Chapter 448: The Newspaper on the Motorcycle
When King Albert I found General Charles, Charles was calmly signing documents, seemingly unaffected by the news.
Albert I approached cautiously and asked, "Brigadier, have you heard? They plan to have Foch accept the German surrender."
"Yes, I've heard," Charles nodded calmly.
"What... what do you think?" Albert I asked again.
Before Charles could respond, Albert I angrily shouted, "This is outrageous! Everyone knows this victory is yours. We cannot let this happen! Furthermore, how could they overlook Belgium? Shouldn't we, the ones with the true stake in this, have a say?"
Albert I's point was valid. Although the victory was due to the combined efforts of the Anglo-French forces, the battlefield was Belgian soil. From the perspective of respecting national sovereignty, Belgium's opinion should have been considered, no matter what.
Albert I then reassured Charles, "Don't worry, Brigadier. I'll go to Paris immediately and make Belgium's position clear."
"This won't help, Your Majesty," Charles continued signing, "They are not afraid of you."
Albert I despondently nodded. He had no real power in this situation—something that had already been proven.
"This isn't the real issue, Your Majesty," Charles paused and looked up at Albert I and Colonel Idon. His tone was light but serious, "What I'm really concerned about is that Foch might use this as an excuse to move my troops away. You know they're unlikely to leave here or allow us to continue holding this territory after the surrender. That would give them the upper hand."
Albert I's heart skipped a beat.
He had been worried that Charles would be upset, but now it seemed the problem was Foch. After thinking it over, Albert I realized that Charles was right. If Foch were to accept the surrender, it would be reasonable for him to lead the troops in occupying the surrounded area and disarming the Germans.
But surely they couldn't steal Charles' victory and then have his troops stay stationed in Antwerp on guard?
That would be like selling someone and then making them count the money for you.
Albert I turned to Colonel Idon, who gave a slight nod, his eyes flashing with fear.
Idon hadn't realized the full extent of the problem either. It seemed that the situation was far more serious than they had anticipated. This wasn't something that could be solved by simply persuading Charles or exchanging favors.
"But don't worry," Charles said with a confident smile, "Belgium won't have any problems. One day, when Foch's troops can't handle it, they'll call me and my forces back. Just like what happened with the Dardanelles, they're always hoping to get me back there."
Albert I winced at the mention of the Dardanelles. Anyone could tell that the situation there was beyond saving, but Charles was still insisting he wouldn't return.
Would Charles one day refuse to come back to Belgium because of other battles elsewhere?
Charles seemed to read Albert I's thoughts.
"No, no. I will return, I promise," he said. "You and your people are my friends. I won't forget that."
"This campaign has shown me the strength of Belgian unity. Without your support, we wouldn't have won."
"To be honest, I think the guerillas and the Belgian people should be part of the surrender, but unfortunately, they don't seem to see it that way."
Albert I nodded enthusiastically, clearly moved by Charles' words.
...
After leaving Charles' headquarters, Colonel Idon remained silent.
He knew well what the situation in Belgium was. Although the guerilla forces were large, with over 200,000 men, they were mostly militia, and many had joined because of Charles.
This was Charles' charisma; they were his followers, believing in his leadership and victory.
If Foch were to take command, the guerilla forces would likely disband, and the current favorable situation would quickly deteriorate.
"We can't let this happen," Colonel Idon said firmly, "Absolutely not!"
"I know what to do now," Albert I replied.
"What's that?" Idon asked, confused.
"We can mobilize everyone against Foch," Albert I answered. "We have the newspapers, and the Belgians in France and the UK. We'll distribute leaflets, give speeches, and write scathing articles in the press."
Albert I had just come up with this idea.
He had been turning Charles' words over in his mind while riding in the carriage: "They are not afraid of you."
If that was true, then what were they really afraid of?
It was public opinion. It was the opposition of the people. It was the relentless criticism of the media!
And Charles was right—the Belgian people had contributed significantly to this victory. If Foch were to steal the glory, it would deal a crushing blow to the morale of the Belgian people.
So, the Belgian people must rise up against this unfair move.
Colonel Idon thought for a moment before nodding. "That sounds like a good plan, Your Majesty. We should do it. Not only to defend Charles' rights, but to defend our own!"
...
Soon, the Belgian people were mobilized.
The next day, the Patriot's Gazette published an article on the front page with the headline: We Defeated the Enemy, but We Are About to Be Defeated by Our Own Allies.
The article was scathingly critical:
"The Allies did make sacrifices, but war is never about how much sacrifice one makes; it's about who defeated the enemy and spared the army and people from further suffering."
"From this perspective, Charles is the savior of the Allies, the rescuer of both France and Belgium, the savior of the people. Yet some think his achievements are not enough to accept Germany's surrender."
"They believe that the one who should accept the surrender is the one Charles saved from the agony of war!"
"Who really saved whom? Charles saved them, or did they save Charles?"
"What's even more puzzling is, how does Foch's sacrifice relate to the fallen soldiers on the front lines?"
"Does simply sending soldiers into battle and letting them suffer huge casualties count as merit?"
...
The Patriot's Gazette had been founded in 1884 and published in Brussels. When most of Belgium was occupied during the outbreak of World War I, it did not cease publication but went underground, continuing to rally the people to fight against the German occupation.
To avoid German raids, they used motorcycles to move around, which is why they became known as "the newspaper on motorcycles."
By this time, the Patriot's Gazette had become the authoritative voice of Belgium, and its articles immediately sparked a massive reaction.
With the guidance of Albert I and Colonel Idon, this quickly led to a wave of support that spread across the whole of Europe.
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