Even during the World War, the upper class in Paris still had all kinds of extravagances, such as foie gras, truffles, caviar and other high-end ingredients, which Roque rarely saw in southern Africa.
Of course, eating is definitely not the theme. Everyone’s topic is inseparable from the ongoing world war. Now more and more people are beginning to use "world war" to describe this war. Their understanding of world war is getting deeper and deeper.
Fei and Frenzi were forced by the war situation and gradually accepted the reality that the world war could not end in a short time.
At this time, southern Africa's industrial capabilities become increasingly important.
"Modern warfare is no longer the inherent war model of the past. The victory of local battles cannot influence the overall direction of the war. Our mobilization capabilities are completely different from before. In the past, a unit would collapse if it lost one tenth of the force. Now,
As long as the army has a steady stream of support, it can persist, so this will definitely be a protracted war. The war will not end until one party completely admits defeat, and we all know what it means for a country to completely admit defeat -
"Roque was undoubtedly the center of the banquet. Joffre and French listened carefully. Whether they meant it from the bottom of their hearts or not, at least on the surface, they wanted to respect Roque, the minister of war in southern Africa.
In the state of general mobilization, everything related to the war falls within the scope of the Minister of War. In some respects, the Minister of War is equivalent to, or even replaces, the head of state.
"On the surface, it seems that we have now invaded Belgium, and the battlefield situation is favorable to us, but in fact, Germany's war potential has not been fully exploited. They still have many young people suitable to join the army, they also have strong industrial strength, and they also occupy the Al
Alsace and Lorraine, we'd better be prepared for the war to last for several years, blockade Germany's coastline, prevent Germany from receiving overseas support, gradually consume the strength of the German army, let Germany continue to bleed, and at the same time attack Alsace and Lorraine.
Launching an offensive so that Germany cannot obtain enough mineral resources, this process may last for several years, and it will also be very difficult for us. We must be mentally prepared-" Rock was talking eloquently in a gorgeous marshal uniform, and he
I don't care whether French will be angry or not, Roque is the marshal of the Southern African Expeditionary Force, not the marshal of the British Expeditionary Force.
Alsace and Lorraine have 14% of factories, 67% of steel plants, 90% of iron mines, 40% of sugar factories, and coal, textile and chemical production bases in France. Therefore, Alsace and Lorraine will always be a pain in the heart of France.
, if Alsace and Lorraine are not taken back, even if Germany's coastline is blocked, Germany will still have strong industrial capabilities.
"Joseph, what do you think?" Roque said very well, but Poincaré still believed in Joffre more.
"Our current main attack direction is Belgium. The main task in the direction of Alsace and Lorraine is defense. Allocating troops is not an easy task. We know that Alsace and Lorraine are important, and the Germans also know it."
Fei didn't talk much, and he was already giving the president a lot of face. If it were anyone else, Xia Fei wouldn't even bother to respond.
"Continuing to launch attacks on Belgium will also consume the strength of the Germans. The Germans have built strong fortresses in Alsace and Lorraine. If we launch an offensive forcefully, we will definitely suffer heavy losses." French also disapproved of Roque.
The suggestion is that compared with Alsace-Lorraine, Belgium is indeed very easy to achieve a breakthrough.
"If we can't recapture Alsace and Lorraine in a short time, then we'd better not launch a large-scale counterattack against the German army. Now that we have repelled the German army's attack, the German army has begun to enter a defensive state. At this time we launch a large-scale counterattack
Counterattack will only cause irreparable losses. We must also stabilize the defense line, build more forts and fortifications, use forts and fortifications to protect the soldiers, produce more artillery with larger caliber and longer range, and use artillery to consume
The lives of German soldiers." Rock is not in a hurry. Even if the British and French forces do not accept Rock's suggestion, Rock is not in a hurry. Rock is already mentally prepared.
The current Anglo-French coalition forces are probably unable to accept any suggestions other than attack. The French generals have always had the leading idea of using offense instead of defense, attacking and attacking again. As for how many casualties a blind attack will cause, the French generals
Don't care about this.
In an environment where offense replaced everything, what the British Expeditionary Force could do was actually extremely limited. The French army during this period was still very powerful. Before the British mobilized enough troops to come to France to participate in the war, the British Expeditionary Force had internal discourse within the British-French coalition.
Insufficient power, and the same goes for adding Rock.
What's more, Frenchi's opinions are inconsistent with Roque's.
"How can we win the final victory if we don't attack?" The French generals were still digesting Roque's suggestion and did not rush to refute it. Haig couldn't hold it in anymore.
"So how to attack? Do we have enough troops? Do we have enough artillery? Can our logistics support millions of troops fighting for a long time far away from the logistics base? With nothing, how can we attack? The soldiers'
Life is also life. If we have to sacrifice a generation, even if we win the final victory, we will lose the future. What is the meaning of such a victory?" Roque can be rational with Joffre or Frenzi, but he is seriously lacking in Haig.
patience.
Before the outbreak of the world war, when Haig was the chief arms purchase officer, the relationship with Rock was not very harmonious. Rock recruited other members of the arms procurement team and reluctantly signed the final arms purchase contract.
Haig's current military rank is lieutenant general, and Roque's military rank is marshal. According to the internal hierarchy system of the British army, when Roque and Joffre Frenzi were talking, Haig was not even qualified to interrupt. Smith Doug
Lin and Gallieni did a great job, they were very quiet.
"Even if we pay the price of a generation, as long as we defeat the Germans, it will be worth it." A butcher is worthy of being a butcher, and such cold-blooded words can only be said by Haig.
"If we lose a generation, then the Germans will also lose a generation." Haig is not the only butcher in this era. Jiafei also thinks so. It is not an exaggeration to say that one general can cause thousands of bones to wither.
"As long as Germany is defeated, any price is worth it -" Ferenczi also agreed that this was a worse era. Losing a generation but winning the victory was indeed a bit miserable, but losing a generation and losing the war at the same time was
Really sucks.
The words did not make sense, Roque also left the banquet after Po Ngalay.
In the car returning to the headquarters, Chief of Staff Paul Coker looked solemn.
"It seems that we face more difficulties than we imagined." Paul Coker cooperated well with Roque in Egypt, so Roque also wore Paul Coker this time. Now Paul Coker
Kerr's military rank is already lieutenant general, and his promotion has been rapid.
However, this situation was normal during the war. In Flanders, the British, French and Belgian forces were fighting against the German army. Many young lieutenants became battalion commanders in a blink of an eye. Since the outbreak of the world war, France’s losses aside, the British expedition
The army has paid a huge price. According to statistics from the Ministry of War, in the first two months of the outbreak of the world war, Britain lost 66 hereditary nobles with baronet or above titles, 95 sons of hereditary nobles, 16 barons, and 82
a baron's son, and six knights.
"It's normal. London wants to sacrifice more French people to consume the German army. France wants the British to send more expeditionary forces. The British Expeditionary Force wants our troops in southern Africa to be used as cannon fodder. We are at the bottom of the food chain, but we also have advantages. We can
Free time to participate in the battle, or the way to participate in the battle." Rock was mentally prepared. The so-called coalition forces were originally at odds with each other, and now with the addition of the Belgian army and the southern African army, the entangled interests are complicated, and everyone will have more.
Consider your own interests.
"Freedom?" Paul Coker still doesn't know what Rock's plan is.
"Yes, freedom, next we have to integrate the resources in our hands. I heard that our field hospitals can't even treat our own wounded soldiers. This is ridiculous. We can provide help to the field hospitals of the British and French coalition forces, but
We must take full control of the field hospital we set up in our own hands, and in Flanders, I heard that our soldiers are attacking the German positions through chest-deep water. This is even more ridiculous and a waste of soldiers' time.
Precious life is shameful!" Roque planned to go to Flanders in a few days to understand the situation first, and then decide on the next step for the Southern African Expeditionary Force to cooperate with the British and French forces.
"No, no, no, Lord, you can't go to Flanders. Flanders is the front line. You know my mission." Sidney Milner firmly opposed it. It was Sidney Milner who refused to let Roque go to the front line.
Na’s only mission.
"Haha——" Luo Ke will not be able to get first-hand information without going to the front line in person.
Of course, Rock will definitely not go to the forward position. The so-called front line is also different. Even if he goes to Flanders, the rear position is still very safe.
The next day, Rock went to the field hospital in the suburbs of Paris first. After only treating military officers, the situation in the field hospital had improved. Teachers and students from the Johannesburg Medical College and the Nyasaland University Medical School had also started working. There was a shortage of doctors.
The situation was greatly alleviated.
However, there are still many problems. The war has been going on for more than two months, and the field hospital is still built in the wilderness. Doctors, nurses, and the wounded all live in tents. This situation is unacceptable to Rock, let alone these doctors and nurses.
Nurses are precious in southern Africa, and living in tents is not conducive to recovery.
"We have repeatedly proposed to build a real field hospital, but neither the headquarters nor the French government responded. The French generals seem to think that the war will not last too long and there is no need to build a field hospital." The team came to France.
Health Minister Derek Gibson is very helpless. The future medical power in southern Africa is in France. It makes no sense for him, the health minister, to stay in southern Africa.