The first update

The situation in Paris was being reversed, and even Trochu did not expect that they would be able to defeat the Prussian encirclement in France, and the original defeat cloud of Paris gradually dissipated, increasing their bargaining chips for defeating the Prussian army. At this time, there were many voices in the city that the French army should take the initiative at this time and cooperate with the Southern Army to drive all Prussia out of Paris.

However, when everyone thought that France should surrender, only Napoleon insisted on resisting the invaders. And when the Parisian hierarchy felt that they should fight to the death with the Prussian army, he was adamantly opposed to such a risky and radical approach.

Paris only needs people with strategic foresight, not a bunch of lunatics who shout revenge all day long.

Trochu, however, was puzzled by Napoleon's attempt to make peace with Prussia after alleviating the crisis in Paris.

"Now that the French army has seized the initiative on the battlefield, it is time for us to push back, and we should take advantage of the victory to destroy all the Prussian troops in Paris."

"What gave you the illusion that the French army would be able to defeat the Germans in a short time?"

Napoleon, in turn, asked Trochu, "Is it the same as our victory over Prussia just because we have temporarily alleviated the crisis in Paris?" Before the Prussian army had not invested all its national strength in this war, peace negotiations were the way out between the two sides, and everyone did not want to make things deadlocked, and when there was really no way out, France and Germany fought to the death, and in the end they could not get the title of European hegemon, and let the national strength regress irreversibly. ”

Trochu seemed to understand something, and he asked, "You mean that King William was willing to make peace?" ”

Napoleon nodded and said, "Yes, because Wilhelm I's brain has not yet entered the water, this war was originally a small action made by Bismarck behind the king's back, deliberately provoking my nephew Bonaparte III to send troops with a modified cipher message, and then Wilhelm I had no choice but to declare war on France according to the arrangement of the main war faction led by Bismarck. The German top brass was not at all prepared for a long campaign, and the Prussian warlords only wanted to disintegrate France as quickly as possible. But now it can only be dragged into the quagmire of war. ”

"Now the situation is different, and neither side wants to make the war to the point of exhausting its national strength. Wilhelm I's attitude in the Prussian-Danish and Austro-Prussian wars shows that they only wanted to take advantage, and did not exhaust the national strength to reduce another country to ruins, so that the victors could only be the English or Russians watching from the sidelines. ”

No one will do the stupid thing of a sandpiper and a clam competing for the benefit of a fisherman.

Napoleon was not an idiot, and from the very beginning King Wilhelm's attitude towards war was ambiguous, and he became even more hesitant and convulsive when the Prussian superiority was gone. If the top echelons of the Prussian army can be captured alive and the main battle faction is lost to blow the wind around William, then the chances of peace talks will be greatly increased.

If the two sides can sit down at the negotiating table and negotiate an honorable end to this absurd war, this will be the "victory" that Napoleon has been planning all along.

After all, political diplomacy is far more important than military might.

Fortunately, Prussia did not intend to conduct Franco-Prussian war on the model of the First World War. Otherwise, France will not even be able to withstand the next conflict, let alone a brief respite.

"Now it will be up to us to see the outcome of the Battle of Sarsenau, and if the regiment of Bidianfeldt becomes a prisoner of the French army, we can make peace with them, and of course bring the British and Russians in. Increase your odds. ”

Trochu shook his head and said, "The British are not stupid, he will not let the Russians in without tangible interests, don't forget the Treaty of London that we forced Alexander to sign in the first place, and if we want to mediate between it, Russia will inevitably make a fuss about this issue." At that time, this question will be enough to put us in a dilemma, and winning the support of Russia without offending Britain will be a great test of our diplomacy. ”

Napoleon had always seen the-stirring sticks of Great Britain very thoroughly, and he said that he had even prepared his own rhetoric, "The policy of the British has always been to balance the continent, and a draw in the Franco-Prussian War is the outcome that Prime Minister Gladstone wants to see the most." He didn't want France to be weakened, and he didn't want France to maintain its previous advantage. Then we can make a proposal to withdraw the French troops from the Alsace region. This proposal is enough to satisfy the appetite of the British offshore balancing strategy, and as for the Russians, I will take care of it. ”

Leaving a piece of right and wrong to contain two countries, Great Britain has always liked to use this trick to disgust people. A considerable part of the factor in the conflict between India and Pakistan was the mess that Britain deliberately left behind.

"Your Majesty Napoleon."

Trochu was anxious, and he advised, "Alsace is the inherent territory of France, and we cannot surrender it to the Germans." ”

Napoleon laughed, he was not a fool, the importance of Alsace was self-evident, and in order to lead the parties to sit down at the negotiating table and solve the problem, bait had to be thrown.

"This is just a sincere concession we have made for negotiations, the French army does not send troops to Alsace, the Germans cannot rush to attack, and besides, if there is no army, it must mean that there is no armed force in Alsace?"

"Huh?"

Trochu was a little unsure of what the other party was saying.

Napoleon winked at Trochu and said, "In order to maintain the stability of the Alsace region, France has expanded a large number of national gendarmerie and armed police forces, and this is not within the limits of the treaty. ”

Trochu instantly showed a look of sudden realization, and on the surface they made concessions for the peace talks between the general public, but in fact they had other plans.

Napoleon's trick was also learned from the Germans, and after the First World War, the number of German troops was limited, and as a result, the top of the German staff replaced all soldiers with officers, and once the war broke out, the number of people could be expanded geometrically. The armed forces, which are also in the name of the police, can still be used as an army after the outbreak of war, but their status is more special.

The same army stationed in Alsace, only with a different name when the time comes.

What the? Why do you say that the police and security forces in France are equipped with Schneider's heavy artillery? Why is there a 25-round Miyozny multi-barreled machine gun? Why use heavy weapons to maintain law and order?

To kill the robbers and save the hostages, of course.

"It won't be long before we know the news. This battle will not wait long. The rest of the negotiations have nothing to do with the outcome of the war, as I have said before. ”

Napoleon said calmly, "It's more of a political game." ”