CHAPTER 261: CHAPTER 250: ACTIONS FROM ALL SIDES

As time swiftly approaches August, Napoleon’s original plan to mobilize 400,000 French troops to fight Prussia has completely collapsed due to insufficient pre-war preparations and logistical issues.

However, from the moment the decision to declare war was made, there was no turning back. Had he known earlier about the incompetence of the government departments, Napoleon III would not have declared war so hastily a month ago.

Currently, France has deployed 230,000 troops in the Alsace and Lorraine regions. Meanwhile, across the river, the number of German Allied forces has reached 420,000, partly because some troops were drawn from the Prussia and Austrian border, which is more than 40,000 more compared to historical records.

The French army is divided into two offensive corps and one reserve corps. One offensive corps is deployed near Metz in Lorraine, with a total force of 128,000 men, commanded by Emperor Napoleon III and Marshal Bazan. This is the main force of the French army, known as the Rhine Corps. Another is deployed on the right side of the Vosges Mountains, near Strasbourg in Alsace, under the command of General McMahon, with less than 40,000 men. Additionally, there are still some reserve forces left west of Metz in Lorraine at Chalon.

"Here is the Vosges Mountains. The Rhine Corps is near Metz on the northern side of the mountains, while General McMahon’s Chalon Corps is on the southern side near Strasbourg. The Rhine Corps, being the main force, will be personally commanded by me. Our target is here—Frankfurt. By capturing Frankfurt, we can separate the North German Federation from Southern Germany, and the task of the Chalon Corps is to coordinate the main force’s actions. Only by first subduing the Southern German states can we then focus our attention on Prussia." Napoleon, in full military regalia, was describing his battle plan to the generals of the French Rhine Corps in the command headquarters.

Frankfurt is more than 200 kilometers northeast of Metz and Saarbrücken. Capturing it would mean Baden and Württemberg in the south would be surrounded by the French army. At the same time, advancing north from Frankfurt could threaten Prussia’s western homeland, and moving southeast could threaten Bavaria’s Nuremberg. This was originally a preemptive offensive deployment aimed at concentrating forces to quickly cross the border, advance towards Frankfurt, cut off the connection between North and Southern Germany, and force the Southern German states to maintain neutrality, thereby focusing all efforts on defeating Prussia.

"Your Majesty, the operational plan is feasible. According to Prussia’s mobilization capacity during the last Prussia and Austria war, Prussia combined with the German Allied forces should be able to deploy at least 300,000 troops on the east bank of the Rhine River. Luckily, Austria is restraining Prussia. Otherwise, if Prussia’s eastern front forces were also gathered here, our situation would be more dangerous. Although the imperial soldiers have more experience than Prussia and are stronger in combat, we still need to be cautious when facing nearly double the enemy troops." Marshal Bazan said.

François Achille Bazaine (February 13, 1811 - September 23, 1888), came from mercenary origins and became a Marshal of France in 1864. He was renowned in France for his incredible courage throughout his 40-year military career.

François Achille Bazaine was born in the Palace of Versailles, the son of a mathematician and bridge engineer. His father, invited by Czar Alexander I, presided over the construction of several bridges in Petersburg. He failed to pass the entrance exam of a comprehensive technical school due to lack of family financial support and joined the 37th Infantry Regiment in March 1831. At that time, Louis Philippe had just become King. In January 1832, he joined the Foreign Legion as a mercenary and was awarded the rank of Lieutenant in 1833. During the first Carlist War, which broke out in 1833, he completed a military mission to Spain and injured his right leg in battle and was decorated for his bravery. He served again in Algeria in 1835 and was promoted to Captain in 1837. Later, he worked in the intelligence department, engaging with Algeria’s national hero Abd Kader in the Sahara Desert, pursuing him relentlessly and forcing him into Morocco. In 1845, he injured his wrist again. After the capture of Abd Kader in 1847, he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, became a Colonel in 1850, and in June 1852, married Maria Juana of La Solida, his first wife, at Versailles. Additionally, he participated in the Crimean War, the Franco-Sardinian War against Austria, and the French intervention in Mexico, making him an old acquaintance of Maximilian I.

No one refuted Bazan’s words. Looking back at the wars he participated in, they were all typical examples of fighting the many with few, especially in Mexico, fighting on foreign soil, far from French mainland.

As a general, Bazan’s command skills were not outstanding; his sole advantage was his extraordinary bravery, always leading by example, which often resulted in injuries. He was recognized as a national hero of France.

The "hero" of France has spoken. The French soldiers are brave, so there’s nothing more to say. They must suppress the Prussian forces, fighting two against one.

"We have no retreat. This time, our opponent is not the European countries of my uncle Napoleon the Great’s era, but the German region that was once trampled under his feet, and even the Austrians have not gotten involved. So, our odds of victory are high. Let Prussia and Germany once again witness the terror of France. Long live France!" Napoleon III rallied.

...

"If I am not mistaken, the goal of France is definitely to sever the connection between us and the Southern German region. The most likely way to achieve this goal is by occupying the Frankfurt region. Therefore, to achieve this objective, Napoleon III must strike first. So, our men should remain vigilant on the west coast, keeping an eye on the French movements. The frontline troops should initially avoid direct confrontation with the advancing French army, retreating to favorable positions first to deplete the French military’s morale."

While Napoleon III discussed his attack plan with his advisers and generals, Mochi was also analyzing the French movements and solutions with Prussian generals.

...

The war between Prussia and France was on the brink of eruption, while the war in East Africa had been going on for more than ten days. For East Africa, this conquest war’s experience was quite unfriendly, impeded by logistical reasons which severely slowed down the advance. The second conquest war had Mbeya as a base, and logistics barely kept up.

This time, however, the newly occupied Zambian region in East Africa had not yet been developed. Grain production was almost negligible, so military provisions and supplies needed to be transported through Zambia’s terrible infrastructure from the rear to the front lines.

Despite the slow pace, the stability was advantageous, allowing an advance of ten to twenty kilometers per day.

...

Rome.

"Have the French withdrawn?" Asked the envoy of the Austro-Hungarian Empire stationed in Rome.

"Yes, the last batch of French troops withdrew from Fiumicino today. Originally, there weren’t many French troops stationed in Rome, just over 3,000. Now the French garrison is completely empty."

"Very well, I will immediately go to meet the Pope and persuade him to sign an agreement with Austria. This time, no matter what, we must show Italy a thing or two."

"Should we notify General Karl to coordinate the operation?"

"No, it’s not yet time for our troops to appear. Otherwise, what if we scare the Italian government, preventing them from taking action? Go back and tell General Karl to continue lurking. We’ll surprise them when Italy moves against the Pope Country."

The envoy continued, "I will first enter the city of Rome to convince the Pope to accept Austria’s protection, and then make this news public. The Italian government will surely panic, and they will definitely strengthen their forces in Venice to guard against our interference, while simultaneously sending troops to Rome to settle everything. But they will never expect that we still have a surprise unit in Rome. As soon as the empire has a pretext for war, we can legitimately send troops to Italy. By then, Italy will be the aggressor, and we will be the guardians of peace and order."