"Advisor Jomini, I respect your military qualities as a military advisor, but I am afraid it is difficult for me to agree with the plan you have formulated!" Nicholas I said to Jomini euphemistically.
Although Nicholas I said it very tactfully, Jomini still heard his decisive attitude.
I knew he would not agree to this plan! Jomini thought to himself.
Although Nicholas I's rejection was within Jomini's expectation, Jomini was still a little disappointed.
However, it is normal for Nicholas I to reject his plan. No monarch is willing to sit back and watch his territory be occupied by foreign enemies, let alone the French Empire, the feud of the Russian Empire.
As the supreme tsar of the Russian Empire, his rights are equal to his obligations. If he cannot bring victory to his subjects (even if it is a false victory), then only death awaits him.
The Russian Empire not only inherited the title of "Roman" Empire, but also inherited the Roman Empire's Praetorian Guard coup system.
[ps: By the way, the Ottoman Empire, as a green radish, also inherited this coup system, which was even more outrageous than the Russian Empire. In the later period, Yenicery was able to depose the Ottoman Empire Sultan at will, and he had quite a lot of troops from the Five Generations and Ten Kingdoms.
The wind.]
It was precisely because he could not convince Nicholas I on his own that Jomini pinned his hope on his students, hoping that he could persuade Nicholas I to agree to the plan, so Jomini turned his attention to
On the body of his own student Alexander.
Seeing the hint in Jomini's eyes, Alexander II hurriedly asked Nicholas I beside him: "Father! I think Consultant Jomini's plan is very good! Why do you disagree with this plan?"
Nicholas I glanced at Jomini, then at Alexander II beside him, with a hint of disappointment in his eyes and said: "Jomini's shrinkage plan is indeed a good plan, but I can't let Gore
Chakov executes this plan! Because it will affect our morale!"
"The original Moscow..." Alexander II, who had not experienced the Napoleonic Wars, responded to Nicholas I.
"You only know about the Battle of Moscow. We voluntarily gave up and evacuated backwards, but you don't know the morale of our army after the evacuation... If it weren't for Marshal Kutuzov, I'm afraid our army..." Nicholas I said to him with lingering fear.
Alexander II replied, and then pointed at Jomini and responded to Alexander II: "If you don't believe it, ask Jomini's advisor!"
Alexander II turned his attention to Jomini, who nodded slowly and said: "Your Majesty, you are right! The withdrawal after the Moscow battle did bring a heavy blow to our morale, but Crimea is not
Moscow! We don’t need to blindly bring Moscow. From a military perspective, even if the entire Crimean Peninsula is lost, it will not affect the foundation of the Russian Empire. I don’t need to care about the loss of Sevastopol.
!”
"Advisor Jomini, from a military perspective, what you said is absolutely correct!" Nicholas I first confirmed Jomini's view, and then retorted to Jomini: "But from a political perspective
What about? The loss of Sevastopo won’t have a big impact on us!”
"Your Majesty, I don't think the impact is too great!" Jomini responded to Nicholas I.
"Not too big?" Nicholas I smiled bitterly, shook his head and sighed: "Counsellor Jomini, do you know how the British and French newspapers described Sevastopol?"
Jomini shook his head. He had been staying at the General Staff since the beginning of the war and he really didn't know much about British and French newspapers.
"They have described the occupation of Sevastopol as a decisive battle, as if the entire Russian Empire would collapse immediately if Sevastopol was occupied!" Nicholas I said to Jomini in exaggerated language.
"Your Majesty, they are just trying to get their people to support this war more!" Jomini comforted Nicholas I: "If they didn't say this, their people would not support them in continuing to fight.
However, the enthusiasm of the subjects will fade over time, and that’s when we fight back!”
"However, there are many people in St. Petersburg who are willing to believe their propaganda!" Nicholas I said with a slightly sad tone: "They also believe that the Russian Empire's troops on the southern front have suffered heavy losses, and it is estimated that the coalition forces will kill them soon.
coming!"
"What!" Jomini had a shocked expression on his face. He really couldn't imagine that anyone in St. Petersburg was willing to believe such nonsense: "Your Majesty, St. Petersburg is thousands of kilometers away from Sevastopol!"
"Yes! More than thousands of kilometers!" Nicholas I lamented: "But those who believe in the British and French newspapers do not believe that it is far from St. Petersburg! They think that it is only 200-300 kilometers from Sevastopol to Moscow
A distance of versts! The British and French armies can easily attack Moscow. Once our army chooses to stand firm, the panic will spread throughout St. Petersburg! By that time, we will probably... you know what I mean.
!Counsellor Jomini!”
After listening to Nicholas I's answer, Jomini once again corrected his cognitive errors. Not everyone knows the full picture of the Russian Empire like he does. Many natives of St. Petersburg may never leave in their lifetime.
Petersburg, which led to their misunderstanding of Sevastopol.
Of course, this mistake was not limited to the Russian Empire, but also to France and Britain.
Many French and British people also believed that Sevastopol was very close to Moscow and that their armies were on their way to capture Moscow.
"Father, we can spread the news of the march internally to suppress panic, and then order the troops to hold on!" Alexander II suggested.
"Then how do you stop British and French newspapers from flowing into the Russian Empire? Battle reports can be deceiving, but the battle front cannot!" Nicholas I asked in return.
"Restrict ships in the Baltic Sea!" Alexander II said to Nicholas I: "At the same time, inspect every ship entering the port!"
"This has no effect!" Nicholas I shook his head and responded to Alexander II: "At the same time, it will disrupt our already scarce trade!"
Since Britain and France tightened their control over the Baltic Sea, less and less trade has gone to the Russian Empire. This has led to less and less furs and asphalt being exported by St. Petersburg, and less money has been obtained from the outside world.
If port inspections are introduced, another wave of merchant ships will inevitably be discouraged.
Nicholas I was not willing to do this kind of business. Even if he knew that the purpose of some ships was indeed not pure, he could only turn a blind eye.
"Your Majesty, I think you..."
Before Jomini could finish speaking, Nicholas I said first: "Of course! These reasons may seem far-fetched to you, but don't forget that I am the ruler of this country!"
When Nicholas I said this, Jomini knew that his plan would definitely not be passed.
The Russian Empire simply cannot compete with the British and French armies in terms of hard power. Apart from holding on to weakening the fighting spirit of the British and French allied forces, and then waiting for the opportunity to counterattack! He really doesn't know what method to use to win victory.
"Advisor Jomini, I need a proactive attack plan!" Nicholas I made his request to Jomini.
"Your Majesty, I can only tell you that I will do my best to make this plan!" Jomini said to Nicholas I.
"Just do your best!" Nicholas I also understood that it was a bit difficult to take the initiative to attack Britain and France, but if he did not attack, how would he face the Slavs (Pogodin) who supported him?
Nicholas I, who was almost becoming an Orthodox fanatic, would never allow the British and French troops to stay in Crimea. He had to drive them out, and then plant the Slavic flag over Constantinople!
[Nicholas I was probably crazy]
…
Time flew by and June 22nd soon came.
There were still two days left before the French military parade. On such a cloudless morning, a cavalry unit of nearly a hundred people appeared in two rows at the gate of the Tuileries Palace, ready for battle.
Passers-by looked at the cavalry troops at the gate with curious eyes. Most of the passers-by did not understand why the cavalry troops appeared at the gate of the Tuileries Palace.
Could it be that their emperor is going to travel far away?
When the time came to about 9 o'clock, Jérôme Bonaparte, wearing a military uniform and a Napoleon hat, looking like a monarch on horseback, appeared at the gate of the Tuileries Palace riding a white war horse.
Behind him was an open gilded carriage wrapped in gauze.
After seeing their monarch appearing, the dragoon troops standing at the door mounted their horses one after another and surrounded Jerome Bonaparte and the gilded carriage.
"Set off!"
General Niel, who acted as the temporary commander of the cavalry unit, shouted loudly, and the entire unit began to set off in the direction of the Paris train station.
At the same time, residents near the Paris City Hall gathered near the City Hall Square at the call of the Paris City Hall.
Just when they were wondering why the Paris City Hall called them here, Ousmane, a senior official of the Seine Province, appeared in the City Hall Square and reported exciting news to the residents near the City Hall.
"Dear residents of Paris! I have called you to the Paris City Hall today to tell you a happy event. The Austrian Emperor Joseph Franz and his fiancée Elizabeth are about to arrive in Paris at the invitation of His Majesty Napoleon!"
