Reich Marshal of the Belkan Reich

RM Vol 4: War – Chapter 47: Case Yellow (Day 13- One last card to play)

"It's a grim sort of beauty, isn't it?" I comment while looking at the holo-projection of the defeated Grand Fleet burning out of Dunkirk's harbor.

Daria, my cute little aide, is pulled out of her trance. Nodding instinctively, Ningyo's girlfriend replies. "I guess I can see the beauties in Destruction... I just wished it didn't have to cost the lives of so many people."

Currently, Daria and I are viewing the ongoing Battle of Dunkirk from Brussels. Thus far, we have mostly focused on setting up a supply hub in the Darscen province to supply the units in the front, including those of Army Group B that are encircling the EEF by the Channel. Unfortunately, Bryn is elsewhere with an Overseer to supervise Army Group A's steady push to Paris. In a day or two, both Army Group A and Rosa's Army Group C will meet in full for an eventual seizure of the Loyalists' capital city. Other than that, I also have to mobilize one of my temporal clones to command the growing tension in the Belkan-Polanian border. Having caught wind of our entanglement with the EEF and Royal Navy in Dunkirk, the Polanians are getting restless and are setting themselves up to be fish in muddy water. They're thinking along the lines of kickstarting a blitz war to achieve some initial victories to reinforce their image in the world. To that, we've been expecting them for days on end and the men and women in the East are eager for some actions of their own. Still, the soon-to-be Eastern Front will be a story for another day. Right now, we have to make sure that we have wrapped Dunkirk up, nice and tight, as a gift for my family.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Nothing can go overtly wrong, a fact enforced by my oversight over the tactics and force deployments in the region. Daria is right next to me in our newly refurbished center so that I can tutor her in the wider aspect of warfare. Daria has been excelling in rearline duties, thus prompting my further integration of her presence into my command staff. The girl has accrued enough experience in dealing with blooded officers to be brave enough to voice and defend her opinions when needed. Despite her young age, Daria is regarded well by the Army staff as someone bright, albeit still rough around the edges. Thus far, she is found lacking in knowing when and how to employ combined arms doctrine on a grand scale. Placing Daria in a prime position to spectate what's happening in Dunkirk right now is my way of putting things into perspective for her. There's no better battlefield for Daria to learn from than one that includes Land, Air, and Naval actions.

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Under the command of Lord Gort, the Erusean Expeditionary Force reorganizes itself for a final stand, at least until they've exhausted all their means of resistance. Soldiers, those that can still fight, are pressed back into the front or are elsewhere digging trenches and setting up obstacles or chokepoints. Messengers dart in between buildings and alleyways while tanks and transport push down the main roads to the frontline. The positions on the city walls are left untenable after the Belkan presses their attack. Instead of wasting time trying to fortify the walls and leaving themselves sitting ducks, Lord Gort pulls out all the units there and places them all over the city. In each corner, each road, each house, there will be Eruseans and remnants of Ustian Loyalists awaiting the Belkans. If Dunkirk is to be ceded to the Reich, then it will be one arduous transfer as Lord Gort intends to have them fight every single mile.

Still, even with Dunkirk being a sizeable walled city, there's no way the EEF can hold the entirety of its force in the urban setting. As such, a sizeable portion of their force is left out in the harbor and shorelines of Dunkirk, mostly to avoid congestion and fatal funnels. This unit, acting as Lord Gort's reserve, consists of lesser trained and equipped combatants, with some of them being sailors rescued from the sea. Seeing as he and his staff will have their hands full with the Belkan Army's attack in the front, Lord Gort gives the command of the reserve force to Admiral Addison. It's an untraditional approach, yet, Lord Gort doesn't have much of a choice the most experienced of the EEF are needed anywhere but on the beach.

Admiral Addison, having been put in temporary charge of the rearguards, is fortunately not inadequate at his job. Swiftly, he has thousands of his new subordinates start digging holes, setting up blockades, and fortifying their heads with whatever they can get their hands on. With a Belkan fleet right in full view, Addison knows that it will only be a matter of time until they start shelling Dunkirk. It will be too stupid not to soften the EEF's positions with naval guns before the Belkan Army storm in. Had he had the time, Addison would have ordered the dismantlement of the beached destroyer for materials and armament. As it is right now, that destroyer offers nothing but an explosion hazard waiting to happen.

Fortunately, the Eruseans and surviving Loyalists are somehow holding onto a sliver of fighting spirit. Despite witnessing setbacks and the relentless destruction of their hopes and dreams, the Allied forces are mustering the best possible defense one could reasonably do, given the strenuous circumstances. Officers seem to have it well in their hands to prevent total morale collapse and it's swiftly made clear to everyone that they're to give it their all in a last huzzah. After that, it's everyone for themselves, surrendering is always a viable and sanctioned action from this point onward. No one will fault the soldiers for not playing their part in Lord Gort and the EEf's final gambit in history. It's this sentiment, however, that prevents anyone from outright laying down their arms. Since Lord Gort has made it so that this is the EEF's finale, the soldiers and officers dredge up their courage and martial honor to at least see it through till the end as active participants instead of cowards. They're now not fighting for a higher cause, but are fighting for those around them, the memories of their units, and perhaps one last payback.

Nevertheless, in an effort to buy even more time under the guise of humanitarian efforts, Lord Gort parlays with the Belkans outside the wall. Waving the universal flag of truce, Lord Gort and his retinue meet up with those of the Belkan Army Group B. The Belkan Delegation, led by General Belladonna, is quick to point out the crux of the issues the Allied forces are facing currently. While not outright stating that Lord Gort should surrender, General Belladonna implies Lord Gort to consider his option very carefully and whether or not he will be able to live with it. Regardless of what he chooses, Lord Gort's force is entitled to fair treatment post the Battle of Dunkirk. Surprised by the Belkan wolfkin's candor, Lord Gort laughs refreshingly after what seems to be days without a smile. Seeing directly at what the Belkans are bringing out into the field, their infantry equipment, and vehicles, Lord Gort can see why the Allies are losing badly on every front.

Still, even with defeat being a certainty, Lord Gort surmises that he can at least salvage the honor of the fallen and his Kingdom in the biggest battle ever since the days of the Great War. General Belladonna respects the man's decision and remains fully cooperative when Lord Gort requests a safe corridor for him to evacuate battle casualties and soldiers who decide to surrender.

Both Generals decide to blast open a major hole in the walls to create an egress passage for the EEF. The passage is only for war casualties and surrendering units to use. The Belkan Reich is to receive these non-hostile personnel and to care for them according to the words of the Geneva Convention. Both the EEF and the Belkan Army are to disarm themselves upon using the corridor. Additionally, Belkans, Eruseans, and Loyalists are to treat one another respectfully in the field of combat. These are the simplified terms of the negotiation between Belladonna and Lord Gort, with both sides not understanding just how historic this moment truly is. There has never been a decisive battle that has both parties agreeing on the terms of war, shaking hands, before departing with smiles of relief and confidence that they've made the right choice. There will be lives lost in the coming battle, for sure, but it's lives lost fighting for what they believe in instead of some godforsaken promise of vain glory.

Ironically, this marks the rare times when battles are fought with a clear code of conduct that the affiliated parties all agree on. The Reich Marshal views this event with amusement and undisguised admiration for how Lord Gort seems to react while pushed against the proverbial wall. It comes as a pleasant surprise for everyone when she goes on a spiel to explain the morality and reasoning behind Lord Gort's actions and parlay to Daria. Although the Erusean General was clearly buying time to shore up his defenses, he was also using the chance to elevate himself to be a hero in the eyes of Allied soldiers and officers, knowingly or unknowingly. This means that whoever decides to fight with Lord Gort will be giving their utmost for the task, making it harder for the Belkan Army and Marines to seize Dunkirk. Heavy firepower can only do so much in an urban setting. Since a code of honor is in effect, the Belkan military can't just erase half of the city off the map now. Doing so will make the whole evacuation corridor idea pointless and will reflect badly on the Reich should the matter come to light.

So, in a roundabout way, the Allied forces, or more specifically Lord Gort, earned the first victory in this war. It's a moral and a consolation prize at best, but it's still a win just by limiting the amount of firepower the Belkan military can bring to bear. Kudos to Lord Gort for a successful maneuver that played on the Belkans' mentality. This is the first time the Reich Marshal ever acknowledged an enemy General that is worth being praised in Belkan history.