Chapter 187: Britain's Decision

"Lieutenant General, could it be that the French intend to surround us?" a British staff officer suddenly suggested. He marked the routes of the French 2nd and 8th Infantry Divisions on the map. From the map, it was clear that the French were employing a pincer movement, aiming to encircle the British forces.

"Hiss!"

Upon hearing this, Lieutenant General Bammel couldn't help but take a sharp breath. He was well aware of the implications if the French achieved their strategic objective.

"Fuck, the French have quite an appetite!" Bammel couldn't help but exclaim.

"No, we absolutely cannot allow the French to succeed with their plan. We must stop them. Order the 4th Brigade, stationed on the northern defensive line, and the 5th Brigade, stationed on the southern defensive line, to be on high alert. We cannot let the French seize any more ground," Bammel commanded.

"Additionally, recall the 6th and 7th Brigades from the south to fill the gaps on the eastern front. Have them join forces with the 1st and 3rd Brigades to reclaim the eastern positions," Bammel added.

"But General, if we do that, we will be deploying all our forces. If the French attack the southern or northern positions, a single brigade might not be able to hold the line," the staff officer cautioned.

The French fighting capability was incredibly strong. Despite having deployed three brigades on the eastern front, they still couldn't withstand the French assault. Therefore, the staff officer was very concerned that withdrawing two brigades from the south and north, already thinly defended, would exacerbate the situation.

Moreover, the British Army's numbers were limited, with only seven brigades. If they deployed all of them now, what would they do in case of an emergency?

"Of course, I am aware of that, but the situation on the eastern front is dire. If we don't send reinforcements now, I fear it will become the French breakthrough point," Bammel said.

He hoped that the battle would remain in a stalemate, giving him enough time to wait for the British Navy.

The fierce battle east of Middelburg continued. As the French Army's reinforcements gradually entered the battlefield, they broke through multiple British defensive lines. At this moment, the entire eastern front of the British was in disarray.

Even so, the British in Middelburg continued to resist stubbornly. This made Roland's hope of completely swallowing them a bit difficult. Fortunately, the weather was still not great, with low visibility at sea, which deterred the British Navy from launching attacks lightly.

### Overall, the French Army's attack was quite successful this time. The defensive line that the British painstakingly constructed was in shambles under the fierce firepower of the French Army. Nearly 10,000 British troops were eliminated by the French, which accounted for half of the British military strength.

Although Bammel was still putting up a desperate resistance at the moment, it was only a matter of time before he was completely defeated. Additionally, the French Army was advancing in both the southern and northern directions towards Middelburg. If successful, the British would have no choice but to surrender.

…

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Outside the northern defensive line of the British forces in Middelburg, the French were attacking with howitzers. With the continuous firing from the French, flames kept rising from the British positions. Each burst of flame signified the death of several or even dozens of British soldiers.

The British, however, did not just take the hits without retaliating. Being bombarded by the French, they naturally chose to fight back.

"Bang! Bang!"

As soon as the French howitzers started firing, the British artillery immediately responded. However, in previous battles, due to the urgent situation on the eastern front, Lieutenant General Bammel had transferred most of the British artillery there, leaving very few cannons on the northern and southern fronts.

As a result, the British counterattack seemed very weak. If the French bombardment was like the surging waves of the sea, the British response was like a trickle of tap water.

In less than half an hour, the French artillery completely suppressed the British artillery. At the same time, the dozen or so cannons on the British positions suffered devastating blows. More than half of the cannons were destroyed, and many artillerymen were killed or injured.

Seeing this scene, the British officers were almost grinding their teeth to dust.

"Send a telegram to the headquarters, stating that the French assault is fierce and we need artillery support immediately," ordered a British officer.

He knew that without the support of artillery, it would be impossible to hold the line under such fierce firepower.

However, what he did not know was that the British artillery had already been nearly wiped out on the eastern front. Most of them had been destroyed by the French cannons, and the surviving ones had been captured by the French.

Therefore, artillery support had long since become an impossible task.

The French offensive continued relentlessly, causing the British positions on the Middelburg battlefield to become increasingly unstable. After two days and nights of fierce fighting, the British forces were unable to hold back the French advance and lost their positions in both the southern and northern directions.

With the French capturing the outer positions of Middelburg, the British defensive perimeter was further reduced, forcing them almost to the edge of the coast. The British had nowhere left to retreat. Following this, the French Army could methodically eliminate the remaining British forces. The ten thousand British soldiers that remained had become trapped, with no escape.

News of the French Army encircling and about to annihilate the main British forces caused a huge uproar in Britain. Despite the government's efforts to block the news, it couldn't be contained. The British public, who had been celebrating the Navy's victories, were now struck by the harsh reality of the Army's defeat.

For Britain, losing 20,000 troops was no small matter. If this army were destroyed by the French, the already weak British Army would suffer a devastating blow. Consequently, King George III ordered the Cabinet to do whatever it took to rescue the Army.

Initially, the British had believed that the 20,000-strong force in Middelburg would be sufficient not only to withstand the French assault but also to hold their positions until the Navy could come to their aid. After all, the war had broken out suddenly, and the French were thought to be unprepared.

However, it became evident that the French combat strength was formidable, far more so than that of the British Army. The French Army was significantly superior.

Moreover, the poor weather conditions at sea prevented the British Navy from providing immediate support.

Thus, the British were left with only two options. The first option was to allow this army to be annihilated and continue using their superior navy to raid French coastal cities. However, this would infuriate the French and drag both countries into a relentless war. Moreover, the British Cabinet's foolish command resulting in the loss of 20,000 troops would surely lead to protests from the soldiers' families.

The second option was to pursue peace negotiations.

Currently, neither Britain nor France could decisively overpower the other. Therefore, peace talks seemed to be the best solution for the situation. This would not only preserve the strength of both nations but also provide a dignified resolution for both parties.

...

Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands.

Once upon a time, the Netherlands was a powerful country. Like Britain, it rose to prominence thanks to its formidable navy. In fact, its rise to power even preceded that of Britain.

However, no country remains powerful forever. The Netherlands, once the "Sea Coachman," had gradually declined. It had retreated to a corner of Europe, and its influence on the international stage had diminished to the point of near silence.

Despite its diminished status, the Netherlands welcomed a special guest today: British Foreign Secretary Edward Grey.

Yes, Edward had come to negotiate peace with France. However, instead of going directly to Paris, he had come to Amsterdam.

As two of the world's great powers, Britain and France still harbored a basic sense of pride. The failure of the first peace negotiations had already cast a shadow over their relations. If this round of negotiations also failed, it would be a blow to the dignity of both nations.