Chapter 347: Foch's Phone Call
Charles and his 105th Infantry Regiment had been in the French trenches for two days.
This was to avoid losing the hard-won positions in case the Germans suddenly launched a counterattack. Charles believed that caution was required when rotating troops before establishing firm footing. Only after reinforcements arrived and the troops adapted to the new positions could the 105th Infantry Regiment be relieved.
Life in the trenches was worse than imagined.
It was clear that the French had made efforts to build trenches along higher ground, but even trenches that were 2.5 meters deep inevitably leaked water.
In many places, the water could reach thigh-deep. These positions couldn’t accommodate tunnels, as they could collapse at any moment, or the men inside might drown.
There was almost no dry spot in the trenches. Even Charles' command post was flooded up to his ankles, and the sound of military boots squelching on the ground was constant, the mud sticky.
Although it wasn't the rainy season, the water from the melting ice and snow from winter had accumulated and could not be drained, resulting in the current situation.
In a few months, the rainy season would return, and at that time, the water levels and collapses would only worsen. This was the reason Ypres remained perpetually muddy.
It was hard to imagine that such a place, once occupied by the Germans, would soon transform into a supply depot.
Soon enough, Charles understood the reason.
Perhaps to vent their anger, the Germans launched a relentless artillery barrage on the French defenses for over an hour, without stopping for even a second.
This time, Charles felt much better. Beneath the 2.5-meter deep trench were tunnels, which made them feel safer.
Unless a shell directly hit the top of the tunnel and collapsed it, there was little danger. Charles quickly realized that the trench's flooding was not as unbearable as he had first thought.
The Germans attempted several charges after the artillery fire ceased, but they were quickly repelled.
The Germans left behind large numbers of Maxim machine guns and ammunition in the trench.
The 105th Infantry Regiment made use of them, setting up a machine gun every 30 to 50 meters along the line. Except for the sniper units and mortarmen, regular soldiers placed their rifles aside, rushed to the machine guns as soon as the enemy's artillery fire stopped, and then unleashed a hail of bullets upon the advancing Germans.
It was only at this moment that Charles truly understood why World War I devolved into trench warfare, especially in Ypres.
...
More than two hours later, the telephone line to the rear finally went through, at the cost of three signalmen's lives.
To Charles' surprise, the first call was from Foch.
The person who answered the phone was Tigani, who stared at Charles in astonishment. He then lowered his voice and said, "It's for you, Colonel, General Foch of the Northern Army Group."
Charles hesitated for a moment.
Perhaps because Charles' tactical views opposed Foch's, he had always tried to avoid contact with Foch to prevent arguments or even conflicts.
Foch seemed to have an unspoken understanding of this, and they had missed several opportunities to meet for various reasons.
Now, Foch was calling Charles?
Was it something that couldn’t be avoided and had to be faced?
With doubt in his heart, Charles took the phone and identified himself.
Foch did not beat around the bush:
"I know we have our differences, Colonel."
"But our goal is the same, to defeat the enemy and recover the land of France."
"Our differences are only in methods, which is not a big issue. What do you think?"
Charles immediately felt more at ease. He liked this straightforward way of resolving things, putting the issue on the table.
"Of course, General," Charles replied. "I wholeheartedly agree!"
Foch spoke plainly, sharing his thoughts:
"Sometimes I question the correctness of the 'offensive theory,' but we cannot deny that most victories have been won through offense, including your battles."
"Indeed, what you say makes more sense—some battles require defense, and others require offense."
"But doesn’t this statement cover all cases? It’s essentially saying nothing!"
"We need a definite tactic, one that can guide the entire army to victory, not vague and meaningless statements."
In Foch's eyes, Charles' tactical theory lacked substance.
Even Petain's "defense theory" had a clear direction, whereas Charles' tactical theory seemed to be a "universal solution" to everything.
Foch then added:
"In fact, if it weren’t for your repeated miraculous victories, I would never have discussed this with you."
"It’s not that I look down on you, but I simply find it meaningless."
Charles replied calmly, "I understand, General. But what if the facts are as they are?"
Foch asked, "What facts?"
Charles explained, "The facts of the battlefield, which cannot be determined by a simple, definite, black-and-white tactic."
Foch laughed, "Is that so? No, I don't think so. There must be a pattern to follow."
"Can I ask a question, General?" Charles inquired.
"Of course," Foch answered patiently, without any arrogance, despite the difference in their ranks.
Perhaps it was because of Charles' outstanding performance on the battlefield that Foch felt compelled to take him seriously.
A few explosions rang out overhead, and after the artillery fire subsided, Charles continued in a measured tone:
"Suppose you are a teacher with 40 or 50 students, or even more."
"Could you teach them all effectively using a simple, certain, and singular method?"
"If so, wouldn’t this method be replicable worldwide, and you could write it down for all teachers to follow?"
Foch was taken aback.
Having spent years as a professor at the Saint-Cyr Military Academy, teaching military history and strategy, and later serving as the academy's director, Foch was well aware that education is an uncertain and non-replicable process.
This was because the students, being human, had different personalities and thoughts. They would react differently to the same lesson.
The difficulty of teaching lay in the fact that teachers had to tailor their methods to suit each student’s character.
Foch seemed to understand Charles’ point: "You mean that military theory, like education, must adapt to different situations?"
"Exactly," Charles replied. "Because the ones fighting on the battlefield are people, not simple wars."
There was silence on the other end of the phone for a long time, as Foch seemed deep in thought.
Charles went on:
"Let us assume that the entire French army adopts your 'offensive theory.'"
"And the German commander on the other side knows this, so he can predict what our next move will be."
"Under these circumstances, do you still think we can achieve victory?"
Foch suddenly felt that perhaps Charles was the one who was right.
Because Petain’s "defense theory" had the same problem—once adopted by the entire army, the enemy would be able to predict the next step of the French forces!