I Became a Plutocrat in World War I: Starting with Saving France 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 ti to ti 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 Som 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, dium, and short-range cannons to et 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 ters 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 stemd 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 ant.

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

"Do you an this fits ’offense is greater than defense’?" The staff officer was half-convinced, "But Charles’ troops are infiltrating the enemy’s interior, without much ti 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 ti 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 beco 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?

Som Pitàurs?

Or sowhere else?

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

He was not jealous of Charles, but of Fuxu.

The most suitable location for infiltration from zieres 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 "consu massive resources with no achievents."

While Petain was mired in anxious uncertainty, a staff officer handed him a telegram with a puzzled expression: "General, Charles sent a ssage saying it’s ti 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 mont before responding, "Yes, General."

At that mont, Petain had confird 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 so of the military rits with Petain.

Charles’ military rits 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 achievents, and the army officers and soldiers kept studying his works as classics.

However...

Politically, it was completely different.

The forr ant Charles monopolized and claid all military rits, 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 mont 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 Galin.

Gallieni was a friend, Galin 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 imdiately 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 beco his own trouble."

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

Clenceau nodded in agreent.

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."