I Became a Plutocrat in World War I: Starting with Saving France

Chapter 609: After Revision - 609 Maintain the Status Quo

Shire’s First Armored Corps occupied Hasselt and handed it over to Belgium’s First Special Reconnaissance Corps for defense.

To some extent, the Belgian Army was more suitable for guarding Hasselt.

It is a Belgian city, where Albert I can easily raise a militia. His regular army and militia can unite under his command to resist foreign invaders, fighting with several times the strength they usually possess.

Freed up, the First Armored Corps continued to advance, reaching the Belgium-Holland border within a few hours.

Seeing the French Army gathering at the border, Dutch soldiers felt as if facing a formidable enemy, instantly organizing a defense in the trenches with their troops armed with rifles.

Tijani and a group of French soldiers found the Dutch defense lines and soldiers somewhat incomprehensible.

Their fortifications only had simple barbed wire, no anti-tank ditches, and no fortresses. The trenches hadn’t been widened, and only one infantry regiment had been deployed even after half an hour.

On the opposite side, the French Army had tanks, armored vehicles, self-propelled artillery, and occasionally dozens of cooperative fighter jets flying overhead.

Tijani could even imagine the despair in the Dutch soldiers’ eyes; they must be clutching the crosses around their necks, trembling and praying not to become enemies of France.

Otherwise, this steel army would crush them like squashing a bug underfoot.

(The above two images depict the Dutch Army during World War I. Although Holland remained neutral during WWI, surrounded by major powers, it actively expanded its army. One distinctive feature was the use of dog-pulled machine guns.)

Tijani put away the binoculars, walked back to Shire, who was munching on bread in the reconnaissance vehicle’s driver’s seat, and said disdainfully, "General, they want to use one infantry regiment to stop our armored army."

Shire chewed on the cold bread with difficulty, replied:

"You should understand them, Major General."

"Although they claim to be ready to defend the country, their preparations are severely outdated."

"Furthermore, their border is long, they cannot adequately prepare troops in every direction."

Tijani nodded, accustomed to facing Germans, he found it unfamiliar to see such fortifications and troop strength from Holland.

"Organize the defense," Shire said.

"Organize the defense," Tijani conveyed Shire’s order.

In the snowy weather, this was no easy task; sometimes soldiers had to light fires to melt the frozen ground before they could dig it up.

But Shire was not in a hurry; his goal was not defense here, but to display his military strength and formation to the Queen of the Netherlands.

...

In Amsterdam, Queen Wilhelmina paced anxiously in her office, caught in a dilemma.

She had left the ambassadors of the two nations aside, or precisely, three nations—following France’s ambassador, Britain’s ambassador had also arrived.

However, the British ambassador had coordinated with the French ambassador, and they shared the same stance.

Germany or Britain and France?

Queen Wilhelmina urgently summoned Admiral Thomas, the backbone of Holland’s army, who had participated in numerous colonial wars. The Queen believed he truly understood the stakes.

Soon, Admiral Thomas hastily walked into the Queen’s office.

Before the admiral could salute, the Queen rushed forward and asked, "You already know the situation, General. What do you think we should do?"

"Your Majesty," Admiral Thomas responded straightforwardly:

"I hope you understand, Shire’s First Armored Corps once captured Antwerp within a day, surrounding over a hundred thousand German troops and forcing them to surrender."

"Now they have reached Hasselt within a day, surrounding over two hundred thousand German troops."

"And his forces are just over twenty thousand, still at this size."

Unfamiliar with military matters, the Queen looked at Admiral Thomas in shock: "You mean, over twenty thousand troops surrounded over two hundred thousand German soldiers? How did he manage that?"

"Tanks, Your Majesty," Admiral Thomas responded helplessly, "These new equipment can destroy all solid fortifications, surpass trenches, and render all obstacles useless before them."

Admiral Thomas then added:

"The Germans might be overlooked; they are fighting multiple fronts with severe troop shortages, unlikely to engage Holland unless absolutely necessary."

"The British might also be ignored; they sent warships, but ground occupation ultimately requires the army, and the British Army is trapped at the River Somme, suffering considerable casualties."

"But Shire’s First Armored Corps..."

Admiral Thomas swallowed, saying with difficulty: "This force could destroy Holland as easily as playing a game, with barely any casualties, in just a few days."

The Queen’s face turned ashen, she nodded lightly to indicate understanding.

But even so, the Queen was still hesitant to make a decision.

She worried that once siding with Britain and France, the German Army would wage war for the sake of their trapped two hundred thousand troops.

...

At the Belgium-Holland border, in an unfinished trench, surrounded by soldiers constructing the trench with entrenching tools, Tijani and Shire sat around a fire.

"Do you think the Queen will side with us?" Tijani asked, roasting bread on a stick over the flames; he wanted to eat something warm.

"She will," Shire’s eyes fixed on the bread roasting until it charred, suddenly he felt an appetite.

"Why?" Tijani carefully flipped the stick to ensure even heating: "I mean, how can you be certain?"

"Want to know?" Shire asked.

"Yes."

"Then exchange something for it."

Tijani froze, seeing Shire’s gaze fixed on the roasting bread, he suddenly laughed: "No problem, General, happy to serve you."

He handed the stick to Shire: "It’s yours."

This guy, willing to trade his dignity for a roast bread.

Shire took it, eagerly ripping off the charred layer, instantly releasing the fragrance.

Ignoring that the bread was still hot, he took a bite close to his mouth; indeed, it tasted much better than cold bread, not only filling but also warming the body.

"Because I gave the Queen a plan," Shire replied indistinctly, "A plan to remain neutral."

"What?" Tijani found it hard to believe.

He thought that Holland could only choose sides—to either join the Allies or the Central Powers, no other options.

However, Shire had a way to let Holland maintain the status quo?

...

In Amsterdam, the French ambassador made a suggestion to the Queen: "Your Majesty, if the Germans dare to undermine Holland’s neutrality, then allowing British and French forces passage through Holland is justifiable, no one would find fault in it."

The Queen’s eyes lit up; correct, with this Shire’s forces could bypass the Liege Fortress and directly attack Germany’s heartland!