Chapter 301: The Flank of the Defensive Line

Chapter 301: The Flank of the Defensive Line

War is like the game of Go. In Go, the goal is to use the fewest stones to capture the most territory; in war, it's to use the fewest troops to occupy the largest area. This principle is especially true in amphibious landings, where space is everything.

Without space, reinforcements and supplies cannot land. Ammunition and manpower dwindle with each skirmish. Without space, artillery that should be positioned safely behind the front lines must be deployed up front, exposed to enemy rifle fire. And without space, even ten victories can be undone by a single defeat, forcing a complete retreat into the sea and a need to start from scratch.

Charles's strategy was akin to claiming the "corners" in Go. His objective was to carve out a triangular landing zone a few square kilometers wide at the neck of Bolayir's narrow strip of land with a nearly straight defensive line.

General Winter examined the map with the strategy document in hand, concern evident on his face.

"Securing this defensive line won't be easy, Colonel," he noted. "This is their second line of defense. They might have a full regiment there."

"With another regiment holding the coastal defenses, we're up against roughly 7,000 men across two regiments to secure the line," General Gaplat pointed out. "You'll have to act fast; otherwise, they'll regroup and launch a counterattack."

General Hamilton added, "And don't forget about their 105mm howitzers—they'll set up a barrage right in front of that line."

The generals took turns highlighting the dangers and difficulties ahead. Charles, however, remained unruffled, looking somewhat bewildered.

"Defeat two regiments?" he asked, almost in confusion. "A howitzer barrage?"

"No, our opposition will be just one regiment, and there won't be a barrage. And besides, I still believe we'll hold the advantage."

Winter chuckled. "You have quite the sense of humor, Colonel! We're an invasion force. The Ottomans have an entire division of over ten thousand men waiting for us. How can we have the advantage?"

Gaplat and Hamilton, however, didn't laugh. Gaplat trusted that Charles had a reason for saying so, while Hamilton appeared to realize something, nodding thoughtfully in agreement.

Before Charles could respond, Hamilton interjected, "Because we're not landing at the 'A' Point, am I right?"

Hamilton looked expectantly at Charles.

The northern beachhead at Bolayir, with its sharp point and transverse line of defense, was often referred to as the "A" Point or "A" Beach, due to its shape resembling the letter "A."

"Are we not aiming to capture the 'A' Point?" Winter asked, puzzled. "If we're not landing there, how will we capture it?"

Hamilton tapped a spot on the second defensive line. "We'll land here, directly in front of the second defensive line—on its flank."

Gaplat and Winter froze, then looked at Charles in shock. Charles nodded.

"Why not?" Charles said calmly. "We'll sweep eastward along their line, facing an Ottoman regiment stretched thin across six kilometers. At any given moment, we'll face no more than a hundred men."

Essentially, the Ottomans would form a "single-file" defense, continually delivering fresh targets right into the hands of Charles's landing force.

"And once that line is ours," Hamilton continued, "the troops defending the coast will be surrounded. They'll have Charles's line at their front and our naval artillery at their back. The question won't be how to defeat them but rather how to manage all the prisoners."

Hamilton, though he was a seasoned general, couldn't help but marvel at Charles's plan. For years, he had fought countless battles, yet here was this young man, without any prior combat experience, devising strategies that outmatched his own.

Gaplat's eyes widened as he finally understood the full scope of the plan. He turned to Charles, exclaiming, "Colonel, you're a genius! A battle that seemed insurmountable has turned into a nightmare for the enemy—all by shifting the landing point!"

The impending battle did indeed become a nightmare for the Ottomans, especially for commanders Sanders and Bahar.

The Ottoman 17th Division was stationed at Bolayir, recently assigned to Colonel Bahar's Third Corps command. Bahar had rearranged his troops elsewhere but had left the 17th Division untouched, confident in its security against naval bombardment.

To the west of Bolayir was the narrow Saros Bay. Should the Allied fleet venture there, it would be susceptible to artillery from three directions. To the east lay the Sea of Marmara, reachable only through the Dardanelles—a feat the Allies had already failed to accomplish.

Bahar examined the 17th Division's defensive setup one last time.

An augmented regiment, along with a militia unit, held the coastline. Another regiment guarded the northwestern defenses of Bolayir, while a third defended the southeastern flank. The final regiment was stationed northeast of Bolayir as a reserve, ready to reinforce any of the three lines if needed.

It was perfect. If the Allies dared land at Bolayir to cut off the supply lines, they would face wave after wave of attacks from the 17th Division.

The sound of artillery fire roused Bahar from his desk, where he had fallen asleep after a long night. He instantly recognized it as coming from the direction of Bolayir.

Rubbing his eyes and yawning, Bahar smirked. "So, the fools really do intend to attack Bolayir. They must have a death wish!"

But he didn't allow himself to be complacent. He straightened his back and stretched before instructing his aide, "Order the 11th Division to prepare to reinforce the 17th."

"Yes, Colonel," the aide replied, jogging off to deliver the message.

The 11th Division was stationed outside the peninsula, as Bolayir's narrow geography couldn't accommodate too many troops. High-density troop placements would suffer heavy casualties under Allied naval bombardment.

Before the order could be fully issued, however, another aide burst in, clearly agitated. "Colonel! The 17th Division is requesting immediate reinforcements—they can't hold the line!"

"What?" Bahar gaped at the aide in shock.

The 17th Division was supposed to be the second line of defense. How could they be struggling already?

"Colonel!" the aide elaborated, "The enemy has landed at Ania Village and is advancing rapidly. They say the enemy even has tanks!"

"Tanks? Impossible!" Bahar was taken aback.

(Note: The defending forces mistakenly identified the armored landing craft as tanks.)

The aide stepped forward and pointed to Ania Village on the map. "They've landed here—right on the flank of the second defensive line!"

Bahar's face paled. This wasn't just the flank of the second line; it was the entire flank of Bolayir's defenses.

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