Chapter 323: A Battle of Public Opinion
The Battle of Bolayir concluded with the complete defeat of the Ottoman forces at Point "A." The French army secured control of the point, finally establishing a vital foothold on Gallipoli with precious space for further reinforcements.
With a French foothold at Point "A," the supply lines of the Gallipoli Peninsula were effectively severed. Once the French could transport their 75mm guns ashore, it would become nearly impossible for the Ottomans to continue resupplying from their eastern strongholds, even by relying on manpower rather than roads.
Defending Gallipoli had now become an almost insurmountable task for the Ottoman army. Consequently, under the command of General Sanders, the Ottomans began a full-scale retreat from the peninsula, falling back to a new defensive line east of Bolayir to continue their standoff with the Allies.
As the French consolidated their hold on Point "A," Charles watched columns of Ottoman prisoners who hadn't managed to escape. Tattered and weary, they were led past the French soldiers, their eyes dark with resentment. The victory at Point "A" had yielded over 7,000 prisoners from both regular forces and militias, with thousands more captured across other points of the front—over 21,000 prisoners in total.
Yet Charles understood that victory on Gallipoli didn't mean an end to the battle for the Dardanelles. The other side of the strait remained under Ottoman control, allowing them to use mines and submarines to prevent the Allies from reaching the Sea of Marmara. Their capacity to deploy such defenses would only grow, extending even into the Sea of Marmara itself.
Meanwhile, many Ottoman forces remained hidden in the mountain ranges and forests of Gallipoli, continuing a guerilla-style resistance against the Allies. The recent victories were only the beginning, and the path forward was still fraught with challenges.
At times, Charles found it baffling that Britain's First Lord of the Admiralty had once thought a handful of battleships alone could end the campaign. More absurd still was how the Admiralty had skillfully deflected responsibility for their strategic missteps, painting the campaign's failures as the result of "tactical difficulties" rather than their own flawed strategic assumptions.
The French media, however, embraced a far more optimistic tone, dedicating extensive coverage to Charles's achievements on Gallipoli:
"As expected by all, Charles did not disappoint. Single-handedly, he turned the tide of war, securing Gallipoli firmly under Allied control!"
"This is the true model of amphibious warfare! Charles has paved the way for future operations, marking this campaign as a landmark victory in military history."
"Now, entry into the Sea of Marmara is just a matter of time—one side of the Dardanelles is safe!"
Upon reading the news of victory, the French public erupted in joy. Compared to Charles's previous accomplishments, this one held a special significance: Charles had outshone the British on the battlefield, instilling a powerful sense of national pride:
"Look, the British brought an entire fleet and tens of thousands of troops to Gallipoli, only to meet disaster. Charles, with only 3,000 men, achieved a decisive victory in mere days."
"They say Charles warned the British right from the start, but they chose not to listen. This whole fiasco could have been avoided."
"I heard it too! Charles gave his advice to General Winter, but the arrogant British ignored it completely."
This information had come from the City Defense Command, but it could hardly be considered a leak since the intelligence was now outdated.
American newspapers also reported extensively on the campaign, publishing simulations and military analyses of the battle. Though not yet involved in the conflict, the U.S. sympathized with the Allies, and its entry into the war seemed inevitable. They viewed the war as an invaluable opportunity to modernize their forces, gaining knowledge in advanced tactics and weaponry before officially joining the battle.
Meanwhile, British newspapers covered the victory in a more subdued manner, focusing on the role of the British fleet and the efforts of the 5th Australian Light Horse. In itself, this was no issue. However, as the story grew, it quickly evolved into a public debate over which nation should lead and command the ongoing campaign.
Even within Britain, people began to wonder: "If Charles had led the campaign from the start, would it have taken this long, with so many lives lost and so many battleships sunk?"
The answer from military experts and government officials alike was a resounding "No." Their consensus was striking: if the campaign had used Charles's tactics from the beginning, the battle might have ended within a week, with fewer than a thousand casualties.
"At that time, the Ottomans weren't prepared; they had artillery on Gallipoli but no infantry."
"Charles could have landed effortlessly on the peninsula, cutting off their supply line at the throat."
"With their ammunition cut off, our ships wouldn't have faced artillery fire, nor would the Ottomans have been able to mine the waters!"
"Ridiculously, the British designated Bolayir as a feint rather than focusing on its true strategic value!"
Beyond military and political circles, the public kept the conversation simple:
"If Charles had been in charge, wouldn't fewer people have died?"
"To those politicians, it may just be numbers, but to us, each one represents a life!"
"We should demand the British give Charles command. It would be better for everyone!"
France was the first to hold public demonstrations, quickly followed by Australia and New Zealand. The French were driven by national pride. For them, most of the troops sent to Gallipoli were colonial forces, meaning the casualties had a distant impact on most people.
In Australia and New Zealand, however, the motivation was far more personal—many of those marching were families of soldiers, pleading for a safer course.
Soon after, even British citizens began to hold rallies, demanding:
"If we can win with fewer casualties, why not?"
"Does it matter who leads the war? Isn't victory what's important?"
"It may not matter to politicians, but to us, our lives are more valuable!"
Public opinion was overwhelmingly in favor of transferring command to Charles, and the calls for change grew louder, sparking some dangerous sentiments within the Australian and New Zealand forces:
"If Charles isn't leading, we won't fight."
"We're here for the Allies, not for politicians."
"We're risking our lives, and we want it to count!"
Amidst this uproar, news emerged that shook everyone to their core: "Germany has confirmed Charles's presence at Gallipoli and plans to eliminate him at all costs, viewing Charles as a greater threat than Gallipoli—or even the Ottoman Empire."
Everyone fell silent. The question now arose in everyone's minds:
Is it time to bring Charles home?
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