Chapter 9

The Bonaparte of the Empire - Chapter 9 (9/200)

Chapter 9: Franco-Prussian War (5)

Berlin, Prussian Royal Palace.

"We must negotiate, Your Majesty."

Bismarck gritted his teeth and spoke.

The conference room was somber.

"Negotiate? What do you mean? Didn't you say the fall of Paris is imminent?"

"The situation is different. The French are still fighting to the death, and the rumor that the Emperor has died in our hands has worsened the situation."

Initially, when the news of the Emperor's death was heard, it was thought that pressuring Paris would make the Crown Prince surrender, thus ending the war. Even when the situation required attacking Paris due to the naval blockade, it was believed that Paris could be taken.

It was a miscalculation.

Paris was drenched in the blood of Prussians and French, and Moltke could not come up with a decisive strategy in this situation.

In fact, no one could have come up with a decisive strategy in this situation. If it were the 20th or 21st century, there would be doctrines and weapon systems prepared for urban warfare, but for Moltke, experiencing trench and urban warfare in the 19th century was a nightmare.

Moreover, the real problem was now apparent.

"A large French army is advancing from Orléans. It is believed to be a hastily gathered local force and a naval infantry unit, and they intend to besiege Paris. Our main force inside will also be trapped. To block this force, we need to withdraw the corps from Metz and Sedan, but these corps are also preventing the French regular army trapped in Metz and Sedan from escaping."

In other words, strictly speaking, these are not reserves; they are just not engaged in battle.

"What if we gather the mobilized reserves and send them there?"

"It will take time."

"The bigger problem is that the Crown Prince is still in Paris. If he dies in the battle with our army, one of two things will happen: France will collapse, or Prussia will collapse."

Even if the Crown Prince survives, Prussia will become a weak country with a drastically reduced adult male population, so weak that it would have to tremble before Austria-Hungary, which is still harboring resentment over the previous war. Neither Wilhelm I nor Bismarck were foolish enough to not understand that a conflict with France would lead to their own destruction.

Therefore, now is the time.

While there is still an army, while they still occupy French territory, while they still have the power to force negotiations.

If they try to demand more, they might lose everything. Now is the time when their gains are maximized.

***

The gunfire in Paris paused.

Britain intervened to propose a one-week ceasefire to allow for the collection of casualties and the evacuation of civilians, and both sides accepted.

For France, the purpose was to buy time, knowing that more troops would come from the south as time passed. For Prussia, it was necessary to create an opportunity for negotiations.

Helmuth von Moltke personally went to the Tuileries Palace.

"I come to see Emperor Napoleon IV."

Moltke, showing the proper respect to a foreign monarch, took his seat.

"Bold of you. General Moltke, what made you think you could enter enemy territory without the guarantee that I wouldn't arrest or kill you?"

"Your Majesty, you wouldn't do that, would you?"

"In a way, you are the enemy of my father."

"… It could be seen that way. But it was never intentional."

"I understand. You didn't intend to cause my father's death."

I did not touch the coffee cup and looked at Moltke.

"So, why are you here?"

"My country proposes to use this ceasefire as an opportunity to discuss the end of the war between the French Empire and our country."

"Discuss the end of the war?"

I snorted.

"Do you think we are at a stage where we can discuss the end of the war? We can only discuss it when your eagle is flying over Paris, or at least when every one of your soldiers is driven out or killed from this French territory."

"Hasn't enough blood already been shed?"

Moltke gestured as if to look outside.

"Many have died. Students who should be singing their youth at university, heads of households, fathers, husbands, sons…."

"That is the responsibility of your prime minister, who tried to orchestrate a coup to start this war. Paris, a beautiful city, has been destroyed. This war has been fought entirely on our territory, and most of the casualties are our soldiers and civilians. Shouldn't we make your soldiers and civilians casualties and devastate Berlin as much as Paris to balance the scales?"

"You are full of confidence. But do you think that is possible? We will fight to the end. Moreover, it's not just us. You will have to face the entire German-speaking states, excluding Austria, such as the North German Confederation and Bavaria. Are you confident?"

"Stop talking as if you are offering mercy. I am younger than you, but I am not a child who can't tell right from wrong. I have been the Crown Prince since birth, and I am well aware of the current situation."

"……"

"Your reserves are lacking, aren't they? The National Guard is fighting harder than expected, and the consumption in Paris is high. Even if you have more reserves in the rear, once those forces are pulled out, our army, which is besieged in Sedan and Metz, will be able to strike your rear. Moreover, the sea routes are blocked, and you will soon feel the reduction in food variety. It's not difficult to prevent your ships from leaving the port, even if we can't destroy the ports with coastal artillery. Can you find a solution to win this urban warfare in a short time, or do you have no other way to end the war except through negotiations?"

"We still have a large army. We know that you have conducted a large-scale conscription, but we also have sufficient reserves, and more elite troops than your National Guard. If you don't step out of Paris, it's one thing, but if you want to retake the territory and advance towards the Rhine, you will also have to fight a naval war. Can you win with just a large but untrained force?"

"……"

This time, I was speechless.

Yes, Prussia still has a large army, and its mobilization system is overwhelming.

No matter how many troops France conscripts, if they cannot be deployed in time, it is meaningless.

The basic principle of war is to push more troops into the enemy's front line than the enemy. No matter how many troops you have, considering the poor railway system in France and the difference in command levels between the French and Prussian command, it is questionable whether a counterattack is even possible, let alone a defense.

Moreover, considering the quality of the troops and the weapons, the situation is even more dire. The Prussian artillery, especially the Krupp guns, have a significant advantage in firepower.

"Moreover, think about who benefits the most if France and Prussia continue to fight."

This is the decisive blow.

The large-scale mobilization in France means that the country is being stripped of its foundations. France's population growth has consistently lagged behind Germany's, making the situation even worse. Even if France manages to defeat Prussia this time, it might become a sick man of Europe for a long time.

Prussia will also be in a similar state, but we are not alone in Europe.

Spain is almost a cripple, so we can ignore it. Britain, Italy, Austria-Hungary, and the Russian Empire. These are the major players.

"But if both of us are weakened, who do you think will be the first target? I don't think it will be my country."

This is also true. Apart from Spain, which is already a sick man, the only significant threats to France are Britain and Prussia. Russia is too far, and Italy? They haven't even completed their unification.

If Prussia is weakened, Britain will be the only threat, but the British Army alone cannot defeat us, even if we are weakened. They need support from neighboring allies. Who? Austria-Hungary, which is busy with Prussia? Prussia, which is in a position to be defeated by Austria-Hungary? Russia, which is in the Great Game? Spain, which is half-dead? Or Italy, which is still in chaos? Small countries like the Netherlands or Switzerland are not in the same league as France.

Of course, we are also afraid of a prolonged war, but Prussia will suffer more than we will.

"Then, do you want to continue the war? I clearly state that if necessary, my country can bring in Russia or Britain, and there is no country that will support your side. You know that."

You hit where it hurts, rudely.

If I may add one more insult to Napoleon III, it is that his disastrous diplomacy has left France without allies in Europe.

"…… What are the conditions?"

"The cession of Alsace-Lorraine, and nothing else."

"Stop being ridiculous."

I snorted.

"There can be no territorial cession or compensation. Moreover, during this war, the Kingdom of Italy invaded and annexed the Papal States, which were under French protection. We must jointly pressure the Kingdom of Italy to restore the status quo. I know that your chancellor incited Italy, so making them give it back should be easy. In return, we will not interfere with the issue of the Spanish throne, as long as the Prussian King does not become the King of Spain."

No compensation, no territorial cession. Let's go back to the pre-war status. In return, we will stop interfering in the Spanish throne issue.

Of course, I wanted to demand reparations, but after being beaten throughout the war and barely holding onto Paris and Sedan, and especially with no confidence in winning a prolonged war, it would be disadvantageous for us if Moltke somehow managed to defeat the local volunteer forces. The poor railway system and low training levels make this a real possibility.

"I will report Your Majesty's proposal to my country. I hope we can reach an agreement."