Chapter 15 Blood and Flowers
At this time, the French army's rear headquarters was in chaos.
Countless calls came from the front, and the plugs in the hands of the beautiful female operators were almost sparking. The staff officers were busy in front of the sand table, constantly changing the positions of the flags on it, and the secretaries of each general They no longer have the calmness and calmness they used to have around big shots. They almost trotted to pick up telegrams to report to their superiors.
Ninety percent of it is bad news.
But no matter how chaotic the hall is, in the corner on the east side, people passing by will consciously slow down because that is the office of their commander-in-chief.
Army General Henri Philippe Pétain was standing in front of his desk at the moment, with his hands pressed in front of a large-scale map with a thoughtful look on his face.
The sound of military boots hitting the ground sounded, and his newly appointed secretary and adjutant Leon Phillips knocked on the office door.
"Come in" Pétain's voice was still calm and strong, but the secretary and adjutant who was familiar with him could hear the fatigue and worry in the general's tone from this simple word.
"Your Excellency, bad news, the enemy's 18th Army and the 2nd Army have launched a full-line attack. As of half an hour ago, 70% of our front-line troops' positions were lost, and the enemy's leading force, the 3rd Bavarian Regiment, has penetrated To the Barbey Road, the British Newfoundland Regiment and I The 40,000 people in our Sixth Army, including the field hospital, are at risk of being surrounded."
After saying this, the handsome blond young man handed the telegram in his hand to his commander, and then stood straight. Standing still, his standard appearance made him look like a Prussian soldier. In fact, this is also true. Leon Phelps once studied at the Berlin Military Academy and returned to France in the early days of the war.
The emaciated Pétain picked up the telegram and read it carefully. He took off his monocle and rubbed it gently with his index finger and thumb.
The adjutant knew that this was a sign that the general was engaged in a fierce psychological struggle.
For five minutes, the room was silent. The handsome secretary and adjutant stood motionless in a military posture, waiting for the general to make a decision.
Click
The monocle was placed on the table. Admiral Pétain ordered in a calm tone, "Let the troops on the periphery of the encirclement break away from contact with the German army and shrink to 20 miles away to reorganize." line of defense, ordered the Third Artillery Regiment to cover the Balbe Highway with firepower, and asked engineers to plant explosives on nearby bridges and be ready to blast them at any time."
A few simple words set off huge waves in the secretary's heart. The front lines were disengaged and roads and bridges were blown up. This could indeed stop the German attack for a while, but what about the 40,000 people surrounded? How do they get home?
Although he had doubts in his heart, the adjutant did not dare to raise any questions or suggestions. After saluting, he planned to go out to convey the general's order.
"Leon, you must feel that I am cruel." The general's voice came from behind.
"No, Your Excellency! I don't mean that at all!" the adjutant replied at attention.
"War is the continuation of politics. Have you heard this sentence?" The sixty-two-year-old man slowly turned around and looked at the scenery outside the window. There was the small garden of the army headquarters. At this time, there was Several light green birds were jumping around among the rose bushes looking for food.
"Yes, Your Excellency, I read "On War" when I was studying in Berlin," the adjutant replied with his head raised.
"Clawitz is really a genius. He knew what I just figured out recently a hundred years ago. It's a pity that he is a German." The old man shook his head and did not continue. It's strange to bring up another topic.
"Where are the Americans and Canadians?" The adjutant did not understand why the general suddenly raised this question, but his extremely high professionalism allowed him to quickly answer "Currently, the 33rd and 27th Divisions of the American Expeditionary Force And the 80th Division is resting in the scheduled second-line position. Canada only has New Brunswick. The Rick regiment arrived at the designated position, but it has not yet made contact with the German army."
"Tell the Americans and Canadians about the situation on the front line, and remember not to hide anything about the German attack route. , tell them that the Germans are approaching," Pétain ordered his adjutant again.
"Your Excellency, what do you mean..." The adjutant looked at the location of the allied forces on the map and then showed a look of realization, and said in a deep voice, "Yes, Your Excellency, I will complete the mission."
"I heard that Where is your fiancée?" As the adjutant was leaving, Petain suddenly mentioned something.
"Yes, Your Excellency, I am mentally prepared." The adjutant stood at attention, with no trace of sadness on his expression.
"Tell the 3rd Cavalry Regiment to send people to search the junction and send more people." The admiral expressed his personal care for his deputy.
"Your Excellency, I am grateful, but please forgive me for rejecting your kindness. As a soldier, I think that precious mobile forces should not be wasted on such trivial matters at this time." The adjutant seemed to be saying Talk about things that have nothing to do with you.
"Then take it as my personal order and let them send a company to search for it." Pétain smiled and insisted on his opinion.
"Yes! Your Excellency, I'm out then." The adjutant saluted again and turned around to deliver the order.
There were clouds floating in the sky to cover the sun, and the light in the room dimmed. The silver-haired Pétain still maintained the same smile as before, but under the boundary between light and shadow, that smile seemed strangely disharmonious.
Picked up the monocle again and rubbed it slowly with his hands. This was something that Pétain had followed for a long time. Every time he touched the mirror, he could feel the courage being transmitted to him from above.
“The flowers of freedom must be watered with blood,” the old man murmured to the flowerbed in front of him
Then he said gloomily again, "But the blood should not only belong to the French."
More than 100 kilometers away.
"I, I'm bleeding, I don't feel good..." A woman's weak voice came out from the woods on the south bank of the Somme River.
In the jungle, a B.S.A dump motorcycle was parked in the grass, black smoke rumbling out. Female reporter Christine was leaning against a tree in her pajamas, and her nightgown was already gone. It was completely dyed red, and two-thirds of the white calf was pierced by a glass shard.
He Chi carefully lifted one of the opponent's legs, and the sight of his flesh and blood making his brows jump.
The piece of glass was probably inserted into a certain vein. Once he pulled out the glass, a small fountain would instantly form here. But if it is not pulled out for thorough debridement, slow bleeding and infection will kill this French golden cat.
The rumbling sound of gunfire continued all around, and the situation in front of him did not allow He Chi to hesitate for a long time. Just when he put his hand on the glass piece and prepared to exert force, the bushes in the distance suddenly moved. one time.
(End of this chapter)