I Became a Plutocrat in World War I: Starting with Saving France-Chapter 971: Ruhr Industrial District

The Ruhr Industrial District was bustling as usual, with dense factories pieced together like building blocks in the city suburbs. Enormous chimneys continually spewed out thick smoke, filling the air with a suffocating coal scent.

Workers moved back and forth inside the factories. Trucks transported iron ore to the smelting plants, where workers sent them to the conveyor belts, finally processing them into steel that was shipped to other factories.

These would become the artillery, tanks, ammunition, etc., needed on the battlefield, providing material support for Germany's ongoing war.

(Above image: One of the ruins of the Ruhr Industrial District)

Suddenly, several gunshots rang out from outside.

The workers paid it no mind; they were used to it.

Workers, under high-intensity work and insufficient food, often did some outrageous things, such as stealing, grabbing food, selling materials, etc.

In these situations, guards would handle them with guns, sometimes firing empty shots as warnings, and if that didn't work, using real bullets.

But this time, it seemed different. The gunfire continued for a long time, becoming increasingly loud and frequent.

Workers paused their actions in confusion. The trucks stopped, and drivers stuck their heads out to look in the direction of the gunfire, while only machines and conveyor belts whirred nearby.

"What's going on?" Someone asked, "Have the French come to attack?"

"Impossible!" The foreman shouted:

"Our army would never let them reach here."

"Get back to work; maybe it's just an exercise, or some unit practicing shooting."

The workers agreed with the foreman's assessment.

The Ruhr Industrial District was too important; it accounted for 80% of Germany's coal production and 70% of steel production, along with chemical, oil, and machinery manufacturing.

If the French Army reached and occupied here, it would almost mean the collapse of Germany's military industry.

However, just as workers were about to return to their posts, a "whoosh" sound overhead marked the flight of two aircraft.

The workers exclaimed:

"Those aren't our planes; I've never seen such planes."

"They're French."

"The French have made it here; we're doomed!"

...

Workers hesitated, uncertain if it was "rumor" or "truth."

Until a plane dove down with a piercing whine, dropping a bomb that accurately destroyed the bunker at the factory entrance, workers affirmed it.

Amid the explosion's roar, workers screamed and rushed out of the factory, turning the previously orderly industrial district into a sea of panicked, fleeing figures.

The streets were packed with people as German Army soldiers arrived to provide reinforcement, waving rifles and yelling at the crowd: "Move! Get back to your positions!"

But no one listened, the crowd like a tide blocking the retrograde German Army, causing occasional stampedes. The soldiers were squeezed to a standstill, soon dissipated into chaos.

However, some soldiers did so intentionally, unwilling to face the enemy on the battlefield.

They knew more: Shire's 2nd Armored Army had arrived at the Ruhr Industrial District, while the German Army's main force had been redeployed elsewhere.

They also concluded:

The inadequately defended Ruhr would surely fall, and then Germany would surrender.

Who would want to lose their life at the moment of surrender?

Thus, they succumbed to the flow within the crowd, their numbers dwindling until disappearing, leaving only a few officers exasperatedly shouting and firing into the air, changing nothing.

Minutes later, German soldiers retreating from the front lines joined the crowd.

But before they could escape, the rumble of tank engines sounded from behind.

A French Army tank appeared behind the crowd, followed by fully armed French soldiers, holding rifles and aiming their dark muzzles at the people.

"Drop your weapons!" Kristen shouted from the protection of the tank, addressing the crowd: "We're Shire's troops, not your enemy. If you surrender, we guarantee your safety!"

The name "Shire" seemed to hold some power as the workers quieted down, and the crowd, including soldiers, raised their hands, surrendering to the French Army.

...

"Extra! Extra! Shire has captured the Ruhr Industrial District."

"Shire has achieved a decisive victory."

"The Ruhr Industrial District has fallen; the Germans can no longer resist!"

...

On the streets of Paris, the newsboy's voice drew citizens' attention, sparking a frenzy of purchasing and quickly escalating to celebration.

With insider information, the Merit Newspaper accurately seized the moment, gaining a leading edge on information. It had already prepared the newspaper's layout, printed it, and even distributed it to various retail points as usual.

Upon receiving the news, Gali ordered the newspaper to hit the market from Gallieni's ministerial office, with only a minute's delay.

So that when the newspaper was released, Clemenceau, the French prime minister, hadn't received the intelligence yet.

At the time, Clemenceau was holding an emergency meeting at the Clyron Hotel and proudly announced to the representatives:

"Ladies and gentlemen."

"Perhaps you've already heard; under Admiral Shire's leadership, our army has conquered the Liege Fortress."

"This indicates we're another step closer to peace!"

Though they had heard the news earlier, representatives cheered and applauded vigorously.

Yet, General Winter and the British representative remained grim.

Recently, they'd heard demonstrations were occurring in various colonies, demanding British troops return their autonomy, including important countries like Canada and Egypt.

This was evidently no coincidence, and General Winter believed it was related to Shire's victory: Seeing Britain's weakness, the colonies could fearlessly follow Shire's lead, embody Shire's "French spirit," and heed his appeal.

Clemenceau eagerly discussed the details of capturing Liege Fortress with the representatives:

"In this battle, Shire employed two newly developed pieces of equipment."

"One was directional parachutes that allow paratroopers to control their landing path, thus precisely descending onto the target fortresses."

"The other was a dive bomber, capable of carrying a 500-kilogram bomb under extreme conditions, penetrating 3 meters of reinforced concrete at Liege Fortress!"

...

The representatives from various nations marveled at the equipment they couldn't imagine.

At that moment, most of their countries were still manually tossing bombs out of aircraft. Some small nations didn't even have the capability to produce planes, while France had already developed dive bombers for precise bombing!

Thus, their confidence in following France was once again reinforced.

Clemenceau's secretary suddenly barged into the conference room, joyfully reporting breathlessly with a newspaper in hand: "Prime Minister, sir, they say Shire has occupied the Ruhr!"