Flowers, Swords and France

"You want me to go to the War Department?" It took Charles a long time to recover from the initial shock. ; .

"Yes, can't you?" Louis Bonaparte asked.

"It's not impossible..." Charles quickly replied, "However, sir, I don't quite understand the purpose of your arrangement. If possible, can you explain it to me? I thought... I thought you just Very angry with me..."

"I'm still angry now, but now is not the time for us to be angry, Charles." Louis Bonaparte smiled slightly, seemingly very proud that Charles couldn't figure out his thoughts, "Now We have more important things to do, and I think it would be more appropriate for you to do them."

"What do you mean?"

"Remember our previous trip to the south, Charles?" The president lowered his voice somewhat mysteriously.

"Of course I remember. At that time, you took me on a tour of the south, and we also visited the Duke of Dalmatia..." Charles seemed to understand something.

"Yes, and the effect is very good." Louis Bonaparte nodded, "The Duke of Dalmatia has indeed fulfilled his promise and said good things about us to many of his old friends and subordinates."

"Including Count Ople?"

"Of course, including Count Opul." Louis Bonaparte smiled slightly. "At the same time, the Duke also said something about you, um, and it was more positive. Charles, so I think if you go to the Army As for the army, Count Opul will not make things particularly difficult for you... We need some people who can be liked by everyone in the army. "

So that's it. Charles finally understood and understood his boss's intention.

Since Prime Minister Odilon Barrow was replaced. After the presidential and parliamentary contests, Count Opul, who finally leaned towards the Party of Order, was pushed to the forefront and became the French Prime Minister. This general and count during the July Monarchy era. In the era of the Republic, he actually became the Prime Minister of the Republic. It must be said that this is another joke played on the world by this seemingly republican Republic.

At this critical moment of seizing power, winning the favor of the army was very important, and it could even be said to be a matter of life and death, so it was understandable that Louis Bonaparte wanted to send his confidant to make friends with people in the army.

At the time of the Restoration of the Empire in 1815. He was appointed colonel, but after the Bourbon restoration he defected to the Bourbons and was later promoted to general.

After the establishment of the July Monarchy in 1830, he defected to the July Monarchy. Participated in the July Monarchy's conquest of Algeria. In 1841, he was promoted to lieutenant general by the dynasty. He was created a count in early 1848, but the dynasty was soon overthrown by the revolution.

After the founding of the Republic, he still tended to favor the Orleans faction and joined the Party of Order. He was eventually elected as Prime Minister of the government and concurrently served as Minister of War.

Although ostensibly a Party of Order, his political views were erratic and he had no intention of overly participating in the struggle between the Party of Order and the Bonapartists. He was dismissed by the president in January 1851 and later returned to Algeria as governor-general. 】

"Charles. After you go there, you must establish a good relationship with Count Opul and the top and bottom staff of the War Department. I think you know the key to this even if I don't tell you." After a moment of silence, Louis -Bonaparte wiped away the smile on his face, "You have to find someone from the army. We must rely on those who can cooperate with us to truly seize power and rebuild the empire. This task is given to you because of our trust, and also because your grandfather is de Treville, who is famous in the army. Marquis, I think you can do it..."

"I will do my best to fulfill your request." Without any hesitation, Charles bowed to express his acceptance of such a new appointment.

"Very good, Charles. I have fulfilled your wish. Count Dilion will remain in office. I sincerely hope that you can fulfill my wish." Seeing Charles doing this, Louis Bonaparte said with satisfaction. He nodded and said, "At the same time, I also hope that you can be as capable as you were at the Ministry of Railways. Perform your work effectively and implement my will. Count Opple is busy with official duties and may not have so much time to take care of the Ministry of War... Moreover, even if he appoints another person to be the Minister of War, you can do it. Keep up your work, I will always support you.”

This is a hint that Charles should try his best to establish connections within the army. Of course, Charles understands this hint.

With his understanding of history, Charles knew that after serving as Minister of War for about a year, Count Opple did appoint two ministers of war-Count Schramm and Count Ungery, but neither of them was able to do the job. He resigned after a month or two.

Obviously, even if these people really don't want to cooperate, they can't cause much difficulty to their work.

Therefore, Ciel had no scruples in confirming his decision.

"I will work hard to complete this work. However, I don't think you need to worry too much. The army will eventually lean towards us, because only the empire is glorious and can lead them to make achievements... and only you can It’s an empire.”

"It would be a lot easier for us if everyone thought so," Louis Bonaparte replied calmly.

"They will understand this eventually." Ciel replied firmly, as if he was convinced of this.

"Okay, then this task is handed over to you, Charles." After a moment of silence, Louis-Bonaparte sat down again, "It's not realistic for you to leave the work of the Ministry of Railways right now. I hope you can clean up in the next month and hand over the work to your successor. Is one month enough?"

"Absolutely, sir."

"Very good." Louis-Bonaparte breathed a sigh of relief.

However, as if he remembered something again, "Charles, I have also read your grandfather's ideas for the reform of the army system. There are indeed many insightful things. But this idea is too grand and cannot be completed in a day or two. At present, our main task is to seize power, so... I hope that after you get there, you will focus on stability and not make too many drastic reforms. When that day comes, it will be the best time for us to make great plans."

"Don't worry, I can see the situation clearly." Charles nodded.

Then, Charles looked at Louis-Bonaparte hesitantly. "However, I think that in the long run, we must reform the army... We must find a way to tame the army, sir."

"Of course I know that." Louis Bonaparte's tone became a little cold, "But nothing can be achieved overnight."

The original text is available at 6 # 9 @Book/Bar!

Charles sighed in his heart. It seems that he really does not have the courage to make a major operation on the army.

Since the Napoleonic Empire, the successive ministers of the army, whether it is the Duke of Belluno, Baron Damas, Viscount Digen and others of the Bourbon Dynasty, or the Duke of Dalmatia, Marquis of Meissen, Baron Bernard of the July Monarchy, or the Count of Oppel in the Republic, or the Count of Schram and Count of Angri, they all have one thing in common, that is, they are not traditional nobles handed down from the Bourbon Dynasty, but rose from the ranks during the Great Revolution and the Napoleonic Empire. These people joined the army when they were young, and rose step by step during the twenty-year war. They survived the change of dynasties and became the new military nobles.

Napoleon fell, but his partners and subordinates who were not as capable as him but had the same ideas survived and replaced the old nobles to become the pillars of the French army. Even if they swore allegiance to the kings, they were still the same as Napoleon in a sense - advocating force, yearning for conquest, and full of contempt for other countries.

And what about their subordinates? Under their words and deeds, the new generation of officers naturally yearned for and envied the "glorious achievements" of these predecessors and the legendary experience of seizing wealth with swords. They also longed to make achievements and eventually become new military nobles. Driven by this idea, they naturally also longed to wage wars abroad in order to win merits and titles for themselves.

These people combined together, naturally forming a close military group, firmly grasping the army, and full of desire for external expansion. In addition, in 19th century France, the political situation was changing and the government changed frequently. The status of the army became more and more important, becoming an interest group that could almost control politics. Their ideas eventually became the ideas of the country.

In the original history, after Louis Bonaparte rebuilt the empire, he kept launching wars against foreign countries. It cannot be said that there was also a driving role of military ideas.

It is a good thing for soldiers to be eager to make achievements, but it is definitely not a good thing to take the initiative or be forced by soldiers to set fire everywhere-isn’t the end of Napoleon and Napoleon III the best warning?

For politicians, war is a means to achieve political goals, but for soldiers, war is its own goal, and even the meaning of their existence-so, a healthy country should not be controlled by the army. The army should become a tool of the country rather than the master.

If this wild horse is not tamed, the Second Empire will sooner or later be controlled by these radical soldiers and finally go to the road of no return to destruction.

Even in the Third Republic, the army was the most conservative and unruly group, and they had repeatedly planned to overthrow the Republic and rebuild the monarchy. It was only because of the political climate at the time that they did not end up overthrowing the Republic.

However, it was still early, and he did not have to think about these things so early.

"I will hand over my work as soon as possible, sir." (To be continued...)