I Became a Tycoon During World War I: Saving France from the Start

Chapter 4: Gallieni

In the command center of the 6th Army in Paris, a constant flurry of activity filled the air. Telephones rang ceaselessly, and reports and intelligence flew like snowflakes onto General Gallieni's desk.

General Gallieni was France's most capable military commander. He had once vied with Joffre for the role of Supreme Commander of the French Army, but supposedly lost out due to his age. This reasoning, however, was dubious, as he was only three years older than Joffre.

The real reason was likely that Joffre was more willing to accommodate the interests of big capital, while Gallieni despised the influence of capital and frequently opposed it—a stance that naturally led to his political defeat.

The clearest evidence of this was that, if Joffre had truly been fit for the role, there would have been no need to recall the already retired Gallieni to oversee the defense of Paris when the war broke out. Why didn't Gallieni's age matter now?

At this point, Gallieni felt resentment. In peacetime, he had been pushed aside, but now they expected him to face the dangers of war. The privileged ones enjoyed the luxuries of Paris while he was left to lead the soldiers in a potential death trap.

For Gallieni, this battle felt close to a death sentence. He knew all too well that, compared to the Germans, the French army was lacking. This left Paris in a dire situation: going out to fight would likely lead to the same disastrous defeat that had befallen the 5th Army. Staying in the city offered the advantage of fortified defenses but risked entrapment, with more than two million soldiers and civilians facing starvation or forced surrender if cut off from supplies.

Still, Gallieni had no choice but to shoulder this grim responsibility, knowing he was the last hope for millions of French lives.

How could he break this spell?

Gallieni pinned his hopes on the retreating 5th Army. Pointing at the map, he said to General Maunoury, commander of the 6th Army:

"There's only one path forward: the 5th Army must stabilize, and together our two armies must hold off the German First Army!"

General Maunoury replied with difficulty, "But sir, the 5th Army is in tatters. They've lost most of their supplies and ammunition. I'm not even sure they still have rifles."

After a pause, Maunoury added, "Paris may have some supplies left, but if we bring the 5th Army into the city or transport supplies out to them…"

He trailed off; the implications were clear. Both armies would end up trapped within Paris. Besides, the city's provisions were reserved for an impending siege. Sending them outside would be unwise.

Just as Gallieni found himself at a loss, a staff officer came forward with a report:

"Sir, a businessman named Francis has offered his assistance. He's willing to use all his resources to procure food and has a machine-gun factory that he's offering to supply freely to support our retreating forces!"

Gallieni's eyes lit up. "Where exactly is this?" he asked eagerly.

The officer located the spot on the map, pointing and replying, "Here—Dawaz!"

Gallieni was overjoyed. Dawaz was situated southeast of Paris, along the southern bank of the Marne River, making it an ideal place for the 5th Army to regroup and prepare for a counterattack.

"Connect me to headquarters!" Gallieni ordered, needing to report to Joffre and recommend redirecting the 5th Army's retreat.

Gallieni's heart leaped with hope: God, we might be saved! It seems not all capitalists are bad!

Little did he know that this stroke of luck was just the beginning.

…

At dawn, the town of Dawaz awoke to the sound of birds chirping. Sunlight pierced the morning mist, casting a warm glow on Charles's face through the window.

Since Deyoka and his family were essentially "exiled" from the household, they lived separately from Francis. Francis's luxurious villa and factory were situated in open land about a kilometer from town, while Deyoka's home was in the town's southeastern corner.

The family was having breakfast: bread, sausage, and a glass of milk. Charles found the food a bit difficult to get used to, but, as they say, "when in Rome…"

Chewing a bite of dry bread, Charles mumbled to his father across the table, "Father, may I borrow your bicycle?"

Deyoka agreed without a second thought but added, "Where are you headed? The Germans could arrive at any moment. I think you'd be safer at home."

From the kitchen, Charles's mother Camille overheard and quickly grew anxious. She sat beside him, holding her plate and urging, "Listen to your father—don't go out!"

She then looked at Deyoka, concern evident in her eyes. "Shouldn't we head south for safety? How did the conversation go last night?"

Deyoka hesitated, unsure how to respond. He certainly couldn't say that it was Charles who had changed the course of things.

Charles answered the original question. "I need to go to the tractor factory. Francis asked me to assist Joseph in managing the place."

Both Deyoka and Camille froze, looking at Charles in astonishment. Camille, realizing the significance of this, covered her mouth, struggling to contain her surprise.

She turned to Deyoka, who nodded slightly to confirm it was true. Though Deyoka didn't fully understand the reason, he knew it had to do with the discussion in the study the night before.

"Go ahead," Deyoka said seriously. "But come back early."

Then he added, "And if you hear any news—anything about the Germans—come back immediately."

"Understood!" Charles gulped down the last of his milk, grabbed the half-eaten bread, and headed out.

Watching him ride away on the bicycle, Camille turned excitedly to Deyoka, "Does this mean Mr. Francis has accepted Charles?"

Deyoka's expression was a bit odd as he replied, "I think… Father may be accepting more than just Charles."

"What do you mean?" Camille asked, puzzled.

Deyoka explained, "Last night, he told me we've raised an exceptional child. I think he might be accepting us as a family because of Charles."

Camille froze, hardly daring to believe it. "Are you sure? Because of Charles?"

Deyoka nodded, both relieved and proud. "Yes, because of Charles. He seems to have grown up."

Tears welled up in Camille's eyes. For years, she had felt guilty, believing that because of her, Deyoka and Charles had lost the chance to inherit the Bernard family legacy. Now, it seemed there was a glimmer of hope, a chance for her to finally put that burden down.

Yet Deyoka also felt a twinge of concern. "You weren't there last night, Camille. Charles… he's become sharp, like my father. I'm not sure if that's a good thing."

"He's not like your father, Deyoka!" Camille retorted immediately. "He's your son. You should be proud of him. So yes, it is a good thing!"

Deyoka fell silent, knowing he couldn't argue with a woman—especially a mother.

(End of Chapter)

Friends, if you liked the novel you can subscribe to my p*treon

Use this code: FRANK10, you can save up to 30% off any subscription level, The promotion ends on December 31st