Holy Roman Empire

Continued conscription was naturally no issue for Victor Emmanuel III. Only with sufficient troops could they drive away the French and then revive the Kingdom of Sardinia.

After struggling for so many years, they had finally seen the dawn of success, and now there was no way they could give up. To win the final victory, paying a bit of a price was completely worthwhile.

Moreover, the war was not fought in vain. The Vienna Government had long made a promise that all participating nations would share the spoils based on their contributions in the war.

Thanks to the prestige Franz had cultivated over the years, this promise was highly respected by everyone.

The French had vast enterprises and wealth, and just a bit leaking out was enough to satisfy the Kingdom of Sardinia. The only precondition was that they needed to have commendable achievements.

With the leader holding this attitude, it was needless to say for those below him. Quickly finishing the war and sharing the spoils was the ultimate goal; everything else was secondary.

To drive away the French as soon as possible, everyone was naturally very proactive about the recruitment issue.

As for the promises made during recruitment, they were even less of a concern now. It is worth noting that in the past, the conditions promised to mobilize the public to drive away the French were even more generous.

Whether those promises could be fulfilled was something they either hadn't considered, deliberately ignored, or perhaps had never intended to fulfill at all.

This was not important; there are rewards for efforts made. Seeing the Italians so cooperative, Mörck naturally reciprocated, granting them all powers except the highest command.

Letting a group composed of idealists, opportunists, and talkers command a troop would ultimately lead to what happened next, and that was no longer Mörck's concern.

Though there were many Italian regional states, there was a huge disparity in strength between them. The economically most developed, Kingdom of Sardinia, alone was equivalent to the sum of several smaller states in central and southern Italy.

From an overall perspective, the best way to stabilize the situation in the Italian Area was to balance the power among the Italian States, and weakening the Kingdom of Sardinia was absolutely necessary.

Now was the best opportunity, retracting the Sardinian Capital regardless of the situation, the Sardinian legion was undeniably responsible.

Recruitment was underway, but the war could not stop. Turin was a tough nut to crack, and before completing the cannon fodder recruitment, the Austrian army would not risk their own soldiers.

While the infantry could not advance, the artillery had free rein, along with airships and planes, the days of the French Army inside Turin City were tough.

For anti-aircraft needs, the French Command had already moved underground. This was a great disgrace for the highly esteemed Marshal Adrien.

However, the issue now was not about pride, but whether they could hold Turin and maintain control over the Italian Area.

While the Italian Area lacked industrial and resource strengths, appearing as a burden to France, it was equally a backbone supporting the French Empire, second only to the homeland.

Strategically, losing the Italian Area would mean the French Navy could only operate near its shores, and Mediterranean dominance would be out of their reach.

Economically, the Italian Area provided France with cheap labor and a market for goods. Losing Italy, the already struggling French manufacturing industry was not far from complete shutdown.

The impact was massive economically, and even more fatal politically. Given the already pessimistic situation, another major defeat would further dampen any optimism towards them. Stay updated through My Virtual Library Empire

No optimism meant no investment. Considering that the French government was actively trying to drag the British into the conflict, losing the Italian Area would make it impossible even for the stubborn British Government to join in.

Moreover, a series of failures had already destabilized the domestic situation. Losing the Italian Area, who could guarantee that a revolution wouldn't erupt internally?

To avoid the worst scenario, the Paris Government had ordered an early defense of the Italian Area, and Turin was crucial to this defense.

Mashal Adrien asked, "Is everything ready?"

The middle-aged officer confidently answered, "Rest assured, Marshal. We are fully prepared. No matter how formidable the enemy's armored troops are, once they enter the city, they are just fish on the chopping block.

Every street, every alley, and every building in Turin will become the burial ground for the enemy."

To hold Turin, the French Army also made thorough preparations. Not only did they deploy heavy troops and construct comprehensive defense works, but they also had secret weapons prepared by the Paris Government.

War is the best catalyst for the development of military industry. Following the outbreak of the war in Europe, the French too had been busy. Various new weapons emerged, although overshadowed by Austrian planes and tanks.

Of course, new weapons weren't necessarily effective on the battlefield, as the vast majority of them were destined to be short-lived on the battlefield. Only those tested in real combat could become true weapons of war.

Mashal Adrien was not swayed by his subordinate's assurances; holding Turin would only ensure the enemy couldn't swiftly resolve the conflict. If the enemy chose, they could still push towards southern Italy. To win, they had to strike first.

Undoubtedly, striking was not an option now. Without a way to counter the enemy's armored troops, the French Army couldn't afford to face slaughter.

…

London, with the turn of events on the battlefields of Europe, the British Government was also left in a state of panic.

The Russians were already enough for them to handle. Before the British Government could act, Spain and Switzerland joined in; and before they could respond, they were suddenly told that the French Army was about to be defeated.

Looking at the analysis report in his hand, Gladstone couldn't help but issue a soul-searching question from deep within, "Is this the performance of the French?"

It's widely recognized that France claimed to have the world's premier army. Before the war erupted, the military slogans of France were boastful, with claims like "parading in Vienna within six months" and "ending the war on the European continent in three months"...

From the current situation, it seemed not that the French intended to parade in Vienna, but rather it appeared they were going to watch a parade instead.

Army Minister Rosario: "I'm sorry, Prime Minister. As unbelievable as it may be, this is indeed the fact.

The French performed atrociously on the battlefield, and aside from catching the Anti-French Alliance off guard at the start of the war, they haven't achieved any commendable military success since.

According to the analysis of the military observation group, the combat effectiveness of the French Army plummeted due to rapid expansion of troops after the war erupted. The original combat advantage gradually became a disadvantage."

By contrast, the situation for Austria was much better. They had a large reserve force and numerous reserve officers who could form combat strength in a short time.

Apart from an outdated mobilization system, the French lagged behind comprehensively in the development of weapons and equipment. Aircraft, tanks, and modern machine guns were all innovations from the enemy.

In the face of comprehensive backwardness, the achievements of the French Army were already considered excellent.

As it turned out, modern warfare was no longer about just bravery; a comprehensive development of the military was essential," he added.

This was an honest assessment. Although Rosario might have seemed to be making excuses for the French Army, he was largely stating the facts. The French military failures were certainly due to both systemic issues and the inadequacy of their equipment.

As for the purpose, it was clear as day: besides asking for military funds, there was nothing else that could drive the Army Minister to exert such effort.

Times had changed, and now Britannia also had to face terrestrial threats. The Austrian threat to the Cape of Good Hope was negligible, barely enough to make the Vienna Government go mad; however, the Russian threat to India was different. The Tsarist Government would certainly not miss any opportunities.

Considering the lessons from the French, the British Government also had to strengthen its army construction, or else they would suffer great losses in the next England-Russia war.

Gladstone frowned; he really had no patience for issues regarding military expenses at the moment, even though the Russian threat was significant, it wasn't going to explode immediately. Rather, the war on the European continent could drastically change at any moment.

"The issue of military construction can be discussed later. The French Government has asked us for help multiple times, it seems they can't continue fighting.

For the balance and stability of the European continent, we must quell this war quickly to preserve the vitality of the French."

"Ceasefire" was easier said than done. The Anti-French Alliance had gained the upper hand, and asking them to spare the French was obviously asking too much.

If the Anti-French Alliance hadn't achieved a significant advantage on the battlefield before Russia, Spain, and Switzerland joined the war, the British Government could have strongly intervened with international mediation having a chance.

Now it was different; three of the top five European powers had declared war on France. Even if Britannia wanted to mediate, they couldn't muster a respectable force.

The conflicts among major powers weren't something minor nations should meddle in; a small country joining the fray might just get itself sacrificed. Apart from Britannia, no other state on the European continent could mediate.

Even if the scope was expanded globally, the situation was the same: if you weren't a major power, no one took any notice.

Foreign Minister George shrugged and said, "This is hard to achieve. The advantage of the Anti-French Alliance is too apparent, and the Austrians definitely won't miss this opportunity to weaken a competitor.

The most troubling part is that the Habsburg dynasty is too adept at roping in allies; most of the major nations on the European Continent have become part of the Anti-French Alliance.

This is just the beginning; from what I know, they are also trying to bring Portugal, the Netherlands, and the Nordic Federation into their ranks. Considering the performance of the French on the battlefield, whether these fence-sitters will join the Anti-French Alliance is uncertain."

"Right now, to preserve the vitality of France, the only way is for the Paris Government to surrender immediately and use the bargaining chips they have to secure some benefits.

The French are known for their pride. Even if the Paris Government is willing to compromise, the French public wouldn't accept it.

As the news of various defeats at the front continues, the reign of Napoleon IV has already started to become unstable, and compromising with the Anti-French Alliance at this time would likely lead to a revolution within France."

This wasn't alarmist talk; the domestic situation in France was indeed perilous. After the outbreak of the war on the European continent, Austria banned the export of grain and drove up international prices.

With international prices rising, France, being an import-dependent country, saw its domestic prices soar as well. Capitalists were taking advantage of the national crisis, leaving the common people to suffer the most.

If the French Army had continued to emerge victorious on the battlefield, it could have suppressed these conflicts; unfortunately, the French Army's setbacks meant that the previously suppressed issues could no longer be contained.