Flowers, Swords and France

After continuous rainy weather, the Gallipoli coast finally cleared up again. At this time, the sun was shining brightly on the beach, and the sky and sea in front of it turned into a blue curtain. Seagulls soared and screamed in the sky, bringing this ocean to its most beautiful moment.

However, in this turbulent era, this calm is just a false illusion.

Just at the horizon where the blue sky and the blue water meet, some black shadows slowly appeared. As time went by, these shadows became clearer and clearer, showing their true posture.

These are some warships with sails. They are all huge, densely packed on the sea, rushing towards the beach at full speed, with a rigorous and unstoppable array. These warships have beautiful lines, strict formations, and sharp rams piercing into the air. On those towering masts, the Union Jack proudly sways under the blue sky, showing the pride of the British Empire to the fullest.

At this time, a large group of senior French officers had gathered on the beach behind the pier, quietly watching the warships appearing in the sky. They all looked serious, and the tassels and medals on their uniforms were densely packed, making this beach full of jewels that did not belong to it.

Slowly, these warships got closer and closer to the coast. They raised flags to the shore and fired salutes to salute the French generals on the shore.

Then, they dropped their anchors and docked at the pier on the shore, just like the French expeditionary force that had come from afar before. Then, there was a commotion on each warship, and it was obvious that they were preparing to let the soldiers in the transport ship disembark.

When they saw that the British had stopped the ship, the French generals stopped whispering, and the commander of the expeditionary force, Marshal Treville, raised his hand and made a gesture.

"Bang!" The French officers and soldiers on the shore fired salutes.

Then, accompanied by the officers' shouts of "play music", the military band began to play "God Save the Queen" to welcome the arrival of the British allies.

With the roar of salutes and the accompaniment of military bands, a group of British officers in various uniforms walked down from the ship, then passed the pier and came to the French generals.

The generals of the two armies faced each other, and the medals of the Order of Merit could not cover up their respective arrogance. The hot air seemed to freeze suddenly.

Since the Battle of Waterloo, there have never been so many British and French generals facing each other. However, compared with the unprecedented fight in 1815, they are much more friendly at this time. Forty years ago, they were sworn enemies, and they wished each other would die sooner. Forty years later, they became allies fighting side by side, unanimously against another great power - the maneuvers on the European continent are so dramatic!

After a moment of silence, the generals of the two armies saluted each other almost at the same time, and the air began to flow again.

"I am Admiral Fitzroy Somerset, Baron Raglan, Commander-in-Chief of the British Expeditionary Force." A tall and thin old man wearing a red military dress and a Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath on his chest whispered to the French generals in French, "On behalf of Her Majesty the Queen, I extend my best wishes to you all."

If you observe carefully, you can find that this general has only one arm, and this is the biggest mark left on him by his many years of military career.

"I am Victor de Treville, Commander-in-Chief of the French Expeditionary Force." Marshal Treville, who was standing at the front of the line, picked up his marshal's baton and shook it gently, then answered the British general gently and reservedly, "In accordance with the order of His Majesty the Emperor, we will fight side by side with your army and will never withdraw until victory."

"Nice to meet you." Baron Raglan smiled, then walked forward and shook Marshal Treville's hand with his only remaining hand.

"Nice to meet you." The marshal also smiled and shook the other's hand.

After the two commanders shook hands and greeted each other, the two teams of senior officers finally merged together. Under the leadership of the French officers, the officers of the two armies began to walk towards the camp that had been prepared to receive the British generals.

Being able to become the commander of the British Expeditionary Force, the Baron Raglan, Admiral Fitzroy-Somerset, who was already in his sixties, was of course a well-known figure. In fact, he had a high status and a high reputation in the British army. Like Marshal Treville, he was also one of the last remnants of that glorious era of genius.

Fitzroy-Somerset was born into an aristocratic family. He was the youngest son of the fifth Duke of Beaufort. Because the youngest son could not inherit the noble title and title according to the rules, he could only be called Lord Somerset when he was young, and according to the usual practice of the nobles, he joined the army in his youth.

At that time, Britain was experiencing the most terrible challenge. Emperor Napoleon led his vigorous empire, prepared to fight a desperate battle with it, and vowed to take the world away from it. The young Lord Somerset, like many of his peers, participated in this desperate struggle.

In 1808, he was appointed aide-de-camp to Sir Wellesley, the future Duke of Wellington. From this time on, he put his reputation, his future, and even his life on the line. Linked with this giant in British history, he followed Lord Wellesley on his campaigns, from Portugal to Spain, then to Belgium and finally to France. Every part of Wellington's glorious footsteps has his mark.

In the Battle of Waterloo, which made the Duke famous in history, Lord Somerset followed the Duke and lost his arm. He also won the reputation of saving the empire and became one of the heroes worshiped by the British. one.

After that battle, he was briefly appointed secretary of the embassy in France before being transferred back home. Then, when the Duke of Wellington became Commander-in-Chief of the Army in 1827, he continued to follow the Duke of Wellington, silently assisting him in managing the British army.

After the death of the Duke of Wellington last year, he naturally became one of the most prestigious people in the army. The British government officially named him Baron Raglan. From then on, he will become the head of a new line of British aristocrats. Founder.

After the British government went to war with Russia, of course he became the commander-in-chief of the British Expeditionary Force without any concessions.

As a personal experiencer of that era, he himself is a witness to history. Now, he has become a new writer, and he is not alarmed by this.

This veteran, who was born into a ducal family, is personable but stiff and cold, quite in line with the British ideal of a resolute aristocratic image. He was also surrounded by a large group of noble officers, such as the Earl of Lucan, who was wearing a hussar uniform and a feathered hat on his head, the Earl of Cardigan, who was wearing a military uniform and a big beard, and so on.

This group of British aristocratic officers, like their predecessors and descendants, can be calm and almost numb, ready to sacrifice their lives and the lives of their subordinates for the British Empire at any time. This is such a group of people who faithfully open up territories for the empire. soil, and guarding the largest family property in human history.

They have faced the most dangerous situations and defeated the most terrifying enemies. Now, they have entered the new war with full confidence. They have no doubt that they and the empire will eventually be able to defeat the terrifying giant bear - for this reason, no matter what It's worth whatever price you pay.

Along the way, naturally, the two commanders-in-chief struck up a conversation.

"I'm sorry that we are late." Baron Raglan said to Marshal Treville with a smile, "but please don't worry, we will never be late in the battle."

Because of some necessary diplomatic procedures, even though the British government was itchy, it still suppressed its temper and went through the diplomatic process honestly. It was not until the Russians rejected the ultimatum submitted by the British ambassador that they declared war on Russia. Next Only then did they gather the fleet and move towards Turkey, so the British army was much later than the French army.

"You are lucky. It is always beneficial to come here for a while." Marshal Treville also smiled and replied, "We have already done some construction in this desolate place, and we can entertain you on good terms - if If you arrive first, I’m afraid you won’t be able to drink a good Bordeaux on the first day.”

"Oh! This is really great!" Baron Raglan looked very surprised. "I envy you French people. You never missed your enjoyment during the war! Since I left Paris, I haven't been able to have a pleasant meal with the French for many years. I can't wait to have lunch with you. Yes, Your Excellency Marshal."

"We are also brave and good at fighting, but we are different from you in hospitality." Marshal Treville still smiled, "So don't worry, as long as we can enjoy something, we will share it with you."

"You are going too far. We are equally hospitable to our guests, Your Majesty the Marshal." Baron Raglan shook his head and denied the Marshal's statement. "We have never treated your colleagues harshly, not even yours." We have always treated His Majesty with courtesy... God is my witness, we have never treated him badly. I don’t know why there are always so many gossips slandering us. This is a great insult to our reputation.”

This sentence made Marshal Treville stop for a moment.

It is true that unlike many rumors, Emperor Napoleon was not mistreated by the British when he was exiled to St. Helena Island, and his living conditions were very good. It is even more nonsense that he was poisoned by the British with arsenic. However, When he said this here, it seemed like he was showing off.

Of course, Baron Raglan was not actually that harsh. In fact, he wanted to protect the reputation of the British, especially his old boss, the Duke of Wellington, in front of the French. In 1815, it was the Duke who fought hard to prevent the emperor from being killed when he was taken prisoner, but he was later secretly slandered. Everyone accused the British of mistreating the emperor, which made him very angry.

However, the Marshal looked different.

Like most Englishmen, Baron Raglan's reserve and politeness concealed a seemingly unconcealable pride, which did not please Marshal Treville.

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Moreover, the British defeated France and exiled His Majesty the Emperor, which has always been a pain in the hearts of French soldiers. Now that it was mentioned so intentionally or unintentionally, the marshal suddenly felt a little dissatisfied. However, he also knew that now it was The overall situation was the most important thing, so there was no attack.

"His Majesty the Emperor is also full of respect for the British." Finally, he replied, "The past events are indeed long-lasting. But I think the reality is more important to us. The Russians will not let you deal with it easily now. I think We need to have a good discussion. Your ability to bring British troops here gives us great confidence."

"We will never have the military genius and foresight of Emperor Bonaparte and the Duke of Wellington." Baron Raglan shrugged, seeming a little absent-minded, "But fortunately, at least we still have enough intelligence. Let us fight according to the combat principles prescribed by these geniuses... What I learned from the Duke of Wellington is that we should pay attention to concentrating all our forces at any time, and then prepare to fight a decisive battle with the enemy, through bravery Fight to defeat them."

"It just so happens that I learned the same teachings from His Majesty the Emperor." Marshal Treville smiled, "What His Majesty the Emperor most admires is to quickly gather troops and then seek to defeat or annihilate the enemy. I don't see the need for us. Not following their teachings.”

Of course, Britain and France are not just following the teachings of the emperor and the duke. They are following military logic. Thousands of miles away, their logistics supplies will definitely be severely disrupted, so they both hope to be able to negotiate with Russia as soon as possible. They fought a decisive battle and then defeated the Russian army, forcing the Russians to sue for peace and accept the peace talks terms of the two governments.

However, although they all agree on the most basic principles, they still have major differences.

"Thank God, we all have good teachers." Baron Raglan nodded. "Then, please accept our plan. Although we are late, we have been planning for this for a long time..."

"I think it's best for you to act according to our arrangements, sir." The marshal replied calmly to him. "After all, we have sent more troops than the British."

"But the British will invest the main force of the navy and maintain a grand alliance for the coalition forces. Its far-sightedness should not be forgotten." Baron Raglan shook his head, obviously not agreeing with the marshal's opinion.

"Sir, we have to fight side by side!" The marshal was a little unhappy. "And I'm the marshal."

"Yes, I think the most important thing is that I want to fight side by side with you and win the final victory." Baron Raglan was also a little unhappy, "I am very happy to help you regain the honor you lost in Russia. ”

"What do you mean by this?" The marshal finally couldn't help it anymore and increased his voice, "I have fought bravely anywhere and have never lost my honor and dignity. But you, if the Prussians If you arrive a few hours late... I don't know if I can see you today?"

"I know you are a brave general, but where were you during Waterloo? I never saw you!" Baron Raglan said coldly and calmly, "If you were here, I wouldn't mind capturing you. Treat each other with courtesy and let you experience the generosity of the British. ”

"You...your attitude makes people a little confused. Don't you think cooperation is not important to us?" The marshal frowned, as if he was angry, "If you continue to face us with this attitude, It’s a pity that we can’t cooperate effectively with you!”

"Then I also want to tell you that it is impossible for the British army to obey the instructions of the French army. The British people will not accept such an arrangement." Baron Raglan also responded tit for tat.

The two bad old men stared at each other like this, which made the officers next to them feel surprised and embarrassed. This was their commander-in-chief! What if a fight really breaks out?

However, the dispute between the two commanders is not just a personal issue between the two old men. It is interspersed with their different command systems, guiding ideology, and, more importantly, the conflict between the two armies. between arrogance and dignity.

And more importantly, the issue of dominance. Neither side wants to be controlled by others, so they would rather appear tough from the beginning.

After looking at each other for a long time, Marshal Treville finally sneered.

"You are indeed a stubborn old fellow."

"Aren't you the same?" The Baron also laughed.

"Then, let's have lunch first. At least we have the same view on alcohol." The marshal made an inviting gesture.