Chapter 172: Chief of the General Staff of St. Arnault
Of course, Jérôme Bonaparte understood that some people would choose to oppose the complete integration of the Office of the Presidential Military Secretariat and the Ministry of War.
However, he did not care at all about the objections of the useless military bureaucrats in the Ministry of War. Purging the Ministry of War had become a must in Jérôme Bonaparte's mind.
Those who do not want to follow Jérôme Bonaparte can follow Louis Philippe.
"Kill those who deserve to be killed! Catch those who deserve to be arrested! I don't believe they have no stain at all. You just need to catch their stain and make a fuss about it!" Jérôme Bonaparte said to General Regno with a sneer.
"Yes!" General Regno responded meticulously.
"That's right! Brigadier General Canrobert recommended a person to me after he left office. He will assist you in managing the Ministry of War!" Jérôme Bonaparte calmly appointed Minister Reignault as Secretary of State in a plain tone.
power taken away.
General Renault showed a hint of surprise. Could it be that the president was worried about him?
However, he still chose to follow Jérôme Bonaparte's orders.
"It's not that I don't trust you, but it's a matter of your character, Minister... I assure you that the new Secretary of State will follow your instructions!" In order to prevent Minister Regno from misunderstanding, Jérôme Bo
Nabar made a special explanation.
"Your Excellency, I would like to know who serves as the State Secretary of the Ministry of War!" Minister Reño asked in a low voice.
"General Saint-Arnaud!" Jérôme Bonaparte responded immediately: "He will come to Paris in the near future and then serve as my adjutant."
After Jérôme Bonaparte talked with Minister Regno for a while, Minister Regno left.
…
October 30th, after nearly a month of waiting.
Vadray finally returned to Paris, and he was accompanied by General Saint-Arnaud and two captains.
They were arranged by Pesini to different rooms to wait for Jerome Bonaparte's audience.
"Did nothing happen on the way back?" Jérôme Bonaparte in the study asked Wardray, who looked tired.
"Your Majesty, no!" Wardray responded to Jérôme Bonaparte.
He did not want to tell Jerome Bonaparte that he was almost imprisoned for some reasons. These things may be a big thing for him, but they are a trivial matter for the president.
Although he can ask the president to arrest all these people, this is just killing a chicken with a knife. The president's affection for each person will become weaker as they ask for more and more.
"Yes!" Jerome Bonaparte nodded, and then said: "Where are General Saint-Arnaud and Captain Migne now?"
"Your Majesty, I have placed them in the reception room! They are waiting for your summons at any time!" Wardley asked again in a cautious tone: "Would you like, I will call them over to meet with you!"
"No need!" Jerome Bonaparte shook his head and said, "Let's go! Take me to meet them!"
"Yes! Your Majesty!"
Under the leadership of Wardray, Jérôme Bonaparte first came to the reception room where Saint-Arnault was.
The door of the reception room slowly opened. When the door opened, Jérôme Bonaparte looked inside the door. Standing outside the door, he saw General Saint-Arnaud.
At this time, General Saint-Arnaud was sitting dignifiedly on his chair.
He has a head of gray hair, each hair is slightly curled, giving people the feeling of a slight ion perm from later generations. A not-so-thick mustache hangs on his mouth, his face is dignified, and his brows are knitted, giving people a
A sense of caution and reliability.
Perhaps because of the fighting in Algeria, General Saint-Arnault's skin was a bit darker than that of ordinary people, but not as dark as the old man Jérôme Bonaparte saw on the Internet later in life.
Although Saint Arnaud came all the way from Algeria, he was still full of energy and did not feel like he had been traveling for a long time.
Compared with General Saint-Arnaud, who has been fighting all year round, Wardray obviously has some shortcomings.
Since Jerome Bonaparte's appearance was somewhat similar to that of Emperor Napoleon, General Saint-Arnault also heard a lot of news from Paris in the colony, which made him wait until the first time he saw Jerome Bonaparte.
It was immediately obvious that Jérôme Bonaparte was the president.
"Your Excellency, President!" General Saint-Arnault hurriedly stood up to greet Jérôme Bonaparte.
"General, sit down!" Jerome Bonaparte raised his hand and motioned for the general to sit down.
The general, with his butt hanging in the air, had no choice but to obey Jérôme Bonaparte's order and sit down.
Jérôme Bonaparte walked quickly to sit next to Saint Arnaud.
The servant placed two cups of coffee on the round table in front of the two men.
"You're welcome, General!" Jérôme Bonaparte once again extended his hand to invite General Saint-Arnault to taste coffee.
"Yes!" Saint-Arnaud took a sip of coffee and swallowed it.
After Saint-Arnaud had completely swallowed, Jérôme Bonaparte said: "General, I heard about you from Colonel Trochu! I don't know if you are willing to do it for France and for me.
Serve!"
"Of course!" Saint-Arnaud responded decisively with a trembling voice: "Your Excellency President... thank you for thinking of me as a veteran... I will use all my abilities to repay your trust in me!"
"General, trust is not just words!" Jérôme Bonaparte said to Saint-Arnault with a smile on his face: "General, as far as I know you have many colleagues in the Ministry of War, if they hinder
If it comes to the construction of the country, what will you do..."
"I will resolutely implement the orders you gave me!" General Saint-Arnault said firmly to Jérôme Bonaparte: "If a soldier cannot thoroughly implement the president's orders, then he is not a pure soldier.
Soldiers! In my opinion, it is the duty of soldiers to execute orders. People who cannot decisively execute orders are not worthy of being called soldiers! Such people are not worthy of being in the army. Even if they are my friends, I will eliminate them without hesitation!"
After General Saint-Arnault received the presidential letter handed to him by Wardray, he already knew that this was an opportunity and he had to seize it firmly.
For a soldier who has been frustrated for many years, every opportunity needs to be cherished. His time no longer allows him to wait.
Anyone who dares to block his path will be crushed by him without hesitation.
Not to mention his former colleagues, even his relatives and friends.
Jérôme Bonaparte heard the decisiveness in the words of General Saint-Arnault, and the ambition hidden behind the decisiveness. He needed people like General Saint-Arnault to help him complete the final step of the coup.
"General, I think it is entirely possible for you to serve as Minister of War!" Jérôme Bonaparte first encouraged General Saint-Arnaud, and then said to General Saint-Arnaud with a regretful expression: "It is a pity that General Renault has already served as Minister of War.
As Secretary of War, could you please condescend to assume the position of Secretary of State?"
"Of course!" For Saint-Arnault, what position he holds is not an important thing. What is important is being able to maintain friendship with the president.
"General Saint-Arnaud, you will take over all the duties of Brigadier General Canrobert. While you serve as adjutant and state secretary, you will also have the responsibility of the Military Secretariat! Currently, the Military Secretariat is seamlessly connected with the Ministry of War. I
I hope you can work with Minister Regno to bridge the conflict between the Military Secretariat and the War Department!" Jérôme Bonaparte said to Saint-Arnaud with a serious expression: "I don't want the War Department and the Military Secretariat to
What big problem occurred during the docking process!"
"I assure you that there will be no problems!" General Saint-Arnault bowed to Jérôme Bonaparte and responded categorically: "If anything goes wrong, I am willing to ask myself to leave!"
"Okay! I believe you!" Jerome Bonaparte nodded slightly. He was very satisfied with Saint Arnaud's decisive attitude. He believed that Saint Arnaud would do his best to complete the tasks assigned to him.
In order to inspire General Saint-Arnault, Jérôme Bonaparte revealed a message to Saint-Arnault: "General, I can tell you that the responsibility of the Military Secretariat is to designate the department for combat plans and operations in the future. I will
After the Ministry of War is completely stabilized, all war-related functions of the Ministry of War will be stripped away and integrated into the Office of the Military Secretariat! At that time, the Office of the Military Secretariat will become the highest organ in France to control the army. You can also call it the General Staff.
, and you will become the Chief of Staff of the Army!"
"Chief of the General Staff?!" Jérôme Bonaparte's promise made Saint-Arnault's blood almost boil. He thought of Berthier, the former Chief of General Staff of Emperor Napoleon. Since the President said that the General Staff is here
In the future, it will become an organization that commands the entire army, so as the chief of general staff, he may have greater power than Berthier.
I will leave my name in history!
Saint-Arnaud shouted crazily in his heart.
St. Arnault's expression was clearly seen by Jérôme Bonaparte. He patted St. Arnault on the shoulder and said: "That's right! By that time, you will become the supreme commander of the entire army!"
"No! You are the supreme commander of the army!" Saint Arnaud humbly bowed to Jérôme Bonaparte: "The emperor created the army, and as his nephew you should enjoy the power of supreme command! I will
Crush all enemies for you!"
After Jerome Bonaparte talked with General Saint-Arnault for nearly an hour, Jerome Bonaparte briefly explained to Saint-Arnault the political changes in Paris and the problems he would face.
Temporary separation from Saint Arnaud.
After leaving Saint-Arnaud's room, Jerome Bonaparte came to another door. What he was about to see was Captain Migne, who had brought the muzzleloader to its peak.