novelraw Chapter 584 584: Divide and Rule
Chapter 584 584: Divide and Rule
On the road from Brussels to Rangbulo, Admiral Avis leads the British Expeditionary Force's 3rd Cavalry Division through the fog and snow.
At this moment, the sky has just brightened, the white belly of the eastern sky sets off the heavy snowfall, plunging the whole world into a chill.
Admiral Avis involuntarily shivered, wrapping his cloak around himself more tightly. The hours of night march left him cold and hungry, feeling like he could fall off his horse at any moment.
However, thinking that he would soon reach Rangbulo to incorporate France's Sixth Army into his command structure, Admiral Avis perked up and spurred his horse.
That was a force of 200,000 men, Admiral Avis thought, along with a Specialized Artillery Division, reportedly with over 200 tanks and an unknown number of armored vehicles.
More importantly, it was Shire's troops.
Of course, nominally it was Shire's troops, but soon it wouldn't be.
Admiral Avis recalled Clemenceau's description of the current state of the Sixth Army:
"Shire is contending with Major General Ganmelin for command, the Sixth Army is in chaos, with signs of mutiny again."
"In principle, the Antwerp defense line is under your command, Admiral. We believe you need to make a trip to Rangbulo."
"If you can resolve this crisis, we will gladly keep the Sixth Army at the Antwerp defense line to cooperate with your troops in combat!"
...
This was Briand's well-thought-out decision.
"Divide and rule" is the usual method of management and governance by the Western powers. If the target is constantly vying and consuming internally, it is evidently easier to rule.
Briand confidently said to Clemenceau:
"If the British can successfully regain command, then while weakening Shire's power, they can also become a strong opponent to Shire."
"If not, doing this can also intensify the contradictions between the British and Shire, and we can also find a way out."
"No matter the result, it only benefits us and allows us to owe a favor to the British."
Clemenceau nodded repeatedly in agreement, immediately arranging according to Briand's intentions.
...
Admiral Avis had not realized from beginning to end that this was a ploy by the French Parliament to pit wolves against tigers; he still thought the French Parliament was forced by Shire to seek help from Britain.
Admiral Avis felt secretly delighted.
The Sixth Army is in chaos and lacks combat power; he is the commander of the defense line and has command authority, and the British hold the supplies. There was no reason this couldn't be achieved, right?
Admiral Avis deemed the last point crucial. Supplies are about France's life and death; the French Army had to heed the Great British Empire; otherwise, they could only be defeated by the Germans.
Thus, the Sixth Army is just the beginning, not the end!
This can gain tangible benefits and restore the previously lost prestige of the British Army without bloodshed; why not?
"General." A signaler on horseback approached from the front, reporting, "Five miles ahead is Rangbulo."
Admiral Avis felt a surge of happiness and ordered energetically, "Order the troops to accelerate march!"
"Accelerate march!"
"Accelerate march!"
...
Orders were passed down one after another, and the cavalry unit, like a dragon injected with adrenaline, sped up.
Admiral Avis mounted a small mound by the roadside, raised his binoculars, and gazed at Rangbulo Town, suffocated by wind and snow a few miles away, murmuring, "I am coming, Shire, are you ready to face the challenge?"
...
In Rangbulo Town, the British Army's 3rd Cavalry Division marched along the road. Their destination was the French Army camp and defense line located on the east side of the town.
To demonstrate his frontline leadership, Admiral Avis, accompanied by the Guard Company, marched at the front of the formation.
However, the further he advanced, the more things felt wrong.
Both sides of the road were covered in trench fortifications, identified as the Belgian Army from their uniforms, but they did not look like Belgian militia.
Their fortifications were structured neatly: barbed wire, machine-gun posts, even the town's houses were punched with firing holes and transformed into bunkers.
Their equipment was fully equipped: Maxim heavy machine guns, mortars, "Saint Étienne 2" light machine guns...
Seeing the "Saint Étienne 2" light machine guns, Admiral Avis understood it was a force siding with Shire.
Sure enough, when the troops entered the town passing a three-story Gothic building, Admiral Avis saw King Albert I smiling and waving at him from above:
"Long time no see, Admiral Avis!" Albert I looked down from on high: "What do you think of my troops? The First Specialized Reconnaissance Army, Belgium's elite unit. I wonder if they can match your cavalry division?"
Admiral Avis did not respond, he saluted Albert I from his horse by raising his left arm and bowing slightly: "Your Majesty, forgive me for having urgent matters, unable to visit you upstairs."
Admiral Avis did not plan to entangle too much with Albert I, hoping to quickly reach the barracks to control the situation.
"Of course." Albert I smiled and nodded, as Admiral Avis passed below him with his back exposed, Albert I called out with a smile, "Remember this, General, we will be your strong support."
Hearing this, Admiral Avis felt a cold chill down his back. So many machine guns and mortars aimed at him from the rear, a single shot could instantly obliterate the cavalry division.
This bastard, he is clearly threatening me, Admiral Avis cursed inwardly, doesn't he know we are helping Belgium resist the Germans' invasion?
How can he do this!
Nonetheless, Admiral Avis did not stop, he continued to advance with his troops, keeping his composure.
The gunfire from the front line grew closer. Looking ahead at the French Army barracks, he saw the French soldiers lined up in front of the barracks in bright armor, even with fixed bayonets, rifles, and machine guns pointing at the British Army.
Admiral Avis felt puzzled, where was the promised chaos? Where was the internal conflict?
To greet Admiral Avis was Ganmelin, he along with several officers also felt a prickling sensation, the French soldiers looked ferocious, who knows if they might suddenly play "dirty."
Seeing Admiral Avis and the British Cavalry Division, Ganmelin breathed a sigh of relief, like seeing a savior, and welcomed them.
However, a "rumbling" engine sound arose, another troop arrived at the barracks almost simultaneously.
Ganmelin looked closely, it was Shire's Mechanized Division, led by a Major General standing on an armored reconnaissance vehicle.
Ganmelin's heart sank instantly. He recognized that Major General, it was Tijani, the commander of Shire's Mechanized Division.
Tijani said nothing, motionless, and waved his hand.
The Mechanized Division swiftly deployed against the British Cavalry Division, the motors roaring and tracks clanking, armored vehicles and tanks pointed their guns and cannons at the British cavalry, almost touching their heads. The cavalry dared not move, even the warhorses sensed the murderous aura, uneasily whined and stomped their hooves in the snow.
Suddenly, a "woosh" sounded in the sky, and more than a dozen fighter jets flew low overhead, shaking the snow from the eaves, cascading down.
The startled warhorses panicked and tried to flee, forcing the cavalry to control them swiftly.