The Fox of France

Chapter 191: Command in the Face of Defeat

A messenger dispatched by Napoleon delivered a letter to General Suvarov. In the letter, Napoleon first praised the indomitable spirit displayed by the Russian army in battle, then he pointed out, "There's really no need for a war to resolve the issues between Russia and France. Young men from both nations are shedding blood needlessly over some technical and negotiable matters, which is truly an incomprehensible tragedy."

Napoleon proposed a ceasefire between the two sides and suggested that minor "misunderstandings" and issues between France and Russia could be left for future negotiations by both governments.

He also proposed that a location be chosen for negotiations on the terms of the ceasefire.

After the French messenger had left, General Suvarov gathered his officers. He showed them Napoleon's letter and asked for their opinions.

"The Archduke of Austria has been claiming that the French are suffering major setbacks in the north and that Napoleon's army will soon receive orders to withdraw. It seems the Austrians might be telling the truth."

"But, in my opinion, the French have a point too. Can we really expect to gain a piece of Italy by fighting them? Even if we fight the French with all our might and seize Italy when they retreat, isn't that just doing a favor to the Austrians? What will we gain? I believe negotiating with the French for terms, like acquiring some technology from them they might be more advanced than the British in certain areas, especially military technology."

"I agree with Antonov's point. The French are likely ahead of the game in military technology, at least on land."

"I think we should send people to France to study systematically. We should"

"Actually, we don't need to fight the French at all. Instead, we should ally with them. This way, the East will be ours, and the West will be theirs. How perfect!"

"But the French have always been allies with the Turks."

"Why would the French side with the Turks? Isn't it to counter the Austrians? We are much stronger than the Turks; to keep the Austrians in check, the French can easily"

The discussion was lively, and while everyone had different views, a common thread was their reluctance to engage in war with the French, particularly in distant Italy.

Suvarov quietly listened, realizing that this sentiment wasn't just held by his generals but was likely shared by most of the soldiers. They didn't want to continue fighting the French.

In theory, chasing the French in their retreat could lead to a major victory, but given the soldiers' morale and the French army's fighting capability, Suvarov believed the Russian army, even in open combat, would probably be outmatched by the French. Perhaps negotiating with the French for gains was a better option.

As for Austria, Suvarov believed the Russians had already spilled enough blood. If the Austrians were dissatisfied with the ceasefire, they could fight the French on their own, and Russia would offer moral support.

With this understanding, negotiations between the two sides went smoothly. Napoleon and Suvarov met in an estate, exchanged gifts, and reached an agreement to temporarily halt hostilities.

Napoleon left a portion of his army behind and headed north with the rest to confront the English.

Upon learning of the French army's retreat, the Archduke John saw an opportunity to chase them and possibly reclaim Italy. Suvarov, however, advised caution, warning that the French might have set traps. The Russian army, already weakened by earlier battles, couldn't afford a reckless pursuit.

Surprisingly, Suvarov's cautious approach received support from the Austrian commanders. They believed it was best not to take risks with the cunning French. "Staying unchanging in response to their changes" became the mantra.

The Austrians marched towards positions they believed the Italians were guarding (Position A), only to face a major defeat. Retreating Austrians reported, "We encountered French soldiers dressed as Italians!"

The Russians, despite having accurate intelligence that the French army had retreated north and that only a small French rearguard and a newly assembled North Italian Federation army remained, remained cautious.

The Austrians, however, grew more active. They felt more confident facing the Italians, having extensive experience with them. Consequently, the Austrians attacked the positions they thought were held by Italians, and things quickly turned south. Defeated Austrians reported to the Russians, "We encountered French soldiers dressed as Italians!"

Napoleon led over sixty thousand elite French troops back across the Alps into France. As soon as he returned, news arrived that the Anglo-Prussian coalition was closing in on Verdun.

French troops who had retreated from Lige had regrouped in Versailles, joining over a hundred thousand fresh troops. They prepared to defend Versailles, and at that moment, an odd error occurred in France's information system.

To transmit information quickly, the French had established a system that used light signals to communicate messages. The system was based on a network of towers situated along major roads leading to Paris, akin to signal towers seen in other countries.

However, this French system could convey more complex messages than mere signal towers, as it utilized varying patterns of light flashes, functioning like a telegraph. The sender would translate messages into long and short flashes, send them at fixed intervals, and the receiving tower would record the flashes and relay them to the next station. This enabled relatively fast transmission of intricate messages over long distances.

In Alexandre Dumas's novel "The Count of Monte Cristo," Edmond Dants manipulated this system by bribing a signalman to disseminate false information, triggering an economic upheaval that led to his enemy Danglars' bankruptcy.

Almost mirroring the novel, a signalman had been bribed by royalist sympathizers to alter the message: "General Bonaparte has achieved a significant victory in Italy and is returning to France" was altered to "General Napoleon has suffered a major defeat in Italy, and Marshal Suvorov is leading a massive army across the Alps into France."

This false message sent the government in disarray. Some officials even attempted to flee. A few high-ranking officials attempting to escape were recognized by vigilant citizens, brought back, and faced the wrath of the angry crowd.

The attempted exodus severely damaged the prestige of the provisional government. Had a corrected message not arrived shortly afterward, the people of Paris were on the brink of an uprising.

A special edition of "The Truth in Science" newspaper was published, freely distributing news that General Bonaparte had decisively won in Italy and was leading his army back to France. The cry of "Long Live General Bonaparte!" echoed throughout Paris.

While the people of Paris celebrated the joyful news, Joseph was urgently summoned by Carnot.

"Joseph, something has happened," Carnot said with a grave expression as Joseph entered his office.

"What's happened?" Joseph asked, alarmed by Carnot's demeanor.

"General Joubert has been injured again and is currently unconscious" Carnot replied.

In a recent skirmish near Verdun, the commander who always seemed to venture to the front lines, General Joubert, was wounded by a bullet. His injuries were so severe that he couldn't continue to lead the army. His second-in-command, General Moreau, was still at the front lines in Chatillon, and due to the distance and the enemy's situation, he couldn't arrive to take over Joubert's command at Verdun. Thus, the French army in Verdun was temporarily without a commander.

"Good Lord!" Joseph exclaimed. "Carnot, what are we going to do?"

"For now, I need you to take over Joubert's command temporarily as the overall commander of the French forces in Verdun," Carnot said. "We have no better option at the moment."

"But I've been out of military command for a long time."

"Joseph, don't be modest. Your legend lives on in the army, and in recent years, you've been leading the transformation of our army's technology and tactics."

"But I'm just a technician. How can I"

"Don't argue. If there were a better candidate, I wouldn't ask this of you. But right now, there's no one more suitable. Joseph, stop underestimating yourself. The War Department has decided, and you are to take command."

"I've been out of the military for years, Carnot"

"But your legacy lives on in the army. The truth is, you've been leading the changes in our military technology and tactics."

"But you call me a technician, and"

"Stop with the self-doubt. There's no better choice now. Joseph, accept the responsibility; the War Department has already made its decision."

Joseph reluctantly agreed to assume command temporarily.