Napoleon III finally succumbed to the high-pitched nationalist enthusiasm. When he issued a strong threat of war, the whole of France was completely plunged into fanaticism.
Regardless of their status or wealth, they are all French at this moment, and the glorious victories in the long history have been repeated again and again.
Newspapers are full of reports about the glory of French history, from Henry IV to Joan of Arc, from Louis XIV to Napoleon Bonaparte... Great people create great causes, and the glory of the empire is like a needle. The same morphine hit people's blood vessels.
The U.S. Ambassador to France, Washburn, recorded in detail the national fanaticism during this period in his memoirs!
"All the bars and cafes are overcrowded, and the nobles who are famous for being stingy have actually become generous under the anesthesia of alcohol. They treat the poor around them to have a drink one after another..."
"The extremely poor workers seem to have forgotten their miserable life. They gather in places where there are many people as soon as they get off work, listening to countless speakers telling glorious stories in the history of the empire. When their blood boils, they use the last few coins in their pockets to The money was exchanged for cups of cheap spirits, and the wife and children who were waiting for food at home were forgotten..."
"No one who has not been there can understand this fanatical emotion. Those impassioned orators reenacted Napoleon I's glorious victory under the Giza Pyramids again and again!"
"Facing the tide of Ottoman soldiers and the Mamluk cavalry rolling in like a sandstorm, Napoleon I showed no fear. With the pinnacle treasure of the European Army, the French Expeditionary Force was nailed to the Giza Pyramid like a nail. !”
"The artillery fire was raging, the gunfire was like rain, and the cries of the cavalry's countercharge made the sleeping Pharaoh tremble in fear!"
"It was this war that established Napoleon's reputation as the terrifying god of war. Even now, when Egyptians mention Napoleon's name, they will always be in panic!"
"Soldiers! Forty centuries are watching you from the top of the pyramid!"
"This was Napoleon's famous quote to inspire the soldiers at that time. He used four thousand years of heavy history as a grindstone for the expeditionary force, and finally achieved the prestigious reputation of the world's best army!"
"Who in the future can imagine how the exhausted and outnumbered French expeditionary forces burst out the blood in their chests under the yellow sand of the Giza Pyramids? How did they defeat those who were several times their own? Aboriginal soldiers?”
"If you are not a member of this nation, you cannot understand the pride in it!"
"During the Battle of Austerlitz, three European emperors gathered together. The French God of War singled out two European emperors and miraculously won a complete victory!"
"When the news of the victory in the Battle of the Three Emperors reached the country, France's national enthusiasm suddenly reached its peak! France actually ended the thousand-year-old Holy Roman Empire! The incredible victory made the consciousness of the entire French nation boil!"
"At that time, the entire French people believed that the fate of Europe was completely in France's hands!"
"Today, people once again smelled the smell of victory. Countless people in the streets shouted out the name 'Jena', where the Prussians were completely defeated by Napoleon I!"
"The French have gone completely crazy. They have completely fallen into the nationalist frenzy and are unable to extricate themselves. While my heart is deeply shocked, I also feel a little worried!"
The memoirs of U.S. Ambassador Washburne later became an important historical basis for people to study this period of major changes. He carefully recorded the emotional fluctuations of Paris citizens from the perspective of a bystander.
After studying this diary and memoirs, countless historians lamented regretfully that "the national destiny of the Second French Empire died due to this irrational national fanaticism!"
"It can be seen that nationalism is a double-edged sword. If used well, it can be a powerful tool to unite the hearts of a country. But if used improperly, it will become a demon that stalks the hearts of the people, forcing the government to make countless wrong moves!"
The news of the French Emperor's ultimatum spread throughout Europe in an instant. The entire Western world exploded in an instant, and all countries expressed their attitudes.
Spain, Tsarist Russia, Belgium and other pro-French countries have expressed the hope that Prussia can accept the French Emperor's peace proposal and should not cause greater misfortune for the sake of the Chinese.
Prussia's allies are mainly concentrated in the German-speaking area. Austria, Hungary, Bavaria, Hesse and other kingdoms all unanimously condemned France's crude interference in Prussia's internal affairs.
The United Kingdom rarely expressed a neutral attitude. Prime Minister Gladstone issued a non-irritating statement, expressing regret for the deterioration of the situation and hoping that the French Emperor could resolve the grievances between the Chinese and Prussians. All come to the negotiating table.
But as soon as his speech ended, Gladstone secretly provided an additional loan of 10 million pounds to Xiao Letian. It seemed that these British people were determined to sit back and watch the fight between tigers and tigers.
Berlin and Paris have become the two most chaotic hurricane eyes in Europe! But compared to the fanaticism of Paris, Berlin's aura is unusually calm.
The national character of the Prussians has long been formed through hundreds of years of military training. This nation is as rigorous as a sophisticated machine. No one's feelings are easily leaked, even when gentlemen meet on the street. They don't greet each other about the weather like the British do.
These Prussians, who are all soldiers, can only greet each other, "Is order still there?" 'When the other party replied, 'The order is still there! 'Only then can you leave with peace of mind.
In the hearts of these Prussians, the existence of order represents the stability and happiness of life, which is much more important than whether the weather is good or not, or whether they have eaten today.
Are there groups of soldiers passing by with their heads held high on the street? Whenever soldiers appear, all pedestrians and carriages on the street will automatically give way. Men take off their hats and salute, and women curtsey.
This nation's respect for soldiers has become an instinct!
"How terrible! This is what we call a nation armed to the teeth!" Xiao Letian stood behind the window, watching a battalion of soldiers passing by on the street, and looking at the men, women, old and children who had gone through the experience in silence, he couldn't help but sigh with emotion.
"Sima Yun... I plan to implement a compulsory military system among the Chinese after returning to Ryukyu this time. All adult Chinese men will be forced to undergo military training..."
"Do you think there will be a lot of resistance?"
Sima Yun shook his head, "If there is no fortress plan, if you just attack the city like the past dynasty changes, then I will never agree to the universal compulsory military system!"
"Because for thousands of years, China has always respected literati and belittled soldiers. Folks have always said that they are inferior in everything but good at reading. There is also a proverb that a good man cannot be a soldier, and a good man cannot hammer nails!"
"If you forcefully promote a system of universal compulsory military service, it will only cause a huge backlash from the people!"
