Starting with the smashing of Dunkirk

Chapter 45: Laws Do Not Apply Retroactively
After Bock and Major Lundstätter finalized the allocation of attack positions, Lelouch drove the vehicle up the chain of command for approval and filing.

The various units also made corresponding adjustments. For example, the 6th Barria Division, which corresponded to the 2nd Assault Battalion, moved to the northern half of the town of Armandière and urgently constructed its final attack positions. Correspondingly, the 12th Barria Division, which corresponded to the 1st Assault Battalion, was moved to the southern half of the town and made the same preparations.

The artillery regiments under these two divisions also deployed forward observation posts and bunkers in a flurry of activity. In the event of a battle, they would provide one-on-one fire support.

The army group also transferred some corps-level artillery units from the rear to temporarily reinforce the front-line assault troops. During the general offensive, the artillery of the main attacking division alone is definitely not enough, and often several times more artillery power is temporarily allocated.

Moreover, at the last moment, Lelouch also saw the 280mm "Smoke Thrower" grenade launcher that the General Staff decided to use (the same launcher that was moved to the SDK251 "Walking Stuka" half-track during World War II, as shown in the previous article).

This weapon was not used to throw heavy grenades this time, but rather to throw "gas canisters" to hold tear gas that the French army had used several times before.

The first use of chlorine gas in Earth's history was during the Battle of Ypres.

Now the world is harmonious, neither side has poison gas, so the only option is to retaliate with tear gas. This stuff doesn't kill people; it's only used to "force retreat," meaning to make enemy soldiers in fortified positions on the front lines unable to withstand the pressure and flee.

As for upgrading the throwing method from "directly opening the gas cylinder to release gas and letting the wind blow it over" on Earth to the "smoke-spraying" grenade thrower, this was also a decision made by the General Staff after studying the provisions.

Because Article 23 of the Hague Convention of 1907 only stipulates that gas containers cannot be launched by "cannons", while "smoke-sprayers" are more like rocket launchers.

This might be difficult to distinguish in Chinese because "rocket launcher" also contains the word "cannon". But it is easy to distinguish in Spanish. As long as there is no sealed chamber pressure cannon barrel, it can only be considered a "launching support" under international law.

Lelouch even suspected that the General Staff was so keen to strengthen the cover firepower because the Chief of the General Staff's nephew had been moved to the front line as a "strike force," fearing that something might happen to the Chief of the General Staff's nephew.

From this perspective, Major Lafonbock's appointment as his battalion commander was quite effective, giving his unit extra care.

……

The last two days of preparation passed by in a flurry of activity.

This was Lelouch's first time personally participating in such a large-scale battle. Lacking direct experience in leading troops, he learned a lot from leaders and colleagues such as Major Bock and Captain Rommel, filling in many gaps in his knowledge of frontline military common sense.

Time flew by and it was already the early morning of December 20th.

As the snow gradually subsided by nightfall on the 19th, the army group decided to begin artillery bombardment at 6:00 AM on the 20th and launch a full-scale offensive at 8:00 AM.

Around 4 a.m., the soldiers got up and ate breakfast before 5 a.m., then made some hot coffee to warm themselves up.

The German army's food supply system was much simpler than that of the Eastern armies, because there was no need to cook soupy dishes, and therefore no grassroots cooking squads. Staple foods such as bread and sausages could be baked and distributed uniformly by the division's directly subordinate "bread company".

While drinking coffee, Rommel and other officers surrounded Lelouch, nervously analyzing the situation they might encounter later.

Rommel, who was best known for his unconventional approach, seemed quite dissatisfied with the timing of the general offensive:

"If you ask me, we should shell at 4 a.m. and attack at 6 a.m. That would be more effective, catching the enemy off guard. By the time we charge, it will just be dawn, so it won't affect our visibility or make it too easy for the enemy in the distance to see us."

Rommel's complaint was quickly echoed by other officers, because it was common sense; that's how it had been done in previous campaigns.

“Indeed, if we attack at 8 o’clock, the enemy's machine gunners and field artillery will have a better field of vision. Even in snowy weather, we shouldn't have set the attack so late,” Second Lieutenant Dieter, the platoon leader, chimed in.

Lieutenant Dieter seems to have a talent for fighting in rugged terrain, and he has a keen eye for observing the battlefield environment.

Fortunately, Lelouch knew the inside story of the higher-ups, and he quickly explained, "Everyone, don't overthink it. The decision made above makes sense. This attack will use smoke bombers to throw gas canisters."

The white smoke from tear gas is only effective if it is visible. If it is thrown in the dark, the enemy will be choked half to death but will not know where it is safe or where to escape, thus failing to force them to reposition.

The purpose wasn't to kill, but simply to force the enemy to abandon their most fortified frontline positions, which they had been building for over a month. That's why they specifically added some dye from a previously scrapped plan by Faben to the tear gas canisters to make them more noticeable.

After hearing Lelouch's explanation, the officers at all levels were finally completely convinced, and their confidence greatly increased.

Lelouch pressed on, reminding them, "Once the smoke clears up a bit, let's charge in! Capture as many positions as possible and don't waste this opportunity! We need to make sure we wear our smoke masks properly. Everyone's shaved, right? Double-check to make sure there are no leaks and we don't choke. This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance. Next time, the enemy will learn their lesson and wear masks too."

Lelouch knew that chlorine gas in Earth's history was only highly effective the first time it was used, and the second time it was immediately blocked, since the mask didn't involve much technology.

However, the German army in Earth's history did not initially expect the driving effect to be so good, and the deployment of follow-up troops was not timely enough, thus wasting the opportunity.

This time, Lelouch would not waste a single opportunity! He had calculated that the smoke-sprayers could cover a range of three kilometers, so he was determined to seize the fortified frontline three kilometers in one fell swoop!

Force the enemy to a less fortified second-line backup position, and then launch a conventional breakthrough battle while the enemy is still establishing a firm foothold!

At 6 o'clock sharp, the cannons finally roared, and thousands of cannons fired simultaneously, creating a deafening roar.

The soldiers hid in the trenches, listening quietly to the sounds coming from afar.

The initial bombardment was fierce, with almost all the cannons firing in unison, leaving the opposing position in ruins, with blood and flesh flying everywhere, and it seemed that nothing alive could survive.

But after five minutes of rapid firing, the sound of the cannons became sparse.

Some technical officers who were not very knowledgeable about the subject began to whisper among themselves, worried that their own artillery might run out of manpower.

Upon hearing this, Lelouch reassured the troops, loudly encouraging them: "Don't worry, everyone! Everything is under control! The rapid fire at the beginning was to take advantage of the enemy's unpreparedness and quickly inflict casualties. Now the remaining enemies should have all taken cover, so switching to a steady rate of fire will save us from wasting ammunition."

Moreover, our rapid-fire attack has an unexpected tactical advantage: it alerts the enemy that tear gas is coming, so they should run! And before 7 o'clock, we'll mainly be throwing gas canisters, so the sound won't be very loud! Rest assured, the Imperial General Staff's plan is meticulously crafted! Our army will surely win!

The gas canister takes time to disperse, while the damage from an artillery shell is instantaneous. Therefore, the most scientific approach to artillery fire is to first throw the canister and then fire the explosive shell.

Upon hearing this, the soldiers' confidence grew even stronger, and they felt that the group of uncouth men who had failed math were no longer a threat.

...At the same moment, on the opposite side of the Bu army's position, the soldiers of the Bu 3rd and 7th Divisions were indeed plunged into great fear.

The two sides had not engaged in fierce fighting for more than a month. Previously, the German army's occasional probing attacks were easily repelled by the Burgundian army. The muddy terrain was too restrictive for the attacking side.

The high command of the Burma Army placed too much trust in their own radio monitoring advantage. Because the number of radio communications from the other side had not increased significantly recently, they did not take extra precautions against any enemy activity.

As a result, the sudden first few waves of shells killed or maimed a large number of Bu army soldiers who had not yet entered the fortifications or were even sleeping in their tents.

The 3rd Division lost several hundred men, and the 7th Division lost nearly a thousand, before they could hastily enter the position and consolidate their defenses.

But soon, in the dawn light, the Burgh soldiers saw piles of 280mm gas cylinders being smashed into the trenches, beginning to smoke. Many began to cough violently, and the color of the smoke was different from that of the French. Many suspected foul play, thinking the smoke was deadly, and retreated to avoid it.

Soldiers on the move were obviously more vulnerable to artillery fire, and the Germans continued to bombard them at a low intensity throughout the retreat. Soldiers were frequently hit by artillery shells, suffering casualties in droves.

The artillery barrage continued until 7 or 8 o'clock before the shelling finally stopped.

The two assault battalions of Bock and Lundstätter were already prepared, and they charged forward as soon as the artillery fire stopped.

Lelouch's company was at the very forefront of the charge.

"It's a pity that we forgot to teach the friendly artillery the 'slow advance barrage' tactic beforehand, otherwise the effectiveness of today's fire preparation would definitely have been several times better."

It wasn't until the final charge, when he saw his own artillery ceasing fire so neatly, that Lelouch had a sudden inspiration.

Historically, the slow advance barrage tactic was not invented by the Luftwaffe army until 1917, after suffering heavy losses in the Battle of the Somme.

There's no use in regretting it now; let's focus on winning this battle with the resources we have! Everything else is a matter for later.

“第1到3排作为第一梯队，每个排掌握500米宽的正面、左右相隔500米推进！4到6排为二梯队，7/8排为三梯队，不要一起上！控制队形密度！
Establish a strongpoint every 300 meters, then send the second-line troops forward, advancing another 300 meters after passing friendly forces, and so on in rotation! Pay attention to the continuity of the attack!

Lelouch, carrying a submachine gun, led his team in a charge while loudly emphasizing the key principles of the Storm Assault Team's tactics: don't commit too many people to the front line at once, and don't try to break through on a long front.

With just a small number of people, you can focus on breaking through a few key points. The key is to maintain the continuity and rhythm of the attack!

We cannot give potential enemies a chance to breathe, nor can we allow them time to react and reorganize a complete defense after a breach.

These are things that the old army of 1914 would never have known, and they required repeated reminders from their superiors.

The positions, which had just been ravaged by tear gas and artillery fire, were not completely cleared, so the assault team quickly engaged in a fierce but brief exchange of fire with the remnants of the Bufl army.

Tear gas, which is not lethal, is ultimately less effective at clearing the area than chlorine gas.

Some enemies relied on constantly washing their faces with wet cloths, while others hid in muddy puddles. There were always a few enemies with special physical characteristics who could avoid the stimulation of tear gas.

However, this resistance posed little threat and did not change the overall situation. Almost all the front-line Vickers heavy machine gun positions were rendered ineffective. Scattered enemy soldiers could only fire haphazardly with their Lee-Enfield rifles.

Amidst the crackling of rifle fire, the remaining enemy forces were quickly drawn to the sniper fire.

Meanwhile, the submachine gunners of the 1st to 3rd platoons of Company A took the opportunity to crouch low and stealthily cross the two outermost trenches. The Germans didn't even have time to deploy their light machine gun and grenade launcher teams; they were only focused on the fastest possible advance.

As they charged, they came across unguarded barbed wire fences. The soldiers removed the special bayonets from their rifles, quickly assembled them into makeshift wire cutters, and with a few swift "snip-snip" cuts, cleanly and efficiently severed the barbed wire.

"Quickly! Quickly get through the barbed wire and attack the trenches where there are still enemy soldiers from the side!"

Lieutenant Model, the platoon leader of Lelouch's first platoon, wearing a silk bulletproof vest worth three thousand marks, led his four assault squads to the forefront, methodically directing the soldiers to break through the obstacles and finally scale the enemy's trench.

What followed was the submachine gunners sweeping horizontally along the sparsely populated trenches.

When the scattered Bu army infantrymen resisting in the trenches vaguely heard hurried footsteps coming from the side, it was already too late.

"Hiss~" Sparking grenades flew over from the adjacent section of the Z-shaped trench, blasting the Bu army riflemen who were still firing into the air.

"The Demacians have infiltrated our trenches! Quickly clear them out along the trenches! The number of enemies who have just infiltrated can't be many! There's still time!" A surviving Burgundy lieutenant platoon leader shouted in fear upon seeing this.

He organized his soldiers to launch a quick counterattack, attempting to use their local numerical advantage to drive out the enemy who had just infiltrated the trenches.

Unfortunately, just as a hastily assembled group of riflemen fixed their bayonets and rushed to the corner of the Z-shaped trench, the sound of submachine guns rang out!
Lieutenant Model had excellent hearing; he could tell from the enemy's footsteps that they had reached the adjacent corner of the Z-shaped trench. So he personally took an MP15 and fired pre-firing shots at the corner.

The five submachine gunners following closely behind him also took turns firing pre-firing at the corner of the trench. The submachine gunners also took turns reloading to ensure that there was never a gap in their firepower.

The Bu army soldiers on the opposite side had never seen such weapons or such a formation before. They were quickly shot down and killed as soon as they showed their heads.

"Let the company commander and the 2nd and 3rd platoons follow. The 1st platoon has already destroyed the barbed wire and occupied the first trench area!" After clearing the first line of defense, Lieutenant Model immediately ordered his men to shout loudly to signal the friendly forces to follow.

-

P.S.: I've written another 8,000 words today, and this is still during the new book period.

Also, take advantage of the free offer to share a few French phrases:
During World War II, the use of any gas weapons, whether or not they were fired from artillery, was a violation of international law.

The exemption clauses mentioned in the book were later patched up—because after World War I, the countries signed a new Geneva Protocol of 1925.

However, the Geneva Convention of 1925 did not exist during World War I, so "the law does not apply retroactively," and the only treaty basis at that time was The Hague 99 and The Hague 1907.

(End of this chapter)