[{"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-560":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},1335528,1779,"Chapter 560 560: The Somme Breakthrough","i-became-a-tycoon-during-world-war-i-saving-fran-chapter-560",560,"\u003Cp>Upon hearing that \"Charles has launched a counterattack\", Lieutenant General Avis chuckled softly, his eyes filled with mockery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Still only 18… In the face of a grand operation, he can't maintain composure.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Prompted by Avis's statement, the members of Parliament naturally recalled the recent argument that Charles lacked experience in commanding large-scale, head-on engagements.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They began nodding in agreement:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why would he attack now? Isn't organizing a strong defense the obvious move?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The frontline soldiers specifically requested a defensive posture. Charles is doing the exact opposite! This could cause another mutiny!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Germans managed to kill or wound 100,000 British troops in one day just by defending. Charles missed a perfect opportunity. Now he's gambling everything!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gallieni didn't believe Charles would recklessly order a counterattack. If he did, it had to be a well-prepared one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stood up and raised his voice to the chamber:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why don't we give Charles a little time? Perhaps this isn't what you think…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But his words were quickly drowned out by a flood of protest:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We don't have time, Minister. These already unstable troops might collapse entirely under this!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This is clearly a mistake. We must stop Charles immediately.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes! Transfer command to General Haig. Let him unify the front!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Steed and Wells exchanged glances and smiled faintly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They knew Charles was prepared—and thoroughly so. They didn't know the details of his plan, but they had full faith in him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Southern Bank of the Somme – French Frontlines\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Charles's counterattack had officially begun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had spent the past few days making quiet preparations. Secretly, he had transferred one rocket artillery regiment from Tijani's command to the Somme.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, he had only moved the personnel, not the rocket launchers themselves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Charles feared that any large-scale redeployment might alert the Germans and cause them to cancel or delay their offensive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Simultaneously, Charles had arranged—via Wells—for a batch of landing craft and amphibious vessels to be delivered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Twelve of these landing craft had been modified, each fitted with ten rocket launchers. Another twelve larger craft were capable of carrying one Char A1 tank each.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bourbon Palace – Projection Room\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Avis had his aide project a map of the Somme on the screen behind the stage. Holding a pointer, he presented his \"analysis\" confidently:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The German defenses along the Somme are incredibly tight. One might even say impenetrable.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The enormous losses suffered by the British and French were not the result of poor tactics, but of the terrain itself.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Even if Charles is in command, it won't change the outcome. The battlefield environment is the deciding factor here.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First Special Artillery Division HQ – Somme\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Charles pointed at the map, looking at the winding path of the Somme River. He spoke to Christine, who was leading the main offensive:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Everyone has overlooked something: the Somme flows from west to east—straight into the German rear.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Christine's eyes lit up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yes. The river could be used as a breakthrough corridor, and a fast one at that. Why hadn't he thought of that?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But then his expression darkened:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"General, isn't this too risky?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Germans have artillery positions on both banks. If they detect our move…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If spotted, the German artillery would unleash a crossfire barrage, turning the river into a death trap and annihilating the insertion force in moments.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Charles was calm:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We wait until the Germans begin their assault.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Christine blinked, then suddenly understood:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"They'll begin with a preparatory artillery barrage, likely before dawn.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The darkness and the noise will conceal our movement.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Charles added one more point:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And they'll expose their artillery positions in the process.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Christine lit up with excitement:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Of course! While their gunners are busy pounding our lines, they won't even realize we're landing right behind them! We'll hit their artillery first!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bourbon Palace – Parliament Chamber\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Avis continued his performance with practiced sorrow, sighing deeply as he tapped the map again:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We can easily predict this will be another massacre.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And worse—it's still dark. That's a major disadvantage for the attackers.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Germans need only fire a few flares to light the battlefield. Then they'll mow down our men as they crawl through mud, shell holes, and barbed wire.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>MPs were incensed. They began attacking Charles again with fury:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This is murder. He has no idea what he's doing!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He's going to get everyone killed. We must stop him!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We need to act before it's too late!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Southern Bank of the Somme\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the Germans began their artillery preparation at 5 a.m., the concealed French insertion force moved into action.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One by one, landing craft were rolled down specially prepared ramps to the water's edge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tank units were guided onto the ships with practiced precision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And at the helm of this makeshift flotilla stood none other than the bearded lieutenant—the former mutiny representative.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Originally, this task should've gone to Tijani. He had naval training and had led amphibious assaults before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Charles needed Tijani to remain at Namur as a stabilizing figure. Bringing him to the Somme would've been too obvious—practically an announcement to the Germans that something was up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So Charles searched the ranks for a replacement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To his surprise, there were several ex-naval men among his troops. One of them was the bearded man—who now introduced himself as…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Darlan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Darlan?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The future Admiral of France? Charles was stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And he had been one of the mutiny's representatives?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(Note: François Darlan was a French naval officer who became a Marshal of France and high-ranking Vichy government official. During WWI, though trained as a naval artillery officer, he was assigned to land combat roles, notably at Verdun.)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe, Charles thought, it was because Nivelle had reassigned forces meant for Verdun to the Somme. That would explain Darlan's presence here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But…\" Charles looked at him, puzzled. \"Why were you—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"—one of the mutiny leaders?\" Darlan finished for him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes,\" Charles nodded. A man destined to become Admiral of the Fleet, likely of aristocratic background—why would he have led a mutiny?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Darlan answered seriously:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Because I thought I was going to die, General.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Like the others, I didn't want to die for nothing.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He then looked at Charles, eyes sincere:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But thankfully, that didn't happen.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Charles nodded. He understood perfectly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he asked one more question:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But what if this battle does mean something? You may not come back.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Darlan stood tall and answered without hesitation:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I trust you, General. Give the order—I'll prove my courage with action.\"\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>",1104,"2026-06-05T20:02:33.312Z",1,"novelbin.me","bf5ccdaf7d8a9acbb41b65c2de10834c481043d7daf9f0d441a3fa0005023436","i-became-a-tycoon-during-world-war-i-saving-fran-chapter-561","i-became-a-tycoon-during-world-war-i-saving-fran-chapter-559",622,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fi-became-a-tycoon-during-world-war-i-saving-fran-cover.jpg"]