Chapter 496: Chapter 496 Appointment of the Commander
Antwerp Center Century Hotel Conference Room.
Amidst enthusiastic applause, the "Saint-Etienne" arms factory and FN arms factory officially signed a comprehensive cooperation agreement.
Representatives Dominic and Bo Yata shook hands tightly, facing the flashlights with a smile and pausing for a moment, giving the journalists ample time to take photos.
Albert I clapped while satisfiedly looking at Shire sitting next to him. The more interests he had in Belgium, the more assured Albert I felt. Thus, he spared no effort in facilitating the cooperation between the two sides, even providing national subsidies to FN.
Browning seemed impatient. He clapped his hands while lowering his head to ask Shire, "So, what’s the answer?"
Shire smiled and calmly replied, "It’s simple, Mr. Browning, think about your shotgun, I mean ’Browning A5’. "
Browning was stunned for a moment, then reacted with his mouth half-open: It’s semi-automatic, like the ’Browning A5’ semi-automatic, why didn’t I think of that!
The answer is indeed semi-automatic.
Fully automatic on full-power bullets should be a machine gun. If you insist on using a machine gun as a single infantry rifle, its disadvantages are unavoidable.
Moreover, there is a serious problem with it. When held by hand for continuous shooting, due to the large recoil and violent jumping, its bullets will scatter wildly with almost no accuracy, pretty much like "blind shooting".
Semi-automatic is different.
It is not much heavier than a bolt-action rifle, and the ammunition base is also over a hundred rounds. Also, since the bullets are fired intermittently, it has high accuracy.
The most important thing is: Every soldier can use a semi-automatic rifle, unlike the BAR which requires physically fit soldiers to handle it.
Therefore, the rifle capable of fully replacing the bolt-action rifle is the semi-automatic rifle, not the BAR.
As for the assault rifle that will replace the semi-automatic rifle in the future, it must be based on intermediate-power bullets.
Bo Yata sighed when he heard this plan, "The answer is only three words ’semi-automatic’, yet we almost paid the price of an entire subsidiary for it."
"No no," Browning answered, "It’s not as simple as it seems, Jonathan, this is the direction of development. If we didn’t know this and fully produced BARs, even trying to replace bolt-action rifles with them, do you know what would happen?"
Bo Yata nodded in understanding.
The era of creativity is such that a successful design can revive a company on the brink of collapse, likewise, a wrong idea can shut down a thriving company.
Shire’s advantage is that his ideas are always correct, whether in military or military-industrial aspects.
...
Shire received two pieces of good news when he returned to the command post.
The telegram was sent by Matthew. Since learning engine technology from the aircraft manufacturing plant, Shire had assigned him to the research and development work at the tractor factory, while Dejoka was responsible for commercial operations.
"After months of effort, our engines finally reached 250 horsepower, and there’s still room for improvement. I believe the development of new tanks can be put on the agenda."
Shire sighed inwardly. The "Holt 75" used initially had only 83 horsepower, and the more advanced "Holt 120" had only 120 horsepower. Now it has climbed to 250 horsepower, more than doubling.
"Professor Fursden’s ’Echo Detector’ has succeeded. After secret testing, it can currently accurately detect submarines at five hundred meters."
Fursden?
"Echo Detector"?
Shire almost forgot about it, only remembering it was sonar for detecting submarines when he saw the word "submarine".
Shire didn’t think much and asked the staff member to reply to Matthew, "Tell Professor Fursden to continue working, extend its detection distance."
At this moment, Tijani approached with a telegram, looking serious.
Shire asked, "Bad news?"
Tijani didn’t answer. He first handed a telegram to Shire, "Congratulations, you are now a Major General. The new uniform assigned to you is already on its way and is expected to arrive tonight."
This could be considered good news, although Shire didn’t care much.
Shire turned his gaze to the other telegram in Tijani’s hand, which must be bad news.
Tijani nodded slightly, shaking the telegram before placing it in front of Shire, "The appointment and transfer of commanders, you could say is the aftermath of you ousting Xia Fei."
Shire glanced at the telegram:
"Nivelle promoted to Vice Admiral, appointed as Commander-in-Chief of the French Army and Allies."
This is no longer a secret, many people know, and know Nivelle relies on British connections.
"Gallieni appointed Minister of the Army and Commander of the Reserve Army Group."
This is also widely known.
"Northern Group Army 9th Corps transferred to Verdun for combat, Admiral Avis leading the British Expeditionary Force’s 1st Corps to relieve the Antwerp defense line!"
...
Shire stared at Tijani in astonishment, "British Expeditionary Force 1st Corps? They transferred the 9th Corps and replaced it with the British Expeditionary Force?"
"Yes!" Tijani nodded helplessly.
Shire’s troops were on the Antwerp defense line, but they were aviation, armor, and mechanized troops. The infantry stationed here needed to cooperate with Shire.
Now, they transferred the French 9th Corps and brought in the British Expeditionary Force.
"I don’t know what they are thinking." Tijani frowned, "Having us cooperate with the British Expeditionary Force? The soldiers don’t even speak the same language, their equipment and ammunition are different, not to mention the differences in tactics!"
Then he continued to complain incessantly:
"There will be a lot to do from now on."
"When they arrive, the first thing to teach them is how to understand flag signals."
"And the way to communicate with aircraft, and cooperate with armor units."
...
Shire was silent for a while and then interrupted Tijani, "Are you only concerned about these things?"
"What else?" Tijani asked back.
Shire smiled gently, "Think about it, General. The British replaced Nivelle with their mouthpiece using supplies, what do they hope to gain the most?"
Tijani was stunned, then widened his eyes with his mouth half-open, "Military achievement? You mean the British are here to grab military achievements?"
Shire nodded slightly, "So, what you said does not exist. The commander is not me, but this..."
Shire glanced at the telegram:
"Admiral Avis."
"He is a Vice Admiral, and I am a Major General, you are also a Major General, we certainly have to obey his command."
Tijani was stunned, "Then, we will charge toward the enemy’s fortress under his command, achieving victory after suffering heavy casualties, but the achievement is his?"
"That’s about right," Shire said, "There might be other tactics too."
The British have always been invincible in shamelessness, and they will "gentlemanly" find grand reasons!