I Became a Plutocrat in World War I: Starting with Saving France-Chapter 836: What Was “Held Back” Was the Airplanes

Shire had no intention of showing off in front of the US Army, but reality didn't allow it.

...

Drizzle fell like mist and smoke.

The US Army's First Armored Brigade trudged forward on the highway like a snail.

It wasn't that they didn't want to move faster, but the Reims area was networked with rivers and had plenty of water. Combined with days of rain, the highway was already a muddy mess.

At this point, when the tank treads rolled over, the highway along with the roadbed was turned into a "swamp."

As a result, tanks blocked tanks, each stuck and unable to move.

Soon, there were shouts for sand and stone filling, towing with armored vehicles, and paving with timber, alongside the roar of engines and splashes of mud from spinning tires everywhere.

Covered in mud, Patton looked helplessly at the sides of the highway and complained, "Damn it, the path beside the road is much better than the highway."

The fields on either side were at least flat, while the highway was beyond recognition after repeated rolling.

"Indeed, Colonel," Williams replied, "But I still wouldn't recommend marching from the sides because our tanks aren't just one or two."

Patton nodded silently.

If the highway could be rolled into such a state by tanks, it was needless to mention the fields on both sides. In some places, once stuck, even armored cars couldn't pull them out.

(Note: The M1 armored car is a wheeled vehicle, without the off-road capability of a tank)

Then Patton suddenly thought, "Well, Shire's troops must also be in trouble."

"I was thinking the same," Williams agreed. "Their tanks are much bigger than ours; they're said to be three times the weight of the 'Shire A1.'

"Not just three times," Patton replied.

He had data on the 'Shire B1' tank; after armor reinforcement, it weighed 31 tons, whereas the 'Shire A1' was only 6.7 tons—nearly five times the difference.

However, just as Patton and Williams were relieved that the US Army wasn't equipped with the 'Shire B1,' a roar of engines came from behind them.

Turning around, Patton was stunned to see several 'Shire B1' proceeding through the field paths as if riding the wind and waves.

"Damn, what's going on?" Patton looked in disbelief. "Is the field path harder than the highway?"

Williams was also stunned by the scene. After observing for a while, he explained, "No, Colonel, they just ensure each tank takes a unique path."

Patton looked closely, and it was indeed so.

The 'Shire B1' moved side by side, with each one taking an unturned path.

The busy US soldiers were also taken aback, stopping their tasks to watch the rather "arrogant" 'Shire B1' on both sides.

The French Army tankers stuck their heads out of the turrets, waving at the US Army with provocative gestures and greeting in clumsy English: "Hey, how are you, Americans? Keep it up!"

However, a few 'Shire B1' still got stuck in the mud.

US soldiers even cheered:

"See, that's what their arrogance gets them."

"You think we're fools? We don't know how to take the field path?"

"Sorry, do you need us to tow you out?"

...

Patton didn't join in with the soldiers. As an officer, his perspective was different from ordinary soldiers.

While common soldiers could joke with each other, officers needed to empathize with the interests of allied forces.

"This is going to be a big problem," Patton said, looking worriedly at the 'Shire B1' moving in groups through the fields. "31-ton monsters, and no one can pull them out. Plus, there will be more of them stuck, and finally, few will make it to the battlefield."

Williams spoke with puzzlement, "But why would they do this knowing it would happen? I mean, does Shire allow them to do this?"

While the two were puzzled, they saw the crew of the 'Shire B1' tanks stuck in the mud get out.

They joked and laughed, completely unstressed, took the self-rescue logs from the back of the tanks, placed them in front of the treads, and fastened them with chains, while the commander guided the driver inside the tank via the rear phone.

Then, under the watchful eyes of Patton, Williams, and other US soldiers, the tank easily freed itself with a "rumble" thanks to the self-rescue logs.

The US soldiers were dumbfounded, their mouths agape, while Patton and Williams stared open-mouthed for a long time.

Like nothing had happened, the French tankers packed up the self-rescue logs and returned to the tanks, continuing their "racing" through the fields.

After the departure of the French tanks, Patton exclaimed in surprise:

"My God, what was that?" 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

"How did they do that? No towing needed, no infantry assistance, just a log, and they could free themselves?"

"And they just took off like that?"

Williams swallowed hard, "That might be a Shire invention, Colonel, it's just that Shire doesn't seem to have shared it with us."

"Too much," Patton said as he started walking to the rear.

He needed to see Shire; the US Army needed this technology, and Shire should treat them equally.

...

At the rear of the troops, next to two armored cars parked by the roadside, Shire was discussing matters with Pershing.

Patton walked quickly up to Shire and stood tall, "Vice Admiral, I have a request."

Pershing sighed lightly, "You want the 'self-rescue logs,' right?"

"Is it called 'self-rescue logs'?" Patton paused, "A fitting name, General. Yes, we need it."

Pershing smiled slightly, "Your thoughts are the same as mine, Colonel. I was just discussing this with the Vice Admiral, but it seems unlikely."

"Why?" Patton asked, puzzled.

Shire answered on behalf:

"The 'Shire A1' is a light tank, Colonel."

"Ordinarily, it wouldn't encounter such situations of getting stuck in the mud. It's just a flooded section of the road here, and two miles ahead, it will be much better."

"Moreover, there's some risk in using the self-rescue logs. They increase the tank's weight and require training. Light tanks don't have much need to use this technique."

Patton paused and then turned his gaze to Pershing.

Pershing nodded slightly:

"That makes sense, Colonel. It's not that the Vice Admiral is unwilling to give us the technology; it's just unnecessary."

"Or you could look at it from another angle."

"Have you ever seen the French Army's 'Shire A1' carrying 'self-rescue logs'?"

Patton thought for a moment, and indeed, he hadn't.

"I apologize, Vice Admiral." Patton looked at Shire with guilt, "I thought you were withholding something from us, so..."

"It's all right, Colonel," Shire replied. "Trust me, we have mutual interests, and I will do my best to equip the American Army with the best possible equipment whenever possible."

Patton, moved, shook Shire's hand, "Thank you, Vice Admiral, thank you very much!"

Shire smiled and nodded.

The part about "withholding" is related to aircraft, Americans.

The advantage of air power can't be filled with numbers, and this kind of "withholding" only makes sense for industrial giants like the United States.