World War II: Starting with the defeat of the Desert Fox

Chapter 34 I don't make decisions, I only ask questions

Thorne thought for a moment and decided to give it a try.

Ignoring Gray's attempts to stop him, he stood up and walked toward Montgomery: "General, I have some problems that I cannot solve and need to consult with you."

Montgomery raised an eyebrow: "Interesting. So there's a problem you can't solve?"

Thorne replied, "This concerns the honor of the entire army, and I dare not make a hasty decision, General."

Montgomery put down the documents in his hand and looked at Thorne with interest: "Alright, tell me what makes you so cautious."

Thorne stepped forward: "A reporter asked about Captain Thea and her men, and I didn't know how to answer."

Montgomery frowned, seemingly guessing Thorne's purpose.

His voice instantly turned cold: "You can answer the reporter truthfully, Captain, they were punished for disobeying orders."

As he spoke, Montgomery's eyes pierced Thorne like two sharp military daggers, as if warning: If you dare to take another step forward, I will throw you to them.

However, to Montgomery's surprise, Thorne replied:

"I'd like to say that too, but the problem is..."

"I was a captain, a general, and I was leading them in the battle."

"How am I supposed to explain to reporters that I'm basking in the glory while my subordinates, who obey me, are being punished?"

Montgomery was speechless.

His logic was originally very clear:

Thorne was a civilian at the time and had no authority to command anyone in battle.

Therefore, Thorne, as a civilian, only had merits and no faults, while Thea and others, as soldiers, were derelict in their duties.

The problem is...

They publicized Thorne's miracles as a "captain".

This leads to contradictions.

Montgomery was faced with only two choices:

One option is to pretend you know nothing and let the "contradiction" continue to exist.

But doing this is very risky. If reporters notice anything amiss, it will require several times the effort to explain, and the explanation may not even be convincing.

Secondly...

"I'll handle it," Montgomery said sternly. "This isn't your concern."

"Yes, General," Thorne replied.

He knew he had succeeded.

Instead of making a decision, he passed the problem on to Montgomery to decide!

During Thorne's operation, Gray sat nervously in his seat, holding a telegram and pretending to be busy, prepared to face the general's wrath.

Unexpectedly, just a few minutes later, Thorne sat back down in front of him "unharmed".

Gray looked at Thorne with a puzzled expression, then turned to glance at Montgomery, only to find him calm and not angry at all.

Gray seemed to understand something, and turned his gaze back to Thorne with a sigh of relief: "You didn't say, did you? A wise decision!"

Thorne smiled but didn't say anything.

Just as Gray was about to continue sharing his experience and lessons with Thorne, Montgomery called out, "Gray!"

"Yes, General." Gray stood up reflexively and jogged to Montgomery.

"Bring Captain Thea and her maintenance crew back," Montgomery ordered. "Get them back to their units!"

Gray froze instantly, staring at Montgomery in disbelief, forgetting even to respond.

It wasn't until Montgomery gave him a puzzled look that Gray suddenly realized what was happening: "Yes, General, I'll arrange it right away!"

As he passed Thorne's seat, Gray gave him a questioning look, as if to say: How did you do that?

After making the call and relaying the order, Gray returned to his seat with the same expression, eager to know how to avoid being scolded in the future.

Unfortunately, Thorne pretended not to see it and smiled as he processed the data in his hands.

Well, Gray thought, the general must be in a good mood today, or perhaps his recent victories have changed him.

Yes, that must be it.

However, reality immediately slapped Gray in the face.

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The staff officers were all busy with their own tasks when a general in his fifties with a mustache entered the office with his bodyguards. He stood in front of Montgomery and said, "Monty, long time no see!"

Montgomery looked up, a flicker of surprise in his eyes, then straightened up and saluted: "Sir, it's been a long time!"

He then hurriedly invited the visitor to sit down on the sofa in front of his desk.

Thorne didn't recognize the general and whispered to Gray, "Who?"

Gray rolled his eyes: "General Alexander, you don't recognize him?"

Thorne said "Oh": So it's the "Runaway General". Although I don't know him, I've "heard of his name".

(The image above shows General Alexander, who was known as the "Runaway General" because he commanded the Dunkirk evacuation.)

Thorne didn't have a good impression of him because he knew he was a typical incompetent British general, especially a few years later during the Eastern Expeditionary Force's battles in Burma, where he repeatedly used the pretext of "joint operations" to trick the expeditionary force into covering the British retreat.

His command was devoid of morality, honor, and credibility; it would not be an exaggeration to describe it as despicable, vile, and shameless.

As they were talking, a subtle change occurred in the conversation between Alexander and Montgomery.

At first, Montgomery was quite polite to Alexander, and he had his guards brew him some English tea.

This is Alexander's habit; he generally doesn't drink coffee unless he's staying up all night.

But Alexander's opening remarks carried a hint of reproach: "Monty, we all know you're in charge of the army and combat; logistics is my responsibility."

Alexander's Middle East Command in Cairo was established to coordinate the logistics of the entire army.

Montgomery instantly understood Alexander's purpose. The smile on his face gradually disappeared, and he leaned back on the sofa, tilting his head back, and asked, "Shell contacted you, didn't they?"

"Of course," Alexander admitted. "McLeod said you planned to replace all the oil drums within a month?"

"Yes," Montgomery countered, "Is there a problem?"

This is turning the tables and shifting from a passive to an active position.

"No, there's nothing wrong with the matter itself." Alexander straightened his back, as if only in this way could Montgomery realize he was speaking to his superior.

"But shouldn't the correct procedure be to report it?"

"Like I said, this is headquarters' job, and we will make our own judgment on this matter!"

"And then?" Montgomery looked Alexander straight in the eye. "Will it take months? Or years?"

Alexander frowned: "Watch your words, Monty. This isn't something you need to worry about..."

"Is that so?" Montgomery interrupted Alexander without hesitation.

"My soldiers are dying every day because of fuel shortages."

"People have even been burned alive because of fuel leaks, and you're telling me that's not something I need to consider?"

The voice grew louder and louder, even carrying a sense of questioning and anger.

Alexander was clearly flustered: "No, no, that's not what I meant. Think about our duties..."

"I only know one thing, General!" Montgomery looked directly into Alexander's eyes:

"If you can fulfill your duties, my soldiers will not lose their lives."

"If you can't, then I'll have to do it for you!"

Do you agree?

Montgomery had many flaws, but his love for the lives of his soldiers was genuine, even to the point of being "protective" of his own, and he never backed down.