Reborn South Africa as a police officer

Chapter 877

In the Battle of Tannenburg before the outbreak of the Battle of the Marne, the Eighth Army of the German Army in East Prussia wiped out the Second Army of Russia. The Commander-in-Chief of the Army Alexander Samsonov said that he had failed the Tsar. Shoot himself.

The consequences of the failure of the Battle of Tannenburg were extremely serious. In the subsequent Battle of Masurian Lakes, the First Army also suffered heavy losses and was forced to withdraw from East Prussia. Organize an effective attack.

There were many factors for the disastrous defeat of the Russian army, the most deadly being the insufficient mobilization of Russia. Earl Schlieffen estimated in 1905 that Russia would need six weeks to complete the general mobilization. As a result, Russia mobilized 80 troops within six days.

Of the 80 troops, 30 had not received any military training before the war.

In the Battle of Tannenberg, there was also a big gap between the commanders of the German and Russian armies. The Eighth Army had a group of outstanding generals. Ludendorff once again shined brilliantly. He served as the chief of staff of the Eighth Army in the Battle of Tannenberg.

Unlike the aggressive German commanders, the commanders of the Russian First and Second Armies were old. The commander-in-chief of the Front Army, Zhilinsky, neither inspired confidence nor appeared on the front line. The two army commanders There are also conflicts between them. They were both commanders in the Russo-Japanese War. They had conflicts during the Russo-Japanese War, and they were unwilling to cooperate with each other in the Battle of Tannenberg.

In any case, the pressure is now back on the Anglo-French coalition forces. The Allied Powers once had high hopes for Russia, but now all those extravagant hopes have disappeared, and the Anglo-French coalition forces have to fight alone.

Entering September, the situation continued to deteriorate. The French army failed to organize an effective counterattack and continued to retreat following in the footsteps of the British Expeditionary Force.

The German army pursued from tail to tail, and the soldiers marched 30 kilometers a day carrying 40 kilograms of equipment and materials. Starting from September [-], they marched for four consecutive days.

Everyone was exhausted. The French sun was scorching in September, and the weather was unbearably hot. The soldiers could only rest for four hours a day, and most of the remaining twenty hours were spent on the march. Many times they walked They are all sleeping. If a French army launches a counterattack at this time, the German army will definitely be completely defeated.

Joffre did not organize an effective counterattack. The distance between the French army and the German army was only ten kilometers. Both sides were exhausted. On the verge of collapse, Joffre needed a new force to stop the advance of the German army and buy more time for adjusting the defense line. .

The person who found the opportunity was General Gallieni, the commander of the Sixth Army. The Sixth Army was responsible for the defense of Paris and could not attack. Gallieni hoped that Joffre could organize a counterattack.

Joffre disagreed with Gallieni's counterattack plan, thinking that counterattack at this time was too risky, and the French army should retreat in an organized manner, wait for more reinforcements, stabilize the front, and then organize a counterattack against the German army.

Gallieni believed that the opportunity was imminent. In order to pursue the French Fifth Army commanded by Lanczac, the First Army, located on the far right of the German army, was getting farther and farther away from the Second Army, and its formation had stretched to 80 kilometers. At that time, if a force was inserted between the German First Army and the Second Army, it would be able to completely cut off the connection between the First Army and the German right wing. victory.

Joffre remained unmoved and continued to implement his so-called "retreat plan". By September 30th, the First Army was only fifteen kilometers away from Paris, the Eiffel Tower was in sight, and the distance between the First Army and the Second Army Already more than [-] kilometers away, the Sixth Army under the command of Gallieni and the frontline troops of the German army had begun to exchange fire. Joffre finally agreed to Gallieni's counterattack plan.

No, it just agreed to counterattack, and did not agree with Gallieni's plan.

Joffre ordered the Sixth Army to launch a counterattack against the Germans from the south of the Marne, while Gallieni hoped to start a counterattack from the north of the Marne. Counterattacks from the south would weaken the counterattack.

Joffre disagreed with Gallieni's plan and later discovered that Gallieni was right, so Joffre fired Gallieni from his position.

No matter how the French myth Joffre, Joffre's stubbornness had a great impact on the French army.

Joffre has a habit, no matter how tense the situation is, Joffre goes to bed at nine o'clock every night and gets up at five in the morning. During Joffre's rest period, even if Paris falls, Joffre's adjutant cannot wake him up.

Interpreted with a kind attitude, the strict work and rest time shows that Joffre is a person with strong self-control. In 1896, Gallieni served as the French commander-in-chief in Madagascar, and Joffre was Gallieni's subordinate.

Under Gallieni, Joffre came to prominence. In 1911, French Minister of War Messimi hoped that Gallieni would be the commander-in-chief of the French army, but Gallieni thought he was old and recommended Xia Fei to Messimi fly.

After the outbreak of the World War, the French army retreated steadily on the front line, and Joffre was widely questioned. People began to discuss the dismissal of Joffre as commander-in-chief. At this time, Gallieni stood up again and called for giving Joffre enough time. I hope people will be patient.

From this point of view, Gallieni is kind to Xiafei. Even if Gallieni disagrees with Xiafei's battle plan, Xiafei should not dismiss Gallieni, let alone Gallieni's Opinions are the right ones.

Unfortunately, just when Gallieni found the opportunity to attack, Xiafei dismissed Gallieni. It is really hard to understand why Xiafei did this.

"Our dull general is finally ready to counterattack. Poor General Gallieni has suffered an outrageous betrayal. The French command wants us to take the initiative and cut off the link between the first and second armies. What should we do?" What to do?" From the address Frenzi gave to Joffre, it is not difficult to find that Frenzi is dissatisfied with Joffre.

"My supplementary troops have not yet arrived, and it is impossible to launch an attack on the superior German army now." The commander of the First Army, Smith Doring, was indifferent. The commander of the French Fifth Army was Lang Le, who abandoned the British Expeditionary Force in Mons and retreated actively. Zack.

Although Joffre insisted that the French army retreated in a planned and rhythmic way, in fact, Lang Lezac's troops were collapsing. At this time, the British Expeditionary Force took the initiative to attack and would save the Fifth Army from fire and water.

Before Frenzi set off, he was ordered to preserve his strength, so Frenzi carefully protected his "poor little army", and it was impossible to take the initiative to attack.

"The second army can be dispatched—" Haig took the initiative to call for the battle. Dolin's first army suffered heavy losses, and the second army has not yet participated in the battle.

"Are you willing to let your soldiers pay for the stupid French?" Ferenzi firmly disagreed.

"We still have a unit—" Haig finally remembered the 105th Division, which also suffered heavy losses.

"There are only 105 people left in the 1th Division, and it is impossible to complete the task." Frenzi also disagreed. The colonial servant army is also a British army and is the property of the British government.

Haig also stopped talking, and Frenzi, who became stubborn, was also unable to communicate.

"Sir, Your Excellency has boarded the train and will arrive in Dreux later." Frenzi's adjutant hurriedly reported.

"He is the one who preserves our strength, and he is the one who takes the initiative to attack. How far we must do to satisfy the Ministry of War? It is better to let the Minister be the commander-in-chief of the expeditionary force." Ferenzi was furious. Chinner telegraphs Ferenzi asking him to obey Joffre's orders.

This is now and then. Although Kitchener told Ferenzi to preserve his strength before he set off, Kitchener did not expect Germany to attack so violently and France to fight so badly. The Russian Second Army in the direction of Prussia has been completely wiped out, and the First Army is at stake. If the French side is defeated again, only the United Kingdom will have nothing to play with, so just surrender.

"Sir, the French government announced that it will move to Bordeaux—" A staff officer rushed to report. This time, the expressions of Frenzi, Dorling, and Haig all became serious.

During the Franco-Prussian War, the German army also surrounded Paris, but did not invade Paris. Now that the French government has moved its capital, it means that the French government is ready to lose Paris.

"It seems that we have to return to the battlefield. The British Empire cannot afford the price of France's defeat." Smith Doring was the first to react.

"The troops are waiting for your order, Mr. Commander." Haig challenged again.

Ferenzi didn't speak, and sat in the chair for a long time without speaking.

Before dark, Kitchener arrived at Dreux, in his marshal's uniform.

Frenzi's face was ugly. He thought that he, the commander-in-chief of the expeditionary force, was the representative of the British government and the British king. Kitchener came to Frenzi wearing the uniform of a marshal, which was tantamount to an insult to Frenzi. Na should come in civilian clothes.

God can prove that Kitchener really didn't mean that. Before he came, he had just been summoned by the king, and then he boarded a ship and came to France. He didn't even have time to go home and change clothes.

When they came to the headquarters, Kitchener drove everyone out of the house except Frenzi, and communicated with Frenzi alone.

"John, you have to give up your prejudice against the French generals. Now is the most critical moment. The Russian army has suffered a disastrous defeat in East Prussia. The Austro-Hungarian Empire is fighting with Russia and Serbia. Cooperate with the French army to withstand the German attack. We cannot lose French support." Kitchener did not expect that in just one month, he would be forced to break his promise.

"I don't have any more troops, and I can't complete the task of dividing the First Army and the Second Army now." Frenzi's face was gloomy. The British Expeditionary Force only participated in a few battles. Less than 105 people.

"General Martin in Southern Africa has led two divisions to Marseilles, and they will arrive in Paris tomorrow." This is good news, but it is not enough.

"The two divisions in southern Africa are only 3 people. How can they withstand the attack of 40 German troops?" Frenzi was extremely disappointed. The 40 troops were only the first and second armies. The total force is 90 people.

The gap between the German First Army and the Second Army is like a huge bottomless pit. Even if the British Expeditionary Force is filled in, Frenzi feels that the German army is not enough to fill the gap between the teeth.

(End of this chapter)