The Fox of France

Chapter 183: War

Since the French showed no sincere interest in peace, the negotiations for a peace treaty had fallen through. It was evident that the British weren't too keen on peace either, as their longstanding policy of maintaining a balance of power in the European continent couldn't tolerate the rise of a hegemon there. Being an island nation, Britain couldn't compete with the entirety of Europe united under a single power. Therefore, even if they made peace with the French, it would only be a temporary ceasefire.

Since peace seemed unlikely, the focus shifted to expanding the war effort. The British turned to Prussia, offering substantial financial aid and assembling a land army of at least 80,000 troops to fight alongside them against France.

Prussia, too, was averse to a powerful France. Any European nation wished for its neighbors to remain weak, and Prussia's previous reluctance for war with France had been mainly due to a fear of the French army. However, with the British offering a considerable sum of money, Prussia found itself tempted.

Prussia made certain demands. First, the money had to be delivered upfront, and they wouldn't move without it. Second, the troops had to be ready.

The British saw the opportunity and hastened their negotiations with Prussia. However, as talks were progressing favorably, a new development unfolded. It wasn't clear where the information leaked, but the Emperor, far from sacred, Roman, or imperial, somehow learned about the substantial funds the British were offering to Prussia. This revelation unsettled the Emperor, who declared, "We are all fighting hard against the French, why should they receive money while we don't? No, we need money too! We need it more than Prussia!"

Reluctantly, the British had to appease the Emperor, which, of course, meant spending more money. After significant expenditures, a new alliance was finally formed, leading to a new phase of the war. In November 1797, Austria and Prussia jointly issued an ultimatum to France, demanding the French forces withdraw from Italy and Hanover. Unsurprisingly, France rejected this demand, leading to the outbreak of a new war.

The anti-French coalition launched attacks from two directions. In the north, British and Prussian forces targeted Hanover and the Rhine region controlled by the French. In the south, Austrian troops, along with newly joined Russian forces, attacked Italy.

The northern battles started with a formidable French opponent. The British and Prussian armies had upgraded their weaponry since the last conflict, and breech-loading rifles, once a disadvantage for them, were now common. The French, on the other hand, were at a disadvantage. Their army had started to meddle in politics during the suppression of royalist uprisings, resulting in a clear division. Political leaders within the military actively courted the generals, leading to a divide.

They revived the system of military representatives in factories and reinstated the older system where generals were responsible for procuring supplies. This allowed the military leaders to control the purchasing power directly.

This division led to two major factions: Joubert and his supporters in the north and Napoleon in the south. These factions had their respective arms industries. Napoleon had the "military-industrial complex," while those left out formed partnerships with Joubert.

Funding for both armies was not substantial, but sufficient. However, in the north, the situation was different when it came to procuring weapons. To win contracts with Joubert, suppliers needed to provide substantial kickbacks, increasing costs. As a result, weapons prices rose, and the overall quantity of equipment purchased decreased. Therefore, even in the north, the line infantry was still equipped with old-style rifles.

When it came to artillery, the northern army, once the elite of the French forces, had the most cannons but had not upgraded them. Many of the cannons had become less effective due to their age.

Hence, the northern French army initially struggled and had to resort to defensive measures and fortifications to counter the advances of the British and Prussian coalition.

In the south, the situation differed. The Russians were slower to act, and the Austrians, determined to act only when the Russians arrived, maintained a relatively calm situation. This situation made the British impatient, sending envoys frequently to urge action.

The Emperor responded, "We agreed to act together, and the Russians haven't arrived yet."

The Russians claimed, "Our grand army is on its way. Please wait; we will be there soon."

Indeed, according to the plan, the Russians should have arrived by now. However, the plan couldn't keep up with reality. Inside Russia, the Emperor was creating turmoil.

Reportedly, the Empress had never thought highly of the current Emperor, Paul I, feeling he was not up to the task and even wanting to skip him to crown her grandson, Alexander (later Alexander I, who, at a few months old, fell off a bed and no one noticed, having to sleep under the bed until morning, whereas Paul I had issues with his head). But due to the sudden stroke the Empress suffered, she remained unconscious, allowing Paul I to ascend the throne following the succession order. It was rumored that the Empress, at her first opportunity, wanted to destroy any will she may have left behind.

Perhaps because he was not the widely expected successor, Paul I was eager to prove his capabilities. Like many other monarchs, he had studied in Europe and enjoyed excellent hospitality in Prussia during his travels. Therefore, he initiated a Prussian-style military reform upon ascending to the throne. His reforms included not only military regulations and training methods but also the adoption of Prussian-style military uniforms.

This move was met with resistance within the Russian military. Not every officer had a questionable state of mind like their new Emperor, and many had experienced the glory of the Elizabethan era, making it impossible for them to admire Prussia. For instance, Field Marshal Suvorov openly expressed, "What's so great about Prussia? If it weren't for us, they would have been long gone. Even now, if we go to war, I can defeat them easily. Learn from them? That's absurd!"

The thin-skinned Emperor took this as disrespect and immediately removed Suvorov from his position. However, shortly after, the Emperor realized he had already agreed to send troops to fight in France. Due to the disruptions caused by the previous military reforms, there were no suitable candidates to lead the Russian forces when considering the critical position of overall commander.

As a result, the Emperor reinstated Suvorov and tasked him with leading the Russian expeditionary force to Italy. However, in this back-and-forth, the preparations for the war with France were not adequately made. The Emperor, with limited options for overall command, was compelled to bring Suvorov back.

Time passed amid this ongoing uncertainty and shifting allegiances.

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