I Became a Tycoon During World War I: Saving France from the Start

Chapter 635 635: U.S. Military Market Research

Charles spent two extra days in the small town under the pretext of overseeing tank development.

In truth, the two modifications Charles had proposed for the tanks—the self-recovery log and infantry communication telephone—were straightforward technical improvements, requiring little further discussion. The two-axis stabilization fire-control system was more ambitious, intended as a long-term development, not immediately achievable.

Instead, these days were largely spent discussing business affairs with Déroka, particularly the progress of their military factories in the United States.

One afternoon, just as Charles returned to the main office building from the tank research division, Déroka handed him documents recently sent from America by Joseph.

"Joseph decided to establish the factory in New York," Déroka explained. "He believes it's the most suitable location."

Charles glanced through the documents and nodded in approval. This was undoubtedly the correct decision. The primary target for their shipments was the Western Front, and New York was the closest, largest, and most convenient U.S. port for direct transportation to France.

When America eventually joined the war, its troops would also land primarily on the Western Front, meaning equipment would need quick transportation to France. Establishing a factory deep within America's heartland just because it was an American business would have been strategically misguided.

"America is indeed an excellent place for manufacturing," Déroka remarked thoughtfully. "They have abundant resources, affordable labor, and excellent infrastructure."

Charles smiled quietly at the irony—modern America was precisely the opposite. The Americans of his original timeline weren't nearly as industrious as those of this era.

Suddenly Déroka's expression shifted, becoming serious. "But our business isn't going as smoothly as hoped."

"Not smoothly?" Charles lifted his head curiously. "What's wrong exactly?"

"Almost everything." Déroka flipped through the documents, pointing to specific pages. "Joseph sent detailed data about pricing, order quantities, and the market research he conducted among U.S. military representatives. The results aren't promising."

Charles examined the data. Nearly all equipment orders were minimal, at extremely low quantities, with profit margins barely a few dollars per item. Essentially, they weren't making any significant profit at all.

Charles felt puzzled. Even if America wasn't actively involved in combat yet, their military currently lacked essential equipment—especially weapons like the Garand rifle, which vastly outperformed the Springfield rifles in use.

Similarly, the Saint-Étienne Mle 2 light machine gun and mortars filled gaps entirely unaddressed in U.S. forces. Yet, the American orders remained pitifully low—only a few hundred guns and mortars per month.

Charles soon realized the underlying issue. Currently, the entire U.S. army numbered merely 130,000 troops. From their perspective, ordering a few hundred machine guns or mortars monthly seemed adequate. Within a few months, this pace would equip most existing forces, so they perceived no urgency.

However, after reading further into the market research report Joseph had conducted with the U.S. military, Charles discovered an additional critical reason.

The U.S. military had been quietly preparing for war. Any military organization naturally prepared for future conflicts by training troops and updating equipment, even if officially neutral.

The true reason for minimal orders was deep skepticism from the U.S. Congress toward Charles's innovative equipment. The congressional evaluations, recorded in Joseph's report, painted a frustrating picture:

Regarding the Garand rifle, one congressman commented:

"This rifle's rate of fire is far too high. Each soldier receiving it would inevitably consume ammunition at significantly higher rates. Right now, Britain and France are already experiencing ammunition shortages. If war breaks out and our troops are armed with such rifles, our fragile logistics would collapse. Additionally, the price of one Garand rifle allows us to purchase three Springfield rifles. Equipping three soldiers simultaneously firing slower rifles easily compensates for any perceived deficiency."

(Note: A Garand rifle cost approximately $85, while a Springfield rifle cost around $28.)

About the Saint-Étienne Mle 2 machine gun, another congressman wrote dismissively:

"We fail to see this weapon as necessary. It has no evident advantages over the proven Maxim machine gun. Though heavy, the Maxim fires faster, and the Germans demonstrated its effectiveness clearly at the Somme."

As for mortars, the comments were equally scathing:

"This weapon is crude and ridiculous. Ugly, simplistic, and severely lacking in both power and range. Why not simply purchase standard infantry artillery? Could this possibly surpass the utility of field artillery?"

Charles quietly laughed as he handed the documents back to Déroka.

Déroka stared at him, perplexed. "You seem entirely unconcerned?"

Déroka increasingly found Charles hard to understand—even if he was his own son.

"No need for concern, Father," Charles replied confidently. "Circumstances will soon change. It's simply not yet time. Tell Joseph to continue expanding production capacity."

"Alright," Déroka sighed in resignation, convinced they were about to lose substantial money.

Privately, Charles reflected carefully, realizing the American resistance was deliberate. Though the criticisms seemed naive—comments from inexperienced politicians unfamiliar with battlefield realities—they weren't genuinely foolish. If they had bothered to ask experienced Western Front soldiers, they'd quickly realize the superiority of Charles's weapons.

The real issue was pressure from existing American arms manufacturers influencing congressional decisions. These companies didn't want competition from Charles's advanced equipment, actively suppressing accurate information and promoting misinformation through political influence.

Initially, Charles considered patiently waiting until America entered the war, believing the battlefield would inevitably reveal the superiority of his weapons and expose congressional ignorance.

Yet another thought crossed his mind:

If the U.S. initially invested heavily in Springfield rifles, Congress might even authorize emergency expansions of Springfield production lines instead of Garand factories when mobilization began. This would cost Charles potential profits.

He resolved firmly to ensure America recognized the Garand rifle's superiority before war erupted.

Turning decisively, Charles instructed Déroka, "We'll distribute a batch of Garand rifles directly to the civilian market—at half price."

"Half price?" Déroka stared incredulously. "Charles, are you insane? That won't even cover manufacturing costs!"

(End of Chapter 635)

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