Father of France

Chapter 124 Technological Soldier Koman

Koeman felt he had to find a way to address the fact that his rank was so low. Military innovation had always been a fast track, but he only knew the principles of many things and lacked practical experience.

Therefore, it was necessary to register a company to help complete military innovation. In fact, there was a suitable person in the family to start a business, namely Adilé, the wife of Adilé, General Dragon.

However, Adile also has her own problems. Koeman has arranged for her to connect with Chanel. While cross-industry development is not impossible, is it really possible to go from luxury goods to military technology? That seems a bit too far-fetched.

Therefore, it would be better for this company involved in the military industry to be spun off independently. Koman needs another company to help him carry out the practical implementation of military innovation.

"What's the name of this company?" Ava Gardner had no idea that Koman was thinking so deeply. She only knew that this man was helping her selflessly, so she agreed without hesitation.

“We can’t use the family name.” Koeman was stumped by this. There were problems with both Gardner and Dragon. If we used the former, Ava Gardner would be an American. If we used the latter, wouldn’t that be like protesting too much and clearly implying that it was related to the Chief of the Army General Staff?

This doesn't fit the persona of Koeman, who, although in reality, relies on his father for power, is nominally self-reliant.

After thinking for a long time, he decided to focus on other aspects. Names like "Starting Point" and "Genesis" flashed through his mind. "There are three overseas departments in North Africa, one of which is called Constantine. This name is actually recognized by both the Maronites and the Orthodox Church, and it is crucial to the stability of the current French overseas departments."

Koeman knew that this was the foundation of his business for a considerable period of time to come. Although the name Constantine might not be suitable as a company name, he decided to use it to make the relationship between the two parties closer.

While accompanying Ava Gardner on the road to register the company, Koman was thinking about how to achieve results quickly, something that was simple, practical, and could be promoted rapidly.

If France were to immediately develop a T-54 and compete with the Soviet Union for original design, aside from the question of whether France had the technological capability to achieve it, Koeman would also have difficulty explaining it. However, there is a military innovation that can be explained by a flash of inspiration.

That is external explosive reactive armor, which is a very ingenious design. Its core idea is "using explosion to counter explosion"—using the energy generated by the explosion of explosives to counter incoming armor-piercing or shaped charge projectiles, thereby protecting the main armor.

A typical explosive reactive armor piece looks like a flat metal box, consisting of a three-layer structure: front panel: a relatively thin metal plate facing the direction of the incoming threat.

Explosive layer: A layer of insensitive explosive is sandwiched in the middle. Rear panel: A relatively thick metal plate, facing away from the main armor. These three layers are tightly sealed in a container and then attached to the main armor of the tank like tiles.

Even if a tank equipped with external explosive reactive armor is penetrated, the probability of ammunition detonation is greatly reduced, significantly improving the crew's survival rate.

A few months ago, Koeman shamelessly attached German war orphans to the tanks of the French armored forces advancing into Germany, and even called them human explosive reactive armor.

While it's impossible to say that the entire Allied forces knew about this shameless act, many Allied units certainly did.

Koeman could be said to have realized from previous military operations that external attachments could increase protection, so he came up with the idea of ​​using external explosive reactive armor.

The use of explosive reactive armor, a clever trick, doesn't seem like something a truly technologically advanced nation would come up with. Instead, it seems more like something a shameless, conflict-ridden country would practice. In fact, that's pretty much the case; Israel was the first to use explosive reactive armor.

The only drawback is that the mainstream explosive at present is TNT, and the explosives that are common in later generations are absolutely rare in this era. However, this is not a fatal problem, as the risk of explosion of TNT can be reduced by filling it with materials such as rubber.

Through official procedures and covert favors, a company called Constantine was quickly established in Paris.

Koeman could now begin his first technical military development path from the talent pool he had previously overlooked in Germany. He had wanted to do this before, but a trip to the United States delayed him.

Of course, the trip to the United States was also important. Putting aside the fact that they got Ava Gardner, they also made French luxury goods companies see their efforts.

Even if Madame Adil, an Arab woman, were to enter the industry in the future, relying on her fame alongside Chanel, she would not face exclusion.

As for the company's registered capital, did he help Martin, the son of a former Damascus tobacco merchant and now a comrade-in-arms in the French Youth Division, obtain more than 50 million in military assets?

As the initiator, it is entirely reasonable for Koman to use it as a temporary measure.

After Koeman's earnest explanation and Martin's advice not to let his story of exchanging cigarettes for female college students' sexual favors in Italy become widely known, a new company with a registered capital of 15 million francs, or over a million US dollars at the official exchange rate, was thus established. "If my comrades knew, you alone would have taken one-fiftieth of everyone's wealth?" Martin, having paid the money, began to use this rhetoric to spout these words to Koeman.

"You dare threaten me?" Koman's expression changed instantly, as if he were seeing this tobacco merchant who was no longer with him and was still in the colony for the first time.

"If they knew you were spending money to support an American actress," Martin muttered under his breath, tilting his head and pouting.

"I heard the Allied Command is investigating the increase in drug addicts in Germany," Coman chuckled lightly. "Martin, do you think only the French army could stop the American investigation?"

This matter is far more serious in nature. The United States today is not the United States of the 21st century that is trying to legalize drugs. At different times, the United States’ attitude toward drugs has been different.

In the early days of the United States, Americans did anything to make money, and naturally had no aversion to drugs. They were even subjected to a reverse export of drugs by China, which had suffered from the Opium Wars. As a result, in the second period, China's export of drugs became too intense, especially with the emergence of innovative drugs like the opium pipe, which led to an extremely serious drug problem in the United States.

Thus, the United States entered its second phase, where drugs were no longer seen as medicine, but rather as a demon that could lead to crime, depravity, and social collapse. This attitude was closely linked to racism and xenophobia, because the Chinese were competing in this industry with familiar faces from 21st-century America: Mexicans.

The United States is currently in a period of complete prohibition, and this policy will not end until the outbreak of the Vietnam War.

Therefore, the US military's current investigation into the increase in drug addicts in Germany is definitely not just a formality.

Martin knew this too. He knew that if he continued rambling on with Koeman for a while, things would get serious. So he got back to the point and asked, "When will our troops depart?"

"Going to North Africa will have to wait until the interception operation in Alan is over, at least not this year," Koman replied after a moment's thought. "I'm going to Alan anyway to see if there are any fish that have slipped through the net and to thank General Patton for the convenience he provided when we were inspecting the American military industry."

When the French military delegation went to the United States, they informed General Patton, but Patton was recuperating at his home in the United States at the time, and Corman did not disturb him.

Now, one can carry the gifts prepared by Admiral Dragon and express gratitude to General Patton when passing through Bavaria.

This was the only solace Patton could find upon returning to Bavaria: people had not forgotten him after the war. They sent him birthday gifts and well wishes, and those he had liberated sent him numerous presents.

Belgium awarded him the War Cross and the Leopold Medal, Luxembourg awarded him the Grand Cross of the Order of Nassau and the War Cross, and several other places are considering awarding him the title of honorary citizen.

All of this brought him great comfort to his wounded heart.

The reason it was considered a consolation was that Eisenhower relieved Patton of his post as commander of the U.S. Third Army, placing him in a sinecure. Although this did not stop Patton from returning to Bavaria to continue making outrageous statements, Patton, without any combat troops under his command, was much less dangerous.

A set of medieval knight's plate armor was given to Patton as a gift from Admiral Dragon. Patton put it on with great interest and muttered, "After the war, I always felt that my life had ended. It seems that this feeling was not unfounded. I feel old in just a few months."

After trying on the plate armor, General Patton expressed his gratitude to Koeman, saying, "In the military exchanges between the United States and France, I simply expressed an openness to the War Department, and I never expected to receive a gift as a result."

"The United States' influence in the world today is beyond doubt, and its tolerant attitude and sincere handling of relationships serve as a model for other countries to learn from." Koeman wasn't unable to speak English, but this was the first time he had used English to flatter the US.

"Tolerance, perhaps. You're not American, so you don't know that there are many filthy people in our country too." General Patton's face was full of disdain. One of the main reasons he was replaced by Eisenhower was that he was tricked by journalists from his own country.

During an interview, an American journalist felt he could take advantage of Patton's careless remarks to coax him into talking about another important issue, so he asked: "General, aren't the many ordinary Germans who joined the Nazi Party the same as Americans joining the Democratic and Republican parties?"

Patton didn't realize it was a trap and casually remarked, "Yes, pretty much."

“Maybe he didn’t mean it,” Coleman said reassuringly after hearing the story. In fact, he thought the opposite was true; the reporter might have come specifically to target Patton.

(End of this chapter)