Chapter 446: Chapter 446: Shire’s Promise
On this Friday, the weather was sunny, and the sky was clear without a cloud.
The German Army stationed in the Belgian city of Ghent assembled early in the morning. Under the orders of several French majors, they formed long lines, neatly stacked their rifles in front of prepared wooden boxes, and submitted to searches.
Then they removed their helmets, unfastened their belts, tore off their rank insignias, and finally walked to the other side.
The troops receiving the surrender were from General Shire’s forces.
The surrender was conclusively solidified only after German General Byrd issued a statement that he would only surrender to General Shire.
Xia Fei finally ceased his struggles. In the newspaper, he published a contrived statement: "Shire rightly deserves this honor; his achievements are unparalleled. As the commander-in-chief, I am proud of him."
But admitting defeat at this time seemed too late; people had already seen through his facade, and his reputation had been irreparably damaged.
Reputation seemed irrelevant to a perennial victorious General like Shire; even if it were damaged, a few victories would soon make people forget and cheer for him again.
However, for a commander like Xia Fei, who had virtually no achievements on the battlefield, it almost meant the end of his career.
Many people, including members of the French Parliament, began to ponder a question: "Is there still a need for Xia Fei to stay in the position of commander-in-chief? Would it be more appropriate to replace him with someone else?"
Once this thought crossed people’s minds, they would scrutinize Xia Fei’s every word and action with a magnifying glass, sealing his fate.
...
General Shire led his troops into Ghent on foot to show respect for the German Army.
"You don’t need to do this, General," Tijani disagreed: "Do you know how the Germans acted when we lost the Franco-German War?"
Before Shire could answer, Tijani began to speak passionately, his eyes filled with anger:
"William I, surrounded by princes and nobles, rode into Paris on a magnificent horse, with French nobles ordered to welcome him lining both sides."
"They bowed and trembled, afraid that the Germans would send them to the guillotine."
"Although William I did not do that, he chose to hold a coronation ceremony at the Palace of Versailles to declare the establishment of the German Empire."
"This became a scar on the heart of every French person, one that would never heal!"
(The image above shows German Emperor William I being crowned at the Palace of Versailles in France)
Tijani’s implication was that Shire should humiliate the surrendering German Army as a form of revenge, just as the Germans once humiliated the French.
But Shire replied, "And then? Will other Germans choose to resist to avoid such humiliation?"
Tijani was stunned, then understood, looking at Shire with newfound respect.
This was the thinking of a strategist. He did not act out of mere emotions like ordinary people but considered everything from a military interest perspective.
Since Shire chose to walk, other officers, including Albert I, also chose to walk.
Behind them followed rumbling tanks, armored vehicles, and St. Chamond self-propelled artillery.
The procession wasn’t long: one battalion each of the armored and mechanized units, totaling only a little over a thousand troops and about twenty tanks.
The Belgians, dressed in their finest and who had come to welcome them, were incredulous upon seeing this sight. They had always thought they would see the might of Shire’s forces but saw only such a small contingent.
Confusion even dampened the cheers. People craned their necks to look behind the procession, murmuring among themselves:
"The main force isn’t here?"
"These must be Shire’s guards!"
"Are the other units stationed outside the city?"
...
Soon, someone realized and exclaimed, "My God, this is all the troops Shire brought. He came with only a thousand men to receive the surrender of over a hundred thousand German soldiers!"
When people understood, a deafening cheer erupted, with wave after wave calling out Shire’s name.
This was the effect Shire wanted.
Before this, Shire had never appeared in specific public settings due to concerns about assassination threats.
But the "surrender" was different. It was the moment to showcase courage to the world, which could inspire Allies and psychologically impact the German Army, whether they surrendered or not.
The troops finally stopped at Ghent Square, where the German and French Armies formed ranks facing each other.
The German Army had been disarmed, while the French Army was fully armed, with tanks in the rear pointing their cannons forward, exuding an aura of authority without anger, in sharp contrast to the downcast Germans.
(The image above is Ghent Square in Belgium, the historical center of the city. Since 1199, it has become a market on Friday mornings, hence also known as "Friday Square". The statue is of Van Artevelde, a hero during the Hundred Years’ War between England and France.)
Ghent Square’s centuries-old tradition of Friday morning markets was, of course, canceled today.
People gathered holding Belgian and French flags, quietly waiting for the moment of the German Army’s formal surrender.
As soon as Shire took his place in the center of the formation, he immediately drew the attention of all the German soldiers.
Their gazes were complex, filled with admiration, worry, but mostly surprise and shock, as if they couldn’t believe that this boy, who appeared so young, had defeated them.
General Byrd, however, remained calm. As a high-ranking officer, he knew that Shire had just turned eighteen.
Many soldiers did not know this because the German Army had blocked any information about Shire’s "legend" and strictly prohibited discussion among them.
The German high command believed that merely talking about Shire’s feats could affect the morale of their troops.
The military band beside them started beating the drums, initially slowly and then gradually speeding up before abruptly stopping, indicating that the ceremony could move to the next step.
General Byrd walked up to Shire with his head held high and chest out, slightly bowed, and presented his sword with both hands to General Shire: "You have won, General. I am sincerely convinced of my loss."
He then glanced around, nodded slightly in acknowledgment, and said, "Thank you for granting us our last dignity. It means a lot to us."
Shire received the sword with both hands: "I should be thanking you, General."
"What for?" General Byrd asked, puzzled.
"For designating me as the recipient of your surrender," said Shire with self-deprecating humor. "I nearly lost to my people."
General Byrd managed a slight smile: "It’s as it should be. You are the one who defeated us."
"You did well," Shire said, then turned his gaze toward the surrendered German soldiers: "You have done your best. For an unchangeable situation, we should lay down our weapons this way. You are still heroes, and you will be treated well. That is my promise to you!"
The German soldiers breathed a collective sigh of relief; they had received General Shire’s promise!