As anticipated, the French Army quickly became concerned about the overwhelming amount of Machine Guns which the Germans appeared to be manufacturing. And as a result, they quickly began working on acquiring whatever variants of such weapons they could.
While also working on developing a machine gun of their own that could effectively counter the Germans should they enter the war. Bruno had suspected this would be the case. But while the French had a problem.
The 8mm Lebel cartridge which they made use of was difficult to feed in cloth or metallic belts. Due to the fact that it had been necked down from larger caliber rounds twice, it required a unique feeding system.
Meaning that acquiring maxims which were the most common form of machine gun in the world at the moment, was not a practical measure. After all, it would have to be chambered in a cartridge that was not standard to French Infantry.
This had its own problems. The French would either have to adopt the Maxim and begin the domestic manufacture and procurement of another round to be used exclusively by its machine guns. Which itself created logistical nightmares in the field.
Or it would have to adopt a new rifle with a different cartridge. Either by domestic development and manufacture. Or simply by licensed production from a friendly or non hostile source. Again, this created a multitude of problems for logistics and procurement during a time of war.
This meant that the Browning M1895, and the Maxim gun, which were already available on the international market were not ideal to the French Army. Luckily for the French, there was already a Machine Gun in development for the army.
It was the Puteaux Model 1905 machine gun, and the makers of this weapon were under a lot of pressure by the French Government to finish its design and begin production. There was, of course one problem with this one that would heavily favor Bruno and the German Army should the French actually mass produce these machine guns for war.
The Puteaux Model 1905 machine gun operated off of the legendary bang gas system. If one were to know a thing or two about the history of automatic and semi-automatic weapons. Especially those which fired rifle caliber projectiles. This would be a name they would immediately face palm upon hearing.
As previously mentioned, there was a common fear that drilling a hole in the barrel for the purpose of acting as a gas port would cause irregular erosion, and would limit the service life of the weapon in question.
Something Bruno knew from his past life was utter nonsense. However, this was a myth that persisted in firearms development well into WW2. Where it was later proven to be horse crap. Because of this, the bang gas system was introduced.
Its design was by nature complex and a nightmare to perform maintenance on. It was also notoriously unreliable in all firearms that made use of it. Originally developed in 1903, it would see use in two machine gun designs, both of which were French, and several rifle designs, including the Gewehr 41. Which was the German Army’s first and abysmal attempt at producing a semi-automatic rifle.
For obvious reasons, it proved to be incredibly unreliable in the field. No doubt because it made use of the bang gas system. However, because the French were desperate to begin fielding machine guns in their army as a means of catching up with the enormous head start the Germans had.
Who were fielding one of the most reliable machine guns ever developed in human history? They opted to begin mass production of the Puteaux Model 1905 machine gun immediately upon its completion.
This was something that Bruno had only marginally anticipated. But one that would work heavily in the German Army’s favor when the time for the Great War came. In 1907, during his past life, the French would adopt a variant of the machine gun that was slightly improved, but still such a piece of junk that the infamous Hotchkiss would eventually be developed to replace it.
However, at the start of the war, the French had so few machine guns they still used the 1907 variant of the Puteaux in significant numbers. If the 1905 was mass produced in this timeline, as a hasty means of solving an immediate problem.
Then this only favored the Germans as one could expect every single machine gun used by the French Army that was not a later Hotchkiss, assuming it was invented, to jam in the field repeatedly.
Thus giving the Germans an enormous advantage during the coming war. At least at the very start. And it was perhaps because they already understood the faults of this weapon platform, that the French Army leadership were currently meeting to discuss the need for a better machine gun.
Among the French Generals was the Chief of Staff who was a man by the name of Jean Pendézec. Jean quickly expressed his fears regarding the 1905 Puteaux Machine gun. With an air of snobbishness that only a Frenchman could conjure in such a circumstance.
“The Germans may have built hundreds or perhaps even thousands of maxims. But there is no need to fear. We will have a sufficient number of machine guns in five years’ time to arm every battalion! Still, it would be best to develop a better solution to the problem.
I mean even during our trials the Puteaux had proven to have some difficulties that would be less than ideal if not properly solved by the time the European War breaks out. So I expect either an improved design of the Puteaux or a superior replacement within two years’ time! Do you understand what I am saying to you all right now?”
The generals beneath Jean’s command naturally shared his concerns, and were eager to remedy the solution. After all, the current gap between the French Army and the German Army appeared to be widening with each day that passed.
Especially since they had only now, just begun manufacturing the Puteaux machine gun. While the Germans had sent 500 Maxim guns, or at least their locally produced variant to Russia as a means of military aid. If such a thing was the case, then did that not mean the Germans had thousands of such weapons currently serving in the army?
The French did not know this, but in two years time which was what it would take for them to come out with an improved variant of the Puteaux, the German Army would have already begun adopting and manufacturing the superior MG-34 to replace all the Maxim Guns in active service, which would instead either be shipped to other nations as foreign aid, or given over to the Army Reserve.
Either way, whatever machine gun the French Army fielded at the onset of the Great War, which the Great Powers were currently theorizing under the name of the “European War” would be inferior to the German product.
After a long, volatile, and largely fruitless conversation. Jean exited the building which housed the French High Command and entered the parking lot where he sat and unlocked the doors to his automobile.
Or more specifically, the chauffeur tasked with driving him did. He sat in the back seat of the luxury vehicle and pulled out the day’s newspaper. No doubt containing a headline regarding
the war in Russia.
Either way, he did not expect that the moment the engine was ignited that the car he was in would blow up, engulfing him in the explosion. And killing him, and the military officer tasked with driving him around on the spot.
The attack was swift, sudden, and entirely unexpected. The assassination of the French Army’s Chief of Staff would be the headlines of the following day’s papers. And though French Intelligence would immediately investigate the incident, they would never find the true
culprits. Rather, all evidence pointed to local socialist parties.
No doubt planted by the agents of the German Foreign Intelligence department, who were the real perpetrators behind the assassination. An act of vengeance, and retaliation upon the shamelessness of the French who dared to assassinate Germany’s rising star.
Of course, the Kaiser would extend his greatest condolences to the French, and use these measures to crack down upon political dissidents in the German Reich who shared sympathies. Whether you were a Socialist, Communist, or even a Social Democrat. The German Reich entered a state where it was favorable to oppress and harass anyone even remotely associated with Marxist ideals.
Unknowingly, Bruno’s goals of securing the traditional, conservative, and religious society of
the German Reich had been advanced by the Kaiser in the name of vengeance on his behalf. Something which when he learned about would bring a smile to the man’s face.