Chapter 527: "Whippet Tank"
In terms of public opinion about the Battle of the Somme, Charles did not intervene too much.
Charles felt it unnecessary to interfere; some things could not be hidden, and the Battle of the Somme was one of them.
Too many people knew about the battle. Too many soldiers had perished on the battlefield, and too many others were wounded but survived.
If they wanted to cover up the matter, what needed to be done was not to eliminate all those who knew, but to resurrect those who had fallen on the battlefield.
...
The German Berliner Zeitung reported extensively on the recent battles:
"The enemy has gone mad. They recklessly charged at our guns and positions, showing no regard for their lives."
"In just one day, we have killed or wounded at least one hundred thousand of them—one hundred thousand!"
"If this continues, all their soldiers will die under our guns. Is this not victory being handed to us on a silver platter?"
The Germans were always able to grasp the essence of the war's direction, but they couldn't understand the radical approach of the Entente.
What was even harder for them to comprehend was the fact that the enemy was clearly marching to their death yet continued to launch meaningless attacks day after day...
...
German newspapers and public opinion did not matter much, as they were from an enemy country, and their statements could always be dismissed as "false information spread to undermine morale."
However, a few days later, the casualty notices began to flood households like snowflakes, in both Britain and France.
French families seemed to be accustomed to it, even unsure whether their loved ones had fallen at Verdun or the Somme.
But in Britain, they were certain it was the Somme, as the British Army was only fighting in that one location.
Naturally, people began to wonder:
"Weren't we told we were winning at the Somme? Why are so many dying?"
"And they all died within just a few days. That means they must have fallen recently!"
"What happened? Why is this happening?"
...
If this were just among the common folk, it might eventually fade away because no one would bother calculating the number of casualties.
But among the many were aristocratic sons. The casualties among the students from Eton College were as high as 40%.
European aristocrats were often closely related, and even if they weren’t relatives, they frequently exchanged visits, even with those from enemy countries.
So, while Haig was still at the front trying to suppress everything under the pretense of "military secrecy," he had no idea that the House of Lords was already in an uproar:
"They have concealed the truth. The reality is our attacks are making no progress, and our soldiers are falling in waves, charging at enemy positions!"
"And our children—many of us have lost our heirs. I believe they intentionally ordered the aristocratic youths to be sent to the front lines!"
...
The situation turned to a scandal, threatening to split the aristocracy from the military.
In the end, it was Kitchener who hurried back to Britain to explain the situation, which gradually calmed things down.
But the news slowly reached France.
French media outlets began to question, one after another:
"If they are truly winning, why have so many days passed without any reports of victories?"
"Like capturing towns or high ground?"
"Normally, they would boast about even the smallest victory, but now, there’s nothing. This is abnormal!"
...
To the north of the Somme, at the British command post, Haig was staring at the map, overwhelmed by the casualty reports piling up in front of him.
For several days, he had sent the twenty or so divisions under his command into battle, and even the three cavalry divisions suffered heavy losses, yet they couldn't budge the enemy’s positions.
The German defenses, reinforced with machine guns, were as impenetrable as iron.
The battlefield was littered with the corpses of soldiers and horses, beginning to rot and stink, but there was no way to clear them.
Haig had hoped to do as he had before: wave a white flag and ask the Germans for a temporary ceasefire so both sides could clear the bodies.
But the Germans responded loudly over their loudspeakers:
"Sorry, it’s not that we don’t want to, we can’t stand the smell either."
"But we must correct one thing: there are only your corpses here, none of ours."
"Also, we’ve planted landmines in the area. We’re not even sure where they are. If you’re not concerned about that, we have no objections!"
Haig was speechless.
Landmines?
The landmines that Charles had invented for the defense at Verdun?
Now the Germans were using them in the Battle of the Somme?
I said it all along—Charles should never have invented those things. Didn’t he realize the enemy would also use them against us? He should have kept the war at the level of infantry and cavalry charges. He’s ruined everything!
At this moment, a staff officer handed Haig a telegram from Kitchener.
"They know," the telegram conveyed a sense of helplessness.
Haig understood what this meant. He sighed and sent a reply:
"Just a few more days, just a few more days, and we will secure victory. Then everything will make sense!"
Nothing cannot be erased by victory. When the time comes, Haig could confidently tell them: all the sacrifices were worth it. We have seized the pulse of the war. They are a group of admirable individuals, and we will always remember their sacrifices and contributions!
A few words would be enough to make people forget the horrifying casualty numbers.
However, Kitchener didn’t believe Haig could do it.
"Are you sure?" Kitchener’s reply was simple.
"Yes," Haig replied confidently. "The Germans are collapsing. It’s just a matter of who can hold out until the end. We cannot give up!"
In truth, Haig was not so sure. He was hoping for a miracle.
"Forget it, Douglas," Kitchener said. "We have tanks. I think you should use them."
The British indeed had tanks. Inspired by Charles’s tanks, they had developed their own "Whippet Tank."
Haig hesitated for a moment.
Using the tanks would be an admission that his theory was wrong, and even if they won, he would not be able to outdo Charles.
Then, another telegram from Kitchener arrived:
"I know what you’re thinking. None of it matters. The only thing that matters is victory, Douglas. Otherwise, we will all be held accountable!"
The words were light, but the tone was heavy—"accountable" meant being removed from office.
Only then did Haig realize the seriousness of the situation. Competing with Charles and saving face were no longer important.
Moreover, these were the British tanks, not Charles’s!
But could tanks truly save this war?
Regarding the so-called "chivalric spirit" and "aristocrats saving the country" commonly associated with British nobles in World War I, this view is inaccurate. European tradition held that the aristocracy monopolized education and the right to wage war, with a few dozen knights making up a state that exploited hundreds of thousands of uneducated peasants who had no weapons and didn’t know how to fight.
For the British aristocracy, war had another meaning: it was about power and riches. Only by actively participating in war could they hope to occupy the upper echelons of the state and decide the fate of the lower classes.
The advent of firearms made it possible for an uneducated peasant to easily kill a well-educated, well-equipped aristocratic knight, marking the end of the aristocracy's model of rule.
World War I was, in a sense, the aristocracy’s last desperate struggle for a comeback.