German Red Prince

Page 148

They even called others "the sick man of West Asia," and now they can't even beat the sick man of West Asia. They've really lost face on the international stage.

292. The North African Campaign

In 1926, Mehmed VI died in his sleep at the age of 65, and Abdulmejid succeeded him to the throne, becoming the new Sultan of this ancient empire in West Asia.

Many hoped that the Ottoman Empire would eventually enter a new era under the rule of this sultan who was not particularly interested in politics.

Unlike his predecessors, Abdulmejid did not have a strong desire for power. Turkey reformed its political system by imitating the West, and in the elections at the end of 1926, the Ottoman People's Party, led by the progressive reformer Mustafa Kemal Pasha, won.

As a war hero during the Great War, Kemal helped the ancient Ottoman Empire win the war. He became the dominant figure in Ottoman politics and carried out more thorough Westernization reforms.

Kemal then pushed forward with even more radical reforms, which threatened the interests of many traditional conservatives, while Abdulmejid remained behind the scenes, focusing on his own interests, representing the empire abroad and acting as a figurehead at home.

Although Abdulmejid lacked strong political ambitions and his political influence in the new secular Ottoman state was negligible, he remained a popular puppet of conservative and traditionalist movements within the empire.

As the nominal leader of the Ottoman Empire, he was the banner of conservatives resisting Kemal's reforms. They hoped to see the role of the Sultan Caliph strengthened and all pro-Western nationalists purged from the government in order to return to the golden age when Sunnis dominated Ottoman domestic politics.

Conservatives within the Ottoman Empire were furious about the war led by Kemal, believing that the Ottomans had no reason to devote so much effort to North Africa and that the war would drag the Ottomans into an abyss.

Kemal was a complex man. He initially served as Minister of War, but due to the German Empire's betrayal at the Caucasus Conference, he overturned Germany's military reform policies in the Ottomans and, together with his ally Fevzipasha, began an ambitious military reorganization, training Ottoman soldiers in the style and methods of Ottoman generals.

This action garnered immense public acclaim, and he continued to lay the foundation for his later rise to power. Kemal's current war was a declaration of defending the integrity of the entire Islamic world, uniting the Islamic world, and recognizing the Turks and Arabs as brothers, fighting together against the invasion from Europe.

Although he says this now, in 1923, Mustafa Kemal Pasha deployed a large number of Ottoman troops to intervene in Tripoli's Tanyawilayet.

The Fizzani tribe rose up against the newly appointed Ottoman governor. The Arabs, who were being exploited by the Turkish governor at the time, had not heard Kemal's call for unity in the Islamic world. The uprising was brutally suppressed, and the Ottoman army massacred at least three thousand local Arab natives.

As the long-time chairman of the Ottoman People's Party, Mustafa Kemal Pasha's idea was actually very simple: to revive this ancient empire and shed the label of "sick man of Europe." Therefore, he was widely regarded as a supporter of Turkish nationalism, secularism, populism, and centralism.

All of this came at a price. As a proponent of Great Ottomanism, Kemal's policies alienated minorities, traditionalists, wealthy elites, and federalists, which made him a great many enemies, with political adversaries on all sides.

If it weren't for the prestige he gained from the great war, coupled with the support of the entire Ottoman army as its commander, Kemal would not have been able to carry out such smooth reforms. Only time will tell whether his dream of Westernizing the East and modernizing the country can last.

Although Kemal was not on the front lines in North Africa, he still had many things to deal with every day back home. He was already exhausted from the daily verbal battles with the opposition, and the war in North Africa added to his burden. Nobody wanted war, especially not the Ottoman Empire at that time.

The economy was just getting started, and Kemal was preparing for a new round of domestic construction. However, due to the war in France, all the funds were invested in the war in North Africa. War is the most expensive thing, and the deficit rate that had been reduced with great difficulty has now risen again.

France launched a surprise attack on the Ottomans, so their army initially held a certain advantage and occupied the Zuwara region shortly after the start of the war.

Although the French army occupied the Zovara region in the early stages of the war, they did not achieve much further success. Their tanks once reached the outskirts of Zawiya, but were repelled by the Ottoman defenders who reacted quickly.

The Ottomans were not very strong fighters, but the same was true for France, which had retreated to Africa. After several battles, the Ottoman army had actually overcome its previous fear.

During the war, they were utterly defeated by the British and French, but the French Republic, which retreated to Africa, was actually not that advanced, and there was nothing to be afraid of.

Their army consisted mostly of untrained Black men; it was rare to see a white man. These Black men would usually rout after firing just two shots, which gave the Ottoman army renewed confidence, prompting them to attempt a counterattack.

However, although the troops in front were cannon fodder, the French veterans were left behind in the rear, making it quite difficult to fight them.

Neither side can gain the upper hand now, and they are locked in a stalemate over the Zuwara and Zawiya regions. With supplies from the port of Tripoli, the Ottoman garrison in Zawiya is quite formidable, and with the addition of local Arab militia, it will be extremely difficult for the French to take it over.

After several attacks, the French army realized that this was a tough nut to crack. However, Zawiya was the gateway to Tripoli, and only by capturing it could they advance smoothly. Pétain sent several telegrams to General Katrou, the commander-in-chief at the front, and the reply was always "some results have been achieved," but according to the map, they had not made any progress.

The French army used the Zovara region as a transportation hub, transporting large amounts of supplies from the rear to confront the Ottoman army there. General Katrou also knew how much the Ottomans valued this area, and they launched several attacks with cannon fodder troops, but they were basically driven back halfway. So he reported the intelligence to de Gaulle and let the rear make a decision.

Pétain was very concerned about this war, as it concerned his future. If he won this war, no one could shake his position in the French Republic. He was furious about the setback in Zawiy. How could a small Ottoman army hold them off for two months? When would they be able to reach Tripoli?

Therefore, the next strategic adjustment became of paramount importance. Pétain's two most trusted generals, Darlan and de Gaulle, both gave their answers, and it remained to be seen how he would choose.

293. The De Gaulle Plan

As the ruler of the French Republic, Pétain's prestige was unshakeable. This miraculous marshal successfully preserved a "democratic" France and declared that he would lead the exiles back to Paris one day in the future.

Although Pétain's position in the French Republic was unshakeable, there were already undercurrents within the republic. This so-called democratic country, which existed in name only, had long been Pétain's stage. His dictatorial rule made the ethnic minorities in the country suffer unspeakably. In the tribes south of the republic, several massacres were staged almost every day.

This is why Pétain's position was unshakeable; he would use brutal means to silence everyone who opposed him forever. Why launch a war against the Ottomans? This was a decision Pétain made after careful consideration.

The French Republic always needs an enemy, otherwise its dictatorship will not be stable. A dictator must establish a terrible enemy in the hearts of the entire nation in order to highlight the dictator's "greatness" and ensure that the people will not oppose his leadership but will instead maintain the system.

Pétain had always considered the French Commune his greatest enemy, and the entire French Republic had always considered it an enemy as well. However, after a long period of propaganda, the danger posed by the French Commune was not realized.

The French Commune, separated by the Mediterranean Sea, did not exert any substantial influence on the French Republic for various reasons, which also caused Pétain's image as the "liberator" to fade in the minds of the people.

If this continues, it will definitely not end well. Pétain knows that the stability of his current rule is largely due to the people's tacit approval. If his image fades in the people's minds, the opposition will take this opportunity to emerge from the shadows and incite the people against his rule.

Pétain knew better than anyone what kind of monsters and demons were in the French government. If these people hadn't followed him to Africa, they would have been hanged by the revolutionaries long ago. Now these people were ungrateful and actually wanted to come and compete with him for power. How could Pétain possibly agree to that?

The people need to have a sense of crisis so that they will willingly submit to dictatorial rule. Since the French Commune could not have an effective impact, Pétain chose the Ottoman Empire, which was closer to him.

Morocco to the west is a member of the Imperial Pact and follows its big brother, the German Empire. Although its strength is insignificant compared to the French Republic, Pétain wouldn't dare to touch it even if he had a thousand lives, because of its status as a member of the Imperial Pact.

Although he fought against Germany during the Great War, times have changed. If the French Republic wants to restore itself, the German Empire is an unavoidable factor. The only country in Europe that can rival the French Commune is the German Empire, and the French Republic must hold on tightly to this powerful force.

With the west out of the question, the weakened Ottoman Empire in the east became the preferred option. Although the Ottoman Empire was allied with Germany during the war, Germany betrayed this ally at the Caucasus Conference, causing anti-German sentiment to surge instantly. The Ottoman military officers were also expelled from the country, and Germany imposed certain sanctions on the Ottoman Empire, leading to a very tense relationship between the two sides.

Now that Pétain is going to fight the Ottomans, isn't that just helping his big brother vent his anger? In the future, the restoration of the nation will still depend on Germany, and going to war with the Ottomans is the French Republic's pledge of allegiance and a declaration of its stance.

Furthermore, the North African territories were far from the core areas of Ottoman rule. The majority of the inhabitants there were Arabs who had already been oppressed by the Ottomans. Going there to "liberate" them would encounter much less resistance. Moreover, the Ottomans did not have many troops in this area, and the operation would be conducted across the sea, giving France a certain geographical advantage.

Ottoman beliefs naturally put him at odds with Europe, and coupled with centuries of complex grievances, public opinion in Europe was certainly in favor of France. With such a good reason and conditions for war, who else would they attack?

Through the war with the Ottomans, Pétain consolidated his rule within the French Republic. The war brought the people closer to him once again, and the opposition within the country was sent to the front lines as cannon fodder under various pretexts. The war with the Ottomans was a high-stakes gamble, and in the early stages, Pétain achieved great success.

However, the subsequent changes in the battle lines did not unfold as Pétain had anticipated. According to his plan, the Ottoman garrisons in North Africa were sparsely populated and should not have many troops. His army should be able to reach Tripoli in about a month.

However, after the Battle of Zuwara, his army has been stuck in Zawiya for almost two months without making any progress. War is the most expensive project, and if the war is prolonged, it will not be a good thing for Pétain either. At that time, the voices of opposition to him at home will definitely be even stronger.

Pétain's plan was to capture Tripoli in three months, but three months later, they were still more than 100 kilometers away from Tripoli. The troops were suffering heavy losses on the front line every day, and Pétain did not have that much money. He had to come up with a suitable tactic to quickly end the battle.

As Pétain's trusted generals, Darlan and de Gaulle helped Pétain control of the Republic's navy and army. However, there were also conflicts between them, mainly disagreements on future tactical development. This was something Pétain was happy to see; disagreements were a good thing for him as a ruler. If the two of them were to become allies, Pétain would be in danger.

Pétain wanted to end the war quickly, but de Gaulle had long disagreed with starting the war against the Ottomans so soon. France itself was not prepared, and even if it achieved some initial successes, it would soon face strong resistance.

According to de Gaulle's plan, the French army needed to concentrate its superior forces, with the air force and the army working together, and to deceive the Ottoman Empire before the war began, so as to catch the Ottoman Empire off guard with its superior forces. Only in this way could the French army take Tripoli in the shortest possible time.

He was very interested in the tanks provided by the Kingdom of the Rhine. Although these tanks were relatively small, they were far superior in performance to the tanks currently in service with their army and were more than capable of dealing with the Ottomans.

With enough tanks, de Gaulle could assemble a sizable tank force and, relying on its superior mobility, penetrate deep into the heart of the Ottoman army, disrupting their strategic deployment. The Ottoman army was not particularly well-trained, and de Gaulle believed that, according to his plan, a breakthrough would soon be achieved on the front lines.

"Grand Marshal, I've heard that the Kingdom of the Rhine has developed a new type of tank. The first tank they sold to us has already proven its excellent performance. If we equip our army with their second tank, I believe we will soon break through Zawiya and reach Tripoli."

De Gaulle was full of confidence in his plan; with enough tanks, even the largest Ottoman army would be crushed to dust.

294. sneak attack

"Grand Marshal, we need more tanks. According to reports from the front, the Panzer I is indeed a very good tank. Such a tank is more than enough to deal with the Ottomans."

"I've heard that the Kingdom of Rhine has developed a new type of tank. We could try to communicate with them."

"Although the Ottoman army has a large garrison in Zawiya, the overall quality of the Ottoman army is actually inferior to that of our army."

"Our troops are currently assembled in Zuwara. If we can build an airfield on the front line and coordinate with tanks, we can quickly break through the Ottoman army's defenses and capture Tripoli."

Germany now needs the French Republic to keep the French Commune in check, so they can't just sit idly by and watch the Ottoman army gain the upper hand. The deployments made by the French army can only last for six months. They originally planned to win quickly, but now they have only made a little progress. The huge consumption has made them unable to hold on.

"Germans..."

Pétain stared at the map on the table, deep in thought. Germany was now playing both sides. Although its relationship with the Ottomans was not good, it didn't care about money. It would sell as long as it was paid. The French Republic had only been in North Africa for less than ten years. Before that, the area had been used as a colony, and the economic situation was not very good.

The arms trade with Germany has almost depleted the little wealth they had when they fled Paris. The Rhine Kingdom had only recently produced the Panzer I tank, and its biggest overseas customer was the French Republic. The Rhine Kingdom even gave the French Republic preferential treatment because they had taken back scrapped tanks for research.

France doesn't not want to buy now, it can't afford it. Although Pétain's dictatorship has consolidated its political power, the economy is still in a mess. Otherwise, it wouldn't have opened so many sweatshops in the south and tacitly allowed those factory owners to make black people work 18 hours a day.

"We can discuss the trade issue later. Right now, our army is being held up by the Ottomans at Zawiya. Is there any way to break through here quickly? Or to go around them?"

Pétain is now anxious to give his country an explanation. He needs to achieve some results on the front lines, even if it's just capturing a few prisoners. The domestic newspapers will report it as a great victory. France desperately needs a win and must achieve effective results in the short term.

"Grand Marshal, I have a plan."

At this moment, Darlan suddenly spoke up. As the representative of the French Republic's naval faction, he was naturally at odds with de Gaulle. Pétain's words just now clearly denied de Gaulle's plan. Doesn't he know what time it is? Still thinking about those tanks? The national treasury is almost empty. France must now rely on its own strength to achieve a victory.

“The Mediterranean is now our domain. The Ottoman navy is no match for ours, so I think we can find a way out at sea.” Darlan pointed to the map. “Our army is currently stalled in Zawiya, which is good news for us because the Ottoman army’s attention has been completely drawn to us.”

“We can have the troops in the Zuwara region launch an attack on Zawiya. Regardless of whether they win or not, the attack must be fierce and draw the Ottomans’ attention to this area.”

"We must seize the initiative on the battlefield, lead the Ottomans by the nose, and when their attention is drawn to this area, then we will send our navy to attack."

"The French navy is far superior to that of the Ottomans, the 'sick man of West Asia.' Our navy can take advantage of this opportunity to set sail from the naval port, cover our troops, launch a surprise attack on Tripoli, and then flank the Ottomans from behind."

Compared to de Gaulle's more conservative approach, Darlan's move was to achieve a surprise victory by directly attacking the Ottoman strategic center and ending the war. If this method succeeded, the war could indeed be ended in a very short time. However, this move was extremely risky.

Pétain was a conservative man who disliked taking risks. His fighting style during the war was known for its stability. He would only launch an attack after making thorough preparations. However, at the moment, it seemed that there was no method more likely to win than Darlan's approach.

"Is there a specific operational plan?"

"Of course, Grand Marshal."

“We have enough warships in the naval port of Gabes to provide escort and cover for a sufficient troop landing in Tripoli.”

"Our plan is to launch a surprise attack on Tripoli. To achieve this, I suggest we set off at night and arrive in Tripoli at dawn to launch the attack on the Ottomans."

Darlan's idea was indeed good, but after hearing his plan, Pétain hesitated. The plan was too risky, and he was worried that if it failed, the consequences would be unimaginable. It could lead to a complete rout, and he might lose the little victory he had in his hands.

"Grand Marshal, we can't afford to delay any longer. As you know, the longer the war drags on, the worse it will be for us. The opposition in the country might use this as an excuse to challenge your authority. We must win a victory to shut them up."

"Has the Grand Marshal forgotten the Gallipoli campaign?"

Just as Pétain was hesitating, de Gaulle suddenly reminded him, which made Pétain realize why Darlan's battle plan sounded so familiar. He felt like he had heard it somewhere before. It turned out to be the surprise attack on Istanbul.

"Grand Marshal, Kemal gained enough prestige through this battle to become the de facto ruler of the Ottomans. Do you think he wouldn't be wary of Tripoli? Wouldn't he be prepared for the same trick?"

The British Empire suffered a crushing defeat at the Gallipoli Campaign. At that time, 18 British capital ships, four French battleships and auxiliary ships were deployed, and nearly 500,000 Allied soldiers were transported to Gallipoli. This scale is incomparable to what we see today.

The Gallipoli campaign was the most devastating defeat of the year, with casualties exceeding 50 percent. The expeditionary force consisted of 410,000 British troops and 79,000 French troops. The total British casualties amounted to 214,000, the French to 48,000, and the Allied casualties totaled 262,000.

At least 500,000 Turkish troops participated in the war, and according to official records, 251,000 were killed or wounded. While these figures are questionable and Turkey's losses may have been much greater, they ultimately achieved their strategic objectives and successfully defended Istanbul.

France today doesn't have the resources it once did. Back then, it could muster 70,000 men, but now it can only muster 20,000 at most. The surprise attack on Tripoli could very well lead to a repeat of the past.

295. I predicted your prediction

"Grand Marshal, Kemal's proudest battle was the Gallipoli campaign, which dealt us a huge blow back then, so he must think we dare not repeat that battle."

"Kemal would never have expected us to use the same tactics. He would have thought we were scared by our defeats, so he certainly hadn't made many preparations for the Tripoli area."

"Moreover, North Africa was not the core of Ottoman rule. It was under Ottoman rule as an autonomous dominion, and its strategic significance was nowhere near that of Istanbul. They would not go to great lengths to garrison Tripoli; it would not be worth it."

"When did these noble Turks become so virtuous, making the Ottomans shed blood for the Arabs?"

Darlan disagreed with de Gaulle's assertion that history would repeat itself. He argued that North Africa's strategic importance and value were far less than Istanbul's, and the Ottomans would never commit a large number of troops there.

Even if Kemal himself had this intention, the opposition at home would never agree. In the eyes of these arrogant Turks, the Arab people were the ruled, and the Ottomans had no obligation to shed blood for them.

Darlan's plan was too risky; even de Gaulle, who was always fond of taking risks, could not guarantee its success.

A sea landing is extremely risky. The French Navy's resources are limited; every ship that sinks is one less. Given North Africa's industrial capacity, it would be a very long time before they could build a warship.

Moreover, Darlan advocated for rapid action, and he seemed to underestimate the Ottomans and Kemals. A thorough reconnaissance was necessary before a combined land and sea landing could be carried out.

They don't even know the specific situation in Tripoli, yet they're rushing to land and win a decisive battle. Isn't that too risky?

If they fail, they will be at a disadvantage in the entire war. Taking such a huge risk to do something with less than a 50% chance of success is a gamble that even de Gaulle wouldn't dare to take.

But it seems there is no other way now. The French Republic desperately needs a victory. After three months of no progress, Pétain has already sensed that the atmosphere at home is different.

We need to produce some results to shut those people up, but Darlan's method is indeed too risky, and Pétain doesn't dare to put all his bets on it.

After struggling for a while, Pétain decided to take the risk and adopt Darlan's plan, but not entirely; Pétain wanted to be a little more cautious.

Kemal probably didn't expect them to dare to launch another landing, right? Probably not.

"On the Zuvara front, send another division from the Tetawen region. Also, send the tanks we bought from the Rhine Kingdom. You, de Gaulle, are in charge of adjusting these. We can't afford to have any more small-scale skirmishes. This time, we must launch a fierce attack on Zawiya. We can't let the Turks rest like this."

“Darlang, I’m giving you three divisions. When the fighting begins in the Zawiya direction, you will command these men to launch a surprise attack on Tripoli and catch the enemy off guard.”

Pétain did not adopt de Gaulle's more conservative approach, nor did he adopt Darlan's more radical plan. He chose a compromise between the two methods, which was both somewhat risky and somewhat safe.

He prepared for both options: a fierce attack on Zawiya on one hand, and a surprise attack on Tripoli on the other. This double insurance meant that if either plan succeeded, Pétain would have achieved his goal, and the entire North African war could be accelerated.

"It's settled then. Get ready. We must win this time. We will be the victors in the North African war!"

......

While the French were planning to attack Tripoli, the Ottomans were also thinking about how to drive the French back.

The Ottomans had enough troops stationed in the Zawiya region to withstand their attacks, but they couldn't afford a protracted war of attrition. Wars cost too much money, and the country needed to rebuild. A swift victory was necessary.

Kemal was the de facto ruler of the Ottoman Empire, and he had many official duties to attend to every day. However, he still spent a lot of time studying the situation in North Africa, analyzing intelligence from the front lines, and sending it back.

His exceptional military skills led many generals to heed his advice, making the intelligence he sent back highly valuable.