After talking about the business, An Ning chatted with the future Jacobin magnates for a while about coal-fired warships and cars.
Everyone was led by An Ning, and after chatting enthusiastically about their future prospects for a while, the topic naturally turned to war-related topics.
"I heard that the situation on the front line is very bad," a gentleman with a face reminiscent of V for Vendetta said worriedly, "It's really terrible. So much money was spent to launch a war, but the result was such a miserable defeat. It's obviously us.
Together with Shinra and Russia, we attacked Frederick together. How did we end up fighting like this?"
Mirabeau whispered in An Ning's ear: "This is journalist Camille Desmoulins, Dandong's good friend."
When Danton heard Mirabeau's words, his eyes suddenly fell on An Ning: "Hey, friends, isn't there someone who has just returned from the battlefield? Wouldn't it be nice to ask him what the situation was like on the battlefield?"
Everyone turned to look at An Ning.
Robespierre: "You came back from the war?"
Danton: "You should really take a look at yesterday's extra number. Frost is a war hero."
An Ning waved his hand: "Where did you come from as a war hero? I am a military musician. I saved Christina, the daughter of the Duke of Orleans, during the defeat."
Robespierre looked confused: "Why is the daughter of the Duke of Orleans in the army?"
Camille Desmoulins immediately replied: "Probably working as a bartender in the skirmishers? In order to ensure the morale of the skirmishers, there will be a bartender who will follow them to the front line, carrying a wine bottle, and give it to anyone who has no courage.
A sip of wine."
The cohesion of the troops in this era was not high. The reason why the troops had to line up in dense formations to be shot was mainly to ensure that the troops would not be defeated. Once the formation was disbanded, the private soldiers with low desire to fight would soon collapse.
Skirmishers need to fight in loose formations, so they are usually composed of bandits and criminals, and they will be paired with female bartenders in this way to increase morale and desire to fight.
Female bartenders are usually young and beautiful girls. They will carry wine bottles and fight with skirmishing units, walking through the hail of bullets.
The first time An Ning learned about this was when she read Hugo's masterpiece "1993".
He thought it was a unique system of the National Guard of Revolutionary France, but Camille Desmoulins' words showed that this configuration had already existed.
After Camille Desmoulins finished speaking, Marat immediately retorted: "How could the Duke let his daughter become a bartender? Those people are soldiers to a certain extent, mainly used to motivate the hooligans who constitute the skirmishers.
And robbers. You must know that no serious person will go to skirmish, let alone the daughter of a duke."
An Ning: "Actually, the Duke's daughter disguised herself as a man and charged with the line infantry."
Danton: "And you saved her, with what, your drumsticks?"
An Ning: "I was actually stunned by the cannon. When I woke up, the drum was broken and the drum sticks were gone. The whole battlefield was shrouded in darkness. The Germans - I mean, the Prussians were far away.
Clean up the battlefield everywhere.
"At this time, the captain pretending to be the princess pulled my leg and asked me to take her away. I said screw it. Didn't you see the injury?"
Everyone laughed together.
Robespierre did not laugh along, but asked An Ning seriously: "I don't understand why the princess disguised herself as a man and went to the battlefield? He is not the Miss Oscar."
An Ning shrugged: "I heard that she wanted to prevent the Duke from arranging a marriage for him. She wanted to attend the military academy in Brienne."
Danton: "Does she want to be a modern Joan of Arc? But it's a coincidence that she happens to be the daughter of the Duke of Orleans, corresponding to the Maid of Orleans. But this Miss Joan of Arc didn't lead us to victory."
Kamil looked at An Ning: "How did we get defeated? Tell me. Is it a tactical mistake? We were outflanked?"
An Ning shook his head: "No, at least I didn't see them being outflanked. We faced off against the Prussians on the plains, and then they were defeated by the Prussians."
"Hell, why?" Marat slapped the table, "How are we French worse than the Prussians?"
Everyone was silent.
An Ning looked at this situation and said, "My personal feeling is actually related to the reforms of Frederick the Great. The soldiers in the Prussian army were former serfs liberated by the Emperor, handicraftsmen and small producers in the city.
"They believed that the Emperor was the first public servant of Prussia, and that they, like the officers, were all equal before the law. They believed that they were fighting to defend their Emperor and the good life they had received.
"But our soldiers are different. Our soldiers don't want to fight this war at all. They are just cattle driven to the battlefield by the nobles. Once the nearby nobles fall, they will retreat."
After An Ning finished speaking, the gentlemen looked at each other in confusion.
Dandong summarized An Ning's words: "You mean, the enlightened political system has led to differences in the desire to fight between soldiers on both sides?"
An Ning: "That's what I mean."
Dandong looked thoughtful: "It's very insightful. I have never thought about it from this aspect."
An Ning continued: "You see, after actually experiencing the battle, I found that skirmishing tactics are actually the most appropriate tactics, but everyone still forms a dense formation and shoots at each other. The main reason is that once the line infantry disbands,
Immediately it becomes impossible to maintain morale and cohesion.
"But our army only has a small number of skirmishers because we can't find so many prisoners and gangsters willing to go to the battlefield, but Prussia is able to use a large number of skirmishers because they have high enough morale and cohesion to allow them to disband the team.
After taking shape, he will not turn around and run away.
"So we didn't lose to the Prussians, we lost to Prussia in terms of social system, which carried out a series of enlightened reforms.
"If we want to change this situation, it is not enough to rectify the military. We must have more profound changes."
After that, the revolutionary French army was able to fight. In addition to high morale, another reason was that citizens who had awakened their national consciousness could use skirmishing tactics extensively.
The French army could sometimes use half of an infantry regiment as skirmishers, and the ratio was even higher than in Austria, which had a tradition of using skirmishers.
As a military enthusiast from the era of queuing to be shot, An Ning spoke eloquently in front of many people.
Everyone listened attentively to An Ning's words and nodded repeatedly.
After An Ning finished speaking, Robespierre suddenly said: "According to you, if we really follow Rousseau's words and establish a society based on the social contract and where everyone is equal, the combat effectiveness of our army will be greatly improved?
"
An Ning nodded: "Yes, I think so."
Dandong: "That's so insightful. Are you really just the son of a cobbler? Could that rumor be true? Are you actually the heir of a reclusive nobleman?"
An Ning: "Why can't a cobbler's son say something insightful? Everyone should be born equal. A cobbler's son can win a duel or speak loudly. Origin does not determine everything."
After the words fell, several people around him looked at each other, and then Robespierre took the lead and began to applaud: "Well said! I am also a civilian, and I support your point of view!"
Marat: "At this time we should drink a toast and shout together long live the common people!"
Everyone shouted in unison: "Long live."
People chatting nearby looked over.
Danton patted An Ning on the shoulder: "To meet such an interesting person like you, today's trip to the club is worth it, even though I'm not from Brittany."
An Ning nodded: "I'm glad to meet you too."
——Of course I'm happy. When the revolution breaks out, I hope I can borrow your big brothers' thighs to give me a hug.
Danton: "I will continue to study for a law degree in Paris. I hope to see you here often in the future."
An Ning's system popped up a prompt: [George Jacques Danton's favorability towards you has been raised to friendly. ]
An Ning looked at Dandong with a regretful expression: "Unfortunately, I will go to Brienne to attend military school soon."
Danton looked surprised: "Why? Didn't you say that improving the combat effectiveness of the French army should start with social changes? You should go to the University of Paris, and then we can change this society together."
An Ning thought to herself that it was because there was a man named Bonaparte at the Brienne Military Academy waiting for me to hug him.
Of course, Danton, Robespierre, etc. are also big players, but these big guns are time-sensitive and cannot be held when the Jacobins fall.
It should be said that when the terrorist policy begins to expand, there will be risks in holding this big position. It is still good in the early and mid-term, but in the later stage, you still have to rely on taking the emperor.
But An Ning couldn't say it so clearly, so he could only reply: "I found that I seem to have a little talent in adapting to the battlefield."
Marla said: "Being a soldier can also participate in social changes. Look at me, I am still a doctor, so I am not here talking with you."
Dandong: "That's right. I just think it's a pity that I can't hear you share your opinions more often in the future. And based on your knowledge, being a sergeant is a bit of a waste."
Mirabeau intervened and said: "The Duke has promised that after funding Frost to complete his studies at Brienne, he will continue to support his studies at the Paris Military Academy. He is not only a sergeant, but also a Paris military officer."
After graduating from school, he will be an officer who can wear a semicircular goggles."
Robespierre looked at An Ning: "It takes courage for a civilian to enter the Paris Military Academy. That place is full of fat-minded aristocratic children. They will definitely not let you go."