Chapter 184: Beating the Enemy but Not One's Own

Chapter 184: Beating the Enemy but Not One's Own

Berlin, Wilhelmstrasse—this historic street had become a hub for government offices after decades of development, and the German Army's General Staff Headquarters occupied a building at its center. General Staff Chief Falkenhayn stood by the window with his hands behind his back, watching as a light rain fell outside. Down the street, a unit of young soldiers, rifles slung over their shoulders, marched to the front lines amidst cheers from the crowd.

Falkenhayn observed the soldiers' youthful faces, lit with fervor and a naive vision of war. Did they have any idea what lay ahead? He answered himself with a silent "No." If they knew, he thought, they'd be filled with terror instead of pride. Yet, there seemed no other path. The Western Front was desperate for more troops—far more than they currently had.

"General!" Lieutenant Colonel Moritz approached to report. "General Kluck has sent a message. He wants to know if we're truly developing a tank."

"A tank?" Falkenhayn looked bewildered. "Where did he hear that?"

"I'm not certain, sir," Moritz hesitated, "Perhaps a rumor leaked from one of the departments…"

Realizing something, Moritz stood upright. "I'll investigate immediately!"

"No, Moritz." Falkenhayn stopped him, a trace of resignation in his voice. "We don't have any such plan. The whole notion of tanks is just soldiers' wishful thinking after facing enemy tanks in battle. They've been frightened and now dream of having their own."

Falkenhayn made his way back to his desk, sitting down heavily, like a man carrying the weight of defeat. He'd only been in office for a little over a month, yet the situation on the front lines made him feel as if the German Army were on the brink of collapse.

First, the "Big Berthas" were destroyed at Antwerp—a minor setback compared to the more severe blow: the loss of a Zeppelin. Those airships, built at the cost of a battle cruiser, had seemed invincible. Yet, a small plane, armed with Congreve rockets and a fraction of the Zeppelin's size, had brought it down with ease.

And then came the Ypres battle, where the French had debuted their machine-gun-equipped aircraft, seizing control of the skies. German planes were helpless.

The next blow was the Battle of Lafaux. The French "Mark I" tanks emerged, tearing through German defenses and encircling an elite unit along with eight artillery battalions, forcing them to surrender. At that moment, Falkenhayn had felt as though the sky were falling. "Here we are, still dreaming of taking Paris," he thought, "but France could crush us as effortlessly as squashing an ant."

Of course, he couldn't voice this fear. As Chief of Staff, he had to keep such thoughts buried. Falkenhayn was no coward, but he was shaken by France's relentless stream of innovations, which had given them a commanding advantage on land and in the air. How could they win this war?

"A tank?" Falkenhayn shook his head. "No, by the time we can develop one, it'll be too late. We need something that can stop the French now, immediately!"

Moritz nodded, understanding Falkenhayn was referring to the T-type 13mm anti-tank rifle. It was already in production, capable of penetrating 25mm of steel at a range of 200 meters. That should, in theory, stop the tanks.

But then new intelligence came in, changing Falkenhayn's perspective.

A staff officer handed him a telegram. "General, intelligence indicates that Charles' 'Mark I' model has a range limitation. It needs to replace its tracks after just thirty kilometers."

"This… Is this true?" Falkenhayn's hands trembled as he clutched the report, his voice quivering with excitement.

"It appears so," the officer confirmed, "and it's been corroborated by a certain faction within the French government."

Falkenhayn read the telegram over and over, a glimmer of hope dawning on his face. He'd been baffled as to why the French hadn't exploited their advantage by breaking through German defenses completely. He had assumed they were biding their time, preparing an overwhelming force of tanks to unleash a devastating offensive. Now, however, it seemed the tanks themselves were flawed.

After pondering for a moment, Falkenhayn felt increasingly convinced. If tanks needed such extensive repairs every thirty kilometers, it would be impossible for the French to advance deeply into German territory without risking encirclement.

Relieved, Falkenhayn felt as though a sword dangling over his head had vanished. The situation suddenly seemed far less dire. Pausing, he turned to Moritz, giving his next order. "Get me the Seventh Transport Department."

"Yes, General," Moritz replied.

The Seventh Transport Department, formally the Seventh Joint Military Transportation Division, was tasked with managing and developing military vehicles.

…

Early the next morning, Gallieni rose promptly at eight. The staff officers, already assembled and ready, had prepared documents to maximize Gallieni's valuable time.

As soon as Gallieni sat down, Charles handed him a stack of documents. "Here are the papers requiring your signature, General."

"Thank you." Gallieni quickly signed them, remarking, "I've received news that Schneider and Francis' tractor factory have submitted requests to the government under the Wartime Procurement Act. They're pushing for updated versions of the 'Saint-Chamond' and 'CA-1' tanks. And your 'Mark I' won't be participating, will it?"

"Yes, General," Charles replied firmly.

Gallieni glanced up. "Or do you have a new tank?"

Charles didn't hesitate. "Yes, sir, but it has the same limitations."

Gallieni's face fell slightly but he nodded, understanding. He had always hoped that Charles' tank would surpass its competition under the Wartime Procurement Act, sparing the military unnecessary casualties and defeats. But ironically, while Charles' tank had proven itself on the battlefield and gained widespread support, it continued to lose out in government procurement.

In fact, its chances of winning were dwindling.

In the previous round, the right-wing faction and Schneider had been rivals, pitting the "CA-1" and "Saint-Chamond" tanks against each other. Now, however, they were allies. Together, they held a majority in parliament, with support from Joffre, the Automotive Technical Services Department, and additional backing from the right-wing faction.

Gallieni sighed softly.

Charles' tank had succeeded against their enemy. It had even instilled panic in the German Army, forcing them to double down on reinforcements and defensive fortifications. But Charles still couldn't win against his own people—not even close.

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