68 – Episode 68 Invasion of France (2)
The German army’s offensive completely caught the negotiation army off guard. Now there seemed to be nothing to stop the German army’s advance straight through the German-French border.
It was possible to do anything.
This week seemed to go like that.
The German army excitedly crossed the Verdun fortress and ran to Chaumont, which connects Paris and Franche-Condé. The Entente were in panic, and victory was at hand.
‘If we just crush the main French army, this war will end here.’
I had the Ministry of Foreign Affairs review the provisions of the peace treaty.
It was a war that had to end that way.
But, the logistics of the Imperial Army were stretched.
Even though the Junkers shouted, ‘Dad, wake up!’, The Imperial Railway showed no signs of survival.
“Sabotage?”
“I’m sorry, but that’s right, Your Majesty.”
The French are carrying out large-scale sabotage targeting trains, tracks, tunnels, and bridges. The War Ministry explained that this was why logistics were paralyzed.
“Is it okay to burn hostages?”
The German military even used a ‘hostage policy’ by seizing civilians around the tracks and boarding them to prevent the French from attacking the train. This was something we did in Belgium in the last episode.
“It’s no use.”
Ha. If you destroy the railway, all you will have is a road, and there is no way to provide logistics with it. How can we feed and support such a large army with only the supplies transported by horses, carts, and a few cars?
I couldn’t see the answer.
Is there no way?
I thought about ways to solve the problem.
The mathematicians of the Ministry of War did not even look at the principle that they had thought about countless times.
If neither roads nor railways can support it, then what?
“What about water transport? “Isn’t it going to be a boat?”
“That’s true, but ships sailing on the Rhine River cannot be moved to French rivers.”
“Make at least a raft.”
Water transportation was possible using rafts.
We were advancing downstream from the upstream area of the river, so it wasn’t a problem even if the boat had no power.
Ancient countries also advanced easily and comfortably from upstream to downstream in this way. Could this be said to be the secret to Upper Egypt eating Lower Egypt like cake?
“Even if we solve the front line supply through water transport, we cannot solve the problem of the damaged section.”
That’s right.
“Then, please increase manpower for recovery. “We will have to shorten the period by mobilizing soldiers.”
“I will do my best.”
As requested by the Quartermaster General, the deployment of follow-up units was decided to be postponed.
This is a picture of advancing without any reserves.
Just looking at the picture reminded me of the Battle of the Marne, but fortunately our target was not the Marne River.
‘So wouldn’t it be okay?’
I decided to run the hope circuit.
*
The logistical problem was resolved before long. Falkenhayn dealt with the problem by squeezing in as much material as possible and ‘pushing’ the lead echelons who would be at the forefront of the offensive.
If the Prussian war machine had been restarted, the problem would have been solved. The wasted supplies were concentrated on the German 1st Army, the field army in the midst of the reversal.
The commander of the 1st Army, who had to clear the way as the German army’s number one batsman, was General Hermann von François, who had extensive experience in the East Prussia and Russian campaigns.
“There is no difference between the British and the French. “We have poison gas in our hands, so what’s so scary?”
The German army continued to advance with great vigor. The negotiating forces attempted to resist, but they collapsed in vain in the face of a merciless cocktail of gas bombs.
The German army almost gained victory for free.
After the poisonous gas baptism, all you had to do was cross to the enemy camp wearing a gas mask and wipe out the exhausted enemies with flamethrowers and machine guns.
“Operation Schlieffen could have been done this way.”
The high command was confident that a decisive victory would be achieved in ten days at the most. German soldiers also shared the belief that the ‘war’ would end within this year.
German soldiers did not stop marching even though their heels were scuffed and their toes were swollen. The end of the war was before their eyes.
The German army was confident of victory, but the situation was not entirely optimistic.
The French branch of the Second International, which had been calling for anti-war until recently, changed its attitude 180 degrees. They declared that ‘anti-war’ was meaningless in a situation where their country was invaded, and proposed a policy of cooperation in the war.
This wasn’t the only thing.
The French people also quit their disobedience movement after hearing the news of the German army’s operation to suppress the resistance. If the country collapses right now, we’ll have to live under Germanic barbarians, so what’s the point of bread and taxes?
This alone was enough for the French government to take a breather.
The German military did not know this fact, but even if they did, it was no reason to change their plans. As long as most of the enemy’s main force on the German-French border was encircled, this war could not help but become a trial of the Franco-Prussian War.
Did the national government at the time surrender to Germany because it lacked the will to resist? If there were no troops in hand, it was useless for a warrior to strike the sky.
The Ministry of War urged front-line commanders to reach the Swiss border as soon as possible.
“What? 30Km a day? No. “Go at least 50km.”
The German army was anxious that the enemy would escape from his grasp. If that happens, the war will prolong.
Front-line commanders also felt anxious about this, so they encouraged their soldiers even more.
“If you rest here today, the number of trenches dug by the enemy will increase by one. Are you going to fight a trench where machine guns await? Are you going to run and shed tears all day long?”
German soldiers had no choice.
Some units did not let their soldiers sleep.
“Walk even if you feel dazed. “It’s a war you can win just by walking.”
Through extremely harsh measures, the German army’s leading units recorded a superhuman marching speed of 70 km per day. It was ridiculous, but it was a long-standing Prussian tradition to achieve results by abusing soldiers.
“I’m exhausted. “I’m exhausted.”
Because they were marching at such a fast pace, the soldiers felt a sweet smell in their mouths. Even though the season had entered fall, the direct sunlight was harsh and harsh.
“It’s so hot, I feel like I’ll burn to death. “I wish I could rest in the shade.”
Although soldiers were collapsing from dehydration and heat exhaustion in various places, the march continued.
“You can fully relax at the Swiss border. “Be patient until then.”
The German army approached Dijon, a city in central France, in a semi-exhausted state.
However, French troops who had arrived by rail were stationed in Dijon. France could no longer sit idly by and watch the German army advance south.
“Arise, children of our country, the day of glory has come!”
General Gallieri’s Algerian 45th Division, unable to ignore the German army’s ‘scything’, set up a blockade.
The faces of the French soldiers singing La Marseillaise were covered with gas masks.
This time, the Germans calculated that they would win by tormenting the enemy with poison gas bombs, and began firing artillery.
“You frogs, have a taste.”
However, this time the enemy was not so gentle.
“Give the Germanic barbarians a taste of tear gas.”
The French army fired a large amount of tear gas at the German army from the high ground they occupied. The merciless power of tear gas caused the German soldier to vomit and shed tears for the first time.
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“Ugh. “Frogs, gas.”
The German soldiers hastily put on gas masks, but they were of little help in blocking tear gas. Although tear gas did not have any lethal power, it was no different from poison gas in that it incapacitated soldiers.
The German army’s offensive lost momentum in an instant.
Ta-ta-ta-ta!
The French army came to their senses while the German army was in confusion and opened fire with machine guns. For the German army, who had won through expedient means using chlorine gas, the situation in which the enemy responded with the same gas was a nightmare itself.
“Damn it.”
The German army was out of breath and fled in front of the French army’s position. It was difficult to breathe because of the tear gas, and my physical strength was so low.
“If once doesn’t work, attack twice, and if twice doesn’t work, attack three times and a breakthrough will occur. “It’s a wave offensive!”
When the all-purpose strategy of poison gas did not work, the German army switched to the traditional World War I doctrine of wave offensives.
Every time the whistle sounded, thousands of German soldiers charged into the French positions.
Of course, poison gas bombs were poured out without fail.
“Shoot us too.”
The French army was also formidable.
In a battlefield where even visibility was obscured by tear gas and chlorine gas, the two armies fought to the death.
In some areas, close combat even took place.
But.
“Long live France!”
The German army could not withstand the brave French army’s counterattack. The German assault corps, which boasted of being invincible, could not withstand the resistance of the French troops who gritted their teeth and charged at them and were driven out of the trenches.
“Such a disgrace!”
The German military command was indignant.
“The enemy’s resistance is formidable. “It would be better to lose focus and hit a little more.”
The German army had no choice but to take a breather.
The time dragged on like this was fatal.
The French army transported four reserve divisions to Dijon in that short period of time. The German soldiers had no choice but to shed tears of blood.
The next day, the German army, who resumed the offensive, was astonished to see that the enemy had doubled in number.
“Retreat, retreat.”
The German assault force was frightened and ran away when they saw the enemy counterattacking force approaching the trench they had occupied.
No matter how great the German army was, it was impossible to defeat the overwhelming number of enemies while they were extremely exhausted.
“If you can’t get to Dijon, try detouring to Besançon. Don’t you know that this war cannot be ended in a short period of time without siege and annihilation?”
The German War Ministry sent an angry telegram and even sent a high-ranking officer who had been given the Formacht (power of attorney) demanding that they achieve results somehow.
However, the German 10th Corps had nothing else to do.
On September 28, 1915, the German 10th Corps reported to the War Ministry that further offensives were impossible.
What it meant was simple.
‘Poison gas cannot end war.’
It was the moment when winter, which tasted like turnips, smiled at the German Empire.