Holy Roman Empire

Chapter 189: The Allied Forces' Plan (BONUS)

On August 15, 1852, the Russian army launched the second Battle of Bulgaria, with the main Russian forces pouring over the Balkan Mountains to attack the allied forces.

Franz found it hard to understand the Russians recklessly committing their main force like this. Shouldn’t they at least leave enough troops to defend their supply lines? Despite his lack of understanding, Franz had to assist the Russians in handling the aftermath.

Austria needed the war to continue, and only if the Russians and the British and French forces fought fiercely could Austria find an opportunity to advance westward.

Frowning, Franz ordered, “Command the frontline troops to be on standby. Once the allied forces make a move, pretend to be Balkan guerrillas and help the Russians guard the supply line.”

Given Austria’s multi-ethnic composition, with a significant number of minorities in the military, assisting the Russians posed challenges.

In politics, shamelessness prevailed. As long as the lid was not lifted, and the British and French had no evidence to prove Austria’s involvement, everyone would continue to feign ignorance, awaiting the next opportunity for retaliation.

If the lid were lifted, they would have no choice but to stand their ground and fight. Franz disliked such extreme and risky actions.

Marshal Radetzky suggested: “Your Majesty, direct intervention would easily expose us. Why don’t we support the Bulgarian local militia and guerrillas?

The Russians may not take them seriously, but the information provided by the front-line military observers suggests that their fighting spirit is high, and that they have some combat capability.

As long as we provide them a batch of weapons and equipment and arm these people, with them as local big shots here, the allied forces would find it almost be impossible to conduct raids here.”

Austria needed the Russians to continue their offensive, but they were not prepared to personally enter the battlefield to assist the Russians, as that would mean the failure of their westward strategy.

One can’t rely on the Russians to reciprocate after Austria helps them capture Constantinople. Would the Russians then send troops to help Austria unify the German territories?

Considering the situation from another perspective, if Austria’s strategic goals were already achieved, would Franz still be so dedicated to assisting the Russians now?

Genuine cooperation is built on shared interests. Once those interests fade, everyone’s stance is likely to change.

Franz shook his head and said, “Supporting the Bulgarians is simple; we are not lacking in military supplies. However, how do we explain this to the Russians? According to the terms of the alliance, Bulgaria is Russian territory so we cannot interfere there.”

To avoid conflicts, the Russo-Austrian alliance had very clear agreements. The division of influence between the two countries was well-defined: each could do as they pleased in their own territory, but they couldn’t meddle in the other’s.

While the Russians were promoting Pan-Slavism in Bulgaria and Montenegro, they hadn’t made similar efforts in Serbia and the Danube Principalities.

The Russians were playing by the rules, and Austria couldn’t afford to break them. This adherence to rules was the foundation of their alliance, easy to break but difficult to rebuild.

Prime Minister Felix suggested, “What if we arrange for someone to smuggle weapons into Bulgaria? There are many arms dealers active in the Balkans recently. We can find someone to act as an agent.”

Metternich opposed, “No. If it’s just a few thousand rifles, we can naturally let arms dealers sell them to the Bulgarians.

But now, for the Bulgarians to have the ability to withstand a surprise attack by the allied forces, they need at least one or two divisions’ worth of weapons and equipment.

If this many weapons flow into Bulgaria, and we claim ignorance, how could we explain it?

Moreover, the Bulgarians simply don’t have the money to buy so many weapons. If arms dealers start giving away weapons for free, the Russians, unless they’re fools, will know it’s our doing.”

Smuggling weapons can only be done on a small scale; once it becomes large enough, it’s challenging to maintain secrecy.

The Ottoman Empire has always controlled the flow of weapons and ammunition into Bulgaria. If a large quantity of weapons were to enter Bulgaria from the Austrian-controlled zone now, Austria would have a hard time explaining it.

Franz thought for a moment and said, “Take some of the second-hand weapons from our warehouses, select those that are still usable, and mix them with weapons seized in the Balkans. Have the quartermaster sell them to arms dealers in his name, and we’ll take part as well.”

Issuing orders to sell weapons in this manner was quite absurd, but it was currently happening.

Large quantities of Austrian equipment appearing in Bulgaria would definitely draw Russian attention. If it was switched to second-hand old equipment flowing into the market, the Russians might even feel a sense of camaraderie.

Currently, the largest arms dealer in Bulgaria is the Russian expeditionary force. Officers sell confiscated weapons and equipment to local guerrilla organizations for profit.

Since the Russian military is involved, it wouldn’t be surprising for the Austrian forces to follow suit. Even if the Russians were to discover it, they would likely help cover it up; otherwise, their own involvement in arms dealing would be exposed.

Prime Minister Felix thought for a moment and said, “Your Majesty, this is probably a drop in the bucket. The local militia in Bulgaria is too poor; even purchasing firearms and ammunition is a struggle for them, and they cannot afford artillery.

If the allied forces send troops to the rear to sabotage them, although the number of troops may not be too large, it won’t be too small either. At the very least, they would organize regiments. The local militia in Bulgaria is probably not a match for them.”

“No need to worry. We just need the Bulgarians to buy us some time. With this buffer time, the Russians should be able to react,” Franz said calmly.

Franz is still confident in the combat capability of the Bulgarian militia. He had previously fallen into a misconception, realizing that these people couldn’t defeat a regular army on the front lines.

However, defending their homeland, with terrain to their advantage, these Bulgarians should have no problem delaying the enemy’s advance.

A raid on the rear is all about speed. If the speed is not fast enough, let alone cutting off the enemy’s supply lines, just avoiding detection and not being captured would be an achievement.

……

Balkan Peninsula Allied Command

“General Mustafa Pasha, why didn’t you inform me about what happened? Why is it that when the Russians launched an attack this time, you have no information at all?

Do not tell me the mobilization of hundreds of thousands of troops completely escaped your notice?” French Commander Aimable Pélissier questioned.

“General Mustafa Pasha, your side is inexcusable for this matter. The Russians have already started their offensive, yet you all did not know until we informed you.

This is your Ottoman Empire’s homeland. You cannot even obtain such intelligence. Are all your officials doing nothing but eating shit?” British Commander FitzRoy Somerset rebuked.

Faced with the accusations of the two, Mustafa Pasha had nothing to say. While it might be understandable for foreign troops not to know about the Russian movement, for them, the sovereign of this land, to be oblivious to the military movements under their noses was inexcusable.

“I apologize, gentlemen. We will handle the negligent personnel seriously. Such situations will not occur again. Now that the enemy has come, let's focus on dealing with them!”

After saying this, Mustafa Pasha picked up his command baton, pointed at locations on the military map, and analyzed, “Here and here. These are the focal points contested by the Russian army. Based on the firepower on the battlefield, the Russians’ main target this time should be the strategic key point — Sliven.

Sliven has always been a strategic key point in the Balkans. Once the Russian army occupies it, they will gain a strategic advantage over us.

From here to Edirne, it’s a flat plain, and we will find it difficult to establish an effective defense line. If the Russians leave a hundred thousand troops in Sliven, we will have to leave two hundred thousand troops to keep an eye on them.

In addition, another city that the Russians may focus on attacking is Sofia.

Sofia is located in the southern part of the Sofia Basin, also a strategic key point in the Balkans. If we control this area, we control half of Bulgaria.

If Sofia falls, then the Russians can link up with the Austrians to the north, and our stronghold in Belgrade will also lose its strategic significance.”

Looking at the map, FitzRoy Somerset’s expression changed. The current location where the British forces are stationed is precisely Sofia, accompanied by thirty thousand Ottoman troops.

The decision to defend here was based on the prior internal analysis of the British expeditionary forces, believing that the Russians’ target was Constantinople, and the main focus of the attack would be in Sliven.

If the allied forces win and launch a counterattack, Sofia would again be in a favorable position, allowing them to swiftly advance towards the Danube River, cutting off the Russian retreat. This would be an excellent place to gain military achievements.

However, looking at it now, the Russians may also advance through Sofia. If they capture this area, more than half of the Balkan Peninsula will be under their control, and the political gains would be greater than the military ones.

French Commander Aimable Pélissier coldly analyzed: “If the Russians want to capture Constantinople, Sliven is an unavoidable obstacle. Unless they are not afraid of us cutting off their rear, they must take this region.

Losing Sliven would make our later battles difficult. By then, the Russians could attack or retreat at will, while we could only passively respond.

Now that your country has given up Serbia, even if Sofia is lost, it will only mean losing the central and western parts of Bulgaria, along with Belgrade.

The war is still in its early stages, and the ultimate victor is the one who laughs last. We don’t need to care about the gains and losses of individual cities and territories. It’s worthwhile to temporarily give up some land for the sake of the final victory.”

FitzRoy Somerset strongly opposed: “We cannot simply abandon Sofia. The Russians have already manipulated the Bulgarians, and if we continue, more Balkan nations will be influenced.

By then, we will find that the enemy keeps increasing. With their support, even if we defeat the Russians, we won’t be able to drive them out of the Balkan Peninsula.

The 30,000 relief troops we dispatched from the homeland have already set out. They will arrive on the Balkan Peninsula at the latest the day after tomorrow. The 20,000 troops from the Kingdom of Sardinia have also reached the Balkan Peninsula and will be sent to reinforce Sofia.

Limited by logistics, the Russian forces in the Balkan Peninsula are restricted. They cannot send too many troops to attack Sofia. With 100,000 troops, we can definitely hold our ground.

Sliven is guarded by French forces, and the Russians have almost no chance of breaking through. As long as we withstand this wave of attacks, we can launch a counterattack.

In terms of troop strength, we have an absolute advantage. Even if the Russian army is strong, they are not our match in the Balkan Peninsula.”

Military serves politics. As the first battle for the British army on the Balkan Peninsula, FitzRoy Somerset could not retreat without a fight. This concerned the British army’s face.

The French had already shown their power. Even if the French suffer losses, on the surface, they will appear as victors, with the blame falling on the Ottomans.

The British army also needs to establish its might, proving its strength to the outside world and elevating its status domestically. This means they cannot act together with the French, or they risk being seen as mere spectators.

Mustafa Pasha showed his support by saying: “General Somerset’s proposal is good. Sofia is indispensable and we cannot bear the political impact of losing it.”

Pessimistically speaking, whether they could drive out the Russians was unknown. If the two sides fought to mutual destruction and the Ottoman Empire could not recover the lost lands, abandoning Sofia now would be a huge loss, right?

The British were formidable, but that was thanks to their navy. The French were formidable, but that was the France of Napoleon. The Ottoman Empire was powerful, but that was history.

The Russians are presently powerful, particularly in their land forces. Having faced the Russian army multiple times, the Ottoman government fears the Russian threat. Even Mustafa Pasha cannot avoid being influenced.

The Ottoman government was already prepared to move the capital. If not to boost morale, the Ottoman capital would now be Ankara.

The Russian Bear is a formidable adversary. If they cannot drive them out of the Balkan Peninsula, the Ottoman government would hesitate to keep Constantinople as capital in close proximity to the Russians.

With a 2-1 vote, Aimable Pélissier did not continue to object. They were allies in name but he could only command the French army. He could barely order the Ottoman army. The arrogant John Bull would not even accept his leadership.

Aimable Pélissier proposed: “In that case, let’s divide the responsibilities. The main defense in Sofia will be led by the British and will be named the Left Army, with General FitzRoy Somerset as commander.

Sliven, including Kazanlak, will be guarded by the French, and I will personally serve as the commander, forming the Central Army. The remaining areas will be the responsibility of General Mustafa Pasha, serving as the Right Army.

The frontline situation is critical, and we don’t have time to waste. If there are no issues, let’s take positions as soon as possible.”

FitzRoy Somerset said without hesitation: “There are none. This allocation is very reasonable and can maximize the mobilization of the troops’ combat capabilities.”