General Moltke, chief of staff of the Prussian army, is worthy of a generation of famous generals, extremely decisive and responsible. Keen to perceive the first strike contained in Admiral Chen Chuan's suggestion, he immediately made up his mind to implement it, and immediately reported it to His Majesty King William.

The next day, it was overhanging

After the fierce artillery bombardment, the Elbe Corps took the lead in launching a fierce all-out attack, which caught some of the Allied troops in the Austrian camp by surprise.

After hours of intense standoff, the enemy was routed and plunged into even greater confusion.

Taking advantage of the situation, the Elbe Corps launched a series of attacks, and was the first to defeat the Saxon army, and in the next two days, it penetrated nearly 68 kilometers into the Kingdom of Hanover, one of the most powerful allies of the Austrian Empire.

The Elbe Corps took the lead and a large number of troops marched into the Kingdom of Hanover, Hesse-Gassel and Saxony, and the panic of defeat spread rapidly, and the armies of the states were crushed under the fierce attack of the Prussian legions.

After a fantastic start to the prussian army, the General Staff Headquarters of the Prussian Army was unforgiving. The 1st and 2nd Corps, the main forces, were quickly engaged in order to expand and consolidate the current superiority. On a front of more than 250 kilometers, the Austrian army fought fiercely, and for a time the sound of guns and artillery resounded all over the world.

The sudden outbreak of all-out war attracted the attention of all Europe.

Dresden, the capital of Saxony

The ruins of destroyed houses can be seen everywhere in the city, wisps of green smoke rise from the charred ruins, and the corpses lying in the ruins have not been cleaned up, a bleak scene after the war.

Richard followed General Chen Chuan's side, and a group of more than 10 people rode here, and there were more than 100 heavily armed Prussian cavalry nearby to protect him.

As far as the eye can see

Many of the captives with their heads covered in black and gray walked out of the city in a long line escorted by Prussian soldiers, and their temporary destination was the prisoner of war camp.

There were also women in traditional German dresses, looking numb through the rubble searching for the bodies of their loved ones, their tears already drained, and their movements as slow as wooden stakes.

Most of the suffering caused by the war was borne by the civilian population.

Accompanying the high-level military delegation was Colonel Schmidt of the General Staff Headquarters of the Prussian Army, who was also the supreme commander of the cavalry team of more than 100 people, responsible for closely protecting the security of the military delegation of the Tang Empire.

The city, the capital of the Kingdom of Saxony, was finally conquered and occupied by the Elbe Corps after four days of fierce fighting.

The kingdom fell, and the Archduke of Saxony and his wife fled to the Austrian Empire, becoming another unsealed Grand Duke.

This is the fate of the wrong team, and one stud loses everything.

"Mr. Colonel, I would like to congratulate you on the smooth military operation of the Elbe Corps, which I did not expect." Admiral Chen Chuan reined in his horses and looked at the buildings in the city and said with emotion.

Colonel Schmidt bowed at his horse, and replied respectfully; "God forbid, the German nation has been waiting for the day of reunification for too long. Thank you very much for your blessings, Your Excellency the General, the Kingdom of Prussia is indeed on the right path. ”

"Mr. Colonel, according to the briefing; The 1st Corps, having routed the enemy in front of it, is approaching in the direction of Dresden and is expected to arrive in a few days? ”

"Your Excellency the General, for about 4~5 days, the artillery and baggage have slowed down the speed of the march."

"I have to say that your campaign organization is very good, impressive......" Admiral Chen Chuan did not hesitate to praise at this moment, he knew that these words would be reported as they were, and they would become the official evaluation of the high-level military delegation of the Tang Empire.

Richard, disguised as a colonel, did not interject, this kind of occasion is not suitable for a senior assistant to speak, his eyes wandered to this European city with ancient history, and he personally felt the cruelty of the war in Europe.

meanwhile

He also felt the distinctive characteristics of the European war, and there were many things completely different from the North American war, which gave him a completely novel feeling, and gradually coincided with the traditional perception of Europe.

From the very beginning, the Prussian army established a strategic policy of defeating the main Austrian army in the shortest possible time, clearing its wings, and thus establishing a firm position of superiority on the battlefield. Efforts should be made to prevent the war from becoming bogged down or stalemate, which could lead the situation out of control.

This core policy, formulated by Bismarck, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Prussia, was thoroughly implemented by the Prussian army.

In order to defeat the enemy in the shortest possible time, the Prussian army itself suffered heavy casualties and paid a lot of money.

After a week of high-intensity fighting, the Elbe Corps successively defeated the armies of Saxony, Hanover, Hesse-Gassell and other states, marching all the way and winning successive battles, but behind it was to pay a huge price of more than 5,400 casualties.

The total strength of the corps is only about 56,000, a reduction of nearly one-tenth.

At this time

The efforts of the army of the Kingdom of Prussia over the years to prepare for war have paid off significantly, with a steady stream of depleted weapons and equipment being transported by train to the nearest station, and well-trained and replenished soldiers arriving at the same time to replenish the Elbe Corps.

In order to ensure that this sharp spearhead continued to break through, the Prussian General Staff Headquarters even replenished several new battalions of the 2nd Corps, which effectively guaranteed the strong offensive momentum of the Elbe Corps.

On the other hand

The armies of the German states, which were deeply imbued with chivalry, did not adopt a more powerful strategy of defending with strong fortresses when they encountered the attack of the Elbe Army, but took the initiative to attack and engage in battle.

The 25,000-strong army of the Kingdom of Saxony, together with 6,700 Hesse-Garcels, abandoned their fortified castles and stone walls and fought head-on with the Elbe Corps in the mountainous hills.

This is a courageous move, but it is unattainable.

Yes

Frederick-Augustus II, the monarch of Saxony, who had inherited the aristocratic demeanor, came on horseback and asked for a private conversation with General von Falkenstein, the commander of the Elbe Corps of the Prussian army, and invited the Prussian army to attack first.

General von Falkenstein flatly refused, and invited the Austrians to take the lead in attacking the Prussian positions, and after more than ten minutes of pushing and arguing, it was decided that both sides would attack at the same time, and no one would be left behind.

It sounds incredible, but it really happens.

In Europe since the Middle Ages, bravery and sacrifice were the most commendable forms of chivalry, while cowardice and cowardice were despised by the entire aristocratic society.

If a medieval feudal lord wanted to encourage his followers to fight to the death, he himself had to dare to charge ahead, or at least be in the middle of the main army.

Battle of Bouwen in 1214

King Philippe of France. Augustus and Holy Roman Emperor Otto IV were on the second line of the Chinese army, protected by their own soldiers, but both were dismounted and nearly killed during the battle.

In the early years of the battle with Richard the Lionheart of England, King Philip of France was beaten into the river and almost killed.

The same is true of Richard the Lionheart, one of the most illustrious monarchs in the history of Great Britain, who mastered the intricacies of infantry and crossbowmen, and won numerous wars against France, making his enemies feared by his reputation.

But how can anyone walk by the river without getting their feet wet?

During a siege in France, King Richard led his army to attack as usual, but was killed a few days after being shot by an enemy crossbow arrow.

This reckless chivalry was widely influenced by the European aristocracy, and it was considered cowardly and incompetent to stand behind a defensive line dominated by castles and stone walls.

This is even more unacceptable to the aristocracy who regards honor as their life than death.

Knowing this history, it is not surprising that Frederick Augustus II, the monarch of Saxony, made such a novel move.

The ensuing battle was not suspenseful, and the main Austrian force suffered heavy casualties under the heavy platoon of guns of the battle-willed and well-trained Prussian army, and soon collapsed.

Richard, who witnessed the whole process of the battle, was deeply speechless by this, and could only say; Courage is commendable, but it's stupid.

Frederick-Augustus II proved his mettle, but he lost his army and the kingdom of Saxony, was overwhelmed by the Prussian pursuers, and fled all the way to the Austrian Empire.

In the European aristocratic circles

There are countless such grand dukes who have lost their feudal states, and only in the densely populated areas of the German states that are now being attacked by the Prussian army, more than a dozen small and medium-sized states have been destroyed, and a large number of dukes and counts have fled to Austria with their families.

If you are smarter, according to the countless ancient castles, stone walls, and dangerous terrain inherited from the Middle Ages in Germany, it will greatly delay the attack momentum of the Elbe Corps, and drag the war into a long-term stalemate is a high probability event.

The burial of Frederick-Augustus II in his kingdom also made the Kingdom of Prussia prosperous at the beginning of the war.

This

It is an important point that the monarchs and ministers of the Tang Empire all ignore when considering the confrontation of military forces between the two sides, and it is also the most fatal point.

After all, it was Richard who did not expect these German county lords to be so stupid.

Obviously, if you are stubborn, you will win and not lose, and you will lose your life, who will reason with this?

Maybe...... This is a war that fits European characteristics, right?

Richard realized at this time;

If Bismarck, the prime minister of the Kingdom of Prussia before the war, could even calculate this, so he dared to use a non-dominant force to stud it, it would really be called a demon and impressive.

Under the escort of the cavalry, the group settled in the buildings of Dresden, which were less affected by the fighting, and prepared to stay here for a few days until the main forces of the First Corps converged.

Just after washing, Admiral Chen Chuan hurriedly walked in, and when he saw Richard disguised as a colonel's adjutant, he snorted and said; "View...... Brother, please come over for a moment. ”

With that, he turned and left.

Richard pretended to respond, put down the belt and sword he had arranged, and left behind Admiral Chen Chuan.

This performance was very surprising in the eyes of the other officers, His Excellency the Deputy General Seat was too polite to this colonel adjutant, and he also called him "Brother Guanjing", can anyone be called Brother by His Excellency the Deputy General Seat?

"Hey, do you know what Colonel Li Guanjing is all about? It feels quite mysterious. ”

"It's not very clear, I haven't worked together before, and it is said that I used to serve in the US Command, and we are not officers in the same corps."

"It seems to be very big, and Your Excellency the Vice President also attaches great importance to it?"

"As a friend in the army for many years, I advise you; Don't ask around, the affairs of the chief are not something we can ask about, just do your job diligently. That's right...... Try not to offend Colonel Lee. ”

"Uh...... Okay, just curious. ”

"That's it, don't say any more."

"Uh-huh......"

The officers who were traveling with him didn't take Richard to heart, and General Chen Chuan didn't dare to shout and drink like an ordinary officer in the face of him, and he was full of respect in his interior and mouth, and he couldn't see it unless he was blind.

For example, the phrase "viewing...... Brother ......", the last two words of Admiral Chen Chuan are as light as mosquitoes humming, which is indeed a bit disrespectful.

Your Majesty the Emperor, you dare to shout "brother", are you floating?

Then again

It's really hard to be Admiral Chen Chuan, just one title makes him feel like constipation, and he has to try his best not to let others see the difference, which is really not easy.

"What's the matter with being in such a hurry?" When he was alone, Richard looked much more casual, walked in with his pockets in his pockets, closed the door casually and asked.

When Admiral Chen Chuan saw His Majesty coming in, his originally straight waist bent down, stepped forward with a flattering smile on his face, and offered fine Cuban cigars with both hands.

Richard took it, and Admiral Chen Chuan immediately took out a match and wiped the fire, and diligently lit the cigar, and then reported;

"Brother Guanjing, the news that has just come from the southern battlefield is that the army of the Kingdom of Italy has been beaten by Austria and has been defeated. As a result, the current extremely favorable war situation has quickly slipped into an unpredictable direction. ”

"Oh...... What a pig teammate! Richard said helplessly as he chewed his cigar cigarette.

Admiral Chen Chuan echoed; "Why not? The current Prussian army staff headquarters was overwhelmed by this unexpected situation, and no one could have imagined that the army of the Kingdom of Italy was so weak that it was defeated by the Austrian army as soon as it launched an attack. This has caused erosion on the southern front, and the Prussian army still needs to transfer valuable troops to stabilize the southern front. ”

"In the worst-case scenario, the Prussian army should have a plan to deal with it, right?" Richard took a puff of his cigar and slowly exhaled it, then asked unhurriedly.

The German old man really has a temperament that does not remember to eat, and the vision of choosing allies has always been flattering, and it can be said that it has a long history of planting on it, and it will continue to suffer big losses in the future.

Compared with the treacherous and cunning England and France, he is like a simple child.

It's not ...... Fallen into the pit of Italy again.

But this is a big problem for the Kingdom of Prussia, the Tang Empire just has to sit on the mountain and watch the tiger fight, and only Europe can solve the affairs of Europe, and it is not the turn of the Tang Empire to meddle in European affairs.