...He was calm and composed, eating regularly and sleeping soundly, thus inspiring the confidence of everyone around him. The reason why Joffre could be so calm and composed was largely because there was a person who would know him once he made a decision.

He will fully cooperate with his chief of staff, De Jean Sterno.

Every day, when Jiafei is sleeping safely, General De Jean Sterno, the chief of staff of the French Army General Headquarters, needs to stay at the headquarters, working day and night, using his hard work to make up for the commander-in-chief

"Rest", while Jia Fei enjoyed the honor, the chief of staff who had participated in the Franco-Prussian War also enjoyed a very high reputation within the army.

On the 24th, at ten o'clock in the evening, when Joffre left the headquarters as usual, General Jean Sterno, as the chief of staff, took over the headquarters as usual. Just after he took over the headquarters, in less than an hour, he

I received a telegram from the front line.

"The entire defense line of Mount Douaumont collapsed!"

After receiving this report, Castelnot immediately realized the seriousness of the collapse of the Douaumont Mountain defense line, and he immediately called Joffre.

"In addition to the super artillery, the German army also used tractors to drag a large number of 6-inch artillery into the front line, and fired dense artillery shells at the new position on Mount Douaumont to form a sea of ​​​​fire, and the troops guarding the position completely collapsed. Responsible for commanding Verdun

The regional general and the commander of the Army Group deployed at Verdun, Langre de Cary, sent a telegram to Chantilly, recommending an immediate retreat to the left bank of the Meuse River and then abandoning the town and fortress of Verdun."

There was a period of silence on the other end of the phone. After a few seconds of silence, Xiafei spoke.

"The town and fortress of Verdun must not be abandoned!"

The unexpected answer only made General Casteño silent for a while. After thinking for a moment, he spoke again.

"Yes Marshal!"

It was also an expected answer. After hanging up the phone, he sent a telegram to Langre de Cary.

"The town and fortress of Verdun must not be abandoned!"

But less than an hour after he sent the telegram, Langre de Cary sent another telegram. In the telegram, he described the difficulties he faced, and then claimed that "Verdun can no longer hold on."

, the troops may fall into a total collapse at any time."

Faced with the telegram from Langre de Cary, de Castelnot thought for a moment and decided to go to the Villa Poiret on the outskirts of the city to meet Joffre in person. Although he knew that the commander-in-chief had fallen asleep at this time, and since the outbreak of the war

After that, he almost always had the habit of going to bed at 10 o'clock.

Half an hour later, after De Castelno entered the villa by car, the officer on duty claimed that he could not disturb the commander's rest. Although the matter was urgent, Castelno still complied. The commander-in-chief didn't like it very much.

Others disturbed his rest. But just after he waited for a few minutes, another telegram came from the headquarters to the Villa Poiret. The news that Langre de Cary had ordered the two divisions to retreat.

This news from Verdun heralded further news of the immediate evacuation of the entire army from the right bank of the Meuse.

After receiving this report, Castelnol no longer dared to worry at all, and immediately walked towards Xiafei's bedroom. Faced with the obstruction of the military attache, Castelnol said directly.

"If you stop me now, France will be destroyed tomorrow! I order you to knock on the commander-in-chief's bedroom immediately!"

After receiving this clear order, the attendant hurriedly knocked on the majestic double-locked door.

"...This news from Verdun heralds further news of the immediate evacuation of the entire army on the right bank of the Meuse."

After hearing Castelno's report, Xiafei, who was wearing pajamas, looked up at Castelno and said.

“General Castelno, what do you think?”….

"Marshal, I hope you will allow me to go to Verdun in person as plenipotentiary to reiterate your orders to everyone."

After some thought, Joffre agreed to Castelno's request.

"Okay, General Castelneau, you have the full authority you need. I hope you will set off immediately and go to Verdun to issue an order not to retreat even one step!"

After making this decision, Xiafei walked straight back to the bedroom to rest.

Before leaving Villa Poiret, General Castelno called the headquarters to arrange a special train, and at the same time made other arrangements to go directly to the train station to go to the headquarters and army group in Langres de Cary.

Group center Aviz.

A few hours later, when Castelno arrived at Langre de Cary's headquarters and the center of the Army Group, Avize, all he saw was that everyone in the city was

The look of fear and panic spread throughout the city, and in the army group headquarters, the staff kept burning the documents, sand tables, maps and other materials that they had taken away in a hurry. But for this kind of

In a state of panic, Castelno immediately grabbed a major staff officer and questioned him as soon as he got out of the car.

"What's going on? Why do you do this?"

"The Germans are coming, we can't defend this place!"

The major's answer only made Castelneau's face harden. Even Paris before the Battle of the Marne did not fall into the panic it is now. At that time, the whole of Paris was waiting for victory. It was like

In this way, everyone is possessed by defeatism.

On this morning with a clear sky, in Aviz's headquarters, Langre de Cary, who was lying behind his office, no longer had the confidence and superior attitude he had as an old superior in the past.

After Terno saluted, he said with a wry smile:

"How's it going? Castelno, it seems that you came here yesterday. You have already seen it and everything here. I believe you also knew what happened here on the way!"

"Yes, General."

Castelno nodded and said:

"When I came here, I only saw cowardice everywhere!"

In response to Castelnot's ridicule, Langre de Cary nodded with a wry smile, and then motioned for Castelnot to sit down.

"You're right, there is cowardice everywhere here..."

Langre de Cary agreed and swallowed the last sentence:

"Paris can't see what's going on here..."

Although this sentence is inappropriate, it is best not to mention it for the chief of staff who is sitting at the Army Headquarters in Paris.

As a "loser": Langre de Cary certainly had a lot to say to Castelneau. He lit his pipe nervously, then exhaled smoke while wiping the sweat from his brow.

:

"I think you must understand what we encounter here? It's not just the German super cannon. The German super cannon may be able to destroy everything. But what I encounter here is the entire command.

Indifferent... But what is unexpected is that in the face of warnings again and again, the headquarters has never really paid attention to it. Even a month ago, it transferred one of my divisions. Now, the Germans keep using

Heavy artillery bombarded our positions. Every time a battalion was fired, a battalion would lose its combat effectiveness. How could such a war continue?... Before the war, I made suggestions to Paris on this. But they refused to adopt it...

"I think you'd better go to the Second Army immediately. Now, if the Second Army doesn't arrive as soon as possible, it will be impossible to hold on to the front position with the strength here. Now, the Commander-in-Chief keeps calling.

Report, let us hold on as far forward as possible... To hold on here, we must hold on here as long as possible. I know this is mainly due to psychological and political reasons... I should tell you that the current situation we have here

The supply work is not well organized, it is a mess! The Germans can continuously deliver supplies to the troops and transport new soldiers. But what about us? Until now. All reinforcements are on the way? The battle has only started for three days, and I have already lost.

Three divisions... Well, Castelno, I don't need to say more. Now that you are here, you can take a look and draw your own conclusions. You should make your own judgment. Now,

It’s simply impossible to hold on here!”….

"We must stay here!"

Castelneau listened very politely to Langre de Cary's reasons. After emphasizing his words, he spoke again:

"Now, the whole of France is looking at Verdun. If we cannot stay here, then the whole of France will be enveloped in defeatism. In that case, France will fall into failure..."

"Of course, Paris may have Paris' considerations, but you must consider reality..."

Langre de Cary emphasized.

"Just two hours ago, our reconnaissance plane discovered the German's "super heavy artillery." They are building a railway forward and will soon be approaching here. Any defense line is vulnerable to the super heavy artillery.

, the Germans have broken the stalemate in the war, what kind of actions can we take now? Hold on? Well... I think this is unlikely,"

Langre de Cary pondered:

"If that happens, every one of us will be bombarded to pieces by the German cannons. In the end, France will be defeated..."

"France will never fail and never taste the bitter fruit of defeat again like the last war!"

Castelnau, who had participated in the Franco-Prussian War, emphasized loudly.

"There may be a risk of failure, but we can't talk about this risk yet."

Finally, Castelno asked:

"Perhaps the war situation is not good for us now, but as long as we stay here and as long as reinforcements arrive, France still has hope of victory. If you retreat, then France will definitely fail!"

Langre de Cary, who looked extremely uncomfortable being stared at by Casterno, stood up:

"Well, Your Excellency, Chief of Staff, there is nothing I can do about the current war situation. If I retreat, I will become a sinner of the entire France, but if I continue to hold on, I will also become a sinner of 100,000 people. Now what I need

What we are facing is the elite German army, especially the entire German military machine that has been involved in this war, but what about us? What have we gained?..."

"General, I need to reiterate once again that Verdun must not be lost. No troops are allowed to withdraw from the battlefield. Even if they are all killed in battle, they must die on the defensive line!"

After meeting with Langres de Cary, Castelneau calmed the pessimism that existed there and from there telephoned Verdun to announce his imminent arrival and to request General Eyre at Verdun.

"In compliance with the commander-in-chief's order, we must not abandon our positions, but must hold them one by one." He also warned the other party that if this order was not implemented, "the consequences for him would be extremely serious." Then he immediately set off by car to Vers.

Get on the front line.

Regrettably, for the first time in Verdun that night, what he discovered before him was the tragic scene of chaos and commotion that often occurs behind the defeated front. And in the rear command post. After meeting with General Eyre, he again

The commander-in-chief reiterated the order not to retreat, and also told him that reinforcements were arriving. During the meal, an inconspicuous incident cast a shadow on his already tense mood. It was not because of the quality of the dinner.

Or was it because of the appetite of the Chief of Staff of the Army Headquarters who came from Paris, but because the tablecloth on the dining table and the tableware for serving food surprised him: the dining table of the dignified Commander of the Verdun Theater was actually covered with

A dirty bed sheet was used as a tablecloth, and the tableware for serving rice was the cheapest earthenware pot. Castelno immediately thought of the place where General Gao Ji of the French Army, who attached great importance to table etiquette, ate.
To be continued...