Holy Roman Empire

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After the news of the Battle of Warsaw spread, the Russian Army Command was shrouded in gloom. The favorable situation in the Warsaw region had completely vanished overnight, and calls within the Tsarist Government to abandon the north-south battles and reinforce Warsaw grew louder.

The day the battle reports were received, Ivanov took a train back to St. Petersburg and had an all-night private meeting with Alexander II.

Nobody knew the specifics, but the internal tumult within Russia was quashed by Alexander II’s intervention.

Having settled the internal strife, Marshal Ivanov’s attention returned to the battlefield, sighing deeply as he looked at the casualty data in his hands.

"Order the Fourth Army to retreat," he said. "There’s no need for them to stay there any longer."

There might have been some kindness in the decision, but more so there was no longer a need. Originally, Ivanov had counted on the Fourth Army to hold up the main force of the Prussian Army, buying time for the Russians.

Now, with the Fifth Army crippled and the Seventh Army suffering heavy losses, even with the arrival of the Third and Sixth Armies, the Russian Army no longer had the ability to encircle and annihilate the main Prussian force.

At this point, there was no need for the Fourth Army to sacrifice themselves. Even if he was displeased with them, Ivanov still had to consider the political repercussions if the Fourth Army were to be completely annihilated.

The middle-aged officer reminded him, "Marshal, according to intelligence from the front lines, the Fourth Army has lost its main force. The troops under General Obodo are now less than thirty thousand, and breaking out will likely be..."

Ivanov snapped, "No ’likely’ about it! The Prussian Army’s main force is in Warsaw, the enemy’s total strength is just so much, and Maoqi is not God, he can’t pull armies out of thin air.

Most of those surrounding the Fourth Army are just for show, and it’s only because Obodo is such a fool that he hasn’t realized the enemy’s main force has left. If it were someone else, the situation wouldn’t be this bad now."

Passing the buck! Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Somebody had to take the blame for the lost battle. The higher-ups of the Fifth and Seventh Armies, being the parties involved, could not escape it.

They’re not being held accountable now; they’re told to continue commanding troops and redeem themselves through service because the war demanded it, but post-war, the Tsarist Government would still scrutinize their merits and faults.

As the Supreme Commander of the Russian Army, Marshal Ivanov must also bear responsibility. At times like these, a scapegoat is needed, and Obodo was just the unlucky one.

Of course, Obodo wasn’t entirely blameless. Had he not acted on his own, disrupting the overall Russian deployment, there wouldn’t have been such a massive defeat in Warsaw.

...

Franz had been closely following the Warsaw battle ever since it began. He had to admit that the Prussian Army fought the campaign brilliantly, pushing the pace to the limit.

In contrast, the Russian Army’s performance left much to be desired. Especially in terms of cooperation; the Fifth Army was surrounded by the Prussian Army, and the Seventh Army failed to come to their aid in time. Before they could react, the Fifth Army was finished.

If the Russians had responded faster or had been more vigilant, and the Fifth and Seventh Armies could have closely coordinated and provided timely reinforcement, it wouldn’t have been so easy for the Prussian Army to win.

Chief of Staff Albrecht said, "Your Majesty, the Prusso-Russian war is nearing its end. If no miracle happens, the defeat of the Prusso Federation seems inevitable."

This conclusion shocked Franz. Before the Battle of Warsaw, the staff had estimated that the chances of victory were split between Prusso-Russian forces at twenty-eighty. Now, even though the Prussian Army had won the Battle of Warsaw, their chances of victory had not increased, but decreased.

Franz, puzzled, asked, "Why? The Prussian Army won the Battle of Warsaw, so they should have increased their chances of winning. How could it be..."

Albrecht explained, "Tactically speaking, the Prussian Army won the Battle of Warsaw very beautifully, instantly reversing the disadvantage in the Warsaw region.

But strategically, it’s a different story. After the Battle of Warsaw, the Russian Army lost its advantage in troop strength in the Warsaw region, and now the Third and Sixth Russian Armies will have to be very, very cautious.

The Prussian Army’s chances of finding an opportunity to encircle and destroy the remaining Russian forces are practically nil. Given Ivanov’s style, the Russian Army will likely not initiate attacks next, but hang back far away from the Prussians."

```

The Third Russian Army, along with the Sixth Army and the remnants of the Seventh and Fifth Armies, still boasted a total force of six hundred thousand. To defeat them was not something that could be accomplished overnight.

In the previous battles, the Prussian Army also suffered losses; the forces at Maoqi’s disposal were likely to be no different from that of the Russians. It was difficult for him to allocate troops to reinforce other battlefields.

Once the Prussian Army divided its forces, these Russian armies would immediately pounce and seize the Warsaw region.

Maoqi dared not abandon the Warsaw region; losing it meant losing Poland. Neither the political nor the military impact was something the Berlin Government could bear.

Before the war, the General Staff had judged that the Prusso Federation had a fifty percent chance of winning, based on the premise that the Prussian Army would be completely victorious in the Battle of Warsaw. Maoqi had to wipe out both the Third and Sixth Russian Armies.

Normally, this would be an impossible mission. It was likely that Maoqi realized he had no assurance, which would explain why he made a preemptive move, giving the Russians no time to gather their forces.

Militarily speaking, Maoqi’s actions were certainly correct. If he waited for the Russian Army to assemble, even if they came to him, he would not be able to defeat them. Striking first was undoubtedly the best choice.

The right choice did not equate to ultimate victory; the gap in strength could not be bridged by one person alone.

If only military considerations were taken into account, abandoning the Warsaw region now and first wiping out the Russian forces on the southern line before returning for a decisive battle would be the best choice.

But in reality, this was simply not possible. There was still a large number of Polish soldiers in the Prussian Army. If Maoqi dared to vacate Warsaw without a fight, the Polish soldiers would mutiny.

Finance Minister Karl questioned, "That may not necessarily be the case! The Prusso Federation has fully mobilized, and many retired veterans have returned to the troops. Military academy students have also graduated early and entered the service.

These newly formed troops may lack training, and their combat effectiveness is a concern, but they can certainly defend a city and buy time."

Albrecht nodded, "Berlin might be able to hold out, but Poznan definitely cannot. At this stage of the war, we can no longer rely on the Polish people.

During the Battle of East Prussia, the Russians had naval engagements to deal with, and the Prussian Army had no chance of victory. Failure was only a matter of time.

The Prusso Federation cannot afford to lose; if the Russians break through anywhere, the Prussian Army in the Warsaw region will become an isolated force."

Human hearts are the most complex, and loyalty has its price.

People are more willing to believe what they see than what the government proclaims. With the Russians at the gates, who would believe the government when they say that perseverance is victory?

The Prusso Federation has only been established for a few years; there hasn’t been enough time to cultivate national loyalty. Once the public sentiment becomes chaotic, it’s like ’birds of the same feather,’ each fleeing at the approach of danger.

The Tsarist Government has been ruling the Polish Region not just for a day or two; it does have a foundation there. For capitalists and nobility to have under-the-table dealings with the Russians for their own interests is anything but unusual.

...

After some contemplation, Franz made a decision, "Since the overall situation is settled, we should not interfere. Let the Immigration Bureau prepare, as a new wave of immigration is about to erupt.

This wave of immigration is extraordinary, containing a large number of retired soldiers. We must screen carefully to prevent extremists from slipping in."

There’s no help for it; nowadays, the ideological realm in Europe is a complete mess, with all kinds of thoughts prevalent – over eighty percent of which are utopian dreams.

Especially in war-torn areas, such regions are hotbeds for various extremist ideologies. Austria absorbs immigrants for the development of colonial economies, not to test new ideas.

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

...