[{"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-599":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},1335567,1779,"Chapter 599: This Was All the Work of the British","i-became-a-tycoon-during-world-war-i-saving-fran-chapter-599",599,"\u003Cp>One kilometer west of Fort \"Bueno\" in Antwerp, a German unit the size of a battalion was launching an assault on the British supply depot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they advanced, they fired their rifles and shouted to one another in German:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The warehouse ahead belongs to the British—watch the supplies!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We need those supplies! There's a lot of gasoline in there, and we're desperately short of it!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No shelling, no grenades—only fire once you've aimed!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Supplies were a treasure for any army, and Germany—strangled by the Allied blockade—was no exception.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So the Germans chose a cautious assault. Unless absolutely necessary, they didn't fire. Even in close combat, they used rifle butts to knock out British soldiers instead of killing them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The British troops were thrown into total confusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Germans had arrived so quickly it felt like they had burst out of the ground. Suddenly, they were right in front of them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And there were so many—an entire infantry battalion, five to six hundred men.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By contrast, the British side had only one infantry company and one engineering company. The infantry were mainly guards, while the engineers were tasked with clearing snow, maintaining roads, and moving supplies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both companies had already been shredded by German airstrikes and were completely combat ineffective—there was no way they could withstand an assault by a force many times their size.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most crucially, Major Colton, who was in charge of defending the depot, was deeply confused by Lieutenant General Aivis's orders:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Protect the supplies? Even if we have to surrender, don't destroy them?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Does that mean we're supposed to use our bodies to shield the supplies?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Even that might not work—the depot's full of ammo and gasoline. A few grenades could set off a chain explosion or an unstoppable fire!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking up at the sky, where German fighter planes were diving and strafing, Major Colton realized he had only one option.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Retreat!\" he shouted. \"Everyone out of the depot!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under fire from the fighter planes, the British troops retreated in a panic, leaving the fully stocked warehouse untouched for the Germans. Only a few \"laborers\" failed to escape in time and were captured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But those \"laborers\" were surprised to find that the Germans didn't seem interested in taking them prisoner. They confiscated their weapons, barked some orders, and chased them off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What neither the British nor Major Colton knew was that the German pilots above were just as surprised by what they saw below:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Our ground troops already broke through and are behind enemy lines?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And they've captured the depot too? These guys are incredible—well done!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Protect them, brothers. Don't let anyone else get close!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lieutenant General Aivis soon received a call from Major General Eden.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The depot has been captured by the Germans,\" Eden reported grimly. \"They clearly came prepared. Their aircraft are strafing the entire area—no one can get close.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lieutenant General Aivis was devastated. \"No matter the cost, General, we must retake that depot. You know how vital those supplies are!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I understand, General,\" Eden replied. \"I'll do my best.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dunkirk, British Expeditionary Force Headquarters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kitchener had just gotten up and was enjoying breakfast in his private quarters. Today, he planned to visit the Somme River.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was the Expeditionary Force's most critical battlefield. They had to make a breakthrough to establish dominance and intimidate the colonial forces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Haig's stubborn conservatism remained the biggest obstacle. He refused to use massed tank assaults and insisted on traditional infantry and cavalry charges.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I need to go there and take command myself,\" Kitchener muttered, shaking his head slightly as he cut into his steak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, hurried footsteps echoed from outside, and the door burst open.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Field Marshal!\" a staff officer gasped, \"The Germans have launched an attack!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"An attack?\" Kitchener's eyes lit up. \"At the Somme?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That would be great news. He had been frustrated by the German trenches and machine guns—if they were attacking, it might be a chance to break through.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No, sir,\" the officer said, panic in his voice. \"It's Antwerp!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Antwerp?\" Kitchener frowned. That was unexpected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he wasn't too concerned. German forces were tied up at Verdun and the Somme. They shouldn't have much left to launch an offensive in Antwerp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the British had heavily fortified the Antwerp line.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then the officer added, \"We were caught completely off guard. The entire front has collapsed.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kitchener's knife and fork clattered onto the plate. He looked up, stunned: \"What… what did you say?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Our forces have collapsed across the board,\" the officer repeated. \"The German vanguard has reached the fortress line and even penetrated Antwerp, seizing the supply depot.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What? They've taken the supply depot?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The officer continued with more grim news: \"Our sea supply lines were attacked by German submarines. We lost 37 transport ships and destroyers. More than ten others were captured by the Germans—status unknown.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kitchener leapt to his feet and rushed to the wall map, locating the Antwerp line.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was over. He suddenly realized the Germans' strategy—they were trying to break through by cutting off supplies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And it was the British—his own forces—who were right in the middle of that breakthrough, facing Germany's elite troops.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Paris City Hall. As Briand entered the building, he was immediately stopped by Clemenceau.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Emergency, Prime Minister,\" Clemenceau said anxiously. \"The Germans are attacking Antwerp. The situation is dire—the British are in full retreat.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What?\" Briand was stunned. \"The Germans shouldn't have the strength to launch a major assault on Antwerp.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"They don't—only two corps, maybe a hundred thousand men,\" Clemenceau replied. \"But the British…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He shrugged and his sickle-like mustache twitched. The gesture seemed to say: We can't count on them for anything in war.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We're holding an emergency meeting to discuss the situation,\" Clemenceau added, gesturing toward the Chamber of Deputies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the way, Briand couldn't help but ask, \"How bad is it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Very bad,\" Clemenceau sighed. \"The Germans have used submarines to blockade the shipping routes—and they've captured the Antwerp supply depot.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Briand stopped in his tracks, eyes wide with shock. \"You're saying… all the supplies are in German hands?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clemenceau turned and nodded. \"I'm afraid so, Prime Minister.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Briand's face went pale.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just recently, he had coordinated with the British to cut off Charles's supplies and render him combat ineffective.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, the Germans had captured the Antwerp depot and seized control of all the supplies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had they just completely lost control of the situation?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had planned to weaken and control Charles, but it had spiraled into the collapse of the entire defensive line.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clemenceau moved closer, glanced around, and whispered:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We know nothing, Prime Minister.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This… this was all the British.\"\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>",1133,"2026-06-05T20:02:33.312Z",1,"novelbin.me","7ade3d30b43dd8538a97b9fc59fc8813b3911b48af49bcc87b0258d175e59df7","i-became-a-tycoon-during-world-war-i-saving-fran-chapter-600","i-became-a-tycoon-during-world-war-i-saving-fran-chapter-598",622,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fi-became-a-tycoon-during-world-war-i-saving-fran-cover.jpg"]