Chapter 686: Save the British, or Defeat the Germans?
In the Bourbon Palace's House of Representatives, Briand personally convened a session of parliament.
During the meeting, Briand delivered an impassioned speech:
"Gentlemen, this is a war of the Allies against the Central Powers. Our allies are on the verge of collapse, and they need our help."
"Certainly, General Gallieni's concerns are valid, and Belgium is also our ally."
"But from the overall interests of the Allies, we must first ensure the safety of Britain rather than Belgium."
"Moreover, if we lose Britain as an ally, we will soon lose Belgium, and perhaps even Charles!"
"So, we must not allow such a thing to happen, even if it requires a sacrifice!"
"At the same time, I believe that these sacrifices are necessary, worthwhile, and essential to our honor, to everyone's honor, and to the honor of France!"
Briand even broke his usual composed demeanor, shaking his fists and shouting at the parliament members, his voice hoarse with emotion.
As soon as his words fell, applause erupted throughout the hall, with parliamentarians enthusiastically agreeing with Briand's call:
"Britain is our staunchest ally, they have over a million troops. We must ensure their safety."
"We cannot let Dunkirk fall into the hands of the Germans; it is our link with Britain."
"If the British are defeated, we too will be defeated, it is just a matter of time!"
…
But Wells rose and walked to the podium, loudly opposing:
"Gentlemen, let us recall what victories the British have achieved on the battlefield?"
"Was it the Battle of Paris, or the Ypres defense, or the Somme?"
"I'm sorry, I have not heard of a single victory won solely by the British army, only more defeats and interference with our operations."
His remarks were immediately met with loud opposition from the audience:
"Regardless, the British are our allies."
"They have relieved the pressure on our front lines."
"Our victories are also partly theirs; without them, we could not have achieved victory!"
…
Steed stood up, his voice old yet powerful:
"Is that so? Perhaps you have forgotten that most of Charles' victories did not involve the British army."
"If the British were involved, it was when he helped them fight in the Dardanelles, and it was even Charles who saved them."
"Elsewhere, the British not only didn't help but were an obstacle, such as during the Battle of Antwerp, where Charles' forces were almost trapped because of the British blockade!"
Amand stood up slowly, adjusting his collar before stepping up to the podium. He turned around to face the assembly, his hands naturally resting on the edge of the wall:
"I don't understand military matters, gentlemen."
"I just want to ask one question: if we, on our own, could possibly defeat the Germans and end this war, why do we need the British to join us and save them?"
"You all know how many victories Charles has achieved, I believe Charles' decision is the right one. I believe he will lead us to victory."
"And yet, you prefer to trust the British, who haven't won a single victory, just because they have more troops?"
Someone from the audience shouted:
"You trust Charles too much, the Germans are already attacking Dunkirk from the rear, and soon they will invade Belgium."
"Even Charles, in this situation, cannot win!"
Amand said nothing but simply turned his gaze toward the audience behind the podium. Gallieni stood there, quietly listening, saying nothing.
All eyes turned to Gallieni, and the once noisy room suddenly fell silent. People wanted to know one thing: could Charles lead France to victory without the help of Britain?
Gallieni hesitated for a moment before speaking:
"I'm not entirely sure, gentlemen."
"But I do know that Charles indeed has a plan."
"I can't say too much, I can only ask: if Charles captures the Liege Fortress, would you be willing to forgo this opportunity and send him and his troops back to save the British?"
The room erupted into murmurs.
The Liege Fortress was not just any fortress. Capturing it would not only ensure the safety of Belgium's northeastern region but would also enable Charles' forces to enter Germany, possibly circling around the German army's western flank and completely defeating them, pushing them out of France.
(Above is a map of Europe, with the Liege Fortress situated at the junction of the Netherlands and Luxembourg, opening up a gateway toward Germany. Once Charles takes Liege and opens this passage, armored units could bypass Luxembourg from the south, attacking the German defenses from the rear and ending the war.)
Saying this, Gallieni instructed his subordinates to distribute maps and possible routes of attack.
Amand, holding his own map, exaggeratedly exclaimed, "Aha!"
"See, we really could defeat the Germans, even without the British!"
"The German main force is fully engaged in attacking the British Expeditionary Force near the Somme, while Charles, after reclaiming the Liege Fortress, would quickly maneuver to the German rear."
"Then, all the Germans will be surrounded by us, including those at the Somme."
He then proudly waved his map at the parliamentarians and said, "Now, gentlemen, you have a choice: save the British, or defeat the Germans?"
The room fell silent.
From the perspective of France's national interests, the latter choice was clearly preferable.
Saving the British would not benefit France and, in principle, could even harm it.
The best outcome would be for the Germans and the British to both suffer heavy losses, and then Charles could swoop in to claim victory for France, ending the war.
However, this did not align with Briand's interests, the interests of the parliamentarians, nor the interests of French capitalists.
For this would elevate Charles' reputation to an uncontrollable height.
At that point, all French citizens would likely elect Charles as their Prime Minister, and parliamentarians could be voted out in favor of Charles' supporters. Bernard Group would naturally develop into France's economic giant, surpassing all others.
Yet, they could not deny the plan Gallieni proposed, the possibility he outlined.
Especially considering the mastermind behind it was none other than the undefeated Charles!
After a long pause, someone nervously asked, "But what about our supplies? We all know that France's supplies come from British loans!"
Amand flicked his shiny, long hair, flashing an alluring smile. He leaned toward the questioner and said:
"You're right, Mr. Raphael, we do need supplies."
"However, have you considered that Charles can also buy supplies from the United States, and he even has a fleet to escort them?"
"Furthermore, if we can defeat the Germans in a short time, we won't need as many supplies, don't you think?"
The room fell silent again.
Some parliamentarians turned pale, as if the apocalypse had come.
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