Chapter 474: Chapter 468: Relentless Wartime Command Authority
"Major General Niel!"
Baron Lagren called out Niel’s name in a friendly and amiable tone.
"Sir, you mentioned?" Niel nodded, responding to Baron Lagren with measured composure.
"Forgive my bold question, where did the map behind you come from?" Baron Lagren pointed at the map hanging on the background behind Niel. Clearly, compared to the landing plans, he was more interested in the Near East military map that took nearly four years to complete.
Niel did not speak, instead glancing at Jerome Bonaparte.
"This map was ordered by me from the Ministry of War to specifically seek out remaining maps of the Ottoman Empire from the time of the First Empire. I didn’t expect to actually find them!" Jerome Bonaparte gave a perfunctory response to Lagren, unwilling to admit his longstanding ambitions in the Near East.
Of course, Baron Lagren did not genuinely believe Jerome Bonaparte’s words.
Back then, Emperor Napoleon had no interest in deliberately creating military maps of the Near East.
"Your Majesty, may I make a small request of you?" Baron Lagren asked Jerome Bonaparte respectfully.
"Please go ahead!" Although Jerome Bonaparte had already guessed Baron Lagren’s request, he continued to play along.
"I hope the French Army can provide some of the maps you have dug out from old paper piles to the Kingdom of Britain’s army!" Baron Lagren emphasized to Jerome Bonaparte, making his meaning unmistakably clear.
"This..." Jerome Bonaparte knew the old general before him had somewhat guessed the truth, but he didn’t want to damage the cooperation between the Anglo-French Alliance over this minor issue.
So, Jerome Bonaparte chose to feign ignorance, hesitating for a moment before gritting his teeth and saying, "Agreed! I will order the French Army to provide you with some assistance to the best of our ability!"
"Thank you very much!" Baron Lagren replied with a smile to Jerome Bonaparte and then returned to the previous topic: "Major General Niel, according to your plans, you intend to ignore the Russian Imperial Army in Wallachia and Moldova and focus all efforts on besieging the capital of Odessa, correct?"
"Yes!" Niel nodded, calmly stating, "Instead of engaging in a pursuit battle against the Russian Empire in the Danube Duchy, it’s better to conduct a grand annihilation battle directly in the Odessa region!"
As he spoke, Niel pointed with his finger at Odessa’s capital: "The Russian Empire’s provisions in the Danube Region and the transport of military grain to the Caucasus will all concentrate here. This means, if we capture this place, the Russian troops in the Danube and Caucasus Regions will inevitably face food shortages and be forced to retreat for reinforcements! A shortage of food will inevitably lead to a loss of morale, allowing us to utterly destroy them around Odessa at our leisure!"
Landing at Odessa and annihilating Russian reinforcements are the easiest outcomes in the General Staff’s plans against Russia in the Crimea operations, but also the most difficult to achieve. If the landing at Odessa’s capital succeeds, it would mean more than half the victory in the Crimean War.
As the most prosperous region in Ukraine now, Odessa and its surrounding areas can be considered the breadbasket of all Ukraine, even all of Europe. As Niel mentioned, losing Odessa means the entire Russian southern forces would lose their supplies, leaving them in a passive position.
However, the plan is labeled as the most difficult to achieve because the Tsar and his military advisors (with Jomini reassuming the position of the Tsar’s advisor) must, unless they are fools, understand the importance of Odessa’s capital. Furthermore, the Anglo-French Alliance’s control of the Black Sea after achieving maritime supremacy constitutes a threat to Odessa’s capital, prompting bolstered defenses there, even at the cost of weakening other fronts!
"You are right; capturing Odessa does favor a fast victory for our troops, but I don’t believe the Tsar and his advisors are unaware of this! They will surely deploy heavy troops in Odessa, waiting for us to walk into it," Lord Wellington responded to Niel.
"Therefore, my suggestion is a probing attack! If Odessa’s defenses are weak, our army will conduct landing operations! If not, we will immediately retreat and seek a decisive battle with the Russian forces’ main body on the Crimea Peninsula! Of course, before leaving, we should also give a stern lesson to the navy stationed at Odessa Port!" Niel expounded confidently.
Hearing Niel’s explanation, Baron Lagren’s opinion inclined towards Marshal Saint Arno and his staff’s plan, transforming Saint Arno’s image from an office warmer to a somewhat capable general.
However, Baron Lagren was unaware that this operational plan was drawn up by the entire General Staff, with all procedures repeatedly simulated before presenting to Jerome Bonaparte. Then, under Jerome Bonaparte’s leadership, the General Staff members underwent another round of extensive war games and conclusions to finalize this version of the content.
It was certainly not a plan decided on a whim by Marshal Saint Arno and mid- to lower-level staff or deputies.
After all, the current French Army can hardly produce a genius like Emperor Napoleon, and even most of the army’s officers are mediocrities and fools.
Clever people have clever solutions, and mediocrities naturally need mediocre solutions.
Although the French Army after the Napoleonic era no longer possesses a military command genius like Emperor Napoleon, finding one or two eye-catching military commanders is still achievable.
Niel, Conrobel, Leboeuf, Trocch, Bazan... these esteemed members of the Second Empire’s alliance in history are now, under Jerome Bonaparte’s impetus, beginning to learn to think and reflect.
It can be said that among all the armies of the post-Napoleonic era, only the French Army still maintains an upward momentum!
Of course, neighboring Prussia, under its new Chief of Staff Old Maoqi, is also gradually bringing its army out of the nadir.
Baron Lagren, whose mindset still lingers on the Napoleonic Wars, is now gradually falling behind the times!
"Why have you chosen the Crimea Peninsula as the second theater of operations? From what I understand, it’s not an area heavily guarded by the Tsar of Russia’s forces!" Baron Lagren asked once more.
"The Crimea Peninsula is the Russian Empire’s forward position in the Black Sea! Once this nail is removed, every inch of land along the Black Sea coast will be fully exposed to the cannons of the Britain and France alliance! The Russian Imperial Army in the Caucasus Region will also face severe threats, so the Tsar and his military advisors will absolutely not leave Crimea unchecked.
Moreover, several months ago, the force that defeated the Turkish navy at the Battle of Sinop is also in Crimea! If the Tsar does not want this honorable army to be destroyed by our cannons, he will certainly deploy troops for rescue! By that time, we can completely defeat them and then force them to negotiate peace!" Niel told Baron Lagren word by word, his gaze never leaving Baron Lagren.
"Brilliant plan!" Baron Lagren said while applauding Major General Niel, then complimented Jerome Bonaparte, "Your Majesty, you have shown me an impeccable simulation!"
"This is thanks to all the commanding officers involved in this holy war!" Jerome Bonaparte immediately responded.
Jerome Bonaparte then inquired if Baron Lagren had any other opinions about this plan.
Baron Lagren expressed there were no further objections; after he reorganizes the British Army in the Near East, he will execute orders alongside Marshal Saint Arno.
"That’s wonderful!" Jerome Bonaparte said to Baron Lagren with a smile.
Subsequently, Jerome Bonaparte tactfully expressed: Since Baron Lagren has already agreed to the plan formulated by the French Army, the British troops should follow the French Army’s plan to complete it.
The command rights of the Anglo-French joint land army should naturally be handed over to the current commander of the French Expeditionary Army, Marshal Saint Arno, while Britain only needs to manage the joint naval operations.
"Your Majesty, I believe Britain and France are two teams fighting side by side! We should not excessively pursue issues of subordination; I don’t want our country’s press to portray us as betraying national dignity!" Baron Lagren shook his head, refusing Jerome Bonaparte’s suggestion to form a joint command and hand over the army to the French Army’s command.
After all, who leads and who follows between the two armies is not just a pure military issue, but also involves political issues.
Handing over the command rights of the army to France is something Baron Lagren could never accept.
If Baron Lagren did so, he would have to take orders from a commander over ten years his junior.
For a leader who fought across Europe following the Duke of Wellington, Baron Lagren would rather not be the Expeditionary Army commander than lose his dignity as a British Army officer.
"Mr. Lagren, our forces are far larger than yours!" Jerome Bonaparte reminded.
"Your Majesty, our army is actively helping your forces regain their lost honor!" Baron Lagren retorted likewise.
All the French generals present involuntarily revealed a hint of anger on their faces, as Baron Lagren was subtly mocking the defeats their forebears suffered when campaigning against the Russian Empire.
"During the Waterloo period, if it wasn’t for the Prussians running fast, I suspect we wouldn’t have met..." Jerome Bonaparte glanced at Baron Lagren and retorted again.
"Indeed, Your Majesty, if back then the Duke of Wellington had listened to the views of the Tsar and Blücher, perhaps we wouldn’t have met!"
The two stared unyieldingly at each other, until after a while, Jerome Bonaparte burst into hearty laughter, and Baron Lagren followed suit.
"I understand now, Mr. Lagren! We just need to fight side by side!"