Chapter 235: The Decimation Order
Gallieni picked up the phone and dialed Joffre:
"Yes, General. They will faithfully carry out your orders!"
"However, we all agree that it would be more fitting for you to deliver the speech yourself, as you are the Commander-in-Chief of France."
"No, that's not an issue at all. Our reporters already have your photograph, so with your permission, we can print both your words and your picture in the newspaper."
"Yes, you don't need to come to Paris in person!"
"Charles can also make a statement, but our reporters believe…"
Gallieni glanced at Cobalt, who was standing nearby, then continued:
"Our reporters think it wouldn't be appropriate for both of you to be on the front page together."
"It might give people the mistaken impression that Charles, a mere colonel, holds equal importance to the Commander-in-Chief."
"Perhaps Charles's statement could appear the next day."
…
Joffre slammed the phone down, fuming. He had indeed intended to use this opportunity to diminish Charles's influence in the military. Charles's growing popularity was causing Joffre serious concern.
At this point, the military had largely abandoned the "Saint-Chamond" and CA-1 tanks in favor of Charles's "Charles A1" tank. Officially, they hadn't completely scrapped the other models; instead, they had reassigned them as auxiliary vehicles for tasks like transporting troops and supplies. Even though everyone knew that simple tractors performed these functions better than the other tanks, it gave the CA-1 and Saint-Chamond at least some purpose.
Yet, the "Charles A1" continued to dominate on the front lines, securing victory after victory. Soldiers trusted it implicitly, and whenever a unit received one of Charles's tanks, morale would soar. In contrast, if a unit was equipped with the Saint-Chamond or CA-1, soldiers felt as if they'd been assigned to a suicide mission.
This didn't bode well for Joffre, who had championed the Saint-Chamond. Not long ago, he'd praised its strength, declaring it unbeatable… only to find it struggling against battlefield debris and craters, while Charles's tanks took command. Charles's success was beginning to undermine Joffre's authority.
Joffre felt that if things continued in this way, the troops would be more inclined to follow Charles's commands than those of him, the French Commander-in-Chief. The soldiers on the front cared little for rank or politics—they just wanted to follow the leader who could win battles and save their lives.
Then, word of the ceasefire reached Joffre: the front had gone silent, and his command was effectively ignored. Joffre's first thought was that this had to be Charles's doing. Perhaps he was using the Honors Gazette and his rapport with the troops to sideline Joffre himself.
But a quick investigation revealed that the Gazette had published nothing unusual.
An hour later, Canet reported back from the front: "General, it's likely because of Christmas. Both sides seem tired of the fighting, so…"
"We can't let this continue." Joffre cut Canet off, his voice firm. "The Germans are still on French soil. If our troops start defying orders to fight, they'll lose the will to advance. And if this goes on, we are bound for defeat!"
"But…" Canet hesitated. "No one will respond to our orders. We can command the officers, but their orders are not being carried out."
Joffre hesitated, then said, "Perhaps we can use Charles."
This was why Gallieni had pulled Charles from his Christmas dinner and summoned him back to headquarters. Joffre had envisioned two possible outcomes: if Charles could rally the troops, then the French army would be back on track. If he failed, it would damage both Charles and the Honors Gazette.
Either way, Joffre had nothing to lose.
Unexpectedly, Gallieni had deftly sidestepped the trap, tossing the ball back into Joffre's court.
Joffre scowled, sinking into his chair. Using his own name to call on the troops might backfire—if it succeeded, the Gazette would share in the glory, but if it failed, it would humiliate him as Commander-in-Chief. Yet, he couldn't reject the idea. Would he admit that a mere colonel had more influence than him?
Canet noticed Joffre's displeasure and suggested cautiously, "Perhaps, General, we could send troops to the front to inspect the units, pushing them to resume combat."
"No!" Joffre's face was stony as he pointed to Ypres on the map. His voice was low and cold: "This is where it began. Send the gendarmerie, and if the soldiers refuse to follow orders, implement the decimation order."
(Note: Under the Third French Republic, the gendarmerie was divided into infantry and cavalry. The decimation order originated with the Roman Republic, where every tenth soldier in disobedient units was executed. In France, the process was "kinder": soldiers elected the condemned from among their own, though the practice was seldom invoked. See Paths of Glory, a film banned in France.)
Canet froze, staring at Joffre in disbelief.
Joffre reiterated, his voice harder, "Execute the order."
"Yes, General." Canet saluted, and, visibly shaken, turned to carry out the orders.
…
When Gallieni received the news at Paris Defense Command, he was at a loss for words. France indeed had such a protocol, designed to instill fear in those who dared to defy orders. However, it was rarely used, reserved for moments of dire urgency with severe consequences.
To Gallieni, this situation hardly qualified. The so-called "defiance" of the front-line units hadn't led to any disaster; they were simply trying to observe Christmas.
Charles, upon hearing of the order, was equally stunned. He hadn't imagined that France still had such a brutal protocol, or that soldiers would be ordered to "elect" members of their own unit for execution.
"They believe this will sustain morale and fighting spirit!" Major Fernand said bitterly. "They don't care—it's not them who'll be dying!"
Charles thought for a moment and then turned to Gallieni. "General, I happen to have purchased a shipment of turkeys as Christmas gifts. I'd like permission to deliver them to the front and offer some words of encouragement."
Gallieni understood that this was just a pretext. But he didn't stop Charles; he only warned, "It may be dangerous…"
Charles grinned. "The front is already under a truce, General. There's no danger. In fact, we're hoping for that 'danger'!"
Gallieni hesitated, then nodded. "Very well. The day of reckoning will come."
(End of Chapter)
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