Chapter 252 The outbreak of war
July 30, 1870.
Law popularization front.
"Your Majesty, we should launch an attack on Prussia immediately! According to the information sent by our intelligence personnel, the number of Prussian troops has been increasing rapidly these days. The efficiency of the Prussian railway is almost four to five times that of ours. If we continue to wait, the strength of the Prussian frontline troops will become stronger day by day, and we will be defeated by numbers alone." Napoleon III's staff officer Lebouf analyzed.
"Why can't our railway achieve this effect?" Napoleon III asked angrily.
The era of Napoleon III was also the era of rapid industrialization in France, and many new railways were built, which were no worse than Prussia in terms of quantity.
Lebouf explained: "Your Majesty, although the railways in France developed earlier and attached great importance to the role of railways, those businessmen only considered economic interests when building railways. Prussia used railways as a strategic resource long before the Prussian-Prussian War. We even set up the Ministry of Railways to manage wartime railway dispatching, and its essence was to serve the Prussian army. We realized this after the Prussian-Austro-Prussian War, but the government had financial problems..."
Lebouf didn’t finish his sentence, but Nasan already understood, and he sighed: “We are still too short-sighted. I remember that the first time we used railways to transport troops was when France and Austria fought in Italy!”
"Yes, but that time the effect was not very good. Although we and Austria both used the railway to transport soldiers to the front line, we neglected the logistics problem, resulting in a shortage of food for hundreds of thousands of people on the front line, so this plan was shelved. Who knows The Prussians at the time noticed the great role of the railway in the war, and Prussia has also actively invested in railway construction in recent years."
"If we adjust rail policy now, will it increase capacity?"
"I'm afraid not, Your Majesty. Now our country's railway lines have been formed and cannot be easily changed. Even if we build a few new lines, we will not have time. Moreover, our mobilization ability cannot catch up with Prussia. We only have four strategic railways, while Prussia has five or six. Three of these railways start from Berlin, pass through northern and central Germany to reach the border, and the other three start from Hamburg, Dresden and Munich respectively. Prussia’s railways not only have an advantage in quantity, but also in terms of quality, our railways cannot In contrast, most of the railways in Prussia are double-track railways, so on average 50 trains can be operated a day to reach the border area, while we can only operate 12 trains."
"So, if we continue to delay, France will fall into the Prussian crowd tactics?"
"It is like this, Your Majesty, we must interrupt Prussia's war mobilization, which can only be completed by active offensive, and the sooner the better."
Foreign Minister Duke Gramont also reminded: "Now taking the initiative is the only way to attract Austria, Italy, and Denmark to join the French camp."
Napoleon III thought carefully for a while, and said: "Order to all the troops to launch an attack on the territory of Prussia."
…
A suburb of Saarbrucken-West.
At this time, the French army advanced more than ten kilometers in half a day as if they had entered the land of no one. After the defeat of the Napoleonic War in 1815, these places were ceded to Prussia. However, most of the people here are interested in France. All the men escaped from the Prussian military service and ran away. When the French army passed by, they only saw women and children.
"Boom...boom...boom..."
"Enemy attack, find a nearby bunker, don't panic!"
There is no need to remind Lieutenant Leo, the French soldiers with rich combat experience have already fallen to the ground by themselves and began to fight back in the direction of the woods ahead.
The forward of the Rhine Army and the forward of the Prussian Second Army collided on the west bank of the Rhine. The sound of Chasaipo rifles and Dreiser rifles exchanging fire broke the calm on the European continent.
Fifteen minutes ago, a platoon led by Lieutenant Camuel Lerao of the French Army encountered a Prussian company hidden in the woods. Relying on the advantage of their large number, the Prussians rushed out of the woods to encircle and destroy the French army. Le Rao immediately ordered his subordinates to lie down, used the field ridges as cover, and fired at the rushing Prussians. A rain of bullets blocked the Prussians. Then he ordered his men to advance 10 meters and shoot again in a kneeling position. The Prussians couldn't stand it and began to flee in all directions.
"Everyone, listen to my order, don't get entangled with the French, and retreat in the direction of Saarbrücken. I will lead the first row to break the rear."
Such a conspicuous target, the French commander, Lieutenant Le Rao, naturally would not let it go. He picked up the Chasseport rifle and aimed at the Prussian commander who was waving the flag. The second shot knocked him down.
Although the commander fell, his order had been issued, and the remaining Prussian army began to flee to the rear under the leadership of the deputy commander.
"Pursue the victory! Don't let the Prussian barbarians escape." Seeing that the Prussian army began to flee backwards, the French commander shouted, Lieutenant Leo.
In this way, a French platoon defeated a Prussian company. In this small battle, the advantages of the French's Chasseport rifles and personnel's combat quality were vividly reflected.
…
"Your Majesty, the French have moved. The frontline troops in Saarbrücken have exchanged fire with the forward troops of the French Army of the Rhine. Our people are not sure how many people the French army has dispatched. Now the frontline troops are waiting in the rear fortifications. The French attack."
"Start to counterattack according to your deployment!" William I said.
"Yes, Your Majesty!" Moltke said.
"Send me a report to the headquarters of the Second Army to inform Prince Frederick and let them move closer to us. Napoleon III will definitely attack us in Saarbrücken. The number of the First Army is too small to match the main force of the French army. Recklessly, there should not be many French soldiers, so we must concentrate our forces and fight decisively with the French main force with superior forces."
"Send a message to the Third Army, let the Third Army of Crown Prince William (Frederick III) go south to the Vosges Mountains, and isolate the French army south of the Vosges Mountains from the main force of the French army. They cannot be separated from the main force of the French army. Join us."
…
Palatinate.
The third army garrison.
"Just received an order from the general headquarters. The French have already launched an offensive in the Saarbrücken area. The general staff requested us to immediately advance to the Vosges Mountains and block the French army south of the Vosges Mountains from going north. Everyone listen to me Command to proceed in the direction of the Vosges Mountains."
"The 2nd and 4th Cavalry Divisions immediately went south to clear the French army along the line leading to Weissenburg. At the same time, they surveyed the situation of McMahon's troops and opened up the passage for the large troops to go south."
"Leopold, General Kirchbach, you lead the Hechingen Brigade and the Fifth Army to the Saverna area respectively, and beware of the northern French army going south to support McMahon's Charon Army."
"The rest of the troops are advancing with me in the direction of Strasbourg. We want to pin McMahon to the south of the Vosges Mountains."
Frederick III assigned tasks in an orderly manner. McMahon had only 40,000 troops, and the Third Army was more than three times that.
In the advantageous game, the general of the Kingdom of Bavaria asked the two Bavarian armies to take the lead and enter the Weissenburg area first.
On the one hand, McMahon has a small number of troops, with only four divisions scattered in four regions, while Wiesenburg has only one French division, and Bavaria has two troops. In terms of single-group strength, I have the advantage. On the one hand, the Bavarian army needs the residents along the way and Weissenburg to replenish "supply". If the Prussian and other state troops are allowed to pass first, they will not be able to get it.
Although he knew the careful thinking of the Bavarian army, Frederick III did not refuse, and it would be better to let them wade first.
(end of this chapter)