Chapter 834: Chapter 742: Right Hook Plan

Joseph looked at Demoblin and said, “Although they speak French and are willing to cooperate with us, sending troops directly into the Southern Netherlands could easily provoke their resistance.”

Nominally, the Walloon Region is still Austrian territory and has its own autonomous government. In this era, where nationalism is gradually awakening, forcibly deploying troops to control a foreign region will inevitably lead to various problems.

Back then, Napoleon completely ignored the will of the local populace and preferred to impose his rule through brute military force, ultimately stirring resentment across Europe and leaving France isolated.

Demoblin frowned and said, “Your Highness, are we to let the Walloon Region fall to the Austrians?”

“Of course not,” Joseph leaned calmly against the back of his chair, “We must wait for the Walloon Region Chamber of Commerce to beg us to send troops. They may dislike our army, but they hate the Austrian Army even more.”

The Walloon Region Chamber of Commerce is essentially the local governing institution.

Mirabeau tilted his head and asked, “You mean waiting until the Austrian forces invade the Walloon Region before we act?”

“You could say that.”

Mirabeau anxiously said, “But won’t that cause serious damage to our factories there?”

Joseph smiled and shook his head: “You’ll need to have faith in the Walloon Region’s police.”

He turned to Fouche, “The intelligence agency needs to dispatch personnel to assist the Chamber of Commerce in handling emergency situations. Let’s now discuss contingency plans for potential scenarios…”

By around three in the afternoon, the operational plan for the Southern Netherlands had taken shape.

Afterward, Bertier began to explain the likely strategic deployments of enemy forces in other directions: “Currently, Gael has over 50,000 enemy troops mobilized, mostly Prussians, with some British cavalry among them.

“It is clear that we will establish layered defensive lines between Luxembourg and Verdun. This will be our primary battleground. Four divisions will be deployed initially for defense.

“Meanwhile, in eastern Switzerland, the Austrian Army may choose to launch an attack on Strasbourg from the Saint Bernard Pass or the Simplon Pass. Alternatively, they may also aim for Saran.”

Strasbourg is located in northeastern France, while Saran is in the east-central region, more than a hundred kilometers apart.

“Thus, we must deploy at least three divisions on the eastern line,” Bertier continued. “Once we confirm the direction of the enemy’s attack, we will send the Lorraine Corps and Lyon Corps to assist in defense.

“With the Sharp Signal Machine’s assistance, our forces should be able to respond promptly.

“According to the preliminary planning by the General Staff, we will deploy a total of 130,000 troops along the northern and eastern fronts, while maintaining an additional two divisions as reserves…

“Furthermore, within six months, at least two new corps must be organized domestically…”

Under France’s current military structure, a single infantry division consists of approximately 10,000 soldiers.

Essentially, Bertier had allocated nearly all available troops to defensive lines, leaving fewer than 10,000 soldiers in the rear.

In the back row, Lieutenant Colonel Napoleon furrowed his brow slightly, sensing something amiss with the operational plan.

He was about to voice his opinion when the Crown Prince suddenly rose, interrupting the Chief of Staff: “General Bertier, to be frank, while your plan is relatively cautious, it undermines the strengths of our forces.

“We should not–and cannot–position ourselves as the defending side.”

The officers in the conference room exchanged bewildered glances.

With only 160,000 troops against an enemy force of 400,000, successfully defending seemed difficult enough–could an offensive strategy even be considered?

Only Napoleon stared in astonishment at the Crown Prince, as he had just been thinking the same.

The Duke of Broglie quickly countered, “Your Highness, but our forces are at a significant disadvantage…”

Joseph nodded, “You’re correct, and that’s all the more reason why a defensive strategy is not viable.

“Defending key strategic points will rob our army of mobility, locking us into a war of attrition. We cannot compete with the enemy either in manpower or financial resources.”

Napoleon nodded repeatedly. Defensive troops cannot abandon their posts, and the enemy would continually commit reinforcements to drag out the conflict, effectively tying down France’s forces.

Joseph continued, “Instead, we must concentrate our forces to annihilate the enemy on specific fronts and then capitalize on our mobility to rapidly advance to the next position, launching successive attacks against the enemy there.

“We must strive to neutralize enemy forces or disrupt critical supply lines before they fully deploy and encircle our strategic nodes!

“By pushing the front line into enemy territory, we ensure our own enduring security.

“That is the French Army’s method of warfare!”

Once the officers had absorbed his rationale, Joseph moved to the map, elaborating on the battle plan he had conceived during his journey from Madrid to Paris: “The terrain in Switzerland is rugged, making logistical supplies difficult to transport, so the enemy’s advance there will likely be slow.

“Our first assault will focus on the direction of Gael…”

He spoke with great confidence, as this mirrored the French counteroffensive during the historical First Anti-French Alliance.

Back then, even with many new recruits, the French Army managed to push all the way to the west bank of the Rhine.

Later, internal political disputes within the Directory caused domestic unrest, allowing Prussia and Austria to seize the opportunity to retaliate and reclaim lost territory.

Now, after years of preparation, the French Army’s combat prowess far surpassed that of the Revolutionary era’s rookie corps. Even with fewer troops, replicating history’s results seemed feasible.

At that moment, a military officer briskly entered the room, quietly handing a report to Fouche.

Fouche opened it, scanned the contents, then stood to address Joseph: “Your Highness, news from Italy–Austria likely already gained Sardinia’s military passage rights.”

Upon hearing this, the officers’ expressions turned several degrees graver.

Bertier glanced at the map on the table and frowned, “This gives the enemy another point of attack in the southeast.”

Lefevre added, “Plus, by the time May arrives, the Alpine Passes’ snow will have melted, making those routes far more accessible. The southern enemy may very well invade us ahead of the northern forces.”

While the officers anxiously discussed the shifting dynamics, Joseph smiled faintly and murmured to himself, “This brings us closer.”

His remark, of course, referred to the historical First Anti-French Alliance.

Ultimately, Sardinia succumbed to Austria, aligning itself against France–a foreseeable outcome, given Austria’s dominant control over the Italian Peninsula at this point.

Joseph glanced meaningfully at Napoleon, seated in the back row of the room. Gesturing for everyone to quiet down, he pointed to Sardinia on the map and said, “It seems we need to adjust the sequence of operations.

“Time to deliver Austria a right hook.”