activa-t Chapter 57 Danger Often Doesn't Come From Your Enemy
Chapter 57 Danger Often Doesn't Come From Your Enemy
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Borg Arab, tank base.
At this moment, Thorne truly felt the difficulty of reform, especially when most people firmly believed that a certain approach was wrong.
Since Thorne proposed canceling the 37mm gun on the Grant tank, various doubts and controversies have never stopped.
From officers to soldiers, from tank crewmen to accompanying infantry, almost everyone disagreed:
"Although the 37mm gun cannot be used to attack tanks, it is a powerful weapon against infantry on the battlefield."
"Without the 37mm gun, what if there is danger on the flanks and rear? Our 75mm gun cannot turn, and it cannot even put up the most basic resistance."
"Now that we've already brought the 37mm gun, why not add two more men and increase the firepower?"
……
Furthermore, officers and soldiers jointly submitted a letter, using extremely sincere language:
"Captain Thorne, we respect you and understand and agree with your armored tactics theory."
"However, you may not have used a tank before, let alone driven one in combat, so you lack a certain level of practical understanding of it."
"Please consider this carefully, or learn more about the power of the 37mm gun before deciding whether to withdraw it."
Below is a signature from over a hundred people.
Major Cross seemed somewhat embarrassed when he handed the joint letter to Thorne:
"Their goals are aligned with yours, Captain."
"You could even say they are more eager to have combat capabilities."
"Because it concerns their lives."
"I know," Thorne replied, "but that's precisely why I need to stand firm. I'm not acting on impulse; I'm not playing with their lives. I'm absolutely certain I'm right."
Thorne had no words to express his suffering.
He had never driven a tank, never been in actual combat, and never commanded an armored force.
but……
Historically, after the British Eighth Army fought a few battles with the Grant tank, it did not hesitate to scrap the 37mm gun.
This is precisely the choice they made, based on the experience and decisions gained at the cost of many people's blood.
Thorne simply brought forward the decision.
Unfortunately, these forward-thinking approaches are often incomprehensible to people.
Just as Thorne was wondering how to solve this problem, Lieutenant General Ramsden approached him: "Captain, someone wants to see you. Can you come with me?"
Thorne was somewhat puzzled.
Ramsden was already a lieutenant general; who would send him to "deliver a message"?
To Thorne's surprise, the person he thought he was going to meet was in Borg Arab, but Ramsden's jeep took him to Alexandria, dozens of kilometers away.
The jeep eventually stopped in front of the Windsor Palace Hotel by the sea.
(The image above shows the Windsor Palace Hotel, which opened in 1906.)
As Lieutenant General Ramsden alighted from his vehicle, he explained, "Alexandria is the junction of the army, navy, and air force, and is therefore often used as a meeting place for the three branches of the armed forces. This hotel is one of them, and it will not arouse suspicion."
This made Thorne even more confused: Why worry about others suspecting you when you meet someone?
Instead of entering a room, the two went into a conference room on the fifth floor.
Thorne believes this is also for the sake of secrecy: anyone could enter the conference room, and it would be difficult for outsiders to find out someone's identity from the room number.
As soon as Thorne entered, he saw an old man dressed in casual clothes sitting in a chair by the window with an easel in front of him. His pencil scratched on the paper as he skillfully sketched the sea view outside the window.
It was him. Thorne remembered; it was the old man he had seen in the officers' quarters.
Hearing footsteps, the old man stood up with a smile and went to greet him, extending his hand to Thorne: "We meet again, Captain Thorne."
Thorne looked at the old man with a puzzled expression, then turned his gaze to Ramsden.
Ramsden introduced, "This is General Ochinlek, Thorne, my old superior."
Thorne's head exploded with a "whoosh"—the old man in front of him was actually Ochinlek.
"I'm sorry, General," Thorne said, "I didn't know it was you that day..."
Ochinlek chuckled:
"It's alright, Captain. In fact, it's precisely because you didn't know it was me that your evaluation is so valuable."
"In fact, I should thank you more."
Thorne, confused, asked, "Thank me?"
"Yes," Ochinlek nodded. "At that time, I was in a state of inexplicable anger, or rather, a sense of humiliation, and you calmed me down."
He invited Thorne to the table, Drake poured coffee for the two of them, and Lieutenant General Ramsden stood behind Ochinleck.
"You are...?" Thorne guessed, "Here for the reform of the armored forces? For the matter of 'Grant' canceling the 37mm gun?"
Ochinlek smiled and shook his head: "I agree with your approach, Captain. Canceling the 37mm gun is a good idea. I've already told Johnny."
Thorne was stunned; Ochinleck actually understood.
"Yes," Ramsden replied.
"Although I still can't believe it, if the general and the captain both think it's the right thing to do, then I believe it must be the right thing to do."
"Because no one understands tank tactics better than you."
Thorne was even more puzzled; what was the purpose of Ochinlek's trip...?
Ochinlek put down his coffee cup and asked seriously, "Do you know you're in danger, Captain?"
"Danger?" Thorne looked bewildered. "You mean, German spies are plotting against me?"
That was the only thing he could think of.
Ochinlek shook his head: "Danger often doesn't come from your enemies, Captain, but from your comrades or superiors."
Thorne realized that Ochinleck's "superior" referred to Montgomery, but he still didn't understand why.
"That's unlikely," he thought. "My presence would be good for Montgomery."
Ochinlek continued, "You know about the Prime Minister's visit to Bog Arab countries, right?"
"Yes," Thorne replied, "I just heard that they've arranged for me to meet with the Prime Minister tomorrow."
It was mainly for reporters to take photos and then publish them in the newspaper to boost morale; Thorne had become somewhat numb to it.
Ochinlek grunted in agreement.
"The Prime Minister will not miss any opportunity to boost his approval rating."
"However……"
"You should know the purpose of his trip."
"Yes," Thorne replied, "he did it to urge Montgomery to launch a counterattack."
Ochinlek raised an eyebrow: "And you're not worried about it at all, still planning to train for a month?"
Thorne was indeed not worried, because he knew that Montgomery had withstood Churchill's urging and eventually launched a counterattack in October.
however.
When Thorne saw Ochinlek's ambiguous smile, he realized he had made a mistake.
If something I do in this world causes a "butterfly effect" and leads to some changes...
Thorne's face turned deathly pale instantly.