Joseon Needs a Coup - Chapter 346



Only Noblemtl

#2-4. The throbbing of life

-… Koreans had relatively large and strong bodies compared to Japanese and Chinese, and they placed great importance on taking the initiative by utilizing their superior physique and physical strength in close combat, especially in close combat. Koreans, whose average male height was over 167cm, had great contempt for other Asian countries that were smaller than them, especially the Japanese and Chinese, and this was also clearly revealed in their military doctrine.

The long spike bayonets and the Russian rifles hanging from them were over 170cm long, and the large Koreans used them without hesitation to maintain an offensive stance even in defensive battles. Their offensive doctrine was established through this.

‘The flesh of Russia and the spirit of France.’

This suggested that they were heavily influenced by Russia and France, and this was demonstrated with great destructive power during the bloody 11-month war that lasted from October 1903 to September 1904. The Japanese Empire suffered close to 50,000 casualties when it captured Seoul, the initial capital of Korea, and Pyongyang, the second largest city, and then suffered 200,000 casualties when it launched a general counteroffensive by the Korean army. This was the same number of Japanese troops defeated by the Russian army at Bongcheon.

…

The Korean Empire has suffered from numerous interventions by foreign powers, especially Japan and Qing, since the unfortunate war with France in the 1860s. And this has left a deep wound on the pride of the Korean people who have continued the monarchy system for 500 years. The Korean people, who call themselves descendants of great ancestors, have finally taken revenge on the Japanese who tried to enslave and oppress them.

The Korean Empire attempted to recover from the war to defend its homeland and created a nation full of light, cheerfulness, and excitement from the hateful surrounding nations. Thus a new faith was born, and their military was the first organization to embrace it. The Korean Marshal’s Office received much help from the newly established General Staff College after the war, and these were soon filled with dedicated, young local nobles (called yangban in Korean) who had a passion for the country and a desire for grand strategy.

Thus, the traditional values ​​and standards of the military were reestablished. The officers of the Korean Empire sought to restore the glory of their ancestors’ brave fights against Chinese and Japanese invaders over the past several thousand years of history, and to dispel the fog of a new era entering the 20th century, thereby demonstrating that their army was the best army capable of protecting the nation and asserting that the Korean Empire was an independent nation.

He was able to point out the cause of the humiliating defeat for the Korean people, who were the embodiment of revenge and the vanguard for their country, by driving the atmosphere of the times. He defined it as the fault of the Joseon Dynasty, which was defensive and passive, and emphasized that a strong offensive spirit based on offensive principles was necessary to protect the country.

So the argument that it could turn back the wheel of history to the time they most longed for was accepted convincingly. New tactics and strategies, especially the definition of cavalry and elite infantry capable of breaking through the front lines, were accepted… –

For a long time, Posh had been writing in his study, a piece that would one day see the light of day, when he suddenly realized that the sun was about to set.

“It’s already this late.”

Taking a break, he looked through the military magazine the officer on duty had brought him and saw some very familiar faces and names.

“…Grand Maison.”

He was able to realize that the students he had raised at the Military Academy were now forming a corps of young French officers. After serving as an observer in the Far East war, he advocated a new doctrine for the French Republic, an offensive doctrine, based on his war experience and observations there, and his students at the Military Academy, who were impressed by him, made great strides.

But Foch was still worried about that. He was now approaching the age of sixty-five, the age when he would have to retire in a few years, but the young French generals and officers had understood Foch’s arguments only in fragments. Or perhaps they had understood them in the exact opposite way.

“Damn you guys. You’re just going to destroy the doctrine I worked so hard to create.”

Poche muttered to himself as he poured himself a drink. The success of the Korean army, which he had worked so hard to create, was talked about all over Europe, but was hardly accepted except by the French army.

In most cases, it was dismissed as a fight between dogs raised by Russia and Britain, and the Russians, as the landlords, eventually used their immense power to drive out Japan.

France was a little different, however. When Foch was suddenly promoted to the position of president of the Military College, many people accepted his ideas and the war in the Far East as the future and reality that France would soon face.

It seems that some of the higher-ups were impressed by the dramatic defeat of the Japanese army, which had accepted the idea of ​​“Russian flesh and French spirit,” by the Korean army, which had accepted Prussian doctrine.

However, they saw the reason for the victory of the Korean army differently from Foch. Foch believed that the victory of the Korean army was greatly influenced by the great commander, the firepower that could directly and indirectly support the powerful artillery and infantry, and the presence of subordinate commanders and staff officers who could make their own judgments and decisions at the right time and place.

However, the French Ministry of War thought differently. They believed that the Korean army’s strong offensive spirit, the superior human factor of the elite infantry, and the individual spirit of ‘destroying the invaders’ were the deciding factors in victory or defeat.

It was also seen that the great victory was achieved by combining the power of the French 75mm field guns with the assault using their very long and large bayonets, which were about 170cm long.

“They are like fools who have lost the ability to even face objective reality.”

Foch was writing again several years after the war, in order to correct the misconceptions of his disciples and superiors. If things continued as they were, France would not only not be able to win a war with the German Empire, but it would also be impossible to prevent a repeat of the terrible events of 1870.

The war plans prepared by his disciples were largely flawed. The ‘traditional’ military strategy of the French General Staff was dismissed as cowardly.

Rather, it brought with it a new and erroneous theory, namely, that only the offensive doctrine adopted during the First French Empire could save France from the clutches of the German Empire.

“I think everyone is seriously mistaken about this now.”

Foch believed that the doctrines of the Fouries de Française and the Fou de Batallon alone could not defeat the Huns. Only by combining these two doctrines appropriately and forming the basis of his doctrine of offensiveness could he confront them, and that the Korean army had already demonstrated this, he insisted until his throat was hoarse, but the conservatives in the military and the young officers tended to ignore them.

Originally, the French field army would have deployed a deep defensive line behind the Revieres fortifications stretching from Epinal to Verdun, which was the basic scenario for the Great War against Germany.

It was also thought that the fortresses could hold out for at least a month, as the Metz fortress had held out so well in the war with Germany in 1870.

And now things were different. Unlike France, which had been isolated by Bismarck’s clever moves, this time Russia, their ally, was holding out. And that one month had a completely different meaning, as they could mobilize large numbers of troops from both the East and the West to give the Germans a good beating.

However, the young officer corps, including Joffre, the candidate for the successor to the Chief of Staff, strongly opposed this defensive French grand strategy. They began to argue that the glory and honor of the great French army lay in the offensive, not in the defensive.

They had already noticed that Britain was abandoning its isolationist policy and was approaching a Franco-Russian alliance, a relationship that was very quickly developing into one that suggested military intervention.

Beginning around 1904, Britain, France, and Russia had been negotiating behind the scenes that if Germany invaded France or any of its neighbors, Britain would intervene.

Moreover, Russia, which had won in Manchuria but suffered a military defeat, also played a part in their emergence. The Tsar, who had already gained great military confidence in the war with Japan, obtained a promise from the French Prime Minister in a letter that ‘before mobilization is complete, the standing divisions will attack the east of Germany.’

“Stupid Nikki. There’s no way we can reorganize a loss of over 200,000 troops in such a short period of time.”

Foch just clicked his tongue at this sight. When the Japanese army suffered 600,000 casualties, Russia lost 200,000 in the Far East. Russia, which lost 200,000 of its 1 million standing army, definitely needed time to recover, but the Tsar, who had already gained excessive confidence as a victorious monarch, seemed not to care about that.

Ultimately, this phenomenon led to the ignoring of the French Army’s most vulnerable reality. Operational plans based on a hasty and immediate offensive doctrine were rife both inside and outside the War Ministry.

The opportunities to offset Germany’s numerical superiority with terrain and fortifications were also gone. If a defense in depth had been carried out on the Revier line according to War Plan 16, then Foch’s doctrine of ‘offensiveness’, coupled with a proper counteroffensive, would have been able to sweep the Germans out of the Meuse plain.

“Sir, Chief of Staff Joffre has called you separately.”

“For what reason?”

“I didn’t hear the details, but it’s because of a matter related to war plans.”

He doesn’t even give me time to have a drink alone. Foch grumbled, put on his clothes, and entered a house in the heart of Paris with the orderly.

It was a bar frequented by high-ranking French officers, and was also a place where quite sensitive topics were often discussed. If there were any German spies, they would definitely start loitering around here.

“The president’s face looks quite pale. I guess he has a lot on his mind these days.”

“…Will you only be the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff?”

Still, Posh didn’t think that Geoffrey was all that bad. He was the same age as him, and he was the one who most recognized his abilities, which were slow to advance.

“So why did you call me?”

“Well, I’m trying to talk comfortably. About… this War Plan 17… … .”

“I will reject that story. It is a shame to see you trying to solve a problem that already has a set answer with the wrong answer. I have already said everything I wanted to say about that.”

“I knew it,” said Joffre, taking a sip from the glass in front of him.

“Haha, this time the British shared some pretty interesting data with the War Department.”

“If it’s data?”

“Don’t be surprised when you hear this.”

He looked around and spoke in a very quiet voice. No, if it was going to be like this, I should have called you to my office and talked to you. Why bother bringing you to a bar like this?

“It seems that the British General Staff conducted war games in preparation for an emergency. They were talking about how Britain should defend itself against a large-scale German offensive against France. And do you know what the result was?”

“… … ?”

“In one month, our French defenses collapsed and the result was that they were finished. The Germans destroyed the tenacious defenses of not only our French army but also the Belgian army with astonishing speed and overwhelming firepower, and advanced toward the English Channel before the British and Russian mobilization units could be called in. Everyone was so shocked by this that they decided to change the existing war plan.”

“That’s ridiculous.”

Foch looked puzzled. After all, it was only natural that he would be surprised, since such high-level information would not have reached him as the president of the Military University. Joffre continued his story, leaving the surprised man behind.

“That’s why we came to the conclusion that we had no choice but to abandon our defensive position. With a defensive strategy, we can’t hold out until Britain and Russia come back to reorganize their forces.”

“So you’re advocating that ridiculous offensive doctrine?”

“To overcome fear, you need courage that is much stronger than your enemies… … and those who claim that are your disciples.”

Joffre said with a gentle smile. Foch didn’t quite understand the situation that was suddenly unfolding, but he decided to listen to his story a little more, so he changed his posture and started listening.

“Because of the war with Germany, the Sino-Japanese War, and this war in the Far East, everyone saw your doctrine and was impressed. After all, the victories won by the Korean army came from your brain.”

Joffre himself knew it. France was already inferior to Germany both in numbers and quality. Without Britain and Russia, France could not even guarantee victory in a single battle against Germany.

“Ultimately, War Plan 17 has found its core doctrine from you. You can be proud of being the father of offensiveism and the hero who saved France.”

“So what’s the bottom line of that plan?”

“It’s simple. Whatever the circumstances, the entire French Army and Navy must unite to crush the German attack and advance. In any case, if war is declared, the Germans will concentrate a huge force in the Lorraine region, and if possible, they will try to overturn our front lines by crossing the border.”

“Would you like to attack first with five armies and one cavalry corps?”

“That’s what it is.”

“That’s crazy. My offensive doctrine is not written that way.”

Foch was disgusted. Joffre’s assumption was wrong. First of all, the German army’s deployment itself was problematic. The idea that the main German force would be concentrated in Lorraine was not factual but hypothetical. In fact, German troops had been deployed west of the Meuse since 1904, and there were warnings from French intelligence and the British that if the situation really happened, they would cross the French border from there.

Moreover, there were many doubts about the number of German troops that would be encountered on the first day of the war. There were indications that the Germans would already have a considerable number of reserves at the front, but the young French officers, including Joffre, ignored this.

There was a bigger problem. This series of plans was based on a short-term, quick-action strategy, without any thought for the future. Foch had already seen the battle between the Japanese and Korean armies and saw that the war could be prolonged at any moment.

Knowing this, the Korean army deployed its mobile assets at the most critical moment, forcing the Japanese to refuse to admit defeat, and the Russian army crushed them in Manchuria with a large-scale field battle. But the French could not do the same against Germany.

Rather, it would have been right to proceed with the previous defensive strategy followed by an offensive strategy. Only then could Foch’s own offensive doctrine shine. An offensive plan that had not been preceded by that… would have been nothing short of a spectacular suicide.

“… This result will end in a terrible way. Even with the blood of countless soldiers… we will not be able to protect the Marne River and Paris.”

“That’s why I came to you. After all, I need you to be able to sharply point out the strengths and weaknesses of this War Plan 17, while at the same time providing the backbone for the plan.”

At first, Joffre said this to Foch. It seemed to me that this was not the purpose for which he had been called in the first place.

“There is a position available in the 2nd Army at Nancy, now commanded by General Castelnaud. The 20th Army Corps, also known as the Steel Army, needs a firm commander like you. Our army is currently overflowing with men who are capable in peacetime but indecisive in wartime. Wouldn’t it be reassuring to have someone like you in such a situation?”

“… … .”

“And the 2nd Army is the most pivotal of the core in my war plans. The more such units are, the more I need you. So take charge of the 20th Army Corps. You are the only one in France who can destroy that damned Kaiser and his war machine. Aren’t you the one who created the Napoleon of the East?”

… Posh tried to correct him, but stopped. It would have been too long to continue anyway, and to today’s Europeans, steeped in racism, a “capable Oriental” would always mean someone with a great white assistant.

“I am still a brigadier general. I lack the experience and qualifications to command a corps.”

“That doesn’t matter. As for rank, I can just write up an order tomorrow, and as for qualifications, they’ve already proven it through their long service in Korea.”

The clouds of war were gathering in Europe, and Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire were forming an alliance against the Triple Entente of Britain, France, and Russia. A single spark could set all of Europe, or now the whole world, ablaze.

“I hope you will write more passionately about the things you learned in Korea and the experiences you had there for our France. In that way, show them that you are not wrong.”

“…great.”

Foch thought for a moment and then accepted it. After all, there were probably more things he could do as a corps commander than as president of the War College. This damned War Department had no idea how useful the machine gun was, or how fearsome the infantry, which could think for itself, move, and have a powerful firepower, was, and had no desire to know.

Whenever he pointed it out, he would get annoyed or be busy nagging him to mind his own business. In such an army, if he were in the position of corps commander, he thought that he might be able to change a lot of things, so he thought that it was better for Foch.

“I will go to Nancy to teach you again what you have learned from me, and to do the exact opposite of what I taught you.”

“Very good. There is still hope for the French Army, yes.”

Joffre smiled and offered a toast to Foch.

“For the glory of France.”

“Long live the Republic.”

Again, after drinking, they continued their conversation. And the content was something about the dynamism of life, or ‘élan vital’.

And he returned to his office and began to write another letter to Korea. If there had been one or two more like him in the French Republic, the German Empire would have been nothing.

A bitter regret went down my throat along with the strong alcohol under the moonlight. The Parisian night slowly began to fall asleep like that.