is sure to win"?

With a blank expression, Petain asked, "Have you heard of Charles’ theory that ’offense is greater than defense’?"

"Of course, General," the staff officer replied.

That was the theory Charles stated in the officers’ club of the Reserve Army Group in Paris.

Though the officers’ club was not an official occasion—it was even a place for drinking and boasting, and the words said there were usually not reliable.

However, the theory was put forward by Charles.

So, the next day, the theory "offense is greater than defense" was published in the newspapers.

Additionally, Gallieni immediately included it in the textbooks of all military academies, along with Charles’ previous theories.

"Do you mean this fits ’offense is greater than defense’?" The staff officer was half-convinced, "But Charles’ troops are infiltrating the enemy’s interior, without much time to find the German Army defensive line’s weaknesses..."

"You fool!" Petain interrupted the staff officer, "The core of the ’offense is greater than defense’ theory is that the enemy does not know which point to defend, therefore needs to defend everywhere, resulting in defending nothing. Charles’ infiltration obviously fits."

The staff officer responded with an "Oh," finally understanding.

His understanding of "offense is greater than defense" had more to do with the attacking side having enough time to find weaknesses in the enemy’s long defensive line.

Petain sighed inwardly. One weakness of maintaining a defensive posture is that most subordinate officers remain in their comfort zone and are unwilling to step out.

Defensive tactics were too simple; it had even become an art of fortification rather than combat. Many believed that as long as the fortifications were good enough, victory would be ensured.

(The Maginot Line beckoned to these officers, and during World War II, French military theory shifted towards a one-sided "absolute defense," significantly related to Petain’s success.)

Thus, they could not truly understand Charles’ tactics, despite their combat experience.

Petain then stopped discussing with the staff officer, thinking it was useless to explain to these fools.

Petain was anxious because, like the Germans, he didn’t know where Charles’ infiltration target was.

Le Teller?

Somme Pitàurs?

Or somewhere else?

Yesterday, when Petain learned that Charles’ troops had successfully occupied Mezieres, he was mad with jealousy.

He was not jealous of Charles, but of Fuxu.

The most suitable location for infiltration from Mezieres was Le Teller, where Fuxu was commanding an army for a fierce attack.

This indicated that the battle was initiated jointly by Charles and Fuxu, excluding him!

What to do?

If this continued, he would soon be marginalized, with his career ending at the command of the army group.

There was even a possibility of demotion.

Everything he had done in Verdun, at best, was to "hold back the German attacks," and at worst, to "consume massive resources with no achievements."

While Petain was mired in anxious uncertainty, a staff officer handed him a telegram with a puzzled expression: "General, Charles sent a message saying it’s time to counterattack."

Charles must be mad. Verdun had established a complete defense, with no need to counterattack.

Unexpectedly, Petain snatched the telegram, took a glance, and burst into laughter: "Excellent, this guy is a trustworthy friend!"

He then turned and excitedly ordered: "Everyone, prepare for the counterattack!"

The staff officer was stunned for a moment before responding, "Yes, General."

At that moment, Petain had confirmed one thing: Charles was not an enemy because Charles had long been an existence he could not surpass.

Charles thought so too, which was why he actively shared some of the military merits with Petain.

Charles’ military merits were unparalleled.

In this situation, having a little more or less made no difference, and it would not impact his prestige.

The legislators still regarded Charles as a thorn in their side, the citizens continued to marvel at his wisdom and achievements, and the army officers and soldiers kept studying his works as classics.

However...

Politically, it was completely different.

The former meant Charles monopolized and claimed all military merits, while the latter shared and consolidated Petain as an ally.

These were the tactics Charles learned from the legislators.

The military’s most powerful factions at this moment were, respectively, the Minister of the Army and Commander of the Reserve Army Group Gallieni, French Army Commander Fuxu, Commander of the Third Army Petain, and Director of French Operations Gamelin.

Gallieni was a friend, Gamelin an enemy, these neither required action nor had action space.

Fuxu and Petain could be both friend and foe.

The correct approach was to divide and nurture the weaker Petain into Fuxu’s enemy.

Only with Petain and Fuxu fighting each other could Charles better control them.

This was the unchanging rule in politics, tying them together with benefits was correct, rather than speaking of emotions and reasoning with them.

Petain now saw the benefit and chose to actively cooperate with Charles.

After receiving the telegram, he immediately ordered the soldiers to advance along the passage in the minefield and cut the barbed wire, while secretly moving artillery and troops to the front line for counterattack preparation.

...

Paris City Hall.

Major Durra just happened to bring up the issue of Petain: "If Petain launches a counterattack, the mines and barbed wire he set before the defense line would become his own trouble."

"No, he won’t counterattack." Briand affirmed, "His military theory is completely different from that of Charles; they are more like competitors."

Clemenceau nodded in agreement.

Petain was an ambitious person; he wouldn’t want Charles to fully control the military.

So, they should be enemies, and Petain would not risk everything to save Charles.

What they didn’t expect was that Petain was not "risking everything to save Charles," but "accepting the benefits Charles bestowed."