I Became a Plutocrat in World War I: Starting with Saving France

During World War I, when the enemy and us were stuck in trench warfare stalemate, the Allies' approach was to develop tanks or open new fronts elsewhere, while the German Army considered whether they could use a highly capable infantry unit to break through the enemy lines and expand the results to achieve victory.

This "highly capable infantry unit" was the Storm Assault Battalion.

At this time, the Storm Assault Battalion had just been formed, led by its advocate Major Willi Röhl, who served as the chief instructor for training. He selected over five hundred elite troops from the German Army to form a battalion, training in Berlin for three weeks according to his tactical ideas.

When he received the combat order, Major Willi paused for a moment and handed the telegram to Battalion Commander Major Rico: "What do you think?"

Major Rico glanced at the telegram, his eyes showing some worry: "We're not ready. Many of them don't even know each other yet."

"That's not important," Willi replied, his gaze resolute. "As long as we know how to fight this battle. The battlefield is the best training ground."

These were Major Willi's genuine thoughts. He believed that the training ground was just for exploring unknown theories, while the battlefield was for practice, verification, and results. Only real combat could perfect theories and provide experience for subsequent "Storm Assault Teams."

"There will never be a moment when we're 'ready,' Rico," said Major Willi. "If we stay on the training ground forever."

Major Rico nodded helplessly, thinking that Major Willi's perspective had some merit.

Moreover, he, as the battalion commander, was only responsible for how to fight. Whether to fight and when to join the battle was up to Chief Instructor Willi.

...

At three o'clock the next morning, the fully armed First Storm Assault Team arrived in Combray by train.

Major General Nicholas, commander of the First Tank Division, personally welcomed them at the train station.

In the car heading to the front line, Major General Nicholas eagerly shone a flashlight on the map and said to Major Willi:

"The situation is urgent, Major."

"Shire's First Tank Brigade is already on their way to reinforce us. I'm not sure when they'll arrive."

"I only know that we must break through the enemy lines as quickly as possible to gain more time for combat preparation!"

Willi didn't even glance at the map and directly replied, "In two hours."

"What?" Major General Nicholas looked up at Willi, his eyes filled with confusion.

"We will attack at dawn, General," Willi replied. "The plan is simple: infiltrate the enemy lines just before daylight and launch a full attack when dawn breaks."

Nicholas was momentarily stunned, then nodded slightly. It turned out the Storm Assault Team was to "infiltrate the enemy lines," not act as the "vanguard."

He was right. Infiltrating the enemy lines would be much more effective than being the vanguard.

Finally, Willi glanced at the map in Nicholas's hand and concluded, "So, I don't need this kind of map. What I need is the enemy trench configuration map."

...

The sky was barely light, and German shells exploded intermittently along the French Army's front line, adding a hint of smoke to the morning mist.

Major Willi cautiously raised his binoculars and peeked towards the other side for a moment. Seeing no movement from the French troops, he raised his hand and lightly waved it forward. The ready First Storm Assault Battalion moved out amidst the sound of artillery.

They wore M1915 Prussian helmets, all with their spikes removed.

(The above image depicts the German Army's M1915 helmet. Compared to the older model, the significant difference is the detachable spike. In trench warfare, the spike could easily give away the soldier's position, especially in sunlight.)

Each soldier wore steel armor on their chests, with grenades strapped around their waists, and some even had a few more in their backpacks.

They held carbines and lightweight Maxims, crawling out of the trenches like phantoms and vanishing into the smoke from the artillery shells.

(The above image depicts the KAR98AZ, a carbine more suitable for maneuver warfare in the trenches. It was the standard equipment for the Storm Assault Team.)

(The above image depicts the MG08/15 light machine gun, which is a lightweight version of the Maxim heavy machine gun. It was a compromise choice before the invention of submachine guns.)

The breakthrough point was a choice Major Willi made after repeatedly observing the terrain. It wasn't the closest part to the enemy lines but a recess in the defenses.

On the left side of their advance route was a small hill, which could block the French Army's view from the south. On the right were a few trees, also making it difficult for the French to see clearly in this area.

"What we need to do is fire a few shells at this spot," Major Willi said, pointing at the map with his finger to Major General Nicholas. "Here, here, and here!"

However, Willi emphasized, "Not too many, preferably five to ten."

Major General Nicholas nodded, understanding Willi's intention. Too many shells would arouse the French Army's suspicion.

Originally, Willi Major didn't need to go to the front lines himself. He was the researcher of the "Storm Assault Team" tactical theory. He needed to stay alive to summarize experiences and continue training another batch of "Storm Assault Teams."

However, Major Willi chose to stay with his troops, seeing this battle as an opportunity to practice his theories.

He carefully led his men, crouching as they advanced across the battlefield—sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly. They occasionally paused in craters, sometimes crawled forward, and occasionally used hand signals to command a few snipers to take high ground and provide cover for the troops.

The entire process took nearly twenty minutes, including cutting through the barbed wire and passing through the gap, until they finally reached the front of the French trenches just before dawn.

The French were clueless about their actions. Major Willi, lying in front of the trench, could even hear the French sentries chatting inside:

"God, it's finally daybreak. They said Shire's reinforcements would arrive today. It should be about time now, right?"

"As soon as Shire's troops arrive, we'll be safe."

"Shire is a good man. It's hard to imagine he would truly fight the Germans with us. I mean, he genuinely means it!"

"Yes, if the bombers had been a second later yesterday, we might have been doomed!"

...

Major Willi didn't continue listening. He turned and signaled to his troops behind him.

Understanding immediately, the German soldiers each pulled out grenades from their waists and unscrewed the safety caps.

After waiting for a moment longer, Willi resolutely waved his hand forward. The German soldiers successively lit the grenades' fuses and threw them forward, with the grenades tumbling into the trenches, trailing smoke.

First came the panicked cries of the French soldiers, followed by a series of loud "boom" explosions.

Without needing Major Willi's command, the German soldiers leapt forward one by one, running a short distance while holding their rifles before jumping into the trench.

The concentrated gunfire was nearly devoid of screams.

It was the Assault Battalion finishing off the dazed enemies.

The Assault Battalion usually didn't use bayonets, not just because the trench's confined space made it unsuitable for bayoneted rifles, but also because Major Willi believed that at this point the Assault Battalion needed to create a survival space for themselves with the fastest speed: a segment of the trench they controlled, enough to accommodate the battalion's strength.