I Became a Tycoon During World War I: Saving France from the Start

Chapter 83 - Smoke Screen

General Ghys was at the front, "commanding" the troops.

But more than directing combat, it was a staged act—an elaborate deception—built around the plan that Charles had suggested: to fake the destruction of Fort Wavre.

Though seemingly simple, the plan was challenging to execute in detail. The night before, several people, including King Albert I, had discussed it at length, until eleven o'clock.

"How are we supposed to fool the Germans?" General Ghys frowned. "They have three observation balloons with lookouts using binoculars to keep Fort Wavre in constant view. They'll know exactly whether or not it's been destroyed!"

The observers' job was to monitor where each shell landed—whether it was too far, too close, left, or right—then use signal flags to direct artillery below, correcting the trajectory to bring the next shell closer to the target.

There was a hint of regret in General Ghys's eyes as he said this. If only the vegetation and trees around the fort had been left intact, it would've been much harder for the enemy observers to discern the fortress from its surroundings.

"That's an easy fix!" Charles replied. "We can generate smoke around the fort!"

"Smoke?" General Ghys looked up at Charles in surprise.

"Yes!" Charles nodded. "Set up some fires around the area and throw in rubber items or scrap tires. They'll produce thick, black smoke that will gather at low altitudes, obstructing the observers' line of sight. The only downside is that it'll smell a bit unpleasant."

General Ghys was both surprised and delighted. For the first time, he genuinely praised, "Excellent idea, Lieutenant!"

It was a relief to him. If smoke could obscure the fort, then perhaps his decision to clear the vegetation and trees around it was no longer a critical mistake.

The more General Ghys thought about it, the more excited he became. The blame that had weighed heavily on him seemed to evaporate in a single moment—all because of a simple thought from this young officer. How did this kid come up with it?

Both General Winter and King Albert were equally surprised; it was such a simple and feasible tactic, yet no one had ever thought of it.

Charles merely smiled. In modern warfare, it was a common tactic:

If you were at a disadvantage in the air, create a smoke screen.

If you wanted to protect a supply convoy from enemy planes, create a smoke screen.

If you needed to engage in close combat, obscure visibility with smoke.

Perhaps this generation hadn't thought of it simply because there was hardly ever an aerial threat before.

...

Among those taking this most seriously was General Ghys, who immediately organized the entire city to gather rubber products. Motorbikes, cars—everything had to be stripped of its tires, even military vehicles.

Some officers and soldiers protested, "General, what about transporting ammunition and supplies?"

"How many bullets have you actually fired?" General Ghys retorted.

The protestors fell silent. Most German bombardments came from well beyond rifle range; many forts were leveled without ever firing a shot.

And since Antwerp's outskirts were only about ten kilometers away, supplies could still be moved using horses—or even manpower if necessary.

As soon as dawn broke, General Ghys ordered the troops to start fires around the fort and burn the rubber, producing an immediate effect: thick black smoke shrouded the fort's surroundings.

Just as Charles had warned, the smoke was indeed "a bit unpleasant."

For soldiers huddled inside the fort, it was a torment. The air inside was already stale; now, instead of fresh air from the vents, they were greeted with the choking stench of burning rubber.

Soon, fortress troops called the command center to complain, including Colonel Eden stationed at Fort Wavre.

Coughing as he spoke, Colonel Eden protested, "General, at this rate, we'll choke to death before the enemy even reaches us!"

General Ghys's response was brief and to the point: "The choice is yours, Colonel! Keep the smoke up, or expose the fort to enemy artillery—pick one!"

Colonel Eden hadn't expected the decision to be handed to him, but after a moment's thought, he made his choice: "Keep the smoke. At least this way, we have a chance to survive."

The German bombardments were far worse than the smoke—especially as the shelling wasn't continuous but came every half hour, like waiting for an execution, with no one knowing if they'd survive to the next half-hour.

After hanging up, General Ghys grumbled, "These guys just need an excuse to complain!"

...

Meanwhile, the German commander, General Beseler, was having a hard time.

At dawn, he discovered the target covered in black smoke, obscuring everything. He looked up at the observation balloon, where the spotters were frantically waving signal flags to indicate the same.

"General!" A communications officer ran over with a message from the artillery team: "Major Frecks says the guns are ready. Should they start firing?"

General Beseler hesitated; firing now would mean almost no chance of hitting the target, essentially wasting ammunition.

But…

"Open fire!" Beseler gritted his teeth. "Aim at the center of the smoke!"

"Yes, General!"

Under normal circumstances, Beseler would not have ordered firing under such low accuracy, but this was a special case. Charles was nearby, and Beseler needed to keep the pressure on the Belgians to force them to surrender Charles.

So, even if they couldn't hit the fort, they'd keep up the barrage!

Soon, with a loud "boom," a shell screamed toward the smoke.

The moment the shell hit the ground, the smoke seemed to compress like a balloon under pressure before exploding upward in a massive cloud of dirt and debris.

The situation only worsened: smoke from the explosion mingled with the dust and the enemy's burning smoke, creating a thick, gray-black mass that completely shrouded the fort. Not even the center of the fort was visible anymore.

The staff officers turned to Beseler, as if to ask whether they should continue.

Beseler clenched his teeth but gave the order to "keep firing!"

Finally, luck struck on what must have been the fifth shot. This shell exploded differently from the previous ones, igniting a fierce blaze that sent thick smoke rolling from the direction of the fort. The flames roared for a good while, refusing to die down.

The spotters in the balloon relayed signals, which an aide excitedly translated: "The enemy survivors are retreating! We see their wounded!"

The German troops cheered, and Beseler was overwhelmed with excitement.

This was Fort Wavre; destroying it would allow the Germans to cut off Antwerp's fresh water supply. Belgian surrender would be only a matter of time.

What Beseler didn't realize was that the flames and smoke he assumed were from an explosion in Fort Wavre were actually from gasoline and gunpowder that General Ghys had deliberately set aflame...

(End of Chapter)

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