Chapter 107: Patience Leads To Great Success
Lelouch helped Duke Rupprecht roughly point out the direction for subsequent efforts in the Carpathian Campaign, and also made the duke determined to temporarily show weakness and hold firm while waiting for changes.
After making up his mind, in order to make everything seem more realistic and also to reduce pressure from the Austrian ally, Duke Rupprecht also had the Germania 6th Army unknowingly slow down their marching speed a bit, and the time to rush to the Hungarian battlefield was delayed.
This move indeed even deceived the Austrian ally.
Starting from April 18, General August Karl von Linsingen, commander of the Austrian Southern Army Group, sent multiple telegrams pleading for Duke Rupprecht’s 6th Army and Marshal Leopold’s 10th Army to come to aid as soon as possible.
But Duke Rupprecht and his uncle Marshal Leopold both explained why the troops were moving slowly with various reasonable reasons.
Especially Duke Rupprecht, he also said in the telegram that a large number of his own troops were temporarily detained on the Western Front due to circumstances and could not be withdrawn for the time being, so only a small part of the 6th Army was coming to aid.
This kind of behavior of deceiving even his own people in the telegram could of course perfectly deceive the enemy.
By the way, that General Linsingen who asked Rupprecht for aid was actually a Germanian—not an Austrian Germanic tribe member, but originally a general of Germania.
At the beginning of the World War, this Linsingen was still just a general, serving as the corps commander of the 2nd Corps of the 1st Army Group. Ordinary corps commanders are lieutenant generals, but the 1st Army Group is the emperor’s Imperial Guard, so it is better equipped; the army group commander has to be a marshal, and any corps commander must be a general.
Later, when the war reached early 1915, the ally Austria was about to collapse on the Carpathian Mountains defense line, and Germania sent the first batch of aid troops, but on the scale of just one corps, not like now directly sending army group level. They had this General Linsingen lead the troops, and promoted him from general to army general.
It’s just that because the Germania Army’s combat power has always crushed other allies, Germanian generals can also be over-equipped in command when they come to allied countries. Emperor Franz of Austria personally ordered General Linsingen to serve as commander of the Southern Army Group, fully responsible for the defense of the entire Hungarian region, and directly handed over Austria’s own armies to his command.（ Before forming the Southern Army Group, Austria itself had the Austrian 3rd Army Group and 5th Army Group in Hungarian territory; after Linsingen arrived, these two Austrian army groups and the 3 divisions sent by Germania all came under Linsingen’s command）
From this, it can be seen that Germanian army generals going to allied countries and being appointed one level higher is the most basic operation.
A colonel like Lelouch arriving at an ally could start by commanding a division. If going to the Ottoman, he could even command a corps.
In the situation where the friendly forces were truly weak, General Linsingen had no choice but to think of another way out.
……
This practice of even deceiving allies naturally also caused great psychological pressure on Duke Rupprecht.
Especially on the Germania Army side, not only was there Duke Rupprecht’s line of aid troops, but also his second uncle Marshal Leopold’s 10th Army Group. To ensure consistent steps, Duke Rupprecht still had to try to persuade his uncle to cooperate and not advance rashly and ruin things.
And Old Marshal Leopold was an even more traditional old-school soldier, who valued sense of honor very much and would naturally not do anything like standing by and watching allies die.
The duke had no choice but to ask Lelouch for advice again, hoping he could help persuade his uncle, further firm up his determination, and at least make some attempt to save the friendly forces.
Lelouch also knew that these tasks were all necessary; although not saving the 130,000 garrison troops of the Przemysl Fortress would only result in losses for Austria and no harm to Germania itself, doing what he could to slightly improve their fate or make more arrangements could also make the old marshal feel better in conscience.
So on April 20, the duke and Lelouch personally flew to Krakow for the last pre-war communication with Old Marshal Leopold.
Lelouch very sincerely presented his perfected latest analysis: “Your Excellency Marshal, I respect you very much and deeply admire your sense of honor and determination to rescue friendly forces. But what I want to say is that if the campaign continues in this current fighting style, it will only turn into a war of attrition and tug-of-war, and it will be difficult to end quickly.
Sometimes, necessary sacrifices are unavoidable; we must do everything possible to make the Lusha Army main force arrogant and conceited, thinking that the Austrian remnants are no longer a threat and that they can easily take Budapest as long as they push south over the Carpathian Mountains.
In fact, we have already made a lot of deployments in the past few days; on the Western Front, we contacted the 4th Army Group of the Grand Duke of Württemberg, and they have planned an offensive against the French Army to be launched in the next few days, pushing forward another 50 kilometers due west from the Arnèke-Stenford line south of Dunkirk to cut off the Franks’ Calais Peninsula in the coastal area.
To seize the south bank port of Calais at the narrowest point of the Strait of Dover for a better blockade of the strait. The strategic significance of this campaign is equally great; as long as we take Calais Port, British ships will not be able to reach the ports on the east coast of the homeland through the Strait of Dover, or even go to London through the strait, and will have to go around the entire British Isles. Our army’s submarines can then have a south bank port breaking through the narrowest point of the strait for better infiltration and strikes on other British ports on the strait.
To achieve this goal, Your Highness the Duke also left several newly formed assault battalions for the friendly forces’ 4th Army Group to use, and gave the 4th Army Group a batch of submachine guns—the light machine guns don’t need us to provide them, as the northern subsidiary of DWM Company directly controlled by His Majesty the Emperor has also started producing MG15 light machine guns, and anyway they are all domestic, so they don’t pay patent fees either.
In short, I think our army’s surprise attack offensive on the Western Front is very likely to achieve results; at that time, the enemy will surely believe that our 6th Army Group still has several corps on the Western Front for a greater goal. The enemy will also believe ‘that our army is very confident in the Austrian troops at the Przemysl Fortress, believing they can hold out for a long time, so we are not in a hurry to aid the Eastern Front.'”
After hearing this analysis, Marshal Leopold’s stance softened a bit, but he still ultimately felt that standing by and watching allies die was wrong, so Lelouch hurriedly switched angles to remind him:
“Your Excellency Marshal, if it were just for these tactical objectives, I wouldn’t advise you to ‘stand by and watch them die,’ but if the Przemysl Fortress doesn’t fall, many enemies lurking below the surface won’t emerge; they will shrink back like ghosts, giving the Empire no peace forever.
For example, Your Highness the Duke received another confidential message from the emperor yesterday via relay: King Constantine I of Greece sent us a reminder through secret channels, saying that about half a month ago, the British Foreign Minister Count Balfour visited him, but he claimed illness and did not meet. Subsequently, Balfour seemingly went to see Greek Prime Minister Venizelos, and the two conspired about something unknown.
But afterward, the king’s confidants investigated and found that Balfour left Greece northward from Thessaloniki and went to Seville, then returned after a while, totaling more than a week round trip…”
The basic information provided by Lelouch was not hard to obtain.
During the World War, Germania’s intelligence work was terribly bad, but because King Constantine I of Greece had some distant family relation with Emperor Wilhelm, their king stood on our side and proactively revealed high-level intelligence, making it easy to grasp.
Marshal Leopold also understood this reasoning, so he had no doubt about the source of this intelligence. What he needed to care about was how Lelouch would interpret this intelligence next.
Only to hear Lelouch continue eloquently: “Seville is one of the earliest belligerents; at this stage of the war, they and Austria are already irreconcilable, and Balfour doesn’t need to pull them in. Balfour going to Belgrade could only be to request Serbia to continue increasing the pressure northward,
and possibly even agreed on some condition like ‘if the Lusha Army breaks through the Carpathian Mountains from the north side and advances south, hoping the Serbian Army also advances north from Belgrade along the Danube River upstream, straight to Budapest, for a north-south pincer’—of course this is just my guess, with no evidence.
Moreover, if it were just communicating with the Serbs, I don’t think Balfour would need a full week; how far is it from Thessaloniki to Belgrade? From the time difference of his entry and exit from Greece, I calculate that during this period he very likely went to Romania, to Bucharest.
Whether he pulled in Romania, I dare not say. But I believe that if Romania wavers, the news of ‘Lusha Army breaking through the Carpathian Mountains’ is absolutely the biggest booster. As soon as they jump out, as soon as those small countries around the Hungarian Basin stirring restlessly all think Hungary is a piece of fat meat within easy reach and stretch out their hands, then our 6th Army Group stationed inside the Hungarian Basin will let those people know what doomsday is! Deter them at the fastest speed!
Including the Italy-Austria border further west; after the Italians declared war, they only took Malta but massed troops without daring to advance, surely waiting for the right time. The terrain in the Alps is also one where whoever attacks suffers big losses. If we let the Austrian Army and our small number of mountainous area aid troops actively attack Italy, we will suffer big losses. But if we can make them mistakenly think Austria is no longer a threat and actively cross the Alps to attack, we may greatly bleed the Italian Army and annihilate them!
So, giving the Lusha Army a chance to cross the Carpathian Mountains is like sounding the horn for the general offensive of all those stirring in Southeastern Europe, luring them all out! At that time, with Lusha, Serbia, Romania, Italy four routes pincering Austria, except the Italian Army which can be blocked in the Alps, the other three countries can be moderately let into the Hungarian Basin, then wrap them in an unprecedented, historically massive dumpling!
As long as our 6th Army Group dead-guards inside the Hungarian Basin, no matter how many enemies come, they cannot seize Budapest. And as long as your 10th Army Group on the Northern Front cuts off the Lusha Army’s retreat, recaptures their north slope striking positions from north of the mountains to south, the Lusha Army completely losing supplies will soon collapse inside the Hungarian Basin.
Once the Lusha Army collapses, the lured Serbian Army and Romanian Army will be completely not a threat—of course, this fighting method will also have certain losses, mainly the Hungarian region turning into a battlefield, with many peripheral towns and villages possibly suffering some destruction. But as long as we do our utmost to end the battle as quickly as possible, we can minimize the suffering of the Hungarian people.”
During the entire process, Marshal Leopold’s expression changed several times, and in the end he had to admit that this Lelouch guy was too bold and betting too hard!
This was to turn the entire Hungarian Basin into a big furnace!
No matter who crosses the Carpathian Mountains into the Hungarian Basin from any direction, or even enemies advancing upstream along the Danube River from downstream to Budapest, he wanted to annihilate them all inside the Hungarian Basin!
Moreover, some details in what Lelouch just said were also forced out in the heat of this conversation.
He hadn’t mentioned them before when communicating with Duke Rupprecht; at this moment, the duke listening on the side also felt it was fresh every time he heard it.
Old Marshal Leopold pondered repeatedly for a long time, still finding a few key issues unresolved. He finally decided to press further to see if he could squeeze more stratagems out of Lelouch’s brain:
“Alright, I admit you’ve convinced me, but I still hope you think clearly about two issues as much as possible:
How to ensure that after the Lusha Army really advances south over the mountains, our army suddenly pushing west from Krakow along the railway can definitely recapture the Przemysl Fortress and its surrounding railway hubs? If we can’t recapture immediately and cut off the supplies of the Lusha Army’s southward troops, the whole plan risks collapse!
Secondly, can you think of a way to try to ensure rescuing the Przemysl Fortress garrison afterward, even if they surrender and are captured, can we track where they are imprisoned? After our army’s quick counterattack, how to rescue more captured comrades? If you can even achieve this, I won’t oppose temporarily and briefly abandoning them…”
Marshal Leopold’s demand was already ridiculously high.
This was simply wanting it all.
Even Duke Rupprecht on the side thought his second uncle was being too demanding.
“Uncle, in war, how can there be no risks or sacrifices at all? Your demands are simply impossible to achieve.” The duke couldn’t help but speak up fairly.
Old Marshal Leopold: “I didn’t say I’m unwilling to take risks, nor that it must be achieved. But not trying and being unable to do it are two different things! We must try our best to have no regrets!”
The pressure was once again on Lelouch.
Lelouch didn’t think this was nitpicking; before battle, of course one must exhaust all ideas in planning, brainstorming.
He pondered silently for a long time, racking his brains around Marshal Leopold’s demands, and finally really came up with a few points.
“The two demands you raised just now, Marshal, I have no confidence in absolutely resolving them, but I am willing to do my utmost and leave the rest to fate, exhausting all efforts to find a way.”
——
PS: Sorry, this morning was the child’s parent-teacher meeting, reporting tomorrow, official start the day after, plus caught a cold a few days ago from the hotel seminar AC being too cold… No drafts left at all, couldn’t update this morning. Two updates seven thousand words today, another one this afternoon.
For the parts where everyone feels the plan isn’t solid enough, I’ll try to make them as meticulous as possible. Mainly the cold, seminar, kid stuff, brain not working well.
