I Became a Plutocrat in World War I: Starting with Saving France-Chapter 886: The Trap

The battle commenced, and clear differences emerged between the US Army and the British Army.

The US Army's attack was cautious; they advanced slowly behind the tanks, with soldiers and engineers moving forward to assault or clear obstacles only when blocked by enemy fire or obstructions, strictly employing alternating cover tactics.

Meanwhile, British soldiers stormed at the enemy from all directions, and only after they fell in droves would tanks be called in to fiercely bombard enemy fortifications or assist soldiers in advancing, diving into the enemy trenches for hand-to-hand combat.

Before long, voices mocking the US Army began to circulate among the British officers:

"Is that the force trained by Shire?"

"They seem to have failed to learn Shire's rapid insertion tactics."

"Because they're all rookies, mate. That's an entirely different matter from Shire's troops!"

...

The British military advanced rapidly, covering three kilometers in less than two hours, successfully capturing the German Army's alert defensive line and nearing the main structure of the Hindenburg line.

On the other hand, the US Army followed at a leisurely pace, and eventually, both sides advanced over a kilometer.

"Speed up, Brigadier," Haig commanded loudly over the telephone, "you have exposed our flank to the enemy, and we are susceptible to an attack."

"I think you should slow down the advance, Vice Admiral," Pershing replied, "I have always suspected something is wrong; the Germans' defenses are too weak, which is illogical."

Haig responded dismissively, "There's nothing illogical about it; as I said, they are at their last gasp. Go forth and attack; victory is right in front of us!"

Saying this, Haig slammed the receiver onto the base with resentment and cursed, "That coward; I shouldn't have hoped for his cooperation. They are just dragging their feet."

Before long, however, Haig realized his mistake; it was not the US Army lagging but rather the British Army under his command.

In this battle, the US Army creatively used a kind of small-square iron wire.

Previously, soldiers found it troublesome to pass through the barbed iron wire or obstacles set by the enemy on the front lines, often suffering heavy casualties.

Engineers needed to cut the iron wires under a hail of bullets and remove them or lay down blankets, planks, or steel plates.

The Germans would obstruct all of this with bullets and shells from their trenches.

Thus, by the time the road was passable, there was already a mountain of bodies piled high near the iron wire.

The US Army did not operate this way.

Faced with dense iron wire, they first used explosives or grenades to destroy the stress points to flatten it, then laid the small-square iron wire on top, allowing soldiers to quickly crawl over.

Occasionally, some spikes would prick them, but it was far better than being blocked in front of the iron wire and dying en masse under enemy machine gun and artillery fire.

(Note: This is indeed a tactic Pershing used in World War I; the small-square iron wire would hook onto spikes and suspend itself between several stress points, allowing the suspended part to evade the spikes.)

Moreover, this wire was easy to carry and could be used to assist in filling trenches to create bunkers.

Pershing had recommended this small-square iron wire to Haig, but Haig ignored it.

Only after attacking the German main trenches did the British Army realize this little thing was not as simplistic as it seemed.

The British engineers tackled the anti-tank trenches, needing to fill them with sandbags one by one, forming a trapezoid with a broad base and a narrow top for personnel and tanks to pass smoothly.

However, all this had to be completed within the German grenade throwing range, resulting in a landscape littered with bodies and blood, causing heavy casualties without the anti-tank trench even forming properly, while the casualties almost filled it.

The US Army first used small-square iron wires to outline a shape within the anti-tank trench, then filled sandbags in the middle. Soon, a passage formed, quick and sturdy.

Thus, by the afternoon battles, it was the US Army, as a latecomer, that first broke through each main defensive line.

...

At Freeman Command, Pershing stared intently at the map with the telegraph ticking in the background, focusing on the target, Saarbrücken.

At this moment, the phone rang, startling Pershing as he noticed it was the dedicated line for Shire.

Indeed, Hubbard held the receiver, saying to Pershing, "It's Admiral Shire."

Pershing promptly picked up the handset and identified himself.

"General." Shire's voice came through the receiver, "According to the intelligence obtained by our fighter patrols, the Germans did not dispatch aircraft to engage, nor did they send reinforcements; everything is silent."

He then added, "I suspect you understand what's happening, right?"

"Yes, Vice Admiral, I understand." Pershing said, "Thank you very much."

Laying down the receiver, Pershing immediately contacted Haig, "General, I must report an illogical piece of intelligence, the Germans have not sent reinforcements to the front lines..."

Haig cut off Pershing's words, "How do you know?"

The US Army had no aircraft, with only the British able to observe the enemy from above.

Pershing fell silent as his contact with Shire breached superior commands.

Then Haig understood, "You still haven't detached from the French Army's command structure, have you?"

"No, General," Pershing argued, "I just got intelligence from them."

"That's not what I saw," Haig felt insulted, "Do you know what you're doing? You could leak our military secrets, Brigadier, which is no small matter!"

"Let's focus on the matter at hand first," Pershing accelerated his speech:

"Why haven't the Germans reinforced the front line? Since we have breached the first line."

"Do you consider this normal?"

"There is only one possibility; the Germans planned for us to break through the front line, and they are lying in ambush ahead..."

Haig lost patience in further discussion and abruptly cut Pershing off:

"Remember your position, Brigadier." 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

"This war is under my command, and I know what I'm doing."

"And you, just need to follow orders, understood?"

Without waiting for Pershing's response, Haig hung up the phone firmly.

Haig did not believe he was wrong, convinced it was Shire's deceit, aiming to divide the British-American alliance and thwart this assault.

And Pershing, the fool, fell for it.

On the other side, Pershing sank into despair, believing Shire's judgment and intelligence yet unable to persuade Haig.

Should he follow into the trap?

No, he must be responsible for the soldiers' lives, even if it meant getting relieved to prevent this tragedy...

However, before Pershing could issue an order, Baker appeared at the command doorway.

He leisurely approached Pershing, expressionless, with a warning tone:

"I heard about what just happened, Brigadier."

"This is not what a soldier should do if you persist."

"You know what the consequences will be."

Pershing replied helplessly, "Yes, Secretary."