Baron Charles Harding reassured Tilak and the others, assuring them that although the current situation on the battlefield was unfavorable to the Anglo-Indian forces, they still held considerable advantage. He also promised that the terms he had previously agreed upon would not be compromised in the slightest. Once they had defeated the Germans, he would ensure India's autonomy, with the ultimate goal of achieving its independence.
Tilak and his companions, however, urged the British Indian colonial authorities to take every possible measure to ensure the safety of Indian soldiers on the front lines, preventing unnecessary sacrifice.
Baron Charles Harding naturally gave his full assurance, though what he truly thought was known only to him. In truth, he cared little for the fate of the Indian natives. His sole concern was how to secure victory in the war. As long as the Germans were defeated, he would be willing to accept any number of casualties, provided they were Indians, not British. After all, the lives of the British were far more precious than those of the Indians.
"My Lord, the authorities are under immense pressure! We need to rely on those native Indians to gather our forces, so we cannot afford to fall out with them just yet. Once we've defeated the Germans and weathered this crisis, there will be ample time to settle the score with them. For now, we must endure," said Baron Harding.
Lord William Nicholson nodded, fully aware of Harding's strategy. He understood that the focus now had to be on defeating the Germans. The relationship with the native Indians was still one of cooperation, and any break in that alliance, let alone hostility toward them, would have to wait until the Germans were dealt with. Now was not the time to tear the mask off, as it would create considerable trouble.
"Once we have defeated the Germans, we must completely eliminate these men. Otherwise, our rule over India will never last," Lord Nicholson asserted.
"Indeed, no matter what, they must not be allowed to remain. Of course, if we do everything we can and still cannot defeat the Germans, then let them deal with those natives. Let the Germans expend their energy in India, and the British Empire will be safer as a result," replied Baron Harding.
If Baron Harding had once been brimming with confidence about the plan, his assurance now had considerably waned.
"Governor, the operations staff have submitted a battle plan. If successful, we might actually defeat the Germans!" Lord Nicholson said.
"Oh? What plan?" asked Baron Harding.
"The Germans' fleet played a significant role in their victory on the west coast. Their battleship's main guns are formidable, sending the native Indians into a state of terror. Especially the newly recruited Indians, who are most vulnerable. Once the German fleet opens fire, they crumble instantly. Under such circumstances, the battle cannot continue," Lord Nicholson explained.
Baron Harding nodded; the Germans' firepower was indeed a serious problem. Since the last world war, the Germans had pushed their firepower to its limits, whether in their army's artillery or their navy's guns, inflicting tremendous damage on their enemies and securing dominance in the war. On many occasions, the Allied forces had lost battles simply due to this overwhelming firepower.
"Thus, the operations staff propose we engage the Germans further from the coast. This way, we won't have to fear bombardment from their fleet. We can concentrate our forces and surround their troops, eventually annihilating them and securing victory in the war!" said Lord Nicholson.
"That's a good idea," Baron Harding acknowledged. "If we can effectively counter the Germans' strength while utilizing our own advantages, defeating them is entirely possible."
"Governor, our plan is to first strike the German 8th Army. This army is advancing northward toward Delhi, and we can gather elite forces near Delhi to surround them," Lord Nicholson continued.
"The 8th Army? That's the Emperor Wilhelm III's elite force, one of the most formidable armies in the German military. If we can destroy them, I'm certain the Emperor will be furious. It would be a severe blow to their morale. I agree we should focus our main forces to attack the 8th Army," said Baron Harding.
The 8th Army, renowned for its strength—especially since QinTian had once served as its commander—was considered the imperial guard of the German Emperor. Its combat prowess was beyond doubt. Before military reform, the 1st Army boasted over 300,000 men, making it the strongest of the German armies. However, after the reform, each army was reduced to 200,000 soldiers, making the 8th Army even more formidable in comparison. This meant the 8th Army was indisputably the most powerful in the German military.
"Governor, if we can destroy the 8th Army, we will have a significant chance of winning this battle. Once the 8th Army is eliminated, the 4th Army left behind will be no match for us. With our main forces gathered, we can wipe them out as well. Of course, this depends on whether the Germans send more troops to the Indian front. If they do, our chances of victory will diminish," Lord Nicholson explained.
"Then in this battle, we must commit all of our forces," Baron Harding replied.
"Yes, Governor. I plan to deploy all the British forces stationed in India for this battle, along with the 1st Indian Army and the 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th Indian Armies. In total, we will commit 1.8 million soldiers, including 200,000 elite British troops. We can definitely deal with the Germans' 8th Army!" Lord Nicholson said confidently.
"Then this battle will be the final showdown of the Indian front! God will bless us and help us defeat the Germans!"