Chapter 711 – What You Really Need Is a Loudspeaker
As the First Armored Division resumed its advance toward Verdun, Colonel Estigny sent a telegram from Mézières:
"Only 35 incendiary bombs remain, General. We don't have enough for another full strike."
Charles replied with a simple command:
"Drop the remaining incendiaries on the Verdun defensive line."
This order surprised some of his staff.
Incendiaries weren't particularly effective against entrenched ground troops. In fact, in such cases, they were less lethal than conventional bombs—especially when there were only 35 left.
But Charles wasn't trying to kill Germans.
He was sending a message:
Charles's forces had arrived. From their rear.
And the flames would deliver just enough psychological shock to make sure that message sank in.
Most importantly…
Charles turned to his staff and said, "Send a telegram to Pétain—it's time to change our strategy."
…
Verdun front, German Fifth Army Headquarters — Moirey, two kilometers behind the defensive line.
Lieutenant General Valrec stood tensely by the radio.
He had ordered his signal team to repeatedly contact the First Panzer Division.
He needed to know what had happened at Truc.
The security of the Verdun line depended on it.
But no reply came.
"General," his aide said nervously, "our artillery positions have been bombed by French aircraft. We're taking heavy losses."
Valrec didn't hesitate. "They must hold the line until the last man. The security of the whole front depends on it."
"But sir," the aide insisted, "they were hit with some kind of gasoline bomb. The entire forest is burning. The fire is spreading. They can't hold much longer."
"Gasoline bombs?" Valrec frowned.
What kind of weapon was that? Could it really neutralize two entire artillery regiments so quickly?
He turned back. "What about the First Panzer Division? Any updates?"
"None, sir," the aide answered. "All we received was Major General Erwin's command to open fire. We assume they're currently engaged with Charles's armored division."
Valrec nodded slightly, but unease lingered in his mind.
Even in battle, a short radio reply shouldn't be impossible. Unless the radio was destroyed...
Suddenly, an air raid siren screamed across the town.
Anti-aircraft guns fired in sharp bursts, flinging bullets skyward like tearing fabric.
Valrec rushed out of HQ and looked up. His forehead went cold.
"They're coming from the north…" he muttered. "French bombers!"
There were only four of them—but as soon as they spotted the German line below, they dropped their payloads without even bothering to descend.
BOOM. BOOM-BOOM-BOOM!
Bright crimson flames erupted on the front line. Several houses caught fire instantly.
German soldiers scrambled for fire brigades, jumping into trucks and rushing toward the burning buildings.
But Valrec wasn't paying attention to that.
He had never seen a firebomb that could ignite entire forests, but that wasn't what frightened him.
No—the real problem was what this bombing implied.
"If they're sending bombers here," Valrec said blankly, eyes still on the sky,
"Doesn't that mean… they've already defeated the First Panzer Division?"
"No, General," the aide said quickly. "The battle only started half an hour ago. There's no way they could have lost so fast."
Valrec nodded slowly. "Let's hope you're right."
Yesterday at noon, when Valrec first learned that Charles's army was advancing along the Meuse, he had feared this exact outcome:
a breakthrough toward Verdun from behind.
He'd wanted to prepare, but it had proven impossible.
The Verdun front was over twenty kilometers long.
And with the Battle of the Somme underway, the Fifth Army had already been gutted.
Once 30 divisions strong, it now had only six understrength divisions—less than 100,000 men.
They didn't even have enough troops to build a second defensive line behind Verdun.
And even if they did, what would be the point?
Charles's tanks were designed to smash through conventional defenses.
To stop them, you needed anti-tank trenches—miles of them.
How could anyone dig twenty kilometers of anti-tank ditches in one day?
It was impossible.
All Valrec could do was report to Chief of Staff Falkenhayn:
"Rather than wait to be defeated, I recommend we withdraw in advance."
But Falkenhayn had immediately rejected the proposal.
"No, General. We will stop Charles's army. The First Panzer Division is already en route to Truc."
Hearing the name of that elite unit had calmed Valrec slightly.
Falkenhayn added:
"Also, you must suppress all news of Charles's approach. Do you understand? No one must know that he's moving behind our lines."
"Yes, sir," Valrec had answered. "Understood."
As a lieutenant general, he certainly understood.
If the soldiers found out Charles was behind them, they'd panic.
Even before his tanks arrived, the army might already begin to collapse.
…
Fort Douaumont, Verdun
Pétain had moved his headquarters here the night before.
It was right on the front lines—he could observe every engagement for kilometers around.
But so far, things weren't going well. In fact, they were going very badly.
His infantry had managed to push just 200 meters into no-man's-land.
Every time the German machine guns and artillery opened up, they retreated in waves.
Pétain couldn't even blame them.
He'd always preached to his troops:
"Blind attacks are suicide. They do nothing but produce casualties. You must remember: flesh and blood cannot stop bullets and shells."
Damn it, Pétain cursed inwardly, I should've brought tanks! With them, I could fight like Charles!
Of course, he'd never say that aloud. That would directly contradict his doctrine of absolute defense.
He felt trapped in his own logic.
Everything he was doing now contradicted everything he'd always believed.
But from a strategic perspective, he had no choice.
Charles was approaching the German rear—Pétain had to do something to support him.
Just then, a staff officer brought over a telegram.
"General," he said, handing it over. "Message from Charles. He says… and I quote:
'You should prepare several loudspeakers and use them as weapons. It may prove more effective.'"
"…Loudspeakers?" Pétain scowled.
"Is this a joke? Use them as weapons? What, shout at the Germans to surrender?"
He trailed off, then froze.
Suddenly, his eyes lit up.
"My God. He's right! We do need loudspeakers! They'll be far more effective than rifles or cannons!"
His staff stared at him in utter confusion.
This… isn't a joke?
(End of Chapter 711)
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