Make France Great Again-Chapter 902 - 893: Gradually Derailing Military Discussions
"However, a meticulous military plan requires the collaboration of many staff personnel and frontline military commanders to be effective!
Once they become involved, it will be difficult to ensure the plan remains undisclosed!" General Nier expressed his concerns to Jerome Bonaparte.
"This is a simple problem to solve!" replied Jerome Bonaparte lightly, "The General Staff can be divided into multiple strategic discussion groups, just like during the preparation phase of the Crimean War!
Each group will focus on different countries. Belgium, Sardinia, Prussia, Austria, and even Egypt can be our hypothetical enemies!
In this way, we can hide our true target among them!"
Nier suddenly felt enlightened and quickly informed Jerome Bonaparte that he would follow Jerome Bonaparte’s instructions.
"Also, when setting hypothetical enemies, consider the issue from various angles and don’t just look at the current military strengths of both sides." Jerome Bonaparte advised Nier once more, "Take the Kingdom of Prussia, for example. When considering Prussia, don’t just think about their current 160,000-strong army; you must also consider their primary and secondary reserves, and their railways and telegraphs.
The role of telegraphs and railroads in the previous Crimean War doesn’t need me to elaborate... Also, consider the tactical changes brought about by the Dreiser Rifle of the Kingdom of Prussia."
Jerome Bonaparte talked at length about the issues concerning the Kingdom of Prussia, and Nier immediately thought that His Majesty the Emperor was not merely providing an example; he surely intended to act against the Kingdom of Prussia.
Otherwise, why would His Majesty repeatedly remind them to keep an eye on Prussia’s movements year after year?
However, His Majesty the Emperor probably wouldn’t act against Prussia in the near future.
The structure of France’s reserve forces (essentially a semi-professional reserve) has just been established, and the reserve officers have not yet been fully implemented, requiring a long time before they can be of great use.
"Nier... Nier..." Just as Nier was contemplating the reserve system and the Prussian issue, Jerome Bonaparte’s voice reached Nier’s ears, and General Nier quickly responded, "Your Majesty, I’m listening!"
"Then tell me, what did I just say?" Jerome Bonaparte asked Nier with an amused smile.
"Uh... ah..." Nier didn’t know what Jerome Bonaparte had just discussed, and could only mutter unintelligibly.
"Forget it!" Jerome Bonaparte shook his head and then asked, "Can you tell me what you were just thinking about?"
"Your Majesty, have you been planning to take action against the Kingdom of Prussia?" Nier voiced his thoughts.
"Exactly!" Jerome Bonaparte honestly told Nier, "I told you before that a war between us and the Kingdom of Prussia is inevitable!
I can responsibly inform you now, the war between us and the Kingdom of Prussia will determine the hegemony of Central and Western Europe!
If we defeat the Kingdom of Prussia, then the hegemony in Central and Western Europe will remain in the hands of the French Empire.
Conversely, if we face defeat, then the hegemony will shift to the Kingdom of Prussia!"
Jerome Bonaparte’s words left Nier with a look of astonishment, not understanding how Jerome Bonaparte had reached this conclusion.
"Your Majesty, isn’t your prediction too pessimistic?" Nier cautiously responded to Jerome Bonaparte.
"Pessimistic?" Jerome Bonaparte snorted in reply to Nier, "I’d like to be more optimistic, but reality does not permit me such a luxury!
Let me put it simply! Do you know what the population was during last year’s census in France?"
Nier paused, not understanding what Jerome Bonaparte meant. Could the hegemony of the German Region be related to population? If so, then the population of the Russian Empire would likely be the largest in the world.
Although Nier felt some disdain for Jerome Bonaparte’s population and hegemony theory, he still showed respect towards Jerome Bonaparte.
After all, Jerome Bonaparte was the Emperor of the Empire; even if he were wrong, it would still be a well-meaning mistake.
"Your Majesty, I do not know!" Nier replied to Jerome Bonaparte.
"According to the census, our population in 1855 was about 36.6 million, while the 1850 census was 35.8 million, meaning we increased by 800,000 in 5 years!
The average annual growth rate was 4%, while the Kingdom of Britain’s average growth rate was 11% over these years; the Württemberg Kingdom and Baden Duchy also had growth rates of 10%. Thus, it can be inferred that the growth rate of the Kingdom of Prussia is also around 10% to 11%!" Jerome Bonaparte gravely told Nier, "Nier, do you know what this means?"
"Our population might be less than the German population in the future!" Nier tentatively replied.
"Exactly! If we do not change, our population will be far less than the German population in the future!" Jerome Bonaparte’s tone became increasingly solemn, "Nier, I once told you that future wars would not be confined to a symbolic few!
It will be a war involving all the people, an expanded version of the Crimean War!
The two countries/nations waging war will exert all their efforts in a fierce struggle!
Hundreds of thousands or even a million troops will be engaged in battles spanning less than a hundred kilometers of depth.
This is a test of which of the two countries has a larger population and whose willpower is stronger.
And those extra people from the German Region will be dispersed in the army. Nier, I ask you, do you have the confidence to defeat an enemy twice our size!!"
As soon as Jerome Bonaparte’s words fell, Nier fell silent. He was confident in defeating an army of equal size, but not against one twice as large.
Such an enemy can probably only be defeated by the former Emperor Napoleon.
"Furthermore, our enemies will use the railway to quickly support regions with weak defenses at the fastest speed!
To attempt to replicate the miracles of war from the Napoleonic era is fundamentally impossible in the future!
Moreover, during my uncle’s time, France’s population was far greater than that of other countries!" Jerome Bonaparte mercilessly shattered Nier’s illusions.
Nonetheless, Nier still found a flaw in Jerome Bonaparte’s argument, "Your Majesty, all your assumptions are based on the premise that Germany is unified. As long as Germany is not unified, they cannot threaten us!"
"And who do you think is most likely to unify Germany?" Jerome Bonaparte asked him in return.
"Austria!" Nier answered without hesitation, the answer recognized by mainstream countries today, "They have the largest land in all of Germany, and they are also the chair of the German Confederation!
Both logically and practically, they have the ability to unify!"
"I don’t think so!" Jerome Bonaparte shook his head and said to Nier, "The Austrian Empire’s territory may be large, but the ethnic groups within it are too numerous and diverse!
Rashly unifying Germany would not only fail to be a support but could also be their death knell!
Besides, is Austria really willing to unify Germany? What benefits would Germany bring them?
If it’s the market, the Austrian Empire already has a vast market, so there’s no need for Germany’s market supply.
Embracing German nationalism is also not feasible; they already have enough nationalism domestically!
But Prussia, on the other hand, needs Germany’s market and needs to connect the enclave Prussia!
These are their motivations for unifying Germany!"
"Your Majesty, indeed, looking at it this way, Prussia’s possibility of unifying Germany is higher than Austria!
However, to connect Rhine Land and Prussia, the Hanover Kingdom will inevitably be their target!
The Kingdom of Britain probably won’t disregard this, right?" Nier said to Jerome Bonaparte.
"Why would Britain intervene?" Jerome Bonaparte asked rhetorically.
"Isn’t that the territory of the Hanover Royal Family?" Nier was stunned for a few seconds, responding to Jerome Bonaparte.
"Nier, in Britain, the Royal Family is the Royal Family, and the government is the government!" Jerome Bonaparte said to Nier, "The Royal Family’s interests do not necessarily represent the government’s interests!
If Queen Victoria were still the Monarch of Hanover, then the British government might still reluctantly fight for the Monarch’s honor.
Now, the relationship between Britain and Hanover is only the Royal Family’s friendship, so why would Britain fight for royal friendship!
Moreover, allowing the Kingdom of Prussia to occupy the Hanover Kingdom would strengthen Prussia’s national power and restrain the French Empire!
The Kingdom of Britain loves most to maintain a balance of power in Europe.
Of course, if the Kingdom of Prussia defeats us, then the Kingdom of Britain will choose to guard against them!
Thus, we must consider the Kingdom of Prussia as a hypothetical enemy, always ready to fight them!"
Feeling somewhat puzzled, Nier nodded and replied to Jerome Bonaparte, "Understood!"
"By the way! I had you conduct reconnaissance of the German Region, how is it going?" Jerome Bonaparte asked Nier again.
"Your Majesty, currently we have already surveyed parts of the Southern German States, Rhine Land, and Hanover Kingdom!
We will complete the survey of the remaining areas in Germany within the next three years!" Nier replied to Jerome Bonaparte.
"Very good! Remember to mark their railways and telegraphs on the map; this information is equally important!"
