18th century total war

Chapter 221 Curve to save the country (two chapters in one)

"Olly, although this passage is suitable for a large group of cavalry to advance, it is a valley with jungles and mountains that are easy to ambush on both sides. Is it too dangerous to pass through this passage?"

"Lord Turner, please rest assured, I have repeatedly explored this passage, and the main force of Li Wei's rebel army has never detected it. There is still a flat valley in this mountain forest that is suitable for the passage of large troops.

If it weren't for the complicated terrain here, would it be our turn to pick up the leak here? "

The general of the cavalry division, who was called Turner by Oli, nodded slightly after hearing this, and felt that what he said was also reasonable.

Then, he suppressed the vague uneasiness in his heart.

Ollie is the guide sent by Commander-in-Chief Kleber himself. He had a successful infiltration experience before. After wandering in the rear of the Levi rebels for so long, he must be more familiar with the terrain and the defense of the Levi rebels than himself. .

As for the opponent's failure, it can only be said that Oli was unlucky, and unexpectedly encountered the Black Dragon Army's first disguised battle.

Everyone has long been accustomed to the fighting style of the Black Dragon Legion, which is so arrogant that it puts honor above life and death. The Revolutionary Army for National Salvation fought so desperately, and they were more or less infected by the fighting style of the Black Dragon Legion.

A group of French people can fight for an old-fashioned nobleman. What reason do the revolutionary fighters of the National Salvation Army have to live on?
Only when there is comparison can there be motivation!

The atmosphere of surrender in Europe is not determined by the genes of white people, but is influenced by the traditional atmosphere of medieval European nobles who did not kill nobles when they fought, and could use ransom to save their lives and return home.

On the battlefields of the Middle Ages, it was acceptable for nobles to surrender, and it was naturally passed down in the European army in the 18th century.

However, any inheritance can be broken by extreme ideas.

The Black Dragon Legion of Li Wei's rebels was an example in front of them, and the French revolutionary government used revolutionary courts and other means to infinitely raise the ideological awareness of the whole of France. Naturally, the "Oriental style" of desperately refusing to surrender appeared on the battlefield.

The so-called national customs, to put it bluntly, are all guided by the ruling class, unless the ruling class has little control over the lower classes...

Now facing the crisis of Li Wei's rebellion, the French revolutionary government is fighting a civil war with all its strength, and dare not relax at all. The poor finances make the National Salvation Committee adopt a zero-tolerance attitude towards any corruption.

And the dissatisfied people below did not dare to overthrow the National Salvation Committee that offended the powerful class. Even if Robespierre was to be killed, he had to wait for him to defeat the Levi rebels!
Robespierre has already done everything he can, and none of the parties below thinks that he will do better after taking power.

What's more, even if the French revolutionary government is unfortunately defeated and Li Wei really enters the city of Paris, it will be the National Salvation Committee and Jacobin who will be eliminated!
The big guys below can join the new master without any responsibility.

The French Civil War has caused the French nation to shed too much blood and lost too much wealth. Everyone agrees that this civil war will not last long.

This is the fundamental reason why the status of the National Salvation Committee headed by Robespierre has not been challenged.

Levi's threat is too great, and no one is willing to take over this mess.

Under the leadership of Ollie, the most elite cavalry division in the Southern Group Army of the National Salvation Revolutionary Army took the initiative to invest in the ambush circle set by Karl.

The process was easier than expected.

The lurking ability of the guard infantry of the Black Dragon Legion with the spirit of hard work is comparable to that of an elite soldier of a certain country in World War II in Li Wei's previous life.
Such a tenacious latent will is naturally impossible to be discovered by the cavalry divisions of this era.

Until a cannon rang!
The screams of killing all over the sky, and the explosive bombs exploding everywhere made Turner's face turn pale at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Immediately afterwards, without hesitation, he took out his ivory gun and pointed it at the guide Ollie beside him.

Ollie's eyes widened suddenly, and he raised his hands and asked in horror, "Master Turner, what are you doing?
I also didn’t expect that that despicable and shameless guy Carl would discover us in advance and lay a large ambush here! "

Turner laughed out of breath. Although he had no evidence, he was determined to believe that it was all Ollie's fault!

Turner didn't give Ollie a chance to defend himself, and pulled the trigger before Ollie finished speaking!
Ollie was thrown back violently, the longing for life still in his eyes.

Levi, who was in Toulouse, suddenly realized that one of his administrative quotas was vacant. He checked the time and calculated with his fingers...

"Carl's troops have now begun to encircle and suppress the cavalry division brought in by Ollie.

Administrative enlightenment is indeed a magical skill. It will not only make the other party loyal to me, but also make the target of administrative enlightenment believe in what I say. It only needs to have basic logic. "

Li Wei couldn't help but recall in his mind the scene when the administrator persuaded Ollie to carry out this mission.

"Oli, you are deeply trusted by the National Salvation Revolutionary Army, and your family is behind, no matter what happens, the superiors of the National Salvation Revolutionary Army will not suspect you.

When you complete this task, you will come to work under me. Whether you are in the army or in politics, I will give you a satisfactory position. "

Ollie: "My lord, it's okay for me to bring the cavalry division into the encirclement, but I'm sure I won't be able to get the command. When the ambush comes out, what should the commander of the cavalry division suspect that I'm collaborating with the enemy?"

"This is very simple. You just need to use your eloquence to delay time and keep defending. Even if you are arrested by them first, as long as you save your life, my people will rescue you.

You are personally appointed by Commander-in-Chief Kleber, and the commander of the National Salvation Revolutionary Army will not kill you. "

It was such a simple conversation that convinced Ollie to carry out this mission of narrow escape.

If Ollie met a weak, kind and deceitful commander, maybe he could really save his life, but it's a pity that Turner is not such a person...

In other words, there are only a handful of such people among the top ranks of the Revolutionary Army for National Salvation!
So, Ollie was headshot...

The cavalry division, which was suddenly attacked, was cut in two by a charge of the guard infantry under the impact of the explosive bullets fired by the mortar and the solid bullets fired by the field artillery in less than half an hour.

Then came the classic division and encirclement and annihilation battle.

Because both ends were blocked, and there were mountains and jungles on the left and right, the light cavalry of the cavalry division had nowhere to escape. Almost all of them were shot to death.

Only a few lucky ones abandoned their horses and escaped in the mountains and forests.

Of course, the enemy soldiers who escaped did not mean much to the Black Dragon Legion. It was impossible for them to enter the rear to wreak havoc, and even if they wanted to escape back to the headquarters of the National Salvation Revolutionary Army, they needed luck bonus.

When Kleber learned the news that the cavalry division was annihilated by an ambush through the fleeing soldiers, he froze...

His last hope of victory was just dashed!
To make matters worse, the news of the cavalry division's demise began to spread among the Revolutionary Army for National Salvation. The morale of the Southern Group Army of the Revolutionary Army for National Salvation, which had been demoralized due to the huge casualties, finally bottomed out again...

The subsequent attacks all became weak, and they could not even get close to the artillery defense line.

After Karl noticed that the morale of the National Salvation Revolutionary Army had become low, he simply moved the artillery to the chest defense line and bombarded the attacking enemy infantry at close range.

With the Black Dragon Legion Guards Infantry Death Squad escorting him, Karl didn't worry at all that the artillery would be captured by the enemy because it was too close to the front line.

This is confidence in one's own troops!
In fact, the black dragon army suffered a high cost of casualties during this period. If you analyze it in proportion rather than the absolute number of troops, the black dragon army has a higher casualty ratio. After all, the black dragon army has too few troops!
And with the destruction of the cavalry division, the turning point of this battle seems to have arrived. The offensive strength of the Revolutionary Army for National Salvation is getting weaker and weaker day by day. pale and weak.

Compared with the soldiers of a certain country during World War II in Li Wei's previous life, the National Salvation Revolutionary Army is still a level behind.

After the initial bloody courage was exhausted, they had transformed into ordinary regular armies of this era.

The changes in the Southern Group Army of the Revolutionary Army for National Salvation were naturally noticed by Kleber. How could he not know that he had no hope of victory?
During the war, the momentum of both sides ebbed and flowed. When the Southern Group Army of the National Salvation Revolutionary Army withered, Li Wei's side naturally rose.

In the Toulouse theater, Karl was not able to take the initiative to launch an offensive, but he became aggressive on other fronts, and many lost lands returned to Li Wei's hands.

Of course, there are also factors in which the financial situation of the post-French Revolutionary government is getting worse and worse.

The most intuitive manifestation is that the food of frontline officers and soldiers is getting worse and worse.

First, the supply of vegetables and fruits was stopped, then the supply of meat food was stopped, and finally even three meals a day were reduced to two meals a day!
You know, the food standard for soldiers in the army is higher than that of ordinary civilians. After all, soldiers play a physical job in war. If they don't have enough physical strength to go to the battlefield, how can they fight with a bayonet?

It’s okay if it’s in peacetime, but in wartime, the army tries to maintain the standard of three meals a day, even if the food is not good...

It's a pity that the poor finances of the French Revolutionary Government are no longer enough to purchase so much food for the Revolutionary Army of National Salvation.

Teeth-cracked black bread became the main food of the Revolutionary Army for National Salvation. This is not the Dark Ages!
The worsening food standard caused the already low morale of the National Salvation Revolutionary Army to complain. Since the food standard was reduced to the level of two meals a day, the National Salvation Revolutionary Army's attack has never been able to cross the main position of the Li Wei rebels. chest defense.

Part of the anxious front and back defense areas on the two flanks also fell one by one, and the Southern Group Army of the National Salvation Revolutionary Army has returned to the initial offensive posture.

What Kleber received was no longer a rebuke from the French revolutionary government at the rear, but a naked threat.

Robespierre even stated clearly in his handwritten letter that if Kléber continued to "passively avoid war" and ruined the achievements of the French Revolution, he would be sent to the Revolutionary Court!
It was this sternly worded letter from Robespierre that made Kleiber firm in his determination to contact people in the Livy regime in private.

"Commander Kleber can rest assured that as long as you surrender with the Southern Army, we can not only guarantee the lives of all officers and soldiers of the Southern Army and the safety of their private property, but also the land allocated to their families.

If Commander Kleber is willing, you can continue to command this army and fight for the unification of France! "

Kleber frowned as he looked at the negotiator of the Li Wei regime who came in disguised in the military uniform of the National Salvation Revolutionary Army with a flat face.

"Li Wei is really willing to establish a republic after taking Paris instead of restoring the old system of the Kingdom of France?"

Kleber did not care about his own future, but he cared very much about the system of the French Republic.

At first glance, he looks like a good citizen who really has a heart for revolution.

"That's natural.

Commander Kleber also saw that Louis XVIII, who was supported by the anti-French alliance, was very dissatisfied with the new French kingdom established by Mr. Li Wei, and no one in Europe was willing to recognize the legitimacy of this French kingdom.

In this case, Lord Livy is naturally unwilling to follow the Bourbon family. Lord Levi is very interested in the future president of the French Republic. "

Kleber replied with a slightly dissatisfied tone: "The French Republic cannot set up a president like the American hillbilly. Our French Republic is following the old system of the Roman Republic. Li Wei can become the first consul of France."

"Oh, that's fine.

Lord Li Wei is also very dissatisfied with the ungrateful guys in the United States, but it cannot be reformed yet.

For one thing, we haven't won the capital, Paris, and the name change is not justified.

Secondly, Mr. Li Wei has to take care of the old nobles who have been entrusted to avoid causing them to panic. Only after the French Revolutionary Party is completely defeated can the system be reformed in a stable and unified France.

Commander Kleber can rest assured that Lord Levi will sign a formal document and hand it over to you. If Lord Levi breaks his promise, you can make this document public.

In fact, Commander Kleber does not have to worry about Lord Livy breaking his promise. If the Kingdom of France is established, Lord Levi's bloodline will not be able to become the king. If the French Republic is established, he will be the first consul. Why should he ask for trouble? "

Kleber frowned upon hearing this.

With such a bond of interest, he felt more at ease.

With the behavior of Li Wei as a selfish and dictatorial tyrant, he must not be reconciled to being just a regent, and becoming the first consul with all powers is in Li Wei's interest.

As for Kleber's own political leanings, as long as France is a republic, the achievements of the Revolution can be preserved, so he has not betrayed the revolution.

Perhaps, this is the so-called 'curve to save the country'.

(End of this chapter)