I Became a Tycoon During World War I: Saving France from the Start

Chapter 630: Marshal of France

As Charles stepped outside the officers' club with his guards, preparing to leave, he suddenly heard footsteps behind him.

"General! General!" came a low, urgent voice.

Charles turned to face the newcomer, while his guards quickly readied their rifles, vigilant and cautious.

He recognized the young major who had earlier analyzed his tactics.

"May I have a moment, General?" the young major asked eagerly. "I promise not to take too much of your time!"

Charles nodded slightly, signaling his guards to let him approach.

The major relaxed, stepping forward earnestly, "I'd like to request a transfer to your command, General. More specifically, I wish to join your armored or mechanized forces—even if just as a regular soldier."

"Why?" Charles questioned, intrigued.

For a major to willingly serve as a simple soldier required remarkable courage, especially considering the high casualty rates on the battlefield.

"Because it's nearly impossible to enter your armored units through normal channels," the major explained.

Charles understood exactly what he meant.

His armored and mechanized units sought soldiers who fully grasped their purpose and tactics. Currently, French military doctrine remained too rigid, outdated, and resistant to innovation, making it difficult for outsiders to integrate into such progressive units. Hence, most commanders and officers were promoted internally, rarely opening positions externally.

"But why are you so determined to join the armored forces?" Charles pressed further.

The young major replied with conviction, "Because of your idea of 'attack surpasses defense.' General, I feel you didn't fully reveal your theory earlier—am I correct?"

"Oh?" Charles raised an eyebrow with genuine interest. "Then what do you think is missing?"

Confidently, the major answered, "To successfully implement your tactic, you require specifically your armored and mechanized units. Only they have the speed and striking power to swiftly exploit weaknesses in enemy lines, expanding their advantage before the enemy can respond effectively."

This was the major's own insight:

The Western Front stretched over 700 kilometers and had existed for over a year. Countless vulnerabilities had appeared during that time, yet no one else had succeeded in exploiting them as Charles had.

Why?

Because no other commander had access to units combining strength and mobility comparable to those Charles had created. Only by joining Charles' forces could this tactical concept be fully embraced and expanded.

Charles was somewhat surprised—the young officer was sharper than he'd expected.

"What's your name?" Charles finally asked.

The major snapped to attention, saluting crisply. "Major Latre de Tassigny, commanding officer of the 156th Infantry Regiment, 39th Infantry Division, General!"

"Oh, Major Tassigny," Charles nodded, then paused abruptly as the significance struck him.

Tassigny? Marshal of France, Jean de Lattre de Tassigny?

(Jean de Lattre de Tassigny, later a Marshal of France, was 25 years old at this point. Historically, during World War I, he served as a junior officer and was wounded twice.)

After brief consideration, Charles cautiously proposed, "Perhaps I could assign you to the 6th Army's armored units. Would that—?"

"Yes, General!" Tassigny replied immediately, his face lighting up. "I'm deeply grateful, General!"

He was content simply to join Charles' armored units, learning their new tactical concepts firsthand. Rank or specific duties mattered less to him than this unique opportunity.

"Excellent," Charles affirmed.

The 39th Infantry Division belonged to Gallieni's reserve army group, so transferring one major posed no great difficulty.

Additionally, General Christian had recently assumed command of the 6th Army. The commander currently leading the 1st Special Artillery Division wasn't performing well, greatly frustrating Christian, who'd repeatedly asked Charles for someone from the 1st Armored Division to assist.

(The 1st Special Artillery Division had recently come under Charles' authority, but its tactical methods remained outdated. Even Christian himself wasn't entirely confident in modern tactics.)

Charles now saw potential in Major Tassigny, envisioning him perhaps filling a strategic advisor's role initially.

Glancing at his pocket watch, Charles noted the time—just after 8 p.m. Gallieni would still be awake.

Suddenly Charles realized he hadn't visited Gallieni in quite some time.

…

At the city defense headquarters, Gallieni sat working in his office.

Although recently appointed Minister of War, Gallieni still preferred returning to his familiar command center at night, casually addressing issues within the reserve army group before retiring.

Gallieni signed a document under lamplight and handed it to Colonel Fernand, remarking casually, "Things seem quieter these days?"

"Indeed, General," Colonel Fernand replied. "Battles have largely stabilized, reducing the urgent demand for reinforcements."

Gallieni gave a satisfied grunt.

The reserve army group mainly provided reinforcement to frontline armies. As battles stabilized, their workload eased significantly.

Gallieni felt a surge of gratitude toward Charles. The young officer had stabilized Verdun, halted German advances with strategic minefields, inflicted heavy casualties along the Somme, and recently captured over 200,000 Germans in Belgium. Undoubtedly, Charles was crucial to France's survival, yet parliament still viewed him suspiciously—often as an opponent, sometimes even an enemy.

Gallieni sighed quietly, frustrated he couldn't offer Charles stronger support against political intrigues.

At that moment, familiar footsteps sounded from the hallway. Gallieni initially doubted his hearing until Charles appeared clearly beneath the lamplight, prompting Gallieni to abruptly rise, his face briefly revealing joy.

Quickly regaining his composure, Gallieni resumed his seat and coldly remarked, "Lieutenant General, shouldn't you still be in Hasselt? To what do I owe this unexpected visit?"

"I needed to speak with you, General," Charles replied evenly.

Gallieni's face remained deliberately blank. "Of course, you'd never visit otherwise."

Charles suppressed an amused sigh. Clearly, Gallieni was irritated Charles hadn't visited recently, hence the sarcastic remarks. Sometimes, the old man behaved more like a grumpy child.

"General," Charles smoothly produced a can of coffee beans, handing it to Gallieni. "A gift from Belgium."

Truthfully, he'd bought the coffee beans hastily at the officers' club, but who would know?

Colonel Fernand, however, knew the truth. Surprised, he shot Charles a puzzled look, but Charles subtly signaled him to remain silent. Fernand understood instantly and busied himself rearranging paperwork, pretending not to notice.

Gallieni softened visibly, finally relaxing his expression. "All right, speak—what is it?"

"First, I need a man," Charles stated. "From the 39th Infantry Division—a major named Tassigny."

Gallieni immediately consented. "Colonel Fernand will handle it. What else?"

"I also came to discuss business," Charles continued.

"Business?" Gallieni looked at Charles, puzzled. With battles currently stable, France seemingly lacked significant procurement needs. Was Charles about to introduce some new equipment again?

(End of Chapter 630)

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