[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-i-became-a-tycoon-during-world-war-i-saving-fran":3,"chapter-i-became-a-tycoon-during-world-war-i-saving-fran-i-became-a-tycoon-during-world-war-i-saving-fran-chapter-558":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","I Became a Tycoon During World War I: Saving France from the Start",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1335526,1779,"Chapter 558 558: Learning the Truth at the Lowest Cost","i-became-a-tycoon-during-world-war-i-saving-fran-chapter-558",558,"\u003Cp>In the dead of night, Wilhelmstraße in Berlin was pitch black—except for one building, where lights still blazed: the German General Staff Headquarters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ever since the Somme offensive began, those lights had never gone out. Staff officers rotated in shifts, tirelessly monitoring and directing the front.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For Germany, the Battle of the Somme had been a clear-cut victory. They had traded a few square kilometers of defensive lines for the lives of hundreds of thousands of Allied troops. Their own casualties were less than half of their enemies'.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Kaiser Wilhelm II was astonished:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We originally intended to bleed France dry at Verdun—yet it was at the Somme that we truly succeeded. And it wasn't just the French—even the British were included.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Unbelievable. Why did they attack our strongest defensive position at the Somme instead of somewhere weaker?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Was it only because we attacked Verdun?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Verdun had been France's strongest defensive stronghold. The Entente had responded with a \"symmetric counterattack.\" But the difference was, Joffre had largely abandoned the fortifications at Verdun, leaving it more symbolic than real.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, the Germans had entrenched themselves deeply at the Somme.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If not for Charles's surprise assault on Namur—which had worsened Germany's position in Belgium—recent German performance would have been nearly flawless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>General Falkenhayn had barely slept for several days, directing operations non-stop. He had finally collapsed into a rest chair for some much-needed sleep.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the moment he closed his eyes, a knock came at the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Falkenhayn jolted awake, confused and disoriented.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"General, urgent intel from the front—it concerns Charles,\" came the voice of Colonel Moritz from outside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Charles?\" Falkenhayn stumbled out of bed, pulling on his boots and rushing to the door. \"Has he launched another attack?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Charles was the only person who made him uneasy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No, General,\" said Colonel Moritz. \"Charles has been reassigned to the Somme. He's now commanding France's Sixth Army Group.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What?\" Falkenhayn froze. Then he hurried to the operations desk, eyes darting to the Somme on the map. \"And Belgium? What about his troops there—have they been moved too?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Unclear,\" Moritz admitted, handing him a telegram. \"But I believe this is the message you really need to see.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Falkenhayn scanned it. His face twisted from disbelief to elation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Is this real? A massive mutiny in the French Army? Including the Sixth Army Group at the Somme?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I believe it is,\" Moritz confirmed. \"Nivelle has been dismissed. No replacement has been announced yet. French command is in chaos.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Of course,\" Falkenhayn muttered, pacing with rising excitement. \"That's why they put Charles there—he's the only one who might stabilize the front.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he cursed himself: \"Damn it, we should've acted sooner. He's already been there several days!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Intelligence always lagged behind reality. That was inevitable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But then Falkenhayn paused, frowning at the map in thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moritz noticed. \"You're thinking this might be another trap, aren't you, General?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Falkenhayn nodded slowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It's too obvious, isn't it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What if Charles wants us to attack?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Anglo-French offensive at the Somme cost them dearly. And we've held firm with a defensive posture, giving them no opening.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moritz agreed. \"Charles is too clever. Everything we see—everything we think we know—could be fabricated.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ever since Charles had tricked him over fuel logistics, Moritz had developed something of a trauma.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Falkenhayn clenched his brow. It was a difficult choice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the mutiny was real, then this was the perfect moment to launch a counteroffensive—possibly even a decisive one that could end the war on the Western Front.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But if it was a ruse… a full-scale attack could turn into a disaster, resulting in massive losses the Germans simply couldn't replace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Germany was stretched thin. Another major defeat might collapse the entire line.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He sighed deeply, torn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Which path to choose?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"General,\" said Moritz carefully, \"why not make the Somme our test ground?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Our test ground?\" Falkenhayn looked at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he understood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Launch a limited offensive at the Somme. Use the smallest price to learn the truth?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Exactly,\" Moritz said. \"We can prepare for attacks elsewhere. Once we know for sure, we act accordingly.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Falkenhayn nodded slowly, thought for a moment, and issued the order:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Send instructions to General von Below—prepare for a counterattack immediately!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(Note: The German Second Army, tasked with defending the Somme, was commanded by General Fritz von Below.)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>5 a.m. Somme Battlefield\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An hour before dawn, the battlefield was oddly quiet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Heavy winds and rain swept the trenches, as if nature itself was trying to wash away the blood and corpses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>French troops had not slept at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike the well-prepared German trenches, the French ones were poorly engineered. The Germans had anticipated the rainy season and dug drainage ditches. Even their deep underground shelters rarely flooded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the Allied trenches—especially the French and British—were a mess. Waterlogging was common. Sometimes heavy rain would flood entire tunnels, drowning soldiers who didn't escape in time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That night, French troops had spent hours bailing water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Luckily, they now had metal helmets. Back when they only had red cloth caps, they didn't even have a decent scoop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Captain Jérémy was among those bailing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He coordinated his men while shaking his head and sighing. \"Those lazy bastards… just because they didn't dig drainage properly, we lost another batch of precious supplies.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were referring to Charles's latest shipment—resources bought at high prices from his own pocket.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Much of it had just arrived and been distributed—flour, blankets, bread, and winter clothes—now ruined by water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jérémy looked toward the German lines through the rain. Surely they wouldn't attack in weather like this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But just then, several red signal flares arced into the sky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, in a flash, the thunderous roar of German artillery shattered the silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Prepare for battle!\" Jérémy shouted, yanking his helmet into place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was pre-assault bombardment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Jérémy knew at once—something was very wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Germans knew something. They were launching their attack!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Read 30 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com\u002FFranklin1\u003C\u002Fp>",1008,"2026-06-05T20:02:33.312Z",1,"novelbin.me","d0a31f6bb65e234dbf95cdae5c15f75c95e46a913d0b56d6abfe1441d6cd8493","i-became-a-tycoon-during-world-war-i-saving-fran-chapter-559","i-became-a-tycoon-during-world-war-i-saving-fran-chapter-557",622,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fi-became-a-tycoon-during-world-war-i-saving-fran-cover.jpg"]